cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of calcium-dependent pathways of B-cell activation by DMBA

The purpose of the experiments described in these studies was to determine the effects of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) on B-cell activation produced by anti-IgD antibodies and interleukin-4 (IL-4). B and T cells are known to share many of the same biochemical pathways for cell activation by mitogen and antigen receptors. Previous studies in this laboratory have shown that DMBA inhibits mitogen-induced Ca2+ mobilization in murine and human T cells and produces an increase in intracellular Ca2+ in resting cells. The results of the present studies demonstrate that DMBA increases Ca2+ in resting B cells and inhibits B cell activation produced by anti-IgD antibodies, as measured by mobilization of free intracellular Ca2+ and [3H]thymidine incorporation. The proliferative response of B cells to insolubilized anti-IgD was suppressed only when cells were preexposed to DMBA. In contrast, IL-4 pathways of B-cell activation were insensitive to inhibition by DMBA, even when cells were preexposed. The induction of Class II MHC antigen (Ia) antigens on B cells by IL-4 was also found to be insensitive to DMBA treatment. These results suggest that DMBA suppresses only Ca(2+)-dependent pathways of B cell activation and indicate that altered Ca2+ homeostasis may be responsible for immunosuppression induced by this agent.
Spectacular Colleges and Spectacular Rankings: The 'US News' rankings of American 'best' colleges

This article applies Guy Debord's theory of the spectacle to the institutional field of contemporary American higher education. Our case study examines the US News & World Report system of college rankings, which has come to acquire a powerful role in determining exchange values among colleges and universities. Based on a document analysis of 12 issues of the USN, we present three processes by which it accomplishes the construction of the rankings spectacle: abstraction, valuation and legitimation. First, the USN abstracts images of colleges and universities in the form of discrete numbers. Second, these numbers are valued, compared and ranked as exchangeable commodities. Finally, we examine the discursive strategies employed by the USN to legitimize its rankings as accurate and useful. As higher education is a unique social institution associated with the notions of truth, knowledge, rationality and science, the widespread consumption and influence of the USN rankings illuminate the degree to which the s...
A Fresh Look at an Old Debate: Assigned Work Activities, Employment, and Post-program Earnings in TANF Work Programs

This study asserts that the type of work activity in which a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) participant engages affects the likelihood of employment and post-program earnings. Using a Heckman selection model on administrative data from Louisiana's social service office and unemployment insurance wage data (N = 15,816) and controlling for individual and parish characteristics, this study reveals that two work activities, on-the-job training and unsubsidized employment, are associated with an increased probability of employment. Further, unsubsidized employment, on-the-job training, and vocational education are positively associated with earnings, while job search, school attendance, and work experience are negatively associated with earnings.
Simulation of Segregation to Free Surfaces in Cubic Oxides

Segregation of isovalent solute cations to (001) and (011) free surfaces in cubic metal oxides is investigated using atomistic computer simulations. Solute concentrations are represented by a mean-field approximation, and equilibrium distributions of solute are calculated by minimizing the free energy. Surface energy effects are found to dominate segregation behavior, even when in competition with misfit strain energy effects. Results are compared with a conventional Langmuir-McLean (LM) analysis. The two approaches are found to agree well in certain cases, but the LM treatment fails to reproduce important phenomena revealed using the free energy method (i.e., segregation to subsurface atomic layers).
Fabrication of metal-organic framework-containing silica-colloidal crystals for vapor sensing.

The excellent sorption kinetics, reversibility, and guest-induced changes in the MOF structure and/or properties make them intriguing candidates, in particular, for sensing. However, only a few of these changes (mainly luminescence quenching) have been explored for sensing purposes due to their small magnitude or the diffi culty in their measurement. Integrating MOFs into devices will allow the measurement of these changes due to the uptake of guest molecules. [ 6 ] For example, the effective refractive index of a MOF should be sensitive to volatile molecules due to pore fi lling. This can lead to MOF-based optical devices for sensing these guest molecules. Here, we report an approach based on MOF-enshrouded colloidal crystals. Elsewhere we have described MOF-based sensors that rely upon the refractive-index modulation of Fabry–Perot interference peaks or localized surface plasmon extinction peaks. [ 7 ]
Distributed Quantitative Precipitation Forecasting Using Information from Radar and Numerical Weather Prediction Models

Abstract The benefits of short-term (1–6 h), distributed quantitative precipitation forecasts (DQPFs) are well known. However, this area is acknowledged to be one of the most challenging in hydrometeorology. Previous studies suggest that the “state of the art” methods can be enhanced by exploiting relevant information from radar and numerical weather prediction (NWP) models, using process physics and data-dictated tools where each fits best. Tests indicate that improved results are obtained by decomposing the overall problem into component processes, and that each process may require alternative tools ranging from simple interpolation to statistical time series models and artificial neural networks (ANNs). A new hybrid modeling strategy is proposed for DQPF that utilizes measurements from radar [Weather Surveillance Radar-1998 Doppler (WSR-88D) network: 4 km, 1 h] and outputs from NWP models (48-km Eta Model: 48 km, 6 h). The proposed strategy improves distributed QPF over existing methods like radar extr...
End-of-life care in the emergency department: nurses who invest in the nurse-patient relationship are better able to manage the emotional aspects of caring for dying people and their relatives.

Commentary on: Bailey C, Murphy R, Porock D. Professional tears: developing emotional intelligence around death and dying in emergency work. J Clin Nurs 2011;20:3364–72.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3] [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DJournal%2Bof%2Bclinical%2Bnursing%26rft.stitle%253DJ%2BClin%2BNurs%26rft.aulast%253DBailey%26rft.auinit1%253DC.%26rft.volume%253D20%26rft.issue%253D23-24%26rft.spage%253D3364%26rft.epage%253D3372%26rft.atitle%253DProfessional%2Btears%253A%2Bdeveloping%2Bemotional%2Bintelligence%2Baround%2Bdeath%2Band%2Bdying%2Bin%2Bemergency%2Bwork.%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1111%252Fj.1365-2702.2011.03860.x%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F22017523%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1111/j.1365-2702.2011.03860.x&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=22017523&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febnurs%2F17%2F3%2F94.atom
Surrender and Aesthetic Experience

Like love, surrender is a State of high tension and concentration, an undifferentiated State in which ‘anything can happen’; and its catch is unforeseeable. The painter, for instance, who surrenders as he paints may find his catch to be a painting; or the insight that he is not really a painter but rather a carpenter; or the production of a scientific paper, and innumerable other things. If we think of the case where the catch is a painting, we realize that the artist is a less unconditional surrenderer than the ordinary man. The reason is that, unlike the ordinary man, he surrenders as a maker, as one who makes a work of art; and making injects an element of differentiation into his surrender; it puts a qualification on its unconditionality, at the very least because he has to work with his media that he cannot suspend.1 We shall recall this at certain points of our discussion of aesthetic experience.
A compact fourth-order L -stable scheme for reaction-diffusion systems with nonsmooth data

Exponential time differencing Runge-Kutta (ETDRK) schemes based on diagonal Pade approximations for the numerical solution of reaction-diffusion systems containing nonsmooth data have the disadvantage of producing poor numerical results when the time steps are "too large" relative to the spatial steps. On the other hand, methods based on sub-diagonal Pade approximations do not suffer from this bottleneck. In this paper, we present a novel modified version of Cox and Matthews fourth-order ETDRK scheme based on sub-diagonal Pade approximation to matrix exponential functions in combination with compact fourth-order finite difference scheme (in space) for direct integration of reaction-diffusion problems with nonsmooth data. For an efficient implementation of the scheme, a partial fraction splitting technique is utilized in which it is required to solve several backward Euler-type linear systems at each time step. Moreover, the design of the algorithm offers parallel implementation, so we implement the proposed algorithm in parallel on two processors utilizing MatlabMPI (a parallel, message passing version of Matlab) and obtain that the parallel version is computationally more efficient than the existing schemes considered in this paper. We investigate the amplification factor of the scheme and plot its boundaries of stability regions which give an indication of the stability of the scheme. Calculation of the local truncation error and an empirical convergence analysis demonstrates the fourth-order accuracy of the proposed scheme. Accuracy, computational efficiency, and reliability of the new scheme are demonstrated with numerical examples and comparing it with existing schemes.
CONDITIONAL HITCHHIKING OF MITOCHONDRIAL DNA : FREQUENCY SHIFTS OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER MTDNA VARIANTS DEPEND ON NUCLEAR GENETIC BACKGROUND

Tests were performed of the selective neutrality of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants from geographic populations of Drosophila melanogaster in Argentina (ARG) and Central Africa (CAF). The two populations were completely reproductively compatible. The two distinct mtDNA haplotypes from the two populations were competed in replicate experimental populations on three nuclear genetic backgrounds: homozygous ARG, homozygous CAF, or hybrid ARG/CAF. Mitochondrial haplotype frequencies did not change significantly on either of the two homozygous nuclear backgrounds, and there was no change after experimental perturbation of haplotype frequencies. On the hybrid background, the ARG haplotype frequency increased significantly for the first two generations in all replicate populations but then did not change in subsequent generations. After perturbation, the ARG haplotype frequency increased in only one of four replicates. There is no evidence for selective differences among mtDNA variants in homozygous nuclear contexts or for nuclear-mitochondrial coadaptation. While some "fitness" difference among mtDNA variants is required to account for the observed frequency shifts, it appears that in these hybrid populations, mtDNA is hitchhiking on fitness variation among hybrid segregating nuclear genes. These results have implications for the use of mtDNA in the study of hybrid zones and gene flow.
Drug Repurposing Is a New Opportunity for Developing Drugs against Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Better the drugs you know than the drugs you do not know. Drug repurposing is a promising, fast, and cost effective method that can overcome traditional de novo drug discovery and development challenges of targeting neuropsychiatric and other disorders. Drug discovery and development targeting neuropsychiatric disorders are complicated because of the limitations in understanding pathophysiological phenomena. In addition, traditional de novo drug discovery and development are risky, expensive, and time-consuming processes. One alternative approach, drug repurposing, has emerged taking advantage of off-target effects of the existing drugs. In order to identify new opportunities for the existing drugs, it is essential for us to understand the mechanisms of action of drugs, both biologically and pharmacologically. By doing this, drug repurposing would be a more effective method to develop drugs against neuropsychiatric and other disorders. Here, we review the difficulties in drug discovery and development in neuropsychiatric disorders and the extent and perspectives of drug repurposing.
Randomized trials of induction chemotherapy. A critical review.

The incorporation of chemotherapy into a combined modality approach for treating newly diagnosed, advanced head and neck cancer has been under evaluation since the 1970s. In this review, the criteria for a well-designed prospective randomized trial are delineated based on prognostic factors determined from singleinstitution induction chemotherapy trials. The results of randomized controlled trials conducted from 1978 to the present are discussed with respect to their impact on survival, locoregional disease control, and the development of distant metastasis. Each study is then critiqued for its design, conduct, and interpretation. Organ preservation, improved locoregional control, and survival are important goals for future trials.
Abstract 218: The Role of Novel Tripartite Motif Proteins in Sarcolemmal Membrane Repair

Tripartite motif (TRIM) proteins are a superfamily of coiled-coil-containing RING E3 ligases that function in many cellular processes, particularly in membrane repair pathways. Mitsugumin 53 (MG53) also known as TRIM72, is primary expressed in skeletal muscle and heart. Our experimental data confirm that during membrane damage, MG53 translocates to the injury site and acts as a molecular glue to reseal the damage area. The role of MG53 in membrane repair has been demonstrated in both in vitro studies using molecular approaches and in vivo using rodent wild type and knockout models. Thus, our data indicate that recombinant human MG53 protein can be directly applied as a therapeutic agent to increase the membrane repair capacity of many cell types, including cardiomyocytes during acute injury or in chronic disease progression. However, the precise mechanism and potential partners by which MG53 executes its membrane repair function are not completely understood. On the basis of the global TRIM family protein alignment, we hypothesize that there are other TRIM proteins that, alone or together with MG53, may facilitate repair by targeting the site of an injury. Moreover, data from our lab demonstrated that MG53 and these TRIM proteins can form homo- and hetero-oligomeric assemblies due to the presence of the coiled-coil region in these proteins and, further, that this may be necessary for the active membrane resealing process. Using E. coli protein expression methodology we can generate and isolate new TRIM recombinant proteins and test if these protein complexes are effective when applied externally to cardiac and non-cardiac cells. These novel proteins will also be tested for their pharmacokinetic properties to determine their efficacy in both acute and chronic applications. Our studies should increase our knowledge of the mechanisms controlling cardiac membrane repair and also provide novel therapeutic targets.
Vision for the New Circulation

The pace of present-day change is dizzying; rapid evolutions in technology, lifestyle and demographics, burgeoning information, and challenges to our planet surround us. Never before has humankind experienced such immense societal shifts. In the face of so much change, one theme remains constant: the primacy of cardiovascular disease as the number one killer, of both men and women, around the globe. > Plus ca change plus c’est la meme chose This unfortunate reality is not for lack of assiduous effort, and robust success, at taming the acutely lethal manifestations of cardiovascular disease. Indeed, age-adjusted mortality from heart disease has declined a remarkable 75% over the past 50 years.1 This astonishing progress is the result of innumerable advances in our understanding of disease pathogenesis and intervention, culminating in a vast array of advances in prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. Given this degree of success, how is it that heart disease remains the No. 1 killer, still leading in this deadly race? Several developments contribute. For one, we have succeeded in many instances in transforming heart disease from an acutely lethal condition (eg, myocardial infarction–induced sudden death) to a chronic disorder that can be managed for years (eg, heart failure). Furthermore, people are living longer, allowing for lifelong accretion of the insults of cardiovascular stress (eg, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus) and consequent progressive impact on the heart. Finally, spectacular deteriorations in lifestyle, especially the worldwide pandemic of “diabesity”, are an important contributor. Thus, just as society has benefited from significant gains in treating and preventing the acutely lethal effects of atherothrombotic heart disease, the rules of the game have changed, and cardiovascular disease has emerged with new challenges. Never before has there been a time of greater challenge in cardiovascular science and medicine. Never before have we been equipped with such an …
Aptamer-hybrid nanoparticle bioconjugate efficiently delivers miRNA-29b to non-small-cell lung cancer cells and inhibits growth by downregulating essential oncoproteins

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are potentially attractive candidates for cancer therapy. However, their therapeutic application is limited by lack of availability of an efficient delivery system to stably deliver these potent molecules intracellularly to cancer cells while avoiding healthy cells. We developed a novel aptamer-hybrid nanoparticle bioconjugate delivery system to selectively deliver miRNA-29b to MUC1-expressing cancer cells. Significant downregulation of oncoproteins DNMT3b and MCL1 was demonstrated by these MUC1 aptamer-functionalized hybrid nanoparticles in A549 cells. Furthermore, downregulation of these oncoproteins led to antiproliferative effect and induction of apoptosis in a superior version when compared with Lipofectamine 2000. This novel aptamer-hybrid nanoparticle bioconjugate delivery system could potentially serve as a platform for intracellular delivery of miRNAs to cancer cells, hence improving the therapeutic outcome of lung cancer.
The spatiotemporal stability of dominant frequency sites in in-silico modeling of 3-dimensional left atrial mapping of atrial fibrillation

Background We previously reported that stable rotors were observed in in-silico human atrial fibrillation (AF) models, and were well represented by dominant frequency (DF). We explored the spatiotemporal stability of DF sites in 3D-AF models imported from patient CT images of the left atrium (LA). Methods We integrated 3-D CT images of the LA obtained from ten patients with persistent AF (male 80%, 61.8 ± 13.5 years old) into an in-silico AF model. After induction, we obtained 6 seconds of AF simulation data for DF analyses in 30 second intervals (T1–T9). The LA was divided into ten sections. Spatiotemporal changes and variations in the temporal consistency of DF were evaluated at each section of the LA. The high DF area was defined as the area with the highest 10% DF. Results 1. There was no spatial consistency in the high DF distribution at each LA section during T1–T9 except in one patient (p = 0.027). 2. Coefficients of variation for the high DF area were highly different among the ten LA sections (p < 0.001), and they were significantly higher in the four pulmonary vein (PV) areas, the LA appendage, and the peri-mitral area than in the other LA sections (p < 0.001). 3. When we conducted virtual ablation of 10%, 15%, and 20% of the highest DF areas (n = 270 cases), AF was changed to atrial tachycardia (AT) or terminated at a rate of 40%, 57%, and 76%, respectively. Conclusions Spatiotemporal consistency of the DF area was observed in 10% of AF patients, and high DF areas were temporally variable. Virtual ablation of DF is moderately effective in AF termination and AF changing into AT.
Linking LiDAR with streamwater biogeochemistry in coastal temperate rainforest watersheds

The goal of this study was to use watershed characteristics derived from light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data to predict stream biogeochemistry in Perhumid Coastal Temperate Rainforest (PCTR) watersheds. Over a 2-day period, we sampled 37 streams for concentrations of dissolved C, N, P, major cations, and measures of dissolved organic matter quality (specific ultraviolet absorbance, SUVA254) and bioavailability. Random forest – classification and regression tree analysis showed that aboveground biomass and structure and watershed characteristics, inclusive of mean watershed slope and elevation, watershed size, and topographic wetness, explained more than 60% of the variation in concentration for most measured constituents. These results indicate this approach may be particularly useful for predicting stream biogeochemistry in small forested watersheds where fine resolution is needed to resolve subtle differences in forest biomass, structure, and topography. Overall, we suggest that the use of LiDAR in...
p53-Mediated Stress and Tissue-Dependent Cell Fate Decisions; Implications for p53 Targeting

Abstract Abstract SCI-3 The activity of the p53 tumor suppressor is tightly regulated by Mdm2, an E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets p53 for degradation. Loss of Mdm2 in embryos or in individual tissues in vivo results in cell lethal events that are p53-dependent. A hypomorphic allele of p53, p53515C (encoding the p53R172P protein), rescues the embryonic lethality of Mdm2–/– mice. Mdm2–/– p53515C/515C mice, however, die by postnatal day 13 due to hematopoietic failure. In these mice, hematopoiesis is normal during embryogenesis. After birth, these mice had elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS), which activated p53R172P. p53R172P, in turn, induced ROS, creating a loop that caused cell death in the hematopoietic compartment. This phenotype was partially rescued with antioxidant treatment. The cell cycle inhibitor, p16, was also stabilized due to ROS, and its loss increased cell cycling and partially rescued hematopoiesis and survival. Thus, Mdm2 is required to control ROS-induced p53 levels for sustainable hematopoiesis. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Efficient Noise Variance Estimation Under Pilot Contamination for Massive MIMO Systems

Massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO) is expected to be one of the enabling technologies for fifth-generation cellular networks. One of the major challenges in massive MIMO systems is the accurate joint estimation of the channel and noise variance, which significantly affects the performance of wireless communications in practical scenarios. In this paper, we first derive a novel maximum likelihood estimator for the noise variance at the receiver of massive MIMO systems considering practical impairments such as pilot contamination. Then, this estimate is used to compute the minimum mean square error estimate of the channel. In order to measure the performance of the proposed noise variance estimator, we derive the corresponding Cramer–Rao lower bound (CRLB). Simulation results show that the estimator is efficient in certain scenarios, outperforming existing approaches in the literature. Furthermore, we develop the estimator and the CRLB for equal and different noise variance at the receive antennas. Although the proposed estimator is valid for all antenna array sizes, its use is particularly effective for massive MIMO systems.
Applied Behavior Analysis in Early Childhood Education: An Overview of Policies, Research, Blended Practices, and the Curriculum Framework

In this manuscript we attempt to provide a narrative history of the relationship between applied behavior analysis and early childhood education by examining the policies and research that have collaboratively shaped both fields. In addition, given the rapid pace at which early childhood education has changed in the last 25 years, we provide an overview of a recommended model for delivering early childhood education services, to illustrate its congruence with the practices and principles of applied behavior analysis. Lastly, we hope that this manuscript may be used as a bridge between the fields of early childhood education and applied behavior analysis given their similarities and shared purpose, to improve the lives of all recipients of their services.
Moving Teachers of Color from the Margin to the Center: Analyzing Teacher Testimonies of Educational Aspiration

Centering the voices of Teachers of Color creates an opportunity to understand frequently overlooked ways in which they navigate racial hierarchies in their quest to teach and thrive in schools settings. This research study places aspiring and current Teachers of Color at the center by examining their teaching and learning experiences through the analysis of their written testimonies to identify common academic and professional interests and explore how they navigate challenges to these interests.
Health Insurance for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders Under the Affordable Care Act.

This cohort study analyzed the extent of post–Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance coverage gains for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and whether disparities in coverage have narrowed over time.
General Solution for a Rectangular Sandwich Plate

A general solution applicable to the bending analysis of rectangular orthotropic sandwich plates is presented. By “general solution”, it is meant that the expression for the displacement vector includes, in explicit form, the boundary values of the statical quantities. The transverse contraction of the orthotropic core as well as the bending stiffness of the facings are considered. The variational principle is applied so that the natural boundary conditions as well as the displacement equations of equilibrium are obtained. Double finite Fourier transformations are employed to obtain a general solution for the displacements. In particular, Levy-type boundary conditions are considered and the solution for a simply-supported isotropic sandwich plate with given edge displacements is derived.
Correlates of Mortality in a U.S. Cohort of Youth, 1980–98: Implications for Social Justice

This paper reports results of a study based on a nationally representative sample of U.S. youth (N = 11,549) that asked two questions: (1) How does family structure affect the likelihood of adolescent death beyond that of race/ethnicity, sex, socioeconomic status, personal behavior, and other structural factors and (2) under what conditions might appeals for social justice be warranted for relative mortality statuses and for absolute gains in mortality? The study found that marital instability increases the likelihood of dying when controlling for a variety of other factors including class, race/ethnicity, sex, and unemployment rate in area of residence. The author argues that this finding lends support to social justice arguments to redistribute resources in such a way as to ensure the likelihood of absolute gains in mortality. The study also found, however, that race/ethnicity/sex also accounted for the likelihood of dying independently of family structure when controlling for socioeconomic and other factors. The author argues that this finding lends support to social justice arguments to redistribute resources on the basis of relative mortality statuses.
Combined early life stressors: Prenatal nicotine and maternal deprivation interact to influence affective and drug seeking behavioral phenotypes in rats.

Abstract Early life stress (ELS) increases the risk for later cognitive and emotional dysfunction , and has been implicated in the etiology of multiple psychiatric disorders . We hypothesize that combined insults during gestation and infancy, critical periods of neural development , could exacerbate neuropsychiatric outcomes in later life. Thus, we investigated the effects of maternal deprivation (MD) stress alone or combined with prenatal nicotine exposure (PNE) on negative affective states, ethanol drinking, and development of mesolimbic loci that regulate depression and drug dependence. On the elevated plus maze (EPM), MD rats exhibited ∼50% increase in risk-taking behavior/decreased anxiety when compared to control, but the combined MD + PNE did not affect this specific behavior. In the open field test, however, both MD and MD + PNE groups showed 2-fold greater locomotor activity. Furthermore, whereas MD showed greater latency to fall at 40 RPM on the rotarod compared to control, the MD + PNE animals’ latency to fall was significantly greater at all RPMs tested, with an approximate 15% enhancement in motor coordination overall compared to control and MD. Analyses of depressive symptomatology with the forced swim test (FST) yielded 2- and 3-fold higher immobility times in MD and MD + PNE respectively. When tested in an operant drinking paradigm to quantify the effect of treatment on 10%v/v ethanol drinking, the MD and MD + PNE groups showed heightened ethanol consumption by ∼3- and 2-fold respectively. However, the experience of PNE reduced ethanol consumption in adults relative to MD alone. To test the stressors’ impact on neurons in the amygdala and ventral tegmental area (VTA), mesolimbic anatomical regions associated with mood and reward, unbiased stereological measurements were performed and revealed ∼15% increase in number and density of neurons in the amygdala for both MD and MD + PNE, and ∼13% reduction in dopaminergic-like neurons in the VTA compared to control. We report here that multiple early stressors including prenatal nicotine and MD can modulate the neuroanatomy of the amygdala and VTA. These early life stressors can interact to influence the development of depressive-like and addictive behaviors.
Medikamente zur intravenösen Narkoseinduktion: Ketamin, Midazolam und Synopsis der gängigen Hypnotika

Schlusspunkte der Reihe „Medikamente zur intravenosen Narkoseinduktion“ bilden Ketamin und Midazolam. Beide konnen als Monotherapeutikum angewendet werden; dies ist in praxi aber unublich. Ihre Monogabe ist auf wenige sehr spezielle Indikationen und klinische Situationen beschrankt. Haufiger finden sich Kombinationen von Ketamin und Midazolam bzw. mit einer der Alternativen Propofol, den Barbituraten und Etomidat. Ursachlich sind Wirkungen und Nebenwirkungen beider Substanzen, deren positive Eigenschaften eher als Supplement zur Geltung kommen. Im abschliesenden Vergleich werden die behandelten Induktionshypnotika einander gegenubergestellt. Der Einsatz in bestimmten klinischen Konstellationen und bei speziellen Patientengruppen wird fur jedes einzelne Praparat bewertet. Es wird hervorgehoben, welches Medikament in welcher Situation am sinnvollsten erscheint. Da Methohexital mittlerweile in sehr wenigen klinischen Situationen verabreicht wird, wird bei der vergleichenden Bewertung auf diese Substanz verzichtet.
Catalytic Lewis Pair Polymerization of Renewable Methyl Crotonate to High-Molecular-Weight Polymers

Crotonates, unlike their constitutional isomers of methacrylates, are not readily polymerized by conventional radical or anionic polymerization methods. A recent effort in polymerizing biorenewable methyl crotonate (MC) using organic N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) initiators led to only dimerization. This contribution reports an effective polymerization of MC using Lewis pairs consisting of an NHC or N-heterocyclic olefin (NHO) Lewis base and a group 13 Lewis acid, in particular sterically encumbered methylaluminum bis(2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenoxide) (MAD), producing high-molecular-weight poly(MC) (PMC) with Mn up to 161 kg/mol under ambient temperature and solvent free conditions. Depending on the nature of the Lewis pair and reaction conditions, the polymerization proceeds either catalytically producing lower molecular weight PMC or noncatalytically leading to high-molecular-weight PMC. Investigations into initiation mechanisms have revealed both nucleophilic and basic pathways. The observation of th...
Toward a Global Business Standard for Supply Chain Ethics

In the evaluation of the ethical efficacy of companies within international supply chains, a major global trade issue remains. While top-tier globally sourced and delivered goods and services meet high quality standards regardless of the place of origin, there often remains a perception of ethical failings by the global supply chain partners’ business practices. Governments, companies, and individuals often question the fairness of trade practices along international supply chains and note companies locate production facilities in regions of the world with more lenient oversight of practices deemed unethical or illegal elsewhere. Would a global ethics standard that moves beyond mere recommendations eliminate such tactics and improve global ethics and international trade? This article presents a critical analysis of the leading global standards for business ethics and ends with a call for a more inclusive and comprehensive universal code of ethical conduct within a global supply chain. Once implemented, this code would be supported by third party auditing and reporting leading to an internationally recognized certification designed to publicize compliance by all participants in global supply chains.
Corneal nerve healing after in situ laser nerve transection

Purpose We have previously reported that lamellar dissection of the cornea transects stromal nerves, and that regenerating neurites form a dense net along the surgical plane. In these experiments, we have disrupted the stromal nerve trunks in situ, without incising the cornea, to determine the regeneration events in the absence of a surgical plane. Methods Thy1-YFP mice were anesthetized and in vivo images of the corneal nerves were obtained with a wide-field stereofluorescent microscope. A far infrared XYRCOS Laser attached to 20X objective of an upright microscope was used to perform in situ transection of the stromal nerves. 3 types of laser transections were performed (n = 5/group): (i) point transection (a single cut); (ii) segmental transection (two cuts enclosing a segment of nerve trunk); and (iii) annular transection (cuts on all nerve trunks crossing the perimeter of a 0.8 mm diameter circular area centered on the corneal apex). Mice were imaged sequentially for 4 weeks thereafter to assess nerve degeneration (disappearance or weakening of original fluorescence intensity) or regeneration (appearance of new fluorescent fronds). Beta-3-tubulin immunostaining was performed on corneal whole-mounts to demonstrate nerve disruption. Results The pattern of stromal nerves in corneas of the same mouse and in corneas of littermates was dissimilar. Two distinct patterns were observed, often within the same cornea: (i) interconnected trunks that spanned limbus to limbus; or (ii) dichotomously branching trunks that terminate at the corneal apex. Point transections did not cause degeneration of proximal or distal segment in interconnected trunks, but resulted in degeneration of distal segment of branching trunks. In segmental transections, the nerve segment enclosed within the two laser cuts degenerated. Lack of beta-3 tubulin staining at transection site confirmed nerve transection. In interconnected trunks, at 4 weeks, a hyperfluorescent plaque filled the gap created by the transection. In annular transections, some nerve trunks degenerated, while others regained or retained fluorescence. Conclusions Interconnected stromal nerves in murine corneas do not degenerate after in situ point transection and show evidence of healing at the site of disruption. Presence or absence of a surgical plane influences corneal nerve regeneration after transection.
Mining multi-site clinical data to develop machine learning MRI biomarkers: application to neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy.

Secondary and retrospective use of hospital-hosted clinical data provides a time- and cost-efficient alternative to prospective clinical trials for biomarker development. This study aims to create a retrospective clinical dataset of Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI) and clinical records of neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), from which clinically-relevant analytic algorithms can be developed for MRI-based HIE lesion detection and outcome prediction. This retrospective study will use clinical registries and big data informatics tools to build a multi-site dataset that contains structural and diffusion MRI, clinical information including hospital course, short-term outcomes (during infancy), and long-term outcomes (~ 2 years of age) for at least 300 patients from multiple hospitals. Within machine learning frameworks, we will test whether the quantified deviation from our recently-developed normative brain atlases can detect abnormal regions and predict outcomes for individual patients as accurately as, or even more accurately, than human experts. Trial Registration Not applicable. This study protocol mines existing clinical data thus does not meet the ICMJE definition of a clinical trial that requires registration
77) Impact of a comprehensive education program for parents of children requiring long term tracheostomy

BACKGROUND/METHODS: The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Kentucky Children’s Hospital (KCH) aimed to improve and standardize education to caregivers of patients with a fresh tracheostomy. The target population included all PICU patients with new tracheostomies. Incidence of readmission within one week or less after discharge, incidence of readmission within 8-30 days post discharge, the average number of admissions over the first three months after discharge, and length of stay (LOS) post tracheostomy placement were collected retrospectively (2014 –November 2015) and prospectively (December 2015 to March 2017). A …
Ablaufsteuerung paralleler Transaktionen

Die Ablaufsteuerung in DB-Systemen ist fur die Concurrency Control und das Scheduling paralleler Transaktionen verantwortlich. Als elementare Einheiten fu;r die Ablaufsteuerung fungieren dabei die Transaktionen. Wir legen wie bisher das ACID-Transaktionsmodell zugrunde.
A cross-sectional study of United States family medicine residency programme director burnout: implications for mitigation efforts and future research.

Background Academic physician burnout is concerning. Too little is known about factors associated with residency programme director burnout. Continued uncertainty risks adverse outcomes including graduate medical education leadership turnover and negative impact on recruiting and retaining under-represented minority residency programme directors. Objective This study assessed symptoms of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization) and depression along with evidence-based individual and environmental risk factors in a U.S. sample of family medicine residency programme directors. Methods The omnibus 2018 Council of Academic Family Medicine Education Research Alliance survey was used to contact programme directors at all Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited U.S. family medicine residency programmes via email. Descriptive data included programme director and programme characteristics, Areas of Worklife (workload, values and control), loneliness (lack companionship, feel left out and feel isolated), burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization) and depressive symptoms. Chi-square tests contrasted descriptive variables with burnout and depressive symptoms. Logistic regression (LR) modelled associations between significant descriptive variables and burnout and depressive symptoms. Results The survey response rate was 45.2% (268/590). Programme directors reported: emotional exhaustion (25.0%), depersonalization (10.3%) and depressive symptoms (25.3%). LR models found significant associations with emotional exhaustion (Workload: lacking time and other work-related resources); lack of companionship, depersonalization (North West Central residency region; Workload and lack of companionship) and depressive symptoms (Black/African American ethnicity). Conclusions One-quarter of U.S. programme directors report burnout or depressive symptoms. Future research should consider associated variables as possible intervention targets to reduce programme director distress and turnover.
Using metacommunity ecology to understand environmental metabolomes.

Environmental metabolomes are fundamentally coupled to microbially-linked biogeochemical processes within ecosystems. However, significant gaps exist in our understanding of their spatiotemporal organization, limiting our ability to uncover transferrable principles and predict ecosystem function. We propose that a theoretical paradigm, which integrates concepts from metacommunity ecology, is necessary to reveal underlying mechanisms governing metabolomes. We call this synthesis between ecology and metabolomics ‘meta-metabolome ecology’ and demonstrate its utility using a mass spectrometry dataset. We developed three relational metabolite dendrograms using molecular properties and putative biochemical transformations and performed ecological null modeling. Based upon null modeling results, we show that stochastic processes drove molecular properties while biochemical transformations were structured deterministically. We further suggest that potentially biochemically active metabolites were more deterministically assembled than less active metabolites. Understanding variation in the influences of stochasticity and determinism provides a way to focus attention on which meta-metabolomes and which parts of meta-metabolomes are most likely to be important to consider in mechanistic models. We propose that this paradigm will allow researchers to study the connections between ecological systems and their molecular processes in previously inaccessible detail. Despite growing interest in environmental metabolomics, we lack conceptual frameworks for considering how metabolites vary across space and time in ecological systems. Here, the authors apply (species) community assembly concepts to metabolomics data, offering a way forward in understanding the assembly of metabolite assemblages.
Characteristics of opioid prescriptions to veterans with chronic gastrointestinal symptoms and disorders dually enrolled in the department of Veterans affairs and medicare part D

Introduction Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and disorders affect an increasingly large group of veterans. Opioid use may be rising in this population, but this is concerning from a patient safety perspective, given the risk of dependence and lack of evidence supporting opioid use to manage chronic pain. We examined the characteristics of opioid prescriptions and factors associated with chronic opioid use among chronic GI patients dually enrolled in the DVA and Medicare Part D. Materials and methods In this retrospective cohort study, we used linked, national patient-level data (from April 1, 2011, to December 31, 2014) from the VA and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to identify chronic GI patients and observe opioid use. Veterans who had a chronic GI symptom or disorder were dually enrolled in VA and Part D and received ≥1 opioid prescription dispensed through the VA, Part D, or both. Chronic GI symptoms and disorders included chronic abdominal pain, chronic pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel diseases, and functional GI disorders. Key outcome measures were outpatient opioid prescription dispensing overall and chronic opioid use, defined as ≥90 consecutive days of opioid receipt over 12 months. We described patient characteristics and opioid use measures using descriptive statistics. Using multiple logistic regression modeling, we generated adjusted odds ratios and 95% CIs to determine variables independently associated with chronic opioid use. The final model included variables outlined in the literature and our conceptual framework. Results We identified 141,805 veterans who had a chronic GI symptom or disorder, were dually enrolled in VA and Part D, and received ≥1 opioid prescription dispensed from the VA, Part D, or both. Twenty-six percent received opioids from the VA only, 69% received opioids from Medicare Part D only, and 5% were "dual users," receiving opioids through both VA and Part D. Compared to veterans who received opioids from the VA or Part D only, dual users had a greater likelihood of potentially unsafe opioid use outcomes, including greater number of days on opioids, higher daily doses, and higher odds of chronic use. Conclusions Chronic GI patients in the VA may be frequent users of opioids and may have a unique set of risk factors for unsafe opioid use. Careful monitoring of opioid use among chronic GI patients may help to begin risk stratifying this group. and develop tailored approaches to minimize chronic use. The findings underscore potential nuances within the opioid epidemic and suggest that components of the VA's Opioid Safety Initiative may need to be adapted around veterans at a higher risk of opioid-related adverse events.
Direct observation of tungsten oxidation studied by in situ environmental TEM

Abstract In this study, in situ environmental transmission electron microscopy (ETEM) was applied, for the first time, to investigate the thermal oxidation of a pristine and a self-ion irradiated polycrystalline tungsten, using a MEMS-based gas cell at 500 °C to 900 °C in a 1 bar 2%O2/He gas mixture. By tracking the dynamic evolution of the tungsten oxide scale as it initiates, grows, and sublimates during a consecutive thermal oxidation experiment, we observed two distinctive tungsten oxide microstructure – one nanocrystalline o-WO3 scale grown on W{27 1 ¯ } and W{1 1 ¯ 8} and another o-WO3 scale exhibits a novel highly textured nanostructure. While the two oxide microstructures shared a similar thickness of ~200 nm after 40-min early-stage oxidation, the nanocrystalline scale on the W{27 1 ¯ } grew much more rapidly at 800 °C than the highly textured oxide at a higher temperature of 900 °C. This suggests both the microstructure of these tungsten oxide scales as well as their oxidation kinetics are highly sensitive to the tungsten surface orientation, and such correlations also change dynamically in the course of oxidation. We also discuss the tungsten oxidation mechanism, the effects of the TEM foil thickness, and the focused ion beam (FIB) Ga+ damage on in situ ETEM oxidation.
Impact of a Rapid Blood Culture Diagnostic Panel on Time to Optimal Antimicrobial Therapy at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Purpose:Utilization of rapid diagnostic testing alongside intensive antimicrobial stewardship interventions improves patient outcomes. We sought to determine the clinical impact of a rapid blood cu...
Reflectarrays with Ultra-Reconfigurable VO 2 Unit-Cells for Next-Generation Communication Systems

This paper presents a novel VO2-based reconfigurable reflectarray that is validated using array theory models. Use of VO2, a phase change material, as the reflecting material allows for ultra-reconfigurability by modifying the shape and size of the conducting patches. The designed square patch unit-cell demonstrated a reflection phase shift in the order of 310°. To calculate the radiation pattern and the directivity of a deployable 20 by 20 element reflectarray, a procedure based on array theory is used. A directivity between 28-30 dBi is obtained with good beam-scanning performance within ±50° elevation angle at 32GHz. The proposed VO2-based reflectarray unit-cell can adjust the geometrical pattern of the patch, which enables the reflectarray to dynamically change its frequency of operation and steer its beam; therefore, our proposed design is electronically reconfigurable. The main advantage of this antenna is the versatility of reconfigurable states it can achieve in real-time.