cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Probing Metal Ion Discrimination in a Protein Designed to Bind Uranyl Cation With Femtomolar Affinity.

The design of metal-binding sites in proteins that combine high affinity with high selectivity for the desired metal ion remains a challenging goal. Recently, a protein designed to display femtomolar affinity for UO22+, dubbed “Super Uranyl-binding Protein” (SUP), was described, with potential applications for removing UO22+ in water. Although it discriminated most metal ions present in seawater, the protein showed a surprisingly high affinity for Cu2+ ions. Here, we have investigated Cu2+ binding to SUP using a combination of electron paramagnetic resonance, fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopies. Our results provide evidence for two Cu2+ binding sites on SUP that are distinct from the UO22+ binding site, but one of which interferes with UO22+ binding. They further suggest that in solution the protein’s secondary structure changes significantly in response to binding UO22+; in contrast, the crystal structures of the apo- and holo-protein are almost superimposable. These results provide insights for further improving the selectivity of SUP for UO22+, paving the way towards protein-based biomaterials for decontamination and/or recovery of uranium.
182 PLACENTAL IMPERMEABILITY TO PARATHORMONE (PTH) 1–125 IN THE EWE

Studies altering plasma calcium levels have demonstrated that the maternal (M) and fetal (F) parathyroid glands appear to function automonously and suggest a lack of placental permeability to PTH. To determine whether the ovine placenta is permeable to PTH I-125, catheters were placed into the F abdominal aorta and pedal vein and M abdominal aorta and jugular vein in 5 date bred ewes at 121 to 135 days gestation. The studies were conducted 24 to 48 hours after surgery when the M and F arterial blood gases and pH returned to normal. Purified intact bovine PTH (1-84) was iodinated by the chloramine-T method. The placenta transfer of tracer quantities of PTH I-125 was studied in 5 animals in the M→F and 4 in the F→M direction. Simultaneous serial F and M plasma samples were obtained during the 60 minute study period and precipitated with 15% trichloracetic acid and the results expressed as percent dose/liter plasma. During the initial 20 minutes of the study, the t 1/2 was 21 minutes (r= -0.99) in the F and 21 minutes in the M (r=-0.99). In the M→F studies, no more than 0.3% of the injection dose/liter plasma was detected in the F and in the F→M studies, no more than 0.5% of the injected dose/liter plasma was detected in the M at 15 to 30 minutes post injection. Thus, during the 3rd trimester, the ovine placenta is impermeable to PTH I-125. The t 1/2 of PTH I-125 is similar in both the ovine F and M.
Decolonizing the Cosmo-Polis: Cosmopolitanism as a Rehumanizing Project

This chapter takes a critical approach to cosmopolitanism by examining the formative historical moments of Western cosmopolitanism. I examine the 16th century Spanish Valladolid debate with the end of uncovering the colonial-imperial root of modern cosmopolitanism that is the juridico-theological notions of property and freedom informing liberal humanism, with which cosmopolitanism is deeply entangled. I seek to reconsider cosmopolitanism in light of the lost tradition of negative cosmopolitanism, which can be found at the very inception of kosmopolites. In order to counter the problematic notion of the human that gave rise to the dominant liberal brand of cosmopolitanism, I turn to Martinican psychiatrist and revolutionary Frantz Fanon, who saw his cosmopolitan politics as a rehumanizing project against the European ideal of universal humanity, which is sustained only at the expense of dehumanization of others. Fanon helps us to reconceive cosmopolitanism as a movement of negation that resists the dehumanizing neocolonial theology of globalization.
The teacher preparation initiative: a professional development framework for faculty

Across the globe, preparing the next generation of teachers is one of the most important tasks for higher education. In this article, we discuss the Teacher Preparation Initiative (TPI), a successf...
Memorias y transformación de la identidad de lisette en la novela rosalía la infame de évelyne trouillot

espanolEn este articulo se presentara un analisis centrado en las memorias transmitidas a traves de los relatos de distintas personajes y en como estos resultan ser clave en la evolucion experimentada por la protagonista de la novela. El analisis se desarrolla apoyado por diversos recursos teoricos con los que se busca identificar los factores extraidos de dichos relatos orales y en como estos afectan la identidad de la protagonista. Al finalizar el analisis se concluye que la evolucion o adaptacion de la identidad de Lisette deriva en una trans-formacion de la misma que responde a una necesidad tanto social como personal de cambio. EnglishThis article will present an analysis focused on the memories transmitted through the stories of different characters and how they turn out to be key in the evolution experienced by the protagonist of the novel. The analysis is developed supported by various theoretical resources that aim to identify the factors extracted from these oral stories and how they affect the identity of the protagonist. At the end of the analysis it is concluded that the evolution or adaptation of Lisette's identity results in a transformation of it that responds to a social and personal need for change.
The Correlative Strength of Objective Physical Assessment Against the ECOG Performance Status Assessment in Individuals Diagnosed With Cancer

Background Individuals with cancer experience loss of function and disability due to disease and cancer-related treatments. Physical fitness and frailty influence treatment plans and may predict cancer outcomes. Outcome measures currently used may not provide sufficiently comprehensive assessment of physical performance. Objective The objectives of this study are to: (1) describe the development of a functional measure, the Bellarmine Norton Assessment Tool (BNAT), for individuals with cancer; and (2) assess the relationship between the BNAT and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status, a commonly used classification system by oncologists. Design This was a prospective cohort correlation study. Methods The BNAT encompasses 1 self-reported physical activity question and 4 objective tests: 2-Minute Step Test, 30-Second Sit to Stand, Timed Arm Curl, and Timed Up and Go. The BNAT score and its components were compared with ECOG Performance Status scores assigned by oncologists and analyzed for correlation and agreement. Results A total of 103 male and female individuals (ages 33-87 years) with various cancer diagnoses participated. The mean (SD) ECOG Performance Status score was 0.95 (0.87), range 0 to 3, and the mean BNAT score was 14.9 (4.3), range 5 to 24. Spearman agreement association of BNAT and ECOG Performance Status scores revealed a significant moderate negative relationship (r = -0.568). Limitations The BNAT was compared with the ECOG Performance Status, a commonly used but subjective measure. Additionally, a common data set was used for both deriving and evaluating the BNAT performance scale. Conclusions There was a moderate negative linear relationship of BNAT to ECOG Performance Status scores across all participants. Utilization of the BNAT may reflect overall physical performance and provide comprehensive and meaningful detail to influence therapeutic decisions.
An examination of help-seeking preferences via best-worst scaling.

Objective This study utilized best-worst scaling and latent class analysis to assess mental health treatment preferences and identify subgroups of college student help seekers. Method College students (N = 504; age: M = 20.3, 79.2% female) completed assessments of mental health treatment preferences, self-stigma, and distress. Results Students preferred utilizing friends and family, followed by professional mental health providers, self-help, keeping concerns to themselves, physicians, and lastly religious leaders. Latent class analyses identified four classes of respondents. Conclusions Subgroups of student help seekers include Formal Help Seekers who prefer professional mental health providers, Informal Help Seekers who prefer friends and family, Ambivalent Help Seekers who prefer family and friends but also keeping concerns to themselves, and Help Avoiders who prefer keeping concerns to themselves. Assessing treatment preferences among different student subgroups may constitute an initial step in identifying effective ways to address university-wide mental health concerns.
Development and Validation of a Model for Predicting Rehabilitation Care Location Among Patients Discharged Home After Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background Demand for joint replacement is increasing, with many patients receiving postsurgical physical therapy (PT) in non-inpatient settings. Clinicians need a reliable tool to guide decisions about the appropriate PT setting for patients discharged home after surgery. We developed and validated a model to predict PT location for patients in our health system discharged home after total knee arthroplasty. Methods We analyzed data for patients who completed a preoperative total knee risk assessment in 2017 (model development cohort) or during the first 6 months of 2018 (model validation cohort). The initial total knee risk assessment, to guide rehabilitation disposition, included 28 variables in mobility, social, and environment domains, and on patient demographics and comorbidities. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors that best predict discharge to home health service (HHS) vs home with outpatient PT. Model performance was assessed by standard criteria. Results The development cohort included 259 patients (19%) discharged to HHS and 1129 patients (81%) discharged to home with outpatient PT. The validation cohort included 609 patients, with 91 (15%) discharged to HHS. The final model included age, gender, motivation for outpatient PT, and reliable transportation. Patients without motivation for outpatient PT had the highest probability of discharge to HHS, followed by those without reliable transportation. Model performance was excellent in the development and validation cohort, with c-statistics of 0.91 and 0.86, respectively. Conclusion We developed and validated a predictive model for total knee arthroplasty PT discharge location. This model includes 4 variables with accurate prediction to guide patient-clinician preoperative decision making.
Youth Anxiety About Political News

This study assessed youth anxiety about political issues and associated characteristics. Caregivers (N = 374) were recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk and reported on their child’s anxiety about 15 voting issues covered in the media since the 2016 presidential election as well as their child’s psychological functioning and their own trait anxiety. For the majority of voting issues, over 50% of caregivers indicated that their child experienced at least one related worry; worries about the environment and gun violence were most common. Youth empathy and intolerance of uncertainty were each positively associated with worry about political issues but did not predict such worry after accounting for the effect of youth trait anxiety. Youth with clinical levels of generalized anxiety experienced more severe worry about political issues than did youth with minimal/subthreshold anxiety. Future studies should identify strategies for mitigating the negative impact of political news on youth with anxiety disorders.
Comparison of coatings for SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+ powder in waterborne road striping paint under wet conditions

Abstract Phosphorescent materials offer an alternative approach for roadway markings that could potentially supplement or supplant the traditional glass beads currently utilized. One challenge for these materials is their degradation when exposed to water. In this work, various water- protective coatings for SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+ including new proposed coatings are compared. The parameters that determine coating efficacy in a phosphor-coating-paint system are durability, transparency, adhesion, compatibility, and dispersibility. If a polymer exhibits good hydrolysis protection, then that polymer is likely to have functional groups that bond well to the phosphor surface and/or are compatible with the matrix and carrier. This work suggests the use of carboxylate functionalized polymers as a good starting point for further optimization.
Scaling arguments for a plasma experiment relevant to an interplanetary coronal mass ejection

We present the design of a plasma experiment scaled to be relevant to an interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) traveling from the Sun to the Earth. The experiment would launch a compact torus of plasma (the scaled analog of the coronal mass ejected by the Sun) into a magnetized background plasma (the scaled analog of the interplanetary medium, the diffuse magnetized plasma that fills the Solar System). We present the complete process of scaling the ICME system to a laboratory experiment: beginning with the ICME features that we aim to replicate with a laboratory experiment, explaining how these desired features are translated into specific design constraints, and presenting a set of experimental parameters that meet those constraints. We find that the experiment would be possible with plasma conditions typically achieved in large-scale facilities such as the Big Red Ball at the University of Wisconsin or the LArge Plasma Device at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Shock Team Approaches in Managing Cardiogenic Shock—Intersection Between Critical Care and Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology

The goal of this review is to evaluate the interface between cardiogenic shock management and advanced heart failure therapy deployment. Cardiogenic shock is an emergency, and rapid recognition should be the first step in management. Although early revascularization and mechanical support promote heart recovery, persistent severe cardiac dysfunction leading to inability to wean hemodynamic support happens in a majority of patients. A shock team approach to cardiogenic shock management has resulted in improved patient outcomes. The timely intervention of the advanced heart failure team for evaluation and mitigation barriers for successful left ventricular assist device implantation or heart transplantation is critical to triage patients for successful exit strategies. An organized, protocolized, patient-centered team of team approach is key to maximizing chances of recognizing potential advanced heart failure therapy candidates.
Mechanical and chemical properties of PVD and cold spray Cr-coatings on Zircaloy-4

Abstract Accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) cladding materials aim to improve fuel reliability and safety during accident scenarios in water-cooled reactors. These ATF cladding should also perform comparable or better than the current zirconium alloy cladding under reactor normal operating conditions. Surface-modified Zircaloy-4 was produced by depositing a protective coating of chromium by two different coating techniques, Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) and Cold Spray (CS). The coating thickness, structure, composition, and mechanical properties of the coated Zircaloy were assessed with advanced materials characterization techniques. Results showed a strengthening effect of the Cr-coating, along with ∼83% higher hardness compared to that of the Zircaloy-4 substrate. Surface topography and surface chemistry of the Cr-coated Zircaloy-4 were assessed with contact profilometry, atomic force microscopy, contact angle goniometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Deposited Cr-coating significantly improved surface wettability compared to the substrate Zircaloy-4. The formation of surface oxides on the coatings by prolonged exposure to ambient air showed a further increase in the hydrophobic behavior. Surface parameters and surface chemistry after flow boiling critical heat flux tests, conducted at atmospheric pressure, evidenced a slight increase in surface roughness with notable changes in wettability associated with the formation of surface oxides.
Tunable MXene-Derived 1D/2D Hybrid Nanoarchitectures as a Stable Matrix for Dendrite-Free and Ultrahigh Capacity Sodium Metal Anode.

Although sodium (Na) is one of the most promising alternatives to lithium as an anode material for next-generation batteries, uncontrollable Na dendrite growth still remains the main challenge for ...
Exploring Systematic Bias through Article Deletions on Wikipedia from a Behavioral Perspective

The gender gap in participation on Wikipedia is well established. The impacts of the participation bias on content may be expressed through a number of different behaviors. This research considers potential content biases that may result from efforts to delete content. We collect deletion data on a sample of article pages selected based on a method designed to identify content of likely interest to a specific group of people; men and women in this case. The analysis illustrates that there does not appear to be a systematic bias resulting in more deletions or nominations for deletions against content of likely interest to women. We consider how these results improve our understanding of bias and the ways peer production systems can mitigate the potential for biases.
Uncertainty about amplitude eliminates negative masking in a pure-tone amplitude discrimination experiment.

The role of uncertainty and its reduction in producing the “negative masking” of amplitude increments that is often observed in pure-tone amplitude discrimination experiments using circathreshold pedestals was investigated. It was found that negative masking is eliminated by uncertainty induced by roving the pedestal level across trials. On the basis of this finding, as well as those from a previous study, it is argued that, consistent with a longstanding theory of negative masking based on the notion of “intrinsic uncertainty,” negative masking requires near-optimal stimulus conditions, under which uncertainty about increment parameters is more or less absent.
Comment on ‘What are drug users looking for when they contact drug services: Abstinence or harm reduction?’ by Neil McKeganey, Zoë Morris, Joanne Neal, & Michele Robertson

(2005). Comment on ‘What are drug users looking for when they contact drug services: Abstinence or harm reduction?’ by Neil McKeganey, Zoe Morris, Joanne Neal, & Michele Robertson. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy: Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 265-266.
The Effect of Patient and Surgical Factors on Opioid Prescription Requests Following Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair

Purpose To determine whether differences in total morphine equivalent doses (MEDs) prescribed after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR) existed because of age younger than or older than 55 years and sex and to characterize potential risk factors for needing an opioid medication refill, visiting a provider other than the surgeon (either in the emergency department or ambulatory settings), and postoperative pain control requiring opioids approximately 6 weeks from the date of surgery. Methods A retrospective cohort study of 100 patients who underwent arthroscopic RCR between July 1, 2018, to November 30, 2018, in a single institution was performed. Data including demographics, perioperative treatments, and postoperative opioid prescriptions were recorded. Our primary hypotheses were evaluated with the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test. Univariate and multivariate analyses assessed potential risk factors for the 3 outcomes of interest. Results were given in adjusted odds ratios (aORs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and P values. Results There was a difference (P = .038) in total MEDs used (in 5 mg oxycodone tablets) between males (median 56 tablets; interquartile range, 50-98 tablets) and females (median 78 tablets; interquartile range, 56-116 tablets). Age younger than 55 years was a risk factor for seeking an opioid refill (OR = 2.51; CI, 1.11-5.66; P = .026). A significant risk factor for visiting another provider was preoperative opiate use (OR = 15.0; CI, 1.79-125.8; P = .013). Age younger than than 55 years (aOR = 2.51; CI, 1.01-6.02; P = .047), body mass index (aOR = 1.08; CI, 1.01-1.17; P = .046), and shorter surgical duration (aOR = 0.97; CI, 0.95-0.99, P =.007) were independent predictive factors for requiring opioids for pain control 6 weeks after surgery. Conclusions After arthroscopic RCR, MED prescription is higher for females than males. The risk factors for requesting opioid prescription refill for pain control 6 weeks after surgery were age younger than 55 years and shorter surgical duration. Level of Evidence Level III, retrospective comparative study.
Comparison study of patient demographics and risk factors for infections following primary total elbow arthroplasty

Abstract Background Infections are a feared complication following primary total elbow arthroplasty (TEA). Studies comparing baseline demographic profiles and identifying risk factors associated with developing surgical site infections (SSIs) or peri-prosthetic joint infections (PJIs), following primary TEA are limited. This study was therefore aimed to: (1) compare patient demographics; and (2) identify patient-related risk factors for the development of infections following a primary TEA. Methods Patients who underwent primary TEA from January 1, 2005 to March 31, 2014 were identified in an administrative claims database. The study group consisted of all patients who developed either SSIs within 90-days or PJIs within 2-years following the index procedure, respectively. A total of 23,134 primary TEAs were identified between 2005 and 2014, of which 757 (3.3%) were coded as being infected. Primary outcomes that were assessed included comparing baseline patient demographics and identifying patient-related risk factors for developing PJIs. Pearson's chi-square analyses were used to compare study group demographics to their counterparts. Welch's t-test was used to compare mean Elixhauser-Comorbidity Index scores between the cohorts. Multivariate binomial logistics regression was used to calculate odds-ratios (OR) for patient-related risk factors. A P value less than .05 was considered statistically significant. Results Patients who developed infections were significantly different compared to their counterparts with respect to the variables analyzed. Patients developing infections were found to have a higher prevalence of comorbidities as measured by mean Elixhauser-Comorbidity Index scores in patients who developed SSIs (7 vs. 5, P Conclusion This study demonstrated statistically significant differences between patients who developed and did not develop infections following primary TEA and identified a myriad of risk factors associated with these adverse events. The results from this study can help identify high risk patients by orthopedic surgeon in order to potentially mitigate the incidence of either SSIs or PJIs in patients undergoing TEA. Level of evidence Level III
The Signaling Value of Nonrecurring Items and CEO Market-Based Compensation

Nonrecurring items are often characterized as transitory and are assumed to be irrelevant for firm valuation. However, I find that industry-level measures of the informativeness of special items and discontinued operations help to revise market assessments of firm value, and these signals are also systematically associated with CEO market-based compensation. The results suggest that discontinued operations provide clear signals about the business environment in the sector and reduce goodwill, while special items send noisy signals about future performance and increase goodwill. I also find a significant positive (negative) link between CEO market-based compensation and the signals sent by discontinued operations (special items). My results suggest that compensation committees in firms across an industry consider the information contained in these nonrecurring items, and selectively alter the level of incentives pay to encourage managerial efforts.
Effect of Activated Carbon in Thin Sand Caps Challenged with Ongoing PCB Inputs from Sediment Deposition: PCB Uptake in Clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) and Passive Samplers.

Ongoing inputs, in the form of sediment deposition along with associated dissolved contaminants, have challenged the assessment of cap performance at contaminated sediment sites. To address this issue, thin 2–3 cm layer sand caps amended with activated carbon (AC) were investigated for the remediation of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contaminated marine sediments using 90-day mesocosms. All treatments were challenged with (1) ongoing clean or marker-PCB-spiked sediment inputs and (2) bioturbation. Bioaccumulation in hard clams (filter feeding near the cap-water interface) was evaluated to best understand cap effectiveness, relative to sheepshead minnows (confined to the surface water) and sandworms (which burrowed through the caps). All caps (sand and AC amended sand) provided isolation of native bedded PCBs (i.e., PCBs sourced from the bed), reducing uptake in organisms. Total PCB bioaccumulation in clams indicated that AC addition to the cap provided no benefit with spiked influx, or some benefit (56% reduction) with clean influx. Spiked input PCBs, when added to the depositional input sediment, were consistently detected in clams and passive samplers, with and without AC in the cap. PCB uptake by passive samplers located in the caps did not reflect the performance of the remedy, as defined by clam bioaccumulation. However, PCB uptake by passive samplers in the overlying water reasonably represented clam bioaccumulation results.
Is America Becoming a Nation of Ex-Cons?

Mass incarceration rates are only part of the challenge facing (and posed by) the American criminal justice system. An estimated 25% of U.S. adults already have a criminal record and, with new felony convictions being churned out at a rate of a million per year — one every 30 seconds — America’s ex-offender population is growing exponentially. Our country is well on its way to becoming a nation of ex-cons. Already, the ex-offender class is the nation’s largest legally discriminated-against minority group, and it is growing. The adverse social implications of this trend remain unclear and the critical demographic tipping point is still uncertain. But whatever the details, this is surely not good path for the nation to be on.
Kiglapait Intrusion, Labrador

The Kiglapait intrusion is the largest and youngest of a suite of troctolitic bodies in the Nain Plutonic Series of anorthosite and related rocks in Labrador. The intrusion is dated at 1307 Ma; the Manvers Granite cutting the intrusion is dated at 1300 Ma. The Kiglapait magma body was large and deep, with a 9.6 km thick roof and a depth of 8.4 km beneath an Upper Border Zone (UBZ) that records the entire history of fractional crystallization inverted, so that it runs upside down from troctolite to ferrosyenite. The magma cooled through the roof and the UBZ and only secondarily through the floor after the basal layers of cumulates were laid down. The crystallization time is estimated at 1 Myr. The lower 84 % of the intrusion is troctolite of the Lower Zone, succeeded by addition of augite, Fe-Ti oxide minerals, sulfide globules, and apatite in the Upper Zone. The slow arrivals of augite, oxide minerals and sulfide are succeeded by the sharp arrival of apatite. Apatite is dominated by fluorine, and the water content of the intrusion is estimated at 68 ppm. Plagioclase compositions vary from 68 to 10 %An and olivines from 72 %Fo at the base to 0 %Fo in the uppermost ferrosyenites. The An range and residual porosity decrease with time and stratigraphic height to 99 volume percent solidified (PCS) and then increase to the end of crystallization, suggesting the late influence of feldspar networks. Oxygen norms of whole-rock compositions are wildly scattered in a ternary augite-feldspar-olivine plot but cluster strongly near the ternary three-phase point. The UBZ has a higher range of residual porosity than the maximum values in the layered series. The partitioning behavior of nickel in olivine v. liquid shows a positive correlation between the partition ratio and the sulfur concentration in the melt; this result may be a clue to an early metal-sulfide saturation. Oxygen and sulfur isotopes are like those of the mantle. The low oxygen fugacity of the melt runs between the FMQ and WM oxygen buffers. Silica activity remained too low to crystallize low-Ca pyroxene and then rose sharply when Fe-Ti oxide minerals crystallized in excess. The cooling history of the magma from 0 to 99.99 PCS spans the range 1244–1023 °C referenced to 3 kbar and plots linearly with plagioclase composition except for three concave-up shelves related to the arrival of new phases. The magma source region has been explored to 15 kbar and the results suggest the melting of harzburgite with the assemblage Al-cpx, Al-opx, garnet, spinel, and olivine at > 1,400°C. The decompression of this liquid to the emplacement pressure of ~ 3 kbar would involve the removal of Mg-olivine to the extent of > 25 % and consequent evolution of the ascending magma. Thermal analysis of roof and floor regions provides useful insights on the adiabatic constraints of crystal and liquid gradients and the removal of latent heat.
Nephrectomy Via Ventral Median Celiotomy in Equids

Objective To report technique for, and outcome after, nephrectomy through a ventral median celiotomy in equids. Study Design Case series. Animals Equids with unilateral renal disease (n = 6), aged 2 months to 18 years, weighing 90–434 kg. Methods A ventral median celiotomy was used to access the left or right kidney. To facilitate surgical exposure, the small intestine was reflected towards the diaphragm using laparotomy sponges and the ascending colon was exteriorized and in some cases evacuated. The peritoneum over the affected kidney was incised and blunt dissection used to free the kidney from the retroperitoneal fat, then the renal artery, vein, and ureter were isolated and ligated. Abdominal lavage with sterile saline solution was performed before abdominal closure. Results Four horses, 1 donkey, and 1 mule had unilateral nephrectomy to treat verminous nephritis (1), idiopathic hematuria (1), and ectopic ureter (4). A ventral median approach provided adequate access to the kidney in all 6 cases. Two horses had postoperative complications (peritonitis, chylous abdominal effusion) that resolved with medical therapy. No complications attributable to nephrectomy were reported by the owners upon follow-up 1–8 years after surgery. Conclusions A ventral median approach for nephrectomy can be used for unilateral nephrectomy in equids weighing up to 434 kg.
Regional residential natural gas demand

Abstract In this note residential demand for natural gas in the Northeastern United States is reexamined in the context of a recently published study of regional energy demands in the United States. Issues are raised with respect to the regional variability in estimated income elasticities, the reliability of estimated cross-price elasticities, the choice of estimation technique, and the need to consider additional variables. The constant reevaluation of estimated elasticities is emphasized as a critical task in producing elasticities and other estimates that are useful for policy and other analysis.
The effects of a home-based exercise program on balance confidence, balance performance, and gait in debilitated, ambulatory community-dwelling older adults: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effects of a home-based standing exercise and balance training program on balance confidence, balance performance, and gait in debilitated, ambulatory community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: A quasi-experimental single group pre- to posttest design was utilized in 14 subjects, 9 male and 5 female, aged 71 to 85 years receiving home care. Measurements included the Falls Efficacy Scale (FES), Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA), and the One-Leg Stance Test (OLST) administered prior to and following 4 weeks of exercise and balance training. Participants trained twice per day, 5 days per week for 4 weeks, and maintained exercise logs. RESULTS: Pre- to posttest differences on the FES, POMA, and OLST were analyzed with the Wilcoxon signed rank test and the 2-tailed paired t test, respectively, with statistical significance set at .05. Analysis demonstrated significant improvements on the FES, POMA, and OLST following 4-weeks of standing exercise and balance training. Based on entrance and exit interviews, 6 of the 14 participants had a history of falls in the 6 months prior to the study, while only 2 participants reported having a single, minor fall by discharge. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present pilot study demonstrated significant improvement in balance confidence, balance performance, and gait in debilitated, ambulatory community-dwelling older adults following participation in a home-based exercise and balance training program. However, definitive conclusions need to await validation from more rigorously designed studies before the present training program can be confidently recommended to physical therapists engaged in home care practice. Language: en
Biomarkers in Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer, a potentially preventable disease, remains the second most common malignancy in women worldwide. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the single most important etiological agent in cervical cancer, contributing to neoplastic progression through the action of viral oncoproteins, mainly E6 and E7. Cervical screening programs using Pap smear testing have dramatically improved cervical cancer incidence and reduced deaths, but cervical cancer still remains a global health burden. The biomarker discovery for accurate detection and diagnosis of cervical carcinoma and its malignant precursors (collectively referred to as high-grade cervical disease) represents one of the current challenges in clinical medicine and cytopathology.
The role of ocean cooling in setting glacial southern source bottom water salinity

At the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), the salinity contrast between northern source deep water and southern source bottom water was reversed with respect to the contrast today. Additionally, Glacial Southern Source Bottom Water (GSSBW) was saltier than Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), over and above the difference implied by the mean sea level change. This study examines to what extent cold temperatures, through their effect on ice formation and melting, could have caused these differences. Computational sensitivity experiments using a coupled ice shelf cavity–sea ice–ocean model are performed in a Weddell Sea domain, as a representative case study for bottom water formation originating from Antarctic continental shelves. Ocean temperatures at the domain open boundaries are systematically lowered to determine the sensitivity of Weddell Sea water mass properties to a range of cool ocean temperatures. The steady state salinities differ between experiments due to temperature-induced responses of ice shelf and sea ice melting and freezing, evaporation and open boundary fluxes. The results of the experiments indicate that reduced ocean temperature can explain up to 30% of the salinity difference between GSSBW and AABW, primarily due to decreased ice shelf melting. The smallest and most exposed ice shelves, which abut narrow continental shelves, have the greatest sensitivity to the ocean temperature changes, suggesting that at the LGM there could have been a shift in geographical site dominance in bottom water formation. More sea ice is formed and exported in the cold ocean experiments, but the effect of this on salinity is negated by an equal magnitude reduction in evaporation.
Passive Dynamic Running

Previous work has considered how springy legs can improve the efficiency of the vertical motions of running, making them into resonant spring-mass oscillations that recycle energy from one step to the next. This paper considers how springy hips can be used to improve the efficiency of the legs' fore and aft swinging motions in running. We have studied a passive hopping machine model, composed of links, masses, and springs, but with no actuators. By tuning the mechanical parameters of the system and choosing appropriate initial conditions, we find reentrant trajectories for the system that coordinate the vertical body motions with the leg sweeping motions, and that accommodate ground interaction constraints. Data are presented from a computer simulation of the model.
Inactivation, sequence, and lacZ fusion analysis of a regulatory locus required for repression of nitrogen fixation genes in Rhodobacter capsulatus.

Abstract Transcription of the genes that code for proteins involved in nitrogen fixation in free-living diazotrophs is typically repressed by high internal oxygen concentrations or exogenous fixed nitrogen. The DNA sequence of a regulatory locus required for repression of Rhodobacter capsulatus nitrogen fixation genes was determined. It was shown that this locus, defined by Tn5 insertions and by ethyl methanesulfonate-derived mutations, is homologous to the glnB gene of other organisms. The R. capsulatus glnB gene was upstream of glnA, the gene for glutamine synthetase, in a glnBA operon. beta-Galactosidase expression from an R. capsulatus glnBA-lacZ translational fusion was increased twofold in cells induced by nitrogen limitation relative to that in cells under nitrogen-sufficient conditions. R. capsulatus nifR1, a gene that was previously shown to be homologous to ntrC and that is required for transcription of nitrogen fixation genes, was responsible for approximately 50% of the transcriptional activation of this glnBA fusion in cells induced under nitrogen-limiting conditions. R. capsulatus GLNB, NIFR1, and NIFR2 (a protein homologous to NTRB) were proposed to transduce the nitrogen status in the cell into repression or activation of other R. capsulatus nif genes. Repression of nif genes in response to oxygen was still present in R. capsulatus glnB mutants and must have occurred at a different level of control in the regulatory circuit.
Improved Treatment of Frequency Sums in Propagator-Renormalized Perturbation Theories

This work stems from calculations for Hubbard1,2,3 and Anderson lattice4,5 models in a self-consistent conserving Green’s function scheme6,7 known as the fluctuation exchange approximation (FEA).8 For the 2D Hubbard model, special features of band structure, such as Fermi surface nesting9 and van Hove singularities near the Fermi surface10,11 lead to anomalous frequency and momentum dependences of the self-consistent self-energy.3,12 At half filling the FEA self-energy develops a frequency dependence similar to that proposed for a marginal Fermi liquid,13 and the spin-fluctuation propagator appears to move exponentially close to an instability with decreasing temperature. When the spin-fluctuation propagator is sufficiently close to this instability, we have been unable to obtain stable converged solutions. For the half-filled 3D Hubbard model, where an antiferromagnetic phase transition is expected at finite temperature, we have studied the fully self-consistent spin response to a staggered magnetic field.14,* The results are qualitatively similar to those in 2D,15 and show no magnetic order for a range of U and T well within the antiferromagnetic phase expected from Quantum Monte Carlo simulations.16
Management of Neuroendocrine Tumors of Unknown Origin

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of unknown origin account for more than 10% of all NETs. Most of these tumors are poorly differentiated and, thus, very aggressive. Establishing the location of the primary tumor can be challenging. Workup of these NETs of unknown origin includes a thorough family history, immunohistochemistry, imaging, and OctreoScan. If the location of the primary malignancy is not determined, treatment is often initiated based on the grade and level of differentiation of the tumor, with well- and moderately differentiated tumors treated as carcinoid tumors, whereas poorly differentiated tumors are treated similarly to small cell tumors. Therapy is chosen based on symptoms and with the goal of debulking tumor when feasible and safe.
Incidence of Clostridium difficile infection in patients receiving high-risk antibiotics with or without a proton pump inhibitor.

Summary Background Considering the incidence and severity of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), risk reduction strategies are crucial. Prior studies suggest that proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use can increase the risk of CDI over antibiotics alone; however, data and guidelines have been conflicting. Aim The aim was to compare CDI incidence in patients receiving high-risk antibiotics, comparing rates in those prescribed a PPI versus those without overlapping PPI exposure. Methods This retrospective cohort study assessed the incidence of CDI in veterans receiving high-risk antibiotics over an approximately three-year period. High-risk antibiotics were defined as: ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, clindamycin, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, or cefixime. Findings We identified subjects who were prescribed any high-risk antibiotic, finding 3513 on a concomitant PPI and 6149 not taking a PPI. Of these subjects, 111 were diagnosed with CDI and met inclusion criteria. Baseline characteristics, CDI severity, length of hospitalization and antibiotic therapy prior to infection were similar in both groups. The incidence of CDI was significantly higher in patients prescribed a PPI (odds ratio: 2.2; 95% confidence interval: 1.52–3.23; P =0.0001). A strong association was found between concurrent PPI use with fluoroquinolones ( P =0.005) and clindamycin ( P =0.045). Conclusion The use of PPIs together with high-risk antibiotics was associated with a significantly higher incidence of CDI. Our study provides further support for the CDI prevention strategy of judicious PPI use, especially in patients receiving high-risk antibiotics. Prudent avoidance of PPIs may reduce the incidence of CDI, a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.
Validation of ionospheric weather predicted by Global Assimilation of Ionospheric Measurements (GAIM) models

[1] The ability of the Utah State University (USU) Global Assimilation of Ionospheric Measurements (GAIM) model to specify the day-to-day variability of the ionosphere is assessed by comparison of specified hourly values of foF2 with observations that were not assimilated by the model. If the specifications are to be an improvement over a climatological model with zero average error, the interdecile width of errors of the specifications at each hour must be less than the interdecile width of the observations. It has been found that the median specified values of foF2 for undisturbed days are quite accurate, and that the interdecile width of errors of the specifications is less than that of the observations most of the time for midlatitude sites, provided there is a GPS TEC site sufficiently close to the ionosonde site. The errors in GAIM values of foF2 for Australian locations tend to be larger for larger distances from a GPS site, and for low latitudes. GAIM also tracks the values of foF2 on disturbed days, but tends to be conservative, not reproducing the full extent of the departures of the disturbed values from the background values.
Beyond error bars: Understanding uncertainty in ultrashort-pulse frequency-resolved-optical-gating measurements in the presence of ambiguity.

Previously we showed that the “bootstrap method,” a well-known statistical technique, can be used to automatically compute error bars in ultrashort pulse measurements using frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) without the need for additional measurements or traditional error analysis. Here we extend the bootstrap method to pulse measurement in the presence of ambiguities, where traditional error bars would give misleading information. As a result, we provide a new approach to displaying this uncertainty, which nicely reveals the richness of information available (or perhaps unavailable) in a FROG trace (or other measurement) in the presence of ambiguities.
Malignant Transformation in Sinonasal Papillomas Is Closely Associated With Aberrant p53 Expression.

Background : Sinonasal papillomas are generally benign lesions that arise from the lining of the nasal or paranasal sinuses. Occasionally, however, they may undergo malignant change, an event that is poorly understood. To elucidate the possible molecular basis of this transformation, a series of these lesions were examined for abnormal p53 protein expression and for mutations in the genes of exons 5–8. Methods and Results : Eleven cases of sinonasal papillomas (seven with associated carcinoma) were analyzed immunohistochemically for overexpression of p53 protein, as were three cases of squamous carcinoma. Genetic analysis of exons 5–8 was performed via topographic genotyping of representative tissue and polymerase chain reaction amplification. All seven papillomas with associated carcinoma showed evidence of aberrant function of the p53 gene, as did the three squamous cell carcinomas. Several exhibited point mutations resulting in missense codons. One case possessed a nonsense mutation and was immunonegative. Conclusions : p53 gene mutation appears to be closely associated with malignant transformation in sinonasal papillomas, and genotyping of archival tissues is useful in the evaluation of malignant or potentially malignant lesions.
Hydrothermal synthesis, characterization, and growth mechanism of hematite nanoparticles

Polyhedron-shaped hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method by mixing FeCl3 and NH4OH at high temperature. In this work, the influences of experimental conditions such as the effects of the concentration of iron’s ion, NH4OH concentration, and reaction temperature on the hematite’s particle size, dispersity, and growth rate were investigated. Results show that hematite nanoparticles with good crystallinity with the particle size of 100 nm could be obtained when the hydrothermal reaction was carried out with concentration of Fe3+ = 16 mM, NH4OH = 40 mM, reaction temperature = 120 °C, and reaction time = 24 h. In addition, this study investigates the hematite nanoparticle-formation mechanism with reaction time. It is observed that the formation of hematite nanoparticles are initiated by the formation of intermediate phase of goethite nanorods in the early stage of hydrothermal reaction, which further transform into hematite crystal as the reaction is progressed.