cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional analysis of the B′ subunit of Arabidopsis protein phosphatase type 2A

Abstract Type 2A serine/threonine protein phosphatases (PP2A) have been identified as critical control elements of a number of eukaryotic cellular processes. The activity of the catalytic subunit of the enzyme is modulated by a variety of regulatory subunits. Here we present evidence regarding the chromosomal position of two distinct PP2A B′ regulatory subunits genes: AtB′γ and AtB′δ. We show these two genes are present on distinct chromosomes, as is the case for a number of other PP2A subunit genes. In addition, we present evidence that a translational enhancer exists within the 5′ untranslated region (UTR) of transcripts derived from the AtB′γ gene. Transgenic plants carrying 35S-5′ UTR-β-glucuronidase (GUS) constructs show a significant increase in GUS activity compared with plants carrying only the 35S-GUS insert. Northern blots indicate this enhancer does not cause increased mRNA stability but rather appears to serve to enhance translation initiation. In addition we show this translational enhancer appears to functions under different environmental conditions. Taken together these data suggest Arabidopsis cells may use translational control to determine levels of the AtB′γ regulatory subunit and hence PP2A subunit composition/function.
OCT endomicroscopy and functional integration with two-photon fluorescence imaging

We report on our recent developments of optical coherence tomography endoscopy technologies that enable aberration correction, high-speed uniform data acquisition in Fourier domain, and functional integration with multiphoton fluorescence imaging.
A comparative concept analysis of centring vs. opening meditation processes in health care.

Aim To report an analysis and comparison of the concepts centring and opening meditation processes in health care. Background Centring and opening meditation processes are included in nursing theories and frequently recommended in health care for stress management. These meditation processes are integrated into emerging psychotherapy approaches and there is a rapidly expanding body of neuroscience research distinguishing brain activity associated with different types of meditation. Currently, there is a lack of theoretical and conceptual clarity needed to guide meditation research in health care. Data sources A search of healthcare literature between 2006–2011 was conducted using Alt HealthWatch, CINAHL, PsychNET and PubMed databases using the keywords ‘centring’ and ‘opening’ alone and in combination with the term ‘meditation.’ For the concept centring, 10 articles and 11 books and for the concept opening 13 articles and 10 books were included as data sources. Method Rodgers' evolutionary method of concept analysis was used. Results Centring and opening are similar in that they both involve awareness in the present moment; both use a gentle, effortless approach; and both have a calming effect. Key differences include centring's focus on the individual's inner experience compared with the non-dual, spacious awareness of opening. Conclusion Centring and opening are overlapping, yet distinct meditation processes. The term meditation cannot be used in a generic way in health care. The differences between centring and opening have important implications for the further development of unitary-transformative nursing theories.
THE THERMOPHILIC CYANOPHYTES OF ICELAND AND THE UPPER TEMPERATURE LIMIT(1).

The upper temperature limit for the growth of chlorophyllous cyanophytes was estimated at about 63-64 C by observations of field populations and by the growth of culture isolates at that temperature. Several isolates of Mastigocladus laminosus were made from different Iceland springs and temperatures. A few continued to grow at 62 C and one at 64 C. M. laminosus was the cyanophyte in Iceland tolerant of the highest temperature. The several species or races of narrow-cell-form Synechococcus, which almost exclusively inhabit North American and other springs above 62 C and up to about 74 C, were not found in Iceland. According to my observations and those of others, a maximum of 6-8 cyanophyte species occur in waters over 45 C in all of Iceland. Many times this number has been reported from continental regions of great thermal activity. The low number of species and the absence of particular thermophilic cyanophytes may result from inadequate dispersal from other thermal areas since the end of the last glaciation. Environmental inadequacies (e.g., winter darkness, or minimum-maximum concentrations of nutrients or other solutes) may also be factors in the absence of certain species.
Analytical Design of Inter-Vehicular Communications for Collision Avoidance

We address the analytical design of a communications system that seeks to provide timely safety information for drivers who are unaware of an imminent collision. We develop a model to characterize the delay requirements needed to prevent such collisions. By simultaneously addressing the multi-user interference and propagation effects such as path loss and fading, we then analytically derive the optimal channel access probability and transmission range and rate of nodes that satisfy the delay requirements at a target success probability.
The solubility of the tetragonal form of hen egg white lysozyme from pH 4.0 to 5.4

Hen egg white lysozyme solubilities in the presence of the tetragonal crystal form have been determined. Conditions investigated cover the pH range 4.0 to 5.4, varying from 2.0 to 7.0 percent NaCl concentrations and from 4 to 25 C. In all instances, the solubilities were found to increase with temperature and decrease with increasing salt concentration. The effects of pH were more complex, showing a decreasing solubility with increasing pH at low salt concentration and an increasing solubility with increasing pH at high salt concentration.
Structure and Mutagenesis of the Parainfluenza Virus 5 Hemagglutinin-Neuraminidase Stalk Domain Reveals a Four-Helix Bundle and the Role of the Stalk in Fusion Promotion

Paramyxovirus entry into cells requires the fusion protein (F) and a receptor binding protein (hemagglutinin-neuraminidase [HN], H, or G). The multifunctional HN protein of some paramyxoviruses, besides functioning as the receptor (sialic acid) binding protein (hemagglutinin activity) and the receptor-destroying protein (neuraminidase activity), enhances F activity, presumably by lowering the activation energy required for F to mediate fusion of viral and cellular membranes. Before or upon receptor binding by the HN globular head, F is believed to interact with the HN stalk. Unfortunately, until recently none of the receptor binding protein crystal structures have shown electron density for the stalk domain. Parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5) HN exists as a noncovalent dimer-of-dimers on the surface of cells, linked by a single disulfide bond in the stalk. Here we present the crystal structure of the PIV5-HN stalk domain at a resolution of 2.65 A, revealing a four-helix bundle (4HB) with an upper (N-terminal) straight region and a lower (C-terminal) supercoiled part. The hydrophobic core residues are a mix of an 11-mer repeat and a 3- to 4-heptad repeat. To functionally characterize the role of the HN stalk in F interactions and fusion, we designed mutants along the PIV5-HN stalk that are N-glycosylated to physically disrupt F-HN interactions. By extensive study of receptor binding, neuraminidase activity, oligomerization, and fusion-promoting functions of the mutant proteins, we found a correlation between the position of the N-glycosylation mutants on the stalk structure and their neuraminidase activities as well as their abilities to promote fusion.
Analysis of Delay Statistics for the Queued-Code

Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees in mobile wireless networks are typically provided through queuing analysis, which uses an idealized model for the physical layer, leading to optimistic guarantees. A queued-code combines ideas from queuing theory and information/coding theory, to allow rate adaptation, while enabling accurate modeling of the physical layer. Previous work showed the benefit of using a queued-code, in achieving lower error probabilities while satisfying a fixed delay bound. This paper analyzes the queued-code when some function of delay statistics must be optimized while guaranteeing a fixed error probability. A practical implementation of queued-codes based on low density parity check (LDPC) convolutional codes is also presented. Numerical and simulation results demonstrate the benefit of using the queued-code in obtaining a better QoS.
Herbal and Related Remedies

Herbal and related remedies are becoming increasingly popular in the United States. Although some of these products have been promoted as panaceas with little scientific data to support their use, clinical data are starting to accumulate showing the benefit of specific products. For the herbal products, English translation of the German Commission E monographs greatly increases the availability of credible information. Under the 1994 Dietary Health Supplement and Education Act, these products are considered as dietary supplements rather than drugs; regulation by the Food and Drug Administration is therefore limited. This lack of regulation has contributed to drug misadventures; such adverse events should be reported to the MedWatch program of the Food and Drug Administration. One suggestion to improve the status of these products in the United States would be to adopt the German philosophy that the products be approved as drugs based on absolute proof of safety and reasonable proof of efficacy.
Research on the Cost of Providing Family Therapy: A Summary and Progress Report

This article provides a summary of effectiveness research on the costs of including family therapy in mental health services. Data was available from four different sources: 1) a large western Health Maintenance Organization with 180,000 subscribers in the local Utah region; 2) the Medicaid system of the entire State of Kansas in the United States; 3) a US health insurance company with several million subscribers; and 4) a Family Therapy training clinic. Results suggest that family therapy reduces the number of health care visits, especially for high utilizers. These results were also replicated in a graduate student training clinic. Also, studies of two different health care systems (and a cost projection study) suggest that including family therapy as a treatment option does not significantly increase health care costs.
Electronic cigarette use outcome expectancies among college students

Background E-cigarette use outcome expectancies and their relationships with demographic and e-cigarette use variables are not well understood. Based on past cigarette as well as e-cigarette use research, we generated self-report items to assess e-cigarette outcome expectancies among college students. The objective was to determine different dimensions of e-cigarette use expectancies and their associations with e-cigarette use and use susceptibility.
Rehabilitation Counselor Education and the New Code of Ethics

The purpose of this article is to discuss recent changes in the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification Code of Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation Counselors, effective January 1, 2010, that are most relevant to rehabilitation counselor educators. The authors provide a brief overview of these key changes along with implications for ethical practice in rehabilitation counselor education.
ZINC AND COPPER UPTAKE BY AGROSTIS STOLONIFERA, TOLERANT TO BOTH ZINC AND COPPER

SUMMARY Zinc and copper uptake by Agrostis stolonifera, tolerant to both zinc and copper, showed that different zinc levels had no effect on copper uptake and, conversely, copper had no effect on zinc uptake. There was, however, a strong interaction in the toxic effects of zinc and copper as measured by root elongation. The mechanisms of zinc and copper tolerance are therefore independent even when they act in the same individual.
Culture and Government Money: A Guide for the Perplexed

Constitutional limits on government's power to regulate the culture and the arts, newly salient in light of the controversy involving the Brooklyn Museum, are best understood by distinguishing among (a) content-neutral, (b) content-based, and (c) viewpoint-based restrictions, and also among (a) criminal and civil sanctions, (b) "penalties," and (c) mere failure to fund. The resulting three-by-three matrix provides an understanding of the vast bulk of current constitutional law. At the same time, several serious puzzles are created by current law: the distinction between viewpoint discrimination and content discrimination can be thin in the context of art; it is hard to know what counts as a "mere" failure to fund; and the law contains important uncertainties about selective funding. There is discussion as well of government subsidies of the market for culture and art.
The vibrational spectrum, normal coordinate analysis and conformational equilibrium of 3‐chloro‐2‐methylpropene

The infrared spectra of gaseous and liquid 3-chloro-2-methylpropene and the Raman spectra of the compound as gas, liquid and frozen solid have been recorded. Several bands present in the Raman spectrum of the liquid were found to be absent or greatly reduced in intensity in the spectrum of the solid phase, thus indicating the presence of a conformational equilibrium. The Raman polarization data show that the gauche conformer of this compound is the more stable. A study of the temperature dependence of the relative intensities of two Raman bands due to different conformers led to values of ΔHθ of 2.5±0.5 kJ mol−1 and ΔSθ of −4.8±2.0 JK−1 mol−1 for the conformational equilibrium in the liquid phase. These results are consistent with a conformational equilibrium of the type gauche⇌s-cis, as found for a number of related molecules. A complete vibrational assignment has been proposed for the spectral data, except for the unobserved methyl torsion, aided by a normal coordinate treatment.
Classical interpretation of the quantum description of H - photodetachment in parallel E and B fields

Total quantum mechanical cross sections for photodetachment of H{sup {minus}} in parallel {ital E} and {ital B} fields are examined both analytically and numerically to extract information which has a classical interpretation, thereby complementing recent classical and semiclassical periodic orbit studies. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Sequencing β-Casein C:Isolation of a Large Fragment After Cleavage of Thioltrifluoroacetylated β-Casein C

Abstract A large fragment of β -casein C consisting of residues 26 to 184 was isolated by trypsin cleavage of lysine derivatized protein. The first 26 amino acid residues of the fragment are identical to those of the corresponding region in β -casein A 2 with the exception of a lysine/glutamic acid substitution and the absence of phosphorus on a serine residue phosphorylated in β -A 2 . The apparent absence of γ -casein in milks containing β -casein C is also discussed.
Adnexal Sonographic Findings in Ectopic Pregnancy and Their Correlation With Tubal Rupture and Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Levels

Objectives To determine whether the distribution of transvaginal sonographic findings of ectopic pregnancy has changed since the studies done 20 years ago and to explore the correlation of tubal rupture with transvaginal sonographic findings and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels. Methods Patients with ectopic pregnancy who underwent transvaginal sonography before treatment were included. Sonograms and medical records were retrospectively reviewed. The presence of a tubal ring, the presence of a yolk sac, embryonic cardiac activity, the degree of vascularity on color Doppler imaging, hCG levels, and results of surgery were recorded. Results Our study included 231 ectopic pregnancies. A positive sonographic adnexal finding was present in 219 cases (94.8%): adnexal mass in 218 (94.4%) and a moderate-to-large amount of free fluid in 84 (36.4%). The adnexal masses were graded as follows: 1, nonspecific mass (125 cases [54.1% of total]); 2, tubal ring without a yolk sac or embryo (57 [24.7%]); 3, yolk sac but no embryonic heartbeat (19 [8.3%]); and 4, embryo with cardiac activity (17 [7.4%]). The mean hCG level increased as the grade ascended from 1 to 4. Thirty-six patients had tubal rupture at surgery within 24 hours of the sonogram. A moderate-to-large amount of free fluid was significantly associated with tubal rupture (P < .05) but had low sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value for rupture. Other sonographic findings and hCG levels were not significantly related to tubal rupture. Conclusions Transvaginal sonography showed an adnexal abnormality in nearly 95% of our patients with ectopic pregnancy, most commonly a nonspecific adnexal mass. Embryonic cardiac activity was seen in fewer than 10%. Neither sonographic findings nor hCG levels were useful predictors of tubal rupture.
Violation of cosmic censorship in the gravitational collapse of a dust cloud

The behaviour of the outgoing light rays in the gravitational collapse of an inhomogeneous spherically symmetric dust cloud is analyzed. It is shown that, for an open subset of initial density distributions, the first singular event, which occurs at the center of symmetry, is the vertex of an infinity of future null geodesic cones which intersect future null infinity. The frequency of the corresponding light rays is infinitely redshifted.
Soft-Tissue Sarcomas in Dogs: A Review

Soft-tissue sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of tumors with similar biological behaviors. Wide surgical excision remains the cornerstone of treatment for these tumors. Local recurrence is common following conservative resection, and recurrent tumors are more difficult to treat. Radiation therapy or re-excision with wider margins is indicated if excision is microscopically incomplete. Chemotherapy is often recommended as an adjunctive treatment for high-grade soft-tissue sarcomas because of their higher metastasis rates when compared to low-or intermediate-grade soft-tissue sarcomas. Knowledge of extent of disease and histological grade is helpful in guiding treatment choices.
How to Make a Continent: Thirty-five Years of TTG Research

After more than 35 years of TTG (tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite) research, we still face many questions about the origin and tectonic significance of these peculiar rocks. What we do know is that TTGs are similar in composition regardless of age, they have high La/Yb, Sr/Y, Sr and Eu/Eu*, they decrease in abundance relative to calc-alkaline granitoids at the end of the Archean, and they are not made in oceanic arcs, shallow levels of oceanic plateaus or at ocean ridges. Furthermore, oxygen isotopes in TTG zircons require interaction of TTG sources with the hydrosphere, and the existence of Hadean continental crust inferred from detrital zircon suites remains problematic. Although we now realize that TTGs require amphibole and garnet fractionation and sources that are at least 50 km deep, what we do not know are the relative roles of (1) melting versus fractional crystallization and (2) melting of slabs versus melting of thickened mafic crust. The mechanisms and rates of slab dehydration control the stability of garnet and amphibole in subduction zones. From what we know about early Archean greenstones, they are more altered than later ones, and thus they would appear to bring more water and fluid-mobile elements into subduction zones, at least by the late Archean when plate tectonics became widespread. Hotter slabs in the Archean should contribute to higher volatile release rates. This may explain the trace element changes we see in TTGs at the end of the Archean.
Metabolism of Zinc

The primary dietary sources of zinc are red meats, seafood, and cereals (Welsh and Marston, 1983). The zinc content of raw vegetables, legumes, cereals, and even meat is not retained after cooking and the availability of zinc in various foods may be adversely affected by ligands such as phytate. Because of the above, it is difficult to estimate the actual absorbed amounts of zinc solely on the basis of zinc as calculated from food tables.
Stuff IBMers Say: Microblogs as an Expression of Organizational Culture

In globally distributed enterprises, face-to-face communication of the norms and values underlying organizational culture may not be feasible. As a result, enterprises have turned to social media as a potential resource for acculturation, the process in which employees make sense of organizational culture. In this paper, we explore the emergence of a Twitter hashtag (#stuffibmerssay) to characterize user participation and content of the tagged tweets, and describe the motivation of active contributors. Our analysis reveals that participants tended to share often humorous observations of everyday work practices indicative of a highly technical global workforce and interviews with participants suggested that the resulting tweets help reinforce a shared sense of group identity with other members of the organization. We conclude by discussing the implications of emergent social media as expressions of organizational culture, particularly when it occurs outside of the intranet.
Effector domain mutants of Rho dissociate cytoskeletal changes from nuclear signaling and cellular transformation

The small GTP-binding Rho proteins control a variety of biological activities, including organization of the actin cytoskeleton, regulation of gene expression and cellular transformation. In contrast, Ras proteins do not induce actin stress fibers, but potently transform cells which exhibit a morphology clearly distinct from that caused by activated forms of Rho. To investigate whether nuclear signaling and oncogenic potential of Rho are a consequence of its profound effect on cytoskeletal organization, we replaced each amino acid in the Rho effector loop with those of Ras, or replaced conserved residues with others known to result in differential signaling capability when introduced into Ras and Rac1. These Rho mutants did not gain the ability to induce the MAPK, JNK or p38 pathways but, surprisingly, all Rho effector loop mutants still continued to induce actin stress fiber formation. However, three of these Rho mutants, with substitutions of leucine-39, glutamic acid-39, or cysteine-42, lost the ability to stimulate gene transcription via the serum response factor (SRF) and failed to induce neoplastic transformation. Thus, these results indicate that cytoskeletal changes are not sufficient to induce the transformed phenotype, and that Rho-effector molecules regulating the actin cytostructure are distinct from those signaling to the nucleus and subverting normal growth control.
The effect of inosine on blood pressure in the rat

SummaryAdenosine and the adenine nucleotides decrease BP by direct vasodilatation. Adenosine is metabolized in vivo to inosine, the concentration of which is known to rise in exercising skeletal muscle and its venous effluent. Inosine is believed to be without effect on blood pressure although a positive myocardial inotropic effect has been suggested.The present study concerns the influence of metabolic breakdown products of the adenine nucleotides on arterial pressure in the intact rat. BP was measured by direct arterial cannulation during the intravenous administration of inosine, inosine monophosphate (IMP), hypoxanthine, and ribose-1-phosphate. Inosine (0.75-0.85 μmoles/kg) caused a 16% elevation of mean BP. IMP caused a similar increase in BP; hypoxanthine and ribose-1-phosphate were inactive. BP rise after inosine persisted despite parasympathetic, sympathetic or selective α- and β-adrenergic blockade. There was no change in heart rate. Inosine, therefore, elevates BP in the rat by a mechanism which...
Modulation of artificial whisking related signals in barrel cortex

Rats use rhythmic whisker movements, called active whisking, to sense the environment, which include whisker protractions followed by retractions at various frequencies. Using a proxy of active whi...
LIFE-HISTORY EVOLUTION IN GUPPIES: 2. REPEATABILITY OF HELD OBSERVATIONS AND THE EFFECTS OF SEASON ON LIFE HISTORIES.

Natural populations of guppies that co-occur with the pike cichlid Crenicichla alta and associated predators mature at smaller body sizes, produce more and smaller offspring per litter reproduce more frequently, and have higher reproductive allotments (weight of developing embryos/total body weight) than guppies that co-occur with just the killifish Rivulus harti (Reznick and Endler, 1982). I here consider three forms of repeatability in these life-history patterns: i) among replicate samples collected on the same day from the same locality, ii) between Crenicichla and Rivulus communities among a new series of localities, and iii) among a smaller series of Crenicichla and Rivulus localities sampled in two wet and two dry seasons. In the analysis of replicate collections from two localities, seven of eight statistical comparisons revealed no significant difference. The usual methodology for estimating these variables therefore accurately represents guppy life-history patterns at a given locality. Differences among guppies from Rivulus and Crenicichla localities, covering a wider geographical area than considered by Reznick and Endler (1982), were virtually identical to the previous comparison. Wet-season samples were associated with significant decreases in reproductive allotment and fecundity and significant increases in the size of mature males and the minimum size of reproducing females. Differences between guppies from Rivulus and Crenicichla localities persisted across all samples and were consistent with all other observations, although they tended to be smaller during the wet season. Discriminant analyses on female reproductive traits showed that fecundity and offspring size made strong, independent contributions to discriminating between guppies from the two types of localities. The contribution from reproductive allotment was considerably smaller. There was more overlap between predator treatments during the wet season. Only 8.5% of the individuals were misclassified during the dry season, but 19.5% were misclassified during the wet season.
Effects of Different Phosphorus, Potassium Fertilizer Combined Application on Morphology and Physiological Activity of Winter Wheat Root

The morphology and physiological activity of winter wheat(Triticum aestivum Linn.) of Luohan No.6 at three phosphorus levels and two potassium levels were studied in pot experiment. The results showed that the counts of secondary roots,dry root weight, root volume, root activity, and soluble sugar content of root increased with the increase of phosphorus and potassium in a certain range. The effects of different phosphorus and potassium levels on morphology and physiological vigor of root were significant. The indicators of P2K2 were performed better than those of the others. The P1K1 was the worst. After flagging, the difference of the counts of secondary root was extremely significant between P2K2 and P1K1(P0.01). After grain formation, the dry weight of root and root volume per plant of P2K2 was extremely significantly greater than that of P1K1(P 0.05). At early stage, the root shoot ratio of P2K2 was significantly higher than that of P1K1. In terms of root physiological activity, the values of the root activity and root soluble sugar content of P2K2 were significantly bigger than that of P1K1(P0.05), with the values reaching maximum at jointing stage. Within a certain limit, the quality of root growth and development improved with the increase of phosphorus and potassium. When the phosphorus was deficit, the root development was improved by increasing the potassium.
Neoplasms of the Skin

The integument may give rise to a wide variety of neoplasms, partly because of the plethora of specialized structures that compose the organ. A complete exposition of these is far beyond the scope of this chapter, which will be devoted to the most common tumors, or to neoplasms that serve as examples of categories of these lesions.
Carboxyhemoglobinemia due to peritoneal smoke absorption from laser tissue combustion at laparoscopy.

ABSTRACT Objective: The carbon monoxide (CO) smoke component from tissue pyrolysis was evaluated for peritoneal absorption in patients undergoing laparoscopy to determine its effects and ability to be detected in peripheral blood. Summary Background Data: Previous studies have demonstrated changes in peripheral methemoglobin levels as a result of peritoneal absorption of laser smoke. Methods: Fifty patients had preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative levels of carboxyhemogiobin (COHb) and pulse oximetry evaluated. The control group (25) had no laser or cautery used and the study group (25) had carbon dioxide laser used during the laparoscopic procedures. Results: The control group showed no change in COHb, or intra-abdominal CO levels, before, during, and after the procedures, and no change in blood CO or pulse oximetry reading. The laser smoke group showed a statistically significantly elevated (p <.05) peripheral blood COHb levels, a significant increase in intra-abdominal CO concentration, and ...
The why and how of redesigning retirement communities for aging in place

Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) typically offer three levels of care – independent living (IL), assisted living (AL), and nursing care. As resident health and abilities decline, relo...
Effects of Cd Diffusion and Doping in High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells Using CdS as Electron Transport Layer

Perovskite solar cells with stabilized power conversion efficiency exceeding 15% have been achieved, using a methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) absorber and CdS as the electron transport layer. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals a small presence of Cd at the surface of most perovskite films fabricated on CdS. Perovskite films were deliberately doped with Cd to understand the possible impacts of Cd diffusion into the perovskite absorber layer. Doping substantially increases the grain size of the perovskite films but also reduces device performance through the formation of an electrical barrier, as inferred by the S-shape of their J–V curves. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements of the doped films do not indicate substantial nonradiative recombination due to bulk defects, but a secondary phase is evident in these films, which experiments have revealed to be the organic–inorganic hybrid material methylammonium cadmium iodide, (CH3NH3)2CdI4. It is further demonstrated that this compound can for...
Neurodevelopmental Status as a Criterion for Solid Organ Transplant Eligibility

In this chapter we will review existing policies and laws that speak to whether children with neurodevelopmental disabilities can be considered as candidates for solid organ transplant. We will highlight the differences in policy that exist for different organs (heart, liver, kidney). We will review studies of provider attitudes and the published literature of outcomes of these children. Finally we will perform a normative analysis to consider whether current policies and practices are justified, and offering a framework to assist in determining whether, when, and how consideration of neurodevelopmental status should be used when making decisions about candidacy for solid organ transplantation.
Party politics and the prospects for democracy in North Africa, studies on North Africa

Lise Storm began the research for this productive contribution to the study of authoritarianism and democratisation in the Maghreb ‘long prior to the Arab Spring’ (177), and for the most part, the ...
Note: Diet Dilettantism

The apparent publishing company formula for diet books is examined in relation to the behavioral approach to weight control.
Oral contraceptives and systemic lupus erythematosus.

PIP: This case report discusses a young woman who developed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) 4 weeks after the start of oral contraceptive therapy; she improved only with withdrawal of oral contraceptives. 16 months after cessation of oral contraceptives, she remains completely asymptomatic, has not needed therapy for 1 year, has completed a normal pregnancy, and is in the second month of her second pregnancy. This woman had a false positive serologic prenuptial syphilis test. She had been given Demulen (1 mgm of ethynodiol diacetate and 50 mcgm of ethynil estradiol).
A model of water and sediment balance as determinants of relative sea level rise in contemporary and future deltas

Abstract Modern deltas are dependent on human-mediated freshwater and sediment fluxes. Changes to these fluxes impact delta biogeophysical functioning and affect the long-term sustainability of these landscapes for human and for natural systems. Here we present contemporary estimates of long-term mean sediment balance and relative sea level rise across 46 global deltas. We model scenarios of contemporary and future water resource management schemes and hydropower infrastructure in upstream river basins to explore how changing sediment fluxes impact relative sea level rise in delta systems. Model results show that contemporary sediment fluxes, anthropogenic drivers of land subsidence, and sea level rise result in delta relative sea level rise rates that average 6.8 mm/y. Assessment of impacts of planned and under-construction dams on relative sea level rise rates suggests increases on the order of 1 mm/y in deltas with new upstream construction. Sediment fluxes are estimated to decrease by up to 60% in the Danube and 21% in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna if all currently planned dams are constructed. Reduced sediment retention on deltas caused by increased river channelization and management has a larger impact, increasing relative sea level rise on average by nearly 2 mm/y. Long-term delta sustainability requires a more complete understanding of how geophysical and anthropogenic change impact delta geomorphology. Local and regional strategies for sustainable delta management that focus on local and regional drivers of change, especially groundwater and hydrocarbon extraction and upstream dam construction, can be highly impactful even in the context of global climate-induced sea level rise.
American Jews and the Domestic Arena: The Iran Deal and the Election of Donald Trump (April 2015 – November 2016)

March through September 2015 were marked by rancorous conflict over one of President Barack Obama’s top priorities: the desire to cement his legacy by pushing through a deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Formally known in its final form as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, it was negotiated with Iran by the US and five other major world powers. This chapter traces the history that led to the adoption of the deal and outlines the reaction of the American Jewish community to this deal. While Israel and many Jewish organizations and many American Jews, particularly among the Orthodox, were adamantly opposed, most Jewish members of Congress and the Jewish public in general were (cautiously) supportive. This was perhaps one of the most divisive issues to face American Jews in recent years, and therefore one of the most central events of the domestic scene in American Jewish life during the period of 2015-16. Similarly, the presidential election of 2016 further increased internal tensions and divisions among American Jews. The rise of Donald Trump to political prominence, his denunciation of immigrants, and the attraction of white supremacists, anti-Semites, and David Duke to his candidacy are examined. In addition, the race in the Democratic Party between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, the primary contests, and the general election are also explored.
Obesity is Independently Associated With Worse Patient-Reported Outcomes in Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether obesity in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is independently associated with worse patient-reported outcomes (PROs). METHODS Data were derived from a prospective study of adult women with a diagnosis of SLE that was verified by medical record review. Two established definitions for obesity were used: fat mass index (FMI) ≥13 kg/m2 and body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2 . Dependent variables included 4 validated PROs: disease activity as assessed by the Systemic Lupus Activity Questionnaire (SLAQ), depressive symptoms as assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), pain as assessed by the Short Form 36 (SF-36) pain subscale, and fatigue as assessed by the SF-36 vitality subscale. We used multivariable linear regression to evaluate the associations of obesity with PROs, while controlling for potential confounders (age, race, education, income, smoking, disease duration, disease damage, and prednisone use). RESULTS The analysis included 148 participants, 32% of whom were obese. In the multivariate regression model, obesity was associated with worse scores for each PRO. Mean adjusted scores for the SLAQ and CES-D comparing obese versus non-obese participants were 14.8 versus 11.5 (P = 0.01) and 19.8 versus 13.1 (P < 0.01), respectively. The obese group also reported worse mean adjusted scores for pain (38.7 versus 44.2; P < 0.01) and fatigue (39.6 versus 45.2; P = 0.01). CONCLUSION In a representative sample of women with SLE, obesity (as defined by both FMI and BMI) was independently associated with worse PROs, including disease activity, depressive symptoms, and symptoms of pain and fatigue. Obesity may represent a modifiable target for improving outcomes among obese women with SLE.
Differential effects of intra-amygdala lidocaine infusion on memory consolidation and expression of a food conditioned place preference

In the present experiments, we examined the effects of posttraining and preretention intra-amygdala infusion of the anesthetic lidocaine on memory consolidation and expression in a food conditioned place preference (CPP) task. In two separate experiments, for 4 alternating days, food deprived adult male Long-Evans rats were given access to food or no access to food during confinement for 30 min to one of two compartments in a place preference apparatus. On Day 9, the rats were given a 20-min test session and allowed access to all compartments of the apparatus. No food was present on the test day, and the amount of time spent in each compartment of the apparatus was recorded. On the test day, rats receiving saline immediately after previous training, or immediately prior to testing, spent more time in the compartment that was previously paired with food, demonstrating a food conditioned place preference (CPP). Posttraining infusion of lidocaine (2% solution, 0.5 µl/side) into the basolateral amygdala blocked acquisition, indicating that this structure is necessary for memory consolidation processes that mediate a food CPP. In contrast, immediate pretest infusion of lidocaine into the basolateral amygdala had no effect on expression of a food CPP. Taken together, the findings suggest a modulatory role for the basolateral amygdala in memory consolidation processes that underlie reward-related learning in a food CPP task.
The Student Success Center at Auburn University

How can colleges and universities help students be more successful both during and after their college careers? At Auburn University faculty, staff, and students put their heads together to come up...
Source genotype influence on cross species transmission of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies evaluated by RT-QuIC

Scrapie is a naturally occurring transmissible spongiform encephalopathy of sheep and goats. This fatal neurodegenerative disease is caused by misfolding of the cellular prion protein to pathogenic β-rich conformers (PrPSc) that accumulate in higher order structures of the brain and other tissues. This conversion has been used for in vitro assays including serial protein misfolding amplification and real-time quaking induced conversion (RT-QuIC). RT-QuIC can be used for the detection of prions and for strain discrimination in a variety of biological tissues from humans and animals. In this study, we evaluated how PrPSc isolated from sheep of different genotypes after inoculation with the scrapie agent influence the fibril formation in vitro using RT-QuIC. We found that reaction mixtures seeded with PrPSc from genotype VRQ/VRQ sheep brains have better conversion efficiency with 132M elk substrate compared to reactions seeded with PrPSc from the brains of sheep with the ARQ/ARQ genotype no matter which strain of scrapie was used to seed the reactions. We also inoculated transgenic mice expressing 132M elk PRNP (Tg12) with the scrapie agent from different genotypes of sheep to compare with our RT-QuIC results. The bioassays support the data showing a significantly shorter incubation period for inoculum from VRQ/VRQ sheep when compared to inoculum from ARQ/ARQ sheep. Thus, we conclude that the genotype of both source and recipient can strongly influence transmission.
The Importance of Being an Antagonist as Well as Persistent.

ABSTRACT The current work by Jain et al. (S. Jain, A. M. Chang, M. Singh, J. S. McLean, et al., J Bacteriol 201:e00683-18, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.00683-18) reports the cloning of the lipid A deacylase gene of Porphyromonas gingivalis and the phenotypic characterization of the enzyme. Attempts to clone the gene and thus provide proof of the existence of this enzyme had gone on for 2 decades. The enzyme is central to the bacterium’s ability to modify and tailor the structure of its lipid A, changing a lipid A that is a moderate Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) agonist to an antagonist or silencer and thereby potentially changing the course of infection.
The Therapeutic Action of Play: Discussion of Dr. Mirkin’s Case Presentation

In my discussion of Dr. Marina Mirkin’s case, I focus on three topics that stimulated my own thinking about this treatment and child analytic treatment in general. First, I comment on the question ...
Review: Empires and Exchanges in Eurasian Late Antiquity: Rome, China, Iran, and the Steppe, ca. 250–750, edited by Nicola Di Cosmo and Michael Maas

Nicola Di Cosmo and Michael Maas, eds., Empires and Exchanges in Eurasian Late Antiquity: Rome, China, Iran, and the Steppe, ca. 250–750 . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018. 504 pp. ISBN 9781316146040. $145.00. World history is a difficult task. Balancing breadth and depth puts historians between an intellectual Scylla and Charybdis. Broad and shallow brushstrokes risk impersonalizing history, while narrow and deep analysis excludes non-specialists. Empires and Exchanges seeks to have its cake and eat it too, by zooming into localized granularity and zooming out to macro exchanges. To achieve this feat, the editors enlisted an international array of scholars, most of whom presented papers at a 2013 conference titled “Worlds in Motion: Rome, China, and the Eurasian Steppe in Late Antiquity.” Expectations for this volume have been high, especially considering the caliber of scholars who were thanked in the acknowledgements for attending the conference, but whose papers were not included. The final product certainly lives up to those expectations. The volume divides 26 chapters into three sections: first, historical thresholds; second, movements, contacts, and exchanges; and third, empires, diplomacy, and frontiers. There are contributions on ethnicity, religion, conceptual geography, and commodities, though on the whole the volume skews toward political interactions. Readers of the volume should be aware that “Rome” in all cases refers to Byzantium, not the Empire's western half; they should be aware that this review does not discuss every chapter due to space constraints, but rather attempts to convey a sense of the book's breadth and depth. Michael Maas and Nicola Di Cosmo open with chapters on the steppe's relationship with Byzantium and China, respectively. Maas traces Byzantium's understanding of steppe peoples with its concomitant political, diplomatic, and religious adjustments. Di Cosmo delineates economic and political interactions that show the steppe's growing influence on China. Both chapters outline changes over the centuries and provide useful backdrops for the granularity of subsequent chapters. Matthew P. Canepa's insightful contribution, “Sasanian Iran and the Projection of Power in Late Antique Eurasia, Competing …
A Compelling Case for Less Aggressive Arrhythmia Management in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure and Long-Standing Atrial Fibrillation.

ABSTRACT Background and Methods Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in chronic heart failure, and some have advocated intensive rate and/or rhythm control strategies for these patients. However, the loss of atrial systole and irregularity of the ventricular response has not been shown to contribute to the progression of heart failure, and the presence or rate of long-standing AF in patients with chronic heart failure does not have prognostic significance. Results In randomized clinical trials, pharmacological rhythm control has not been shown to be superior to rate-control in influencing long-term outcomes, but the use of membrane-active antiarrhythmic drugs can increase the risk of both pump failure and arrhythmic deaths in patients with heart failure. Additionally, intensive efforts to slow the ventricular rate in AF can potentially cause clinically inapparent bradyarrhythmias, which can trigger rate-dependent lethal rhythm disturbances or hemodynamic abnormalities. In patients with AF, a more stringent approach to rate control (target rate Conclusions For all of these reasons, the management of heart failure and long-standing AF should be primarily directed to slowing of the progression of their underlying cardiomyopathic process rather than the treatment of the arrhythmia. In addition, patients should receive long-term oral anticoagulation with non–vitamin K-antagonist oral anticoagulants to reduce the risk of thromboembolic events. The utility of intensive rate and rhythm control interventions for long-standing AF in patients with established heart failure requires further study.
Reciprocal Influences of HIV and Cannabinoids on the Brain and Cognitive Function

Globally, cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug, with disproportionately high use among persons with HIV. Despite advances in HIV care, nearly half of persons living with HIV continue to experience neurocognitive deficits or impairments that may have negative impacts on their daily function. Chronic cannabis use may play a role in the development or exacerbation of these impairments. Here we present a review summarizing existing research detailing the effect of cannabis use associated with the neuropathogenesis of HIV. We examine evidence for possible additive or synergistic effects of HIV infection and cannabis use on neuroHIV in both the preclinical and adult human literatures, including in vitro studies, animal models, clinical neuroimaging research, and studies examining the cognitive effects of cannabis. We discuss the limitations of existing research, including methodological challenges involved with clinical research with human subjects. We identify gaps in the field and propose critical research questions to advance our understanding of how cannabis use affects neuroHIV. Graphical Abstract.