cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Older adults and high-risk medication administration in the emergency department

Background Older adults are susceptible to adverse effects from opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and benzodiazepines (BZDs). We investigated factors associated with the administration of elevated doses of these medications of interest to older adults (≥65 years old) in the emergency department (ED). Patients and methods ED records were queried for the administration of medications of interest to older adults at two academic medical center EDs over a 6-month period. Frequency of recommended versus elevated ("High doses" were defined as doses that ranged between 1.5 and 3 times higher than the recommended starting doses; "very high doses" were defined as higher than high doses) starting doses of medications, as determined by geriatric pharmacy/medicine guidelines and expert consensus, was compared by age groups (65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, and ≥85 years), gender, and hospital. Results There were 17896 visits representing 11374 unique patients >65 years of age (55.3% men, 44.7% women). A total of 3394 doses of medications of interest including 1678 high doses and 684 very high doses were administered to 1364 different patients. Administration of elevated doses of medications was more common than that of recommended doses. Focusing on opioids and BZDs, the 65-69-year age group was much more likely to receive very high doses (1481 and 412 doses, respectively) than the ≥85-year age groups (relative risk [RR] 5.52, 95% CI 2.56-11.90), mainly reflecting elevated opioid dosing (RR 8.28, 95% CI 3.69-18.57). Men were more likely than women to receive very high doses (RR 1.47, 95% CI 1.26-1.72), primarily due to BZDs (RR 2.12, 95% CI 2.07-2.16). Conclusion Administration of elevated doses of opioids and BZDs in the older population occurs frequently in the ED, especially to the 65-69-year age group and men. Further attention to potentially unsafe dosing of high-risk medications to older adults in the ED is warranted.
Institutional Field Evolved Around Cybercrimes

The growth of criminal enterprises in the cyberworld has been an issue of pressing concern to our society. Concepts and theory building are lacking on institutions from the standpoint of criminal entrepreneurship in the digital world. In an attempt to fill this void, this chapter proposes a framework for identifying clear contexts and attendant mechanisms associated with how institutions have interacted with cybercrimes. The underlying notion in this chapter is that the rules of the game offered by formal and informal institutions have favored cybercrimes more than most conventional crimes. The degree of institutional favor, which cybercrime-related entrepreneurs enjoyed before, however, is decreasing.
Transport and fate of nitrate and pesticides : Hydrogeology and riparian zone processes

There is continuing concern over potential impacts of widespread application of nutrients and pesticides on ground- and surface-water quality. Transport and fate of nitrate and pesticides were investigated in a shallow aquifer and adjacent stream, Cow Castle Creek, in Orangeburg County, South Carolina. Pesticide and pesticide degradate concentrations were detected in ground water with greatest frequency and largest concentrations directly beneath and downgradient from the corn (Zea mays L.) field where they were applied. In almost all samples in which they were detected, concentrations of pesticide degradates greatly exceeded those of parent compounds, and were still present in ground waters that were recharged during the previous 18 yr. The absence of both parent and degradate compounds in samples collected from deeper in the aquifer suggests that this persistence is limited or that the ground water had recharged before use of the pesticide. Concentrations of NO(-)(3) in ground water decreased with increasing depth and age, but denitrification was not a dominant controlling factor. Hydrologic and chemical data indicated that ground water discharges to the creek and chemical exchange takes place within the upper 0.7 m of the streambed. Ground water had its greatest influence on surface-water chemistry during low-flow periods, causing a decrease in concentrations of Cl(-), NO(-)(3), pesticides, and pesticide degradates. Conversely, shallow subsurface drainage dominates stream chemistry during high-flow periods, increasing stream concentrations of Cl(-), NO(-)(3), pesticides, and pesticide degradates. These results point out the importance of understanding the hydrogeologic setting when investigating transport and fate of contaminants in ground water and surface water.
Re-Imagining the Medical Informatics Curriculum.

Most physicians in academics, administration, and private practice are insufficiently trained to cope with the current challenges facing medicine. Although information technology, and medical informatics in particular, has been considered to be part of the solution to this problem, the philosophical underpinnings of informatics remain a source of much discussion. Too often, new technology is seen as a new way to do the same things, rather than as an opportunity for a radical reenvisioning of the processes and practices themselves. As a consequence, practitioners and educators fail to make the best uses of new technologies, and fail to offer medical students the comprehensive training in medical informatics that they will need as they move into the real worlds of practice and academics. In this paper, the author describes an imaginary informatics curriculum made up of six core courses: Introduction to Complexity, Decisions and Outcomes, Scarcity and Conflict, Teamwork and Organizations, Representing Knowledge and Action, and Groupware and Collaboration. He does not recommend that these hypothetical courses actually be implemented, but presents them in the hope that they may serve as a starting point for discussions of how informatics can be incorporated into the curriculum in a more substantive way.
Access Not Denied? The Role American Localities Can Play

San Francisco represents a unique case in the United States in that it has enacted a set of inclusive policies at the local level to increase unauthorized immigrants’ access to and utilization of health care. Based on interviews conducted with 36 primary care providers working in the city’s public safety net in 2009, I examine how this inclusive local policy environment both reinforces and constrains their aspirational views of unauthorized immigrants as morally “deserving” patients, and how it operates to help provide care to unauthorized immigrants. On one hand, this environment reinforces safety-net providers’ aspirational views by creating a more legal-status-blind environment that encourages unauthorized immigrants to come in for care, and by facilitating their abilities to offer key services to and advocate for unauthorized immigrant patients. At the same time, this environment constrains their aspirational views by operating through an institutional structure whose bureaucratic rules effectively deter some unauthorized immigrants from accessing care, and by explicitly delimiting unauthorized immigrants’ access to care to the realm of select primary medical services. These results highlight the great potential of, but also the limitations and internal dilemmas constituting, local “right to care” strategies that seek to ameliorate unauthorized immigrants’ health vulnerability in what is still a hostile U.S. federal context.
Derivation of Long-Range Interaction Energies from Diffuse Scattering in Diffraction Patterns

Ordering theories for binary alloys valid above the critical temperature provide a relationship between the intensities of the diffuse scattering in X-ray, neutron or electron diffraction patterns and the Fourier transform of the pair-wise interaction energy function. Available diffraction data has been used to derive information on the form of the long-range oscillatory potentials attributable to conduction-electron energy terms. On this basis, the relationship of the diffuse scattering to the form of the Fermi surface is discussed. Consideration is given to the possibility of detecting and analyzing the effects of nonpair-wise interaction energies from diffraction data.
Emerging Adult Risky Sexual Behavior Predicted by Parental Overprotection: Moderated Mediation Analysis.

Parental control behaviors are suggested to be related to emerging adult outcomes, such as risky sexual behavior. Although parental control behaviors are more likely to be considered protective against risky sexual behavior, the relation between parental overprotection and risky sexual behavior is unclear. Furthermore, parental overprotection may influence peer selection and prosocial behaviors in emerging adults, which may in turn influence outcomes of risky sexual behavior, as suggested by primary socialization theory. Thus, the current study investigated the relations among paternal and maternal overprotection, emerging adult peer alienation, and risky sexual behavior, and expanded on these relations by examining gender effects of both parents and children. The sample consisted of 505 participants (228 males and 277 females) ranging in age from 18 to 25 years. Analyses were conducted with AMOS path analysis and indicated that peer alienation mediated the effect between both maternal and paternal perceived overprotection and risky sexual behavior, but more strongly for males, suggesting moderated mediation. Overall, parental overprotection may be protective against risky sexual behavior via pathways that are harmful such as peer alienation, thus recommending research continues to clarify the nuances of these relations.
The Shrinking Brain: Cerebral Atrophy Following Traumatic Brain Injury

Cerebral atrophy in response to traumatic brain injury is a well-documented phenomenon in both primary investigations and review articles. Recent atrophy studies focus on exploring the region-specific patterns of cerebral atrophy; yet, there is no study that analyzes and synthesizes the emerging atrophy patterns in a single comprehensive review. Here we attempt to fill this gap in our current knowledge by integrating the current literature into a cohesive theory of preferential brain tissue loss and by identifying common risk factors for accelerated atrophy progression. Our review reveals that observations for mild traumatic brain injury remain inconclusive, whereas observations for moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury converge towards robust patterns: brain tissue loss is on the order of 5% per year, and occurs in the form of generalized atrophy, across the entire brain, or focal atrophy, in specific brain regions. The most common regions of focal atrophy are the thalamus, hippocampus, and cerebellum in gray matter and the corpus callosum, corona radiata, and brainstem in white matter. We illustrate the differences of generalized and focal gray and white matter atrophy on emerging deformation and stress profiles across the whole brain using computational simulation. The characteristic features of our atrophy simulations—a widening of the cortical sulci, a gradual enlargement of the ventricles, and a pronounced cortical thinning—agree well with clinical observations. Understanding region-specific atrophy patterns in response to traumatic brain injury has significant implications in modeling, simulating, and predicting injury outcomes. Computational modeling of brain atrophy could open new strategies for physicians to make informed decisions for whom, how, and when to administer pharmaceutical treatment to manage the chronic loss of brain structure and function.
An Experimental Documentary: Making a Case for Baird’s Modernism

The refutation and the obliteration of the modernist era in Canadian literature by Robert Kroetsch and reasserted by Glen Wilmott makes it imperative to look at highly experimental literary works in the first half of the 20th century in Canada. The purpose of this paper, thus is to make a case for the inclusion Irene Bird’s Waste Heritage in the repertoire of modernist works in North America. The various criticism of Canadian literature as not having a modernist era needs to be debunked. The false assertion that Canadian literature moved straight from the Victorian era to a postmodernist face is probably due to the difficulty of defining what modernism is. The evolution and the expansion of the term modernism makes it imperative for one to reappraise the creative works of Irene Bird (Waste Heritage) and Sheila Watson (Double Hook) as modernist. An attempt to include Waste Heritage in the new modernist discourse of global literature by looking at the experimental way by which Baird used documentary modernism. The sustainability of a growing modern society vis-a-vis modernism, and the resistance of capitalism in Baird’s narrative would be used to make a case for Baird’s modernism.
Abstract P155: B Cells Are Not Necessary for the Developmentof Ang II-induced Hypertension and End-Organ Damage

Chronic inflammation characterized by vascular T cell and macrophage infiltration is associated with angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertension and end-organ damage. However, the role of B cells ...
Conclusions: Making the Road by Walking “de Otra Manera” (in a Different Way)

This book has been a collaborative project nourished through affective conviviality over the course of 8 years. As a Mexican academic woman who has devoted over 40 years to community work in Mexico and elsewhere, I acted as friend, facilitator of this collaboration, and editor.
An Examination of Downstream Effects of Bereavement on Healthcare Utilization for Surviving Spouses in a National Sample of Older Adults

While bereavement is associated with increased mortality, it is unclear how bereaved families utilize the healthcare system after the death of their loved ones. The aim of this study was to examine the association between bereavement and healthcare expenditures for surviving spouses. We used data from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative cohort study of older adults linked to Medicare claims. We determined a spouse’s total Medicare expenditures 2 years before and after their partner’s death across six biennial interview waves. Using coarsened exact matching, we created a comparison group of non-bereaved dyads. Costs were wage index- and inflation-adjusted to 2017 dollars. We used generalized linear models and difference-in-differences (DID) analysis to calculate the average marginal effects of bereavement on Medicare spending by gender. We also examined subgroup differences based on caregiver status, cause of death, and length of terminal illness. Our sample consisted of 941 bereaved dyads and a comparison group of 8899 matched dyads. Surviving female spouses (68% of the sample) had a $3500 increase in spending 2 years after death (p < 0.05). Using DID analyses, bereavement was associated with a $625 quarterly increase in Medicare expenditures over 2 years for women. There was no significant increase in post-death spending for male bereaved surviving spouses. Results were consistent for spouses who survived at least 2 years after the death of their spouse (70% of the sample) Bereavement is associated with increased healthcare spending for women regardless of their caregiving status, the cause of death, or length of terminal illness. Further study is required to examine why men and women have different patterns of healthcare spending relative to the death of their spouses.
Promoting a Development Focus in the Community Organization Curriculum: Relevance of the African Experience

As the problem of poverty has become more acute, community organization teaching needs to focus more directly on programs that will raise standards of living at the local level. This article suggests that African community development is highly relevant to the promotion of community-based economic and social development projects. Although the idea that approaches from Third World countries can be adapted to enhance educational programs in the United States is a novel one, the African approach to community development has much to offer American schools of social work that are seeking to prepare students to work with poor communities in both inner-city and rural areas.
Modeling early Titan's ocean composition

Abstract We model the stability fields of minerals in contact with an interior water-ammonia ocean on Titan. Using constraints on the ammonia abundance from Titan's orbital state, and updated kinetic data, we show that earlier pre-Cassini work by Engel et al. (1994) was qualitatively but not quantitatively correct. We calculate a salinity of the ocean of 1%, consistent with the ocean density derived from Cassini data on Titan's tidal response, and within the range found for Enceladus' ocean. We also consider the sources and sinks of the observed 40Ar in the atmosphere, and conclude that what is observed is only a small fraction of what might be dissolved in the ocean or trapped in clathrate in the crust. Thus, the efficiency of degassing from the core must be much higher than in previous estimates (e.g., McKinnon, 2010) to account for what is observed in the atmosphere. One self-consistent model is that of a partially hydrated core from which much of the potassium has been leached into the ocean, as suggested by the thermal model of Castillo-Rogez and Lunine (2010). Our picture of present-day Titan is that of a slightly salty ocean—about 1% salinity— atop an actively heated and hydrated rock core.
Perceptions of Patients With Breast and Colon Cancer of the Management of Cancer-Related Pain, Fatigue, and Emotional Distress in Community Oncology

PURPOSEPain, fatigue, and distress are common among patients with cancer but are often underassessed and undertreated. We examine the prevalence of pain, fatigue, and emotional distress among patie...
AFAR: A Deep Learning Based Tool for Automated Facial Affect Recognition

Automated facial affect recognition is crucial to multiple domains (e.g., health, education, entertainment). Commercial tools are available but costly and of unknown validity. Open-source ones [1] lack user-friendly GUI for use by non-programmers. For both types, evidence of domain transfer and options for retraining for use in new domains typically are lacking.
A contemporary review of obstructive sleep apnea.

Purpose of reviewThis review provides a contemporary review of sleep apnea with emphasis on definitions, epidemiology, and consequences.Recent findingsAmyloid β-42 is one of the main peptides forming amyloid plaques in the brains of Alzheimer patients. Poorer sleep quality and shorter sleep duration
Topological Constraint Theory Analysis of Rigidity Transition in Highly Coordinate Amorphous Hydrogenated Boron Carbide

Topological constraint theory (TCT) has revealed itself to be a powerful tool in interpreting the behaviors of amorphous solids. The theory predicts a transition between a ‘rigid’ overconstrained network and a ‘floppy’ underconstrained network as a function of connectivity or average coordination number, . The predicted results have been shown experimentally for various glassy materials, the majority of these being based on four-fold-coordinate networks such as chalcogenide and oxide glasses. Here, we demonstrate the broader applicability of topological constraint theory to uniquely coordinated amorphous hydrogenated boron carbide (a-BC:H), based on six-fold-coordinate boron atoms arranged into partially hydrogenated interconnected twelve-vertex icosahedra. We have produced a substantial set of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited a-BC:H films with a large range of densities and network coordination, and demonstrate a clear threshold in Young’s modulus as a function of , ascribed to a rigidity transition. We investigate constraint counting strategies in this material and show that by treating icosahedra as ‘superatoms,’ a rigidity transition is observed within the range of the theoretically predicted c value of 2.4 for covalent solids with bond-stretching and bond-bending forces. This experimental data set for a-BC:H is unique in that it represents a uniform change in connectivity with and demonstrates a distinct rigidity transition with data points both above and below the transition threshold. Finally, we discuss how TCT can be applied to explain and optimize mechanical and dielectric properties in a-BC:H and related materials in the context of microelectronics applications.
Intravenous Administration of Manganese Superoxide Dismutase-Plasmid Liposomes (MnSOD-PL) in a Mouse Model Protects Against Whole Body Irradiation.

Organ specific localized administration of manganese superoxide dismutase plasmid/liposome complexes (MnSOD-PL) confers protection of the rodent lung, esophagus, oral cavity, intestine and bladder from single fraction and fractionated ionizing irradiation by a mechanism dependent upon mitochondrial localized antioxidant effects. Intravenous injection of MnSOD-PL significantly increased survival of both male and female C57BL/6NHsd mice from the LD 50/30 whole body irradiation dose of 9.5 Gy (p = 0.0001 or 0.0059, respectively). To determine if systemic MnSOD-PL mediated improved survival at the expense of a deleterious delayed increase in development of cancer, life shortening, or neurodegenerative disease we followed all survivors. Fifty male and female C57BL/6NHsd mice per group were injected intravenously with MnSOD-PL (100 μg plasmid DNA in 0.1 ml) and irradiated with control mice to 0, 1 or 9.5 Gy whole body irradiation 24 hrs later. Moribund or dying mice were sacrificed, examined for tumors and bone marrow isolated stained with Wright Geimsa, and examined for abnormal hemogram. Small intestine was fixed in formalin, sectioned and examined for intestinal changes. Female mice pretreated with MnSOD-PL prior to 9.5 Gy (LD 50/30) had an increased survival over the first 30 days which is the time frame for death due to hematopoietic or intestinal damage with 90% survival compared to 58% for the control irradiated mice (p = 0.0059). Between 30 and 530 days there was no significant change in survival rate between MnSOD-PL treated and control irradiated 9.5 Gy or 1.0 Gy groups. Beginning at day 400, all groups have a similar death rate which can be attributed of the age of the mice. Male mice pretreated with MnSOD-PL and irradiated to 9.5 Gy had 75% survival after 30 days compared to 25% for the control mice (p < 0.0001). Between 30 and 375 days after irradiation, there was no significant change in survival rate between MnSOD-PL treated compared to control irradiated 9.5 or 1.0 Gy groups. There was no detectable difference in the incidence of deaths associated with tumor (thymoma), marrow, or intestinal damage. All mice are being followed until they become moribund as a result of irradiation or old age. The data indicate, at this time, that systemic MnSOD-PL treatment is not detectably harmful to surviving total body irradiated mice.
How to Undermine Tax Increment Financing: The Lessons of City of Chicago v ProLogis

This Article examines the appropriate level of constitutional protection against outside governments that condemn property located within a given local municipality that uses tax increment financing (TIF) to fund local improvements. The standard TIF arrangement does not provide the TIF lenders with liens against any particular asset, because to do so would be to abandon the tax-exempt status of the municipal bonds that are issued. Yet these agreements guarantee that the local government that issued the bonds will take no steps to compromise their repayment from (incremental) tax dollars. These protections allow TIF bonds to trade in ordinary financial markets. The bonds may, however, prove vulnerable to loss when the private and public property within the local municipal district is condemned by an outside government, as happened in City of Chicago v ProLogis, where the Illinois Supreme Court denied the bondholders claim. I believe that these TIF bonds should have been treated as property under the Takings Clause and not as a mere “expectation” devoid of constitutional protection. This topic opens the way for a larger consideration of how to value divided interests in real property under the Takings Clause as a matter of modern finance theory in light of the powerful public choice issues that lurk in the background of this, and all other, takings disputes.
Chapter 12 – Shigella

Shigellosis is a bacterial enteric infection with clinical features varying from mild, non-bloody diarrhea to severe dysentery. Shigella is transmitted by the fecal-oral route and is highly infectious. Humans and higher primates are the only known hosts of Shigella; there is no food-animal reservoir. It is the third most commonly isolated bacterial enteric pathogen from humans in the United States, with most shigellosis cases likely resulting from person-to-person transmission. However, approximately 130,000 cases are estimated to result from foodborne transmission in the USA each year. Foodborne transmission of Shigella has been documented in many types of settings and through many food vehicles. Impeccable hand washing and hygiene practices are the surest way to prevent shigellosis. Policies and procedures to ensure proper hygiene and sanitation during the harvesting, production, distribution, and preparation of food will also reduce foodborne transmission of Shigella, and many other enteric pathogens.
Viewing Trends and Users' Perceptions of the Effect of Sleep-Aiding Music on YouTube: Quantification and Thematic Content Analysis.

Background: Sleep plays an essential role in the psychological and physiological functioning of humans. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that sleep duration was significantly reduced among US adults in 2012 compared to 1985. Studies have described a significant association between listening to soothing music and an improvement in sleep quality and sleep duration. YouTube is a platform where users can access sleep-aiding music videos. No literature exists pertaining to the use of sleep-aiding music on YouTube. Objective: This study aimed to examine the patterns of viewing sleep-aiding music videos on YouTube. We also performed a content analysis of the comments left on sleep-aiding music video posts, to describe the perception of users regarding the effects of these music videos on their sleep quality. Methods: We searched for sleep-aiding music videos published on YouTube between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2017. We sorted videos by view number (highest to lowest) and used a targeted sampling approach to select eligible videos for qualitative content analysis. To perform the content analysis, we imported comments into a mixed-method analytical software. We summarized variables including total views, likes, dislikes, play duration, and age of published music videos. All descriptive statistics were completed with SAS statistical software. Results: We found a total of 238 sleep-aiding music videos on YouTube that met the inclusion criteria. The total view count was 1,467,747,018 and the total playtime was 84,252 minutes. The median play length was 186 minutes (IQR 122 to 480 minutes) and the like to dislike ratio was approximately 9 to 1. In total, 135 (56.7%) videos had over 1 million views, and 124 (52.1%) of the published sleep-aiding music videos had stayed active for 1 to 2 years. Overall, 4023 comments were extracted from 20 selected sleep-aiding music videos. Five overarching themes emerged in the reviewed comments, including viewers experiencing a sleep problem, perspective on the positive impact of the sleep-aiding music videos, no effect of the sleep-aiding music videos, time to initiation of sleep or sleep duration, and location of viewers. The overall κ statistic for the codes was 0.87 (range 0.85-0.96). Conclusions: This is the first study to examine the patterns of viewing sleep-aiding music videos on YouTube. We observed a substantial increase in the number of people using sleep-aiding music videos, with a wide variation in viewer location. This study supports the hypothesis that listening to soothing music has a positive impact on sleep habits.
Exploring the Lived Experience of the Contemporary College Student Through Photo Elicitation

This research uses photo elicitation to examine the lived experience of the contemporary college student. Twenty-one participants took photographs of their college experience for a week, selected t...
Nurse Practitioner Role and Practice Environment in Primary and in Nonprimary Care in California

Between 2008 and 2016, there was an increase in nurse practitioners in specialty care. This study explores some differences in role and practice environment between primary care and nonprimary care nurse practitioners in the domains of time spent on activities, barriers to providing care, working to scope of practice, full skill utilization, and satisfaction. This cross-sectional quantitative study, based on data from the 2017 Survey of California Nurse Practitioners and Certified Nurse Midwives, found that nurse practitioners in nonprimary care practices have lower odds of reporting time as a barrier to practice, lower odds of reporting practice to full scope, and higher odds of reporting a hierarchical or supervisory relationship with the physician. Future exploration of these differences may shed light on ways to promote nonprimary care practice environments to foster more effective collaboration and fewer barriers to providing care.
Adiabatic Quantum Optimization Fails to Solve the Knapsack Problem.

In this work, we attempt to solve the integer-weight knapsack problem using the D-Wave 2000Q adiabatic quantum computer. The knapsack problem is a well-known NP-complete problem in computer science, with applications in economics, business, finance, etc. We attempt to solve a number of small knapsack problems whose optimal solutions are known; we find that adiabatic quantum optimization fails to produce solutions corresponding to optimal filling of the knapsack in all problem instances. We compare results obtained on the quantum hardware to the classical simulated annealing algorithm and two solvers employing a hybrid branch-and-bound algorithm. The simulated annealing algorithm also fails to produce the optimal filling of the knapsack, though solutions obtained by simulated and quantum annealing are no more similar to each other than to the correct solution. We discuss potential causes for this observed failure of adiabatic quantum optimization.
Panting zebra finches twitter to keep cool

![Graphic][1] To survive searing heat, desert birds have developed adaptations to stay cool; they sweat, vibrate their throat muscles to flutter air over the moist surface of their throat, or pant like a dog, although panting is the least efficient mechanism for remaining cool. Yet, songbirds
Receptor Tyrosine Kinases Require a Signal in Addition to Dimerization to Trigger Pathway Activation

Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTKs) comprise a diverse group of cell-surface receptors that mediate key signaling events during animal development and are frequently activated in cancer. Ligand-induced dimerization is the canonical mechanism by which RTKs are thought to be activated, but we show here that substitution of the extracellular regions of 10 RTKs representing 7 RTK classes with the dimeric immunoglobulin Fc region results in constitutive receptor phosphorylation but fails to result in phosphorylation of downstream signaling effectors Erk or Akt. Conversely, substitution of RTK extracellular regions with the extracellular region of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor results in robust Erk and/or Akt phosphorylation in response to Epidermal Growth Factor. These results indicate that ligand-bound RTK extracellular regions provide a signal in addition to dimerization that is necessary to couple receptor phosphorylation to activation of downstream effectors and that this signal is a shared feature of at least 7 different RTK classes.
Vagus nerve stimulation for super-refractory status epilepticus in febrile infection–related epilepsy syndrome: a pediatric case report and literature review

Febrile infection–related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES) is a devastating epileptic encephalopathy with limited treatment options and unclear etiology. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an FDA-approved therapy for refractory epilepsy that has been shown to decrease the frequency and severity of seizures. There is a growing interest in alternate non-pharmaceutical therapies for managing super-refractory status epilepticus (SRSE). We present a 29-month-old case, diagnosed with FIRES, whose seizures were successfully controlled by utilization of VNS after ineffective response to intensive pharmacotherapy and ketogenic diet treatment. The VNS was planted after 14 days of refractory seizure activity with a following rapid parameter titration for 42 days without evident side effect, which finally controlled the seizure in the acute phase. VNS may be a potential candidate for the treatment of SRSE in FIRES.
Rapid Separation and Characterization of Cocaine and Cocaine Cutting Agents by Differential Mobility Spectrometry–Mass Spectrometry

Abstract: Forensic drug laboratories are inundated with cases requiring time-consuming GC- or LC-based chromatographic separations of submitted samples. High-throughput analytical methods would be of great practical utility within forensic drug analysis. Recently developed ion-mobility-based separation methods combined with mass spectrometry can often be used without chromatography, suppress chemical interferents of similar mass, and operate in seconds. We have evaluated differential mobility spectrometry–mass spectrometry (DMS-MS) for performance on adulterated cocaine mixtures. The DMS interface is only a few centimeters in length, operates in seconds, and can be adapted to any MS system using atmospheric pressure ionization. Drug cutting agents, typical targets such as cocaine, and drug metabolites are rapidly separated by the DMS ion prefilter. Tests demonstrated characterization of complex mixtures, such as isolation of levamisole, an adulterant with alarming side effects, from a 13-component mixture. DMS-MS holds great potential for the analysis of drug samples submitted for forensic analysis.
Genetically Modified Organisms in Peasant Farming: Social Impact and Equity

This paper's first objective is to discuss the potential social impact of the diffusion of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into peasant sectors of less developed countries. While unwanted environmental impacts of the new technology can be partially assessed in controlled, experimental settings, assessment of social impacts requires experience and observation in particular farming systems. Owing to the absence of direct data or case studies on the spread of GMOs in peasant sectors, this paper reviews the well-studied social impacts of the Green Revolution as an exercise in what to expect from GMOs. The paper then addresses equity issues relating to the use of genetically modified crops in developing countries. A critical issue is the flow of genetic resources from poor countries to industrial countries, where they are used and manipulated to create intellectual property. I confine myself to the social and ethical impacts of GMOs in agriculture. Agricultural GMOs are far less numerous and less profitable than GMOs in pharmaceutical and chemical industries, but they have received disproportionate attention in the international debate over transgenic products. The conflating of genetic resources and agricultural and pharmaceutical products is problematic but common. Likewise, conflating ecological and social impacts of recombinant DNA technology is problematic. The potentially negative ecological impacts of GMOs have received extensive attention, while social impacts are relatively understudied.1
mRNA profiles of piRNA pathway genes in emerald ash borer Agrilus planipennis

Recent advances of Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) have enabled a better understanding of their putative roles in the protection of germ cells against selfish genetic elements. The germ plasm proteins namely, PIWI and VASA, are key players in regulation of piRNAs. However, the biogenesis of piRNAs remains poorly understood. We report the characterization and the transcript profiles of a PIWI and VASA gene in various tissues and developmental stages of the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), an exotic invasive insect pest that has attained a high impact status worldwide. The deduced amino acid sequences of both these genes (herein referred to “ApPIWI and ApVASA”) revealed homology with similar proteins from other insect and non-insect taxa. Peak transcript levels for ApPIWI and ApVASA were observed in the ovaries (compared to the other tissues assayed) and in adults (compared to the other developmental stages assayed). To our knowledge this is the first report of profiling piRNA pathway genes in A. planipennis. These results provide new insights into the putative function of the PIWI and VASA proteins in insects.
Trisammonium Geranyl Diphosphate

Trisammonium geranyl diphosphate reactant: 1.54 g (10 mmol) of geraniol intermediate: 0.83 g (4.8 mmol) of geranyl chloride product: trisammonium geranyl diphosphate Keywords: phosphonation; replacement reactions, halogen by diphosphate; replacement reactions, hydroxy by halogen; acetonitrile; buffer solutions, ammonium bicarbonate in aqueous isopropyl alcohol; buffer solutions, ammonium bicarbonate in aqueous isopropyl alcohol and acetonitrile; cation exchange resin, dowex ag 50w-xb, ammonium form; cellulose chromatography, preparation of column; N-chlorosuccinimide; dichloromethane (methylene chloride); tris(tetrabutylammonium) hydrogen pyrophosphate trihydrate, preparation from disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate; ion exchange chromatography; lyophilization
Alkali and Chlorine Products, Sodium Carbonate

Sodium carbonate, Na2CO3, formula wt 105.99, is a white crystalline solid known as soda ash and, less commonly, ash, soda, or calcined soda. It is readily soluble in water and in strongly alkaline. It is the eleventh largest world commodity chemical. About 75% of world production is synthetic ash made from sodium chloride and limestone via the Solvay or similar processes; the remaining 25% is produced from natural sodium carbonate-bearing deposits. Over half of the world's production is consumed in the glass industry, and another 22% is used in the production of sodium-based chemicals. Sodium carbonate is also used in detergents, pulp and paper, and environmental control (water treatment and flue gas desulfurization). The normal article of commerce is highly purified (). Aqueous solutions are alkaline. At 25°C the pH of 1, 5, and 10 wt % Na2CO3 solutions is 11.37, 11.58, and 11.70, respectively. Under National Fire Production Association (NFPA) Designation 704, soda ash is classified as a moderate health hazard. Exposure to soda ash dust may cause severe eye and slight nose and throat irritation. Traditional synthetic soda ash plants produce large volumes of aqueous, chloride-containing waste which must be discharged. This fact, is largely responsible for the demise of U.S. synthetic plants. The natural soda ash processes produce no large volumes of associated wastes. By-products and coproducts include calcium chloride, ammonium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium hydroxide.
A Review of “The Church and the Crisis of Community: A Practical Theology of Small-Group Ministry“

Latini provides readers of her book a valuable resource to further their theological thinking about small-group ministry. In a cultural environment that praises the effectiveness of ministries, Laf...
Overcoming birth weight: can physical activity mitigate birth weight‐related differences in adiposity?

Summary Background Individuals born at low or high birth weight (BW) have elevated adiposity. The extent to which physical activity can mitigate this risk is unknown. Objectives The aim of this study was to determine if associations between BW and adiposity vary by self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among adolescents. Methods We used data on adolescents in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2006; 12–15 years; n = 4064). Using gender-stratified linear regression, we modelled body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) z-scores as a function of low, normal and high BW, MVPA (weekly Metabolic Equivalent of Task hours) and MVPA*BW cross-product terms, adjusting for sociodemographics, diet and, in WC models, BMI. Results Among girls with low MVPA, those born with high BW had greater BMI than normal BW; this difference diminished with greater MVPA (coefficient [95% confidence interval]: low MVPA: 0.72 [0.29, 1.14]; high MVPA: −0.04 [−0.48, 0.39]; P for interaction = 0.05). Among boys, MVPA did not modify the associations between BW and BMI. WC was unrelated to BW, regardless of MVPA. Conclusions Findings suggest that effects of high BW in total adiposity can be more easily modified with MVPA in adolescent girls than in boys.
96-Well solid-phase extraction: a brief history of its development

This communication describes the invention and further development of the first 96-well solid-phase extraction system and the original purposes to which it was put. We also describe the adaption of this system for bioanalysis of pharmaceutically active small molecules and the needs underlying it. The system has become a world-wide standard for high-throughput bioanalysis and has been extended by others to include, for example, disk-phase extraction and supported liquid-liquid extraction, as well as 384-well systems. The factors that enabled this leap forward in productivity are discussed.
The energy dependence of the 54Fe(p, t) reaction

Abstract Cross sections are presented for the 54 Fe(p, t) 52 Fe reaction studied at 25.2 MeV. These data, along with published data on the same reaction at 45, 51.9 and 80 MeV, have been used to examine the energy dependence of the (p, t) reaction. Single-step distorted-wave calculations carried out both in zero range and exact finite range fail to satisfactorily account for the observed energy dependence. The procedures followed in incorporating a finite range two-nucleon transfer program, calculated in momentum space, into DWUCK5 are outlined.
The Prospect of Genome-guided Preventive Medicine: A Need and Opportunity for Genetic Counselors

One of the major anticipated benefits of genomic medicine is the area of preventive medicine. Commercially available genomic profiling is now able to generate risk information for a number of common conditions several of which have recognized preventive guidelines. Similarly, family history assessment affords powerful health risk prediction based on the shared genetic, physical and lifestyle environments within families. Thus, with the ability to help predict disease risk and enable preemptive health plans, genome-guided preventive medicine has the potential to improve population health on an individualized level. To realize this potential, steps to broaden access to accurate genomic health information must be considered. With expertise in genetic science, risk assessment and communication, and a patient-centered practice approach, genetic counselors are poised to play a critical role in facilitating the incorporation of genomic health risks into the burgeoning field of genome-guided preventive medicine.
Evaluation of Seedbed Preparation, Planting Method, and Herbicide Alternatives for Dryland Soybean Production

The current economic situation provides incentives for producers to reduce input costs. Examples include reduced herbicide rates and an array of planting methods that utilize new herbicide and equipment technologies. This study investigated the implications of seedbed preparation (conventional vs. conservation tillage), planting equipment (broadcast, drill, no-till drill, air seeder, and planter), and herbicide alternatives [full-rate preplant followed by full-rate over the top (FRI), reduced-rate preplant followed by reduced-rate over the top (RRI), and full-rate over the top by itself (FROT)] for soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] at two locations (Keiser and Pine Tree, AR) with two cropping systems (full season vs. double-cropped). While some yield differences were observed across seedbed preparation and planting equipment, they did not lead to consistent results. Conventional and conservation tillage were the preferred production strategies for full-season and double-cropped systems, respectively. Seasonal labor, weather, and scale of operation are expected to play a major role because planting equipment did not impact yields or cost. Herbicide programs did not affect yields. Lower costs through reduced-rate herbicide applications led to higher returns and lower financial risk without restricting the planting method. Both the FROT and RRI weed control systems lead to higher returns compared with the FRI system. Producers concerned with the lack of residual herbicide activity afforded by preplant herbicides would be expected to choose the RRI system at the cost of slightly lower net returns in the full-season system.
Snail mediates invasion through uPA/uPAR and the MAPK signaling pathway in prostate cancer cells

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process by which cancer cells acquire mesenchymal properties, such as induction of vimentin, while epithelial-associated genes like E-cadherin are lost. This enables cells to be more metastatic. Factors that are able to induce EMT include growth factors such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and epidermal growth factor, and transcription factors such as Snail. Snail-induced EMT promotes migration and invasion and we hypothesized that this may be mediated by the activity of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor (uPAR). LNCaP, 22Rv1 and ARCaP human prostate cancer (CaP) cells stably transfected with empty vector control (Neo) or constitutively active Snail exhibited increased cell invasion. Superarray analysis revealed an upregulation in uPA and uPAR RNA expression in Snail-transfected ARCaP cells compared with that of a Neo control. In addition, the protein expression levels of Snail, uPA and uPAR were measured by western blot analysis which showed that overexpression of Snail increased uPA and uPAR protein levels. The activity of uPA in conditioned media was measured using an ELISA which revealed that uPA activity was elevated in LNCaP, 22Rv1 and ARCaP cells overexpressing Snail. Additionally, transient silencing of uPAR in ARCaP cells overexpressing Snail using short interfering RNA resulted in abrogation of Snail-mediated invasion. Snail overexpression was associated with increased extracellular-signal-regulated kinase activity, and antagonism of this activity with mitogen-activated protein (MAPK) inhibitor, UO126, inhibited cell invasion and decreased uPA activity. Therefore, Snail-mediated cell invasion in human CaP cells may occur via the regulation of uPA/uPAR and the MAPK signaling pathway.
Multiple-Valued Logic For Optoelectronics

Recent advances in optical bistability in a variety of materials and devices offer the potential for high speed operation over extended ranges of wavelength and temperature. The advantages of optoelec-tronic devices and multiple-valued logic are combined in various multistable solid-state device techniques, of which negative resistance multistability is most compatible with utilization of bistable optoelec-tronic devices. Additional stable states result from negative resistance interactions and facilitate implementation of variable radix analog and digital applications. Needed characteristics of bistable optical devices are outlined for compatibility with multiple-valued logic implementation. Multiple-valued optical logic offers synergistic potential for improved performance.