cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Ferritin-Like Dps Protein Is Required for Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Oxidative Stress Resistance and Virulence

Resistance to phagocyte-derived reactive oxygen species is essential for Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium pathogenesis. Salmonella can enhance its resistance to oxidants through the induction of specific genetic pathways controlled by SoxRS, OxyR, sigma(S), sigma(E), SlyA, and RecA. These regulons can be found in a wide variety of pathogenic and environmental bacteria, suggesting that evolutionarily conserved mechanisms defend against oxidative stress both endogenously generated by aerobic respiration and exogenously produced by host phagocytic cells. Dps, a ferritin-like protein found in many eubacterial and archaebacterial species, appears to protect cells from oxidative stress by sequestering iron and limiting Fenton-catalyzed oxyradical formation. In Escherichia coli and some other bacterial species, Dps has been shown to accumulate during stationary phase in a sigma(S)-dependent fashion, bind nonspecifically to DNA, and form a crystalline structure that compacts and protects chromatin from oxidative damage. In the present study, we provide evidence that Dps protects Salmonella from iron-dependent killing by hydrogen peroxide, promotes Salmonella survival in murine macrophages, and enhances Salmonella virulence. Reduced numbers of dps mutant bacteria in the livers and spleens of infected mice are consistent with a role of Dps in protecting Salmonella from oxidative stress encountered during infection.
Construction and Transfer into Mammalian Cells of a Vector Containing Insect Histone Genes

As illustrated by other articles in this volume, with the advent of recombinant DNA technology and methods for introducing functional foreign genes into many types of eukaryotic cells, a revolution has occurred in the level of our understanding of the way genes are regulated in living cells. Nonetheless, in spite of the impressive progress made concerning the role of DNA sequence in functions such as promotion, enhancement, initiation of transcription, splicing, polyadenylation and termination, much remains to be learned. It is worth considering, for example, whether such information, by itself, will enable us to understand the subtleties of gene expression and regulation known to occur during complex cellular processes such as development and differentiation. For, in addition to the obvious importance of DNA sequence in the regulation of gene activity in eukaryotic cells, it is very likely that genomic function is also regulated by the structure and composition of the chromatin itself1–4. Thus, it seems reasonable to predict that a complete knowledge of the mechanisms regulating genomic activity in eukaryotic cells will only come when we understand both the structure and function of all the various components of chromatin.
Accuracy and Range of Actuarial Projections of Health Care Costs

The Office of the Actuary is mandated to provide projections of future medical spending for use by the U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs, and which are widely used by private firms and government budget officials to create forecasts of health spending and retiree health benefits. Although these projections have been made publicly available since 1986, they have not yet been subject to a systemic evaluation by an external reviewer. This paper develops a method for assessment of both short and long-run accuracy, and applies it to all 17 sets of projections made public over the last 25 years. It appears that the more recent set of projections (1998-2010) incorporating lagged macroeconomic effects are more accurate than the older (1986-1995) projections that relied more heavily on demographic cost of illness trends. The average error of the forecasts averages about 0.5%-1% per year, whether assessed over a span of one, two or ten years. Projecting “excess” growth in health spending (the rise in the share of wages or GDP) tends to be more accurate than forecasting nominal or real spending per capita.
MicroRNA-145 Promotes the Phenotype of Human Glioblastoma Cells Selected for Invasion

Background/Aim: Novel treatment strategies aiming to eliminate or attenuate the invasive phenotype of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor, could offer a profound therapeutic benefit to patients. We previously demonstrated one method to create invasive sub-populations of GBM cells (IM3 cells) and a positive regulatory role for the miR-143/-145 locus in enhancing the invasion of GBM cells. Herein, we investigated the correlation between miR-145 and srGAP1 (SLIT-ROBO Rho GTPase-activating protein1) that is purported to be a target of miR-145 and involved in migration and invasion. Materials and Methods: IM3 cells were created by a serial selection by using Boyden chambers®. Antisense-miR-145 was transfected into IM3 cells by using lipofectamine 2000. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot were employed to analyze the expression of srGAP1. Results: The invasiveness of U87-IM3 and U251-IM3 is attenuated by transfection of antisense miR-145. In addition, srGAP1 was down-regulated in U87-IM3 and U251-IM3 cells compared to parental cells. Conclusion: The elevated miR-145 present in invasive glioblastoma cells (IM3 cells) targets and down-regulated srGAP1, thereby allowing downstream G-proteins to remain in their active state and promote the observed invasive phenotype.
Radiofrequency ablation in primary non-small cell lung cancer: What a radiologist needs to know

Lung cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In advanced cases of lung cancer, a multimodality approach is often applied, however with poor local control rates. In early non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), surgery is the standard of care. Only 15-30% of patients are eligible for surgical resection. Improvements in imaging and treatment delivery systems have provided new tools to better target these tumors. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has evolved as the next best option. The role of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is also growing. Currently, it is a third-line option in stage 1 NSCLC, when SBRT cannot be performed. More recent studies have demonstrated usefulness in recurrent tumors and some authors have also suggested combination of RFA with other modalities in larger tumors. Following the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), screening by low-dose computed tomography (CT) has demonstrated high rates of early-stage lung cancer detection in high-risk populations. Hence, even considering the current role of RFA as a third-line option, in view of increasing numbers of occurrences detected, the number of potential RFA candidates may see a steep uptrend. In view of all this, it is imperative that interventional radiologists be familiar with the techniques of lung ablation. The aim of this article is to discuss the procedural technique of RFA in the lung and review the current evidence regarding RFA for NSCLC.
Adsorption of aqueous rare earth elements using carbon black derived from recycled tires

Abstract The adsorption of an aqueous mixture of light rare earth elements (Y, La, Ce, Nd, and Sm) by carbon black derived from pyrolyzed end-of-life tires was investigated. The recycled tire carbon black (RTCB) was compared with other commercial carbon and functionalized carbon sorbent materials. The RTCB demonstrated improved adsorption for all the rare earth elements in this investigation over other carbon sorbent materials under a variety of conditions. The adsorption isotherms were observed to follow the Freundlich model with pseudo-second order kinetics. Analysis of thermodynamic state functions suggests the adsorption to be endothermic, energetically favorable under the conditions of study, and a dissociative adsorption mechanism. The use of RTCB as a sorbent material for extraction of aqueous REEs is attractive due to its inexpensive cost and utilization of a recycled material stream.
Absorption Through Unstimulated and Secreting Canine Oxyntic Glandular Mucosa.

SummaryRates of absorption of ethanol, thiopental and salicylic acid by pouches of the canine oxyntic glandular mucosa were measured when the pouches were unstimulated and not secreting and when they were strongly stimulated to secrete by injections of histamine and gastrin pentapeptide. No differences were found between the 2 situations when rates of absorption were referred to the mean concentrations of the compounds in the fluid contained in the pouches. It is concluded that the high rate of flow of water out of the mucosa when it is stimulated to secrete does not reduce the rate at which substances can diffuse passively into the mucosa, and it is further concluded that the tubules of the gastric glands in which the rate of flow of water is greatest are not an important site of absorption.
Atomistic Mechanism of Peptide Unfolding and Translocation by AAA+ Unfolding Chaperones Clpy

Atomistic simulations of peptide unfolding and translocation by AAA+ biological nanomachines Clp ATPases are members of the AAA+ superfamily that associate with their peptidase partner to degrade proteins. Structurally, Clp ATPases are homohexameric rings that enclose a narrow central channel. During repetitive cycles driven by ATP hydrolysis, conserved central channel loops undergo axial motions to effect substrate protein unfolding and translocation to the peptidase compartment. Structural and biochemical studies of AAA+ ATPases proteins have suggested several models (stochastic or ordered) of the progression of allosteric transition around the ring. We use atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the mechanism of peptide unfolding and translocation by the ClpY ATPase. Substrates with diverse secondary structure ( alpha helix/beta turn/random coil) are covalently attached to a degradation tag (ssrA). We find that substrate gripping is mediated by strong interaction at Tyr91 site of the conserved central pore loop. Axial motions of the Tyr91 side chain towards the distal side result in strong forces that drive substrate translocation. Mutations of Tyr91 site results in change of unfolding and translocation efficacy. Detailed analysis of the Tyr91-substrate interaction indicate formation of transient hydrogen bonds of Tyr91 to the substrate backbone and strong interaction of the Tyr91 aromatic ring with the substrate.Translocation takes place in stepwise manner and involves 5-6 amino acid per step, in accord with single molecule experiments. Structured peptides (prion helix 1 and hairpin fragment of GB1 protein) undergo highly cooperative unfolding and translocation by ClpY with partial preservation of secondary structure. The most efficient translocation mechanism is found to involve clockwise intra-ring allostery that maximally benefits from the torque applied by the central channel loop onto the substrate.
Matthew Arnold and Sainte-Beuve

In a letter to Cardinal Newman, written when he was fifty years old, Matthew Arnold mentions four people from whom he is conscious of having learnt—Goethe, Wordsworth, Sainte-Beuve, and Newman himself. Arnold goes on to explain that he does not mean merely receiving a strong impression but actually acquiring “habits, methods, ruling ideas, which are constantly with me.” Much as he admired Newman, Goethe, and Wordsworth, Arnold's literary fame owes more to Sainte-Beuve than to any other one man. The two volumes of Essays in Criticism, which contain Arnold's most interesting and enduring prose, are a lasting monument to the force of Sainte-Beuve's ideas. Posterity would gladly exchange Arnold's attempts to rationalize religion for a few more volumes of literary essays, but unfortunately, much as he admired Sainte-Beuve, he was too much of an Englishman to follow in Sainte-Beuve's footsteps. Sir Walter Raleigh used to maintain that Arnold was thoroughly unEnglish in his tastes and that he invariably condemned everything that was characteristically British. If that were true he would not have yearned for England as he did whenever he went abroad. Arnold had an unerring eye for national defects, but no man could care more deeply for the welfare of his country. Beneath the gay exterior of the man of the world Arnold was serious to the extent of didacticism. In the letters to his mother he is continually saying that he thinks such and such an article “will do good.” Sainte-Beuve never spared himself in the Causeries du Lundi, but he probably worried more about giving a faithful portrait than about “doing good.”
Intergenerational Equity and Compensation: A Perspective of Sustainable Development Studies on Endowment Insurance

Coordinating the interests between contemporary and future generations to achieve intergenerational equity is a core issue for sustainable development.In essence,the modern social endowment insurance system is an intergenerational transfer of wealth.Under the influence of its design and population aging,the system is faced with the risk of intergenerational inequity and the unsustainable problems.It is recommended that the intergenerational equity should be regarded as the measurement,key conditions and basic constraints of the system's sustainable development,the intergenerational distribution structure of the social welfare system should be improved,and the intergenerational inequity should be made up through intergenerational compensation in public areas so as to realize its sustainable development.
In Vitro Evaluation of a Vancomycin Radioimmunoassay and Observations on Vancomycin Pharmacokinetics in Dialysis Patients

A recently marketed radioimmunoassay (RIA) for vancomycin (Monitor Science Corp.) was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The RIA and bioassay results on 15 spiked serum samples found no significant difference between the two assays, although RIA results were significantly less variable. The coefficient of variation (RIA) was 5.5%. Vancomycin showed no significant degradation in plasma at 4 degrees C and -20 degrees C for up to 36 days. Five dialysis patients had a total of 62 serum levels determined. When vancomycin 1 g was given weekly to two anuric adults, marked accumulation occurred. This finding was consistent with vancomycin's long terminal half-life (19.8 and 17.8 days) obtained from a new computer subroutine which obtains least square estimators of model parameters from multiple dose data. Despite serum levels well above the MIC, two patients remained bacteremic. Peritoneal levels of vancomycin in two patients with suspected peritonitis equalled corresponding serum levels.
Relating observability and compressed sensing of time-varying signals in recurrent linear networks

In this paper, we study how the dynamics of recurrent networks, formulated as general dynamical systems, mediate the recovery of sparse, time-varying signals. Our formulation resembles the well-described problem of compressed sensing, but in a dynamic setting. We specifically consider the problem of recovering a high-dimensional network input, over time, from observation of only a subset of the network states (i.e., the network output). Our goal is to ascertain how the network dynamics may enable recovery, even if classical methods fail at each time instant. We are particularly interested in understanding performance in scenarios where both the input and output are corrupted by disturbance and noise, respectively. Our main results consist of the development of analytical conditions, including a generalized observability criterion, that ensure exact and stable input recovery in a dynamic, recurrent network setting.
Febrile Seizures and Mesial Temporal Sclerosis

Magnetic resonance fast spin-echo imaging (MRI) was performed after complex febrile convulsions (CFCs) in 27 infants treated at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
Progress in catalytic synthesis of advanced carbon nanofibers

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) have wide applications in various high-tech areas. The demand for CNFs can exponentially increase due to the rapid development of advanced functional materials. Accordingly, a transformational progress is being made in synthesizing CNFs, especially functionalized CNFs. A dominant CNF synthesis pathway is catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD). Therefore, the goal of this work is to review the most recent progress in CCVD synthesis of functional CNFs and to understand how the process conditions and catalysts, especially metal catalysts, affect the physical and chemical properties of the produced CNFs.
Microwave-assisted deposition of a highly active cobalt catalyst on mesoporous silica for photochemical CO2 reduction

Coupling with robust surfaces is a promising approach to improve the stability and recyclability of highly active molecular catalysts. This study builds on our prior success to deposit a Co(III) cyclam complex, where cyclam is 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane, on mesoporous silica via a microwave-assisted process. The Co(III) complex was successfully deposited on the silica surface through reacting with silanol groups in the silica mesopores. The resulting surface Co(III) catalyst was characterized by different techniques and tested in photochemical CO2 reduction in the presence of p-terphenyl as a photosensitizer. The synthesized Co(III) catalyst showed significantly higher activity and selectivity than the unbound Co(III) cyclam complex and a surface Co(III) catalyst prepared by other methods. Microwave-assisted heating was found to be essential for the deposition of uniform Co(III) sites in the silica mesopores, which likely accounts for the superior activity and selectivity of the synthesized surface Co(III) catalyst.
Cancer Care Coordination: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Over 30 Years of Empirical Studies.

According to a landmark study by the Institute of Medicine, patients with cancer often receive poorly coordinated care in multiple settings from many providers. Lack of coordination is associated with poor symptom control, medical errors, and higher costs. The aims of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to (1) synthesize the findings of studies addressing cancer care coordination, (2) describe study outcomes across the cancer continuum, and (3) obtain a quantitative estimate of the effect of interventions in cancer care coordination on service system processes and patient health outcomes. Of 1241 abstracts identified through MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library, 52 studies met the inclusion criteria. Each study had US or Canadian participants, comparison or control groups, measures, times, samples, and/or interventions. Two researchers independently applied a standardized search strategy, coding scheme, and online coding program to each study. Eleven studies met the additional criteria for the meta-analysis; a random effects estimation model was used for data analysis. Cancer care coordination approaches led to improvements in 81 % of outcomes, including screening, measures of patient experience with care, and quality of end-of-life care. Across the continuum of cancer care, patient navigation was the most frequent care coordination intervention, followed by home telehealth; nurse case management was third in frequency. The meta-analysis of a subset of the reviewed studies showed that the odds of appropriate health care utilization in cancer care coordination interventions were almost twice (OR = 1.9, 95 % CI = 1.5–3.5) that of comparison interventions. This review offers promising findings on the impact of cancer care coordination on increasing value and reducing healthcare costs in the USA.
The Discerning Voter: Partisan Alignment and Local Distribution Under Multi-Level Governance

What shapes voters’ expectations of receiving private benefits and local public goods in developing world democracies? Models of instrumental voting suggest that voters’ expectations are shaped by co-partisanship; however, this work does not consider the calculations that voters make in multi-level systems where different types of goods are allocated by different tiers of government. In this article, I argue that voters condition their expectations of private benefits on co-partisan ties with the local leader, but only do so with respect to local public goods when the local leader is aligned with the state government that controls the allocation of pork barrel spending. I test my argument with a vignette experiment conducted in rural India that randomly assigns the partisan affiliation of real village politicians and find empirical support for the argument. I also find suggestive evidence of strategic voting in local elections toward leaders aligned with the ruling party.
An "Iceberg" Coating Preserves Bulk Hydration Dynamics in Aqueous PEG Solutions.

Ultrafast picosecond time scale two-dimensional infrared (2D-IR) spectroscopy of a new water-soluble transition metal complex acting as a vibrational probe shows that over a range of concentration and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) molecular mass (2000, 8000, and 20000 Da) the time scale of the sensed hydration dynamics differs negligibly from bulk water (D2O). PEG is well-known to establish a highly stable hydration shell because the spacing between adjacent ethereal oxygens nearly matches water’s hydrogen-bonding network. Although these first-shell water molecules are likely significantly retarded, they present an interface to subsequent hydration shells and thus diminish the largely entropic perturbation to water’s orientational dynamics. In addition to the longer PEGs, a series of concentration-dependent 2D-IR measurements using aqueous PEG-400 show a pronounced hydration slowdown in the vicinity of the critical overlap concentration (c*). Comparison between these dynamical results and previously reporte...
ARDS complicating pustular psoriasis: treatment with low-dose corticosteroids, vitamin C and thiamine.

We report the case of a 45-year-old Caucasian woman with a history of psoriasis, admitted to our Medical intensive care unit following the acute onset of diffuse rash and progressive dyspnoea and hypoxaemia requiring escalating respiratory support (continuous positive airway pressure of 10 cm H2O). Her chest X-ray was consistent with findings of non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema. Echocardiogram was normal. Dermatology considered her skin lesions to be consistent with psoriasis vulgaris with pustular flare. In the absence of an identifiable cause for her respiratory failure, she was diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome due to her psoriatic flare. Treatment with cyclosporine was initiated together with low-dose systemic corticosteroids, intravenous vitamin C and thiamine. The patient made a dramatic recovery being weaned to nasal cannulae within 24 hours after the initiation of this treatment protocol and was discharged home a few days later.
Enhancing Coil Design for Micromagnetic Brain Stimulation.

This work further advances the micromagnetic stimulation (μMS) technology, which has shown the capability of stimulating the nervous system using magnetic induction in a focal region of tissue by discharging a time-varying current through a sub-millimeter size coil. However, μMS was originally based on commercial off the shelf (COTS) inductors, which are designed to maximize efficiency and minimize its losses albeit shielding off the magnetic field from reaching the neural tissue. In this work, we study and fabricate microscale coil structures for next-generation μMS devices. The coil was designed to optimize the flux injected into the tissue by using a planar square spiral coil geometry, which was previously shown to be optimal for neuronal stimulation. The results of the electromagnetic Finite Elements Method (FEM) simulations of the proposed μMS device show that even though the spiral has a fully symmetric design, it nonetheless exhibits an asymmetry in the induced electric field in the tissue that can potentially be used for activating neurons with a specific axonal orientation. Such devices could become the brain and heart stimulators of the future with their contactless ability to deliver the neuronal stimulation needed for therapeutic efficacy in patients in need of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators or pace-makers, or patients with Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy.
Comparison of Salmonella Prevalence Rates in Bovine Lymph Nodes across Feeding Stages.

ABSTRACT Peripheral lymph nodes (LNs) located in the fatty tissues of beef carcasses have been shown to harbor Salmonella and, thus, potentially contaminate ground beef. Salmonella prevalence within LNs is known to differ among feedlots. Two South Texas feeding operations (identified as locations A and B) known to harbor salmonellae in the feedlot environment, while historically producing cattle with opposing rates (one “high” and one “low”) of Salmonella prevalence in LNs, were used in this study. To determine whether this difference was due to cattle source or factors associated with different stages of feeding, weanling steers of common and known origin were followed through normal feeding stages at both operations. Eighty Angus-sired beef steers were harvested at each of four feeding stages: 1, postweaning; 2, background or stocker; 3, 60 days on feed; and 4, 120 days on feed. Left and right subiliac and superficial cervical LNs (n = 304) were collected from each carcass, and similar node types were p...
Impact of Psychiatric Comorbidity on Eating Disorder Outcomes

In the case that an eating disorder is primary, psychiatric comorbidity refers to the presence of any additional psychiatric diagnosis that simultaneously co-occurs with the eating disorder. Eating disorders in this entry refer to anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by a restriction of dietary intake that leads to low body weight and an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat. Bulimia nervosa is characterized by eating objectively large amounts of food that are accompanied by a sense of a lack of control and inappropriate compensatory behaviors, such as self-induced vomiting, laxative use, or excessive exercise. Binge eating disorder is characterized by eating objectively large amounts of food that are accompanied by a sense of a lack of control, but in the absence of compensatory behaviors seen in bulimia nervosa.
Predictors of Instructional Practices Among a Nationally Representative Sample of Home-Based Child Care Providers

Home-based child care is a widely-used form of child care. However, given its prevalence, there is little research examining the providers’ instructional practices and how these may vary by provider characteristics. The goal of this study is to describe variation in instructional practices among home-based child care providers and to examine predictors of instructional practices, including provider, program, and community characteristics. This study examines the instructional practices of listed and unlisted paid home-based child care providers using data from the National Survey of Early Care and Education through descriptive analyses and hierarchical multiple regression. Descriptive analyses suggest that providers across types report implementing learning activities, although this is more prevalent among listed providers. Results of a hierarchical multiple regression reveal that recent professional engagement predicts a higher frequency of planned learning activities for listed and unlisted paid providers, although the significant predictors are different for the two groups of providers. Home-based child care providers vary by provider type in the frequency of their instructional practices. Increasing access to professional development and social support opportunities may be an important strategy for supporting their implementation of educational activities with the children they serve. Additionally, different supports may be beneficial for listed and unlisted paid providers.
Role of leukocytes in the lung after endotoxin administration.

One of the conspicuous things about shock research is the large number of department heads and deans who have previously dabbled in this area. As a young investigator looking for areas in which to design studies, I quickly recognized this. With the assurance that such research would certainly be fruitful in terms of career development, if not in solving problems, I forged ahead, and I am proud to be a member of this group today. The field of shock research is conspicuous not only because of the large number of carefully controlled, double-blind, or well-designed randomized studies in experimental models of several species (most of which produce different results in the next investigator’s laboratories) The field is also notable for the large volume of incredibly unscientific clinical reports, based on studies of patients with incomprehensibly complex illnesses, which have been published and accepted by the medical community.
Pathophysiology of navicular syndrome.

Navicular syndrome is a degenerative disorder of the distal half of the flexor surface of the proximal sesamoid bone that is predisposed by faulty foot conformation. In horses that become symptomatic, the faulty conformation results in sustained application of nonphysiologic pressure by the deep digital flexor tendon against the flexor cortex of the bone. This force stimulates an intense bone remodeling response in order to attenuate the pressure. An unfortunate sequela of this response is active hyperemia and edema formation in the medullaoy cavity of the bone. The edema is organized by fibrous tissue resulting in venous entrapment, venous hypertension, vascular bone pain, and the onset of clinical signs.
Transcriptional Control of Lymphatic Endothelial Cell Type Specification

The lymphatic vasculature is the “sewer system” of our body as it plays an important role in transporting tissue fluids and extravasated plasma proteins back to the blood circulation and absorbs lipids from the intestinal tract. Malfunction of the lymphatic vasculature can result in lymphedema and obesity. The lymphatic system is also important for the immune response and is one of the main routes for the spreading of metastatic tumor cells. The development of the mammalian lymphatic vasculature is a stepwise process that requires the specification of lymphatic endothelial cell (LEC) progenitors in the embryonic veins, and the subsequent budding of those LEC progenitors from the embryonic veins to give rise to the primitive lymph sacs from which the entire lymphatic vasculature will eventually be derived. This process was first proposed by Florence Sabin over a century ago and was recently confirmed by several studies using lineage tracing and gene manipulation. Over the last decade, significant advances have been made in understanding the transcriptional control of lymphatic endothelial cell type differentiation. Here we summarize our current knowledge about the key transcription factors that are necessary to regulate several aspects of lymphatic endothelial specification and differentiation.
Phylogenetic Analysis Reveals that the 'Radial Centric' Diatom Orthoseira Thwaites (Orthoseiraceae, Bacillariophyta) is a Member of a 'Multipolar' Diatom Lineage.

The diatom genus Orthoseira Thwaites (Bacillariophyta) is a ubiquitous taxon in aerial diatom assemblages, with species found globally. Cylindrical cell shape and radial symmetry of this genus has led to its historical placement in the Coscinodiscophyceae ('radial centric' diatoms), but its systematic relationships have remained uncertain. We present a five-gene phylogeny, based on nuclear (nSSU rDNA) and chloroplast (rbcL, psbC, psbA, and psaB) genes to determine the phylogenetic placement of Orthoseira among the diatoms. The concatenated multi-gene phylogenies and nSSU-only gene tree demonstrate that Orthoseira is deeply embedded within a clade of the Mediophyceae ('multipolar centric' diatoms). Throughout all phylogenetic analyses, Orthoseira was shown to be sister to the genera Terpsinoe and Hydrosera. Through comparison of topologies reflecting competing hypotheses about the placement of Orthoseira, it was determined that the hypothesis that Orthoseira, represented here by O. dendroteres and O. roeseana, is a member of the Melosirales should be rejected. Therefore, lack of morphological similarity between Hydrosera, Orthoseira, and Terpsinoe is hypothesized to be the result of changes in habitat preferences that lead to an ancient divergence event between the Orthoseirales and the Hydrosera, Terpsinoe clade.
Time course of increased plasma cytokines, cortisol, and urea nitrogen in pigs following intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide

The emerging view is that reduced feed intake, lean muscle accretion, and growth in immunologically challenged pigs is the result of increased cytokine activity, but this has not been directly tested. To begin addressing this issue, 72 crossbred barrows and gilts (11.55 +/- .19 kg BW) were not fed for 12 h and then injected i.p. with 0, .5, or 5 micrograms/kg of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Blood was collected by jugular puncture at 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 h after injection. Plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), cortisol, plasma urea nitrogen (PUN), NEFA, and triglycerides were determined. Immunological stress was induced by LPS as indicated by increased secretion of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and cortisol. In pigs receiving 5 micrograms/kg of LPS, plasma TNF-alpha was increased 10-fold at 2 h after injection and was still elevated (P < .01) at 4 h. In these same pigs, plasma concentration of IL-6 was increased at 2 h and peaked at 4 h with levels exceeding baseline values by 200-fold (P < .01). Cortisol was elevated at 2, 4, and 8 h after injection (P < .01). The increased secretion of cytokines and cortisol in pigs injected with 5 micrograms/kg of LPS was followed by an increase in protein degradation, as evidenced by PUN values that were increased two- and threefold at 8 and 12 h after injection, respectively. However, unlike previous reports in laboratory animal species, plasma glucose, NEFA, and triglycerides were not altered by LPS. Nonetheless, as the period of feed deprivation progressed from 12 to 36 h, plasma NEFA and triglycerides increased (P < .05) and plasma glucose tended to decrease. We believe that immunological challenge induces cytokine synthesis and secretion in swine which, in turn, may induce protein catabolism.
Symptom Chronicity and Tobacco Use: Differences in Athletic and Nonathletic Candidates for Cartilage Surgery.

ObjectiveTo determine whether there are differences in symptomatic knee cartilage defects and rates of tobacco use among age-matched athletes versus nonathletes undergoing initial arthroscopic knee...
Decrypting Social Engineering: An Analysis of Conceptual Ambiguity

Social engineering is widely considered to be one of the most significant contemporary threats to information security. Despite its ubiquitous use among online criminal subcultures and security practitioners, there exists no single agreed upon conceptualization of “social engineering.” Responses from 37 qualitative semi-structured interviews with “social engineers” are analyzed using grounded theory methods to generate a subculturally grounded understanding of the term. The results of this analysis indicate that “social engineering” is nearly indistinguishable from other forms of fraud or influence except in the manner in which participants frame the concept. Drawing from the work of Mikhail Bakhtin (1981), we argue that the concept of “social engineering” is part of a linguistic heteroglossia that reveals the subcultural values and ideologies of its practitioners which are underpinned by a computational or mechanistic worldview.
From literal dreams to metaphorical dreaming: art, rhetoric, and self-creation

The rhetorical shifts used to capture oneiric experiences can materialize into a real-life shift between the imaginative and the experiential. By taking a Rortyan approach to the conception of the ...
Jail Visitation: An Assessment of Alternative Modalities:

The existing research on inmate visitation disproportionately focuses on the social ties between mother and child within a traditional face-to-face engagement at state prisons. This overreliance on...
Electrochemical Screening of Metallic Oxygen Reduction Reaction Catalyst Thin Films Using Getter Cosputtering.

Current commercial fuel cells operate in acidic media where Pt-containing compositions have been shown to be the best oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts, due to their facile reaction ...
Average lifetime lost (ALL): a descriptive statistic for assessing disease fatality with a COVID-19 example.

An opportunity exists for the addition of statistical measures to aid in Center for Disease Control & Prevention’s fulfilment of its goals for COVID-19 surveillance. The average lifetime lost ( ALL ) statistic attempts to measure the loss caused by a disease. This statistic will give another way to judge how deadly or benign, in an average sense, a disease is. This statistic may lower population anxiety by objectively demonstrating that the actual lifetime shortening effect of a disease is quite small. It will also give a way to make meaningful comparisons between different groups, diseases …
Degradation Mechanisms and Reliability Issues for Ferroelectric Thin Films

Ferroelectric perovskite thin films are being developed for a wide range of applications, including nonvolatile memories, high-density DRAMs (≥ 1 Gbit), integrated decoupling capacitors, piezoelectric sensors and actuators, IR detector arrays, and optical switches and modulators. While the fundamental properties (ferroelectric, dielectric, piezoelectric, pyroelectric, and electrooptic) of these materials are well suited to these various applications, the lifetime and reliability of devices is ultimately limited by degradation and aging phenomena [1]. Consequently, there has been extensive research devoted to understanding the mechanisms responsible for the degradation and/or aging of perovskite films with time, temperature, and external field stress [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19].
Survival Following Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Implantation in Patients With Amyloid Cardiomyopathy.

Background Outcomes data in patients with cardiac amyloidosis after implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation are limited. We compared outcomes of patients with ICDs implanted for cardiac amyloidosis versus nonischemic cardiomyopathies (NICMs) and evaluated factors associated with mortality among patients with cardiac amyloidosis. Methods and Results Using National Cardiovascular Data Registry's ICD Registry data between April 1, 2010 and December 31, 2015, we created a 1:5 propensity-matched cohort of patients implanted with ICDs with cardiac amyloidosis and NICM. We compared mortality between those with cardiac amyloidosis and matched patients with NICM using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazards models. We also evaluated risk factors associated with 1-year mortality in patients with cardiac amyloidosis using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models. Among 472 patients with cardiac amyloidosis and 2360 patients with propensity-matched NICMs, 1-year mortality was significantly higher in patients with cardiac amyloidosis compared with patients with NICMs (26.9% versus 11.3%, P 2.5 (HR, 4.34; 95% CI, 2.72-6.93). Conclusions Mortality after ICD implantation is significantly higher in patients with cardiac amyloidosis than in patients with propensity-matched NICMs. Factors associated with death among patients with cardiac amyloidosis include prior syncope, ventricular tachycardia, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and impaired renal function.
A Numerical Approach to Investigate the Influence of Resonator Setting and Volume Fraction on Stop Bands in an Acoustic Metamaterial

A quest for physics-based understanding of engineered metamaterials inspired numerous researchers to extract intricate features such as guiding and filtering elastic waves, wave focusing, topological insulation, cloaking etc. A traditional metamaterial is composed of a heavy core along with some other materials of dissimilar mechanical properties (e.g. stiffness, density). It is well-established that the frequency band gap can be formed by introducing the desired inconsistency of material properties between stiffer resonators and adjacent embedding matrices. Frequency band gaps are fundamental requirements of many engineering applications such as vibration control, noise mitigation, and energy concentrations. Hence, advanced researches are being carried out continuously to understand the control parameters (e.g. bandwidth, starting and ending frequencies) of the frequency band gap. In this article, a mass-in-mass metamaterial using elliptical anisotropic resonators are considered to investigate the influence of resonators’ geometric factors and volume fraction on band gap parameters. While the elliptical resonator is splitted diagonally in one or both opposite ends to analyze the influence of volume fraction of the resonators on stop bands, a second set of half-circular resonators are also investigated to analyze the impact of resonator parameters on frequency bands.
Making Waves: Principles for the Design of Sustainable Household Water Treatment.

Abstract Household water treatment (HWT) represents a key engineering intervention for billions of people's daily and emergency water needs. However, established HWT practices experience different challenges to achieve sustainability. Here, five essential principles are identified and discussed for the design of sustainable HWT, including treatment capability, environmental friendliness, user experience, economic viability, and social acceptance. A well-implemented HWT, with a consideration of energy resilience, relies heavily on advanced materials, innovative technologies, and/or creative designs capable of reliably abating both traditional and emerging contaminants, while minimizing undesirable chemical leaching and the formation of harmful disinfection byproducts. Environmental friendliness can be pursued by appreciably reducing environmental and energy footprints and properly managing HWT residuals. Meanwhile, a user-centered design approach and economic consideration need to be integrated into the HWT development to improve end users’ willingness to use and pay, respectively. Finally, social acceptance should be intertwined by fostering public acceptance and market adoption for strengthening commercial viability of new-generation HWT products. Given that these principles span across different domains, multidisciplinary collaboration is required throughout different stages of the HWT technology innovation.
Fact-Checking of Health Information: The Effect of Media Literacy, Metacognition and Health Information Exposure.

With the rampant circulation of health information, concerns for the information quality are growing. Thereby, scholars are calling for media literacy as an educative means to cultivate fact-checki...
Diagnostic and Cost Implications of the 2020 AUA Microhematuria Guidelines: Modeling Impact in a Large Public Health Care System.

PURPOSE We sought to model the diagnostic recommendations and associated costs of new hematuria guidelines regarding referral patterns, procedure utilization and urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) detection. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients with microhematuria were identified retrospectively. Initial encounter data were collected from January 2017 to May 2018 from a large public health care system; followup was continued to December 2020. Risk stratification was performed based on the American Urological Association 2020 microhematuria guidelines, and disease outcomes were analyzed within this framework. The guideline-recommended workups and costs were modeled; cost data were sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule for 2020. Modeled diagnostic volumes and costs were assessed for 2020 and 2012 microhematuria guidelines, respectively. RESULTS Of the 3,789 patients included for analysis, 1,382 (36.5%), 1,026 (27.1%) and 1,381 (36.4%) were retroactively stratified as low risk, intermediate risk (InR) and high risk (HiR), respectively. A total of 19 cases of UCC (17 bladder, 2 upper tract) were diagnosed, of which 84% were HiR. For high-grade UCC, 92% of cases were HiR. The 2020 guidelines recommended renal ultrasound for 1,117 InR cases, computerized tomography urogram (CTU) for 1,476 HiR cases, and cystoscopy for 2,593 InR and HiR cases combined. Total costs were $1,905,236 (2012) versus $1,260,677 (2020), driven mainly by CTU costs. Per-cancer detected costs were $100,276 (2012) versus $61,760 (2020). CONCLUSIONS In retrospect, the 2020 guidelines would have effectively risk-stratified microhematuria cases for detection of malignancies. As compared to the 2012 guidelines, application of the 2020 guidelines would result in significant changes to diagnostic and procedural volumes, while substantially reducing total and per-patient costs.
Social selectivity and social motivation in voles.

What factors drive the formation of social relationships can vary greatly in animals. While some individuals may be motivated to find social partners, others may just tolerate being around others. A desire to avoid strangers may also lead an individual to seek out acquaintances or friends. Sometimes a mix of these factors shape social behavior. Studying motivation for social relationships in the laboratory is tricky. Traditional laboratory animals like mice and rats do not bond with specific peers or mates. But small burrowing rodents called voles are a more relationship-oriented alternative to mice and rats. Prairie voles form selective and enduring preferences for both their mates and familiar same-sex peers. Meadow voles on the other hand, live alone much of the year but move in with other animals over the winter. Beery et al. show that social motivation in voles varies by relationship type, species and sex. In the experiments, voles were first trained to press a lever to get a food reward. Then, the food reward was swapped with access to familiar or unfamiliar voles. Female prairie voles strived to be with animals they knew rather than to be with strangers, while male prairie voles tried hard to access any female. In contrast, meadow voles did not overly exert themselves to access other animals. Beery et al. then measured oxytocin receptor levels in the brains of prairie voles. Prairie voles that had more receptors for oxytocin in part of their brain known as the nucleus accumbens worked harder to access their familiar partner. But individuals with more oxytocin receptors in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis were more likely to attack an unfamiliar animal. The meadow voles’ behavior suggests that they are more motivated by tolerance of familiar animals, while the female prairie voles may find it rewarding to be with animals they have bonded with. These differences may help explain why these two species of vole have evolved different social behaviors. The experiments also suggest that oxytocin – which is linked with maternal behavior – plays an important role in social motivation. Learning more about the biological mechanisms that underlie vole social behaviors may help scientists identify fundamental aspects of social behavior that may apply to other species including humans.
Creating and Selecting Instrumentation

Individuals charged with the development or selection of measuring instruments like to chide statisticians and evaluators, saying that they would be nothing if it were not for the data provided by the measurer. We are all indebted to someone. But it is true that we cannot really judge the impact or effectiveness of a program or project without some data. Data are broadly defined as anything ranging from verbal descriptions of playground behavior to scores on a standardized achievement test. Here we are considering data as coming from a variety of sources, sometimes using paper and pencil or behavioral/performance measures or perhaps using the human observer as an instrument. But no matter what the source, there are some standard criteria that all data should meet.