cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Model systems for environmental signaling.

SYNOPSIS. Studies of environmental signaling in animals have focused primarily on organisms with relatively constrained responses, both temporally and phenotypically. In this regard, existing model animals (e.g., ‘‘worms and flies’’) are particularly extreme. Such animals have relatively little capacity to alter their morphology in response to environmental signals. Hence, they exhibit little phenotypic plasticity. On the other hand, basal metazoans exhibit relatively unconstrained responses to environmental signals and may thus provide more general insight, insofar as these constraints are likely traits derived during animal evolution. Such enhanced phenotypic plasticity may result from greater sensitivity to environmental signals, or greater abundance of suitable target cells, or both. Examination of what is known of the components of environmental signaling pathways in cnidarians reveals many similarities to well-studied model animals. In addition to these elements, however, macroscopic basal metazoans (e.g., sponges and cnidarians) typically exhibit a system-level capability for integrating environmental information. In cnidarians, the gastrovascular system acts in this fashion, generating local patterns of signaling ( e.g., pressure, shear, and reactive oxygen species) via its organism-wide functioning. Contractile regions of tissue containing concentrations of mitochondrion-rich, epitheliomuscular cells may be particularly important in this regard, serving in both a functional and a signaling context. While the evolution of animal circulatory systems is usually considered in terms of alleviating surface-to-volume constraints, such systems also have the advantage of enhancing the capacity of larger organisms to respond quickly and efficiently to environmental signals. More general features of animals that correlate with relatively unconstrained responses to environmental signals ( e.g., active stem cells at all stages of the life cycle) are also enumerated and discussed.
Dependency or Institutions? Economic Geography, Causal Mechanisms, and Logic in the Understanding of Development

What explains the global distribution of growth and economic activity? Proponents of unit-level explanations dismiss systems-level arguments like dependency and world systems theory for logically incorrect reasons. They argue that these system-level arguments lack the precise mechanisms that various unit-level arguments provide. But the absence of precise system-level causal mechanisms in some system-level theories does not logically imply that all system-level theories are wrong. Economic geography provides system-level theories with precise mechanisms that comport with most of the economic predictions offered by dependency theories. This does not mean that unit-level theories are either wrong or useless, but rather that unit-level explanations must (1) claim that the new economic geography is totally wrong, or (2) show how system and unit-level mechanisms interact causally, or (3) argue that unit-level mechanisms are independent of system-level causal mechanisms.
The Fis protein: it's not just for DNA inversion anymore

Higher-order nucleoprotein complexes are associated with many biological processes. In bacteria the formation of these macromolecular structures for DNA recombination, replication, and transcription often requires not only the participation of specific enzymes and co-factors, but also a class of DNA-binding proteins collectively known as 'nucleoid-associated' or 'histone-like' proteins. Examples of this class of proteins are HU, Integration Host Factor, H-NS, and Fis. Fis was originally identified as the factor for inversion stimulation of the homologous Hin and Gin site-specific DNA recombinases of Salmonella and phage Mu, respectively. This small, basic, DNA-bending protein has recently been shown to function in many other reactions including phage lambda site-specific recombination, transcriptional activation of rRNA and tRNA operons, repression of its own synthesis, and oriC-directed DNA replication. Cellular concentrations of Fis vary tremendously under different growth conditions which may have important regulatory implications for the physiological role of Fis in these different reactions. The X-ray crystal structure of Fis has been determined and insights into its mode of DNA binding and mechanisms of action in these disparate systems are being made.
The Discomforts of Pregnancy

During pregnancy, women may experience one or more of a wide variety of discomforts. Every pregnancy is different; discomforts felt during one pregnancy may not appear in another. Most discomforts experienced during pregnancy are thought to be the result of abundant hormonal changes. As pregnancy progresses, other discomforts are attributed to physical changes associated with the enlarging uterus. Selected discomforts of pregnancy are presented with suggestions for clinical management. Nurses can do something to decrease discomforts associated with pregnancy. JOGNN, 25, 73–81; 1996.
Bacteriophage T4 Mutants Hypersensitive to an Antitumor Agent That Induces Topoisomerase-DNA Cleavage Complexes

Many antitumor agents and antibiotics affect cells by interacting with type II topoisomerases, stabilizing a covalent enzyme-DNA complex. A pathway of recombination can apparently repair this DNA damage. In this study, transposon mutagenesis was used to identify possible components of the repair pathway in bacteriophage T4. Substantial increases in sensitivity to the antitumor agent m-AMSA [4'-(9-acridinyl-amino) methanesulfon-m-anisidide] were found with transposon insertion mutations that inactivate any of six T4-encoded proteins: UvsY (DNA synaptase accessory protein), UvsW (unknown function), Rnh (RNase H and 5' to 3' DNA exonuclease), α-gt (α-glucosyl transferase), gp47.1 (uncharacterized), and NrdB (β subunit of ribonucleotide reductase). The role of the rnh gene in drug sensitivity was further characterized. First, an in-frame rnh deletion mutation was constructed and analyzed, providing evidence that the absence of Rnh protein causes hypersensitivity to m-AMSA. Second, the m-AMSA sensitivity of the rnh-deletion mutant was shown to require a drug-sensitive T4 topoisomerase. Third, analysis of double mutants suggested that uvsW and rnh mutations impair a common step in the recombinational repair pathway for m-AMSA-induced damage. Finally, the rnh-deletion mutant was found to be hypersensitive to UV, implicating Rnh in recombinational repair of UV-induced damage.
Neural indices of spoken word processing in background multi-talker babble

AbstractObjective: To evaluate the impact of multi-talker babble on cortical event-related potentials (ERPs), specifically the N400, in a spoken semantic priming paradigm. Design: Participants listened in quiet and with background babble to word triplets, evaluating whether the third word was related to the preceding words. A temporo-spatial principal component analysis was conducted on ERPs to the first and second words (S1 and S2), processed without an overt behavioral response. One factor corresponded to the N400 and revealed greater processing negativity for unrelated as compared to related S2s in quiet and in babble. Study sample: Twelve young adults with normal hearing. Results: Background babble had no significant impact on the N400 in the posterior region but increased neural processing negativity at anterior and central regions during the same timeframe. This differential processing negativity in babble occurred in response to S2 but not S1. Furthermore, background babble impacted processing nega...
Time variation paths of international transmission of stock volatility — US vs. Hong Kong and South Korea

Abstract This study examines continuous time variation paths of sensitivities of the Hong Kong and South Korea stock markets to the US stock market and bond market (proxied by long-term interest rates) by using the Flexible Least Squares (FLS) estimation technique. The FLS findings suggest that changes in both the US stock market and US long-term interest rates may simultaneously have significant effects on the Hong Kong stock market in some time periods. In other periods, neither may have significant effects on the Hong Kong stock market. The results also indicate that the South Korea stock market is overall insensitive to changes in the US capital markets. However, it becomes more sensitive in the 1990s. Some macroeconomic variables may explain changes in the sensitivities of the Hong Kong and South Korea stock markets to changes in the US capital markets.
Observability of vortex flows

We study the observability of one and two point vortex flow from one or two Eulerian or Lagrangian observations. By observability we mean the ability to determine the locations and strengths of the vortices from the time history of the observations. An Eulerian observation is a measurement of the velocity of the flow at a fixed point in the domain of the flow. A Lagrangian observation is the measurement of the position of a particle moving with the fluid. To determine observability we introduce the observability and the strong observability rank conditions and compute them for the various flows and observations. We find that vortex flows with Lagrangian observations tend to be more observable then the same flows with Eulerian observations.
Biomass and Habitat Partitioning of Desmognathus on Wet Rock Faces in the Southern Appalachian Mountains

Abstract The importance of plethodontid salamanders in forested ecosystems has been recognized for decades, and studies aimed at quantifying salamander biomass and determining habitat requirements have become more common. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the use and contribution of vertical structures (e.g., wet rock faces) to total salamander biomass within a forested ecosystem. The purpose of our study was to characterize the population density, biomass, and habitat use of a wet rock face by a stream-salamander assemblage. We estimated the population density to be 14.69 salamanders m−2 and the total biomass estimate to be 27.16 g m−2, which is more than two times greater than any salamander biomass reported previously in the eastern United States. We also found significant habitat partitioning of the vertical gradient by the three species of salamanders in the assemblage. The stable microclimate and increased protection from other predators (e.g., mammals, snakes, and ground-foraging birds) prov...
Convergence Study of Local Continuum Sensitivity Method Using Spatial Gradient Reconstruction

Gradient-based optimization for large-scale, multidisciplinary design problems requires accurate and efficient sensitivity analysis to compute design derivatives. The local continuum shape sensitivity method with spatial gradient reconstruction is a nonintrusive design sensitivity analysis method that was previously published for linear and nonlinear structural analysis. The numerical behavior, accuracy, and convergence for this method are studied using benchmark problems. The benchmark problems include finite element analysis of an axial bar and finite element analysis of a rectangular membrane using unstructured grids. The results are used to establish general guidelines for conducting mesh refinement and selecting the parameters associated with spatial gradient reconstruction calculations. Lastly, design derivatives are calculated for the potential flow solution around a Joukowsky airfoil. The analytic design derivative solutions are used to calculate the true errors associated with the local continuum...
Infrared Spectra and Intensities of the H2O and N2 Complexes in the Range of the ν1- and ν3-Bands of Water

The IR spectra of complexes of water with nitrogen molecules in the range of the symmetric (ν1) and antisymmetric (ν3) bands of H2O have been studied in helium droplets. The infrared intensities of the ν3 and ν1 modes of H2O were found to be larger by factors of 1.3 and 2, respectively, in the N2−H2O complexes. These factors are smaller than those obtained in recent theoretical calculations. The conformation of the N2−H2O complex was estimated. Spectra and IR intensities of the (N2)2−H2O and N2−(H2O)2 complexes were also obtained and their structures are discussed.
Spectroscopic Investigation of Actinide Speciation in Concentrated Chloride Solution

Actinide solubilities in highly concentrated chloride solutions are about one order of magnitude higher than in similar inert electrolyte (NaClO4) solutions. This increased solubility is due to interactions between actinide and chloride ions. Contradictory results exist regarding the interaction mechanism between actinide and chloride ions. Specifically, both inner-sphere complex formation and ion pair association have been implicated in the interpretation of spectrophotometric and extraction data. To address this controversy, we investigated the interaction between actinide ions in the (III), (IV), (V) and (VI) oxidation states and chloride ions using a multi-method approach. Spectroscopie techniques (TRLFS, Raman, UV-Vis absorption, EXAFS) were used to distinguish between changes in the inner coordination sphere of the actinide ion and effects of ion pairing. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray diffraction were used to determine structural details of the actinide chloro complexes formed in solution and solid states.
Nuclear Localizing Sequences: An Innovative Way to Improve Targeted Radiotherapy

Systemic targeted radiotherapy is an evolving and promising modality of cancer treatment. The goal of systemic targeted radiotherapy is to be efficacious, yet with minimal normal tissue toxicity. The key characteristic of systemic targeted radiotherapy is that a molecule (antibody, antibody fragment
Anthranilic acid-containing cyclic tetrapeptides: at the crossroads of conformational rigidity and synthetic accessibility

Each amino acid in a peptide contributes three atom units to main-chains, hence natural cyclic peptides can be 9, 12, 15, …. i.e. 3n membered-rings, where n is the number of amino acids. Cyclic peptides that are 9 or 12-membered ring compounds tend to be hard to prepare because of strain, while their one amino acid homologs (15-membered cyclic pentapeptides) are not conformationally homogeneous unless constrained by strategically placed proline or D-amino acid residues. We hypothesized that replacing one genetically encoded amino acid in a cyclic tetrapeptide with a rigid β-amino acid would render peptidomimetic designs that rest at a useful crossroads between synthetic accessibility and conformational rigidity. Thus this research explored non-proline containing 13-membered ring peptides 1 featuring one anthranilic acid (Anth) residue. Twelve cyclic peptides of this type were prepared, and in doing so the viability of both solution- and solid-phase methods was demonstrated. The library produced contained a complete set of four diastereoisomers of the sequence 1aaf (i.e. cyclo-AlaAlaPheAnth). Without exception, these four diastereoisomers each adopted one predominant conformation in solution; basically these conformations feature amide N–H vectors puckering above and below the equatorial plane, and approximately oriented their N– atoms towards the polar axis. Moreover, the shapes of these conformers varied in a logical and predictable way (NOE, temperature coefficient, D/H exchange, circular dichroism). Comparisons were made of the side-chain orientations presented by compounds 1aaa in solution with ideal secondary structures and protein–protein interaction interfaces. Various 1aaa stereoisomers in solution present side-chains in similar orientations to regular and inverse γ-turns, and to the most common β-turns (types I and II). Consistent with this, compounds 1aaa have a tendency to mimic various turns and bends at protein–protein interfaces. Finally, proteolytic- and hydrolytic stabilities of the compounds at different pHs indicate they are robust relative to related linear peptides, and rates of permeability through an artificial membrane indicate their structures are conducive to cell permeability.
The Digital Office

The previous chapter examined the local and global parameters of telecommuting as a social practice within the context of IT. This chapter shifts the focus to the nascent institution that supports such a practice. With the advent of IT, the traditional office, which has been the backbone of industry, government agencies, and the academy, is going through a momentous transformational change. While a good deal of empirically grounded literature exists on the traditional office, the evolving literature on the digital office or virtual office is more timid in its claims, partly because it is made up in large part of impressionistic, futuristic, and speculative pronouncements. It is not easy to make sense of a large amount of this literature because of the lack of empirical data and case studies pertaining to specific areas that could sway an interpretive analyst in one direction or another.
Framing Young Childrens Oral Health: A Participatory Action Research Project.

Background and Objectives Despite the widespread acknowledgement of the importance of childhood oral health, little progress has been made in preventing early childhood caries. Limited information exists regarding specific daily-life and community-related factors that impede optimal oral hygiene, diet, care, and ultimately oral health for children. We sought to understand what parents of young children consider important and potentially modifiable factors and resources influencing their children’s oral health, within the contexts of the family and the community. Methods This qualitative study employed Photovoice among 10 English-speaking parents of infants and toddlers who were clients of an urban WIC clinic in North Carolina. The primary research question was: “What do you consider as important behaviors, as well as family and community resources to prevent cavities among young children?” Five group sessions were conducted and they were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using qualitative research methodology. Inductive analyses were based on analytical summaries, double-coding, and summary matrices and were done using Atlas.ti.7.5.9 software. Findings Good oral health was associated with avoidance of problems or restorations for the participants. Financial constraints affected healthy food and beverage choices, as well as access to oral health care. Time constraints and occasional frustration related to children’s oral hygiene emerged as additional barriers. Establishment of rules/routines and commitment to them was a successful strategy to promote their children’s oral health, as well as modeling of older siblings, cooperation among caregivers and peer support. Community programs and organizations, social hubs including playgrounds, grocery stores and social media emerged as promising avenues for gaining support and sharing resources. Conclusions Low-income parents of young children are faced with daily life struggles that interfere with oral health and care. Financial constraints are pervasive, but parents identified several strategies involving home care and community agents that can be helpful. Future interventions aimed to improve children’s oral health must take into consideration the role of families and the communities in which they live.
A note on the Bernoulli equation for propeller flows : The effective pressure

Steady or unsteady, wetted or cavitating, propeller flows are often treated via inviscid models, at given effective inflow (which accounts for the interaction of the vorticity in the inflow with the propeller). Once the velocity flow field is determined, the pressure distribution on the blades must be determined in order to evaluate forces and sheet cavity patterns. This note revisits the application of the Bernoulli equation to propeller flows. It is found that the concept of effective pressure, that is, a pressure that is different from that in the absence of the propeller, must also be introduced in some cases.
Dendrites and Pits: Untangling the Complex Behavior of Lithium Metal Anodes through Operando Video Microscopy

Enabling ultra-high energy density rechargeable Li batteries would have widespread impact on society. However the critical challenges of Li metal anodes (most notably cycle life and safety) remain unsolved. This is attributed to the evolution of Li metal morphology during cycling, which leads to dendrite growth and surface pitting. Herein, we present a comprehensive understanding of the voltage variations observed during Li metal cycling, which is directly correlated to morphology evolution through the use of operando video microscopy. A custom-designed visualization cell was developed to enable operando synchronized observation of Li metal electrode morphology and electrochemical behavior during cycling. A mechanistic understanding of the complex behavior of these electrodes is gained through correlation with continuum-scale modeling, which provides insight into the dominant surface kinetics. This work provides a detailed explanation of (1) when dendrite nucleation occurs, (2) how those dendrites evolve ...
Exploring the adoption and use of the Smartphone technology in emerging regions: Case of Saudi Arabia

This paper starts with a preliminary theoretical research model which is developed based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). A number of qualitative methods, namely brainstorming, focus group and individual interviews, have been conducted to evaluate, select and validate the existing factors, as well as introduce new factors, to identify only the most related factors to be included in the preliminary research model. A survey questionnaire has been developed and validated to survey general users of the Smartphone in Saudi Arabia. A web-based survey has been designed and sent through email to 5,000 randomly selected smartphones users in Saudi Arabia. Data has been statistically analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results indicate that performance expectancy construct, effort expectancy construct, brand influence construct, perceived enjoyment construct and design construct have a positive and significant relationship with users' behavioral intention to adopt and use smartphones in Saudi Arabia. Also, the results indicate that social influence construct has a significant and positive relationship with use behavior or actual use of smartphones in Saudi Arabia.
Functional Study of the Ryanodine Receptor Type 1 using Cryo-Electron Microscopy

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is revolutionizing the structural biology of membrane proteins. It has allowed the structural study of long sought after targets, such as the type 1 ryanodine receptor (RyR1). But another very important advantage is that it allows to study the complex dynamics associated with membrane protein function.The type-1 ryanodine receptor (RyR1) is an intracellular calcium (Ca2+) release channel required for skeletal muscle contraction. We used single-particle cryo-EM to study the dynamics of RyR1 in multiple functional states, revealing the conformational changes key to channel gating and ligand-dependent activation. The binding sites for the channel activators Ca2+, ATP and caffeine were identified and the conformational changes associated with their binding observed independently. They induce by themselves a priming of the cytoplasmic assembly without pore dilation. In contrast, in the presence of all three activating ligands, open and closed states of the pore were obtained from the same sample, enabling analysis of conformational changes associated with gating. The analysis of multiple functional states was greatly facilitated by the use of holey-gold grids, which allowed cryo-EM reconstructions to reach high resolution with much fewer number of particles than with conventional holey carbon grids.
Substance Use Disorder Training Workshop for Future Interprofessional Health Care Providers.

Introduction Rates of substance use disorders, including opioid misuse, continue to rise despite national initiatives. Because of this, health professional schools from Rhode Island joined together...
Universal Mental Health Promotion and Prevention Programs for Students

This chapter presents the mounting evidence regarding the success of school-based universal mental health promotion and prevention (MHPP) programs for students, from primary through postsecondary education, throughout the world. The chapter highlights the ability of these programs (MHPPPs) to promote students’ adjustment and lessen the likelihood of many subsequent adjustment problems, and discusses some critical issues facing this field in terms of further understanding the impact of MPPPs in diverse settings around the globe, and what needs to occur to encourage the larger-scale adoption of universal prevention to reach more students.
Current sharing in parallel cell batteries cycled at high C rates

The high combined power and energy density of lithium-ion batteries give them great potential for being used as the prime power source for several future naval shipboard pulsed power applications. To meet the power and energy requirements, multiple lithium-ion cells will need to be connected in series and parallel. The number of cells needed will depend on the voltage, capacity, and current limit of the individual cells used. The simplest way of connecting multiple cells in parallel is to tie all of the positive terminals together and all of the negative terminals together, creating a new array of cells that can be treated as a single cell within the battery. In this configuration, a single battery management system (BMS) can be used and though this configuration is simpler and more cost effective, it makes it impossible to monitor the individual cells within each parallel array. Any impedance mismatches among a parallel array of cells introduces the possibility for current imbalances to occur. Significant current imbalance could negatively impact the battery's lifetime as well as its safety. The study performed here aimed at measuring the current imbalance present in a battery that has thirty cells connected in parallel (1S/30P) when it is cycled in a pulsed manner at high discharge rates. The current balance observed across two different rates is being characterized and the possible impact it has on battery performance and lifetime is being evaluated. A novel test bed with individual cell diagnostics has been developed that will be discussed along with the methodology behind the research, and the results collected to date.
A mathematical model for histamine synthesis, release, and control in varicosities

Histamine (HA), a small molecule that is synthesized from the amino acid histidine, plays an important role in the immune system where it is associated with allergies, inflammation, and T-cell regulation. In the brain, histamine is stored in mast cells and other non-neuronal cells and also acts as a neurotransmitter. The histamine neuron cell bodies are in the tuberomammillary (TM) nucleus of the hypothalamus and these neurons send projections throughout the central nervous system (CNS), in particular to the cerebral cortex, amygdala, basal ganglia, hippocampus, thalamus, retina, and spinal cord. HA neurons make few synapses, but release HA from the cell bodies and from varicosities when the neurons fire. Thus the HA neural system seems to modulate and control the HA concentration in projection regions. It is known that high HA levels in the extracellular space inhibit serotonin release, so HA may play a role in the etiology of depression. We compare model predictions to classical physiological experiments on HA half-life, the concentration of brain HA after histidine loading, and brain HA after histidine is dramatically increased or decreased in the diet. The model predictions are also consistent with in vivo experiments in which extracellular HA is measured, using Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry, in the premammillary nucleus (PM) after a 2 s antidromic stimulation of the TM, both without and in the presence of the H 3 autoreceptor antagonist thioperamide. We show that the model predicts well the temporal behavior of HA in the extracellular space over 30 s in both experiments. Our ability to measure in vivo histamine dynamics in the extracellular space after stimulation presents a real opportunity to understand brain function and control. The observed extracellular dynamics depends on synthesis, storage, neuronal firing, release, reuptake, glial cells, and control by autoreceptors, as well as the behavioral state of the animal (for example, depression) or the presence of neuroinflammation. In this complicated situation, the mathematical model will be useful for interpreting data and conducting in silico experiments to understand causal mechanisms. And, better understanding can suggest new therapeutic drug targets.
The Chronic Knee Pain Program: A self-management model.

Abstract Background It is vital that patients take an active role in self-management of their chronic knee pain condition. The Chronic Knee Pain Program was developed to assist patients in managing their chronic condition and to improve their overall well-being. Purpose The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility of a six-week self-management program and to explore whether it may assist in decreasing body mass index (BMI) and depression symptom severity and increase physical activity levels in obese adults with chronic knee pain. Design A one group, pre-test/post-test pilot study. Setting A pain management clinic in the northeastern United States. Sample Convenience sample of twelve adult patients with chronic knee pain and a BMI of 30 or greater were recruited, however, six participants completed the full program. Results This type of intervention has potential value to improve the lifestyles of those individuals with chronic knee pain, including improvements in BMI, depression symptom severity and physical activity levels. In this study there was a decrease in mean BMI overtime; 41.2 (at week 1), 40.8 (at week 6), and 40.7 (at week 10). Conclusions The Chronic Knee Pain Program had a small sample size and high attrition rate, though yielded positive outcomes for some participants. Future research could focus on depression management, using conservative measures to help manage pain, and increasing pain coping skills. Implementing this program with a larger sample size is recommended to see if BMI, depression symptom severity and physical activity levels reach statistical significance.
From Desire to Data: How JLab’s Experimental Program Evolved Part 2: The Painstaking Transition to Concrete Plans, Mid-1980s to 1990

This is the second in a three-part article describing the development of the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility’s experimental program, from the first dreams of incisive electromagnetic probes into the structure of the nucleus through the era in which equipment was designed and constructed and a program crafted so that the long-desired experiments could begin. These developments unfolded against the backdrop of the rise of the more bureaucratic New Big Science and the intellectual tumult that grew from increasing understanding and interest in quark-level physics. Part 2, presented here, focuses on the period from 1986 to 1990. During this period of revolutionary change, laboratory personnel, potential users, and DOE officials labored to proceed from the 1986 laboratory design report, which included detailed accelerator plans and very preliminary experimental equipment sketches, to an approved 1990 experimental equipment conceptual design report, which provided designs complete enough for the onset of experimental equipment construction.
Vietnamese centipede envenomation.

Dear Editor,A 23-year-old man reported that his pet Vietnamese centipede (Scolopendra subspinipes) escaped from its enclosure and stung him on his left ring finger near the distal interphalangeal j...
Generating a recombinant phosphothreonine-binding domain for a phosphopeptide of the human transcription factor, c-Myc.

Abstract Transcription factor c-Myc is an oncoprotein that is regulated at the post-translational level through phosphorylation of two conserved residues, Serine 62 (Ser62) and Threonine 58 (Thr58). A highly specific tool capable of recognizing Myc via pThr58 is needed to monitor activation and localization. Through phage display, we have isolated 10 engineered Forkhead-associated (FHA) domains that selectively bind to a phosphothreonine (pThr)-containing peptide (53-FELLPpTPPLSPS-64) segment of human c-Myc. One domain variant was observed to bind to the Myc-pThr58 peptide with a KD value of 800 nM and had >1000-fold discrimination between the phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated peptide. The crystal structure of the engineered FHA Myc-pThr-binding domain (Myc-pTBD) was solved in complex with its cognate ligand. The Myc-pTBD was observed to be structurally similar to the yeast Rad9 FHA1 domain, except that its β4-β5 and β10-β11 loops form a hydrophobic pocket to facilitate the interaction between the domain and the peptide ligand. The Myc-pTBD’s specificity for its cognate ligand was demonstrated to be on a par with 3 commercial polyclonal antibodies, suggesting that this recombinant reagent is a viable alternative to antibodies for monitoring Myc regulation.
What do survivors of congenital diaphragmatic hernia look like when they grow up

An important consequence of the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) era is a renewed interest by pediatric surgeons in the infant with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). As increasing numbers of the infants survive, previously unappreciated aspects of the problem are being unmasked, provoking important questions as to their etiology. Importantly, as these children grow and develop, we must ask ourselves if their various problems are specific to CDH or are they consequences of our treatment strategies. This article considers pulmonary, cardiac, gastrointestinal, and neurocognitive markers of outcome.
Perspectives on Ethical Development: Reflections from Life and Profession

I was born and grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, in the 1940s. Nashville was a politically conservative, historically racially segregated city. My family was in a Christian conservative religious movement. They were loving but strong-willed; some might say controlling. I was an early reader and precocious. At the age of five, when I spoke to my grandmother (with whom our family shared a house) about my ability to read and do math, she said “Do not brag!” I stopped what I was saying. I was a pleaser, but parts of me were rebellious and combative. When I was six, I took a small comic book stuck to a cereal box in our neighborhood grocery from the box, hid it in my pocket, and took it home. My father found it, asked where I got it, and made me take it back to the grocer and apologize. These and similar instances awakened or helped develop in me a sense of right and wrong. I am still coming to terms with how my early history affected my ethical sensitivities. In those early years, racial awareness formed a large part of my ethical awakening. I was aware that my household included Mertella, an AfricanAmerican woman who worked as a maid during the day and helped to care for my great-grandmother. I was also aware that our church included quarters for a 38 Perspectives on Ethical Development: Reflections from Life and Profession
Neoliberalism and the rhetorical invention of counterpublic attunement

This article demonstrates the many seamless ways that multiple and diverse publics align their automatic, instinctual behaviors within the broad agenda of neoliberalism. Rather than surreptitiously...
Hybrid Surgery for Internal Carotid Artery Revascularization.

Objective The management of chronic complete internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion (COICA) has been challenging. Endovascular procedures have been performed with variable success and risks, depending on the type of occlusion and distal revascularization. We present a novel hybrid procedure to recanalize the ICA when previous endovascular interventions have failed or been deemed too risky. Methods Two patients presented with symptomatic COICA after maximal medical management. They were deemed at high risk of endovascular intervention and/or previous endovascular attempts had failed. Thus, they had indications for a hybrid procedure. Results A hybrid technique was used to create a stump by surgical endarterectomy, followed by recanalization using an endovascular approach via femoral access. We have described the technique in detail. Postoperative computed tomography perfusion scanning showed normalization of the mean transient time, cerebral blood volume, and cerebral blood flow compared with the preoperative findings. Cerebral angiography showed successful recanalization of the ICA. Neither patient experienced any complications. Conclusion A hybrid technique is feasible and should be considered for patients with COICA in whom maximal medical management has failed and who have a high-risk profile for endovascular intervention or in whom previous endovascular attempts have failed.
Refractive outcome of keratoconus treated by big-bubble deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty in pediatric patients: two-year follow-up comparison between mechanical trephine and femtosecond laser assisted techniques

To evaluate refractive outcome 24 months after Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (DALK) in pediatric patients by comparing results achieved using mechanical trephine and femtosecond laser. Twenty eyes of 20 patients affected by keratoconus were evaluated. To perform big-bubble DALK, 10 eyes (Group 1; mean age 11.2 ± 2.2 years) were subjected to the Hessburg-Barron mechanical trephine and the remaining 10 eyes (Group 2; mean age 11.3 ± 3.1 years) to a 150 kHz femtosecond laser that performed mushroom incisions. Preoperative thinnest point in the corneal thickness map and K readings were measured by the Sirius Scheimpflug camera. We also evaluated corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) as logMAR value using spectacles, spherical equivalent and refractive astigmatism. Mean preoperative thinnest point and pre- and post-operative K readings did not show significant difference (P > 0.05) between the two groups. CDVA, spherical equivalent and refractive astigmatism were respectively, 0.14 ± 0.08 logMAR and 0.13 ± 0.10 logMAR (P = 0.8), − 4.2 ± 1.1 D and − 2.8 ± 1.2 D (P = 0.03), 4.4 ± 2.0 D and 3.6 ± 1.2 D (P = 0.4) in Groups 1 and 2. All DALK procedures were uneventful. Our findings suggest that femtosecond laser compared to mechanical trephine could significantly reduce the spherical equivalent amount in pediatric big-bubble DALK.
Total synthesis of (+/-)-martinellic acid.

A 14-step synthesis of martinellic acid (1) that proceeds in 3% overall yield has been completed using the reaction of aniline 11 with Meldrum's acid-activated vinylcyclopropane 4 to give vinyl pyrrolidinone 12, condensation of aldehyde 13 with N-benzylglycine to form an azomethine ylide that cyclizes to give 14, selective reduction of 14 to amino alcohol 16 with LiBH4 and MeOH, and guanidine formation by reaction of a cyanamide with 3-methyl-2-buten-1-amine in hexafluoro-2-propanol at 120 °C as key steps.
Expanded Reference Models for Adaptive Control of Uncertain Systems with Actuator Dynamics

For uncertain dynamical systems with actuator dynamics, this paper presents a new adaptive control architecture using expanded reference models. Specifically, the proposed approach allows the traje...
Ambulatory Follow-up and Outcomes Among Medicare Beneficiaries After Emergency Department Discharge.

Importance Ambulatory follow-up care is frequently recommended after an emergency department (ED) visit. However, the frequency with which follow-up actually occurs and the degree to which follow-up is associated with postdischarge outcomes is unknown. Objectives To examine the frequency and variation in ambulatory follow-up among Medicare beneficiaries discharged from US EDs and the association between ambulatory follow-up and postdischarge outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study of 9 470 626 ED visits to 4728 US EDs among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older from 2011 to 2016 who survived the ED visit and were discharged to home used Kaplan-Meier curves and proportional hazards regression. Data analysis was conducted from December 2019 to July 2020. Exposures Ambulatory follow-up after discharge from the ED. Main Outcomes and Measures Postdischarge mortality, subsequent ED visit, or inpatient hospitalization within 30 days of an index ED visit. Results The study sample consisted of 9 470 626 index outpatient ED visits to 4684 EDs; most visits (5 776 501 [61.0%]) were among women, and the mean (SD) age of patients was 77.3 (8.4) years. In this sample, the cumulative incidence of ambulatory follow-up was 40.5% (3 822 133 patients) at 7 days and 70.8% (6 662 525 patients) at 30 days, after accounting for censoring and for mortality as a competing risk. Characteristics associated with lower rates of ambulatory follow-up included beneficiary Medicaid eligibility (hazard ratio [HR], 0.77; 95% CI, 0.77-0.78;P Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries discharged from the ED, nearly 30% lacked ambulatory follow-up at 30 days, with variation in follow-up rates by patient and hospital characteristics. Having an ambulatory follow-up visit was associated with higher risk of subsequent hospitalization but lower risk of mortality. Ambulatory care access may be an important driver of clinical outcomes after an ED visit.
Distilling a crowded spectrum: the overlap of terahertz protein collective vibrations with functional motions

We use massive averaging over the thermally populated energy landscape to calculate a realistic terahertz vibrational density of states (VDOS), isotropic absorption and anisotropic absorption for the protein chicken egg white lysozyme (CEWL). We find that the VDOS shows little variation with starting structure, however both the isotropic and anisotropic absorption vary considerably with starting structure. Averaging over the population leads to a smooth featureless average isotropic spectrum, in agreement with THz absorption measurements however resonant bands emerge for the anisotropic averaging. Further we find the vibrational ensemble in fact has frequency dependent features associated with large overlap with functional displacements.
Impacts of Climate Change on Agro-biodiversity in Hamirpur Region of Himachal Pradesh, India

A survey was conducted to record perceptions of three hundred farmers towards the impact of climate change on agro-biodiversity of Hamirpur region in Himachal Pradesh, India. Stratified data was collected through personal interviews and PRA technique with both structured and unstructured schedule. The statistical analysis of data indicates that every farmer has unanimously reported irregular and decreased rainfall along with rise in mean temperature in the study area. Forty two per cent farmers reported increase in temperature in winter season than summer season. A little less than three-fourth (73%) farmers reported delayed monsoon. All the farmers (100%) admitted that major crop production had declined in the study area. Major climatic impacts on agro-biodiversity were change in sowing time (43%), change in harvesting time (38%), decline in Beas river water level (55%), decline in milk production (38%) and migration of people (63%). Seventy nine per cent farmers had reported low frequency of storm and 83 per cent reported increased frequency and intensity of hot wave. Yellow rust and black bunt diseases in wheat, yellowing of leaves and aphids infestation of mustard plant, sweet, fruit fly attack in cucurbit etc. were reported in high magnitude.
COVID-19 Safety Precautions and Food Purchasing in a Food Desert Neighborhood

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Measure most frequent food purchasing locations in the South End of Albany, New York, a low-income majority-minority neighborhood classified as a food desert, and compare differ...
Feasibility and Implementation of a Multimodal Supportive Care Program to Improve Outcomes in Older Patients Undergoing Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation.

ABSTRACT Increasingly, patients age ≥65 years are undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT). Although age alone is a well-documented predictor of overall survival (OS) and nonrelapse mortality (NRM), growing evidence suggests that poor functional status and frailty associated with aging may have roles as well. Our goal in the present study was to identify and improve these and other aging-related maladies by developing a multimodal supportive care program for older allo-SCT recipients. We designed and implemented a multimodal supportive care program, Enhanced Recovery in Stem Cell Transplant (ER-SCT), for patients age ≥65 years undergoing allo-SCT. The ER-SCT program consists of evaluation and critical interventions by key health care providers from multiple disciplines starting before hospital admission for transplantation and extending through 100 days post-allo-SCT. We determined the feasibility of implementing this program in a large stem cell transplantation center. After 1 year of ongoing process improvements, multiple evaluations, and enrollment, we found that a dedicated weekly clinic was necessary to coordinate care and evaluate patients early. We successfully enrolled 57 of 64 eligible patients (89%) in the first year. Our data show that a multimodal supportive care program to enhance recovery for older patients undergoing allo-SCT is feasible. © 2021 American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Bladder surface dose modeling in prostate cancer radiotherapy: An analysis of motion-induced variations and the cumulative dose across the treatment

PURPOSE To introduce a novel surface-based dose mapping method to improve quantitative bladder dosimetric assessment in prostate cancer (PC) radiotherapy. METHODS Based on the planning and daily pre and postfraction MRIs of 12 PC patients, bladder surface models (SMs) were generated on manually delineated contours and regionally aligned via surface-based registration. Subsequently, bladder surface dose models (SDMs) were created using face-wise dose sampling. To determine the bladder intrafractional and interfractional motion and dose variation, we performed a pose analysis between pre and postfraction bladder SMs, as well as surface mapping for fractional SMs. Discrepancies between the received dose, accumulated from daily SDMs, and the planned dose were then assessed on the corresponding SDMs. Complementary to the surface dose mapping, dose surface histogram (DSH)-based comparisons were also performed. RESULTS The intrafraction pose analysis revealed a significant (p < 0.05) bladder expansion, as well as an anterior/superior drift during the treatment. The intrafraction motion substantially altered dose to mid-bladder body, but not the bladder surface areas distal to or contiguous with the target. A similar pattern of dose variations was also detected by interfraction comparisons. With surface registration to the common SM, the cumulative bladder dose significantly differs from the planned dose. The discrepancy is evident in the mid-posterior range that corresponds to a mid- to high-dose region. The received DSH significantly differs from the planned DSH after permutation correction (p = 0.0122), while the overall surface-based comparison after multiple comparison correction is nonsignificant (p = 0.0800). CONCLUSIONS We developed a novel surface-based intra and interdose mapping framework applied to a unique daily MR dataset for image-guided radiotherapy. The framework identified significant intrafraction bladder positional changes, localized the intra and interfraction variations, and quantified planned versus received dose differences on the bladder surface. The result indicates the importance of adopting the motion-integrated bladder SDM for bladder dose management.