cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Procysteine on aging-associated changes in hepatic GSH and SMase: evidence for transcriptional regulation of smpd3

In hepatocytes, aging-associated decline in GSH has been linked to activation of neutral SMase (nSMase), accumulation of bioactive ceramide, and inflammation. In this study, we seek to test whether dietary supplementation with the cysteine precursor, L-2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (OTC), would correct the aging-associated differences in hepatic GSH, nSMase, and ceramide. Young and aged mice were placed on a diet that either lacked sulfur-containing amino acids (SAAs) or had 0.5% OTC for 4 weeks. Mice fed standard chow were used as an additional control. SAA-deficient mice exhibited significant aging-associated differences in hepatic GSH, GSH/GSSG, ceramide, and nSMase. C24:1 ceramide, the major ceramide species in liver, was affected the most by aging, followed by the less abundant C16:0 ceramide. OTC supplementation eliminated the aging-associated differences in hepatic GSH and GSH/GSSG ratio. Surprisingly, however, instead of decreasing, the nSMase activity and ceramide increased in the OTC-fed mice irrespective of their age. These effects were due to elevated nSMase-2 mRNA and protein and appeared to be direct. Similar increases were seen in HepG2 cells following treatment with OTC. The OTC-fed aged mice also exhibited hepatic steatosis and triacylglyceride accumulation. These results suggest that OTC is a potent stimulant of nSMase-2 expression and that there may be unanticipated complications of OTC supplementation.
Improvement of Quality of Licorice Extract by Heat Treatment.

アフガニスタン産甘草根を熱水抽出して製造した甘草エキスならびにそのエキスを加熱処理した場合の香気成分量の変化について検討し,下記の結果を得た.(1) 甘草エキスの収率(溶質回収率)は, 31.1%,糖度は62.2Brixであった.(2) 甘草エキスの揮発性成分として73成分を同定した.初めて検出した成分は,炭化水素1,アルデヒド類2,フラン類3,フェノール及びフェノール性工-テル類1,ケトン類3,ピロール類2,ピリジン及びその誘導体3,脂肪酸類3の18成分であった.(3) 甘草エキスの加熱処理では,糖度62.2Brixの甘草エキスを110℃, 30分処理したものは芳醇な焦甘臭,甘味を昨し,最も良好であった.加熱処理試料の揮発性成分中ピラジン類は顕著に増加し,フェノール及びフェノール性工一テル類は減少した.
Was Priscillian a Modalist Monarchian

As the first Christian bishop executed by his Christian episcopal opponents through a secular court, Priscillian of Avila has stirred the interest and imagination of many scholars. A well-known problem with reconstructing both Priscillian's life and theology is that, apart from some authentic treatises, most of the information about him comes from the polemical statements of his sworn enemies, such as Ithacius of Ossonuba. Sulpicius Severus contended that Ithacius was a “worthless . . . bold, loquacious, impudent, and extravagant man,” and yet he “poured forth entreaties full of ill-will and accusations against Priscillian.” Although Ithacius's book is lost, writers such as Filaster, Sulpicius Severus, Orosius, Jerome, Consentius, Augustine, Leo the Great, Vincent of Lerins, Prosper of Aquitaine, Hydatius, and Isidore of Seville received their information about Priscillian mostly from Ithacius's book or from the readers of his book. Later perceptions of Priscillian (and Priscillianists) have, no doubt, been influenced by what these prominent figures reiterated following Ithacius.
Drug interaction. An important consideration for rational pediatric therapy.

In its broadest sense, drug interaction may refer not only to the reaction between two or more therapeutic agents, but also to the interplay between an administered agent and a component of the host. Thus we may have drug-drug and drug-food interactions, and drug interactions with a particular clinical condition. The latter is particularly true in the rapidly growing infant or child, where host factors may result in qualitative as well as quantitative differences in drug interactions.
Sex Differences in Hip Fracture Surgery: Preoperative Risk Factors for Delirium and Postoperative Outcomes.

Objectives To describe the differences observed in risk factors for delirium and outcomes between men and women undergoing hip fracture repair surgery. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Academic medical center. Participants Individuals with acute hip fracture admitted to an academic medical center (N = 431). Measurements Information on preoperative demographic characteristics, medical history, laboratory results, and postoperative outcomes was obtained according to history and chart review. Delirium was assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method. Results The overall incidence of postoperative delirium was 34%, with men more likely to experience postoperative delirium (44.8%) than women (30.2%) (P = .004). Male sex was associated with postoperative delirium in individuals with hip fracture, even after adjusting for other preoperative risk factors. Other significant preoperative risk factors included age, dementia, Parkinson's disease, and American Society of Anesthesiologists classification. Men were also more likely to experience other postoperative complications and have longer hospital length of stay. Conclusion Men are at higher risk of postoperative delirium after hip fracture repair than women and have more postoperative surgical complications. Their higher risk of postoperative delirium may be due to their underlying preoperative disease severity.
Generative-Transformational Grammar

This chapter will present an introduction to generative-transformational grammar which will illuminate the development of Noam Chomsky’s theories from the publication of his book Syntactic Structures in 1957 to the publication of his enlarged edition of Language and Mind in 1972. Naturally, the treatment here will be selective, but it will introduce those major concepts that have influenced Chomsky’s interpreters in writing English Gt grammars
γ Rays of 0.3-30 MeV from PSR0833-45

Pulsed γ rays from the Vela pulsar PSR0833–45 are reported here for the first time at the medium energies, E, of 0.3–30 MeV. They were observed with the University of California, Riverside double scatter γ-ray telescope1 flown on a balloon from Alice Springs, Australia, on 10 November 1981, 31 days after a large glitch in the pulsar period. The first and second pulses were detected from single scatters in the top scintillators, S1, at energies >0.3 MeV with statistical significances of 1.6σ and 1.6σ (together 2σ), and hy double scatters from all detector cell pairs at energies of 1–30 MeV with significances of 4.8σ and 3.8σ (together 5.8σ). The phase separation of the two pulses is 0.43±0.02 at the same absolute phases previously found by SAS 2 2 and COS B 3 for E>35 MeV. The energy distribution with six points from 0.3 to 30 MeV appears to bend away from the COS B power law4 at the lower energies and is well below the HEAO 1 5 upper limits.
How Does Medicaid Reimbursement Impact Nursing Home Quality? The Effects of Small Anticipatory Changes

Objective In 2006, Ohio changed its Medicaid reimbursement methodology for nursing homes (NHs) to promote more efficient staffing levels. This study examines the impacts of this policy change on quality. Research Design and Subjects Ohio NHs were categorized based on their anticipated change in reimbursement under a new reimbursement system initiated in 2006. Linear regressions were utilized to determine how quality changed from 2006 to 2010 relative to a group of NHs that were not anticipated to experience any significant change in reimbursement. We examine resident outcomes constructed from the Minimum Data Set, deficiency citations, staffing levels, and satisfaction scores for residents and families as measures of quality. Principal Findings Nursing homes in the group receiving increased reimbursement showed an increase in nursing and nursing aide staffing levels. NHs in the group receiving a reduction in reimbursement did lower staffing levels. None of the nonstaffing quality outcomes were impacted by changes in Medicaid reimbursement. Conclusion Increased Medicaid reimbursement was found to increase staffing levels, but it had a limited effect, at least in the short run, on an array of nonstaffing quality outcomes.
Complete Genome Sequence of the Streptomyces Phage Nanodon.

ABSTRACT Streptomyces phage Nanodon is a temperate double-stranded DNA Siphoviridae belonging to cluster BD1. It was isolated from soil collected in Kilauea, HI, using Streptomyces griseus subsp. griseus as a host.
The Novel Triterpenoid 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9-dien-28-oic Acid (CDDO) Induces Apoptosis of Human Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Cells (DLCL) through a Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ (PPARγ) Independent Pathway Which Is Enhanced by NFκB Inhibition.

Ligands for the transcription factor PPARγ are emerging as a new class of anti-tumor agents. Herein we report that the synthetic triterpenoid CDDO, a PPARγ ligand that induces PPARγ transcriptional activity in human DLCL OCI-Ly-19 cells, also induces cell death in human DLCL of both germinal center (OCI-Ly19) and activated B-cell phenotype (OCI-Ly10), cells which express the PPARγ protein. This effect of CDDO appears to be independent of PPARγ stimulated pathways since the functional antagonist of PPARγ, GW9662, which completely inhibits CDDO induced PPARγ transcriptional activity was unable to prevent CDDO induced cell death. Similar findings were seen using the additional PPARγ antagonists T0070907 and BADGE. CDDO induces cell death by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis as shown by Annexin-V and propidium iodide staining. As we have previously shown that PPARγ ligands inhibit NF-κB activity in B lymphocytes (J. Immunol2005; 174(7): 4060–9), we next examined the effect of CDDO on NF-κB in DLCL cells. Surprisingly, exposure of Ly19 cells to CDDO resulted in a dose-, and time-dependent increase in the activity of both the p50 and p65 subunits of NF-κB as determined by ELISA, by direct visualization of the nuclear translocation of p65 using indirect immunofluorescence assays, and by EMSA. The nuclear translocation of both the p50 and p65 NF-κB subunits was also confirmed by performing immunoblot analyses using nuclear fractions of CDDO-treated Ly19 cells. NF-κB activation was also observed in Ly10 cells exposed to CDDO. Follow-up experiments revealed that the activation of NF-κB in Ly19 cells by CDDO was due to proteolysis of inhibitory IκBα molecules. To determine whether the CDDO-induced NF-κB activation was a pro- survival mechanism, Ly19 and Ly10 cells were pre-treated with the NF-κB inhibitors SN50, helenalin or BAY 11-7082 and then exposed to CDDO for 24 hrs. In all cases, the NF-κB inhibitors significantly enhanced CDDO induced cell death suggesting that NF-κB activation is an anti-apoptotic mechanism elicited to protect the cell against CDDO cytotoxicity. Collectively, these studies suggest that; (a) CDDO (which will shortly be entering clinical trials for patients with acute myeloid leukemia) as a single agent may have significant clinical activity in patients with DLCL and; (b) the combination of CDDO with pharmacological inhibitors of NF-κB would be a rationale combination of novel agents to test in the context of clinical trials for patients with DLCL.
Remote Sensing as a Program Assessment Device: The case of Urban Forestry and the Competition for Local Investment

Over the past 25 years, the shifting dynamics of globalization and the entrepreneurial city have defined a new politics of economic development (DeFelippis 1999; Cox 1998; Cox and Mair 1989). Driven by growth machines (Stone 1989; Logan and Molotch 1987; Molotch 1993) and business coalitions (Cox and Mair 1991), these local politics focus on conceptual and practical realities facing localities as they compete for inward capital investment (Robinson and Sadler 1985; Cox 1995; DeFelippis 1999). Given the competitive ‘place-market’, this chapter examines the utility of defining ‘green’ niches within the marketplace to attract new investment. Specifically, this research compares the role and function of urban forestry efforts in two Sunbelt cities. In Gainesville, Florida, the locality has closely linked growth to a comprehensive urban forestry initiative that reflects the popular sentiment of citizens. In contrast, nearby Ocala, Florida has designed less stringent tree protection and planting policies—and implementation is not linked to new growth per se. In Gainesville, urban forestry positively contributes to local and non-local perceptions of the community and reinforces the locality’s growth strategy. In Ocala, urban forestry has not been effectively positioned within the context of regional development.
Empirical estimation of under-reporting in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

Background: To examine how closely reporting rates in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) reflect expected rates of known adverse drug events (ADEs).Methods: We selected three groups of drugs to reflect hypothesized variation in sensitivity to reporting, including statins, biologics, and narrow therapeutics index drugs (NTI). The numbers of ADEs in FAERS were divided by utilization estimates from ambulatory health care data (NAMCS/NHAMCS) to calculate a reported proportion. One sample z-test for proportions compared the proportion of ADEs reported to an expected ADE proportion derived from drug labels, reference databases, and peer-reviewed papers.Results: The majority of drug-ADE pairs showed significant under-reporting. For example, roughly 0.01% to 44% of statin events were reported (z-test p 100%) and NTI (20% to >100%) drugs had relatively higher reporting rates. Roughly 20% to 33% of the minimum number of expected serious events were reported with...
Allyl-Palladium-Catalyzed Ketone Dehydrogenation Enables Telescoping with Enone α,β-Vicinal Difunctionalization

The telescoping of allyl-palladium catalyzed ketone dehydrogenation with organocuprate conjugate addition chemistry allows for the introduction of aryl, heteroaryl, vinyl, acyl, methyl, and other functionalized alkyl groups chemoselectively to a wide variety of unactivated ketone compounds via their enone counterparts. The compatibility of the dehydrogenation conditions additionally allows for efficient trapping of the intermediate enolate with various electrophiles. The utility of this approach is demonstrated by comparison to several previously reported multistep sequences.
Identification of antigenic Sarcoptes scabiei proteins for use in a diagnostic test and of non-antigenic proteins that may be immunomodulatory.

Background Scabies, caused by the mite, Sarcoptes scabiei, infects millions of humans, and many wild and domestic mammals. Scabies mites burrow in the lower stratum corneum of the epidermis of the skin and are the source of substances that are antigenic or modulate aspects of the protective response of the host. Ordinary scabies is a difficult disease to diagnose. Objective The goal of this project was to identify S. scabiei proteins that may be candidate antigens for use in a diagnostic test or may be used by the mite to modulate the host’s protective response. Methods An aqueous extract of S. scabiei was separated by 2-dimensional electrophoresis and proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. A parallel immunoblot was probed with serum from patients with ordinary scabies to identify IgM and/or IgG-binding antigens. The genes coding for 23 selected proteins were cloned into E. coli and the expressed recombinant proteins were screened with serum from patients with confirmed ordinary scabies. Results We identified 50 different proteins produced by S. scabiei, 34 of which were not previously identified, and determined that 66% were recognized by patient IgM and/or IgG. Fourteen proteins were screened for use in a diagnostic test but none possessed enough sensitivity and specificity to be useful. Six of the 9 proteins selected for the possibility that they may be immunomodulatory were not recognized by antibodies in patient serum. Conclusions Thirty-three proteins that bound IgM and/or IgG from the serum of patients with ordinary scabies were identified. None of the 14 tested were useful for inclusion in a diagnostic test. The identities of 16 proteins that are not recognized as antigens by infected patients were also determined. These could be among the molecules that are responsible for this mite’s ability to modulate its host’s innate and adaptive immune responses.
Available treatment options for dystonia

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Dystonia is a neurologic movement disorder characterized by sustained or intermittent muscle contractions causing abnormal, often repetitive, movements, postures, or both. The etiology of dystonia is diverse and it includes genetic and other causes. Since the advent of botulinum toxin and deep brain stimulation, the treatment of dystonia has markedly improved and is still evolving.Areas covered: This review gives a historical overview of the treatment options for dystonia. In the absence of pathogenesis-targeted, disease-modifying therapies, the treatment of dystonia remains symptomatic. Botulinum toxin is the first line treatment for some forms of focal and segmental dystonias. Oral medications, including anticholinergics, baclofen, benzodiazepines and antidopaminergic drugs are used primarily in patients with generalized dystonia. Levodopa is an effective treatment for patients with dopa-responsive-dystonia. The use of deep brain stimulation, intrathecal and intraventricular baclof...
Assay of Cows’ Urine for Pregnanediol,

The presence of pregnanediol in bovine urine has been reported (3, 5, 7"). Venning and Browne (12) isolated a water-soluble pregnanediol complex fronl the urine of women and were able to correlate its presence with an active corpus luteum. That progesterone is a precursor of pregnanediol was demonstrated experimentally by Muller (6), who recovered 11.5 rag. pregnanediol from the urine of a hysterectomized woman who had received 30.0 rag. progesterone. Heard et al. (2) were able to recover pregnanediol in the urine of rabbits as a result of administering progesterone to them before and after hysterectomy. Marker (3) obtained 25.0 rag. pregnanediol per gallon of pregnant cows' urine by hydrolyzing the butanol extract by steam distillation in the presence of strong alkali. Other reports, from Marker (4) and Marker et al. (5), state that bull urine contained 100.0 rag. pregnanediol per gallon and that steers' urine contained none. Striekler et al. (9) used the method of Venning and were not able to find sodium pregnauediol glueuronidate in urine from bulls or steers. O'Moore (7) reported a concentration of pregnanediol in bovine urine ranging from 3.2 to 7.2 mg. per liter, whereas Stevenson (8) found that pregnanediol is either absent from the urine of pregnant cows or is excreted in quantities too small to be detected by the usual procedures. It was the purpose of this study to ascertain the amounts of pregnanediol excreted in the urine of cattle and whether or not its presence could be used as an index of the activity of the corpus luteum.
Provocative imaging : Diuretic renography

Diuretic renography remains the noninvasive functional study of choice in patients with hydronephrosis resulting from apparent UPJ obstruction. Meticulous attention to proper patient preparation, radiopharmaceutical selection, furosemide dosage and administration, and image interpretation and an awareness of potential pitfalls are essential for accurate diagnosis. For most patients, the F + 20 protocol is sufficient, however; the F-15 protocol allows clarification in cases of equivocal baseline F + 20 studies. Invasive antegrade techniques such as the Whitaker pressure/perfusion test are best reserved for patients in whom the diagnosis remains equivocal after diuretic renography, or in patients with massive hydronephrosis or renal insufficiency. New standardized protocol guidelines should help to ensure studies that are reproducible in different nuclear medicine laboratories.
Ultrafiltration: a new approach toward mechanical diuresis in heart failure.

The congestive symptoms of heart failure are primarily due to fluid retention as a result of an abnormal hemodynamic and neurohormonal status. Since the introduction of the loop diuretic furosemide in the early 1960s, diuretics have been valuable tools in the treatment of volume retention in
Two Possible Measurements of the Effective Mass of Electrons Injected Into a Liquid

The experiments that are proposed aim at the measurement of the effective mass of an electron injected into an insulating liquid by either studying the modulation of the photoemission from a semiconductor into a liquid when a large magnetic field is applied to the photocathode or the absorption of f.i.r. radiation by electrons trapped in a potential well near the surface of the liquid. In the former case the modulation should be periodic in 1/B and, depending on the initial electron states in the photocathode, should appear as either a series of steps or a series of maxima in the photoelectric yield. From the separation of these steps the effective mass of the electrons can be calculated. In the latter type of measurement the electrons are trapped in a potential well near the surface by a combination of their image charges and an external electric field. Both the depth of the well and the energy levels in the well depend on both the external electric field and the electron effective mass.
Strain Rate Dependent Compressive Response of Open Cell Polyurethane Foam

Polymeric foams are used for impact protection due to their ability to absorb large amounts of strain energy. In this work, the compressive response of an open cell polyurethane foam currently used as liner in the advanced combat helmet is examined across strain rates. A traditional load frame is used to investigate the quasi-static behavior, and two different modifications of a conventional Kolsky (split-Hopkinson) bar configuration are used to probe the dynamic response. A unique, independent method not relying on strain gage signals is presented that leverages high-speed full-field imaging to track the velocity on each side of the sample-bar interface and used to extract the dynamic stress-strain response; the results are compared against traditional strain gage measurements. X-ray tomography is used to examine the global morphological characteristics of the foam. The foam is found to be strongly rate dependent, where the characteristic properties vary logarithmically with strain rate. An analytical expression is presented to describe the rate dependency that collapses all stress-strain curves on a master curve. Full-field kinematic data from digital image correlation taken during loading is used to extract a nonlinear Poisson’s ratio as a function of strain, which is found to be strain rate insensitive. A tangent Poisson function is used to explore the foam’s auxetic behavior. These findings provide insight on physically-based constitutive modeling of foams, crucial to predictive brain injury simulations, as well as motivate the need to probe local heterogenous behavior across strain rates moving forward.
'Start smart': using front-line ownership to improve the quality of empiric antibiotic prescribing in a paediatric hospital.

Infection is the most frequent indication for non-scheduled admission to paediatric hospitals, leading to high levels of empiric antibiotic prescribing. Antibiotic prescribing in line with local guidelines, improves patient outcomes, reduces adverse drug events and helps to reduce the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. We undertook an improvement project at Temple Street Children’s University Hospital targeting documentation of indication and compliance with empiric antibiotic prescribing guidelines among medical admissions via the emergency department (ED). Results of weekly audits of empiric antibiotic prescribing were fed back to prescribers. Front-line ownership techniques were used to empower prescribers to generate ideas for change, such as regular discussion of antibiotic prescribing issues at weekly clinical meetings, antibiotic ‘spot quiz’, updates to prescribing guidelines, improved access and promotion of a prescribing app, laminated guideline summary cards, and reminders and guideline summaries at a point of prescribing in ED. Documentation of indication and guideline compliance increased from a median of 30% in December 2014 to 100% in March 2015, and was sustained at 100% to September 2016, then 90% to December 2017. The intervention was associated with improvements in non-targeted indicators of prescribing quality, an overall reduction in antimicrobial consumption in the hospital, and a €105 000 reduction in annual antimicrobial acquisition costs. We found that a simple, paper-based, data collection system was effective, provided opportunities for a point-of-care interaction with prescribers, and facilitated weekly data feedback. We also found that using a pre-existing weekly clinical meeting to foster prescriber ownership of the data, allowing prescribers to identify possible tests of change, and exploiting the competitive nature of doctors, led to a rapid and sustained improvement in prescribing quality. Awareness of local prescribing processes and culture are essential to delivering improvements in antimicrobial stewardship.
Requests by walk-in and scheduled patients at an outpatient clinic. Walk-in needs more varied and greater in number.

Comparison with use of the Patient Request Form of the nature of requests made by patients entering a community mental health clinic through the crisis walk-in service or by means of scheduled appointments showed a generally similar pattern of requests by both groups: for help clarifying their current situation, getting control of their feelings, and understanding the reasons for their distress. However, crisis patients have more varied and quantitatively more requests. In particular, they ask for more in the way of community triage, administrative aid, and medical intervention. These differences reflect the need for having a broad range of services available for walk-in patients.
The Association Between Endplate Changes and Risk for Early Severe Cage Subsidence Among Standalone Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion Patients.

Study design Retrospective case series. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the association of Modic type endplate changes with the risk of severe subsidence after standalone lateral lumbar interbody fusion (SA-LLIF). Summary of background data It has been reported that certain endplate radiolographic features are associated with higher regional bone mineral density (BMD) in the adjacent vertebrae in the lumbar spine. It remains unclear whether these changes have protective effects against osteoporotic complications such as cage subsidence after lumbar surgery. Methods We reviewed patients undergoing SA-LLIF from 2007 to 2016 with a follow-up >6 months. Cage subsidence was assessed utilizing the grading system by Marchi et al. As potential contributing factors for cage subsidence, we measured the endplate volumetric BMD (EP-vBMD) and the standard trabecular volumetric BMD measurement in the vertebral body. Modic changes (MC) on magnetic resonance imaging were measured as a qualitative factor for endplate condition. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analyses with a generalized mixed model were conducted. Results Two hundred six levels in 97 patients were included in the final analysis. Mean age (± SD) was 66.7 ± 10.7. Sisty-sdpercent of the patients were female. Severe subsidence was observed in 66 levels (32.0%). After adjusting for age, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) use, and number of levels fused, the presence of MC type 2 was significantly associated with lower risk of severe subsidence (OR = 0.28 [0.09-0.88], P = 0.029). Whereas, EP-vBMD did not demonstrate a statistical significance (p = 0.600). Conclusion The presence of a Modic type 2 change was significantly associated with lower odds of severe subsidence after SA-LLIF. Nonetheless, this significant association was independent from regional EP-vBMD values. This finding suggests that microstructural and/or material property changes associated with Modic type 2 changes might have a protective effect in this patient population. Level of evidence 4.
Hexafluoroacetylacetonate (hfac) as ligand for pentamethylcyclopentadienyl (Cp*) rhodium and iridium complexes: Some surprising results, including an Ir3Na1O4 cubane structure

Abstract Attempts to prepare hexafluoroacetylacetonate (hfac) piano stool complexes of pentamethylcyclopentadienyl Cp* iridium and rhodium led to a surprising array of unexpected products. The desired complex, Cp*M(hfac)Cl, was obtained following the reaction of sodium hexafluoroacetylacetonate (hfacNa) with [Cp*MCl2]2 in dichloromethane. Variations of this synthetic method resulted in twelve unique crystallographically identified products, eleven of which contain the hfac ligand or a trifluoroacetylacetonate (TFA) ligand, either coordinated to the metal or as a non-coordinating anion. Five dinuclear Cp* iridium hydroxo-bridged products with various fluorinated non-coordinating anions were obtained. The most intriguing two complexes are trinuclear Cp*IrIII hydroxo-bridged clusters that have, at their core, an Ir3NaO4 cubane structure. Attempts to devise rational syntheses of the hydroxo-bridged cluster compounds were not successful. Generation of the TFA moieties likely occurred following degradation of Cp*Ir(hfac)Cl. The reaction between [Cp*MCl2]2 and 1,1,1-trifluoroacetylacetonate (tfac) proceeded as expected to give Cp*M(tfac)Cl with no observed side product formation, indicating that the metal-coordinated tfac moiety is significantly more stable than the metal-coordinated hfac moiety.
Two-photon cross-section calculations for krypton in the 190–220 nm range

This paper presents multi-path, two-photon excitation cross-section calculations for krypton, using first-order perturbation theory. For evaluation of the two-photon-transition matrix element, this paper formulates the two-photon cross-section calculation as a matrix mechanics problem. From a finite basis of states, consisting of 4p, 5s, 6s, 7s, 5p, 6p, 4d, 5d, and 6d orbitals, electric dipole matrix elements are constructed, and a Green’s function is expressed as a truncated, spectral expansion of solutions, satisfying the Schrodinger equation. Electric dipole matrix elements are evaluated via tabulated oscillator strengths, and where those are unavailable, quantum-defect theory is used. The relative magnitudes of two-photon cross-sections for eight krypton lines in the 190–220 nm range are compared to experimental excitation spectra with good agreement. This work provides fundamental physical understanding of the Kr atom, which adds to experimental observations of relative fluorescence intensity. This is valuable when comparing excitation schemes in different environments for krypton fluorescence experiments. We conclude that two-photon excitation at 212.556 nm is optimal for single-laser, krypton tagging velocimetry or krypton planar laser-induced fluorescence.
The Financial Turmoil of 2007-0X: Sinners and Their Sins

The causes of the financial crisis of 2007-0X are many and varied. Indeed, the crisis may be viewed as the product of a perfect storm. This paper identifies the major culprits of the U.S. crisis and enumerates their more important sins. The culprits include central bankers, commercial bankers, credit rating agencies, financial engineers, the government, investors, mortgage borrowers, mortgage brokers, and prudential bank regulators. Among the numerous sins committed by these sinners, the poor performance of the prudential regulators in adequately enforcing the in-place rules is of particular interest. The regulators were poor agents for their healthy bank and taxpayer principals. It follows that prevention of future crisis requires the development of better incentives to motivate the regulators to be more faithful to the letter and spirit of the regulations.
Shielding from UV Photodamage: Implications for Surficial Origins of Life Chemistry on the Early Earth

UV light has been invoked as a source of energy for driving prebiotic chemistry, but such high energy photons are also known to cause damage to biomolecules and their precursors. One potential mech...
Gene-Specific Variation in Colorectal Cancer Surveillance Strategies for Lynch Syndrome.

Background and Aims Lynch syndrome is associated with pathogenic variants in 4 mismatch repair (MMR) genes that increase lifetime risk of colorectal cancer. Guidelines recommend intensive colorectal cancer surveillance with colonoscopy every 1–2 years starting at age 25 years for all carriers of Lynch syndrome–associated variants, regardless of gene product. We constructed a simulation model to analyze the effects of different ages of colonoscopy initiation and surveillance intervals for each MMR gene (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2) on colorectal cancer incidence and mortality, quality-adjusted life-years, and cost. Methods Using published literature, we developed a Markov simulation model of Lynch syndrome progression for patients with each MMR variant. The model simulated clinical trials of Lynch syndrome carriers, varying age of colonoscopy initiation (5-year increments from 25–40 years), and surveillance intervals (1–5 years). We assessed the optimal strategy for each gene, defined as the strategy with the highest quality-adjusted life-years and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio below a $100,000 willingness-to-pay threshold. Results Optimal surveillance for patients with pathogenic variants in the MLH1 and MSH2 genes was colonoscopy starting at age 25 years, with 1- to 2-year surveillance intervals. Initiating colonoscopy at age 35 and 40 years, with 3-year intervals, was cost-effective for patients with pathogenic variants in MSH6 or PMS2, respectively. Conclusions We developed a simulation model to select optimal surveillance starting ages and intervals for patients with Lynch syndrome based on MMR variant. The model supports recommendations for intensive surveillance of patients with Lynch syndrome–associated variants in MLH1 or MSH2. However, for patients with Lynch syndrome–associated variants of MSH6 or PMS2, later initiation of surveillance at 35 and 40 years, respectively, and at 3-year intervals, can be considered.
Association of Hemoglobin A1C With TDP-43 Pathology in Community-Based Elders.

Objective. We tested the hypothesis that an inverse association exists between diabetes mellitus (DM) and hemoglobin A1C (A1C) with Transactive response DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) levels in older adults. Methods. We leveraged antemortem and postmortem data of decedents from three community-based clinical-pathological studies. DM status, A1C levels, and medications for DM were documented annually. TDP-43 cytoplasmic inclusions, evaluated in 6 brain regions using immunohistochemistry, were used to obtain a semiquantitative TDP-43 score (0-5) in each region, and scores were averaged across regions to obtain a TDP-43 severity score. We used linear regressions to test the association of DM and A1C with the TDP-43 severity score. Results. On average, participants (n=817) were 90 years old at the time of death, three fourth were women, and one fourth had DM. The mean A1C was 6.0% (SD=0.6). TDP-43 was observed in 54% of participants, and the mean TDP-43 score was 0.7 (range 0-4.5). A higher level of A1C was associated with a lower TDP-43 score (estimate=-0.156, S.E.=0.060, p=0.009) while DM had a borderline inverse association with the TDP-43 score (estimate=-0.163, S.E.=0.087, p=0.060). The association of higher levels of A1C with lower TDP-43 scores persisted after further adjustment by Apolipoprotein e4, vascular risk factors, stroke, and hypoglycemic medications. Exclusion of the oldest old participants did not change the results. Conclusion. Overall, the results suggest that a high level of A1C is associated with less TDP-43 proteinopathy in older persons while the relationship of DM with TDP-43 needs further study.
Spontaneous spinal cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistulas in patients with orthostatic headaches and normal conventional brain and spine imaging

Objective To determine the occurrence of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-venous fistulas, a type of spinal CSF leak that cannot be detected with routine computerized tomography myelography, among patients with orthostatic headaches but normal brain and spine magnetic resonance imaging. Background Spontaneous spinal CSF leaks cause orthostatic headaches but their detection may require sophisticated spinal imaging techniques. Methods A prospective cohort study of patients with orthostatic headaches and normal brain and conventional spine imaging who underwent digital subtraction myelography (DSM) to look for CSF-venous fistulas, between May 2018 and May 2020, at a quaternary referral center for spontaneous intracranial hypotension. Results The mean age of the 60 consecutive patients (46 women and 14 men) was 46 years (range, 13-83 years), who had been suffering from orthostatic headaches between 1 and 180 months (mean, 43 months). DSM demonstrated a spinal CSF-venous fistula in 6 (10.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.8-20.5%) of the 60 patients. The mean age of these five women and one man was 50 years (range, 41-59 years). Spinal CSF-venous fistulas were identified in 6 (19.4%; 95% CI: 7.5-37.5%) of 31 patients with spinal meningeal diverticula but in none (0%; 95% CI: 0-11.9%) of the 29 patients without spinal meningeal diverticula (p = 0.024). All CSF-venous fistulas were located in the thoracic spine. All patients underwent uneventful surgical ligation of the fistula. Complete and sustained resolution of symptoms was obtained in five patients, while in one patient, partial recurrence of symptoms was noted 3 months postoperatively. Conclusion Concerns about a spinal CSF leak should not be dismissed in patients suffering from orthostatic headaches when conventional imaging turns out to be normal, even though the yield of identifying a CSF-venous fistula is low.
73 – Molecular Mechanisms of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Shh-signaling

This chapter discusses the molecular mechanisms of fetal alcohol syndrome and sonic hedgehog signaling. The consequences of fetal exposure to ethanol can be severe, and include growth deficits, craniofacial abnormalities, and mental retardation. One significant observation, however, is that both the brain and facial phenotypes are stereotypic, suggesting that the effects of ethanol are specific to particular cell types. One cell type that has demonstrated great vulnerability to the effects of ethanol is the cranial neural crest cell. Cranial neural crest cells are important for the proper facial development, and they contribute to both neural and bony structures of the head and significant number of these cells undergoes apoptosis after exposure to ethanol, thus resulting in the abnormal facial development. It is known that cranial neural crest cells can be rescued by general downstream inhibitors of apoptosis, and new evidence points to the loss of a specific survival factor for cranial neural crest cells, the Secreted Protein Sonic Hedgehog (Shh), as an important component of the cell death observed after ethanol exposure. In fact, addition of Shh increases both the survival of neural crest cells and craniofacial growth in the presence of ethanol.
There’s a Man Goin’ Round Taking Names

This commentary addresses the two basic premises of the argument made by Dixon et al (2015) concerning quality metrics for behavior analytic graduate training programs. Taken together, these premises assert that the practice of behavior analysis will be more effective if practitioners are research savvy and that becoming research savvy is more likely to occur in a circumstance in which research is ongoing. I support both of these assumptions, the former by examining the impact of group circumstances on values, and the latter by considering the repertorial elements likely to be established under conditions of contingency shaping.
IBM Power5 bus designs for on- and off-module connections

This work overviews the interface choices made for the 1:1 on-module buses and the 2:1 off-module buses. Custom circuits used, data recovery methods, signal integrity design and the system verification using register based diagnostics and eye margin mapping. The hardware based verification methods that heavily rely on the interface register based diagnostics and margin mapping are explained.
Chapter 5 Effects of Wind, Terrain, and Vegetation on Snow Pack

Theme Snow pack and topography are widely recognized as factors influencing the abundance and distribution of resources for large herbivores in mid to high latitude environments. The influence of wind, however, and its interactions with snow and landscape variables, is poorly understood and difficult to describe but can also assume considerable importance. Wind alters the distribution of snow, thereby influencing the availability of resources and creating spatial patterns in foraging opportunities for large herbivores. In landscapes that exhibit undulating topography with alternating sequences of exposed and sheltered terrain, wind action can strongly influence snow pack distribution, with exposed terrain typically characterized by absent or shallow snow pack relative to the deeper snow pack of more sheltered terrain, and all areas strongly dependent on what lies upwind. Consequently, the mean snow depth over a large area is perhaps less important to habitat selection by large herbivores than the heterogeneity in snow pack caused by wind effects. Quantitative analyses of wildlife responses to wind effects on the snow pack first require quantification of the wind effects themselves. In central Yellowstone National Park wind strongly influences snow pack heterogeneity across the landscape, with large ungulates such as bison foraging heavily on exposed areas and establishing connecting trails through the deeper snow between them. We developed a model that allowed us to map spatial patterns in wind and wind effects on snow throughout central Yellowstone. The method combined separate terms for forest and terrain influences on wind. We incorporated this wind-effects model into our snow pack model ( Chapter 6 by Watson et al. , this volume), which was then used as an input to several ecological analyses later in this book.
Modeling Differentiated Services of Multi-Tier Web Applications

In this paper we present a hybrid performance model for modeling differentiated service of multi-tier web applications with per-tier concurrency limits, cross-tier interactions, as well as a work-conserving resource allocation model. The service dependencies between multiple tiers are captured first using a layered queueing model. We then show how to model per-tier concurrency limits and service differentiation between multiple classes while maintaining work conservation at each tier. We use a function approximation approach combined with a coupled processor model. Our model is calibrated from an actual multitier J2EE testbed, and we show the ability of the model to accurately model common performance metrics. Our proposed (layered) model shows 78% improvement in root mean square error over a single-tier machine repair model as well as a tandem queue model. We also demonstrate one application of the model for model-based resource allocation.
How Much Can Regulation Lower Systemic Risk

CoVaR seeks to use joint return data to measure a firm's contribution to systemic risk. To learn what comprehensive regulatory changes can do to systemic risk in general, and CoVaR in particular, this paper uses difference-in-difference to estimate the impact of the extensive and coincident U.S. regulatory changes of 1993 on the systemic risk level of commercial banks, as measured by CoVaR. The law is used as a treatment shock. Investment banks not subject to the law are controls. The unique circumstances used here could also be exploited to inform other risk/regulation questions. Use of a novel CoVaR measure (unconditional rolling CoVaR) allows econometric assessment of exogenous changes and estimation of CoVaR standard errors. With high power, no effect is found. This eliminates from possibility one of two formerly widely held beliefs: 1. That PCA and concurrent regulation lowered systemic risk, or 2. That CoVaR measures systemic risk.
Numerical simulation of THz reflection imaging of breast cancer tissue

This paper presents numerical simulation of terahertz imaging of heterogeneous material that mimics excised breast cancer tissue sections. The finite-element package ANSYS High Frequency Structural Simulator is used in this work. A model based on a pathology section is developed to obtain the image at 1 THz. The simulated image is compared with the experimental image at the same frequency. The results show the same trend as the experimental and pathology images. This simulation helps provide useful insight into interaction of terahertz waves with relatively thin sections of excised breast cancer tissues.
Assessing the impact of global versus local ancestry in association studies.

Background To account for population stratification in association studies, principal-components analysis is often performed on single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across the genome. Here, we use Framingham Heart Study (FHS) Genetic Analysis Workshop 16 data to compare the performance of local ancestry adjustment for population stratification based on principal components (PCs) estimated from SNPs in a local chromosomal region with global ancestry adjustment based on PCs estimated from genome-wide SNPs.
VARIATION IN TRIAL PENALTIES AMONG SERIOUS VIOLENT OFFENSES

We examine the differences in the sentencing of those who plead guilty and those convicted by jury trial among defendants convicted of serious violent offenses. Drawing from a focal concerns and court communities perspective on court decision making, we develop several hypotheses about jury trial penalties for serious violent offenders, and how such penalties may vary by offense characteristics, defendant characteristics, and court contexts. Our hierarchical models using Pennsylvania sentencing data from 1997 to 2000 reveal that defendants are substantially penalized if they exercise their right to a jury trial and then lose. Furthermore, this jury trial penalty is not evenly assessed, but depends on the seriousness and type of offense, defendant criminal history, and court contextual characteristics such as caseload, court community size, local violent crime rates, and the size of local black populations. The right to a jury trial is fundamental to the American legal system. Thus the practice of punishing those convicted by trial more severely than similar offenders who plead guilty constitutes an important potential form of sentencing disparity (King et al., 2005; LaFree, 1985; Uhlman and Walker, 1979, 1980), one that presents a tension between legally recognized rights and organizational realities of courts. Compared to the amount of research on racial, ethnic, or gender disparity in sentencing, or on sentencing guidelines issues, relatively few studies examine plea and trial sentencing differences per se, and try to unpack their variation and
Utilization of the biotin/avidin system to amplify the sensitivity of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

The biotin/avidin system was incorporated into the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique to increase the sensitivity of the standard ELISA for the detection of mouse antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen ((anti-HBs and HBsAg, respectively). Two biotin/avidin ELISA designs were studied. In both assays, 96-well polystyrene plates were coated with HBsAg, post-coated with 0.5% gelatin and incubated with dilutions of mouse anti-HBs. In the biotin/avidin (BA) ELISA, reagents were added to antibody reacted wells in the following sequence: biotinylated goat anti-mouse IgG (b-GAMG), avidin-alkaline phosphatase (Av-AP) and substrate. The order of reactants after mouse antibody in the biotin/avidin/biotin (BAB) ELISA was b-GAMG, avidin, biotinylated alkaline phosphatase (b-AP) and substrate. The sensitivities of BA ELISA, BAB ELISA and a standard ELISA using a glutaraldehyde conjugated goat anti-mouse enzyme were compared to AUSAB (a commercial radioimmunoassay) using a panel of 23 mouse anti-HBs sera. All 3 ELISAs were more sensitive than AUSAB; the standard ELISA, BAB ELISA and BA ELISA were respectively 50, 1173 and 4134 times more sensitive than AUSAB for detection of mouse anti-HBs activity.