cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of pH on the toxicity of nickel and other divalent metals to Burkholderia cepacia PR1301

Nickel (Ni) is a common cocontaminant at many waste sites where the soils and sediments often are acidic, thereby influencing metal availability. Growth of Burkholderia cepacia PR1301 was not affected at 3.41 mM Ni at pH 5, but was inhibited by 73.2% at pH 6 and inhibited completely at pH 7 compared to growth without Ni. This pH effect was not observed in the Niresistant strains, Ralstonia metallidurans CH34 and 31A. Predicted Ni speciation did not explain the observed toxicity trends. Sorption of Ni to PR1 increased with increasing pH (1.49, 1.12, and 3.88 mg Ni/g dry weight at pH 5, 6, and 7, respectively), but was low at all three pH values, and most likely does not explain the observed pH effect. Growth inhibition of PR1 with increasing pH also was observed for other divalent cations, with growth observed at 4.24 mM Co, 2.22 mM Cd, and 3.82 mM Zn at pH 5 and 6, but totally inhibited at pH 7. These studies suggest that, at circumneutral pH, PR1 would be considered sensitive to Ni and other divalent cations, in spite of the ability to grow in higher concentrations at lower pH values.
Radiative energy losses from low and moderate Z elements

Abstract Radiative energy losses from twelve low and moderate Z elements are calculated for temperatures ranging from 2 eV to 20 keV. Each element is assumed to be in coronal equilibrium, so that the ionization structure is determined by balancing collisional ionization and autoionization against radiative and dielectronic recombination. The radiative losses are calculated by adding the emission due to bremsstrahlung, radiative and dielectronic recombination, 2-photon processes, and line radiation. Polynomial fits to the loss rates, suitable for use in computer programs, are given for each element.
Vitamin D, Cod-Liver Oil, Sunlight, and Rickets: A Historical Perspective

Rickets, a disease of vitamin D deficiency, is rarely confronted by the practicing pediatrician in the United States today. At the turn of the 20th century, rickets was rampant among the poor children living in the industrialized and polluted northern cities of the United States. With the discovery of vitamin D and the delineation of the anti-rachitic properties of cod-liver oil by the 1930s, it became possible to not only treat but also eradicate rickets in the United States. Rickets was a common disease in 17th century England. Frances Glisson's treatise on rickets published in 1650, a glorious contribution to English medicine, described the clinical and anatomic features of rickets in great detail. The exact etiology of rickets had been elusive until the 1920s. During the Glissonian era, rickets was a mysterious disease. By the late 19th and early 20th century, faulty diet or faulty environment (poor hygiene, lack of fresh air and sunshine) or lack of exercise was implicated in its etiology. Animal experiments, appreciation of folklore advocating the benefits of cod-liver oil, and the geographical association of rickets to lack of sunshine were all relevant factors in the advancement of knowledge in the conquest of this malady. In this article, the history of rickets pertaining to the discovery of vitamin D, cod-liver oil, and sunlight is reviewed.
Application of Piaget's Theory To the Study of Thinking of the Mentally Retarded: A Review of Research

The developmental theory of Jean Piaget describes intellectual growth, from sensorimotor intelligence through adult logic. Although Piaget has not dealt with mentally retarded (MR) persons per se, his theory has been applied to that population by many researchers. Results of investigations into this application of Paget's stage theory of development indicate that the stages of development in the MR parallel those described by Piaget but appear at later chronological periods. Because of the tremendous variability in cognitive MR task performance within IQ categories, identification of specific aspects of concept learning holds promise for enhancing the school performance of MR children through individualized instruction.
Space-time coding for wireless sensor networks with cooperative routing diversity

In this work, the idea of cross-layer design for wireless sensor networks is exploited to improve the network performance. We present a new energy efficient cooperative routing scheme with space diversity using space-time block codes (STBCs) as well as the link quality. In our solution, the selected multiple nodes act as multiple transmitting and receiving antennas. Full diversity from the orthogonal STBC is utilized to overcome multipath fading and to enhance power efficiency. The steady state network performance measures, such as, network throughput and delay are analyzed via Markov chain modelling. Compared with the traditional single relay routing method and the single receiving diversity routing method, our proposed method outperforms the other two in low SNR environments and provides higher throughput and similar delay in high SNR environments.
Total-body screening: preliminary results of a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Purpose The authors performed a pilot randomized controlled trial of total-body screening to assess the feasibility of a full-scale study. Materials and Methods After informed consent, 50 asymptomatic people were randomized to either the intervention arm (total-body screening with multidetector computed tomography) or the control arm (no screening for 3 years). The study was approved by our institutional review board and was compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Images were interpreted independently by 6 radiologists from 2 institutions. Subjects in both study arms completed periodic health questionnaires and medical utilization forms over 2 years. Key outcome variables were the incidence of symptomatic disease, medical costs, and patient-reported health. Results Sixteen screened subjects (64%) had abnormal findings on screening. A second interpretation of the images yielded a similar overall rate but with considerable variability at the subject level. No cancers were detected. Ninety percent of subjects were compliant at 2 years. Medical costs were twice as high for screened subjects, with considerable between-subject variability. Screened subjects reported fewer physical limitations than unscreened subjects. Conclusion A full-scale randomized controlled trial of total-body screening will need to account for the large interreader variability in interpreting the images, the high rate of incidental findings, and the low prevalence of cancers. A full-scale study using mortality as the endpoint does not seem feasible at this time.
Does prearrest adrenergic integrity affect pressor response? A comparison of epinephrine and vasopressin in a spontaneous ventricular fibrillation swine model

Abstract Objectives Coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) during resuscitation from cardiac arrest has been shown to correlate with return of spontaneous circulation. Adrenergic blockade of beta-1 and alpha-1 receptors is common in the long-term management of ischemic heart disease and congestive heart failure. We sought to compare the CPP response to vasopressin vs. epinephrine in a swine model of cardiac arrest following pre-arrest adrenergic blockade. Methods Eight anesthetized and instrumented swine were administered 0.1 mg epinephrine and arterial pressure and heart rate response were measured. An infusion of labetalol was then initiated and animals periodically challenged with epinephrine until adrenergic blockade was confirmed. The left anterior descending coronary artery was occluded to produce ventricular fibrillation (VF). After 7 min of untreated VF, mechanical chest compressions were initiated. After 1 min of compressions, 1 mg epinephrine was given while CPP was recorded. When CPP values had returned to pre-epinephrine levels, 40 U of bolus vasopressin was given. Differences in CPP (post-vasopressor–pre-vasopressor) were compared within animals for the epinephrine and vasopressin response and with eight, non-adrenergically blocked, historical controls using Bayesian statistics with a non-informative prior. Results The CPP response following epinephrine was 15.1 mmHg lower in adrenergically blocked animals compared to non-adrenergically blocked animals (95% Highest Posterior Density [HPD] 2.9–27.2 mmHg lower). CPP went up 18.4 mmHg more following vasopressin when compared to epinephrine (95% HPD 8.2–29.1 mmHg). The posterior probability of a higher CPP response from vasopressin (vs. epinephrine) in these animals was 0.999. Conclusions Pre-arrest adrenergic blockade blunts the CPP response to epinephrine. Superior augmentation of CPP is attained with vasopressin under these conditions.
Women's Health and Pregnancy Outcomes: Do Services Make a Difference?

We use data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey to investigate the impact of a major expansion in access to midwifery services on health and pregnancy outcomes for women of reproductive age. Between 1990 and 1998 Indonesia trained some 50,000 midwives. Between 1993 and 1997 these midwives tended to be placed in relatively poor communities that were relatively distant from health centers. We show that additions of village midwives to communities between 1993 and 1997 are associated with a significant increase in body mass index in 1997 relative to 1993 for women of reproductive age, but not for men or for older women. The presence of a village midwife during pregnancy is also associated with increased birthweight. Both results are robust to the inclusion of community-level fixed effects, a strategy that addresses many of the concerns about biases because of nonrandom program placement.
A smart instrument to evaluate roofing system performance in hurricanes

A recently developed decision support system to aid nonengineering professionals in evaluating the quality of roofing systems for commercial and residential buildings is described. A description of the requirements, theoretical background, and architecture of the system is provided. The accompanying computer program is also described. Finally, the predicted quality levels of thirteen roofing systems are compared with the observed quality levels of the roofing systems based on their performance in Hurricane Andrew in 1992. >
Effect of an Acute Maternal Fluoride Dose on Fetal Plasma Fluoride Levels and Enamel Fluoride Uptake in Guinea Pigs

We conducted this study to measure maternal plasma, fetal plasma, and fetal enamel fluoride concentrations for four hours following an oral F dose to near-term pregnant guinea pigs.We placed female guinea pigs on de-ionized (Group I) or 3-ppm-F (Group II) drinking water prior to breeding and during gestation. On the 57th day of gestation, we administered a maternal dose of NaF solution (0.6 mg Flkg) by stomach tube. We collected samples of maternal plasma, fetal plasma, and fetal enamel at baseline, at 15 and 30 min, and at one, two, and four h after administration of the dose. We assayed samples for F using a modification of the micro-diffusion and ion-specific electrode method.Group I mean baseline F values were: maternal plasma, 0.016; fetal plasma, 0.002 ; and fetal enamel, 7. 0 ppm. Group II mean values were: 0.055, 0.004, and 19.0 ppm. After the maternal fluoride dose, the mean maternal plasma [F] rose sharply for 30 to 60 min and declined to about 50% of peak values by four h. Fetal plasma [F] chan...
An inhibitor of p38 MAP kinase downregulates cytokine release induced by sulfur mustard exposure in human epidermal keratinocytes.

Sulfur mustard (2,2'-dichlorodiethyl sulfide, SM) is a potent alkylating agent that induces skin vessication after cutaneous exposure. Previous work has revealed that SM induces the production of inflammatory cytokines, including IL-8, IL-6, TNF-o, and IL-1 P, in keratinocytes. The p38 MAP kinase (MAPK14) signaling pathway is activated via phosphorylation in response to cellular stress and has been implicated in the upregulation of cytokines in response to stress. We investigated the role of p38 MAP kinase in inflammatory cytokine upregulation following SM exposure. A dose response study in cultured human epidermal keratinocytes (HEK) revealed increasing phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase in response to increasing concentrations of SM. A time course at the 200 pM exposure revealed that p38 MAP kinase phosphorylation is induced by 15 min post-exposure, peaks at 30 min and is sustained at peak levels until 8 h post-exposure. Phosphorylation of the upstream kinase MKK3/6 was also detected. Assay of the SM-exposed HEK culture media for cytokines revealed that exposure to 200 jiM SM increased IL-8, IL-6, TNF-a, and IL-1 3. When cells exposed to 200 pM SM were treated with the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor SB203580, the levels of IL-8, IL-6, and TNF-0E and IL1 3 were significantly decreased when compared with cells that were untreated. These results show that p38 MAP kinase plays a role in SM-induced cytokine production in HEK and suggest that inhibiting this pathway may alleviate the profound inflammatory response elicited by cutaneous SM exposure.
Identifying Academically Talented Students: Some General Principles, Two Specific Procedures

Talent signifies potential for the attainment of excellence in some domain. Procedures for identifying academic talent that were developed at the turn of the twentieth century emphasized the measurement of a cognitive potential that was thought to forecast successful learning in any domain or learning context. While not rejecting the utility of the measures of cognitive ability devised to estimate this learning potential, most psychologists now see talent as a more variegated concept and the development of expertise as dependent on much more than superior cognitive ability. The concept of aptitude offers a useful way to integrate these disparate strands into a coherent theory. In this chapter, I discuss the identification of academically talented children from the perspective of aptitude theory. Aptitude refers to the degree of readiness to learn and to perform well in a particular situation or domain. The primary aptitudes for academic success are (1) prior knowledge and skill in a domain, (2) the ability to reason in the symbol systems used to communicate new knowledge in that domain, (3) interest in the domain, and (4) persistence in the type of learning environments offered for the attainment of expertise in the domain. Although the principles discussed here are useful for all students, they are particularly important for the identification of academically promising minority students. The chapter concludes with examples of two procedures for combining ability test scores, achievement test scores, and teacher ratings in a principled way to assist in the identification of a talent pool.
The Nature of Social Communication Technologies and Cyberbullying

Pheobe Prince moved with her family from Ireland, their country of origin, to begin a new life in the United States, settling in the beautiful western Massachusetts town of South Hadley. When she began attending South Hadley High School, she made a few friends who commented how happy and well-adjusted she appeared. Under the surface, though, she was concealing an intense emotional pain. On a continuing basis, other students at school tormented her on-line calling her an “Irish slut” and “a whore.” Fearing she could no longer endure her peers’ abusive taunts, Phoebe took her life. She was fifteen years old.
PD-1 Pathway Inhibitors: Immuno-Oncology Agents for Restoring Antitumor Immune Responses

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are designed to restore a patient's own antitumor immune response that has been suppressed during tumor development. The first monoclonal antibodies against the immune checkpoint programmed death 1 (PD-1) receptor, nivolumab and pembrolizumab, are now approved for clinical use. Both agents are indicated for the treatment of advanced melanoma, as well as for the treatment of metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nivolumab is also approved for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. In patients with melanoma, these agents result in objective response rates of ~25–40%, with durable responses lasting more than 2 years in some cases. Results from phase III trials have shown improved survival with nivolumab versus standard-of-care chemotherapy in both patients with advanced melanoma and those with advanced NSCLC. In patients with advanced melanoma, both PD-1 inhibitors (nivolumab and pembrolizumab) have shown improved survival versus ipilimumab. PD-1 inhibitors are associated with adverse events that have immune etiologies, with grade greater than 3 adverse events typically reported in 16% or less of patients. However, most immune-mediated adverse events (including grade 3–4 adverse events) can be managed by using published management algorithms without permanent discontinuation of the agent. As nivolumab and pembrolizumab enter the clinic, and with more PD-1 pathway agents in development for a range of tumor types, this review aims to provide pharmacists with a basic understanding of the role of PD-1 in modulating the immune system and their use in the cancer treatment. The most recent clinical efficacy and safety data are discussed, highlighting the response characteristics distinctive to immune checkpoint inhibitors, along with pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data and cost considerations.
Chemostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of Devonian, Carboniferous and Permian sediments encountered in eastern Saudi Arabia: An integrated approach to reservoir correlation

Abstract The following study was completed on inorganic geochemical data acquired from 850 core and cuttings samples taken from Devonian, Carboniferous and Permian sediments encountered in six wells in the arabian gulf, eastern saudi arabia. The principal objective of the study was to employ chemostratigraphy to produce a ‘robust’ high resolution correlation scheme. A secondary aim was to integrate this with existing biostratigraphic data as part of a multidisciplinary approach to reservoir correlation. Data were derived for 50 elements using ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectrometry) and ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry), but definition of chemostratigraphic boundaries are based on changes in the following key element ratios: Cr/P, Th/Nb, Th/Ta, Zr/Th, Zr/P, Nb/Ti and Nb/P. Variations in these parameters are largely dependent on changes in source/provenance, which affects the relative concentrations of detrital heavy minerals. To avoid geochemical variations relating to changes in grain size/lithology, separate frameworks were constructed for data derived from sandstone and mudrock lithologies. Both comprise a hierarchical order of zones, subzones and divisions, with subdivisions also being identified in the sandstone dataset. The schemes are considered to be ‘robust’ as chemozones (general term used to refer to any zone, subzone, division or subdivision) are clearly defined using geochemical profiles and binary diagrams and most are correlative between three or more wells. Given the similarities in definitions of zones, subzones and divisions in the two schemes, and the fact that these chemozones are considered to be roughly time equivalent, both were combined to produce a ‘final’ chemostratigraphy scheme. In a further stage of interpretation, the correlation was refined by integrating the interpretations of this chemostratigraphy study with lithostratigraphic markers (identified by significant trends in GR that exist in two or more wells) and an existing correlation based on biostratigraphy. In the Tawil and Jauf formations there are obvious inconsistencies between the placement of chemostratigraphic and biostratigraphic boundaries, with some subzones occurring within different palynozones in adjacent wells. Such disparities may be explained by the existence of separate fluvio-deltaic/shallow marine sandstones having a similar source/provenance but being deposited in different parts of the study area at different times. This interpretation is supported by the available seismic data showing that the Jauf, and to a lesser extent the Tawil, formations take the form of laterally discontinuous sandstones. By contrast, the chemozones associated with the overlying Jubah Formation, Berwath Formation, Unayzah Group (Juwayl and Nuayyim formations) and Base Khuff Clastics Member show a very close match with the placement of palynozones in each well and were probably deposited at a similar time on both field and subregional scales.
A Fluorescent Readout for the Oxidation State of Electron Transporting Proteins in Cell Free Settings

Pathways involving sequential electron transfer between multiple proteins are ubiquitous in nature. Here, we demonstrate a new class of fluorescent protein-based reporters for monitoring electron transport through such multistage cascades, specifically those involving ferredoxin-like electron transporters. We created protein fusions between mammalian Adrenodoxin (Adx) and plant Ferredoxin (Fdx) with fluorescent proteins of different colors and found that the fluorescence of such fusions is highly sensitive to the redox state of the electron transporter. The increase in fluorescence from the oxidized to the reduced state was inversely proportional to the linker length between the fusion partners. We first used our approach to quantitatively characterize electron transfer from NADPH through Adrenodoxin Reductase (AdR) to Adrenodoxin (Adx). Our data allowed us to build a detailed mathematical model of this mitochondrial electron transfer chain and validate previously proposed mechanisms. Then, we showed that an Adx-GFP fusion could serve as a sensor for the activity of bacterial Type I Cytochrome P450s (CYPs), a very large class of enzymes with important roles in biotechnology. We further showed that fluorescence of a direct fusion between CYP and GFP was sensitive to CYP activity, suggesting that our approach is applicable to an even broader class of proteins, which undergo a redox state change during their work cycle.
Poststernotomy osteomyelitis presenting with severe sepsis and rhabdomyolysis

A 39-year-old male, who recently underwent a composite valve graft of the aortic root and ascending aorta for bicuspid aortic valve and aortic root aneurysm, was hospitalized for severe sepsis, rhabdomyolysis (creatine kinase 29000 U/L), and severe liver dysfunction (AST > 7000 U/L, ALT 4228 U/L, and INR > 10). Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were consistent with sternal osteomyelitis with a 1.5 cm abscess at the inferior sternotomy margin, which was contiguous with pericardial thickening. Aspiration and culture of this abscess did not yield any organisms, so he was treated with vancomycin and cefepime empirically for 4 weeks. Because this patient was improving clinically on antibiotics and did not show external signs of wound infection, there was no compelling indication for sternectomy. This patient's unusual presentation with osteomyelitis and rhabdomyolysis has never been reported and is crucial for clinicians to recognize in order to prevent delays in diagnosis.
Comparison of bcr-abl protein expression and Philadelphia chromosome analyses in chronic myelogenous leukemia patients

The Philadelphia chromosome (Ph) is found in most chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients. The bcr-abl oncoprotein (P210 or P185), the product of the fused bcr-abl gene produced by the Ph, is known to be the major factor in initiation and maintenance of the leukemic state in these types of leukemias. The authors have devised a Western blot test to detect and quantitate the bcr-abl oncoprotein in blood and bone marrow cells. The authors analyzed 1,155 peripheral blood samples from CML patients, for which there were same day Ph data, to determine if there was a correlation between bcr-abl protein levels and the percentage of Ph. A ratio of bcr-abl protein (P210 or P185) to normal abl protein (P145), the latter is ubiquitously expressed in all blood cells, has been established as a criterion for quantitating bcr-abl levels. The bcr-abl/abl protein ratio from 399 patient who were 100% Ph-positive had a mean of 2.47 (standard error [SE] of +/- 0.05); no false negatives were detected. A decreasing ratio was found in patients with decreasing percentages of Ph. The relationship between the ratio of bcr-abl/abl proteins to the percentage of Ph-positive cells was nearly linear in 392 patients with Ph percentages between 5% to 95% (r = 0.97, P < .001). For patients in remission with no detectable Ph, the bcr-abl/abl ratio had a mean of 0.01 (SE = 0 +/- 0.00). The level of bcr-abl expression in samples from peripheral blood and bone marrow also were compared. The results indicated that the amount of bcr-abl protein within peripheral blood is usually similar to that in marrow. In conclusion, quantitation of the bcr-abl oncoprotein in peripheral blood cells or marrow cells as measured by a Western blot assay provides reliable data for both diagnosis and monitoring patients with pH-chromosome positive leukemia.
P-glycoprotein-associated chloride currents revealed by specific block by an anti-P-glycoprotein antibody

The relationships between P-glycoprotein (PGP) expression and plasma membrane ion currents activated by cell swelling were studied in several cell lines by use of the whole cell configuration of th...
Medical management of bleeding duodenal ulcers.

This review examines the nonsurgical methods presently utilized or proposed to treat bleeding from duodenal ulcers. The medical treatments for actively bleeding ulcers discussed include: feeding and continuous intragastric drip therapy, intragastric lavage, gastric cooling, levarterenol instillation, controlled gastric pH, endoscopic control techniques, and a group of miscellaneous therapeutic approaches.
Ethical Implications of Epigenetics

Recognition of the adverse effects of epigenetic changes coincides with a growing appreciation that even very low levels of exposure to toxic agents can cause adverse effects, especially in the developing organism. Application of the science of epigenetics requires reconsideration of an ethical framework for decision making. We describe corporate, government, media, academic, and individual approaches to epigenetic responsibility for current and future generations. Some form of an epiprecautionary approach is necessary to ensure an individual can reach and maintain their full potential. Our ethical challenge or responsibility is to create an environment that is free of toxic agents and nurtures physical and emotional health, allowing all individuals to reach and maintain their full potential.
Jampoler, Andrew C. A. Embassy to the Eastern Courts: America's Secret First Pivot Toward Asia, 1832–37 Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press 256 pp., $44.95, ISBN 10:1612514162 Publication Date: November 2015

Retired naval aviator and accomplished author Andrew C. A. Rampoler has written a first-rate, handsomely illustrated history of the ill-fated sloop of war USS Peacock. The book describes the diffic...
Gene Therapeutic Reversal of Peripheral Olfactory Impairment in Bardet-Biedl Syndrome

Olfactory dysfunction is a pervasive but underappreciated health concern that affects personal safety and quality of life. Patients with olfactory dysfunctions have limited therapeutic options, particularly those involving congenital diseases. Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is one such disorder, where olfactory loss and other symptoms manifest from defective cilium morphology and/or function in various cell types/tissues. Olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) of BBS mutant mice lack the capacity to build/maintain cilia, rendering the cells incapable of odor detection. Here we examined OSN cilium defects in Bbs1 mutant mice and assessed the utility of gene therapy to restore ciliation and function in young and adult mice. Bbs1 mutant mice possessed short residual OSN cilia in which BBSome protein trafficking and odorant detection were defective. Gene therapy with an adenovirus-delivered wild-type Bbs1 gene restored OSN ciliation, corrected BBSome cilium trafficking defects, and returned acute odor responses. Finally, using clinically approved AAV serotypes, we demonstrate, for the first time, the capacity of AAVs to restore ciliation and odor detection in OSNs of Bbs1 mutants. Together, our data demonstrate that OSN ciliogenesis can be promoted in differentiated cells of young and adult Bbs1 mutants and highlight the potential of gene therapy as a viable restorative treatment for congenital olfactory disorders.
A Case of Tapia’s Syndrome: Iatrogenic Hypoglossal and Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Palsy (P5.271)

OBJECTIVE: We are reporting a case of Tapia’s syndrome, a rare iatrogenic complication during intubation involving the hypoglossal nerve and recurrent laryngeal nerve. BACKGROUND: Iatrogenic hypoglossal nerve palsy and Tapia Syndrome occurring during intubation with the use of a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) cuff have rarely been reported in literature. This has been attributed to pressure neuropathy of the nerves during inflation of the endotracheal cuff within the larynx. DESIGN/METHODS: A twenty nine year old immunosuppressed male was hospitalized for worsening end stage liver disease secondary to primary sclerosing cholangitis and ulcerative colitis. He underwent liver transplant. The patient was intubated via LMA cuff during surgery. The next day, following extubation he was noted to have right tongue deviation, hoarseness of the voice and difficulty swallowing. Tongue fasciculation were noted without atrophy. Sensation of the palate and tongue were noted to be intact. Speech was hoarse and dysarthric. The remainder of the cranial nerves and neurologic exam was unremarkable. MRI of brain and CSF examination were unrevealing. Over the next two weeks, patient had decreased tongue deviation and improving hoarseness and dysarthria. RESULTS: MRI of the brain with and without contrast did not demonstrate any abnormalities. CSF was normal. EMG was deferred by patient secondary to improving symptoms. CONCLUSION: This case highlights hypoglossal and recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy occurring without direct transection during surgery, a potentially preventable complication with careful attention to reducing compression of the lateral tongue base and larynx during intubation. Disclosure: Dr. Noroozi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ahluwalia has nothing to disclose.
OntoSoft: A distributed semantic registry for scientific software

OntoSoft is a distributed semantic registry for scientific software. This paper describes three major novel contributions of OntoSoft: 1) a software metadata registry designed for scientists, 2) a distributed approach to software registries that targets communities of interest, and 3) metadata crowdsourcing through access control. Software metadata is organized using the OntoSoft ontology along six dimensions that matter to scientists: identify software, understand and assess software, execute software, get support for the software, do research with the software, and update the software. OntoSoft is a distributed registry where each site is owned and maintained by a community of interest, with a distributed semantic query capability that allows users to search across all sites. The registry has metadata crowdsourcing capabilities, supported through access control so that software authors can allow others to expand on specific metadata properties.
Neighborhood Disadvantage, Residential Segregation, and Beyond—Lessons for Studying Structural Racism and Health

A recent surge of interest in identifying the health effects of structural racism has coincided with the ongoing attention to neighborhood effects in both epidemiology and sociology. Mindful of these currents in the literature, it makes sense that we are seeing an emergent tendency in health disparities research to operationalize structural racism as either neighborhood disadvantage or racial residential segregation. This review essay synthesizes findings on the relevance of neighborhood disadvantage and residential segregation to the study of structural racism and health. It then draws on recent literature to propose four lessons for moving beyond traditional neighborhood effects approaches in the study of structural racism and health. These lessons are (1) to shift the focus of research from census tracts to theoretically meaningful units of analysis, (2) to leverage historic and geographic variation in race relations, (3) to combine data from multiple sources, and (4) to challenge normative framing that aims to explain away racial health disparities without discussing racism or racial hierarchy. The author concludes that research on the health effects of structural racism should go beyond traditional neighborhood effects approaches if it is to guide intervention to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities.
Systemic Risk and Regulation: The Misguided Case of Insurance SIFIs

This paper provides an overview of research and debate over whether insurance poses systemic risk, with a focus on U.S. life insurance. It considers the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) process for designating nonbank financial institutions as systemically important and subject to enhanced supervision by the Federal Reserve under Section 113 of the Dodd-Frank Act, the FSOC’s rationales for designating AIG, Prudential, and MetLife, and MetLife’s challenge. The paper highlights the adverse consequences of designating individual insurance entities for enhanced supervision, which favor an alternative activities-based approach to addressing potential systemic risk. The principal conclusions are: (1) there is no compelling evidence that any life insurer poses a threat to the financial stability of the United States, (2) the Section 113 and FSOC regime of designating individual insurance organizations as subject to enhanced supervision is flawed in concept and execution, and (3) it would be preferable to move towards an activities-based approach to systemic risk monitoring and supervision.
Trapezoidal characterization of magnetic materials with a novel dual voltage test circuit

Magnetic Core Characterization is returning as a critical area of research. This is due in part to the rise of wide bandgap semiconductors that have enabled new applications, new converter topologies and system designs that are pushing the limits of passive components. Similarly, new core materials are opening design spaces previously unfilled by legacy cores. With all of these new opportunities, it is important to fully understand the magnetic core behavior within a wide operating window. This will enable a better understanding of the materials and better approaches that leads to more globally optimized designs. This paper demonstrates core material characterizations utilizing a new test circuit. It focuses on the excitation profiles of magnetic devices, inductors and transformers, typically utilized in dual and multi-port active bridges. However, the presented characterization methods are applicable to a wide variety of power converter topologies and applications.
CREEP AND FATIGUE PROPERTIES UNDER CYCLIC LOADING AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES

Summary Limitations in single-variable data for predicting behavior under combined loads and environments. Synergistic phenomena and the limitations of linear superposition and summation approaches. Test program required to investigate various combinations of loads and environments and reductions possible if synergisms are known. Load and thermal environments encountered in service. Micromechanisms of deformation and fracture under static loading and under cyclic loading. Synergisms under combined creep and fatigue loading and the role of microstructural changes of mechanical and chemical origin. Analytical methods for predicting dynamic creep from static creep data and comparison with experimental results. Reasons for observed differences and role of mechanical and chemical microstructural changes and other synergisms. Creep in regimes of short-life fatigue. Rupture and fatigue fracture under combined static and periodic loading at constant temperature. Synergisms associated with variable temperature. Non-periodic, random, and acoustical fatigue. Types of synergistic studies to be emphasized in the future.
Biosynthesis and Fibrillogenesis

FN is a large and complex glycoprotein with extensive intramolecular and intermolecular disulfide bonding (Chapter 6). It is both a secreted protein and a fibrillar matrix protein (Chapter 4) and in the latter situation, interacts with other macromolecules. The production and secretion of FN and the formation of FN-rich matrices are, therefore, complex problems of some intrinsic interest. In addition, these processes are all potentially sites of regulation and/or perturbation of FN structure and function, e.g., during normal cellular growth and differentiation (Chapters 10 and 11), oncogenic transformation (Chapter 12), or inflammatory processes (Chapter 14). In this chapter I will discuss the processes of synthesis, posttranslational modification, secretion and fibrillogenesis of FN, and some aspects of the regulation of these processes in cultured cells.
THE POLITICS OF OBAMACARE: HEALTH CARE, MONEY, AND IDEOLOGY

A recent article in The New Yorker on the origins of the campaign consulting business provided a fresh reminder—not that one was needed— of how the politics of health care and the politics of politics in the United States are intertwined.1 The Lie Factory described how one of the earliest efforts, by the first two political campaign consultants, was to defeat a 1942 proposal by California Governor Earl Warren to establish a state-run program of health coverage for all of the state’s residents.2 For some one hundred years, there has been no more fertile political ground on which to play on people’s fear of change than health care. As I write in my book, Fighting for Our Health: The Epic Battle To Make Health Care a Right in the United States:
Feasibility of an Electromyography-Triggered Hand Robot for People After Chronic Stroke.

Importance: Effective treatment of the affected hand after stroke is crucial for improved functional independence and recovery. Objective: To determine the feasibility and clinical utility of an electromyography-triggered hand robot. Design: Single-group repeated-measures design. Participants completed training 3×/wk for 6 wk. Feasibility data included participant feedback, adverse events, and compliance rates. Upper extremity outcomes were collected at baseline, discharge, and 6-wk follow-up. Setting: Outpatient clinic. Participants: Twelve stroke survivors at least 6 mo poststroke living in the community. Intervention: Eighteen sessions of intensive robotic hand therapy over 6 wk. Each 60-min treatment session was personalized to match the participant’s ability. Outcomes and Measures: Arm Motor Ability Test (AMAT), Stroke Impact Scale Hand subscale (SIS–H), Stroke Upper Limb Capacity Scale (SULCS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Box and Block Test, and dynamometer. Results: All participants completed the training phase. Mild skin pinching or rubbing at dorsal proximal interphalangeal joint and proximal arm fatigue were the most common adverse events. Improvements in raw scores were achieved from baseline to discharge for all outcome measures, except the SULCS. Participants significantly improved from baseline to discharge on the AMAT and the SIS–H, and improvements were maintained at 6-wk follow-up. Conclusion and Relevance: Robotic hand training was feasible, safe, and well tolerated. Participants reported and demonstrated improvements in functional use of the affected arm. Thirty percent of participants achieved clinically significant improvements on the AMAT. We recommend further study of the device in a larger study using the AMAT as a primary outcome measure. What This Article Adds: It is feasible and safe to implement a robotic hand training protocol for people with moderate to severe arm impairment in an outpatient setting. Robotic training may provide a viable option for this group to actively participate in intensive training of the distal hand.
Effect of the Los Angeles Soft-Story Ordinance on the post-earthquake housing recovery of impacted residential communities

Post-earthquake recovery models can be used to quantify the resilience-related benefits of policies intended to mitigate building seismic risk. An assessment of the effect of the Los Angeles Soft-Story Ordinance on the post-earthquake housing recovery of residential communities is presented. An inventory of approximately 8000 buildings located in five Los Angeles neighborhoods is considered. The neighborhoods vary based on the percentage of soft-story buildings, population density and the fraction of renter- and owner-occupied residences. Archetype buildings that are representative of the target inventory are developed based on a building-by-building survey performed using Google Street View. Variations in the number of stories and presence and layout of the soft first story are considered in the development of the archetypes. Analytical building-level damage fragility curves are developed using the results from nonlinear analyses of structural models representing each archetype. A scenario-based damage assessment is performed using shaking intensities generated from the Southern California ShakeOut scenario, and a discrete-time state-based stochastic process model is used to represent post-earthquake recovery. The quantified effect of the Ordinance retrofit varied based on the considered recovery metric. For instance, the initial loss of occupancy for the entire inventory is reduced by 25%. However, if the time to restore 90% occupancy is used as the recovery performance metric, the Ordinance retrofit leads to a 64% reduction.
Rho Family GTPases in Fission Yeast Cytokinesis

During cytokinesis, actomyosin ring constriction drives furrow formation. In animal cells, Rho GTPases drive this process through the positioning and assembly of the actomyosin ring, and through extracellular matrix remodeling within the furrow. In the fission yeast S. pombe, actomyosin ring constriction and septum formation are concurrent processes. While S. pombe is the primary source from which the mechanics of ring assembly and constriction stem, much less is known about the regulation of Rho GTPases that control these processes. Of the six Rho GTPases encoded in S. pombe, only Rho1, the RhoA homologue, has been shown to be essential for cytokinesis. While Rho3, Rho4, and Cdc42 have defined roles in cytokinesis, Rho2 and Rho5 play minor to no roles in this process. Here we review the roles of the Rho GTPases during cytokinesis, with a focus on their regulation, and discuss whether crosstalk between GTPases, as has been reported in other organisms, exists during cytokinesis in S. pombe.
The role of resource transfer in positive, non-additive litter decomposition

Naturally occurring, mixed litter decomposes at unpredictable rates when individual components do not decompose in mixtures as they do individually. Consequently, nutrient, carbon and energy fluxes associated with decomposition may be difficult to predict. However, predictability is improved when we understand the mechanisms responsible for such non-additive decomposition. In this study, we explored mechanisms to explain our previous observation that an approximately 30% increase in oat straw decomposition due to the presence of clover litter is associated with a significant increase in the activity of cellobiohydrolase, an enzyme involved in litter decomposition. We hypothesized that resources limiting decomposer microbe enzyme activity in oat straw can be supplied by clover litter. Amendment of oat straw with water, NH4Cl, glucose, or NH4Cl combined with glucose did not account for the significant, positive effect of clover litter on oat straw decomposition and cellobiohydrolase activity. However, amendment of oat straw with a complete set of mineral nutrients for plant growth did account for the entire effect of clover litter, and the addition of the complete set of mineral nutrients without N accounted for the majority of the clover effect. In our system, therefore, the majority of the positive effect of clover litter on oat straw decomposition and cellobiohydrolase activity was unexpectedly not attributable to the transfer from clover to oat straw of labile N. We found that mineral soil could substitute for the mineral nutrients other than N. This highlights the role of soil as a potential source of limiting resources for microbes decomposing litter. It may also explain why positive, non-additive decomposition has been observed in some previous studies but not in others depending on whether the soil supplied a resource that limited decomposer activity.
Pandemics and Supply Chain Management Research: Toward a Theoretical Toolbox*

The COVID-19 pandemic paralyzed the world and revealed the critical importance of supply chain management - perhaps more so than any other event in modern history - in navigating crises. The extensive scope of disruption, massive spillover of effects across countries and industries, and extreme shifts in demand and supply that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic illustrate that pandemics are qualitatively different from typical disruptions. As such, pandemics require scholars to take a fresh look at what lenses offer understanding of supply chain phenomena in order to help supply chain managers better prepare for the next pandemic and foster transiliency (i.e., the ability to simultaneously restore some processes and change - often radically - others). To help scholars and managers achieve these aims, we offer an agenda for supply chain management research on pandemics by considering how the key tenets of well-known and emergent theories can illuminate challenges and potential solutions. Specifically, we consider how resource dependence theory, institutional theory, resource orchestration theory, structural inertia, game theory, real options theory, event systems theory, awareness-motivation-capability framework, prospect theory, and tournament theory offer ideas that can help scholars build knowledge about pandemics' effects on supply chains as well as help managers formulate responses. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Anatomic Danger Zones of the Head and Neck.

Background Dermatologic procedures require a detailed understanding of surface anatomy to avoid complications. The head and neck region has prominent danger zones including nerves and vasculature that may be at risk during cutaneous surgery. A thorough understanding of these danger zones can help avoid complications that may lead to functional or cosmetic impairment. Methods The anatomic literature regarding the course of high-risk structures of the head and neck was reviewed. Structures deemed at risk during dermatologic procedures were included in the analysis. The final analysis focused on branches of the facial nerve, parotid duct, spinal accessory nerve, trigeminal nerve, and the lacrimal system. Anatomical information was compiled regarding each high-risk structure to develop a "danger zone" at which each respective structure is at risk. Results The danger zone for each structure was compiled based on the review of the literature and depicted in the figures. Conclusion With careful attention to anatomy and the meticulous surgical technique, there is great potential for reduction in surgical injury to danger zones of the head and neck.