cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mindfulness: Assessing the Feasibility of a Pilot Intervention to Reduce Stress and Burnout:

Purpose: To examine the feasibility of a brief mindfulness intervention and to reduce nurse stress and burnout in an inpatient medical unit. Design: Single-arm, pre/post test study design. Method: ...
Black Box Machine-Learning Methods: Neural Networks and Support Vector Machines

In this Chapter, we are going to cover two very powerful machine-learning algorithms. These techniques have complex mathematical formulations; however, efficient algorithms and reliable software packages have been developed to utilize them for various practical applications. We will (1) describe Neural Networks as analogues of biological neurons; (2) develop hands-on a neural net that can be trained to compute the square-root function; (3) describe support vector machine (SVM) classification; and (4) complete several case-studies, including optical character recognition (OCR), the Iris flowers, Google Trends and the Stock Market, and Quality of Life in chronic disease.
Identification of novel PIEZO1 variants using prenatal exome sequencing and correlation to ultrasound and autopsy findings of recurrent hydrops fetalis

Nonimmune hydrops fetalis (NIHF) is a rare disorder with a high perinatal mortality of at least 50%. One cause of NIHF is generalized lymphatic dysplasia (GLD), a rare form of primary lymphedema of the extremities and systemic involvement including chylothoraces and pericardial effusions. An autosomal recessive form of GLD has been described, caused by variants in the PIEZO1 gene. It has been reported clinically to cause NIHF and childhood onset of facial and limb lymphedema, most of which were diagnosed postnatally. We present a case of a woman with recurrent pregnancies affected by NIHF because of novel compound heterozygous variants in the PIEZO1 gene diagnosed prenatally using exome sequencing (ES). Two variants in PIEZO1 (c.3206G>A and c.6208A>C) were identified that were inherited from the father and mother, and are predicted to cause a nonsense and missense change, respectively, in the PIEZO1 subunits. Ultrasound demonstrated severe bilateral pleural effusions, whole body edema and polyhydramnios. Histopathology revealed an increased number of lymphatic channels, many of which showed failure of luminal canalization. Sanger sequencing confirmed the same variants in a prior fetal demise. We provide phenotypic correlation with ultrasound and autopsy finding, review PIEZO1 variants as a cause of GLD and discuss the uses of prenatal ES to date.
Abstract WMP45: Gene Expression Levels in Acute Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke in Humans

Background and Purpose: The Blood and Clot Thrombectomy Registry and Collaboration (BACTRAC) tissue bank collects blood proximal and distal to the intracranial thrombus during the process of mechan...
A Bifactor Model of the Straightforward Attentional Control Scale

Prior studies suggest that the Attentional Control Scale (ACS) consists of two correlated factors. These models do not include a general factor, though this is assumed often in theory and practice. Using an adult North American sample collected through Amazon Mechanical Turk (N = 419), we examined a revised version of the ACS with positive keying of all items (Straightforward Attentional Control Scale; ACS-S) to avoid the potential of a factor produced by mixing positively and negatively keyed items. Exploratory factor analysis using a bifactor approach was used to examine the structure of the ACS-S, which consisted of a general factor and a nuisance variance factor. There was mixed evidence of good fit for the full 20-item version of the ACS, but fit was good for a reduced 12-item version of the ACS-S. The full and reduced version were highly correlated (r = .98). Exploratory structural equation modeling suggested that the general factor of the ACS-S was negatively related to depression and both anxious arousal, as reflected by panic symptoms, and anxious apprehension, as reflected by worry. The findings suggest that perceived attentional control is uniquely related to depression and both dimensions of anxiety. ACS-S Short scores were tested as a moderator of the association between anxious apprehension and anxious arousal. The association between these anxiety dimensions was weaker at higher levels of perceived attentional control. Our findings suggest that the ACS-S is best represented as a single dimension of beliefs about attentional control which can be scored by totaling the items and that the ACS-S uniquely related to the internalizing symptoms we assessed. The findings also contribute to the understanding of how anxiety dimensions are influenced by perceived attentional control.
Representationalism and Power: The Individual Subject and Distributed Cognition in the Field of Educational Technology.

Distributed cognition, as it considers how technologies augment cognition, informs technology integration in education. Most educational technologists interested in distributed cognition embrace a representational theory of mind. As this theory assumes cognition occurs in the brain and depends on the internal representation of external information, it is informed by a mind/body dualism that separates the individual student from material things. Alternatively, the theory of the extended mind describes the mind as a dynamic system of interactions inclusive of human agents, technologies and other material things. Refusing the mind/body dualism, if one element is removed, the quality of cognitive activity declines. Across the cognitive sciences, there are debates between these representational and extended theories that have implications for what it means to be a student and for technology integration. However, distributed cognition research in educational technology ignores these debates. Instead, this research is conditioned by the discursive practices of a neoliberal assemblage of political, commercial and pedagogical institutions. In this era of high stakes testing, as the individual student is measured, evaluated and otherwise made subject through these practices, this assemblage expresses a tacit commitment to, and is productive of, the subjectivity of the individual student and thus benefits from the representational theory of mind. In this way, regardless of the recognized legitimacy of the theory of the extended mind, sustained by neoliberalism the field of educational technology will not soon question the veracity of the representational theory of mind or the mind/body dualism upon which it depends.
Supercooled drizzle development in response to semi-coherent vertical velocity fluctuations within an orographic-layer cloud

Abstract. Observations of supercooled liquid water are nearly ubiquitous within wintertime orographic-layer clouds over the Intermountain West; however, observations of regions containing supercooled drizzle drops (SCDDs) are much rarer and the factors controlling SCDD development and location less well understood. As part of the Seeded and Natural Orographic Wintertime clouds – the Idaho Experiment (SNOWIE) and its goal of improving understanding of natural cloud structure, this study examines the role of fine-scale (sub-kilometer) vertical velocity fluctuations on the microphysical evolution and location of SCDDs within the observed mixed-phase, wintertime orographic clouds from one research flight in SNOWIE. For the case examined, SCDDs developed in an elevated, postfrontal-layer cloud with cold cloud tops ( T - 30 ∘ C) and low number concentrations of both ice (less than 0.5 L −1 ) and cloud droplets (less than 30 cm −3 ). Regions of supercooled drizzle at flight level extended more than a kilometer along the mean wind direction and were first located at and below layers of semi-coherent vertical velocity fluctuations (SCVVFs) embedded within the cloud and subsequently below cloud top. The microphysical development of SCDDs in this environment is catalogued using size and mass distributions derived from in situ probe measurements. Regions corresponding to hydrometeor growth are determined from radar reflectivity profiles retrieved from an airborne W-band cloud radar. Analysis suggests that SCVVF layers are associated with local SCDD development in response to the kinematic perturbation pattern. This drizzle development and subsequent growth by collision–coalescence is inferred from vertical reflectivity enhancements ( −20 dBZ km −1 ), with drizzle production confirmed by in situ measurements within one of these SCVVF layers. The SCDD production and growth occurs embedded within cloud over shallow (km or less) layers before transitioning to drizzle production at cloud top further downwind, indicating that wind shear and resultant vertical velocity fluctuations may act to enhance or speed up SCDD development compared to classic cloud top broadening mechanisms in orographic (or similarly sheared) cloud environment(s).
Gender of offspring and risk of ovarian cancer: The HOPE study

Abstract Objective To examine the association between gender of offspring and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Methods We compared gender of offspring between 664 incident EOC cases and 1531 controls participating in a population-based study conducted in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York from 2003–2008. Multivariable unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) adjusting for potential confounders. Results Bearing a male offspring was associated with an 8 % lower EOC risk; bearing all boys was associated with an 11 % lower risk. Compared to bearing all girls, bearing all boys was associated with a 14 % decrease risk. Increasing number of male offspring increased the protective effect (adjusted-OR: 0.92, 0.91, 0.84, for 1, 2, and 3+ boys compared to all girls). Results where similar when limiting cases to invasive disease and to the high-grade serous histotype. Conclusion Fetal sex, which influences maternal hormonal milieu, may impact EOC risk.
Comparison of CRISPR-Cas9/Cas12a Ribonucleoprotein Complexes for Genome Editing Efficiency in the Rice Phytoene Desaturase (OsPDS) Gene.

Delivery of CRISPR reagents into cells as ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes enables transient editing, and avoids CRISPR reagent integration in the genomes. Another technical advantage is that RNP delivery can bypass the need of cloning and vector construction steps. In this work we compared efficacies and types of edits for three Cas9 (WT Cas9 nuclease, HiFi Cas9 nuclease, Cas9 D10A nickase) and two Cas12a nucleases (AsCas12a and LbCas12a), using the rice phytoene desaturase (PDS) gene as a target site. Delivery of two Cas9 nucleases (WT Cas9, and HiFi Cas9) and one Cas12a nuclease (LbCas12a) resulted in targeted mutagenesis of the PDS gene. LbCas12a had a higher editing efficiency than that of WT Cas9 and HiFi Cas9. Editing by Cas9 enzymes resulted in indels (1–2 bp) or larger deletions between 20-bp to 30-bp, which included the loss of the PAM site; whereas LbCas12a editing resulted in deletions ranging between 2 bp to 20 bp without the loss of the PAM site. In this work, when a single target site of the rice gene OsPDS was evaluated, the LbCas12a RNP complex achieved a higher targeted mutagenesis frequency than the AsCas12a or Cas9 RNPs.
The Animal Farm Principle

This short essay borrows from George Orwell to offer a potentially helpful way to think about time management, particularly as people continue to adjust to the new schedules and work environments created by the coronavirus.
Depression and Anxiety Changes Among Sexual and Gender Minority People Coinciding with Onset of COVID-19 Pandemic.

Author(s): Flentje, Annesa; Obedin-Maliver, Juno; Lubensky, Micah E; Dastur, Zubin; Neilands, Torsten; Lunn, Mitchell R
SEARCHING FOR AND PERCEPTION OF INFORMATION BY CONSUMERS IN THE LIGHT OF THE SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION IDEA — ON THE EXAMPLE OF FOOD MARKETS

The aim of this paper is to present the sources of information about food, the cost of collecting the information and the perception of messages by consumers in the light of the sustainable food consumption idea. We used primary materials from a direct, personal survey which were later analyzed with the use of Berelson’s content analysis method. We found that a consumer shows low interest in sourcing the information about sustainable food consumption. The most credible, from the consumer’s point of view, information about food, consumption and the food market, comes from reports and scientific papers, as well as from the consumers’ families or friends. Gathering information is connected with devoting time which we spend on finding the right content. The information connected to environmental issues was the most distinctive for the respondents; other categories of information concerned the waste of food, shopping planning, the direction of changes, personal health issues and the influence of food products on one’s health, as well as consumption in connection with recommendations concerning health (among others, in the scope of nutrition, recommendations and specialistic advices). The knowledge of the most credible sources of the information about food consumption, the frequency of acquiring such knowledge, the costs of gathering information and the perception of messages should be reflected in properly chosen communication channels for the promotion of sustainable food consumption. In the research over sustainable food consumption we should focus more on our information needs. The network approach and the perspective of active engagement of consumers in the process of creating innovations in food products give us a new approach for the market analysis, popularization of the idea of sustainable food consumption and let us change some deeply rooted habits and behaviors of consumers. As a result of such engagement, consumers will be more willing to cooperate and trust one another, and thanks to the feeling of social effectiveness, they will be more interested in the development of the sustainable food consumption model and food policy.
Risk Factors for Neuropathic Pain Following Major Upper Extremity Amputation.

Background Active treatment (targeted muscle reinnervation [TMR] or regenerative peripheral nerve interfaces [RPNIs]) of the amputated nerve ends has gained momentum to mitigate neuropathic pain following amputation. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine the predictors for the development of neuropathic pain after major upper extremity amputation. Methods Retrospectively, 142 adult patients who underwent 148 amputations of the upper extremity between 2000 and 2019 were identified through medical chart review. All upper extremity amputations proximal to the metacarpophalangeal joints were included. Patients with a follow-up of less than 6 months and those who underwent TMR or RPNI at the time of amputation were excluded. Neuropathic pain was defined as phantom limb pain or a symptomatic neuroma reported in the medical charts at 6 months postoperatively. Most common indications for amputation were oncology (n = 53, 37%) and trauma (n = 45, 32%), with transhumeral amputations (n = 44, 30%) and shoulder amputations (n = 37, 25%) being the most prevalent. Results Neuropathic pain occurred in 42% of patients, of which 48 (32%) had phantom limb pain, 8 (5.4%) had a symptomatic neuroma, and 6 (4.1%) had a combination of both. In multivariable analysis, traumatic amputations (odds ratio [OR]: 4.1, p = 0.015), transhumeral amputations (OR: 3.9, p = 0.024), and forequarter amputations (OR: 8.4, p = 0.003) were independently associated with the development of neuropathic pain. Conclusion In patients with an upper extremity amputation proximal to the elbow or for trauma, there is an increased risk of developing neuropathic pain. In these patients, primary TMR/RPNI should be considered and this warrants a multidisciplinary approach involving general trauma surgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, plastic surgeons, and vascular surgeons.
Error Detection in Music Education: A Review of Literature:

The ability to accurately detect performance errors is a fundamental skill for music educators and has been a popular topic of research within the field of music education. In fact, it has been sug...
Research on the announcement effect of second equity offerings?——An quantitative analysis of Chinese infrastructure companies

Many issues have emerged currently regarding refinancing as a main financing source of Chinese listed companies. This study aims to identify key factors that influence the announcement effect of second equity offerings (SEOs) with 110 infrastructure companies listed on A-share stock market. By building a multivariate regression model, this study analyzed the influence factors from the perspective of the company’s fundamentals and the characteristics of refinancing, and found that the company’s fundamentals have same impact on the announcement effect. Return on equity, net profit margin and debt-to-equity ratio are all positively related to the accumulated abnormal return. The market pays more attention to the profitability when talking about SEOs. As to the characteristics of refinancing, the dilute ratio and the relative issuing scale have little impact on the announcement effect but the market does concern about the purpose of fund-raising.
Genome-wide scan reveals important additive and non-additive genetic effects associated with resistance to Haemonchus contortus in Florida Native sheep.

Abstract Florida Native sheep is among the sheep breeds best adapted to humid and hot climatic conditions such as those of Florida, USA, and have shown a superior ability to regulate nematode burdens. This is one of the oldest sheep breeds in North America and is an endangered species. To ensure genetic diversity and long-term survival of the breed, protection of the current genetic stock is critical and conservation efforts are required to promote its breeding and production. The objective of the present study was to investigate the importance of additive and non-additive genetic effects on resistance to natural Haemonchus contortus infections in Florida Native sheep using a whole genome scan. A total of 200 sheep were evaluated in the present study. Phenotypic records included faecal egg count (FEC, eggs/gram), FAMACHA® score, packed cell volume (PCV, %), body condition score and average daily gain (ADG, kg). Sheep were genotyped using the GGP Ovine 50K SNP chip and 45.2 k single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers spanning the entire genome were available for quality control procedures. Mixed models were used to analyse the response variables and included the identity by state matrix to control for population structure. Bonferroni correction was used to control for multiple testing and a second arbitrary threshold (0.1 × 10−3) was used. Fifteen SNPs with additive and non-additive genetic effects and located in Ovis aries chromosome OAR1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 21 were associated with FEC, FAMACHA® score, PCV and ADG. These SNPs could be potential genetic markers for resistance to natural H. contortus exposure in Florida Native sheep.
Atmospheric variability contributes to increasing wildfire weather but not as much as global warming.

Devastating wildfires have occurred around the world in recent years. While fire has always been part of the landscape, the trend toward increasingly widespread and severe wildfires is a key sentinel of the rapidly intensifying risks caused by global warming and climate change. Using atmospheric observations and climate model simulations, Zhuang et al. (1) quantify the relative contributions of natural climate variability and anthropogenic climate forcing to the increasing area burned in the western United States. They find that atmospheric variability can explain at most approximately one-third of the historical trend in atmospheric aridity that is conducive to wildfire. By contrast, global warming has contributed at least two-thirds of the rising trend in atmospheric aridity. Understanding the causes of increasing wildfire risk is a critical scientific and societal challenge. First and foremost, the rapidly increasing size and intensity of wildfires is having severe impacts. In California, the eight largest wildfires in recorded history have occurred in the past 5 y, and 9 of the 17 largest have occurred in the past 2 y (including the two largest and six of the top seven). Recent fires have had widespread impacts on people and ecosystems. Just in California alone these impacts include dozens of lives lost and tens of thousands of homes destroyed, leading to extended displacement of individuals, families, and communities. In addition, the massive plumes of smoke that have blanketed much of the western United States have impacted millions of people and have accounted for up to half of fine particulate matter pollution in some areas of the region (2). Recent fires have also exceeded the intensity to which fire-adapted vegetation is accustomed, posing risks to ecosystems and individual species such as California’s giant sequoias (e.g., ref. 3). While California’s fires have received much public attention, similar challenges are playing … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: diffenbaugh{at}stanford.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Decentering Anthropocentrisms: A Functional Approach to Animal Minds

Anthropocentric biases manifest themselves in two different ways in research on animal cognition. Some researchers claim that only humans have the capacity for reasoning, beliefs, and interests; and others attribute mental concepts to nonhuman animals on the basis of behavioral evidence, and they conceive of animal cognition in more or less human terms. Both approaches overlook the fact that languageuse deeply informs mental states, such that comparing human mental states to the mental states of nonlinguistic animals is misguided. In order to avoid both pitfalls — assuming that animals have mental lives just like we do, or assuming that they have no mental lives at all — I argue for a functional methodological approach. Researchers should study animal cognition by identifying environmental inputs, the functional role of internal states, and behavioral outputs. Doing so will allow for cross-species comparisons in a way that the use of folk psychological terms does not.
Escherichia coli transcript cleavage factors GreA and GreB: functions and mechanisms of action.

Publisher Summary Two homologous prokaryotic proteins, GreA and GreB, L2 and a eukaryotic analog TFIIS (SII) comprise a novel class of transcription factors that are involved in endonucleolytic hydrolysis of nascent RNA in ternary complexes (TCs) of RNA polymerase (RNAP). Unlike classic RNases, SII and Gre proteins do not display any nucleolytic activity toward free RNA or RNA-DNA duplex and generally require formation of a stable TC. In the absence of factors, the intrinsic endonucleolytic activity of Escherichia coli RNAP and eukaryotic RNAP II can be stimulated by mild alkaline pH 5 and pyrophosphate, respectively. Both RNA synthesis and RNA hydrolysis reactions require at least two Mg 2+ ions with similar K m values. Moreover, the two reactions are activated and inhibited by similar groups of divalent ions, such as Mn 2+ , Fe 2+ , and Co 2+ , and Pb 2+ , Cu 2+ , and Zn 2+ , respectively. These results suggest that the same active center of RNAP is involved in both reactions. The transcript cleavage occurs when RNAP in a TC engages in “backtracking,” that is characterized by reverse translocation of RNAP together with the transcription bubble along the DNA template. Backtracking has been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo ; however, the nature of the signals that cause it (besides destabilization of the DNA-RNA hybrid in the TC) is poorly understood.
The early exercise premia of America put options on stocks

Using the put-call parity, this paper finds that early exercise premia of short-lived American put options on stocks account for a significant portion of put prices. This finding holds even for out-of-the-money put options. The magnitude of the early exercise premia of American put options with no dividend is positvely related to the degree of moneyness, time to maturity of the put option, and the volatility. The magnitude of the early exercise premia of American put options with dividend is positvely related to the degree of moneyness and the risk-free interest rates.
Producing the natural fiber naturally: Technological change and the US organic cotton industry

Organic cotton productionboomed in the early 1990s only to fall steeplymid-decade. Production is currently rising, butslowly, and has yet to reach previous levels.This is in marked contrast to the steady growthin organic food production during the 1990s.Why, when other areas of organic productionexperienced steady growth, did organic cottonexperience a boom and bust? A study of thecotton production and processing industryreveals a long and heavily industrializedproduction chain that has presented numerouschallenges to growers and processors trying tointroduce an organic product. In addition, muchof the surge in demand for organic cotton clothoriginated with clothing manufacturersresponding to increased consumer environmentalconcern and interest in improving theirenvironmental reputations. This demandevaporated when clothing companies encountereda lack of consumer awareness of theenvironmental costs of conventional cottonproduction and the benefits of organic cotton.Organic clothing lines were abandoned and manycotton farmers, left with no market for theirorganic bales, were forced to either store thebales or sell them on the conventional marketfor a loss. An examination of the social andtechnical aspects of organic cotton productionidentifies some of the critical variables, suchas the risks farmers face in agriculturalproduction, the organic standards, sources ofinnovation in technological change, and the roleof consumer demand in supporting moresustainable technology, all of which shape thecontinuing development of organic products.
Cardiac Ultrasound Findings in Infants with Severe (Hurler Phenotype) Untreated Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) Type I

Background: Serious cardiac valve disease and left ventricular hypertrophy occur in most untreated older children with severe mucopolysaccharidosis type I. Although it is assumed that early intervention prevents these processes, evaluation of cardiac findings in these infants has not yet been reported.
Albino and pigmented gerbil auditory function: influence of genotype and gentamicin

Auditory function of albino and pigmented gerbils was examined before and after treatment with the ototoxic aminoglycoside antibiotic gentamicin. Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and cochlear nerve compound action potentials (CAPs) were measured in response to pure tones having frequencies between 2 and 32 kHz. Age-matched albinos had significantly lower CAP, but not ABR, thresholds than pigmented gerbils. Gentamicin treatment elevated CAP and ABR thresholds in both genotypes, but pigmented gerbils were less severely affected. Compared to the ABR, the CAP is a more sensitive measure of ototoxicity and pigmentation differences. CAP tuning curves (TCs) were another sensitive measure of genotypic differences in susceptibility to ototoxicity. TC tip thresholds from pigmented animals given gentamicin were not as elevated as the TC tip thresholds of albinos.
Clumped perinuclear BAP1 expression is a frequent finding in sporadic epithelioid Spitz tumors

Background BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) represents a recently identified tumor suppressor protein. Loss of BAP1 has been observed in cutaneous epithelioid Spitz tumors. These cutaneous melanocytic tumors show a distinct histopathologic phenotype characterized by an intradermal sheet-like proliferation of epithelioid melanocytes. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcomes, histopathologic findings and immunophenotype in spitzoid melanocytic neoplasms with the morphologic features seen in BAP1 mutated Spitz tumors. Cases were obtained from our files. BAP1 immunohistochemistry was evaluated dichotomously for the presence of nuclear staining. Results Fifteen of 19 cases showed loss of nuclear BAP1 expression. Of the 15 cases displaying nuclear loss of BAP1, clumped perinuclear staining was observed in 8 cases while 7 cases showed complete loss. Follow up ranging from 0–45 months (mean 17 months) was uneventful. Conclusions Our data are consistent with an indolent overall clinical course for epithelioid Spitz tumors with loss of BAP1. Furthermore, a large subset of epithelioid Spitz tumors display loss of nuclear expression but show a reproducible clumped perinuclear staining pattern.
B Cell Receptor Affinity and B Cell Subset Identity Integrate to Define the Effectiveness, Affinity Threshold, and Mechanism of Anergy

In this study we show that BCR affinity and subset identity make unique contributions to anergy. Analysis of anti-Smith (Sm) B cells of different affinities indicates that increasing affinity improves anergy's effectiveness while paradoxically increasing the likelihood of marginal zone (MZ) and B-1 B cell differentiation rather than just follicular (FO) B cell differentiation. Subset identity in turn determines the affinity threshold and mechanism of anergy. Subset-specific affinity thresholds for anergy induction allow discordant regulation of low-affinity anti-Sm FO and MZ B cells and could account for the higher frequency of autoreactive MZ B cells than that of FO B cells in normal mice. The mechanism of anergy changes during differentiation and differs between subsets. This is strikingly illustrated by the observation that blockade of BCR-mediated activation of FO and MZ B cells occurs at different levels in the signaling cascade. Thus, attributes unique to B cells of each subset integrate with signals from the BCR to determine the effectiveness, affinity threshold, and mechanism of anergy.
Effect of Airway Pressure Release Ventilation on Dynamic Alveolar Heterogeneity

Importance Ventilator-induced lung injury may arise from heterogeneous lung microanatomy, whereby some alveoli remain collapsed throughout the breath cycle while their more compliant or surfactant-replete neighbors become overdistended, and this is called dynamic alveolar heterogeneity . Objective To determine how dynamic alveolar heterogeneity is influenced by 2 modes of mechanical ventilation: low tidal-volume ventilation (LTVV) and airway pressure release ventilation (APRV), using in vivo microscopy to directly measure alveolar size distributions. Design, Setting, and Participants In a randomized, nonblinded laboratory animal study conducted between January 2013 and December 2014, 14 rats (450-500 g in size) were randomized to a control group with uninjured lungs (n = 4) and 2 experimental groups with surfactant deactivation induced by polysorbate lavage: the LTVV group (n = 5) and the APRV group (n = 5). For all groups, a thoracotomy and in vivo microscopy were performed. Following lung injury induced by polysorbate lavage, the LTVV group was ventilated with a tidal volume of 6 mL/kg and progressively higher positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) (5, 10, 16, 20, and 24 cm H 2 O). Following lung injury induced by polysorbate lavage, the APRV group was ventilated with a progressively shorter time at low pressure, which increased the ratio of the end-expiratory flow rate (EEFR) to the peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR; from 10% to 25% to 50% to 75%). Main Outcomes and Measures Alveolar areas were quantified (using PEEP and EEFR to PEFR ratio) to determine dynamic heterogeneity. Results Following lung injury induced by polysorbate lavage, a higher PEEP (20-24 cm H 2 O) with LTVV resulted in alveolar occupancy (reported as percentage of total frame area) at inspiration (39.9%-42.2%) and expiration (35.9%-38.7%) similar to that in the control group (inspiration 53.3%; expiration 50.3%; P > .01). Likewise, APRV with an increased EEFR to PEFR ratio (50%-75%) resulted in alveolar occupancy at inspiration (46.7%-47.9%) and expiration (40.2%-46.6%) similar to that in the control group ( P > .01). At inspiration, the distribution of the alveolar area of the control group was similar to that of the APRV group ( P > .01) (but not to that of the LTVV group [ P 2 O) and a decreased EEFR to PEFR ratio (≤50%) demonstrated dynamic heterogeneity between inspiration and expiration ( P 2 O) ( P > .01) and an increased EEFR to PEFR ratio (75%) ( P > .01). Conclusions and Relevance Increasing PEEP during LTVV increased alveolar recruitment and dynamic homogeneity but had a significantly different alveolar size distribution compared with the control group. By comparison, reducing the time at low pressure (EEFR to PEFR ratio of 75%) in the APRV group provided dynamic homogeneity and a closer approximation of the dynamics observed in the control group.
Narcissism and Social Networking Sites: The Act of Taking Selfies

This study focused on why the act of taking selfies and posting them to the Internet is a factor leading to an increase in narcissistic and selfish behaviors. This study examined whether the Millennial Generation believes the selfie phenomenon is a contributor to the rise in narcissism. A 12-item survey was administered to 93 female college participants. A single open-ended question asked whether respondents found their behavior in posting selfies to be narcissistic. This study found that 55% of participants agreed that posting of selfies to different social networking platforms encouraged their narcissism and selfish behaviors.
Outcomes considered most important by emergency physicians when determining disposition of patients with pulmonary embolism

Purpose Clinical decision rules for the disposition of patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) are typically validated against an outcome of 30-day mortality or disease recurrence. There is little justification for this time frame, nor is it clear whether this outcome reflects emergency department (ED) decision making.
A REVIEW OF HYPHENATED CHROMATOGRAPHIC INSTRUMENTATION

Samples presented for chemical analysis are invariably mixtures, often very complex mixtures. This has led to the widespread acceptance and application of what have become called hyphenated chromatographic techniques. These techniques are combinations of chromatographic instrumentation with some (usually) spectroscopic technique. In this review, we treat the most important and useful of these combinations. The basic instrumental features of each method are described, and possible applications are discussed. The relative capabilities of each technique are weighed, and tradeoffs are discussed. In closing, a list of suggested further reading is provided.
Evidence for a role of opioids in epoxyeicosatrienoic acid-induced cardioprotection in rat hearts

We previously demonstrated that several epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) produce reductions in myocardial infarct size in rats and dogs. Since a recent study demonstrated the release of opioids in ...
Generalized current conservation and low energy limit of photon interactions

If the fields that describe a system are renormalizable their interaction with low energy photons in the first two orders in the frequency is shown to be given by the « static » properties of the system. This is shown to essentially follow from current conservation. Compton scattering, bremsstrahlung and photo-pion production are examined. In the latter case, although our result is gauge invariant in the first two orders in the frequency, we are not certain of obtaining all terms of this order. The missing terms probably arise from Feynman diagrams in which the photon is connected to a part containing no charged links to the rest.
Oleic acid inhibits cholesteryl esterase and cholesterol utilization for testosterone synthesis in mouse Leydig cells

We have observed that nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) inhibit testosterone synthesis in response to luteinizing hormone (LH) in mouse Leydig cells, possibly by affecting cholesterol utilization or endogenous concentrations. We have now studied the influence of oleic acid (OA) on the cellular content of cholesterol, hydrolysis of cholesterol esters, and steroidogenesis in isolated mouse Leydig cells. OA (700 micromol/L added with fatty acid-free [FAF] albumin, 3 g/dL) significantly (P<.025) reduced testosterone production in response to LH (10 ng/mL), total cholesterol concentrations of Leydig cells and the culture medium, and cholesteryl esterase activity in the cytosol and mitochondria. We also studied the effects of OA on steroidogenesis and cellular cholesterol concentrations after treatments to increase cellular cholesterol. OA at lower concentrations (5 micromol/L with albumin, 0.1 g/dL) or low-density lipoprotein ([LDL] 4 micrograms protein/mL) increased cellular cholesterol (P<.01) without affecting basal steroidogenesis. These treatments failed to reverse the inhibitory (P<.05) effect of OA on testosterone synthesis following LH stimulation, but did significantly (P<.01) increase cellular cholesterol. In summary, OA appears to inhibit testosterone synthesis by inhibiting cholesteryl esterase activity.
Dual fluorescent molecular substrates selectively report the activation, sustainability and reversibility of cellular PKB/Akt activity

Dual fluorescent molecular substrates selectively report the activation, sustainability and reversibility of cellular PKB/Akt activity
The LexA Repressor Binds Within the Deep Helical Groove of the Activated RecA Filament

The RecA protein of Escherichia coli, as a result of DNA damage, catalyzes the cleavage of its own repressor, the LexA protein, and thereby initiates the SOS response. Using a non-cleavable LexA mutant, we have obtained a co-complex of both the RecA and LexA proteins on DNA. Mass analysis using scanning transmission electron microscopy suggests that the site size of the LexA repressor on RecA is two, which would be consistent with a nearest-neighbor exclusion model for binding. Three-dimensional reconstruction of electron micrographs of these filaments shows that the LexA protein is bound in the deep groove of the RecA filament, with two strong regions of contact that span adjacent RecA protomers within the filament. One contact is consistent with a proposed LexA binding site in the RecA crystal structure. The other contact maps onto a region that has been postulated to be a second DNA-binding site within RecA, which can explain the inhibition of RecA cleavage of LexA by excess DNA.
Differential diagnosis of spasmodic dysphonia: A kinematic perspective

Summary Although originally considered an hysterical functional disorder, spasmodic dysphonia (SD) appears to be a heterogeneic symptom complex that is associated with several neurological diseases. Perceptual, acoustic, and electromyographic studies have not clearly differentiated the underlying pathologies that result in spasmodic phonatory dysfunction. Kinematic analysis of documented laryngeal examinations during phonation and respiration indicates that particular different movement disorders affect laryngeal function and are associated with spasmodic phonatory characteristics. The particular features of dystonia, tremors, myoclonus, and progressive supranuclear pathology should be recognized, since they may present with disease focal to the laryngeal muscles. Other movement disorders may also be associated with spasmodic phonatory abnormalities, but are less likely to be focal. Treatment of SD signs and symptoms is more likely to be successful and assessments of treatment more likely to be meaningful if the underlying pathophysiology of spasmodic phonatory behavior is identified.
Mass flows and angular momentum density for px + ipy paired fermions in a harmonic trap

Abstract We present a simple two-dimensional model of a px + ipy superfluid in which the mass flow that gives rise to the intrinsic angular momentum is easily calculated by numerical diagonalization of the Bogoliubov-de Gennes operator. We find that, at zero temperature and for constant director l, the mass flow closely follows the Ishikawa–Mermin–Muzikar formula j mass = 1 2 curl / ( ρ ℏ l / 2 ) .
Left ventricular and aortic dysfunction in cystic fibrosis mice

Background Left ventricular (LV) abnormalities have been reported in cystic fibrosis (CF); however, it remains unclear if loss of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) function causes heart defects independent of lung disease.
The Effect of Sn on the Reactions of n-Hexane and Cyclohexane over Polycrystalline Pt Foils

The modification of the catalytic properties of a polycrystalline platinum foil by the addition of tin was studied by the reactions of n-hexane and cyclohexane in excess H{sub 2}. The reactions were studied at 13.3 kPa of n-hexane, 450 kPa of H{sub 2} and 740 K, and 6.7 kPa of cyclohexane, 450 kPa of H{sub 2} and 573 K. The Pt-Sn catalyst was characterized by Auger electron spectroscopy and by temperature-programmed desorption of CO before and after the reactions. The sites that bind CO most strongly on the Pt foil also have the highest initial turnover rate and are the first ones to be poisoned by carbon deposits from hydrocarbon reactions or by sulfur when a sulfur-containing compound (thiophene) is present in the feed. The addition of tin can block these sites preferentially, thus decreasing the undesirable high initial hydrogenolysis rate of platinum catalysts in reforming reactions and eliminating the need for presulfiding the catalyst. Also, tin suppressed the hydrogenolysis reaction preferentially to the isomerization and cyclization reactions thus increasing the selectivities to isomerization and cyclization. The amount of carbon deposited was smaller on tin containing platinum catalysts during the dehydrogenation of cyclohexane and n-hexane.
Effect of calmidazolium analogs on calcium influx in HL-60 cells

Abstract The structure–activity relationships of calmidazolium analogs with respect to intracellular calcium levels were investigated in HL-60 cells. Quaternized derivatives of miconazole and clotrimazole, known inhibitors of store-operated calcium (SOC) channels, were synthesized. The quaternary N-methyl derivatives of miconazole (3) and clotrimazole (6) had no effect on intracellular calcium levels, alone or after elevation of calcium induced by ATP. Calmidazolium alone induced a large increase in intracellular calcium levels in HL-60 cells ( ec 50 3 μM). Similar effects were observed for miconazole derivatives 1 ( ec 50 15 μM) and 2 ( ec 50 10 μM), wherein the diphenylmethyl group in calmidazolium was replaced by a 3,5-difluorobenzyl or cyclohexylmethyl group, respectively. The analogous clotrimazole derivatives 4 and 5 had no effect on intracellular calcium levels. The elevation of calcium levels by calmidazolium, 1, and 2 appears to be comprised of a calcium release component from inositol trisphosphate (IP3)-sensitive stores followed by a large calcium influx component. Calcium influx was greater than that normally observed due to depletion of IP3-sensitive calcium stores and activation of SOC channels. In addition, only a small component of the calmidazolium-elicited influx was inhibited by the SOC channel blocker miconazole. Thus, certain quaternized imidazoles substituted with large residues at both nitrogens of the imidazole ring caused both release and influx of calcium, the latter in part through SOC channels but mainly through an undefined cationic channel. Quaternized imidazoles, unlike the parent nonquaternary imidazole miconazole, did not block SOC channels. Inhibitory effects on calmodulin-activated phosphodiesterase did not correlate with effects on calcium release and influx.
The manpower shortage in power education

This provocative article, based on data supplied by the Electrical Engineering Departments of 102 schools in the United States, indicates the quantity and quality of the graduates entering the power and electronics fields. Both causes and possible remedies for this unfortunate condition are presented here.
Hydrogen isotope tracing in the reaction of orotidine-5'-monophosphate decarboxylase.

Abstract The mechanism of the enzyme orotidine-5′-monophosphate decarboxylase (OMP decarboxylase, ODCase) is not fully characterized; some of the proposed mechanisms suggest the possibility of hydrogen rearrangement (shift from C5 to C6 or loss of H5 to solvent) during catalysis. In this study, we sought mechanistic information for the ODCase reaction by examining the extent of hydrogen exchange in the product uridine-5′-monophosphate, in combination with ODCase, at the H5 and H6 positions. In a subsequent experiment, partially deuterated OMP was prepared, and the extent of 2 H5 rearrangement or loss to solvent was examined by integration of 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance signals in the substrate and the resulting enzymatically decarboxylated product. The absence of detectable hydrogen exchange in these experiments limits somewhat the possible mechanisms for ODCase catalysis.
Introduction to diversity essays.

The National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) membership committee awards scholarships to two genetic counseling students who are planning to attend the Annual Education Conference. These awards are made to students who contribute in various ways towards efforts to increase diversity of the profession. The Journal is pleased to publish essays by Deborah Barragan and Cherise Klotz, the 2008 recipients of the NSGC diversity scholarships. These students were awarded scholarships based in part on their essays. Their personal stories exemplify the importance of diversifying the NSGC membership. Diversity remains a critical concern for the profession, as evidenced by the recent Mittman and Downs’ article [Volume 17(4), 2008] and by the Letters to the Editor in this issue. We hope you enjoy reading these materials. J Genet Counsel (2009) 18:109 DOI 10.1007/s10897-009-9214-3
Developmental Implications of Changing Trajectories of IQ in Males with Fragile X Syndrome

This study examined the trajectories of cognitive development in boys under the age of 21 years with fragile X syndrome. By combining information from three centers, data from 66 boys were analyzed; only children who had been tested two or more times with the same psychometric instrument at one or more year intervals were included in this study. Results demonstrated that males with fragile X syndrome show a decline in IQ scores, with the most marked declines seen during the early pubertal period. All 22 children retested during the 11- to 15-year period showed IQ declines, suggesting a slowing of development associated with the onset of puberty. Before age 10 years, males with higher (as opposed to lower) pretest IQs were more likely to decline at subsequent testings. A single etiological factor may not be sufficient to account for the observed findings, as both changes in neurobiological- and task-related factors seem implicated in the slowing intellectual development of this population.