cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GMP-140 Binds to a Glycoprotein Receptor on Human Neutrophils: Evidence for a Lectin-like Interaction

GMP-140 is a rapidly inducible receptor for neutrophils and monocytes expressed on activated platelets and endothelial cells. It is a member of the selectin family of lectin-like cell surface molecules that mediate leukocyte adhesion. We used a radioligand binding assay to characterize the interaction of purified GMP-140 with human neutrophils. Unstimulated neutrophils rapidly bound [125I]GMP-140 at 4 degrees C, reaching equilibrium in 10-15 min. Binding was Ca2+ dependent, reversible, and saturable at 3-6 nM free GMP-140 with half-maximal binding at approximately 1.5 nM. Receptor density and apparent affinity were not altered when neutrophils were stimulated with 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Treatment of neutrophils with proteases abolished specific binding of [125I]GMP-140. Binding was also diminished when neutrophils were treated with neuraminidase from Vibrio cholerae, which cleaves alpha 2-3-, alpha 2-6-, and alpha 2-8-linked sialic acids, or from Newcastle disease virus, which cleaves only alpha 2-3- and alpha 2-8-linked sialic acids. Binding was not inhibited by an mAb to the abundant myeloid oligosaccharide, Lex (CD15), or by the neoglycoproteins Lex-BSA and sialyl-Lex-BSA. We conclude that neutrophils constitutively express a glycoprotein receptor for GMP-140, which contains sialic acid residues that are essential for function. These findings support the concept that GMP-140 interacts with leukocytes by a lectin-like mechanism.
Finite expansion of a hole in a rigid-workhardening disk of initially non-uniform thickness☆

Abstract An infinite disk with an initial thickness h0=αr0n, where α and n are constants, is considered. A complete analytical solution is developed for the problem of finite expansion of a circular hole of zero (pin-hole) or finite initial radius, using Tresca's yield condition and the associated flow rule together with an isotropic strain-hardening law. Results of previous investigations are obtained as special cases of the present more general closed-form solution.
Small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) oviposition behaviour in sealed brood cells with notes on the removal of the cell contents by European honey bees (Apis mellifera).

SummarySmall hive beetles (Aethina tumida Murray) can lay eggs cryptically through the cappings of sealed bee brood cells. However, honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) can detect this activity and respond by removing cell cappings and contents (hygienic behaviour). We were interested in identifying conditions that regulate this syndrome of stimulus and response. Beetle oviposition rate (proportion of cells in which beetles perforate the capping and oviposit) into sealed brood cells was shown to be unaffected by a range of beetle densities created experimentally in caged sections of sealed brood. Oviposition rate was, however, increased when beetles had access to a sealed brood cell not only at the capping, but also along at least one side if the cell was next to an empty cell. Beetle oviposition rates into sealed brood cells were unaffected by the presence of Varroa destructor mites in the cell within a range of 1–4 mites per cell. The expression of hygienic behaviour toward beetle-perforated brood cells range...
Thorstein Veblen's Theories of Governmental Failure: The Critic of Capitalism and Democracy Neglected Some Useful Insights, Hindsight Shows

. In The Theory of Business Enterprise, Thorstein Veblen introduced a general theory of governmental failure in constitutional democracies based on the common man's delusion that policies benefiting businessmen also benefited him. This general theory runs consistently through Veblen's later works and was developed more fully in The Vested Interests and the Common Man. But other elements of an economic theory of government introduced in The Theory of Business Enterprise were less durable. A briefly sketched economic theory of political parties was never mentioned again in any of Veblen's subsequent writings. A concept of governmental officials pursuing their own self interest did reappear in Veblen's wartime works, but was completely missing in Absentee Ownership. The concept of a Leviathan-type government which pursued policies detrimental to the interests of both the common man and businessmen was repudiated in The Nature of Peace. The conditions for its existence had been eroded by the influence of modern industrial technology on military operations
Taming the underlying challenges of reliable multihop routing in sensor networks

The dynamic and lossy nature of wireless communication poses major challenges to reliable, self-organizing multihop networks. These non-ideal characteristics are more problematic with the primitive, low-power radio transceivers found in sensor networks, and raise new issues that routing protocols must address. Link connectivity statistics should be captured dynamically through an efficient yet adaptive link estimator and routing decisions should exploit such connectivity statistics to achieve reliability. Link status and routing information must be maintained in a neighborhood table with constant space regardless of cell density. We study and evaluate link estimator, neighborhood table management, and reliable routing protocol techniques. We focus on a many-to-one, periodic data collection workload. We narrow the design space through evaluations on large-scale, high-level simulations to 50-node, in-depth empirical experiments. The most effective solution uses a simple time averaged EWMA estimator, frequency based table management, and cost-based routing.
Single-Case Research Design: An Alternative Strategy for Evidence-Based Practice.

Objective: The trend of utilizing evidence-based practice (EBP) in athletic training is now requiring clinicians, researchers, educators, and students to be equipped to both engage in and make judgments about research evidence. Single-case design (SCD) research may provide an alternative approach to develop such skills and inform clinical and pedagogical practices. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature related to SCD and its potential contributions to EBP in athletic training. Data Source(s): We searched PubMed, CINAHL, Proquest Dissertation and Theses, and Google Scholar using terms “single case design”, “single subject design”, “within subjects”, and combined search terms of “single case design AND athletic training, AND allied health, AND medicine, AND nursing”. Data Synthesis: Textual support for the use of SCD in athletic training and a brief review of literature pertaining to: general features, strengths, limitations, and design options commonly associated with the use of SCD. Conclu...
Optimization of Unstiffened Hybrid Beams

The purpose of this paper is to present a theory and procedure for the optimization of unstiffened hybrid and homogeneous I-beams considering shear and moment at the same time. Using a correction factor in the web contribution to the section modulus, a simple unreduced flange stress can be used without iterating with respect to the ratio of web area versus flange area. The end result consists of a uniform I-beam, with all the dimensions uniquely determined, fully stressed in bending and shear, also achieving minimum cost in materials. Applications of the theory are presented and several examples showing the savings are included.
Brady and Jailhouse Informants

Hardly a month goes by when there is not news of another defendant who, after a lengthy incarceration, is exonerated based on DNA evidence. Investigation into exonerations reveals that uncorroborated jailhouse informant testimony and the concealment of exculpatory evidence required to be disclosed to the accused under Brady v. Maryland and prevailing ethical rules are major contributing causes of wrongful convictions. When combined, false jailhouse informant testimony and the prosecutor's obligations under Brady sidetrack procedural justice whenever they occur and, when the accused is factually innocent, lead to the denial of substantive justice by convicting the innocent. In this article, the author explores these causes of wrongful convictions, their legal, ethical, and societal ramifications, and offers a number of pragmatic measures that prosecutors, defense lawyers, and judges can take immediately to respond to the injustice of false jailhouse informant (snitch) testimony and Brady violations.The author begins with a short discussion of the problem of wrongful convictions and the roles that false snitch testimony and prosecutorial misconduct play in convicting the innocent. In order to shape effective remedies to prevent wrongful convictions, it is necessary to understand the scope of the problem and the nature of causes of wrongful convictions. The author then outlines a number of realistic measures that head prosecutors, trial and appellate judges, and defense lawyer should take to prevent false snitch testimony and Brady violations. The author's goal in outlining these practical, low cost or no-cost recommendations to counter the prejudicial effects of snitch testimony and Brady violations is to generate interest by the countless good prosecutors, defense lawyers, and judges who could prevent wrongful convictions through their daily work.
Seasonal nearshore sediment resuspension and water clarity at Lake Tahoe

AbstractReardon KE, Moreno-Casas PA, Bombardelli FA, Schladow SG. 2016 Seasonal nearshore sediment resuspension and water clarity at Lake Tahoe. Lake Reserv Manage. 32:132--145.Motivated by management challenges due to declining water clarity at Lake Tahoe, California–Nevada, we synthesized field observations and modeling of wind-driven nearshore sediment resuspension to inform decision-makers. We present the first field observations of nearshore sediment resuspension in both summer and winter and investigate seasonal differences in lake behavior. In addition, using a previously modified and validated wind-wave model, STWAVE, we developed management charts that illustrate relationships between fetch, wind intensity, and wave height and between water depth, wave height, and the potential for mobilization of different-sized particles. For a representative grain size of 150 μm, the wind-driven surface waves were found to influence the sediments to a maximum water depth of 9 m. Additionally, we evaluated the ...
Incomplete Recuperation of WMSDs after an Office Ergonomic Intervention

Survey data on the effects of an office ergonomic intervention (negative-tilt keyboard tray, upper mouse platform, chair, and training) were analyzed. Baseline and one-year post-intervention data on work activities, individual factors and the frequency and severity of upper body work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) were compared. Results showed that post-intervention the sample prevalence of any upper body symptoms decreased from 73% to 47.3% and the upper body symptom mean severity score decreased by 30.7%. There was an 8% reduction in the frequency of symptoms for each body region for symptomatic workers. The ergonomic intervention resulted in significant improvements in comfort and in WMSDs, but for many workers MSD symptoms persisted above background levels, suggesting that other factors may be affecting symptom etiology.
Nonadiabatic dynamics of photoinduced proton-coupled electron transfer: comparison of explicit and implicit solvent simulations.

Theoretical approaches for simulating the ultrafast dynamics of photoinduced proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions in solution are developed and applied to a series of model systems. These processes are simulated by propagating nonadiabatic surface hopping trajectories on electron–proton vibronic surfaces that depend on the solute and solvent nuclear coordinates. The PCET system is represented by a four-state empirical valence bond model, and the solvent is treated either as explicit solvent molecules or as a dielectric continuum, in which case the solvent dynamics is described in terms of two collective solvent coordinates corresponding to the energy gaps associated with electron and proton transfer. The explicit solvent simulations reveal two distinct solvent relaxation time scales, where the faster time scale relaxation corresponds to librational motions of solvent molecules in the first solvation shell, and the slower time scale relaxation corresponds to the bulk solvent dielectric respons...
Discussion on Compatibility Mechanism Between High Quality and High Yield of Super Hybrid and Its Cultivation Countermeasures I.The Compatibility Mechanism of High Quality and High Yield Super Hybrid Rice

This paper expatiated on the concept of high quality and high yield of super hybrid rice,then analyzed the compatibility mechanism of it from hybrid rice breeding theory,inheritance characters and breeding practice.
Rethinking freedom of contract

Many liberal egalitarians support laws that prevent people from making exploitative and unconscionable contracts. These contracts may include low-wage labor agreements or payday loans, for example. I argue that liberal egalitarians should rethink their support for laws that limit the freedom to make these illiberal contracts, as long as the contracts are voluntary and do not violate people’s other enforceable rights. Paternalistic considerations cannot justify limits on illiberal contracts because they are not only likely to misfire; they also express condescending and inegalitarian judgments of citizens. I then consider Seana Shiffrin’s argument that officials may avoid paternalism while still deterring illiberal contracts if they instead refuse to use public institutions to accommodate contracts that are contrary to the fundamental values on which those institutions are based. This argument encounters a dilemma. Officials may refuse to enforce illiberal contracts and ban private enforcement of illiberal contracts, but this strategy encounters the charges of paternalism it aimed to avoid. Or, officials may refuse to enforce illiberal contracts but tolerate private enforcement, but this approach would make the worst off members of society even more vulnerable and marginalized. Therefore, liberal egalitarians should support public enforcement of illiberal contracts because the alternatives are worse.
The New Global Trading Order: The Changing Nature of Welfare

Thesis: As the State evolves from a nation-state to a post-modern state, the nature of welfare will change. The regime of law and entitlements that was the uncontested hallmark of the nation-state will evolve into a regime of incentives. The State will deliver on the promise of welfare by providing economic opportunity for its citizens. Together with law, welfare is one of the two dimensions of the inner face of the State. As we have explained previously, we conceive of “welfare” as more than just entitlements. In achieving legitimacy, the State provides for its people not only in matters of entitlements and social protection, but through legal regimes and regulations. One of the principal justifications for the State is that it delivers order to an otherwise Hobbesian universe. The regulation and facilitation of commercial transactions, for example, is just one of the many ways in which the State's legal regime contributes to the betterment of its subjects. In the modern era, it was uncontested that welfare (in the broad sense that we give to the term) was a pillar of the State. The entitlements system of the modern nation-state, however, is giving way to an incentives-driven framework where government, instead of guaranteeing a set of entitlements to its citizens, will seek to maximize their opportunity to achieve economic security and well-being on their own. Welfare has not withered away, but it no longer occupies the central role that it had in the modern era.
Obstructive sleep apnea: Who should be tested, and how?

Only 10% of people with obstructive sleep apnea are diagnosed—a dismal statistic, considering the consequences.
Functional thiamine deficiency in end-stage renal disease: malnutrition despite ample nutrients

Zhang et al. found that plasma concentrations of the thiamine antimetabolite oxythiamine are significantly increased in patients with end-stage renal disease. These investigators discuss the potential sources of oxythiamine and the consequences of its plasma elevation. This commentary addresses the significance of these findings and expands on the potential role of gut microbiome in the generation of this antithiamine metabolite.
Network component analysis of Saccharamyces cerevisiae stress response

A method, network component analysis, was developed for uncovering hidden regulatory signals from outputs of networked systems, when only partial knowledge of the underlying network topology is available. This method was successfully applied to microarray data of yeast Saccharamyces cerevisiae under various stress conditions. The activities of 96 transcription factors were determined, which differ significantly from their gene expression patterns.
Posing the Black Painter Kerry James Marshall’s Portraits of Artists’ Self-Portraits

This essay explores Kerry James Marshall’s paintings of black artists in studio settings who are often positioned at the easel with an unfinished self-portrait. The series begins with a portrait within a portrait of a historical figure— Scipio Moorehead, Portrait of Himself, 1776 (2007)—and then turns to fictional artists (2008–10). Just when the series appears to have reached an end point, Marshall surprises with his most expansive studio scene to date— Untitled (Studio) —in 2014. In no instance does Marshall portray himself as the artist inside the painting, yet we can never forget that he is the creator of the artists we see within the paintings.
Robert F. Kennedy in the Stream of History. By Terrence Edward Paupp. (New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers, 2014. Pp. xxxii, 257. $39.95.)

The author of this new biography places Robert Kennedy's words and actions in the wider context of the major debates that have shaped American political discourse since his assassination in June of...
Improving ASL Fingerspelling Comprehension in L2 Learners with Explicit Phonetic Instruction.

Students acquiring American Sign Language (ASL) as a second language (L2) struggle with fingerspelling comprehension more than skilled signers. These L2 learners might be attempting to perceive and...
Concentrations of select dissolved trace elements and anthropogenic organic compounds in the Mississippi River and major tributaries during the summer of 2012 and 2013.

The Mississippi River drainage basin includes the Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Arkansas rivers. These rivers drain areas with different physiography, population centers, and land use, with each contributing a different suites of metals and wastewater contaminants that can affect water quality. In July 2012, we determined 18 elements (Be, Rb, Sr, Cd, Cs, Ba, Tl, Pb, Mg, Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) in the five major tributaries and in the Upper Mississippi River. The following summer, we determined both trace elements and 25 trace organic compounds at 10 sites in a longitudinal study of the main stem of the Mississippi River from Grafton, Illinois to Natchez, Mississippi. We detected wastewater contaminants, including pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds, throughout the river system, with the highest concentrations occurring near urban centers (St. Louis and Memphis). Concentrations were highest for atrazine (673 ng L−1), DEET (540 ng L−1), TCPP (231 ng L−1), and caffeine (202 ng L−1). The Illinois, Missouri, and Yazoo rivers, which drain areas with intense agriculture, had relatively high concentrations of Chl-a and atrazine. However, the Ohio River delivered higher loads of contaminants to the Mississippi River, including an estimated 177 kg day−1 of atrazine, due to higher flow volumes. Concentrations of heavy metals (Ni, V, Co, Cu, Cd, and Zn) were relatively high in the Illinois River and low in the Ohio River, although dissolved metal concentrations were below US EPA maximum contaminant levels for surface water. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the rivers can be distinguished based on elemental and contaminant profiles.
Conceptual design and prototyping of a Slim Semi-autonomous Bus Rapid Transit Vehicle

A Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system is a mass transit system that uses rubber-tired vehicles operating in dedicated guideways, high occupancy vehicle lanes, and/or mixed traffic. These systems typically also have a limited number of stops and use signal priority queue jumper lanes, in order to increase operational efficiency and reliability. However, a cost-benefit analysis of a BRT system, in its present form, is not unequivocally in its favor. To tilt such analysis more in its favor, this paper describes the proposed Slim Semi-autonomous Bus Rapid Transit (SSaBRTransit) system concept, which improves upon the existing BRT concept in several key areas. Firstly, the SSaBRTransit vehicle will comprise a lead module, with a human driver, plus one or more physically separate follower modules that track the lead module's movements in an autonomous fashion. Secondly, the bodies of these modules will be slimmer, which allow the vehicles to operate in narrower lanes thereby yielding substantial cost savings in its implementation and operation. The paper presents details regarding the design and prototyping of this SSaBRTransit vehicle's key sub-systems.
Status spillover and director labor market outcomes following organizational misconduct

Can status generate a halo effect that creates spillover consequences for similar others? In this paper, we ask if it is possible for status to spill over to one’s peers, improving the outcomes of actors whose identities might be diminished by a connection to organizational misconduct. We unpack the consequences of misconduct for corporate directors by studying the change in the prominence of directors’ affiliations following revelations of misconduct on one of the boards on which they serve. Using a sample of U.S. companies restating earnings between 1996 and 2003, we find that one’s status, as well as the status of others actors who have the same relationship to the misconduct firm, can moderate the negative effect of association with misconduct on the status a director’s subsequent affiliations. Our findings suggest that the collective status of a group of similar actors buffers the focal actor’s social position. Thus, we find evidence of a halo spillover effect created by the collective status of a gr...
Spectrally efficient adaptive generalized spatial modulation MIMO systems

We propose a spectrally efficient and low complexity spatial modulation (SM) transmission scheme for a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system. As compared to conventional generalized spatial modulation (GSM), which can achieve fixed data rates, the proposed adaptive generalized spatial modulation (AGSM) uses adaptive modulation in combination with the GSM. The AGSM MIMO scheme improves the spectral efficiency (SE) of GSM by increasing the modulation order of transmission in better channel conditions. GSM maps information into a spatial symbol and a constellation symbol of constant modulation order but in proposed AGSM, the constellation size increases as the channel conditions improves keeping the bit-error-rate (BER) below a certain threshold value. The proposed technique is compared with the adaptive spatial modulation (ASM). It is shown that for the same SE, the proposed AGSM requires less number of antennas than ASM. The performance of AGSM MIMO is validated through Monte-Carlo simulations. The results show that AGSM reduces the number of transmit antennas compared to ASM without any BER degradation.
The Truth Is in the Details: The Case for Not Missing the Trees for the Forest.

Article, see p 24 Over the past 2 decades, the cardiovascular medicine community has witnessed an exponential increase in the number and complexity of procedures to diagnose and treat arrhythmias and their sequelae. Driven both by the aging of the population in the United States1 and by the rapid pace of technological advances in device manufacturing and catheter designs, cardiac electrophysiology has evolved from a fringe interest to an established subspecialty of cardiology with its own dedicated training programs and board certification examinations. Today, an estimated 100 fellows complete their electrophysiology training every year in the United States2 and go on to service a growing number of electrophysiology laboratories in academic, community, urban, and rural settings. The dramatic increase over the past 10 years in the number of medical facilities that provide invasive electrophysiology services mirrors a similar phenomenon witnessed a decade earlier with the mushrooming and spreading of cardiac catheterization laboratories from large tertiary care centers to all communities. As the field of cardiac electrophysiology continues to expand and mature, it is imperative that we all remain mindful of the impact that this expansion may have on the quality of care we provide to our patients, both at the national level and within our own individual practice settings. To that end, examining the complication rates associated with our expanding armamentarium of invasive procedures and our ever-changing tools and practice settings is crucial because these complications have a direct and profound impact on patient outcomes and cost of care. This unflinching scrutiny, which should be part of an internal quality control policy within each electrophysiology laboratory, must be thorough and systematic. Unfortunately, a tendency to underestimate true rates of …
Academy addresses challenges in preserving Medicaid

Medicaid is in the headlines and a frequent topic of discussion at the Academy. Why the “sudden” interest in Medicaid? What's happening to the program? Are enrolled children at risk of losing health care? ![Figure][1] Dr. Berkowitz Medicaid, developed in 1965 as a partnership
Market Competition and Health Outcomes in Hemodialysis

Objective To examine whether market competition is associated with improved health outcomes in hemodialysis. Data Sources Secondary analysis of data from a national dialysis registry between 2001 and 2011. Study Design We conducted one- and two-part linear regression models, using each hospital service area (HSA) as its own control, to examine the independent associations among market concentration and health outcomes. Data Collection We selected cohorts of patients receiving in-center hemodialysis in the United States at the start of each calendar year. We used information about dialysis facility ownership and the location where patients received dialysis to measure an index of market concentration—the Hirschman-Herfindahl Index (HHI)—for HSA and year, which ranges from near zero (perfect competition) to one (monopoly). Principal Findings An average reduction in HHI by 0.2 (one standard deviation in 2011) was associated with 2.9 fewer hospitalizations per 100 patient-years (95 percent CI, 0.4 to 5.4). If these findings were generalized to the entire in-center hemodialysis population, this would translate to 8,100 (95 percent CI 1,200 to 15,000) fewer hospitalizations in 2011. There was no association between change in market competition and mortality. Conclusions Market competition in dialysis may lead to improved health outcomes.
Custom 95° Condylar Blade Plate for Pediatric Subtrochanteric Femur Fractures

Subtrochanteric fractures in the older child and adolescent often are not amenable to conservative methods of treatment. The anatomic constraints of the proximal femur including the small diameter of the femoral neck and the presence of the capital femoral physis may limit the type of internal fixation used in these patients. This article presents our preliminary experience with a custom 95 degree condylar blade plate for subtrochanteric fractures in older children and adolescents.
Multiphase Chemical Transport in Porous Media

Chemical transport from soil sources can result in potentially harmful pollutant emissions into the air we breath. The monitoring of pollutant fluxes from the soil can be used to assess the current risk to humans from soil sources at a field site. Monitoring, by itself, however, is inadequate for preventing or predicting potential toxic situations that may arise in the future. In order to a priori ascertain the potential volatilization risk associated with future chemical sources in soils, a theoretical model that describes chemical transport from the soil into the atmosphere is needed. The formulations of an accurate chemical transport model should mimic features of the soil environment that significantly affect the transport of pollutants.
Visual Loss and Falls

A 75-year-old woman with age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) presents with new loss of vision in her right eye. Her past medical history is significant for hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Her medications are atenolol, insulin, simvastatin, and one aspirin per day. The patient is markedly hard of hearing and often forgets to turn on her hearing aids. She smokes one pack of cigarettes per day and has one glass of wine each evening. Her family history is significant for ARMD in her mother. The vision in the left eye was lost 2 years prior to presentation due to a subfoveal neovascular membrane from ARMD. She is the sole care provider for her elderly husband with Alzheimer’s dementia, and they live together in their single family two-story home thirty miles from your office. The patient had driven herself and her husband to the appointment. Her daughter has been concerned about the increasing frailty of both parents, but the patient has refused to move previously.
Exposure to methyl mercury results in serum autoantibodies to neurotypic and gliotypic proteins.

Environmental exposure to methyl mercury (MeHg) continues to pose a threat to humans, making early detection of neurotoxic effects a pressing concern. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure serum autoantibodies (Ig) to neurotypic and gliotypic proteins [neurofilament triplet (NF68; NF160; NF200), myelin basic protein (MBP) and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP)] as markers of subclinical neurotoxicity was developed and tested in Fisher 344 rats exposed orally to 16 or 32 ppm MeHg. Both levels of MeHg resulted in serum Ig to all 5 proteins, not normally seen in controls. For anti-NFs and anti-GFAP, IgM isotype predominated significantly (p < 0.05) over IgG.Ig for MBP were of the IgG isotype, IgM were not detected. Significant differences (p < 0.05) between 16 and 32 ppm MeHg in levels of anti-NF 68 and GFAP, IgM, were evident at 7 days of exposure, but not at 14 days. Anti-NF 160, IgM, was significantly (p < 0.01) elevated in rats exposed to 32 ppm vs 16 ppm at 14 days. However, at both dose levels anti-NF 68 titers were the most elevated of the three NF proteins (p < 0.0001). For anti-NF 200 and anti-MBP it was the IgG isotype that was significantly (p < 0.01) elevated in the 32 ppm group at 7 days. GFAP levels as a marker of neurotoxicity were determined in the cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. Exposure to 32ppm MeHg resulted in decreased (p < 0.05) levels in the cortex at 14 days. Both levels of MeHg resulted in increased GFAP in the cerebellum at 14 days. This study suggests that assay of autoantibodies against nervous system proteins may provide a means of assessing the early neurotoxic effects of environmental MeHg exposure.
Performance of International Medical Graduates in Pediatric Residency: A Study of Peer and Faculty Perceptions.

Abstract Background International medical graduates (IMGs) constitute approximately 25% of the US pediatric workforce. Their recruitment into US residency training raises concerns regarding their competence, although this has not been formally studied. Cincinnati Children's Hospital has systematically recruited IMGs over the past 16 years. This study evaluates perceptions of IMG performance by faculty and US graduate (USG) peers. Methods We surveyed IMG, USG, and faculty groups, including current and former trainees, assessing perceived IMG performance compared with that of USGs in terms of clinical knowledge/skills, resource utilization, communication, public health knowledge and efficiency, and overall impact on the program. Results Overall perceived performance was within 1 standard deviation of expected USG performance. IMGs outperformed USGs in clinical knowledge/skills and resource utilization but underperformed in communication, public health knowledge, and efficiency. Significant differences were noted in communication with patients and public health knowledge; IMGs ranked their performance significantly lower than USGs/faculty ranked their performance. Overall impact was perceived positively, including an increased interest in global health in among USGs. Conclusions Carefully recruited IMGs are perceived to perform nearly equal to their USG peers, and their presence is perceived as positive to a major pediatric residency program. Specific domains for educational interventions are identified for programs wishing to expand IMG recruitment.
Choices in Managing Full-Term Pregnancy.

The distribution of the length of gestation at delivery in the United States has changed dramatically over the past 25 years. The percentage of all deliveries during the 39th or 40th week of gestat...
Oligo(ethylene glycol) Length Effect of Water-Soluble Ru-Based Olefin Metathesis Catalysts on Reactivity and Removability.

A study of reaction kinetics and removal efficiency of a family of ruthenium (Ru)-based olefin metathesis catalysts containing ethylene-glycol-oligomer-tethered N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands has been carried out, with a focus on variation of ethylene glycol oligomer length. The length of ethylene glycol oligomer was precisely defined by sequential addition of repeating units. Due to the dual solubility of ethylene glycol oligomer, the produced catalyst was highly soluble in both aqueous and organic solvents (dichloromethane). In aqueous solution, the polarity increase with longer ethylene glycol oligomers enhanced the reactivity in homogeneous solution. The length of ethylene glycol oligomer did not significantly affect olefin metathesis rate in organic solution. Yet the removal efficiency of catalyst strongly relies on the length of ethylene glycol oligomer. A longer ethylene glycol oligomer demonstrated better catalyst removal efficiency. The tested catalyst removal method was aqueous extraction ...
Multi-Mode Operation of Resonant Switched Capacitor Converters for Optimized Efficiency

Resonant switched capacitor (ReSC) converters are a promising alternative to traditional magnetic (buck and boost) and switched capacitor (SC) converters due to favorable tradeoffs between passive component size (power density) and efficiency. Operating ReSC converters with variable frequency in continuous- or discontinuous-current mode (CCM or DCM) has been shown to improve efficiency both at low and high loads. No closed form solution exists that determines the optimal operating mode and frequency based on the load current. This paper derives such a solution for the nominally 2:1 architecture and highlights the reduction in power loss that is achievable with optimized multimode operation compared to operation at a fixed frequency. The proposed approach is verified in a hardware prototype.
The consultant as information intermediary

Tendance de l'assistance aux pays en voie de developpement dans le domaine de la politique d'information. Role du consultant pour l'application des technologies nouvelles et l'impulsion des nouveaux projets
Understanding the impact of an after‐school music program with engaged underserved youth

Author(s): Sheltzer, Joshua M; Consoli, Andres J | Abstract: AimsThis study aims to document and understand the benefits of underserved youths' successful involvement in an after-school music program (ASMP).MethodsThe contents of semi-structured, individual interviews with 11 alumni and five staff members of an ASMP were coded and analyzed using inductive Thematic Analysis.ResultsAlumni identified several positive program characteristics as most influential (e.g., consistency, opportunity, exposure), and described the program's favorable impact at a personal (e.g., identity development), relational (e.g., improving social skills), and musical level (e.g., acquiring performance skills). Staff members identified similar program characteristics as crucial for the success of the program and singled out their personal, relational, and social motivations as important dimensions that bring about the program's impact.ConclusionsThe study highlights the value of musical experiences and after-school resources for a group of underserved youth who would otherwise not be exposed to them due to socioeconomic barriers and inequities in opportunities.
MULTIFOCAL ORAL MUCOSAL MELANOACANTHOSIS IN A TEENAGER WITH ECZEMA, A CASE REPORT

Introduction Oral melanoacanthosis is a rare, benign, mucosal pigmentation characterized by rapid growth which may clinically resemble mucosal melanoma. A biopsy is often indicated to confirm this diagnosis and exclude other pathologies. A reactive etiology is suggested, as melanoacanthosis typically presents on trauma prone mucosal sites. Melanoacanthosis often occurs as a solitary lesion, however multifocal lesions have been reported. Histopathologic characteristics include pigment-laden, cytologically benign melanocytes with prominent dendritic processes scattered throughout acanthotic stratified squamous epithelium. Regression of the lesion has been observed following biopsy, surgical removal, and spontaneously. Case Description An 18 year old male presented for evaluation of spontaneous, multifocal oral mucosal pigmentation. The patient's medical history was significant for eczema which was refractory to topical steroid therapy. Extraoral examination revealed multiple eczematous lesions of the skin of the face, neck, limbs and focal involvement of lower lip. Intraoral examination revealed dark brown, well defined, flat pigmentation of the maxillary and mandibular attached gingiva, bilateral buccal mucosae, bilateral retromolar pads, soft palate, and focal involvement of the hard palate. A biopsy of the left buccal mucosa demonstrated classic histopathologic features of melanoacanthosis. He was subsequently referred to dermatology for evaluation and management of eczematous skin lesions. The patient's identical twin brother had no evidence of melanoacanthosis and no eczema. Conclusion Melanoacanthosis is a rare pigmented lesion of the oral cavity that often resolves post biopsy. This entity is rarely multifocal. The preferred term melanoacanthosis is used to highlight the reactive, benign nature of the condition.
Intravenous Fat Emulsion for Treatment of Local Anesthetic Systemic Toxicity: Best Practice and Review of the Literature

Local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST), although rare, can be a fatal complication after regional anesthesia. The use of intravenous (IV) fat emulsion as a treatment of LAST is controversial among clinicians worldwide. This literature review aims to identify existing data supporting the use of IV lipids in the management of LAST and current best evidence-based practice by anesthesia providers during a LAST event. More than 120 articles resulted from a systematic literature search that was conducted using major search engines. Of those articles, 25 were included in this literature review. The safe use of IV lipids for the treatment of LAST is supported in the literature. Yet, there is still lack of awareness on lipid rescue therapy despite the significant evidence of its positive outcome. In the setting of local-anesthetic toxicity, lipid rescue should be considered first-line treatment. Intravenous lipids must be readily available in all institutions performing regional anesthesia. Education on their use, storage, and dosage is vital among anesthesia departments in the United States and worldwide.
Elective lumbar fusion in the United States: national trends in inpatient complications and cost from 2002-2014.

BACKGROUND Elective fusions for degenerative spine disease have increased over the past two decades in the USA, with variability in complications and hospital costs. The additional service costs associated with adverse perioperative events remain unknown. Our objective is to improve understanding of trends in safety and cost of elective lumbar fusions on a national scale. METHODS A weighted sample of 1,526,386 adults undergoing elective lumbar fusion for degenerative indications were identified in the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) years 2002-2014. Twelve categories of major complications by system, and patient/hospital variables, were evaluated as predictors of the overall reimbursed cost. Mean differences (B) and 95% confidence intervals [95% CI] are reported. Significance is assessed at P<0.001. RESULTS Nineteen percent of patients experienced inpatient complication. After adjusting for inflation, the mean overall cost was $ 32,802±19,557. Costs increased with presence of each of the 12 categories of complications, and by number of levels fused. Rates of most frequent complications and their adjusted cost-of-care were acute postoperative anemia (11.2%, B=$ 1817 [$ 1722-1913], P<0.001), renal/urinary (1.9%, B=$ 510 [$ 288-732], P<0.001), pulmonary (1.8%, B=$ 6014 [$ 5785-6243], P<0.001) and gastrointestinal (1.8%, B=$ 3699 [$ 3490-3908, P<0.001). The costliest adverse events were infection (B=$ 15,882 [$ 15,424-16,339], P<0.001), thromboembolism (B=$ 8856 [$ 8400-9311], P<0.001), hematoma/seroma/vascular (B=$ 8050 [$ 7784-8316], P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS The number of elective lumbar fusions for degenerative spine disease increased 276% in the USA from 2002-2014 with growing surgeon preference for lateral techniques, and an increasing proportion of combined anterior and posterior approaches. Overall complication rates decreased from 2002-2014, despite an older patient population. After adjusting for inflation, cost was relatively stable across years 2002-2014. Complications by system were associated with increased cost, underscoring the need to address sources of complications and optimize early postoperative recovery in order to reduce healthcare expenditure.
Tricuspid Regurgitation Velocity and Other Biomarkers of Mortality in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults with Sickle Cell Disease in the United States: the PUSH Study.

In the US, mortality in sickle cell disease (SCD) increases after age 18-20 years. Biomarkers of mortality risk can identify patients who need intensive follow-up and early or novel interventions. We prospectively enrolled 510 SCD patients aged 3-20 years into an observational study in 2006-2010 and followed 497 patients for a median of 88 months (range 1-105). We hypothesized that elevated pulmonary artery systolic pressure as reflected in tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV) would be associated with mortality. Estimated survival to 18 years was 99% and to 25 years, 94%. Causes of death were known in seven of 10 patients: stroke in four (hemorrhagic two, infarctive one, unspecified one), multiorgan failure one, parvovirus B19 infection one, sudden death one. Baseline TRV ≥2.7 m/second (>2 SD above the mean in age-matched and gender-matched non-SCD controls) was observed in 20.0% of patients who died vs 4.6% of those who survived (P = .012 by the log rank test for equality of survival). The baseline variable most strongly associated with an elevated TRV was a high hemolytic rate. Additional biomarkers associated with mortality were ferritin ≥2000 μg/L (observed in 60% of patients who died vs 7.8% of survivors, P < .001), forced expiratory volume in 1 minute to forced vital capacity ratio (FEV1/FVC) <0.80 (71.4% of patients who died vs 18.8% of survivors, P < .001), and neutrophil count ≥10x109 /L (30.0% of patients who died vs 7.9% of survivors, P = .018). In SCD children, adolescents and young adults, steady-state elevations of TRV, ferritin and neutrophils and a low FEV1/FVC ratio may be biomarkers associated with increased risk of death.
Nanoparticles presenting clusters of CD4 expose a universal vulnerability of HIV-1 by mimicking target cells.

CD4-based decoy approaches against HIV-1 are attractive options for long-term viral control, but initial designs, including soluble CD4 (sCD4) and CD4-Ig, were ineffective. To evaluate a therapeutic that more accurately mimics HIV-1 target cells compared with monomeric sCD4 and dimeric CD4-Ig, we generated virus-like nanoparticles that present clusters of membrane-associated CD4 (CD4-VLPs) to permit high-avidity binding of trimeric HIV-1 envelope spikes. In neutralization assays, CD4-VLPs were >12,000-fold more potent than sCD4 and CD4-Ig and >100-fold more potent than the broadly neutralizing antibody (bNAb) 3BNC117, with >12,000-fold improvements against strains poorly neutralized by 3BNC117. CD4-VLPs also neutralized patient-derived viral isolates that were resistant to 3BNC117 and other bNAbs. Intraperitoneal injections of CD4-CCR5-VLP produced only subneutralizing plasma concentrations in HIV-1–infected humanized mice but elicited CD4-binding site mutations that reduced viral fitness. All mutant viruses showed reduced sensitivity to sCD4 and CD4-Ig but remained sensitive to neutralization by CD4-VLPs in vitro. In vitro evolution studies demonstrated that CD4-VLPs effectively controlled HIV-1 replication at neutralizing concentrations, and viral escape was not observed. Moreover, CD4-VLPs potently neutralized viral swarms that were completely resistant to CD4-Ig, suggesting that escape pathways that confer resistance against conventional CD4-based inhibitors are ineffective against CD4-VLPs. These findings suggest that therapeutics that mimic HIV-1 target cells could prevent viral escape by exposing a universal vulnerability of HIV-1: the requirement to bind CD4 on a target cell. We propose that therapeutic and delivery strategies that ensure durable bioavailability need to be developed to translate this concept into a clinically feasible functional cure therapy.
Impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on air quality in the Delhi Metropolitan Region

Abstract With the rapid spread of COVID-19 related cases globally, national governments took different lockdown approaches to limit the spread of the virus. Among them, the Government of India imposed a complete nationwide lockdown starting on March 25, 2020. This presented a unique opportunity to explore how a complete standstill in regular daily activities might impact the local environment. In this study, we have analyzed the change in the air quality levels stemming from the reduced anthropogenic activities in one of the most polluted cities in the world, the Delhi Metropolitan Region (DMR). We analyzed station-level changes in particulate matter, PM10 and PM2.5, across the DMR between April 2019 and 2020. The results of our study showed widespread reduction in the levels of both pollutants, with substantial spatial variations. The largest decreases in particulate matter were associated with industrial and commercial areas. Highest levels of PM10 and PM2.5 were observed near sunrise with little change in the time of maximum between 2019 and 2020. The results of our study highlight the role of anthropogenic activities on the air quality at the local level.