cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Degradation of Poly(Anhydride-Co-Imides): Novel Polymers for Orthopedic Applications

Novel polymers with good mechanical properties are being developed as degradable matrices for bone growth and regeneration. The poly(anhydride-co-imides) were synthesized from trimellitylimidoglycine and 1,6-bis(p-carboxyphenoxy)hexane in molar compositions of 10:90, 30:70 and 50:50. These polymers have compressive strengths (23–57 MPa), which are similar to human cortical bone. 1 In vitro degradation was performed under acidic (pH 5), physiological (pH 7.4), and basic (pH 10) conditions. The degradation rate increased under basic conditions and by increasing the amount of trimellitylimidoglycine in the polymer backbone. Two erosion zones were observed in the polymers by microscopy. In vivo polymer degradation was evaluated by characterizing polymer discs implanted in subcutaneous tissue of rats over a 56 day time period. Copolymers with the highest ratio of trimellitylimidoglycine in the polymer backbone were completely degraded by 56 days, the other compositions remained in the tissue as solid pellets at this time. In vivo degradation was much slower than the corresponding in vitro degradation.
Industry, political alliances and the regulation of urban space in Los Angeles

The formation of industrial districts and the role that development played in shaping the pattern of American cities has become a standard for urban history. This has not been the case for Los Angeles. Despite its centrality for a metropolitan economy that has led California for a century and that today leads the nation in manufacturing employment, scholars and pundits have overlooked production in favour of consumption. Little is known about how firms, business associations and city officials created space for industry during the late nineteenth century when manufacturers' locational decisions contributed to spatial concentration in the city's core. A case study of the Cudahy Packing Company reveals why such sites were favoured, how a sectoral-specific district emerged and the processes through which Angelenos transformed a Yankee pueblo into an industrial city. Two factors, the local state's enablement of manufacturing via policy and regulation and the use of industrialization as an immigrant removal strategy, emerge as significant. Neither has been prominent in the literature on the growth of Los Angeles while the latter, the linking of race-ethnicity with land use, has been less prominent in prior studies of industrial districts.
The Impact of Subsonic Twin Jets on Airport Noise

Subsonic and supersonic aircraft concepts proposed through NASA s Fundamental Aeronautics Program have multiple engines mounted near one another. Engine configurations with multiple jets introduce an asymmetry to the azimuthal directivity of the jet noise. Current system noise predictions add the jet noise from each jet incoherently, therefore, twin jets are estimated by adding 3 EPNdB to the far-field noise radiated from a single jet. Twin jet effects have the ability to increase or decrease the radiated noise to different azimuthal observation locations. Experiments have shown that twin jet effects are reduced with forward flight and increasing spacings. The current experiment investigates the impact of spacing, and flight effects on airport noise for twin jets. Estimating the jet noise radiated from twin jets as that of a single jet plus 3 EPNdB may be sufficient for horizontal twin jets with an s/d of 4.4 and 5.5, where s is the center-to-center spacing and d is the jet diameter. However, up to a 3 EPNdB error could be present for jet spacings with an s/d of 2.6 and 3.2.
Kinetics of polymerization of styrene initiated by substituted benzoyl peroxides. IV. Decomposition induced by substituted diethylanilines

Equilibrium complex formation between symmetrically substituted benzoyl peroxides and ring-substituted N,N-diethylanilines has been quantitatively measured. From the results the rate constant for the unimolecular decomposition of the complexes, producing an initiating free radical, is found to be approximately 1012 exp {(–25 X 103)/RT}. The data obtained are consistent with a previously postulated mechanism for radical production in the presence of vinyl monomers.
Functional Comparison of Lunar Regoliths and Their Simulants

AbstractLunar regolith simulants are essential to the development of technology for human exploration of the Moon. Any equipment that will interact with the surface environment must be tested with simulant to mitigate various risks, such as unexpected mechanical abrasion, chemical interactions, or thermal failures. To reduce the greatest amount of risk, the simulant must replicate the lunar surface as well as possible. To quantify the similarities and differences between simulants, the figure of merit (FOM) was developed. The Figure of Merit software compares the simulants and regolith by particle size, particle shape, density, and the relative abundance of minerals, rocks, and glass; these four properties dictate the majority of the remaining characteristics of geologic material. As a result, not only is the risk made quantifiable, but a conceptual framework is established for the evaluation of simulants. There are important limitations in our knowledge and technology pertaining to simulants. Specific ex...
Reactive oxygen species at the crossroads of inflammasome and inflammation.

Inflammasomes form a crucial part of the innate immune system. These are multi-protein oligomer platforms that are composed of intracellular sensors which are coupled with caspase and interleukin activating systems. Nod-like receptor protein (NLRP) 3, and 6 and NLRC4 and AIM2 are the prominent members of the inflammasome family. Inflammasome activation leads to pyroptosis, a process of programmed cell death distinct from apoptosis through activation of Caspase and further downstream targets such as IL-1β and IL-18 leading to activation of inflammatory cascade. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) serve as important inflammasome activating signals. ROS activate inflammasome through mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2). Dysregulation of inflammasome is plays a significant role in various pathological process. Viral infections such as Dengue and Respiratory syncytial virus activate inflammasomes. Crystal compounds in silicosis and gout also activate ROS. In diabetes, inhibition of autophagy with resultant accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria leads to enhanced ROS production activating inflammasomes. Activation of inflammasomes can be dampened by antioxidants such as SIRT-1. Inflammasome and related cascade could serve as future therapeutic targets for various pathological conditions.
Computing's Role in Resource Accounting

The drawbacks of course-grain measurement demand computing systems that more accurately collect and analyze data on consumer resource usage.
A reverse translational approach to quantify approach-avoidance conflict in humans

Animal approach-avoidance conflict paradigms have been used extensively to characterize effects of anxiolytic agents and probe neural circuitry related to anxiety. However, there are few behavioral approaches to measure conflict in human populations, limiting the translation of findings from animal conflict tasks to human clinical research. We developed a novel approach-avoidance conflict (AAC) paradigm involving situations in which the same decision is associated with “reward” (points) and “punishment” (negative affective stimuli). The AAC task was completed by 95 young adults (56 female) with varying levels of self-reported trait anxiety. As expected, conflict-related approach behavior correlated with self-reported motivation to approach reward and avoid punishment and greater reward level increased approach behavior. Additionally, females exhibited less approach behavior than males. Anxiety Sensitivity Index (Physical subscale) scores related negatively to approach behavior for males, while Behavioral Activation Scale (BAS, Fun Seeking subscale) scores related positively to approach behavior for females. Results support the utility of the AAC task as a behavioral test that has strong reverse translational features. Findings indicate that approach drives and anxiety sensitivity may be important in determining conflict behavior for females and males respectively. The approach-avoidance conflict task offers a novel, translational measure to probe neural systems underlying conflict behavior, motivational processes, and anxiety disorders.
Higher Functions of Cerebral Cortex

The highest functions of the nervous system—the power to reason and construct ideas, to be aware of one’s sensory environment, to create abstract thoughts, and to store experiences—are to a large extent centered in the cerebral cortex. The total awareness of the relationship between oneself and the surrounding environment depends on excitation of the neural networks in the cerebral cortex. It is the site of both consciousness and intellect.
Effect modification by race–ethnicity of environmental tobacco smoke exposure on airway inflammation in US children

Abstract Background Asthma mortality and morbidity are higher in black than in white children. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a noninvasive biomarker of eosinophilic airway inflammation. Identification of differences in the effect of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) on airway inflammation by race and ethnicity from a large sample is needed. Objective To estimate a racial difference in association with ETS and FeNO. Methods Data from the 2007 to 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed to compare associations of ETS and FeNO levels in US black and other children. No ETS exposure was defined as a serum cotinine level lower than 0.05 ng/mL and ETS exposure was defined as a serum cotinine level of at least 0.05 ng/mL. FeNO was measured using a device that relies on an electrochemical sensor. Analyses took the complex survey design into account. Results The analytic sample was formed by 5,473 participants (6–11 years old, n = 2,385; 12–19 years old, n = 3,088) with complete data on demographics, serum cotinine levels, and 2 reproducible FeNO measurements. In weighted linear regression analyses at 6 to 11 years, the interaction term for ETS and black race was not significant ( P = .15). At 12 to 19 years, the interaction term was significant ( P = .03) in an analysis of all racial groups. In race-specific models, the coefficient for ETS exposure in blacks was −0.033 and that in others was −0.175, ie, ETS exposure was associated with a greater decrease in FeNO in non-blacks than in blacks. Conclusion There was no evidence at 6 to 11 years of age for an effect modification by race of the association between ETS and FeNO. At 12 to 19 years, the data suggested an effect modification.
Intersectionality for the Global Age

Intersectionality, a term coined by Kimberle Crenshaw just over twenty-five years ago,1 appears frequently in mainstream media discourse and represents a well-recognized body of work that ranges fr...
Treasury Inflation-Indexed Securities Provide Protection Against Inflation

A challenge faced by investors as interest rates eventually rise in response to inflationary pressure is how they maintain value and purchasing power. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) are a debt instrument offered to protect against inflation. This article describes TIPS, reviews their risk return profile, explains tax considerations, provides several numerical examples, and briefly discusses investment/portfolio factors. The tax treatment of TIPS consists of two components: (1) the taxation of semiannual interest payments, and (2) the taxation of inflation/deflation adjustments to principal. Because TIPS are issued at par and interest is unconditionally payable in cash at least annually at a single fixed rate (called qualified stated interest), they meet the criteria for the more simplified coupon bond method specified by the Treasury regulations. The tax implications negate some of the certainty of inflation protection if they are held in taxable accounts.
E-067 Balloon assisted Pre-operative Embolization of Hypervascular Metastatic Lesions to the Spine

Introduction It is common to perform pre-operative embolization of metastatic lesions to the spine from hyper-vascular tumors. Typically, a microcatheter is navigated into a prominent arterial feeder to the tumor arising from a segmental artery or bronchial artery. Thereafter, particles or liquid embolic agents are injected into the tumor through the microcatheter, while taking care to avoid reflux into the proximal segmental artery or the aorta. However, occasionally, there may be a diffuse network of small arterial feeders arising from the segmental artery, which supply the tumor. None of these small arteries maybe amenable to selective catheterization, and embolization may be challenging due to the risk of reflux of embolic agent into the parent artery or aorta. Herein, we report our experience with embolising such metastatic lesions by injecting particles through a dual lumen balloon microcatheter positioned within the main segmental artery and using the inflated balloon to prevent reflux into the aorta. Materials and methods We performed pre-operative embolization for hyper vascular vertebral metastases (two thoracic spine and 2 lumbar vertebrae) in a series of 3 patients (2 male and 1 female, mean age 53) with metastatic renal cell carcinoma at our institution using the 4 × 10 mm Sceptre C balloon microcatheter. In all patients, after ensuring that there was no radiculomedullary artery arising from the segmental artery supplying the tumor feeders, a 4 × 10 mm Sceptre C balloon microcatheter was navigated into the proximal aspect of the artery. The balloon was then inflated such that there was a tight seal across the origin of the artery from the aorta and embolization of the tumor was carried out with 150–300 microns PVA particles. Intermittently, the balloon was slowly deflated and DSA was carried out to assess changes in the tumor “blush”. Embolization was carried out until there was elimination of the tumor blush. Results The Sceptre C balloon microcatheter could be successfully navigated into the parent segmental vessel and inflated proximally across the origin of the vessel in all patients. Subsequent particle embolization resulted in complete elimination of the tumor “blush” in the vertebral body in every instance. There were no adverse events such as segmental arterial dissection, balloon rupture or reflux of particles into the aorta in any patient. Conclusion Pre-operative embolization of hypervascular spinal mestastatic lesions can be safely carried out using a balloon-assisted technique with a dual lumen balloon microcatheter when traditional selective catheterization of feeder vessels is not feasible. Disclosures B. Jagadeesan: None. S. Mortazavi: None. S. Moen: None. A. Grande: 2; C; Covidien, Integra. R. Tummala: 2; C; Lake Regional.
Submission, Defiance, and the Rules of Politics on the Mamluk Sultanate's Anatolian Frontier *

This article examines the relationship between the leader of the Aqquyunlu Turkman confederation, ‘Uthma n Beg Qara Yulu k, and the Mamluk Sultanate, with an eye to the ways in which the Mamluks sought to define the limits of sultanic sovereignty on the frontier, as well as the ways in which Qara Yulu k sought to pursue his own interests and those of his tribal followers within the framework of the Mamluk political order. What becomes apparent is that while the interests of the Turkmans ultimately clashed with those of the Mamluk sultans on the Anatolian frontier, both Qara Yulu k and the Mamluks shared a common interest in maintaining a relationship in which formal recognition of Aqquyunlu autonomy was exchanged for ritual submission to the sultan.
The role of in-depth reproductive health counseling in addressing reproductive health concerns in female survivors of nongynecologic cancers

The purpose of this study was to characterize reproductive concerns among female cancer survivors and determine the role of targeted counseling in improving overall reproductive quality of life (QOL). A survey was administered to women from the California Cancer Registry, ages 18-40, with nongynecologic cancers diagnosed from 1993 to 2007, who received fertility-compromising treatments. In total, 356 women completed the survey, which included questions regarding their reproductive health counseling history and the reproductive concerns scale (RCS), a validated reproductive QOL tool. Factors independently associated with higher RCS scores included a desire for children at the time of diagnosis, posttreatment infertility, treatment with chemoradiation or bone marrow transplant, and income less than $100,000 per year at diagnosis. Among the highest reported reproductive concerns were those related to loss of control over one's reproductive future and concerns about the effect of illness on one's future fertility. Across our population and independent of age, in-depth reproductive health counseling prior to cancer treatment was associated with significantly lower RCS scores. Our findings highlight the importance of early counseling and targeting high-risk groups for additional counseling after completion of cancer treatment. This approach may be an effective strategy for optimizing long-term reproductive QOL in this vulnerable population.
Influences factor analysis of thermal structure on motor throat

In this paper,the developments of the throat thermodynamic calculation are described from three parts: material model,boundary conditions and simulation methods.Focus on the thermal structure analysis of the motor throat;the influences of the throat thermo elastic stress about the important parameters are discussed.And,the computational program by ABAQUS for the thermal erosion,pressure distributing and convective heat transfer coefficients is indicated with Jones-Nelson constitutive equations.Numerical computing results were compared for many cases with different experimental ones.It is shown that the thermal erosion,contact resistance of the interface and the pyroliytic of backup have the consequences of the throat temperature distribution.
Correction of coagulopathy associated with non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE) by surgical debulking in a case of ovarian clear cell carcinoma

•Ovarian cancer, particularly clear cell carcinoma, creates a hypercoagulable state.•This state can predispose to non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE).•NBTE can embolize and cause widespread arterial infarction.•NBTE is sometimes associated with a treatment refractory disseminated coagulopathy.•Surgical removal of the primary mass can sometimes reverse the coagulopathy.
Sterols: essential nutrients for insects

Unlike mammals,insects cannot synthesize sterols de novo because they lack key enzymes. Insects have to acquire these nutrients because sterols are key components in cell membrane and,more importantly,an essential precursor for the steroid hormone ecdysone. Cholesterol is the most common sterol found in most insects. Sterol composition varies between different insect species,and can change depending on the dietary sterol profile. Sterols are absorbed into the gut and then are transported to different tissues with the assistance of lipoprotein; within cells they are carried with the assistance of sterol carrier proteins( SCP). How sterols influence plant-insect interactions is an interesting topic,and one that has important potential applications in pest control. With respect to the history of Entomology,insect sterol research is a relatively new area-findings in this area will be important for not only pest control,but also cholesterol-related human healthy issues.
Ureteroscopic Results and Complications: Experience with 130 Cases

AbstractSince its introduction for general use, the role of rigid ureteroscopy in the diagnosis and therapy of urological disease has been in evolution. We evaluated retrospectively the experience at our institution with rigid ureteroscopy from January 1983 to July 1986 in an attempt to identify clinical situations or techniques that tended to increase the incidence of either success or complications. We determined that ureteroscopic complications were rare in procedures performed for diagnosis compared to those performed for calculi (2 of 33 or 6 per cent versus 27 of 99 or 27 per cent, p less than 0.025). The likelihood of failure or complication was greater for stones above than for those below the pelvic brim (15 of 25 or 60 per cent versus 26 of 75 or 35 per cent, p less than 0.05). Major complications were more common early in our experience (9 of 63 or 14 per cent versus 2 of 69 or 3 per cent for the combined years 1983 and 1984 compared to 1985 and 1986, p less than 0.05). Our success rates in the...
Voting with Intensity of Preferences

In this paper, we develop a method based on the idea of pairwise voting to rank projects or candidates and incorporate in the ranking process how strongly the referees/voters feel about the comparisons they make. Voting is a modified form of ranking and all the votes are equally important. However, there are situations similar to voting in which the votes are not just ordinal but each voter expresses an intensity of preference for the different candidates, e.g., ranking projects for funding. We show that our method yields the same results as ordinal voting in large populations when the intensity of preferences becomes extreme. Voting with intensity of preferences does not violate democracy but soften the stand of voters and allows for consideration of the diversity of issues involved in voting.
Recent Advances in Metal-Free Quinoline Synthesis.

The quinoline ring system is one of the most ubiquitous heterocycles in the fields of medicinal and industrial chemistry, forming the scaffold for compounds of great significance. These include anti-inflammatory and antitumor agents, the antimalarial drugs quinine and chloroquine, and organic light-emitting diodes. Quinolines were first synthesized in 1879, and since then a multitude of synthetic routes have been developed. Many of these methods, such as the Skraup, Doebner–Von Miller, and Friedlander quinoline syntheses, are well-known but suffer from inefficiency, harsh reaction conditions, and toxic reagents. This review focuses on recent transition metal-free processes toward these important heterocycles, including both novel routes and modifications to established methods. For example, variations on the Skraup method include microwave irradiation, ionic liquid media, and novel annulation partners, all of which have shown increased reaction efficiency and improved yield of the heteroring-unsubstituted quinoline products. Similarly, modifications to other synthetic routes have been implemented, with the quinoline products displaying a wide variety of substitution patterns.
Machine Learning Method Applied in Readout System of Superheated Droplet Detector

Direct readability is one advantage of superheated droplet detectors in neutron dosimetry. Utilizing such a distinct characteristic, an imaging readout system analyzes image of the detector for neutron dose readout. To improve the accuracy and precision of algorithms in the imaging readout system, machine learning algorithms were developed. Deep learning neural network and support vector machine algorithms are applied and compared with generally used Hough transform and curvature analysis methods. The machine learning methods showed a much higher accuracy and better precision in recognizing circular gas bubbles.
Risk of Mortality Associated with Anticholinergic Use in Elderly Nursing Home Residents with Depression.

Few studies have evaluated the association between anticholinergic use and mortality in elderly nursing home residents. The aim of this study was to examine the risk of mortality associated with anticholinergic use among elderly nursing home residents with depression. The study employed a population-based nested case-control design using 2007–2010 Minimum Data Set (MDS)-linked Medicare data from all states. The base cohort included Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 years, diagnosed with depression as of 2007, and with any MDS assessment in 2007. Cases were identified as patients who died anytime between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010. For each case, four age- and sex-matched controls were selected using incidence density sampling. Anticholinergic exposure was defined using the Anticholinergic Drug Scale (ADS). Prescription of clinically significant anticholinergic medications (ADS level 2/3) 60 days preceding the event date formed the primary exposure. Conditional logistic regression model stratified on matched case-control sets was performed to assess mortality risk, after controlling for other risk factors. The study sample included 44,948 cases who died and 179,792 matched controls. After adjusting for other risk factors, clinically significant anticholinergic use was associated with significant risk of death (odds ratio [OR] 1.31; 95% CI 1.28–1.34) compared with non-use. Level-specific analysis indicated high mortality risk with only markedly anticholinergic (ADS level 3) medication use (OR 1.46; 95% CI 1.42–1.51). Use of clinically significant anticholinergic medications was associated with a 31% increase in risk of mortality among elderly nursing home residents with depression. With increasing safety concerns, there is a significant need to optimize anticholinergic use in the vulnerable population.
Applications of a robotic stereotactic arm for pediatric epilepsy and neurooncology surgery.

OBJECTIVEThe ROSA device is a robotic stereotactic arm that uses a laser system to register the patient’s head or spine with MR or CT images. In this study, the authors analyze their experience with this system in pediatric neurosurgical applications and present selected cases that exemplify the usefulness of this system.METHODSThe authors reviewed all cases that utilized the ROSA system at their institution. Patient demographics, pathology, complications, electrode placement, laser ablation, and biopsy accuracy were analyzed. Patient disposition and condition at follow-up were also analyzed.RESULTSSeventeen patients underwent 23 procedures using the ROSA system. A total of 87 electroencephalography electrodes were placed, with 13% deviating more than 3 mm from target. Six patients underwent stereotactic needle biopsy, and 9 underwent laser interstitial thermotherapy (LITT). One patient who underwent LITT required a subsequent craniotomy for tumor resection. Another patient experienced an asymptomatic ext...
High Performance Computing in North America

The grand challenge problems of computational science and simulation (such as in the important areas of biotechnology and nanomaterials) require large scale computational facilities. The Canadian and US Federal governments have recognized the importance of these problems by investing a significant amount of resources into high performance computing and networking. For example, the new PACI (Partnerships for Advanced Computing Infrastructure) program of the NSF (National Science Foundation) has a goal of evolving the Internet into a National Technology Grid for the seamless and efficient solution of grand challenge problems. The role of the U. Ky. Center for Computational Sciences will be described. This will include its partnership within the National Computational Science Alliance (NCSA), and its imperatives of enhancing Computing Capability, Building the Grid and designing the Post-Web Environment.
Mithramycin A Enhances Tumor Sensitivity to Mitotic Catastrophe Resulting From DNA Damage.

Purpose Specificity protein 1 (SP1) is involved in the transcription of several genes implicated in tumor maintenance. We investigated the effects of mithramycin A (MTA), an inhibitor of SP1 DNA binding, on radiation response. Methods and Materials Clonogenic survival after irradiation was assessed in 2 tumor cell lines (A549, UM-UC-3) and 1 human fibroblast line (BJ) after SP1 knockdown or MTA treatment. DNA damage repair was evaluated using γH2AX foci formation, and mitotic catastrophe was assessed using nuclear morphology. Gene expression was evaluated using polymerase chain reaction arrays. In vivo tumor growth delay was used to evaluate the effects of MTA on radiosensitivity. Results Targeting of SP1 with small interfering RNA or MTA sensitized A549 and UM-UC-3 to irradiation, with no effect on the BJ radiation response. MTA did not alter γH2AX foci formation after irradiation in tumor cells but did enhance mitotic catastrophe. Treatment with MTA suppressed transcription of genes involved in cell death. MTA administration to mice bearing A549 and UM-UC-3 xenografts enhanced radiation-induced tumor growth delay. Conclusions These results support SP1 as a target for radiation sensitization and confirm MTA as a radiation sensitizer in human tumor models.
Chapter 33 – Environmental Health Policy Regarding Men’s Reproductive and Sexual Health

Abstract Over the last 25 years, researchers and policy makers have become increasingly aware of the deleterious effects that environmental factors and chemical compounds can have on human development and physiology. When considering the effects of such compounds on men's sexual and reproductive health, keen attention has been paid to a specific class of compounds characterized as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Many of these chemicals were initially described in wildlife population studies and were believed to play a negligible role in human health. However, recent studies involving human subjects have purported that EDCs may play a more sinister role in human physiology and development. One prototypical compound is diethylstilbestrol (DES), an estrogenic agent prescribed to nearly 10 million mothers to prevent miscarriages and preterm (early) births between 1938 and 1971. Postapproval monitoring studies revealed that DES had no effect on the rate of miscarriage or premature birth, but it had caused significant urogenital malformations and increased the risk of early-onset clear cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina in offspring exposed in utero. Although chemicals such as DES have clear contraindications and have been removed from the market, many suspected EDCs are still found in common household items, including industrial solvents, lubricants, plastics, pesticides, fungicides, and even food additives. Chemicals such as bisphenol A, monobenzyl phthalates, vinclozolin, and phytoestrogens have made national headlines and gained notoriety for their EDC effects. As the research surrounding the long-term safety of these compounds continues to mature, health and environmental policies that govern their use will continue to be in flux.
The Opportunistic Pathogen Vibrio vulnificus Produces Outer Membrane Vesicles in a Spatially Distinct Manner Related to Capsular Polysaccharide

Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterial species that inhabits brackish waters, is an opportunistic pathogen of humans. V. vulnificus infections can cause acute gastroenteritis, invasive septicemia, tissue necrosis, and potentially death. Virulence factors associated with V. vulnificus include the capsular polysaccharide (CPS), lipopolysaccharide, flagellum, pili, and outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). The aims of this study were to characterize the morphology of V. vulnificus cells and the formation and arrangement of OMVs using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). cryo-EM and cryo-electron tomography imaging of V. vulnificus strains grown in liquid cultures revealed the presence of OMVs (diameters of ∼45 nm for wild-type, ∼30 nm for the unencapsulated mutant, and ∼50 nm for the non-motile mutant) in log-phase growth. Production of OMVs in the stationary growth phase was limited and irregular. The spacing of the OMVs around the wild-type cells was in regular, concentric rings. In wild-type cells and a non-motile mutant, the spacing between the cell envelope and the first ring of OMVs was ∼200 nm; this spacing was maintained between subsequent OMV layers. The size, arrangement, and spacing of OMVs in an unencapsulated mutant was irregular and indicated that the polysaccharide chains of the capsule regulate aspects of OMV production and order. Together, our results revealed the distinctive organization of V. vulnificus OMVs that is affected by expression of the CPS.
Molecular basis of K+ channel inactivation gating

The gating of many K+, Na+ and Ca++ channels is driven by changes in membrane potential. Part of the gating mechanism, the voltage sensing S4, a proposed transmembrane segment, has been identified. Movement in the membrane electric field of the charged S4 is thought to precede the opening and closing of the activation gate. The physical basis of the conformational changes involved in gating has yet to be elucidated. Here, we discuss a domain that appears to lie at the cytoplasmic mouth of K+ channels and to form a receptor for the inactivation gate. We examine the possibility that a) the physical attachment of this receptor/mouth to the S4 allows inactivation to be coupled to the voltage dependent conformational changes that open the channel and b) explains the immobilization of gating charge by inactivation. We also address the physiological ramifications of such structural coupling.
“Ciudades competitivas” Un panorama conceptual y temático de investigación

Este articulo presenta la conceptualizacion y justificacion del objetivo de la linea de investigacion “ciudades competitivas” del grupo Prospectiva Urbano Territorial (PUT) de la Fundacion Universidad de America. Se analiza el proceso de incorporacion del ambito territorial dentro de los estudios actuales de competitividad, y se detallan las posibilidades que ello ofrece de generacion de conocimiento basico y aplicado en un abanico de tematicas relacionadas con la competitividad urbana. El objetivo de la revision es ofrecer un panorama de los principales conceptos y temas asociados a la nocion de competitividad urbana, que posibilite la articulacion de los proyectos de investigacion de los estudiantes y docentes de la Especializacion en Planeacion Territorial, asi como de otros investigadores interesados en asuntos relacionados con la competitividad.
Immunologic profile and prognostic significance of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in renal cell carcinoma.

673Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been shown to be a genetically and morphologically heterogeneous cancer. As studies show the significance of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in ca...
In vivo and in vitro studies of Cry5B and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist anthelmintics reveal a powerful and unique combination therapy against intestinal nematode parasites.

Background The soil-transmitted nematodes (STNs) or helminths (hookworms, whipworms, large roundworms) infect the intestines of ~1.5 billion of the poorest peoples and are leading causes of morbidity worldwide. Only one class of anthelmintic or anti-nematode drugs, the benzimidazoles, is currently used in mass drug administrations, which is a dangerous situation. New anti-nematode drugs are urgently needed. Bacillus thuringiensis crystal protein Cry5B is a powerful, promising new candidate. Drug combinations, when properly made, are ideal for treating infectious diseases. Although there are some clinical trials using drug combinations against STNs, little quantitative and systemic work has been performed to define the characteristics of these combinations in vivo. Methodology/Principal findings Working with the hookworm Ancylostoma ceylanicum-hamster infection system, we establish a laboratory paradigm for studying anti-nematode combinations in vivo using Cry5B and the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists tribendimidine and pyrantel pamoate. We demonstrate that Cry5B strongly synergizes in vivo with both tribendimidine and pyrantel at specific dose ratios against hookworm infections. For example, whereas 1 mg/kg Cry5B and 1 mg/kg tribendimidine individually resulted in only a 0%-6% reduction in hookworm burdens, the combination of the two resulted in a 41% reduction (P = 0.020). Furthermore, when mixed at synergistic ratios, these combinations eradicate hookworm infections at doses where the individual doses do not. Using cyathostomin nematode parasites of horses, we find based on inhibitory concentration 50% values that a strongylid parasite population doubly resistant to nAChR agonists and benzimidazoles is more susceptible or “hypersusceptible” to Cry5B than a cyathostomin population not resistant to nAChR agonists, consistent with previous Caenhorhabditis elegans results. Conclusions/Significance Our study provides a powerful means by which anthelmintic combination therapies can be examined in vivo in the laboratory. In addition, we demonstrate that Cry5B and nAChR agonists have excellent combinatorial properties—Cry5B combined with nAChR agonists gives rise to potent cures that are predicted to be recalcitrant to the development of parasite resistance. These drug combinations highlight bright spots in new anthelmintic development for human and veterinary animal intestinal nematode infections.
Challenging the Health Impacts of Incarceration: The Role for Community Health Workers

With 2.1 million Americans behind bars, the United States incarcerates more people per capita than any other country in the world. This article examines the ways mass incarceration contributes to poor health, particularly within poor communities and communities of color, which already bear a disproportionate burden of ill-health and disease. We explore the multiple health impacts of incarceration and the ways current criminal justice policies contribute to health disparities. We discuss the role of Community Health Workers in mitigating the effects of incarceration by fostering social support, linking formerly incarcerated individuals with existing community services and acting as agents for social change.
Guinea pig cytomegalovirus gene expression.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a significant human pathogen and its clinical importance has recently become more predominantly recognized because of the severity of HCMV infections in immunocompromised hosts, transplant recipients, and individuals with AIDS. Since HCMV is species specific, it is important to have an appropriate animal model to help understand the pathogenicity of this virus. Guinea pig cytomegalovirus (GPCMV) infection of the guinea pig is species specific, produces many of the same clinical syndromes that occur during HCMV infection of the human, and has been shown in numerous studies to be an excellent model for studying the pathogenicity of HCMV. One approach that has been taken to understand the replication and pathogenicity of viruses has been to characterize gene expression by these viruses and to study the regulation of virus gene expression.
Evaluation of motion correction schemes for simultaneous FDG-PET/MR studies in Alzheimer's disease

208 Objectives Simultaneous PET/MR systems for clinical imaging have recently become available offering unique opportunities not possible with sequential imaging. This is of interest in Alzheimer9s Disease where structural and functional MR and metabolic FDG-PET data are frequently obtained. For accurate quantitative PET imaging, motion correction (MC) is vital as subject motion is unavoidable in this patient population and can lead to bias. We have recently demonstrated the benefits of MR-based MC on PET data in healthy volunteers (J Nucl Med. 2011 Jan;52(1):154-61) and now aimed to evaluate its application to patient studies and explore PET/MR MC acquisition paradigms which are flexible in the MR sequence choice while provide the necessary motion estimates. Methods The BrainPET inserted into the Siemens 3T TIM Trio MRI was used to acquire MR and PET data simultaneously in 10 AD patients. ~5 mCi of FDG was administered and dynamic PET data were acquired for ~75 min. Motion estimates were derived from the fMRI data using the PACE method. Additionally, a novel PET-image-based MC scheme that utilized the high-resolution anatomic MR data was developed and compared to MR-MC. Results MR-MC estimates were available on average for ~60% of the total scan time. Average maximum translations were 1.73mm [range=0.78,2.87], 3.29mm [1.19,7.34], 5.21mm [2.12,14.73] along the x-, y-,and z-axes, respectively, with corresponding rotations of 4.15deg [1.65,7.54], 2.24deg [1.67,3.64], and 2.83deg [0.82,8.44]. PET-MC had a max RMS error of 0.72mm and 0.66deg when compared to MR-MC and provided motion estimates every 30sec. Conclusions Motion is significant in AD patients, making MC a requirement for accurate quantification. PET-based MC provides less precise estimations of motion when compared to MR-based methods and requires a somewhat ubiquitous uptake in the head; however, MR-based tracking is not available for all MR sequences. A likely paradigm for simultaneous PET/MR based MC is to use MR-MC when available and supplement the missing motion estimates with PET-MC
Representing Trends and Moment-to-Moment Variability in Dyadic and Family Processes Using State-Space Modeling Techniques

State–space modeling techniques provide a convenient modeling platform for representing systematic trends as well as patterns of intraindividual variability around these trends. Their flexibility in accommodating multivariate processes renders them particularly suited to studying dyadic and family processes that show complex ebbs and flows over time. Using dyadic data collected during the Face-to-Face/Still-Face (FFSF) procedure, examples are provided to explicate the use of state–space models to capture two kinds of changes: systematic trends that are relatively smooth and slow-varying, and transient patterns of intraindividual variability that are manifested on a moment-to-moment basis.
Judgments of Incompetence and Their Moral Presuppositions

As I read through Dr. Knight’s paper [3], wondering what useful thing I could possibly say to a person so experienced in the day-to-day decisions concerning competence, given my own near-complete inexperience, it strikes me that this inexperience itself may have some small advantage. At least I can approach the problems afresh, innocent of partisanship toward any of the positions that have already been marked concerning the way to approach the difficult decisions that must be made by physicians and by patients. I will not be a paternalist, nor an advocate of unfettered autonomy for the patient, nor do I have an initial bias toward any of the many positions between. My contribution will be one that philosophers out of their ignorance (celebrated since Socrates) are privileged to make: the raising of questions, but most especially of questions about questions that others are asking.
Quiet Eye: Practical Applications in Sport and Physical Education.

Visual behaviors are often overlooked in sport performance training. The literature suggests that training visual behaviors, such as the quiet eye, can result in better performance across a wide va...
10.07 – Aldehyde Dehydrogenases☆

The aldehyde dehydrogenase superfamily contains NAD(P)+-dependent enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of aldehydes to their corresponding carboxylic acids. Nineteen aldehyde dehydrogenase genes have been identified in the human genome. Mutations in these genes that lead to enzyme inactivation are the molecular basis of several diseases, including microphthalmia/anophthalmia, Sjogren–Larsson syndrome, type II hyperprolinemia, γ-hydroxybutyric aciduria, pyridoxine-dependent seizures, gout, and hyperuricemia, De Barsy syndrome and spastic paraplegia, alcohol-related diseases, cancer, and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to these clinical phenotypes, transgenic knockout mouse models have suggested a pivotal role for aldehyde dehydrogenases in physiological processes, such as embryogenesis and development, and in protection against obesity and environmentally induced oxidative damage. Finally, aldehyde dehydrogenases have been shown to be characteristic of cancer stem cells, with high aldehyde dehydrogenase activity relating to cancer prognosis. Collectively, these observations suggest that aldehyde dehydrogenases play crucial roles in the biotransformation of endogenous and exogenous aldehydes that are either toxic or essential for life.
Analysis of Surface Temperature Trends of World’s Major Lakes and their Relationship with Land Cover Changes

In this study, the world first major 305 lakes have been investigated. An analysis of surface temperature variation over the global lakes have been conducted using observations from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). MODIS Land Surface Temperature (LST) provides surface temperature data twice a day since 2002. The data products were first processed to obtain the average daily temperature over the lakes and their surrounding land areas from July 2002 to May 2018. A statistical approach was applied to calculate the temperature trends of the lake water, the surrounding land. Moreover, the relationship between the LST trends and potential driving factors such as the land cover changes in the lakes’ basins, lakes areas, depth, and latitude were investigated. The primary results show that lakes water temperature are warming faster than the surrounding land temperature. Furthermore, 67.54% of lakes are shrinking while 24.92% are growing.
Not a victim: How self-deception saved David

This paper summarizes a course of psychotherapy in which the therapist integrated concepts and strategies from psychoanalytic and cognitive-behavioral orientations in treating a gay man with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder and a history of sexual abuse. The article highlights the psychologically protective function that deception served in the treatment of this patient, and how the therapist navigated the fragility of these inner fictions. Further, it illustrates the way in which the therapist-patient dynamic was colored by a psychoanalytic process known as projective identification.
Very High HIV Incidence and Associated Risk Factors in a Longitudinal Cohort Study of Diverse Adolescent and Young Adult Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women.

To report HIV incidence and associated factors among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) and transgender women (TW). Data were collected February 2015 to July 2018 in the RADAR longitudinal cohort study of YMSM/TW aged 16–29 years (N = 1093). Data included tests for HIV and rectal STIs and self-reported sexual behaviors and networks characteristics. HIV incidence rates were 2.91 per 100 person years (44 seroconversions among 1513 person years). Incidence was significantly higher in Black participants than white (IRR 8.81; 95% CI 2.72–45.26) and Latinx (IRR 3.15; 1.49–7.28) participants, but no significant differences by gender identity were found. Testing positive for rectal STIs (HR 2.50; 95% CI 1.27–4.92) and sex with a partner from a high HIV incidence community area (HR 2.46; 95% CI 1.19–5.07) were associated with higher incidence. HIV incidence was very high and Black YMSM/TW experienced higher HIV incidence attributable to partner race and geographic residence. Rectal STIs were associated with increased HIV incidence.