cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Overall Survival in Patients With Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma, 2000-2019

Importance Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) historically has a 4-month median overall survival (OS) from time of diagnosis, with disease-specific mortality approaching 100%. The association between recent major advancements in treatment and OS has yet to be evaluated. Objective To evaluate rates of OS in patients with ATC over the last 2 decades. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective cohort study in a single tertiary care institution. Patients with histopathological confirmation of ATC from January 2000 to October 2019 were included and divided into 3 groups according to date of presentation: 2000-2013, 2014-2016, and 2017-2019. Main Outcomes and Measures Overall survival compared among different treatment eras and differing therapies, including targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and surgery. Results Of 479 patients (246 men [51%]; median age, 65.0 [range, 21.1-92.6] years) with ATC evaluated, 52 (11%) were stage IVA, 172 (36%) stage IVB, and 255 (53%) stage IVC at presentation. The median OS of the entire cohort was 0.79 years (9.5 months), ranging from 0.01 to 16.63. The OS at 1 and 2 years was 35% (95% CI, 29%-42%) and 18% (95% CI, 13%-23%) in the 2000-2013 group (n = 227), 47% (95% CI, 36%-56%) and 25% (95% CI, 17%-34%) in the 2014-2016 group (n = 100), and 59% (95% CI, 49%-67%) and 42% (95% CI, 30%-53%) in the 2017-2019 group (n = 152), respectively (P Conclusion and Relevance In this large single-institution cohort study spanning nearly 20 years, changes in patient management appear to be associated with significant increase in survival. The era of untreatable ATC is progressively being replaced by molecular-based personalized therapies, with integration of multidisciplinary therapies including surgery and radiation therapy.
Arthroscopic Bankart Repair

Anterior glenohumeral instability is among the most common conditions requiring orthopaedic care, particularly in the athletic population. The evaluation and management of anterior instability is dependent on many factors and a thorough understanding of each component of the patient's instability is necessary to achieve an optimal outcome. Patient factors including age, activity level, sport and number of instability events must be considered along with examination and imaging findings. A variety of treatment options, both surgical and nonsurgical, exist to manage anterior instability, however, selecting the optimal surgical treatment is not always simple. This review will discuss the role of the arthroscopic Bankart repair in the surgical management of anterior glenohumeral instability. The preoperative evaluation, surgical techniques, outcomes, and complications will be discussed in the context of the available literature validating this approach to surgical stabilization. The outcomes of arthroscopic Bankart repair will be reviewed including recurrent instability, return to sport and patient reported outcome measures to illustrate the appropriate application of this technique.
African Islamic Influences in Selected African-American Literary Writings

This chapter examines Africanisms and African Islamic influences or parallels in Zora Neal Hurston’s Mules and Men (1935), James Baldwin’s Go Tell It on the Mountain (1953), and Julie Dash’s Daughters of the Dust (1992), three of the most celebrated works of twentieth-century African-American literature. It shows examples of African Islamic traditions that either survived in African-American culture or have stark similarities there, and how these surviving African traditions can be identified and better understood by comparing Senegalese and African-American ways of worshipping, living, communing, and speaking. The chapter helps to develop a new method of studying African-American literature by focusing on African retentions and parallels in the black Atlantic world.
Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) Nanoparticles as Delivery Systems for the Improved Administration of Radiotherapeutic Anticancer Agents

This letter reports the development of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) as delivery systems that could potentially encapsulate and improve the administration of radiotherape...
Workplace Discrimination Experiences of Americans With Alcohol Use Disorders and Americans With Drug Use Disorders: A Comparative Analysis:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the patterns in allegations of workplace discrimination by individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) relative to those with other drug use disorders...
Malnutrition is a significant predictor of hospitalisation outcomes among older adults with sepsis.

Commentary on : Abugroun A, Nayyar A, Abdel-Rahman M, Patel P. Impact of Malnutrition on Hospitalization Outcomes for Older Adults Admitted for Sepsis. Am J Med. 2020 Aug 15:S0002-9343(20)30695-1. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2020.06.044. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32810466. Sepsis in older adults aged ≥65 years is detrimental and is a very important contributor to mortality and morbidity, including deconditioning and debility leading to significant health burden.1 Prevalence of malnutrition among older adults ranges from 29% to 61% and a significant determinant of health outcomes in this population.2 The complex inter-relatability of malnutrition and impact on outcomes across the spectrum of diseases among older adults’ population is not well described. Identifying and …
Social Ecology and Lawyering in the Anthropocene

Recognizing the short supply of serious political thinking about our planetary boundaries, this Article attempts to provide an advocacy framework for lawyers concerned with social justice and our collective future. Moving beyond theory and into praxis, it draws on the author’s experience in the city we call Dayton to open a multi-stakeholder cooperative full-service grocery store in a neighborhood faced with food apartheid. Using a community lawyering model to deliver legal services, this Article shows how the work of socially justice minded attorneys can be community driven, the role of a lawyering in supporting issues identified by the impacted community, co-creating solutions and supporting the client in carrying out a strategy. While noting we are living through unprecedented ecological and economic crises, this article offers Social Ecology as a framework for social justice as we navigate the Anthropocene. Further, it provides an example of how lawyers can support such a framework in a time of tremendous inequality, social unrest, and future uncertainty. Finally this article suggests through the praxis of Social Ecology and Communalism, cooperative incubators working in the solidarity economy are positioned to lead a dual power strategy that can replace the existing “grow or die” economic paradigm, with one that centers people and the environment while being responsive to community identified needs.
Pelizaeus–Merzbacher Disease

Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD) is classified into six types. Patients with type II PMD show congenital nystagmus, hypotonia, rigidity of the trunk and extremities, and mental and speech retardation as the main clinical symptoms. Brain MRIs show a high signal intensity in the white matter and a low signal intensity in the gray matter of the cerebrum. ABR tracings commonly show only waves I and II.
Leverage Risk and Investment: The Case of Gold Clauses in the 1930s

We study the impact of the 1933 abrogation of gold clauses on the slow recovery of corporate investment following the Great Depression. Legal challenges to the constitutionality of abrogating gold clauses exposed many firms to the possibility of a 69% increase in required payments to bondholders. We show that public firms with higher exposure to this risk reduced their investment in 1933 and 1934. For these firms, investment recovers quickly following the Supreme Court’s 1935 decision to uphold abrogating gold clauses. In the cross-section of firms, decreases in investment over 1933 and 1934 coincide with an increase in equity payouts. Our estimates imply that the risk of higher financial leverage accounts for about one-third of the decline in aggregate divestment by public firms over 1933 and 1934. This channel complements existing explanations of the slow recovery based on bank credit supply which public firms did not rely on.
Integrating Genetics, Morphology, and Fungal Host Specificity in Conservation Studies of a Vulnerable, Selfing, Mycoheterotrophic Orchid (Corallorhiza bentleyi Freudenst.)

Mycoheterotrophic plants derive most or all carbon and nutrients from fungal partners and represent poorly understood components of forest biodiversity. Many are rare or endangered yet can be ecological indicators of forest ecosystem function due to fungal host requirements. One such species is the IUCN red-listed (“vulnerable”), fully mycoheterotrophic orchid, Corallorhiza bentleyi. This recently described species is among the rarest plants in Appalachia, known from five counties in Virginia and West Virginia. The species has a restricted range, small population size, and is self-pollinating. Here, an integrative approach was taken in conservation genetic assessment of C. bentleyi using floral morphometrics, simple-sequence repeats, and fungal host DNA to characterize variation within and among sampling localities. Morphology reveals differentiation among individuals from six sampling localities. Surprisingly, most genetic variation is found within localities, contrary to the expectation for a selfing species. Fungal host DNA reveals extreme specificity upon a few genotypes of a single ectomycorrhizal host species, Tomentella fuscocinerea, across all localities. We discuss conservation implications of morphological, genetic, and symbiotic diversity in this vulnerable species, and recommend additional assessment of conservation status based on: an obligate reproductive mode of selfing, preventing benefits of outcrossing among genetically non-identical individuals; extreme host specificity, severely restricting niche space; and highly fragmented habitat under threat from anthropogenic disturbance. This study underscores the importance of integrative conservation assessment, analyzing multiple data sources, and reveals patterns not readily apparent from census-based assessments alone.
Biochemistry and Neuropharmacology

In this chapter, we review the important topics of biochemistry and neuropharmacology as it relates to older adults.
Crossterm-free time-frequency representation exploiting deep convolutional neural network

Abstract Bilinear time-frequency (TF) analyses provide high-resolution time-varying frequency characterization of nonstationary signals. However, because of their bilinear natures, such TF representations (TFRs) suffer from crossterms. TF kernels, which amount to low-pass weighting or masking in the ambiguity function domain, are commonly used to reduce crossterms. However, existing fixed and adaptive kernels do not guarantee effective crossterm suppression and autoterm preservation, particularly for signals with overlapping autoterms and crossterms in the ambiguity function. In this paper, we develop a new method that offers high-resolution TFRs of nonstationary signals with desired autoterm preservation and crossterm mitigation capabilities, especially for signals with slowly time-varying instantaneous frequencies. The proposed method exploits a convolutional autoencoder network which is trained to construct crossterm-free TFRs. For the signals being considered, the proposed technique with properly trained networks offers the capability to outperform state-of-the-art TF analysis algorithms based on adaptive kernels and compressive sensing techniques.
Integration of EGFR Inhibition With Radiation-Based Multimodality Treatment in Stage III EGFR Mutant NSCLC.

Purpose/Objective(s) Patients with stage III epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CRT) may not benefit from consolidation immune checkpoint inhibitors, and adjuvant EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment with osimertinib is now approved for stage IB-IIIA. Whether and how to integrate TKI into the treatment of unresectable or borderline resectable stage III disease is unclear. Materials/Methods Patients with stage III (AJCC 7th ed.) EGFR mutant NSCLC amenable to CRT ± surgery were enrolled onto an IRB-approved Phase II trial (clinicaltrials.gov registered) and received induction afatinib 40 mg QD x 2 months, either definitive or neoadjuvant CRT with cisplatin/pemetrexed, surgery if appropriate, and 2 years of adjuvant afatinib provided there was no primary progression during the induction phase. The trial was closed for slow accrual. The primary endpoint of objective response rate after induction TKI and early survival outcomes have been previously reported. This is a secondary analysis of recurrences and updated outcomes. Results Seventeen patients completed induction TKI and CRT ± surgery between 2012 and 2020. There were 74% females. Median age was 56 years (range, 34-75 years). Neoadjuvant and definitive median radiation doses were 54 Gy (range, 45-66 Gy) and 66.6 Gy (range, 63-72 Gy). Ten patients with biopsy confirmed N2 (n = 9) or N3 (n = 1) disease underwent surgery which showed a mediastinal sterilization rate of 60%. Adjuvant TKI was initiated in 14 patients including 1 case of off-protocol erlotinib. Three patients aborted TKI, 7 completed 2 years of TKI, 2 remained on TKI at last follow-up while 2 switched to other treatments after recurrence. Notably, of the 7 patients completing 2 years of TKI, 6 recurred after a median interval of only 3 months (range, 1-55 months) from the completion date. In total there were 11 recurrences. The dominant pattern of recurrence was distant with just 1 isolated local failure in a patient treated with definitive CRT. Five of 11 recurrences were CNS-only, all of which occurred after completion of adjuvant TKI at a median interval of 4 months. Four of these patients had intracranial disease control at last follow-up. No grade 3+ radiation treatment related toxic events were observed. With a median follow-up of 43.3 months for patients alive, median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) times were 32 months and not reached, respectively. 3-year PFS and OS rates were 31% (95% CI, 6-56%) and 69% (43-94%), respectively. Conclusion This trial highlights the efficacy of aggressive local therapy and the potential promise of TKI treatment for stage III EGFR mutant NSCLC though interpretations are limited by small sample size. One particular risk for patients was CNS-only recurrence suggesting that better CNS directed treatments and CNS surveillance strategies should be studied to increase cure rates in this unique, genotype-defined NSCLC population.
Perioperative nutritional support and malnutrition in infants and children with congenital heart disease.

Objective To assess the effect of nutritional status and cardiovascular risk on hospital outcomes after congenital heart surgery in infants and children. Design Retrospective study. Setting Cardiac intensive care unit in a tertiary-care children's hospital. Patients One hundred twenty-one patients 48 hours following cardiac surgery. Methods Demographics, Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery-1 (RACHS-1), Paediatric Index of Mortality 2, and Pediatric Risk of Mortality III scores were obtained on admission. CVICU nutritional intake was calculated for 7 days. Energy and protein needs were estimated using recommended guidelines. Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery-1 was categorized as (1–3) or (4–6). Malnutrition was categorized by Waterlow criteria and correlated with mortality risk, days of mechanical ventilation, and hospital and CVICU length of stay. Results Ninety-one patients who underwent cardiac surgery were categorized as RACHS-1 (1–3) and RACHS-1 scores of (4–6) (n = 30). Patients with RACHS-1 (4–6) had higher mortality risk by Pediatric Risk of Mortality III (4.9% vs. 2.6%, P < .01), longer CVICU (10.4 days vs. 4.8 days) and hospital stays (28 days vs.14 days), and more days of mechanical ventilation (4 days vs. 2 days) (all P < .005) than RACHS-1 (1–3). The prevalences of acute protein-energy malnutrition and chronic protein-energy malnutrition were 51.2% and 40.5%. The median hospital stay for mild, moderate, and severe chronic protein-energy malnutrition was 31, 10, and 22.5 days, respectively, vs. normal, 15 days (Kruskal–Wallis, P < .005). The average energy and protein requirements met on day 7 were 68 ± 27(SD)% and 68 ± 40%, respectively. Conclusion Although nearly half of the patients were malnourished at surgery, only two-thirds of their recommended caloric and protein requirements were provided by week 1. To improve hospital outcomes, care should be taken to optimize the nutritional condition of infants and children prior to and following surgical correction of congenital heart disease to improve hospital outcomes.
Ventricular septal defect with aortic insufficiency

Abstract 1. 1. A case of ventricular septal defect with aortic insufficiency due to prolapse of the right aortic cusp is reported. 2. 2. Cardiac catheterization and x-ray studies failed to show evidence of a left-to-right shunt. 3. 3. Surgery directed at correction of the aortic insufficiency by plastic repair of the aortic valve serendipitously revealed a ventricular septal defect and permitted successful repair of both defects by the transaortic approach.
Dietary energy source and density: effects of roughage source, roughage equivalent, tallow level, and steer type on feedlot performance and carcass characteristics.

The effects of roughage level (10, 20, or 30% roughage equivalent [RE]), roughage source (alfalfa vs cottonseed hulls), roughage regimen (constant RE vs 2% RE during the mid-finishing period), tallow level (1.2 vs 4.6%), and steer type (British crossbred [BRITX] vs Bos indicus crosses [BRX]) were evaluated in three experiments with a common allotment and several overlapping treatments. Steers (n = 432; initial weight = 326 +/- 26 kg) were divided into three BW blocks and allotted randomly to 72 pens and 24 treatments. Steers were fed steam-flaked, sorghum grain-based finishing diets for 124 to 166 d. Diets with 20% RE decreased gain efficiency and 30% RE diets decreased both gain (linear, P .2, < .05, and < .001, respectively) for the 10, 20, and 30% RE diets, respectively. Steers fed cottonseed hulls consumed more feed (9.6 vs 8.8 kg/d, P < .001) but tended to gain less (1.53 vs 1.58 kg/d, P = .11) than steers fed alfalfa, were leaner, and had fewer carcasses grading Choice (62 vs 77%, P < .05). Feeding 4.6% tallow decreased DMI (P < .05) and improved gain efficiency (P < .05) compared with 1.2% tallow. The BRITX steers consumed more feed (6%, P < .001) but were somewhat less efficient (3.5%, P < .05) than BRX steers. Carcasses from BRITX steers tended to be fatter than carcasses from BRX steers and more of them graded Choice (62 vs 37%, P < .01). Commercial BRX steers did not perform as well as BRITX steers on higher-energy-density diets (4.6% tallow or variable roughage regimen). Knowledge of the genetic background of feeder cattle can be important in the selection of dietary energy density and marketing expectations.
Comparison of ramipril and enalapril in patients with essential hypertension

Study Objective. To compare the clinical safety and efficacy of ramipril, a new long-acting nonsulfhydryl inhibitor of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), with enalapril. Design. A randomized, double-blind trial. Setting. Multicenter trial involving 4 large teaching hospitals and 12 community medical centers. Patients. One hundred fifty-nine patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension were enrolled. Two patients were excluded from the efficacy analysis because they failed to return for follow-up. Interventions. Patients were randomized to receive ramipril 2.5, 5, or 10 mg, or enalapril 5, 10, or 20 mg once/day for 3 or 4 weeks. Measurements and Main Results. At baseline, supine diastolic blood pressures ranged from 98–116 mm Hg. Supine and standing systolic blood pressures were reduced by 11.8 and 10.2 mm Hg with ramipril 10 mg (p≤0.001) and 9.3 and 10.7 mm Hg with enalapril 20 mg (p≤0.001). At the end of the 4-week trial, patients in all six dosage groups had clinically and statistically significant reductions in supine diastolic blood pressure compared with baseline values. The agents did not differ significantly with respect to their blood pressure-lowering effects. Both lowered plasma ACE activity; after 4 weeks, changes from baseline were highly significant for all dosage groups (p≤0.001). Conclusion. Ramipril was as effective in reducing blood pressure and was as well tolerated as enalapril. A larger average decrease in plasma ACE activity was achieved with ramipril over all dosages (71%) compared with that for enalapril (48%), suggesting that ramipril has greater ACE inhibition in the circulation.
Carbon rod atomizer applied to measurement of lead in whole blood by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

An atomic absorption method is described for determining lead in blood by means of the carbon rod atomizer. With the procedure, only a dilution of the whole blood sample is required, and results are comparable to those obtained by the more generally used atomic absorption flame technique. Advantages of the carbon rod include rapid analysis, simple sample preparation, and small sample volumes.
Tumor necrosis factor‐α promoter polymorphisms and the risk of rejection after liver transplantation: A case control analysis of 210 donor‐recipient pairs

After orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), allograft rejection remains an important problem and is the major reason that immunosuppressive therapy must be administered. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a proinflammatory mediator that is central to the immune response, and intragraft expression of this cytokine is increased during acute cellular rejection (ACR). Polymorphisms within the TNF promoter have been identified and correlated with alterations in production. The aims of this study were to determine if an individual patient's propensity to develop ACR is related to the presence of these genetic polymorphisms (either alone or in combination) within donor and recipient tissue and to determine if these polymorphisms affect patient survival after OLT. The study group consisted of 210 patients who underwent OLT between 1989 and 1999 with at least 6 months survival, including 42 cases who had evidence of acute cellular rejection (biopsy-proven, elevated enzymes, and response to increased immunosuppression) and were matched 4:1 to controls (n = 168) with similar age, gender, underlying liver disease, date of transplant, and baseline immunosuppression. The underlying liver diseases were hepatisis C virus (HCV)/alcohol (70), HCV alone (50), alcohol (30), primary biliary cirrhosis (15), primary sclerosing cholangitis (15), autoimmune hepatitis/cirrhosis (10), cryptogenic (15), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) (5). DNA was extracted from paraffin-embedded donor and recipient liver tissue (total 420 samples), amplified, and sequenced for TNF single-nucleotide polymorphisms (TNFA-308 A/G and TNFA-238 A/G). We found no differences between the TNF allelic distributions among donors without liver disease (presumably representative of a normal control population) and patients with end-stage liver disease undergoing OLT. Multivariate analysis revealed no association with TNF polymorphisms (within donor or recipient tissue) and rejection risk or patient survival after transplantation. In this large case control analysis of patients undergoing liver transplantation for diverse etiologies, TNF promoter polymorphisms were not independently associated with rejection or survival.
Relational partitioning of fuzzy rules

Abstract We discuss the process of fuzzy systems model building and describe the role played by the partitioning of the input space. We also introduce and investigate the idea of using fuzzy relations in the antecedent parts of the rules and show how to reason with these types of rules. We discuss the ability of relational antecedent type rules to provide alternative partitioning of the input space, their capacity to reduce the number of rules in the knowledge base, and their role in a natural description of input/output relations. Finally we look at the role these types of rules play in the typical fuzzy logic controller.
Biosynthesis of vicinal dihydroxy fatty acids in the red alga Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis: identification of a sodium-dependent 12-lipoxygenase and a hydroperoxide isomerase.

Abstract Biosynthesis of the vicinal diol fatty acid (12R,13S)-dihydroxy- (5Z,8Z,10E,14Z)-eicosatetraenoic acid from arachidonic acid was studied in preparations of the red alga Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis. The transformation consisted of initial 12-lipoxygenase-catalyzed oxygenation of arachidonic acid into (12S)-hydroperoxy-(5Z,8Z,10E,14Z)-eicosatetraenoic acid followed by hydroperoxide isomerase-catalyzed conversion of the hydroperoxide into (12R,13S)-dihydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid. Short time incubations and trapping experiments with glutathione peroxidase revealed that (12S)-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid existed as a free intermediate in the overall conversion. The 12-lipoxygenase was mainly present in the soluble fraction of homogenate of G. lemaneiformis. Further, gel filtration experiments showed that the soluble 12-lipoxygenase was a protein having a molecular weight of 84,000-89,000. The enzymatic activity of 12-lipoxygenase isolated by gel filtration was weak; however, addition of 0.8-1 M sodium chloride to such desalted enzyme increased the activity 20-fold. Experiments with different salts revealed that sodium ion was specifically responsible for the stimulatory effect. Hydroperoxide isomerase was about equally distributed between the high speed supernatant and particulate fractions. Gel filtration of hydroperoxide isomerase present in the soluble fraction showed two peaks of activity corresponding to proteins having molecular weights of 220,000 or greater, and 40,000-45,000. The stereochemical course of the biosynthesis of vicinal diol fatty acids was determined using stereospecifically deuterated 6,9,12-octadecatrienoic acids. The 12-lipoxygenase-catalyzed reaction consisted of antarafacial hydrogen removal and oxygen insertion, whereas the hydroperoxide isomerase catalyzed an intramolecular oxygenation which occurred with retention of the configuration of the carbon atom hydroxylated.
SAucier V. Katz, excessive force, and qualified immunity: A reason to believe in reasonableness

Civil liability is a concern of all police agencies. Since civil suits represent substantial potential negative consequences to criminal justice agencies, legal protections from law suits would seem to be of great importance to those working in the criminal justice system. Recently the Supreme Court of the United States decided the case of Saucier v. Katz (2001). This case addressed the issue of police immunity from a civil suit alleging use of excessive force. This article seeks to provide an examination of the case and the issues surrounding immunity.
Magnetization relaxation to equilibrium on large 2D Swendsen-Wang Ising models

Abstract We present results for the simulation of the magnetization relaxation time exponent on large Ising systems (up to 327682 spins) with Swendsen-Wang dynamics. The relaxation of the magnetization appears to decay with a power law behavior with effective z = 0.25 ± 0.05.
The Activities of the Yersinia Protein Kinase A (YpkA) and Outer Protein J (YopJ) Virulence Factors Converge on an eIF2α Kinase

The Yersinia protein kinase A (YpkA) and outer protein J (YopJ) are co-expressed from a single transcript and are injected directly into eukaryotic cells by the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis. When overexpressed in vertebrate or yeast cells, YpkA disrupts the actin-based cytoskeletal system by an unknown mechanism, whereas YopJ obstructs inductive chemokine expression by inhibiting MAPK and NF-κB signaling. Previously, we showed that the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe was sensitive to the kinase activity of YpkA. Here, we screened yeast for cellular processes important for YpkA activity and found that the eIF2α kinases mollify the toxicity imparted by the kinase activity of YpkA. Specifically, strains lacking the eIF2α kinase Hri2 were particularly sensitive to YpkA. Unexpectedly, the activity of YopJ, which conferred a phenotype consistent with its inhibitory effect on MAPK signaling, was also found to be dependent on Hri2. When expressed in S. pombe, YopJ sensitized cells to osmotic and oxidative stresses through a Hri2-dependent mechanism. However, when co-expressed with YpkA, YopJ protected cells from YpkA-mediated toxicity, and this protection was entirely dependent on Hri2. In contrast, YopJ did not confer protection against the toxic effects of the Yersinia virulence factor YopE. These findings are the first to functionally link YpkA and YopJ and suggest that eIF2α kinases, which are critically important in antiviral defenses and protection against environmental stresses, also play a role in bacterial virulence.
Subsurface Stratigraphy and Lithology of Tuscaloosa Formation in Southeastern Gulf Coastal Plain

The Tuscaloosa formation, which has, in the past, been classified both as Upper and as Lower Cretaceous, is examined from the subsurface viewpoint. The study was accomplished by means of deep wells located in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. Cuttings, cores, and log records seem to indicate the presence of a hitherto undetected marine zone within the Tuscaloosa. This zone is traced by lithologic changes and faunal content throughout the area mentioned. It is further suggested that the presence of this zone may account for the unsatisfactory determination of the stratigraphic position of the Tuscaloosa in eastern Georgia and South Carolina.
`If I Don't Know Them, I'll Get Killed Probably' How Children's Concerns About Safety Shape Help-seeking Behavior

Violence has eroded the childhood environment of many children in US cities. This study examined 60 7- to 11-year-old children's neighborhood perceptions and help-seeking behavior in Cleveland, Ohio (USA) neighborhoods with different levels of violence/crime. Results showed that children of neighborhoods of both low and elevated levels of violence were exposed to violence and expressed concerns about victimization. In light of these concerns, children described strategies to maintain personal safety while seeking help. Such strategies illustrate children's interactions with their local environments, interpreting environmental features and acting accordingly. Future work should examine the larger social forces shaping the environments in which these help-seeking strategies operate.
Moving Toward a Standard Military Computer Family

The three papers that follow this introduction describe a number of technical issues that have arisen out of studies sponsored by the three services. The end goal of the studies is to determine how best, if at all, the military should standardize its computer systems.
Predator size, prey size, and dietary niche breadth relationships in marine predators

Based on geographical and home range sizes, physiology, and gape limitation, a positive relationship between predator size and diet breadth is expected. Alternatively, larger predators might avoid smaller prey; in this case no relationship would be found. Here, I used a large data set on the diets of marine predators to describe and identify mechanisms responsible for the relationships among predator body size, diet breadth, and the mean, minimum, maximum, and variance of prey size. I found no relationship between predator size and diet breadth. Mean, minimum, maximum, and variance of prey size were all positively associated with predator size. I found that larger predators increase their minimum and maximum prey size with similar slopes, which explains the lack of relationship between predator size and diet breadth. The results support predictions of the hypothesis that optimal foraging is the main factor constraining the shape of the relationships among predator size, prey size, and diet breadth. Future research should focus on examining the relationship between body size and the breadth of different niche axis across different groups of organisms to assess whether a positive relationship between body size and niche breadth is a general rule in macroecology.
Esophageal perforation following use of the esophageal obturator airway

Four cases of esophageal rupture associated with the use of the esophageal obturator airway are presented and added to the fifteen cases already in the literature. The incidence of this complication may be greater than previously suspected since a systematic search for this complication has not been made in cardiac arrest patients. The mechanism of rupture of the occluded esophagus may be similar to that seen in postemetic rupture. Endotracheal intubation remains the procedure of choice in airway control of cardiac arrest patients, although the modified esophageal obturator airway with gastric tube may prevent the occurrence of esophageal rupture by allowing decompression of the esophagus.
Iodine and Thyroxine Metabolism in Anephric Patients Receiving Chronic Peritoneal Dialysis

ABSTRACT Iodide and thyroxine metabolism were studied in 5 renoprival patients undergoing chronic, weekly peritoneal dialysis as they were awaiting renal transplantation. The subjects were studied on a clinical research ward after equilibration for a 10- to 13-week period to the hospital diet. Each was dialyzed for approximately 1½ days weekly. Radioiodine kinetic studies conducted during the interval between dialyses indicated that the radioiodine distribution space and the thyroidal uptake rate constant were similar to values in normal subjects. The fecal excretion of iodide and iodide losses in saliva and sweat were increased somewhat. Mean iodine intake and calculated daily thyroidal iodide accumulation were similar to values in normal Arkansas residents. Iodide excretion in the dialysis fluid approximated that normally observed in the urine. Radiothyroxine kinetic studies indicated normal thyroxine distribution and normal fractional thyroxine degradation. Daily thyroxine turnover was significantly ab...
Rapid conversion of newly-synthesized orotate to uridine-5-monophosphate by rat liver cytosolic enzymes

It had been noted previously that the activity of mitochondrial dihydroorotate dehydrogenase was lower in crude tissue preparations containing cytosol than in isolated mitochondria. Closer examination reveals that the apparent lower enzyme activity is due to rapid conversion of newly-synthesized orotate to uridine-5-monophosphate by the cytosolic enzymes, orotate phosphoribosyltransferase and orotidylate decarboxylase.
Development of temperature-independent quantitative structure/reactivity relationships for metal- and acid-catalyzed reactions

Abstract Hydrocracking of a mixture of naphthalene and phenanthrene in the temperature interval 300–370°C offered information on the temperature dependence of rate, equilibrium and adsorption constants. The number of parameters needed to describe phenanthrene and naphthalene hydrocracking kinetics was then reduced by the development of temperature-independent quantitative structure/reactivity relationships (QSRRs) for the activation and reaction enthalpies and entropies. Activation energies for isomerization and ring opening reactions were correlated with the heat of formation of the intermediate carbocation. Activation energies for hydrogenation were correlated with the standard reaction enthalpy. The principle of compensation was successfully used to relate entropic quantities to enthalpic quantities. The existence of QSRRs allowed the kinetics of naphthalene and phenanthrene hydrocracking to be represented very satisfactorily, over a wide temperature range, in terms of just 17 QSRR parameters. These 17 parameters summarized the chemical information in 576 rate, equilibrium, and adsorption constants. Thus, the QSRR approach reduced the number of modeling parameters by about 97%.
Photodispersal from light traps by amoebas of Dictyostelium discoideum

White light at ≥10 4 μ W cm −2 caused amoebas of Dictyostelium discoideum to move out of light traps which were projected onto the amoebas on an agar substratum. An action spectrum calculated from the zero transition between accumulation in response to low light intensities and dispersal in response to high light intensities shows a primary maximum at about 405 nm and a secondary maximum at about 640 nm with a broad band in the long-wavelength blue and the green region of the spectrum. A preliminary analysis of the movement of single amoebas in response to unilateral lighting supports the hypothesis that the underlying mechanism for photodispersal is negative phototaxis from the light scattered by other cells within the light trap. Although absorption spectra of D. discoideum amoebas at room temperature show no absorption band corresponding with the 640-nm peak in the action spectrum, an absorption maximum at that wavelength is evident in spectra of amoebas at 77°K.
The Role of Policy in the Great Recession and the Weak Recovery

It’s been nearly five years since the recession of 2007–2009 ended. By all accounts, this very severe recession was followed by an extremely disappointing recovery. Economic growth dur ing the recovery has been far too slow to raise the employment-to-population ratio from the low levels to which it fell during the recession, or to close materially the gap between real GDP and potential GDP, in marked contrast to the rapid recovery from the previous severe recession in the early 1980s or from earlier severe recessions in US history. When you include both the periods of the recession and the slow recovery, economic instability has more than tripled according to a common measure of performance used by macroeconomists: the standard deviation of the percentage gap between real GDP and potential GDP rose from 1½ percent during 1984–2006 to 5½ percent during 2007–2012 (Taylor 2013) . In this paper I consider the role of economic policy in this poor economic performance. I. The Shift in Policy In evaluating the role of policy it is important to consider actions taken before, during, and after the financial panic in the fall of 2008. A careful look at the full decade from five years before to five years after the panic reveals that there was a significant shift in policy away from what worked reasonably well in the decades before. Broadly speaking, monetary policy, regulatory policy, and fiscal policy each became more discretionary, more interventionist, and less predictable in the years leading up to the
Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Posts may be More Likely to Fail in Anterior Teeth Than in Posterior Teeth Over a 10-Year Period

Article Title and Bibliographic Information 10-year survival evaluation for glass-fiber-supported post-endodontic restoration: a prospective observational clinical study. Naumann M, Koelpin M, Beuer F, Meyer-Lueckel H. J Endod 2012;38:432-5. Reviewer Dan Caplan, DDS, PhD Purpose/Question To determine the 10-year survival of teeth restored with one of three different glass-fiber-supported post systems, taking into account several other potentially relevant factors Source of Funding None mentioned Type of Study/Design Prospective cohort Level of Evidence Level 1: Good quality, patient-oriented evidence Strength of Recommendation Grade Not applicable
Semaphorin 3A Signaling Through Neuropilin-1 Is an Early Trigger for Distal Axonopathy in the SOD1G93A Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disease characterized by progressive distal axonopathy that precedes actual motor neuron death. Triggers for neuromuscular junction degeneration remain to be determined, but the axon repulsion factor semaphorin 3A (Sema3A), which is derived from terminal Schwann cells, is a plausible candidate. This study examines the hypothesis that Sema3A signaling through its motor neuron neuropilin-1 (NRP1) receptor triggers distal axonopathy and muscle denervation in the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS. Neuropilin-1 was found to be expressed in axonal terminals at the mouse neuromuscular junction in vivo and in NSC-34 motor neuron–like cells in vitro. In differentiated NSC-34 cells, an anti-NRP1A antibody that selectively blocks Sema3A binding to NRP1 prevented Sema3A-induced growth cone collapse. Furthermore, intraperitoneal injections of anti-NRP1A antibody administered twice weekly from age 40 days significantly delayed and even temporarily reversed motor functional decline while prolonging the life span of SOD1G93A mice. Histologic evaluation at 90 and 125 days revealed that anti-NRP1A antibody reduced neuromuscular junction denervation and attenuated pathologic alterations in ventral roots at late-stage disease. These data suggest that peripheral NRP1A signaling is involved in the pathobiology of this ALS model and that antagonizing Sema3A/NRP1 binding or downstream signals could have implications for the treatment of ALS.
Analytical Model for Gyro-Phase Drift Arising from Abrupt Inhomogeneity

If a magnetized-orbit-charged grain encounters any abrupt inhomogeneity in plasma conditions during a gyro-orbit, such that the resulting in-situ equilibrium charge is significantly different between these regions (q(sub1)/q(sub 2) approximately 2, where q(sub 1) is the in-situ equilibrium charge on one side of the inhomogeneity, q(sub 2) is the in-situ equilibrium charge on the other side, and q(sub1) less than q(sub 2) less than 0), then the capacitive effects of charging and discharging of the dust grain can result in a modification to the orbit-averaged grain trajectory, i.e. gyro-phase drift. The special case of q(sub 1)/q(sub 2) is notioned for the purpose of illustrating the utility of the method. An analytical expression is derived for the grain velocity, assuming a capacitor approximation to the OML charging model. For cases in which a strong electric field suddenly appears in the wake or at the space-plasma-to-crater interface from solar wind and/or ultraviolet illumination and in which a magnetic field permeates an asteroid, comet, or moon, this model could contribute to the interpretation of the distribution of fields and particles.
Bonding of SU-8 to glass for gastight picoliter reactors allowing in situ optical observation

Experimental tasks in chemistry and biology require large experiment statistics, small solution volumes, and no gas or vapor exchange with the environment. Microfluidics devices built of the epoxy-based polymer SU-8 comply with these requirements. However, the additional constraints of reactor thickness of several micrometers, localized temperature control, and optical access for high-resolution observation provide a challenge. We developed a device consisting of top and bottom glass plates separated by a layer of cross-linked SU-8, with a resistive microheater deposited at the bottom. Picoliter reactor volumes are achieved by suspending aqueous solution droplets in silicone oil held in a channel with cross-section 5???40??m2. The narrow channels lead to large capillary resistance and, in turn, high injection pressures. To achieve bonding of SU-8 to glass capable of withstanding such pressures, we optimized the oxygen plasma treatment of the polymer surface by monitoring the evolution of the treated surface with atomic force microscopy. We found that the plasma effect was fully determined by its power. The hydrophilicity of the treated surfaces was characterized by their contact angles with water. The treated surfaces were bonded to glass bottoms using a torque-controlled clamp with a 3??m smoothness of the holding plates. The bonding pressure and temperature were chosen in the gap between those for the glass transition of the SU-8 layer and fracture of the glass bottom.
Substrate-Adsorbate Coupling in CO-Adsorbed Copper.

The vibrational properties of carbon monoxide adsorbed to the copper (100) surface are explored within density-functional theory. Atoms of the substrate and adsorbate are treated on an equal footing in order to examine the effect of substrate{endash}adsorbate coupling. This coupling is found to have a significant effect on the vibrational modes, particularly the in-plane frustrated translation, which mixes strongly with substrate phonons and broadens into a resonance. The predicted lifetime due to this harmonic decay mechanism is in excellent quantitative agreement with experiment. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Effect of crown class and habitat type on climate–growth relationships of ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir

There is increasing interest in actively managing forests to increase their resilience to climate-related changes. Although forest managers rely heavily on the use of silvicultural treatments that manipulate stand structure and stand dynamics to modify responses to climate change, few studies have directly assessed the effects of stand structure or canopy position on climate–growth relationships – or examined how this relationship may vary among species or across environmental gradients. In this study, we analyzed variability in tree-ring series from 15 low-elevation stands in northeastern Washington (USA) using time series analysis and linear mixed effects models. Our objective was to assess the relative influences of species (Pinus ponderosa vs. Pseudotsuga menziesii), crown class (dominant vs. intermediate), and habitat type (Xeric vs. Dry-Mesic) on the climate responses of mature trees in unmanaged forests. We found that climate–growth relationships varied significantly between canopy classes and across habitat types but that these effects were highly species-specific. For P. menziesii, growth responses to temperature and precipitation did not vary between canopy classes. For P. ponderosa, however, regression coefficients for the relationship between temperature and radial growth were nearly twice as large for dominant trees compared to intermediate trees, and 84% of dominant trees were significantly influenced by precipitation, compared to only 62% of intermediate trees. In contrast, habitat-type did not significantly affect the climate responses of P. ponderosa, but did affect responses of P. menziesii. For example, for P. menziesii only 51% of trees in Dry-Mesic sites, were significantly affected by drought (PDSI), compared to 93% in Xeric sites. A better understanding of the relationship between climate sensitivity, species-specific hydraulic strategies, and stand dynamics is crucial for accurately predicting tree responses to climate change and designing forest treatments that will effectively reduce the climatic vulnerability of key forest species and habitats. Results may assist managers with understanding how altering stand dynamics will differentially affect climate-responses of individual species.