cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Solution Structure of the 128 kDa Enzyme I Dimer from Escherichia coli and its 146 kDa Complex With HPr Using Residual Dipolar Couplings and Small and Wide Angle X-Ray Scattering

The solution structures of free Enzyme I (EI, ∼128 kDa, 575 × 2 residues), the first enzyme in the bacterial phosphotransferase system, and its complex with HPr (∼146 kDa) have been solved using novel methodology that makes use of prior structural knowledge (namely, the structures of the dimeric EIC domain and the isolated EIN domain both free and complexed to HPr), combined with residual dipolar coupling (RDC), small- (SAXS) and wide- (WAXS) angle X-ray scattering and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) data. The calculational strategy employs conjoined rigid body/torsion/Cartesian simulated annealing, and incorporates improvements in calculating and refining against SAXS/WAXS data that take into account complex molecular shapes in the description of the solvent layer resulting in a better representation of the SAXS/WAXS data. The RDC data orient the symmetrically related EIN domains relative to the C2 symmetry axis of the EIC dimer, while translational, shape, and size information is provided by SAXS/...
Dental Caries Status and Need for Dental Treatment of Pennsylvania Public School Children in Grades 1,3, 9, and 11

Objectives: This cross-sectional study was designed to determine the caries status and provide a general evaluation of the level of dental treatment need of Pennsylvania public school children in grades 1, 3, 9, and 11 on a statewide and regional basis. Methods: Between September 1998 and May 2000, caries status and treatment need were assessed using a school-based dental examination, performed on a representative sample (n=6,040) of public school children in grades 1, 3, 9, and 11 (age range=6 to 21 years). Children's caries status in the primary and permanent dentition was assessed. Need for treatment was scored on a three-level categorical scale—no treatment need identified, routine treatment need, and urgent treatment need—and was based on the presence and severity of caries and other oral conditions. Population estimates of the prevalence of untreated dental caries, DMFT and dft scores, and treatment need were calculated by grade and geographically, using the six Pennsylvania health districts and the cities of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The inequality of caries distribution in the population was assessed for both permanent and primary caries using Lorenz curves and Gini coefficients. Results: Dental caries has remained highly prevalent among Pennsylvania's public school children. Caries levels varied considerably by health districts and city. Urgent treatment needs were significant and also varied by health district and city. Conclusions: Dental caries remains the most prevalent disease affecting Pennsylvania's schoolchildren. Caries status varies significantly by region of the state, suggesting that environmental, social, and demographic contextual factors may be important determinants of disease prevalence.
Phylospaces: reconstructing evolutionary trees in tuple space

Phylospaces is a novel framework for reconstructing evolutionary trees in tuple space, a distributed shared memory that permits processes to communicate and coordinate with each other. Our choice of tuple space as a concurrency model is somewhat unusual, given the prominence and success of pure message passing models, such as MPI. We use phylospaces to devise cooperative Rec-I-DCM3, a population-based strategy for navigating tree space. Cooperative Rec-I-DCM3 is based on Rec-I-DCM3, the fastest sequential algorithm under maximum parsimony. We compare the performance of the algorithms on two datasets consisting of 2,000 and 7,769 taxa, respectively. Our results demonstrate that cooperative Rec-I-DCM3 outperforms its sequential counterpart by at least an order of magnitude.
Estimation of ternary vapor‐liquid equilibrium

Isothermal vapor-liquid equilibrium measurements were made at 50°C. for the ternary systems acetone-methanol-chloroform, acetone-methanol-carbon tetrachloride, and acetone-methanol-methyl acetate, by means of an improved vapor-recirculation type of apparatus. The complete range of concentrations was investigated, including six of the seven constituent binary systems. Chemical methods, supplemented by density and refractive-index measurements, were used for analysis. Results are presented in the form of activity coefficients γ as a function of various concentrations. Binary and ternary constants for the three-suffix Margules equations were determined by plots of (log γ) / (1-x)2 as a function of the mole fraction x. Such equations have been found to represent both the binary and the ternary data adequately except in the system containing both methanol and carbon tetrachloride. For these mixtures a simplified four-suffix equation, including a single ternary constant, correlates binary and ternary equilibrium data. The data indicate that reliable estimates of ternary equilibria can be based on the assumption that the ternary constant C* is zero for mixtures in which all deviations from Raoult's Law are positive. This is interpreted as indicating that the probability of existence of trimolecular aggregates, two- or three-component, in ternary solutions is no greater than the average of probabilities of existence of trimolecular aggregates in the constituent binary systems. Based on equations of the Margules type, a procedure is outlined for determining binary constants rapidly and for planning experiments whereby a ternary system may be completely investigated with the aid of very few measurements. The composition changes that the accompany differential distillation of the three ternary mixtures are described qualitatively in terms of the shape of the vapor-pressure-composition surfaces.
Roles of Boredom and Life Goals in Juvenile Delinquency1

The relationship between possible selves and boredom in juvenile delinquency was examined in 418 high school students. The construct Possible Selves refers to the representation of the self that each person would like to become, could become, and is afraid of becoming. Participants who acknowledged high levels of delinquent behaviors reported more negative possible selves, a higher tendency to experience boredom, and fewer positive possible selves than did adolescents who engaged in lower levels of delinquent behaviors. Also, the number of negative possible selves, the number of positive possible selves, boredom proneness, and gender accounted for 32% of the variance in juvenile delinquency. Overall, the results provide evidence that boredom and a negative view of one's future play a significant role in adolescent delinquent behavior.
Alternate Measures of Replacement Rates for Social Security Benefits and Retirement Income

Discussions of retirement planning and Social Security policy often focus on replacement rates, which represent retirement income or Social Security benefits relative to pre-retirement earnings. Replacement rates are a rule of thumb designed to simplify the process of smoothing consumption over individuals' lifetimes. Despite their widespread use, however, there is no common means of measuring replacement rates. Various measures of pre-retirement earnings mean that the denominators used in replacement rate calculations are often inconsistent and can lead to confusion.Whether a given replacement rate represents an adequate retirement income depends on whether the denominator in the replacement rate calculation is an appropriate measure of pre-retirement earnings. This article illustrates replacement rates using four measures of pre-retirement earnings: final earnings; the constant income payable from the present value (PV) of lifetime earnings (PV payment); the wage-indexed average of all earnings prior to claiming Social Security benefits; and the inflation-adjusted average of all earnings prior to claiming Social Security benefits (consumer price index (CPI) average).The article then measures replacement rates against a sample of the Social Security beneficiary population using the Social Security Administration's Modeling Income in the Near Term (MINT) microsimulation model. Replacement rates are shown based on Social Security benefits alone, to indicate the adequacy of the current benefit structure, as well as on total retirement income including defined benefit pensions and financial assets, to indicate total preparedness for retirement.The results show that replacement rates can vary considerably based on the definition of pre-retirement earnings used and whether replacement rates are measured on an individual or a shared basis. For current new retirees, replacement rates based on all sources of retirement income seem strong by most measures and are projected to remain so as these individuals age. For new retirees in 2040, replacement rates are projected to be lower, though still adequate on average based on most common benchmarks.
Impairment of the collagenase-3 endocytotic receptor system in cells from patients with osteoarthritis.

Abstract Objective: Collagenase-3, a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-13) that can degrade collagen II and aggrecan, is produced by osteoarthritic (OA) chondrocytes and may contribute to matrix destruction in this disease. Our laboratory has previously identified a specific endocytotic receptor for collagenase-3 on osteoblastic and fibroblastic cells, which couples with the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP1) to mediate the internalization and degradation of this enzyme. We hypothesized that the activity of this receptor system is reduced in OA chondrocytes which may lead to increased local extracellular levels of collagenase-3 and increased destruction of the cartilage matrix at pericellular sites. Methods: Human chondrocytes and synoviocytes were obtained from OA knees at the time of joint replacement surgery and from non-arthritic control specimens following autopsy or surgery. Enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) was used to measure collagenase-3 secreted from primary cultures. Iodinated collagenase-3 was used to analyze the cell-surface binding, internalization and intracellular degradation of collagenase-3. Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to confirm chondrocyte phenotype and the expression of collagenase-3 and LRP1 mRNAs. Results: OA chondrocytes and synoviocytes demonstrated significantly reduced (75–77%) binding of recombinant 125 I collagenase-3. Internalization and degradation of the ligand was also significantly reduced (64–72%) in OA cells. Collagenase-3 removal was inhibited by the LRP1 receptor-associated protein (RAP). Conclusion: These results suggest a mechanism whereby impaired receptor-mediated removal of collagenase-3 in OA chondrocytes may lead to enhanced local degradation of the cartilage matrix. This work also implicates an LRP family member in endocytotic receptor-mediated collagenase-3 processing and suggests a novel therapeutic target for OA.
Integrated science for environmental decision-making: the challenge for biodiversity and ecosystem informatics

Information concerning biodiversity and ecosystems is critical to a wide range of scientific, educational, and government uses; however, much of this information is not easily accessible. This paper presents the core concepts underlying the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) , a Web-based system coordinated by the U.S. Geological Survey that provides data and information on U.S. biological resources and, through a variety of partnerships, biological resources in many other nations. This paper will highlight NBII development, implementation, technological innovation, and successful user applications at two regional nodes: the NBII Southern Appalachian Information Node and the NBII Central Southwest/Gulf Coast Node.
An innovative approach to visualization of stress

This paper describes the development of a tool to help students easily visualize stresses in truss structures through photoelastic visualization of quickly assembled truss structures. Clear polymer structural members of varying lengths were designed with the capability to be connected to form a variety of simple truss structures. This development effort was conducted across functional areas in a mechanical engineering technology department. Eventually, a fully developed mechanical toolkit will be used in conjunction with computational and numerical tools in the study of stress, strain, and strength analysis as well as offering a platform to teach instrumentation techniques in experimental stress analysis.
Expression and potential role of Fsrg1, a murine bromodomain-containing homologue of the Drosophila gene female sterile homeotic

We have isolated a cDNA which is a murine homologue of the Drosophila gene female sterile homeotic (fsh). This homologue, which we have designated Fsrg1*, contains two bromodomains and an ET motif characteristic of the Fsh sub-class of bromodomain-containing proteins. Northern blot hybridization analysis of adult tissues revealed that Fsrg1 was expressed at low levels rather ubiquitously, but most abundantly in the testis and ovary. Polyclonal antibodies raised against an Fsrg1 fusion protein were used to characterize the Fsrg1 gene product in tissues. Constructs were also generated in which the Fsrg1 cDNA was tagged with epitopes for hemaglutinin and used in transfection experiments. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the Fsrg1 protein migrates with a relative molecular mass of approximately 110 kDa, although the cDNA sequence would predict a protein of approximately 88 kDa. The migration at approximately 110 kDa was observed for both in vivo protein and protein produced in cultured cells. The Fsrg1 protein was localized to the nucleus when expressed in cultured cells, consistent with the presence of a nuclear localization signal motif in the Fsrg1 sequence. No kinase activity was detected for this nuclear protein as assessed in either autokinase or specific substrate assays. In situ hybridization analysis revealed strikingly high expression of Fsrg1 in granulosa cells of growing follicles in the adult ovary and suggested its possible involvement in folliculogenesis. Additional clues to its potential function were provided by the demonstration of its high level of expression in epithelia of tissues which undergo hormonally-modulated remodeling.
Spiritual Machines, Personal Bodies, and God: Theological Education and Theological Anthropology

Programs of theological education in Christian traditions are exploring “distanced learning” as one way to address certain challenges to their educational excellence. A major strand in a twenty-year old discussion of the nature and purpose of theological education has urged that analysis of theological schooling's failures and assessment of proposed remedies ought to be framed explicitly in theological terms as part of an ongoing inquiry into what makes theological education properly theological. This essay tries to show how following that advice can make a practical difference in assessing the merits of distanced learning. It does so by raising questions about the theological-anthropological assumptions, respectively, of theological education and of distanced learning.
PTHrP increases xenograft growth and promotes integrin α6β4 expression and Akt activation in colon cancer

Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) is expressed by human colon cancer tissue and cell lines. Expression of PTHrP and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) pathway components correlates with the severity of colon carcinoma. Here we observed a positive effect of endogenous PTHrP on LoVo (human colon cancer) cell proliferation, migration, invasion, integrin α6 and β4 expression, and p-Akt levels. There was a direct correlation between PTHrP expression and anchorage-independent cell growth. PTHrP significantly increased xenograft growth; tumors from PTHrP-overexpressing cells showed increased expression of integrins α6 and β4, and PI3-K pathway components. The higher expression of PTHrP in human colon cancer adenocarcinoma vs. normal colonic mucosa was accompanied by increased integrin α6 and β4 levels. Elevated PTHrP expression in colon cancer may thus upregulate integrin α6β4 expression, with consequent PI3-K activation. Targeting PTHrP might result in effective inhibition of tumor growth, migration and invasion.
World Trade in Used Automobiles: A Gravity Analysis of Japanese and US Exports*

We estimate a gravity model of Japanese and US exports of used automobiles that incorporates an original, ordered measure of protection in global, used automobile markets. The model confirms that, overall, protection by our measure is suppressive and often statistically significant and that what we term ‘Grubel income effects’ are present. However, Japanese export behavior appears to differ in some important respects from that of the USA, with distance and protection levels being less significant and left-hand side driving patterns being a critical explanatory variable.
Bilirubin binding contributes to the increase in total bilirubin concentration in newborns with jaundice.

OBJECTIVE: This study tests the hypothesis that the hourly rate of increase in plasma bilirubin concentration (ΔBT) would increase significantly with increasing binding avidity. METHODS: The plasma total bilirubin concentration (BT), unbound bilirubin concentration, and albumin concentration values for healthy newborns with jaundice (≤100 hours of age, ≥35 weeks of gestation, and ≥2.5 kg at birth) were obtained from medical records. ΔBT (in milligrams per deciliter per hour) was calculated as the slope of BT versus age (in hours). Binding avidity was quantified as the product of the albumin concentration and its bilirubin binding constant (K). Linear correlation was used to test the hypothesis that ΔBT would increase significantly with K·albumin concentration. RESULTS: The ranges of BT, unbound bilirubin concentration, albumin concentration, and K values for the 21 patients studied were 7.6 to 28.5 mg/dL, 0.53 to 2.52 μg/dL, 2.9 to 4.6 g/dL, and 38 to 163 L/μmol, respectively. ΔBT correlated significantly with K·albumin concentration (r2 = 0.23; P = .026). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma bilirubin binding avidity contributes significantly to ΔBT. This component of ΔBT is associated with a lower risk of bilirubin neurotoxicity, and studies aimed at incorporating plasma bilirubin binding avidity measurements into the algorithms used for management of newborn jaundice seem warranted.
THE EFFECTS OF CORTISONE ACETATE ON INTACT AND ADRENALECTOMIZED RATS DURING PREGNANCY

LEWIS (1923), Ingle and Fisher (1938) stated that after adrenalectomy J in the rat gestation terminates in normal delivery. Other investigators found that removal of the adrenals resulted in abortion in some instances (Wyman, 1928; Dessau, 1937; Tobin, 1941). Britton and Kline (1936), McKeown and Spurrel (1940) reported that all adrenalectomized pregnant rats failed to go through the normal process of gestation. Attempts at replacement therapy by adrenal cortical extracts or hormones were mostly but not always successful (Britton and Kline, 1936; Dessau, 1937; Walaas and Walaas, 1944; Houssay, 1945). In view of these divergent results and the availability of crystalline cortisone, it became of interest to determine the effects of this hormone on intact and adrenalectomized pregnant rats. A total of 174 female rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain weighing between 210–250 gms. at the time of conception was used in the various experiments. The animals were kept in individual cages. They were fed
The radiation‐induced copolymerization of tetrafluoroethylene and styrene at high pressure

The radiation-induced copolymerization of tetrafluoroethylene (A) and styrene (B) was studied in bulk and in perfluorotoluene at 22/sup 0/C at autogenous pressure and 260 and 510 MPa. The reactivity ratio for addition to A-ended radicals, r/sub A/ is effectively zero at the two lower pressures and is in the range 0.002 to 0.008 at 510 MPa. The other reactivity ratio, r/sub B/, is 6 at autogenous pressure and also at 260 and 510 MPa if the A content of the charge is less than 50%. If the A content is greater than 95%, r/sub B/ appears to be 100 at pressures of 260 and 510 MPa. The apparent variation in r/sub B/ cannot be explained by invoking a penultimate unit effect for B-ended radicals. Polymerization rates scatter somewhat, but all rates are quite small when the A content of the charge is in the range 95 to 99.8%. Polymers containing as much as 66% A appear to be inherently benzene soluble but frequently contain some gel because of radiation-induced crosslinking after their formation. No very high polymers were formed that contained more than a few percent A, even at high pressure. Features that complicated the study were immiscibility of themore » liquid monomers, extreme variation of the monomer-copolymer compatibility with charge composition, and freezing of B at high pressure. 5 tables.« less
Effects of Room Hue on Ratings of Self, Other, and Environment:

51 subjects were exposed to one of three experimental rooms which were decorated using either warm (yellow, orange, red), neutral (white), or cool (blue, green) hues. A 25-item semantic differentia...
Preference and Tranquility for Houses of Worship

Participants rated houses of worship for one of seven variables: preference, tranquility, age, visual richness, building care, potential for recovery from fatigued attention, and potential for reflection. Factor analysis of the preference ratings yielded four content categories: “contemporary,” “traditional,” “unusual architecture,” and “older red brick churches.” Preference was positively correlated with visual richness and building care in the contemporary and traditional categories and had a positive partial correlation with age in the traditional category. Tranquility was positively correlated with preference, building care, recovery, and reflection in the contemporary category but only with reflection in the traditional category. Tranquility was rated higher overall than preference. Preference and visual richness were lower for contemporary architecture than for the other categories, but there were no differences in tranquility. Apparently, raters felt they could achieve tranquility in most houses of worship but preferred those higher in visual richness.
Matching patient-specific expectations with physician-specific outcomes: Towards transparency in treatment decision-making and consent

This article hypothesizes that while the principles of evidence-based practice should serve as a guiding ideal for physicians, the manner in which this practice style is commonly implemented may be insufficient to the provision of truly informed decision-making and consent - especially in cases where outcomes are inextricably tied to technique, such as in the surgical subspecialities. Specifically, current methods of 'shared decision making' fail to adequately incorporate patient-specific expectations and physician-specific outcomes. A 'next-step', aimed at matching such expectations with outcomes is suggested and a method for implementation is presented.
Alcohol, Drugs, and Adolescent Sexual Behavior

In a 1990 Massachusetts-wide random digit-dial telephone survey of 16-19 year olds, 66% reported sexual intercourse of whom 64% had sex after drinking and 15% after other drug use. Thirty-seven per...
Interaction Between the Subterranean Termite Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) and the Entomopathogenic Fungus Metarhizium anisopliae in Foraging Arenas

The entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorokin was tested in the laboratory against field-collected groups of eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), in foraging arenas to determine the potential effect of a “trap and treat” protocol (trapping a part of the population, treating it with a biological control agent and releasing it back into the original population). Individual termites were treated with a suspension of M. anisopliae conidia and released back into the arenas containing untreated termites. After 5 d, 90% of the treated termites died in the arena, but untreated termites did not exhibit a significant increase in mortality within 90 d after release, indicating no transfer of viable M. anisopliae and no epizootic. Although M. anisopliae was isolated from the arenas after 90 d, the average number of fungal colony-forming units recovered was <0.1% of the conidia introduced.
Teaching Health Care Administration in Athletic Training: A Unique Approach

Health care administration is a challenging topic to teach due to the inability for students to directly engage in many of the activities such as insurance billing, inventory, and ordering equipmen...
Accurate Performance Estimation using Circuit Matrix Models in Analog Circuit Synthesis

Optimization based sizing methods allow automating the synthesis of analog circuits. Automated analog circuit synthesis techniques depend on fast and reliable estimation of circuit performance. This paper presents a highly accurate method of estimating performances by constructing models of the circuit matrix instead of the traditionally used performance models. Device matching in analog circuits is utilized to identify identical elements in the circuit matrix and reduce the number of elements to be modeled. Experiments conducted on benchmark circuits demonstrate the effectiveness of the method in achieving correct performance prediction. Results show that the performances can be predicted within a mean error of 0.1% compared to a SPICE simulation. Techniques such as hashing and near neighbor searches are proposed to expedite the matrix model evaluation procedure. These techniques avoid recomputations by saving previously visited solutions. The procedure is used for synthesizing analog circuits from various specifications such as performance parameters, frequency response. The proposed method gives accurate results for synthesis for various types of circuit specifications.
White opioids: Pharmaceutical race and the war on drugs that wasn't.

The US ‘War on Drugs’ has had a profound role in reinforcing racial hierarchies. Although Black Americans are no more likely than Whites to use illicit drugs, they are 6–10 times more likely to be incarcerated for drug offenses. Meanwhile, a very different system for responding to the drug use of Whites has emerged. This article uses the recent history of White opioids – the synthetic opiates such as OxyContin® that gained notoriety starting in the 1990s in connection with epidemic prescription medication abuse among White, suburban and rural Americans and Suboxone® that came on the market as an addiction treatment in the 2000s – to show how American drug policy is racialized, using the lesser known lens of decriminalized White drugs. Examining four ‘technologies of whiteness’ (neuroscience, pharmaceutical technology, legislative innovation and marketing), we trace a separate system for categorizing and disciplining drug use among Whites. This less examined ‘White drug war’ has carved out a less punitive, clinical realm for Whites where their drug use is decriminalized, treated primarily as a biomedical disease, and where their whiteness is preserved, leaving intact more punitive systems that govern the drug use of people of color.
Tritium penetration through concrete

Abstract Concrete represents the primary barrier to migration in many proposed low-level waste storage facilities. While it may retard some dissolved ions to varying extent, it is not clear to what extent tritium movement through concrete would take place over extended periods. Experimental tests have been performed, with tritium as a tracer, on a series of concrete cylinders of a high slag aggregate composition to measure tritium mobility and to determine its dependence on concrete properties and environmental parameters. It was found that uncoated concrete absorbs water quite rapidly and once wetted, conducts tritium in water at a rate of about 8 × 10 −4 cm 3 /cm 2 day. For thich specimens, over 10 cm in thickness, tritium movement is solely determined by porosity and hydraulic conductivity. Diffusion rates can be lowered by a surface finish, by using a smaller stone size in the aggregate and by vibratory compaction. Standing water may provide a hydrostatic head that results in some increase in flow rate, but it too is limited by the terminal value in hydraulic conductivity. Unless the concrete wall is coated or impregnated in some permanent fashion, it appears that little credit can be taken for the concrete walls as a retarding barrier for tritium-bearing liquids.
STEM TIPS: Supporting the Beginning Secondary STEM Teacher

The STEM TIPS mobile-ready support platform gives institutions or school districts the ability to provide immediate and customized mentoring to teachers through multiple tiers of web-based support and resources. Using the results of a needs assessment, STEM TIPS was created and launched in partnership with 18 Florida school districts. Further results of a user survey from the pilot year of implementation reveal that this program served teacher needs from the initial assessment and enhanced teacher practice. The platform is now structured to provide instructional and support services for multiple partnering districts and institutions both nationally and internationally. Since this program offers induction support to distant and often isolated teachers in real time, it is a substantive model of a solution to the professional development of significant numbers of new teachers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in middle and high schools.
Detection of Undiagnosed Disease in Medicare Beneficiaries After a Clinical Home Visit

Abstract Undiagnosed chronic conditions are a common and costly problem in Medicare patients. This study examined whether a clinical home visit program was associated with an increased future detection of undiagnosed diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and atrial fibrillation. Members of Medicare Advantage Plans (MAP), including Chronic Special Needs Plans (C-SNP), were identified who received a comprehensive geriatric home visit under United Health Group's HouseCalls program and those who did not. Members with no medical or prescription drug claim for diabetes, COPD, and atrial fibrillation in the 12 months prior to the visit were selected. New diagnoses were then identified based on claims for office visits and/or prescription drugs in the 6 months after the HouseCalls visit. Members who received a visit had a significantly higher rate of detection of previously undiagnosed diabetes and COPD, but not of atrial fibrillation. The detection rates for diabetes within 6 months of the visi...
Exploring the Effects of a Short‐Term Spanish Immersion Program in a Postsecondary Setting

This article probes the extent to which postsecondary Spanish learners can substantively increase their knowledge of Spanish over a two-week period within a context of language and content instruction for four hours per day. The article considers the relationship of an immersion experience to upper-level literature and culture classes. Insights into integrating service learning as a key part of the Spanish learning experience are also provided. Oral and writing data were collected in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 to demonstrate that participants showed significant improvement in their Spanish language abilities within the two weeks of the intensive experience. The enhancement of participants' Spanish language proficiency did not, however, bridge to upper-level Spanish literature and culture courses, or necessarily to an interest in study abroad. Using service learning as a motivating factor in student participation had a positive affective impact.
The Evolution Of Otosclerosis Surgery

This article reviews the development of surgical methods over the centuries to improve hearing loss due to otosclerosis. Pioneers in the development of surgical techniques for otosclerosis discussed in this article include Holmgren, Lempert, Rosen, and Shea. Also discussed are the personal experiences of the author, witness to many of this century's technologic developments and founder of the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles, California.
Erratum: (Glycol-κO,O')nitros-yl(η-penta-methyl-cyclo-penta-dien-yl)ruthenium(II) bis-(tri-fluoro-methane-sulfonate). Corrigendum.

The acknowledgement in the paper by Munie, Larsen & Gembicky [Acta Cryst. (2008), E64, m293] is extended and an omitted reference is added.
The Lysosome as a Regulatory Hub

The lysosome has long been viewed as the recycling center of the cell. However, recent discoveries have challenged this simple view and have established a central role of the lysosome in nutrient-dependent signal transduction. The degradative role of the lysosome and its newly discovered signaling functions are not in conflict but rather cooperate extensively to mediate fundamental cellular activities such as nutrient sensing, metabolic adaptation, and quality control of proteins and organelles. Moreover, lysosome-based signaling and degradation are subject to reciprocal regulation. Transcriptional programs of increasing complexity control the biogenesis, composition, and abundance of lysosomes and fine-tune their activity to match the evolving needs of the cell. Alterations in these essential activities are, not surprisingly, central to the pathophysiology of an ever-expanding spectrum of conditions, including storage disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. Thus, unraveling the functions of th...
Degradable Amine-Reactive Coatings Fabricated by the Covalent Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Poly(2-vinyl-4,4-dimethylazlactone) with Degradable Polyamine Building Blocks.

We report the fabrication of reactive and degradable cross-linked polymer multilayers by the reactive/covalent layer-by-layer assembly of a non-degradable azlactone-functionalized polymer [poly(2-vinyl-4,4-dimethylazlactone), PVDMA] with hydrolytically or enzymatically degradable polyamine building blocks. Fabrication of multilayers using PVDMA and a hydrolytically degradable poly(β-amino ester) (PBAE) containing primary amine side chains yielded multilayers (∼100 nm thick) that degraded over ∼12 days in physiologically relevant media. Physicochemical characterization and studies on stable films fabricated using PVDMA and an analogous non-degradable poly(amidoamine) suggested that erosion occurred by chemical hydrolysis of backbone esters in the PBAE components of these assemblies. These degradable assemblies also contained residual amine-reactive azlactone functionality that could be used to impart new functionality to the coatings post-fabrication. Cross-linked multilayers fabricated using PVDMA and the...
Antimicrobial Fungal Endophytes from the Botanical Medicine Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)

The potential of fungal endophytes to alter or contribute to plant chemistry and biology has been the topic of a great deal of recent interest. For plants that are used medicinally, it has been proposed that endophytes might play an important role in biological activity. With this study, we sought to identify antimicrobial fungal endophytes from the medicinal plant goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis L., Ranunculaceae), a plant used in traditional medicine to treat infection. A total of 23 fungal cultures were obtained from surface-sterilized samples of H. canadensis roots, leaves and seeds. Eleven secondary metabolites were isolated from these fungal endophytes, five of which had reported antimicrobial activity. Hydrastis canadensis plant material was then analyzed for the presence of fungal metabolites using liquid chromatography coupled to high resolving power mass spectrometry. The antimicrobial compound alternariol monomethyl ether was detected both as a metabolite of the fungal endophyte Alternaria spp. isolated from H. canadensis seeds, and as a component of an extract from the H. canadensis seed material. Notably, fungi of the Alternaria genus were isolated from three separate accessions of H. canadensis plant material collected in a time period spanning 5 years. The concentration of alternariol monomethyl ether (991 mg/kg in dry seed material) was in a similar range to that previously reported for metabolites of ecologically important fungal endophytes. The seed extracts themselves, however, did not possess antimicrobial activity.
The Quest to Become a Master Teacher: One Cardiologist's Story and Recommendations for Others.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”—Nelson Mandela [(1)][1] This famous quotation stands in stark contrast to the words of a senior cardiologist whom I worked with as a fellow: “Teaching just isn’t really that impactful. If you really want to
Curbing the DUI offender's self-efficacy to drink and drive: A laboratory study

Abstract Background People arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) are at high risk to reoffend. One reason for this high rate of recidivism among DUI offenders is that these individuals systematically underestimate the degree to which alcohol impairs their ability to drive. This study compared perceived and objective driving ability following alcohol and performance feedback in drivers with and without a history of DUI. Method Adult drivers with (n = 20) and without (n = 20) a history of DUI arrest attended two dose challenge sessions where they received 0.64 g/kg alcohol or placebo, completed a simulated driving task, and provided measures of subjective impairment. They attended a third retesting session where they received feedback that they were impaired by alcohol. They received 0.64 g/kg alcohol and their objective and perceived driving ability was retested. Results Both groups showed significant impairment of driving performance following 0.64 g/kg alcohol compared to placebo. DUI offenders rated themselves as less impaired than controls. After performance feedback, self-reported impairment during the alcohol retest increased for DUI offenders but not for controls. There was no effect of performance feedback on objective driving ability. Conclusions These results support the notion that under alcohol DUI offenders characteristically perceive themselves as better able to drive than non-offenders. These perceptions can be tempered by performance feedback. To the extent that perceived ability to drive safely after drinking contributes to DUI and its recidivism, feedback geared towards lowering this self-efficacy could reduce willingness to engage in this behavior.
Plaque Inhibition: Growth Kinetics in the Presence of Competitive Interactions

A quantitative understanding of the dependence of antibody affinity and secretion rate distributions on immune parameters may provide considerable insight into the dynamics of the response. However, it is precisely heterogeneity in the parameters and its diverse origins which complicate the analysis of experiments. The problem is illustrated by the results of the last three chapters. When antiserum is used as a source of antibodies, the potential information is relatively coarse (see Chapter 3) and the methods for obtaining it still need to be developed rigorously. When lymphocytes are the source, the complications of heterogeneity vanish, but characterizing the evolution and dynamics of the response distributions then requires studying the growth patterns of large numbers of plaques individually, an enormously burdensome task. These difficulties can be circumvented by the plaque inhibition technique.
Spectrally resolved longitudinal spatial coherence inteferometry

We present an alternative imaging technique using spectrally resolved longitudinal spatial coherence interferometry to encode a scene’s angular information onto the source’s power spectrum. Fourier transformation of the spectrally resolved channeled spectrum output yields a measurement of the incident scene’s angular spectrum. Theory for the spectrally resolved interferometric technique is detailed, demonstrating analogies to conventional Fourier transform spectroscopy. An experimental proof of concept system and results are presented using an angularly-dependent Fabry-Perot interferometer-based optical design for successful reconstruction of one-dimensional sinusoidal angular spectra. Discussion for a potential future application of the technique, in which polarization information is encoded onto the source’s power spectrum is also given.
Trop2 gene expression (Trop2e) in primary breast cancer (BC): Correlations with clinical and tumor characteristics.

1075Background: Trophoblast antigen 2 (Trop2) is a glycoprotein expressed by many cancers. A phase I study of the trop2 antibody drug conjugate (ADC) IMMU-132 has shown promising activity in triple negative (TN) BC. We studied associations of primary BC trop2e with clinical characteristics, outcomes, and selected genes in publically available databases. Methods: Trop2e was evaluated with microarray data from the neoadjuvant I-SPY 1 (n=149), METABRIC (n=1992) & TCGA (n=817) databases. Associations with clinical features were assessed with the Kruskal-Wallis test (all). Correlations with chemotherapy response were evaluated with the Wilcoxon rank sum test (I-SPY 1) & with recurrence free survival (RFS) by the Cox proportional hazard model (I-SPY 1 & METABRIC). Pearson correlations were used to study associations between trop2e & selected genes (all). Results: In all 3 datasets, trop2 was detectable and had a wide range of expression in all BC subtypes. In I-SPY 1, trop2e did not vary by hormone receptor (HR...
A Breast Cancer Review: Through the Eyes of the Doctor, Nurse, and Patient

Abstract Breast cancer patients endure many challenges in their journey. During the course of their treatment, they interact with several multidisciplinary teams, including radiologists, breast surgeons, and oncologists, as well as nurses, genetic counselors, social workers, and psychologists. This article aims to provide a synoptic review, including the background, causes, screening, diagnosis, and treatment options of breast cancer, by exploring the perspectives of the physician, nurse, and patient. Understanding the complexities that patients with breast cancer encounter can help aid providers address their concerns and focus on providing a more comprehensive approach to care.
POLITICAL ATHEISM: THE SECULARIZATION AND LIBERALIZATION OF AMERICAN PUBLIC LIFE

The United States is a deeply Christian country, but over the last sixty years American public culture has become increasingly detached from religious concerns. Christian activists, when not speaking within the Republican Party, have had to assert their privilege in a way that they never had to do in the past. In spite of their efforts, the role of Christianity in culture and politics has seen a more or less continuous decline. This essay examines how and why that process occurred. It puts forward a schematic narrative that relies on the concepts of public reason, the avant-garde, and an overlapping consensus to explain how different people came together in the mid-twentieth century to secularize and liberalize American public life.
The Transmutative Turn: Legacies of Loss and Love at the Source

With few pictures and even fewer surviving relatives, three generations of women in one family try to piece together memories, mementos, and archival materials into a coherent picture in order to understand the intergenerational narrative of continuity of which they are a part. They are survivor grandmother and her granddaughter, who are prompted to understand the chilling but significant part of their family’s past that was shaped by the Holocaust years, together with the scholar-clinician who is daughter to one and mother of the other. Research conducted in Italy, Germany, Poland, Israel, and the United States archives proved to be indispensable in optimizing the original source data alongside qualitative interviews that, together, facilitated the reconstitution of a co-created narrative to understand the pathways through which traumatic experiences of one generation are passed to another.
Third Party CAD Tools for FPGA Design—A Survey of the Current Landscape

The FPGA community is at an exciting juncture in the development of 3rd party CAD tools for FPGA design. Much has been learned in the past decade in the development and use of 3rd party tools such RapidSmith, Torc, and IceStorm. New independent open-source CAD tool projects are emerging which promise to provide alternatives to existing vendor tools. The recent release of the RapidWright tool suggests that Xilinx itself is interested in enabling the user community to develop new use cases and specialized tools for FPGA design. This paper provides a survey of the current landscape, discusses parts of what has been learned over the past decade in the author’s work with 3rd party CAD tool development, and provides some thoughts on the future.
Towards demand-oriented flexible rerouting of public transit under uncertainty

This paper proposes a flexible rerouting strategy for the public transit to accommodate the spatio-temporal variation in the travel demand. Transit routes are typically static in nature, i.e., the buses serve well-defined routes; this results in people living in away from the bus routes choose alternate transit modes such as private automotive vehicles resulting in ever-increasing traffic congestion. In the flex-transit mode, we reroute the buses to accommodate high travel demand areas away from the static routes considering its spatio-temporal variation. We perform clustering to identify several flex stops; these are stops not on the static routes, but with high travel demand around them. We divide the bus stops on the static routes into critical and non-critical bus stops; critical bus stops refer to transfer points, where people change bus routes to reach their destinations. In the existing static scheduling process, some slack time is provided at the end of each trip to account for any travel delays. Thus, the additional travel time incurred due to taking flexible routes is constrained to be less than the available slack time. We use the percent increase in travel demand to analyze the effectiveness of the rerouting process. The proposed methodology is demonstrated using real-world travel data for Route 7 operated by the Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA).
Global Optimization of Refinery-wide Production Planning with Highly Nonlinear Unit Models

Optimization of the refinery production is essential for the economic success of a petroleum refinery. Classical refinery production planning models employ input–output relationships for different refinery units. However, these input–output relationships usually do not include decision making variables related to the units’ operation (pressure, temperature, etc.). In addition, they fail to capture the nonlinear nature of the refinery units, and the inaccuracy caused by these models may reduce the overall profitability or compromise product quality. The corresponding nonlinear refinery problem is nonconvex due to the presence of bilinear or quadratic, exponential or logarithmic terms in some of the mass balance, product yield, and quality constraints, and hence the standard methods for solving this refinery-wide optimization problem may fail to converge to a solution or lead to suboptimal solutions. In this work, a planning model for refinery-wide production is proposed which employs two different nonlinea...
Hilbert's Tenth Problem for algebraic function fields of characteristic 2

Let K be an algebraic function field of characteristic 2 with constant field C_K. Let C be the algebraic closure of a finite field in K. Assume that C has an extension of degree 2. Assume that there are elements u,x of K with u transcendental over C_K and x algebraic over C(u) and such that K=C_K(u,x). Then Hilbert's Tenth Problem over K is undecidable. Together with Shlapentokh's result for odd characteristic this implies that Hilbert's Tenth Problem for any such field K of finite characteristic is undecidable. In particular, Hilbert's Tenth Problem for any algebraic function field with finite constant field is undecidable.