cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Canine distemper virus infection of weanling mice. Pathogenesis of CNS disease.

Abstract Intracerebral inoculation of canine distemper virus (CDV) into weanling BALB/c, ICR and SJL mice produced acute encephalitis 2–3 weeks later. All animals that became ill exhibited lethargy and hind-limb paralysis followed by death. BALB/c mice were more susceptible to CDV than ICR or SJL mice. Pathologic changes were characterized primarily by meningitis and focal areas of parenchymal inflammation, necrosis and microglial hypertrophy. CDV was readily isolated from infected mouse brain 10–23 days after infection, and peak virus titers occurred at the height of neurologic disease 14–17 days after infection. CDV antigen was detected by immunofluorescence throughout grey and white matter of the brain and brain stem. CDV was rescued from explanted mouse brain tissue after it could not be isolated from brain homogenates. BALB/c mice which were inoculated intracerebrally with CDV one month after initial virus injection developed meningitis and a non-inflammatory degeneration of white matter.
Exome sequencing allows for rapid gene identification in a Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth family

Objective Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease comprises a large number of genetically distinct forms of inherited peripheral neuropathies. The relative uniform phenotypes in many patients with CMT make it difficult to decide which of the over 35 known CMT genes are affected in a given patient. Genetic testing decision trees are therefore broadly based on a small number of major subtypes (eg, CMT1, CMT2) and the observed mutation frequency for CMT genes. Since conventional genetic testing is expensive many rare genes are not being tested for at all.
Differential expression of cytokine genes in HIV-1 tat transfected T and B cell lines.

Cytokine responses are dramatically affected when HIV-1 infected cells are activated with certain antigenic stimuli. We report the effects of HIV-1 tat gene in cytokine modulation, using HIV-1 tat transfected T (Jurkat) and B (Raji) cell lines. Studying the effect of tat and/or PMA+PHA on mRNA expression of 14 cytokines (IL-1α, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-α, TNF-β, GM-CSF, TGF-β, IFN-γ and MIP-1α) illustrated differential effects. In addition to the varied effects of tat on the steady state levels of cytokine mRNAs, tat induced the secretion of TNF-β preferentially in both B and T cell lines, either by itself as in Raji B cell line or synergistically upon PMA+PHA stimulation as in Jurkat T cell line.
Motions at subcritical values of the Rayleigh number in a rotating fluid

A simple analysis is presented for the finite-amplitude, steady motions in a rotating layer of fluid which is heated uniformly from below and cooled from above. The boundaries are considered to be ‘free’ and a solution is obtained for the two-dimensional problem using the eigenfunctions of the stability problem plus the smallest number of higher modes required to represent non-linear interactions. In his analysis of the stability problem Chandrasekhar (1953) concluded that in mercury overstable motions can occur for a value of the Rayleigh number which is as little as 1/67 of the value required for instability to steady motions. In the present paper it is shown that, for a restricted range of Taylor number, steady finite-amplitude motions can exist for values of the Rayleigh number smaller than the critical value required for overstability. The horizontal scale of these finite-amplitude steady motions is larger than that of the overstable motions. A more exact solution to the finite-amplitude problem confirms the above results. The latter solution together with additional physical results will be presented in a later paper.
On the degree of second-order non-circularity of complex random variables

This paper addresses the degree of second-order non-circularity or impropriety of complex random variables and its purpose is to complement previously available theoretical results. New properties of the non-circularity rate (also called circularity spectrum) are given for scalar and multidimensional complex random variables with a particular attention paid to rectilinear random variables, i.e., with maximum circularity spectrum. Finally, the maximum likelihood estimate of the circularity spectrum in the Gaussian case and asymptotic distribution of this estimate for arbitrary distributions are given.
GO-Elite

Summary: We introduce GO-Elite, a flexible and powerful pathway analysis tool for a wide array of species, identifiers (IDs), pathways, ontologies and gene sets. In addition to the Gene Ontology (GO), GO-Elite allows the user to perform over-representation analysis on any structured ontology annotations, pathway database or biological IDs (e.g. gene, protein or metabolite). GO-Elite exploits the structured nature of biological ontologies to report a minimal set of non-overlapping terms. The results can be visualized on WikiPathways or as networks. Built-in support is provided for over 60 species and 50 ID systems, covering gene, disease and phenotype ontologies, multiple pathway databases, biomarkers, and transcription factor and microRNA targets. GO-Elite is available as a web interface, GenMAPP-CS plugin and as a cross-platform application. Availability: http://www.genmapp.org/go_elite Contact: nsalomonis@gladstone.ucsf.edu Supplementary Information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Thermal and biological properties of tin-modified cellulosic material derived from cotton

Thermal and biological properties of tin-modified cellulose derived from cotton are described. The inception temperature of degradation for tin-modified cellulosic products is inferior to that of cotton itself, but the heats of degradation in air are less than that of cotton consistent with the modified products being superior in this respect. Degradation of the modified materials in helium as monitored by coupled thermogravimetric analysis–mass spectroscopy shows that degradation occurs through a series of complex steps with the evolution of products characteristic of both the tin-containing and cellulose materials. The tin-modified cellulose was tested against five fungi using disk and protein assays. The fungi tested are typical and widespread, and these tests provide a good indication of the applicability of such products as retarders of fungi-related rot and mildew. Most of the tested samples showed good inhibition of the tested fungi.
Trying Something New

Trying something new is a universal living experience of health. Although trying something new frequently occurs in healthcare, its meaning has never explicitly been studied. Parse's humanbecoming school of thought is the theoretical perspective for this study. The research question for this study is: What is the structure of the living experience of trying something new? The purpose of this study was to advance nursing science. Parse's qualitative phenomenological-hermeneutic research method was used to guide this study. Participants were 8 men and 2 women, ages 29 to 65 who utilize an outpatient mental health facility in the Midwest. Data were collected with dialogical engagement. The major finding of the study is the structure: Trying something new is engaging in capricious exploitations with vacillating sentiments, as wistful contemplation surfaces with disparate affiliations.
A 2.4-GHz auto-calibration frequency synthesizer with on-chip built-in-self-test solution

A novel single chip 2.4-GHz phase-lock loop (PLL) with auto-calibration mechanism, which is adaptive to process variation, is presented. The proposed synthesizer with self-calibration block is connected to the on-chip jitter measurement circuit. The PLL adjusts the voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) input control voltage in response to the measured jitter by the jitter measurement block. The response of the VCO is adjusted inherently towards the desired center frequency by the self-calibration process to reduce the jitter of its 2.4-GHz output for ZigBee application. This method could also be used to implement built-in-self-test for PLL. The synthesizer, designed in TSMC 0.18-/spl mu/m technology, has an edge jitter standard deviation of 0.86-ps having a 20% improvement over PLL with no self-calibration. The digitally controlled VCO has a wide tuning range of 0.6-GHz. The synthesizer has a programmable frequency divider that operates with a division range of 456-496.
Avian scale development. V. Ultrastructure of the chorionic epithelium induced by anterior shank dermis from the scaleless mutant

In combination with dermis from the anterior shank skin of the scaleless mutant, the chorionic epithelium forms an epidermis whose ultrastructural features are indistinguishable from those seen along the inner surface of normal scales and along the anterior shank of the scaleless mutant.
The Human Gut Microbiota and Undernutrition

Childhood malnutrition is a global health problem that cannot be attributed to food insecurity alone. The gut microbiota may contribute to this devastating health disorder. In this Perspective, we call for the application of tools and concepts emerging from studies of the human gut microbiota to better understand the nutritional needs of infants and children and the role of the microbiota in the pathogenesis and treatment of undernutrition. This effort will require elucidation of the interrelationships between breast milk composition and the development of the microbiota and immune system in the context of the maternal-infant dyad.
Oxidative Aromatization of Olefins with Dioxygen Catalyzed by Palladium Trifluoroacetate

Molecular oxygen can replace sacrificial olefins as the hydrogen acceptor in the palladium trifluoroacetate catalyzed dehydrogenation of cyclohexene and related cyclic olefins into aromatics. One of the major drawbacks of the homogeneous system is the tendency of the palladium trifluoroacetate to precipitate as palladium(0) at elevated temperatures. The use of better ligands affords catalysts that can operate at higher temperatures, although they are less reactive than palladium trifluoroacetate.
Impact of antibiotic prophylaxis for intrathecal baclofen pump surgery in pediatric patients.

OBJECT This study explored antibiotic prophylaxis (AP) in pediatric patients undergoing intrathecal baclofen pump (ITBP) surgery and factors associated with perioperative AP compliance with clinical guidelines. METHODS Data were obtained from the Pediatric Health Information System. The study cohort comprised patients who underwent ITBP surgery within 3 days of admission, between July 1, 2004, and March 31, 2014, with a minimum prior screening period and follow-up of 180 days. Exclusion criteria were prior infection, antibiotic use within 30 days of admission, and/or missing financial data. Chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regressions were used to determine factors associated with compliance with AP guidelines in ITBP surgeries. RESULTS A total of 1,534 patients met the inclusion criteria; 91.5% received AP and 37.6% received dual coverage or more. Overall bundled compliance comprised 2 components: 1) perioperative antibiotic administration and 2) 24 hours postoperatively, the rate was insignificantly higher (22.00%, p = 0.368). Thus, of direct relevance to practicing clinicians, missed preoperative antibiotics was associated with 48% higher risk of adverse complication/infection outcome in a 6-month time frame. Adjusted hospitalization costs associated with baclofen pump surgery differed significantly (p < 0.001) with respect to perioperative antibiotic practices: 22.83, 29.10, 37.66 (× 1000 USD) for bundled compliance, missed preoperative antibiotics, and prolonged antibiotic administration, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Significant variation in ITBP antibiotic prophylaxis was found. Documented AP compliance was associated with higher value of care, showing favorable clinical and financial outcomes. Of most impact to clinical outcome, missed preoperative antibiotics was significantly associated with higher risk of 6-month surgical complication/infection. Prolonged antibiotic use was associated with significantly higher hospital costs compared with those with overall bundled antibiotic compliance. Future research is warranted to examine factors associated with practice variation and how AP compliance is associated with outcomes and quality, aiming for improving delivery of care to pediatric patients undergoing ITBP procedures.
The Limbic System of Tetrapods: A Comparative Analysis of Cortical and Amygdalar Populations

Recent studies of the limbic system of tetrapods have made data available that challenge some of the long-held tenets of forebrain evolution. Using the basic principle of parsimony--that the best hypotheses concerning homologies are those requiring the fewest number of evolutionary changes--we have reevaluated comparisons of tetrapod limbic systems. Given the current data, the following points appear to be justified: (1) the common ancestors of reptiles and mammals had a well-developed limbic system in which the basic subdivisions and connections of the amygdalar nuclei were established; (2) the ventral part of the lateral pallium in amphibians appears to be a single structure which corresponds to at least four areas in reptiles: centromedial DVR, ventral anterior amygdala, lateral amygdala, and part of the lateral cortex; (3) the medial pallium in amphibians appears to be homologous with the dorsal and medial cortices in reptiles and with the general and hippocampal cortices in mammals: (4) the cortical targets of the main olfactory bulb in reptiles and mammals appear to be homologous, and their common ancestor probably had a corresponding olfactory pallial field; (5) the targets of the accessory olfactory bulb in amphibians, reptiles, and mammals appear to be homologous, with the exception of nucleus sphericus in reptiles, which lacks an obvious homologue in non-reptiles.
Mutual Legal Assistance in an Era of Globalized Communications: The Analogy to the Visa Waiver Program

With globalized communications, criminal enforcement increasingly encounters communications stored in other countries. Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) have been the principal mechanism for responding to these cross-border data requests. This article contends that MLATs today are emerging as a key component of multiple legal and policy debates. Drastically improving the mutual legal assistance (MLA) process has become important, not only for accurate adjudication in individual cases, but also for supporting a globally open and inter-operable Internet against calls for data localization and institution of other stricter national controls on the Internet.After the Introduction, Part II introduces the relevant history. Part III explores the growing importance of cross-border evidence requests over time, as local law enforcement seeks evidence abroad due to globalized communications, cloud computing, and the spread of encrypted communications that block local wiretaps. Notably, improving the MLA process provides an important alternative to law enforcement authorities’ call for limits on effective encryption. Where an MLA request efficiently provides access to the plain text of communications at the server level, then the law enforcement case for key escrow and other encryption limits becomes weaker. Part IV analyzes short- and medium-term policy changes that could make the current MLA process faster, better, and cheaper. Part V proposes an alternative way to improve MLA requests, what we call a Mutual Legal Assistance Statute (MLAS). Fortunately, there is a statutory precedent for addressing the higher volume of cross-border activity that arises with globalization – the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Due to the analogous globalization of cross-border evidence, the idea is that eligible countries, with high-quality procedures for seeking evidence, would face a streamlined process for gaining evidence in the U.S. One notable advantage of a statutory approach is its flexibility compared to renegotiation and re-ratification of a treaty with each country, as shown by the VWP amendments in the wake of the 2015 Paris and San Bernardino attacks. The fact that the VWP has operated and adapted successfully over time, with strict-yet-manageable criteria for country eligibility, suggests that MLA stakeholders might fruitfully explore a streamlined MLAS process that learns from the visa waiver precedent.
Hydrogenation of Polystyrene in CO2-Expanded Solvents: Catalyst Poisoning

Organic solvents expanded with supercritical carbon dioxide can be excellent media for hydrogenation reactions. However, catalyst poisoning by CO formed via the reverse water-gas-shift reaction occurs during many hydrogenations in the presence of CO2. In this research, the hydrogenation of polystyrene in CO2-expanded decahydronaphthalene was studied in a batch reactor using two hydrogenation catalysts, 5%Pd/BaSO4 and 65%Ni/Al2O3/SiO2. The 5%Pd/BaSO4 catalyst deactivated at 150 °C and CO2 pressures of 250−2250 psig (1.8−15.6 MPa). Approximately 50 ppm CO was present in the CO2-rich light phase after about 10 h at 150 °C, 750 psig H2 pressure, and 2250 psig CO2 pressure. A model that incorporates CO poisoning was developed to describe deactivation of the Pd/BaSO4 catalyst. The 65%Ni/Al2O3/SiO2 catalyst was more active for ring hydrogenation than 5%Pd/BaSO4, and very little CO was formed in the presence of CO2. The Ni catalyst deactivated in the presence of CO2 at 180 °C, possibly due to H2O formed in a meth...
Universelle Prüfumgebung für Untersuchungen des Antriebsstrangs

Das neue Aggregatepruffeld der Volkswagen AG in Wolfsburg hat seinen ersten Probebetrieb im Jahr 2001 aufgenommen und steht nun vollstandig dem Entwicklungsverbund der Konzernmarken zur Verfugung. Mit diesem Pruffeld ist eine universelle Prufumgebung fur Untersuchungen des Antriebsstrangs geschaffen worden. Es konnen sowohl einzelne seiner Komponenten als auch - in naherer Zukunft — komplette Triebstrange unter realitatsnahen Bedingungen abgestimmt werden. Mit der eingesetzten modernen Pruftechnik sind fruhzeitige vom Fahrzeug unabhangige Untersuchungen der Einzelaggregate moglich. Dadurch verkurzt sich die Entwicklungszeit erheblich.
Can amorphous nuclei grow crystalline clathrates? The size and crystallinity of critical clathrate nuclei.

Recent studies reveal that amorphous intermediates are involved in the formation of clathrate hydrates under conditions of high driving force, raising two questions: first, how could amorphous nuclei grow into crystalline clathrates and, second, whether amorphous nuclei are intermediates in the formation of clathrate crystals for temperatures close to equilibrium. In this work, we address these two questions through large-scale molecular simulations. We investigate the stability and growth of amorphous and crystalline clathrate nuclei and assess the thermodynamics and kinetic factors that affect the crystallization pathway of clathrates. Our calculations show that the dissociation temperature of amorphous clathrates is just 10% lower than for the crystals, facilitating the formation of metastable amorphous intermediates. We find that, at any temperatures, the critical crystalline nuclei are smaller than critical amorphous nuclei. The temperature dependence of the critical nucleus size is well described by the Gibbs―Thomson relation, from which we extract a liquid-crystal surface tension in excellent agreement with experiments. Our analysis suggests that at high driving force the amorphous nuclei may be kinetically favored over crystalline nuclei because of lower free energy barriers of formation. We investigated the role of the initial structure and size of the nucleus on the subsequent growth of the clathrates, and found that both amorphous and sI crystalline nuclei yield crystalline clathrates. Interestingly, growth of the metastable sII crystal polymorph is always favored over the most stable sI crystal, revealing kinetic control of the growth and indicating that a further step of ripening from sII to sI is needed to reach the stable crystal phase. The latter results are in agreement with the observed metastable formation of sII CO 2 and CH 4 clathrate hydrates and their slow conversion to sI under experimental conditions.
Contact Secondary Nucleation as a Means of Creating Seeds for Continuous Tubular Crystallizers

The control of crystal size of any crystallization process is especially important in the pharmaceutical industry where small sizes are often desired. Seeding is often used as a method of controlling crystal size and suppressing primary nucleation in batch processes. The continuous mixed suspension mixed product removal crystallizers are self-seeded; however, crystal attrition and contact secondary nucleation due to crystal interaction with the impeller influence the crystal size. In this study, a nuclei generation device (nucleator) employing contact secondary nucleation is described. The nucleator consists of a “crossed” flow tube with four openings. Two of the openings are the inlet of supersaturated solution and the outlet of crystal slurry, respectively. The other two openings are for contact nucleation, where the parent crystal comes into contact with a platform under an applied stress. The rate of nucleation and the size of the crystals generated can be controlled by supersaturation (S = c/cs) and ...
Evaluating nursing satisfaction and utilization of the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol, revised version (CIWA-Ar)

Abstract Introduction: The Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol, revised version (CIWA-Ar), developed and validated for research, is used in our inpatient academic medical center. We sought to assess nursing satisfaction with the scale itself, training for using the scale, and nursing staff use of the CIWA-Ar. Methods: A retrospective chart review included all patients with an order for CIWA-Ar between August 1, 2014, and September 30, 2014. Data collected included demographics, admitting diagnosis, vital signs, admission blood alcohol level, lorazepam total daily dose, and CIWA-Ar scores. Nursing staff was sent an anonymous, 26-question survey in January 2015. The survey collected demographics, training history, and recommendations for modifications to the CIWA-Ar. Results: During the 2-month period, 274 patients had orders for CIWA-Ar, with 113 receiving at least one dose of lorazepam. Lorazepam was not given to 21% of patients when they scored >8 on the CIWA-Ar, whereas 71% of patients ...
Slow ethnography: A hut with a view

Informed by the snail's pace of the Zapatista “caracol” process and the Slow Food movement, this contribution explores the liberatory potential of “slow ethnography” over two decades in the Maya lowlands of Guatemala and Belize, oriented from a “hut with a view”. Against the unbearable lightness of multi-sited imaginaries, I describe the intellectual and personal discoveries gained from following Laura Nader's framework for “studying up, down and sideways”. This article makes a case for how the slowness of research possessed by place might serve as a critical “as a point of reference” (in Zapatista terms) on an ever-quickening planet. The analysis also suggests how slower, more ethical and reciprocal processes of research might help heal anthropology's longstanding disciplinary entanglements and conflicts with native peoples.
Comment: Noninvasive vagus DBS—Preliminary study encouraging for chronic migraine

Headache disorders are the most common, among the most disabling, and the most treatable of all neurologic conditions. Despite numerous available therapies, patients with refractory migraine, cluster headache, and other headache types are in need of effective treatment. Neurostimulation, utilized for decades to treat pain originating from the spinal cord, is gaining momentum for treating cephalalgic pain.
Briefer activation time is associated with better outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Abstract Background Treatment of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) requires prompt intervention. Better outcomes are associated with briefer time from dispatch of emergency medical services (EMS) providers to arrival on scene, application of a defibrillator or insertion of an advanced airway. We assessed whether time from receipt of a call by a telecommunicator to dispatch of EMS providers was associated with outcomes. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort study of persons who had OHCA treated by EMS providers in Seattle, WA. Activation interval was defined as time from call pick up by telecommunicator to notification of EMS providers to respond to the call. Response interval was defined as the time from notification of EMS providers to their arrival at patient side. We determined the association between time intervals and outcomes of sustained restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), survival to hospital discharge and neurologically favorable survival using multiple logistic regression. Secondary analyses assessed the relative contribution of activation versus response interval, and adjusted for post-treatment patient and EMS characteristics. Results Among 2,687 patients, activation interval was mean 1.2±0.6min. Response interval was mean 6.1±2.4min. 1,232 (45.9%) achieved ROSC; 475 (17.7%) survived to discharge; and 428 (15.9%) had favorable neurologic status at discharge. Compared to an activation interval of at least 1.5min, patients with briefer intervals were more likely to survive to discharge (adjusted odds ratio (OR) for p value=0.002). With baseline survival of 10%, the absolute increase in survival associated with a 30s decrease in activation interval was 0.7% and for a 30s decrease in response interval was 0.4%. Conclusions Briefer activation interval was independently associated with greater survival. Further research is needed to assess whether reduction of the activation interval improves outcome after OHCA.
Prostatitis, sexually transmitted diseases, and prostate cancer: The California Men’s Health Study

B43 BACKGROUND: A growing body of evidence from population and experimental studies provide strong support for the role of inflammation in prostate carcinogenesis. A meta-analysis of 29 case-control studies reported any sexually transmitted disease (STD) to be associated with a 1.5-fold increased risk of prostate cancer. Recently, the first prospective study of prostatitis, STDs and prostate cancer was conducted by the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Overall, no association between prostatitis, STDs, and prostate cancer risk was observed. Of note, men in this study have a low burden of STDs. To further investigate the role of prostatitis, STDs and prostate cancer risk, we conducted a prospective study of California Men’s Health Study, a cohort of 84,190 men from four racial/ethnic groups, who are members of Kaiser Permanente. >METHODS: Data on history of prostatitis, gonorhhea, syphilis, chlamydia, and herpes were obtained from baseline questionnaires. A total of 1,329 incident prostate cancer cases were available for analysis. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate multivariate adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for prostate cancer. >RESULTS: Differences in the history of prostatitis and any STD were observed across racial/ethnic groups. For history of prostatitis, the highest frequencies were observed among Whites followed by African-Americans, Latinos, and Asians. For history of STDs, the highest frequencies were observed among African-Americans followed by Whites, Latinos, and Asians. Across racial/ethnic groups, the history of prostatitis ranged from 7.1% to 3.2%, any STD from 65.2% to 19.6%, gonorrhea from 50.8% to 7.3%, syphilis from 5.4% to 1.5%, chlamydia from 8.2% to 1.1%, and herpes from 7.7% to 3.0%. Prostatitis was associated with a significant 1.3-fold increased risk of prostate cancer (95% CI: 1.10-1.61; P = 0.003). Overall, any STD was not significantly associated with prostate cancer (RR=1.09; 95% CI: 0.99-1.23; P = 0.078). Although evidence of heterogeneity was observed across racial/ethnic groups (P heterogeneity = 0.039), with a significant increased risk of any STD observed among Latinos (RR=1.66; 95% CI: 1.22-2.26; P = 0.001). Gonorrhea was significantly associated with prostate cancer among Latinos (RR=1.52; 95%CI: 1.07-2.16; P = 0.018). Syphilis was associated with a significant 1.4-fold increased risk of prostate cancer (95% CI: 1.08-1.98; P = 0.028). >CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that prostatitis and syphilis may increase the risk of prostate cancer, supporting the role of inflammation in prostate cancer development.
Reconstitution of FtsH-Mediated Membrane Protein Degradation in Bicelles

Controlled degradation of misassembled and dispensable proteins is a crucial cellular process for maintaining the quality control of proteomes. While a majority of studies have focused on degradation of water soluble proteins, it is poorly understood how membrane proteins are degraded in cells. This discrepancy is largely due to the difficulties in reconstituting the degradation process in vitro, which is necessary for biochemical and biophysical analysis of the mechanism. In this study, we successfully reconstituted ATP-dependent proteolysis of membrane proteins mediated by the membrane-integrated AAA+ protease FtsH of E.
Chronic intestinal electrical stimulation improves glucose intolerance and insulin resistance in diet-induced obesity rats.

Objective Obesity is a contributing factor to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to study the therapeutic potential of intestinal electrical stimulation (IES) for obesity and associated glucose intolerance and insulin resistance in diet-induced obesity (DIO) rats. Methods DIO rats were divided into two groups to receive sham or IES for 8 weeks. Oral glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance tests were performed. Gastric emptying and small bowel transit tests were performed. Blood samples were collected for the analysis of insulin and free fatty acid (FFA). Results Chronic IES reduced food intake and body weight and decreased the adiposity index in DIO rats. Compared with chow-fed rats, DIO rats had an elevated fasting plasma glucose level, impaired glucose tolerance, and impaired insulin sensitivity, which were improved after chronic IES. FFA was elevated in DIO rats and suppressed with IES. Chronic IES delayed gastric emptying but accelerated small bowel transit. Conclusions IES reduces food intake and body weight and improves glucose tolerance and insulin resistance in DIO rats. The ameliorating effect on glycemic control may be due to the weight loss and suppression of plasma FFA. Other mechanisms such as the modulation of gastrointestinal transit may also be involved.
Frequency and Management of Sleep Disturbance in Adults with Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review.

Intense nocturnal pruritus as well as the complex pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis (AD) can severely affect sleep and become a major factor in negatively impacting quality of life in adults. However, much of the literature on sleep disturbance in AD patients is on the pediatric population, and it is not well studied in adults. Furthermore, limited studies are available to guide effective management of sleep disturbance in AD in general. We review the literature to present the studies that have investigated the relationship between AD and its effect on sleep in adults and provide an approach for clinicians caring for this population. A systematic literature search was conducted through the PubMed and EMBASE databases using the search terms “atopic dermatitis” OR “eczema” AND “sleep.” The articles generated by the search and their references were reviewed. A high prevalence of sleep disturbance is experienced by adults with AD. The likelihood of sleep disturbance is much higher in patients with AD compared to those without AD. Sleep disturbance appears to worsen with AD severity. Pruritus and scratching appear to be large contributors to sleep disturbance in adult patients with AD. It is important that clinicians evaluate the severity of AD and ask general questions about itching, sleep, impact on daily activities, and persistence of disease during each patient visit and follow-up with the complaint of sleep disturbance. Management of sleep disturbance in AD should focus on adequate disease control of AD as well as possible medical interventions to help improve sleep. The pathophysiology of sleep disturbance in AD is extremely complex, and further research is needed to better understand the interplay of the immune system, circadian rhythm, and environmental factors implicated in both AD and sleep.
Conjunctival subepithelial fibrosis and meibomian gland atrophy in ocular graft-versus-host disease.

Abstract Purpose Dry eye symptoms greatly impact patients' quality of life in ocular graft-versus-host disease (oGVHD). Various ocular surface changes have been reported in oGVHD, including meibomian gland atrophy (MGA) and clinical conjunctival scarring or subepithelial fibrosis (CSEF). The relationships between CSEF, MGA, and other ocular surface changes in oGVHD were examined. Methods Charts of 21 consecutive GVHD patients examined by a single ophthalmologist were retrospectively reviewed. International Chronic Ocular Graft-vs-Host-Disease Consensus Group (ICCG) scores were calculated for each patient using previously published methods. The severity of CSEF by slit lamp examination and MGA by infrared meibography were also assessed for each patient. Infrared meibography images were analyzed using ImageJ to determine percent of MGA. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated using SAS Studio 9.3 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC). Results In the 42 eyes, no significant correlations were identified among the variables examined (CSEF score, ICCG score, MGA). Further examination revealed asymmetric ocular findings in 20 of 21 patients. Analysis of the more severe eye alone (n = 21) revealed a weakly positive correlation between ICCG score and CSEF (r = 0.54; p = 0.01). No other statistically significant correlations were found. Conclusions Clinical CSEF may be an important sign of GVHD impact on the ocular surface and may be relevant in oGVHD severity assessment. Though meibomian glands and conjunctiva are in close proximity, MGA did not correlate with clinical CSEF findings. Some ocular GVHD patients may present with asymmetrical ocular findings, with one eye displaying more severe pathological changes and symptoms despite the systemic nature of GHVD. Further studies are needed to examine these findings.
Arthroscopic Anterior Shoulder Stabilization With Incorporation of a Comminuted Bony Bankart Lesion

Bony Bankart lesions are a common finding in patients with anterior glenohumeral dislocation. Although there are no defined guidelines, small bony Bankart fractures are typically treated arthroscopically with suture anchors. The 2 main techniques used are double- and single-row suture anchor stabilization, with debate over superiority. Biomechanical studies have shown improved reduction and stabilization with the double-row over the single-row suture anchor technique; however, this has not been reported for small or comminuted bony fragments. Both techniques have shown promising preliminary clinical outcomes. In this Technical Note, we describe our preferred technique for arthroscopic instability repair using a single-row all-suture anchor method with the incorporation of a comminuted bony Bankart fragment in the lateral decubitus position.
Binding and energetics of electron transfer between an artificial four-helix Mn-protein and reaction centers from Rhodobacter sphaeroides

The ability of an artificial four-helix bundle Mn-protein, P1, to bind and transfer an electron to photosynthetic reaction centers from the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides was characterized using optical spectroscopy. Upon illumination of reaction centers, an electron is transferred from P, the bacteriochlorophyll dimer, to QA, the primary electron acceptor. The P1 Mn-protein can bind to the reaction center and reduce the oxidized bacteriochlorophyll dimer, P+, with a dissociation constant of 1.2 μM at pH 9.4, comparable to the binding constant of c-type cytochromes. Amino acid substitutions of surface residues on the Mn-protein resulted in increases in the dissociation constant to 8.3 μM. The extent of reduction of P+ by the P1 Mn-protein was dependent on the P/P+ midpoint potential and the pH. Analysis of the free energy difference yielded a midpoint potential of approximately 635 mV at pH 9.4 for the Mn cofactor of the P1 Mn-protein, a value similar to those found for other Mn cofactors in proteins. The linear dependence of -56 mV/pH is consistent with one proton being released upon Mn oxidation, allowing the complex to maintain overall charge neutrality. These outcomes demonstrate the feasibility of designing four-helix bundles and other artificial metalloproteins to bind and transfer electrons to bacterial reaction centers and establish the usefulness of this system as a platform for designing sites to bind novel metal cofactors capable of performing complex oxidation-reduction reactions.
Environmental Perceptions of Gifted Secondary School Students Engaged in an Evidence-Based Enrichment Practice.

Grounded in the Achievement Orientation Model, this qualitative case study examines participation in enrichment and environmental perceptions of gifted secondary school students. Participants included 10 gifted secondary school students, their parents, and their classroom teacher. Data included student, parent, and teacher responses in semistructured interviews, short answer surveys, and student work. Findings indicated a relationship between participation in enrichment and environmental perceptions. Student participants benefited from a teacher trained in gifted education who nurtured both affective and cognitive development, homogeneous grouping with like-minded peers, involved parents, and relationships with project mentors. These findings have implications for designing learning environments that effectively support the special needs of gifted secondary school learners.
A biologically-inspired approach for adaptive control of advanced energy systems

Abstract In this article, a novel approach is proposed for integrating a Biologically-Inspired Optimal Control Strategy (BIO CS) with an Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-based adaptive component for advanced energy systems applications. Specifically, BIO CS employs gradient-based optimal control solvers in a biologically-inspired manner, following the rule of pursuit for ants, to simultaneously control multiple process outputs at their desired setpoints. Also, the ANN component captures the mismatch between the controller and the plant models by using a single-hidden-layer technique with online learning capabilities to augment the baseline BIO CS control laws. The resulting approach is a unique combination of biomimetic control and data-driven methods that provides optimal solutions for dynamic systems. The applicability of the proposed framework is illustrated via an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) process with carbon capture as an advanced energy system example. In particular, a multivariable control structure associated with a subsystem of the IGCC plant simulation in DYNSIM® is addressed. The proposed control laws are derived in MATLAB®, while the plant models are built in DYNSIM®, and a previously developed MATLAB®-DYNSIM® link is employed for implementation purposes. The proposed integrated approach improves the overall performance of the process up to 85% in terms of reducing the output tracking error when compared to stand-alone BIO CS and Proportional-Integral (PI) controller implementations, resulting in faster setpoint tracking. The proposed framework thus provides a promising alternative for advanced control of energy systems of the future.
A Research Synthesis of the Literature on Multimedia Anchored Instruction in Preservice Teacher Education.

More than 20 years have passed since the Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt University first conceptualized and began to explore how to effectively operationalize cognitive learning theory in applied instructional settings, innovatively infusing their model with emerging technologies. Yet, to date a comprehensive review of findings on the multimedia anchored instruction (MAI) model has not been conducted. This synthesis of the literature isolates a small segment of that literature: intervention studies in which MAI was implemented with preservice teachers to increase knowledge, support revisions of beliefs discordant with effective teaching practice, develop skills, and foster transfer. Findings revealed that MAI is an effective service delivery model for meeting these preservice teacher education goals.
Synthesis of nanocrystalline ceria particles for high temperature oxidation resistant coating

Cerium oxide has been investigated to be an effective coating material for high temperature applications for various alumina- and chromia-forming alloys. The present study investigates the use of microemulsion method to obtain monodispersed, non-agglomerated nanocrystalline ceria particles in the range of 5 nm using sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulphosuccinate (AOT) as a surfactant. Furthermore, the use of non-agglomerated nanocrystalline ceria particles to develop improved high temperature oxidation resistant coatings on AISI 304-grade stainless steel was investigated. It was found that non-agglomerated nanocrystalline ceria particles were more effective in improving the oxidation resistance than the agglomerated nanocrystalline particles.
A Home Is Not a School

Over the past 15 years, we have seen a dramatic shift in the environments in which young children spend their time. Whereas a decade and a half ago fewer than one third of the preschool-aged children in this country were in any kind of preschool program, now over half attend a nursery school, kindergarten, or day-care center. An even more striking rise has occurred for infants and toddlers; their participation in such programs has more than doubled in the same period. In addition, many thousands of children are now spending a significant portion of their time in other kinds of nonparental care environments—with a babysitter, a neighbor, an aunt, or a paid day-care home provider. Every year the number of young children in some form of “nontraditional” child care environment increases markedly.
MITIGATION OF ANTHROPOGENIC CLIMATE CHANGE VIA A MACRO-ENGINEERING SCHEME: CLIMATE MODELING RESULTS

It has been suggested that climate change induced by anthropogenic CO2 could be cost-effectively counteracted with macro-engineering schemes designed to diminish the solar radiation incident on Earth’s surface. It is clear that such schemes could counteract global and annual mean global warming. However, the spatial and temporal pattern of radiative forcing from greenhouse gases such as CO2 differs from that of sunlight, therefore it is uncertain to what extent these macro-engineering schemes would mitigate regional or seasonal climate change. The NCAR atmospheric general circulation model, CCM3, has been used to study this issue; in these simulations, the solar radiation incident on the Earth was diminished to balance the increased radiative forcing from a doubling and quadrupling of atmospheric CO2 content. The results indicate that, despite differences in radiative forcing patterns, large-scale macro-engineering schemes could markedly diminish regional and seasonal climate change from anthropogenic CO2 emissions. However, there are some residual climate changes in the Macro-engineered 4xCO2 climate: a significant decrease in surface temperature and net water flux occurs in the tropics; warming in the high latitudes is not completely compensated; the cooling effect of greenhouse gases in the stratosphere increases and sea ice is not fully restored. The stratospheric cooling becomes larger also in the Macro-engineered 2xCO2 climate, and the additional cooling due to macro-engineering could enhance stratospheric ozone depletion. The impact of these climate stabilization schemes on terrestrial biosphere is also investigated using the same climate model∈dex climate model. Results indicate that climate stabilization would tend to limit changes in vegetation distribution brought on by climate change∈dex climate change, but would not prevent CO2-induced changes in Net Primary Productivity∈dex Net Primary Productivity (NPP) or biomass; indeed, if CO2 fertilization∈dex fertilization is an important factor, then a CO2-rich world with compensating reductions in solar radiation could have higher net primary productivity than our current world. However, CO2 effects on ocean chemistry could have deleterious consequences for marine biota. Caution should be exercised in interpretation because these results are from a single model with many simplifying assumptions. The most prudent and least risky option to mitigate global warming may be to curtail emissions of greenhouse gases∈dex greenhouse gases. Nevertheless, studying macro-engineering will provide us the scientific basis to understand the possibility of rapidly counteracting catastrophic global warming without inadvertently creating a bigger problem
Copper in Growth and Development

Gestation involves changes in copper metabolism and balance that allow transfer of significant amounts of copper from mother to fetus. Presumably, this occurs already very soon after implantation, as the new cells in the growing embryo will at minimum each need their complement of cytochrome oxidase for energy generation through oxidative phosphorylation (see Chapter 6). Copper may also be needed for Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase and ceruloplasmin to inhibit damage by free radicals (see Chapters 4 and 6) and for specialized enzymes in brain, connective tissue, and other areas. The maternal organism must therefore rise to the occasion, and it does so in several ways that we can currently understand may serve fetal needs.
Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein-related Lipid Transfer (START) Proteins in Non-vesicular Cholesterol Transport

Lipid transfer proteins play an important role in non-vesicular transport of sterols, phospholipids, and sphingolipids among intracellular membranes to maintain the proper sterol and lipid distribution. The steroidogenic acute regulatory protein-related lipid transfer (START) domain family are defined by a conserved 210 amino acid sequence that folds into an α/β helix-grip structure containing a hydrophobic pocket for ligand binding. The mammalian START proteins bind a variety of ligands, including cholesterol, phospholipids, sphingolipids, and bile acids with putative roles in non-vesicular lipid transport, tumor suppression, and thioesterase activity. However, the functions of many START proteins have yet to be well characterized. Recent studies have focused on determining the cell type distribution and expression profile of the START proteins, examining the ligand specificity and directionality of transport and characterizing disease states that may be associated with deregulation of START proteins. This chapter will summarize current findings regarding the physiologic and pathological roles of the START proteins in non-vesicular lipid transport.
Cyber security considerations on PMU-based state estimation

State estimation allows continuous monitoring of a power system by estimating the power system state variables from measurement data. Unfortunately, the measurement data provided by the devices can serve as attack vectors for false data injection attacks. As more components are connected to the internet, power system is exposed to various known and unknown cyber threats. Previous investigations have shown that false data can be injected on data from traditional meters that bypasses bad data detection systems. This paper extends this investigation by giving an overview of cyber security threats to phasor measurement units, assessing the impact of false data injection on hybrid state estimators and suggesting security recommendations. Simulations are performed on IEEE-30 and 118 bus test systems.