cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Practicing teachers and Web 2.0 technologies: Possibilities for transformative learning.

Despite the increased ubiquity of computer hardware and software in U.S. schools, a number of educational researchers contend that teacher practice remains unchanged. This qualitative case study examined five K-12 public school teachers using Web 2.0 technologies to determine if these tools prompted significant changes in perceptions of their roles in and out of the classroom. Mezirow's theory of transformative learning served as the framework for analyzing changes in participants' frames of reference. The study also examined supports and hindrances to these changes and the factors that influenced them. Research data included background information surveys, blogs, podcasts and interviews coupled with reflective activities. Four participants underwent transformative learning experiences in the classroom, while the fifth, whose perceptions of his role were already in line with the tools, did not. In general, Web 2.0 tools connected participants to a global audience, allowed them to engage in more authentic student work, shifted them from the classroom's center, improved student performance, increased student engagement and bypassed local student performance stigmas. Three participants underwent transformative learning experiences out of the classroom with Web 2.0 use reducing their feelings of isolation, increasing professional development opportunities, allowing them to serve as resources for other educators, providing them with reflective spaces and giving them a sense of public accountability. Two participants were in emerging stages of out-of-the-classroom transformative learning experiences. Supports for this transformation included building-level leadership, online community engagement, professional development and external attention from a global audience. Hindrances included obstructive district technology personnel and disinterested colleagues. A critical factor in out-of-classroom transformations was whether participants published blogs and/or podcasts, with contributors transforming more extensively than participants who merely consumed information. Such findings suggest that federal education policies for teachers and students, district-sanctioned opportunities for teacher learning, teacher education programs and learning experiences for school leaders should include Web 2.0 tools. Also, district technology support structures and policies should foster teaching and learning with these technologies. Ultimately, researchers can benefit from applying Mezirow's framework to gauging changes in teacher practice, and they can draw on blog and podcast data to examine teachers' reflections on practice.
Natural support systems: source of strength in Hispanic communities

ginning to focus on the important role of natural support systems in assisting individuals in crisis and on the potential impact these systems have on the utili zation of services and the development of programs.1 Examination of the natu ral support systems in Hispanic com munities reveals an inherent source of strength for individuals that can be ex plored as resources in the development of culture-specific counseling or in the development of service plans, pro grams, and policies. Failure to explore these resources may result in an under utilization of services.
Transnational English language learners fighting on an unlevel playing field: high school exit exams, accommodations, and ESL status

Though previous research addresses the negative impact of state-mandated high school exit exams on English language learners’ (ELLs) educational experiences, less attention has been given to how college-oriented ELLs, especially those who attended school in their home countries before coming to the US, handle rigorous exams or gain access to tertiary education. This paper examines how late-entrant transnational ELL students negotiate the linguistic and academic challenges imposed by high school exit exams. Qualitative analyses show that these students deliberately flunk a state-wide English proficiency test mandated by No Child Left Behind and maintain their ELL status in order to avoid losing ELL accommodations, without which they would have little hope of passing the exit exams. This paper argues that such intentional test-failure reveals the role of both teachers and students as policymakers in their own right. The paper further delves into the serious test validity and fairness issues entailed in language education policies in the US and sheds light on the importance of ensuring equitable treatment for ELLs and incorporating the voices of test-taking ELLs and their teachers into policymaking decisions.
Genome Sequences of Five Clinical Isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

ABSTRACT Klebsiella pneumoniae is a nosocomial pathogen of emerging importance and displays resistance to broad-spectrum antibiotics, such as carbapenems. Here, we report the genome sequences of five clinical K. pneumoniae isolates, four of which are carbapenem resistant. Carbapenem resistance is conferred by hydrolyzing class A β-lactamases found adjacent to transposases.
State of Mind: The Hillmon Case, the McGuffin, and the Supreme Court

The case of Mutual Life Insurance Company v. Hillmon is one of the most influential decisions in the law of evidence. Decided by the Supreme Court in 1892, it invented an exception to the hearsay rule for statements encompassing the intentions of the declarant. But this exception seems not to rest on any plausible theory of the categorical reliability of such statements. This article suggests that the case turned instead on the Court's understanding of the facts of the underlying dispute about the identity of a corpse. The author's investigations into newspaper archives and the original case documents point to a different understanding, and proposes that this important rule of evidence may have grown out of an historical mistake.
Admirable Citizen or Annoying Moaner? Effects of Coordination Effectiveness on Responses to Voice

Employee voice has significant implications for both group and organizational effectiveness. However, relatively less is known about the consequences for the employee who speaks out. The present re...
The Limestone Pavements of Nahanni

Abstract The limestone pavements of the subarctic Nahanni are glaciokarstic forms of pre-Wisconsin age. Despite a harsh climate, annual denudation 11.3 mm!1000 yrs. on bare limestone, and 22.8 mm!1000 yrs. in soil covered areas) is comparable with that in alpine and cold temperate areas. As the pavements evolve they pass through pit-and-tunnel, grike, grike depression, and residual clint stages. The same stages have been identified in other glaciated and non-glaciated pavement and karren karst areas, and in labyrinth karst regions where the equivalent landforms are dolines, karst streets, karst platea, and residual towers. Limestone pavement topography is therefore considered to be micro-scale labyrinth karst.
Adrenergic blocking agents modify catecholamine stimulation of short-circuit current in isolated frog skin.

SummaryAn investigation is reported on the effects of phenoxybenzamine and propranolol on the catecholamine-stimulated short-circuited current (Isc) of isolated frog skin. Phenoxybenzamine and propranolol inhibited the increase in Isc produced by both norepinephrine (NE) and isopropyl-arterenol (IPA), whereas that produced by epinephrine (E) was inhibited by phenoxybenzamine but not by propranolol. We conclude that in the dosages of the drugs used, catecholamine-stimulated sodium influx through isolated frog skin is blocked by propranolol and phenoxybenzamine while chloride outflux is blocked by phenoxybenzamine but not by propranolol.
Influence of cortisone on nervous tissue, adrenal and thyroid.

Summary1. We attempted to ascertain the effects of large doses of cortisone on the histology of the cat and rat brain. In addition, the adrenals and thyroids of the cats were examined. 2. No change was encountered in the nervous tissue of cortisone-treated animals. 3. The adrenals of the cortisone-treated cats demonstrated the compensatory atrophy which is believed to be brought about by a decreased discharge of ACTH from the anterior pituitary. 4. The thyroids of the treated cats presented histological signs of thyrotrophic activation.
Effects of dietary fiber on digestive enzyme activity and bile acids in the small intestine.

In humans and in a number of animal species consumption of high fiber diets has been associated with reductions in the digestibility and availability of protein, fats, and other nutrients such as m...
School failure and deafness after "silent" congenital cytomegalovirus infection.

Abstract We found IgM antibody directed against cytomegalovirus in the umbilical-cord blood of 53 of 8644 newborns. Forty-four of the 53 had psychometric and pediatric evaluations at 3.5 to 7.0 years of age. The group's mean IQ was 102.5±22.4 (±S.D.), whereas in matched controls it was 111.7 (P<0.025). Bilateral hearing loss was present in five of 40 children with antibody against cytomegalovirus and in one of 44 matched controls without antibody (P<0.1). Three of the antibody-positive children, however, had profound deafness, an abnormality that occurs once in approximately 1000 children. The predicted school failure rate, based on IQ, behavioral, neurologic and auditory test data, was 2.7 times that of matched socioeconomic controls and eight times that of randomly selected controls. We conclude that clinically inapparent congenital cytomegalovirus infection can adversely affect Central-nervous-system development. (N Engl J Med 295:468–470, 1976)
MoCha: Molecular Characterization of Unknown Pathways

Automated methods for the reverse-engineering of complex regulatory networks are paving the way for the inference of mechanistic comprehensive models directly from experimental data. These novel methods can infer not only the relations and parameters of the known molecules defined in their input datasets, but also unknown components and pathways identified as necessary by the automated algorithms. Identifying the molecular nature of these unknown components is a crucial step for making testable predictions and experimentally validating the models, yet no specific and efficient tools exist to aid in this process. To this end, we present here MoCha (Molecular Characterization), a tool optimized for the search of unknown proteins and their pathways from a given set of known interacting proteins. MoCha uses the comprehensive dataset of protein-protein interactions provided by the STRING database, which currently includes more than a billion interactions from over 2,000 organisms. MoCha is highly optimized, performing typical searches within seconds. We demonstrate the use of MoCha with the characterization of unknown components from reverse-engineered models from the literature. MoCha is useful for working on network models by hand or as a downstream step of a model inference engine workflow and represents a valuable and efficient tool for the characterization of unknown pathways using known data from thousands of organisms. MoCha and its source code are freely available online under the GPLv3 license.
Occupational Health Examination Results of Enterprises in Xuanwei City during 2008-2010

[Objective]To understand the status of health examination of occupational groups in Xuanwei City during 2008-2010.[Methods]The occupational groups with occupational health examination were selected as the study object in 2008-2010,and the examination results were analyzed statistically.[Results]During 2008-2010,the number of enterprises participating in occupational health examination was increased from 58 to 120.The examination rate of occupational health was increased from 90.98% to 95.36%.The detection rate of suspected occupational disease was increased from 2.04% to 3.32%.The detection rate of occupational contradiction was increased from 1.41% to 4.33%.[Conclusion]The occupational health surveillance needs to be strengthenedin Xuanwei City.
Research on Mechanism of Deploying Virtual Machine in Mode of IaaS

Aiming at the deployment of virtual machine of cloud computing platform,which provides infrastructures as a service,raise a model of deploying virtual machine based on analysis of existing application mode of cloud computing platform,and propose a strategy of matching resources fast.The model partitions all of computing nodes into the two-dimensional container queue based on the size of available CPU and available memory by monitoring computing node,and then matches the resources.In resource matching strategy,computing unit priority matching to improve the CPU utilization of the computing nodes.The virtual machine deployment mechanism which is presented is implemented in the open source cloud computing platform based on the Eucalyptus.The experimental results show that the mechanism of deploying virtual machine improves utilization of resource and the efficiency of deployment.
Glomerulosclerosis, arteriosclerosis, and vascular graft stenosis: Treatment with oral heparinoids

At present there is no known treatment for established glomerulosclerosis or atherosclerosis. Since the principal lesion in glomerulosclerosis involves mesangial cells, a vascular smooth muscle cell, we searched for new therapeutic approaches affecting vascular smooth muscle function, especially with respect to modifying the turnover of extracellular matrix. We used mice transgenic for bovine growth hormone (bGH), since these mice develop end-stage renal disease due to progressive glomerulosclerosis. We previously showed that the subcutaneous injection of a non-anticoagulant heparin reduced glomerulosclerosis in bGH mice. Since injectable drugs are not a practical means of controlling glomerulosclerosis in humans, we assessed oral heparin-like compounds and found that oral pentosan polysulfate (PPS) reduced glomerulosclerosis in bGH mice at non-toxic doses. Because the positive therapeutic response in the bGH model could have been principally hormone-mediated, we examined other models of non-immune mediated glomerulosclerosis, including ROP Os/+ non-diabetic and diabetic mice. We found that an oral PPS (Elmiron), which is approved for other indications in humans, reduced sclerosis in all of these forms of chronic, progressive glomerulosclerosis. Based on the similarity of the cellular events in glomerulosclerosis and arteriosclerosis, we assessed the effect(s) of PPS in congenital (Watanabe rabbits) and induced (New Zealand White lipid-fed rabbits) models of arteriosclerosis. The extent and severity of the lesions was significantly reduced in both models by PPS treatment. Finally, we asked whether the proliferative and sclerotic lesion, which is the cause of vascular graft stenosis, might also respond to PPS treatment. To do this we cultured cells from the materials removed from stenotic arteriovenous grafts in hemodialysis patients. We found that PPS inhibits the proliferation and matrix production in a dose-dependent manner.
Thinking History Globally: Comparing or Connecting

As Chapter 4 begins, a plethora of comparative historical studies have already been presented and analyzed while discussing the comparative–connective rift as well as in the exposition of the comparative method. As a quick reminder, and in chronological order, the following works on comparative history were addressed: the stark contrast between Sumerian and Egyptian civilizations; Ronald Syme’s study on colonial elites in the Roman, Spanish, and British empires, and Peter Brunt’s comparison of the Roman and British empires in order to reach an understanding of imperial endurance;1 the vast comparative history literature contrasting the Spanish and British empires, and the underlying crucial differences that led to the divergent paths taken by Spanish and British America; John Elliott’s Richelieu and Olivares that contrasts the biographies of both statesmen; Woodward’s edited collection, The Comparative Approach to American History, that sought to shed new light on the understanding of American history by way of contrasting it with the history of Europe; the comparative study of colonial emancipation across the Spanish Empire in the Americas; and B. Z. Kedar’s The Changing Land: Between Jordan and the Sea, in which matched aerial photographs of rural and urban landscapes in Palestine and Israel, dating from the First World War, the 1940s, the late 1960s, and the 1990s, are offered for comparative analysis.2
Predictive Technology Model for Nano-CMOS Design Exploration

Predictive MOSFET model is critical for early circuit design research. In this work, a new generation of Predictive Technology Model (PTM) is developed, covering emerging physical effects and alternative structures. Based on physical models and early stage silicon data, PTM of bulk and double-gate devices are successfully generated from 130nm to 32nm technology nodes, with effective channel length down to 13nm. By tuning only ten primary parameters, PTM can be easily customized to cover a wide range of process uncertainties. The accuracy of PTM predictions is comprehensively verified with published silicon data: the error of the current is below 10% for both NMOS and PMOS. Furthermore, the new PTM correctly captures process sensitivities in the nanometer regime. PTM is available on line at http://www.eas.asu.edu/~ptm.
Estimating power flow conditioning from phasor measurement data

Electric power systems can display a range of undesirable dynamic phenomena by which acceptable, stable operation may be lost; among these is the “voltage instability” phenomena. Formal analyses in smooth models classify voltage instability as a bifurcation phenomena. Ill-conditioning of the power flow, reflected in high sensitivity of bus voltage magnitudes to load variation is an often observed precursor to voltage instability. Motivated by this insight, this work will propose a conditioning monitor based solely on phasor measurement unit (PMU) data, without need for network parameters or topology to construct the power flow model, and hence suitable for near-real-time implementation. As an initial proof of concept in computational test systems (for which complete power flow data is available), we will demonstrate that the proposed measure closely tracks the largest singular value of the inverse of the power flow Jacobian.
DNAJC21: the new kid on the SDS block.

In this issue of Blood , [Dhanraj et al][1] identify biallelic mutations in DNAJC21 in patients with phenotypical Shwachman-Diamond syndrome (SDS) who tested negative for mutations in the SBDS gene, thus extending the genes that can be mutated in SDS.[1][2] ![Figure][3] Functional domains
Comparison of a Micro-Neutralization Test with the Rapid Fluorescent Focus Inhibition Test for Measuring Rabies Virus Neutralizing Antibodies.

The rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT) is routinely used in the United States to measure rabies virus neutralizing antibodies (rVNA). RFFIT has a long history of reproducible and reliable results. The test has been modified over the years to use smaller volumes of reagents and samples, but requires a 50 μL minimum volume of test serum. To conduct pathogenesis studies, small laboratory animals such as mice are regularly tested for rVNA, but the minimum volume for a standard RFFIT may be impossible to obtain, particularly in scenarios of repeated sampling. To address this problem, a micro-neutralization test was developed previously. In the current study, the micro-neutralization test was compared to the RFFIT using 129 mouse serum samples from rabies vaccine studies. Using a cut-off value of 0.1 IU/mL, the sensitivity, specificity, and concordance of the micro-neutralization test were 100%, 97.5%, and 98%, respectively. The geometric mean titer of all samples above the cut-off was 2.0 IU/mL using RFFIT and 3.4 IU/mL using the micro-neutralization test, indicating that titers determined using the micro-neutralization test are not equivalent to RFFIT titers. Based on four rVNA-positive hamster serum samples, the intra-assay coefficient of variability was 24% and inter-assay coefficient of variability was 30.4%. These results support continued use of the micro-neutralization test to determine rabies virus neutralizing antibody titers for low-volume serum samples.
Origin of the extremely large magnetoresistance in the semimetal YSb

Electron-hole ($e\ensuremath{-}h$) compensation is a hallmark of multiband semimetals with extremely large magnetoresistance (XMR) and has been considered to be the basis for XMR. Recent spectroscopic experiments, however, reveal that YSb with nonsaturating magnetoresistance is uncompensated, questioning the $e\ensuremath{-}h$ compensation scenario for XMR. Here we demonstrate with magnetoresistivity and angle-dependent Shubnikov--de Haas (SdH) quantum oscillation measurements that YSb does have nearly perfect $e\ensuremath{-}h$ compensation, with a density ratio of $\ensuremath{\sim}0.95$ for electrons and holes. The density and mobility anisotropy of the charge carriers revealed in the SdH experiments allow us to quantitatively describe the magnetoresistance with an anisotropic multiband model that includes contributions from all Fermi pockets. We elucidate the role of compensated multibands in the occurrence of XMR by demonstrating the evolution of calculated magnetoresistances for a single band and for various combinations of electron and hole Fermi pockets.
Monitoring of Jugular Venous Oxygen Saturation

Monitoring of jugular venous hemoglobin oxygen saturation (SjvO2) is not a new technique. This monitoring method has been used since the 1940s [1]. What has changed in recent years is the method of monitoring SjvO2. In early studies, a blood sample was obtained by direct needle puncture of the superior jugular bulb by inserting the needle one centimeter anterior and inferior to the mastoid process. In general the technique was used either to calculate the arteriovenous difference in oxygen tension and hemoglobin saturation in neurosurgical intensive care unit (NICU) or intraoperatively in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA). During CEA, a single sample of blood from the jugular bulb was analyzed shortly after occlusion of the ipsilateral internal carotid artery. It was used as a monitor of adequacy of collateral cerebral circulation in order to determine the need for placement of an arterial shunt.
Undergraduate research training workshop

Undergraduates perform independent research or use research, regardless of their discipline. For most students, this work is part of a formalized experience. However, formalized training in research methods, biases, and disposition is rare; students acquire these skills through mentoring, modeling, and making mistakes, and in the context and content of the discipline. These methods are not ideal. The purpose of the Research Training Institute (RTI) is to make the invisible world of research visible to new researchers, free from a content focus, through a set of seminars and activities. We conducted three one-day research bootcamps to STEM students. Each bootcamp contained sessions on research planning, experimental design, identification of bias, writing an abstract, proposal summary and other appropriate topics. The culminating experience of the research boot-camp was a discipline independent specific research design exercise where interdisciplinary teams of students created a plan for research on the current topic of interest in the world. The key learning goal of the challenge problem was to demonstrate the applicability of research skills across content areas. We present our findings from three RTI workshops based on students' responses in the workshop evaluation and share a curriculum aimed at broader adoption.
Mitochondrial haplotypes are not associated with mice selectively bred for high voluntary wheel running.

Mitochondrial haplotypes have been associated with human and rodent phenotypes, including nonshivering thermogenesis capacity, learning capability, and disease risk. Although the mammalian mitochondrial D-loop is highly polymorphic, D-loops in laboratory mice are identical, and variation occurs elsewhere mainly between nucleotides 9820 and 9830. Part of this region codes for the tRNAArg gene and is associated with mitochondrial densities and number of mtDNA copies. We hypothesized that the capacity for high levels of voluntary wheel-running behavior would be associated with mitochondrial haplotype. Here, we analyzed the mtDNA polymorphic region in mice from each of four replicate lines selectively bred for 54 generations for high voluntary wheel running (HR) and from four control lines (Control) randomly bred for 54 generations. Sequencing the polymorphic region revealed a variable number of adenine repeats. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) varied from 2 to 3 adenine insertions, resulting in three haplotypes. We found significant genetic differentiations between the HR and Control groups (Fst = 0.779, p ≤ 0.0001), as well as among the replicate lines of mice within groups (Fsc = 0.757, p ≤ 0.0001). Haplotypes, however, were not strongly associated with voluntary wheel running (revolutions run per day), nor with either body mass or litter size. This system provides a useful experimental model to dissect the physiological processes linking mitochondrial, genomic SNPs, epigenetics, or nuclear-mitochondrial cross-talk to exercise activity.
Criminal Justice in Rural America

Even if rural communities were motivated to resolve their crime problems, they do not have the necessary funds, manpower, or skills to do so
Surgical Approach to Lateral OLT

Posterolateral osteochondral lesions of the talus ( OLTs ) represent approximately 5 % of all OLTs . With current arthroscopic techniques , most posterolateral OLTs may be readily managed arthroscopically . Should the posterolateral OLT fail to respond to or not be amenable to arthroscopic management , secondary reconstructive procedures including osteochondral transfer , ACI , juvenile allograft cartilage implantation , or structural allograft reconstruction may be considered.
A Review of Integrin-Mediated Endothelial Cell Phenotype in the Design of Cardiovascular Devices

Sustained biomaterial thromboresistance has long been a goal and challenge in blood-contacting device design. Endothelialization is one of the most successful strategies to achieve long-term thromboresistance of blood-contacting devices, with the endothelial cell layer providing dynamic hemostatic regulation. It is well established that endothelial cell behavior is influenced by interactions with the underlying extracellular matrix (ECM). Numerous researchers have sought to exploit these interactions to generate improved blood-contacting devices by investigating the expression of hemostatic regulators in endothelial cells on various ECM coatings. The ability to select substrates that promote endothelial cell-mediated thromboresistance is crucial to advancing material design strategies to improve cardiovascular device outcomes. This review provides an overview of endothelial cell regulation of hemostasis, the major components found within the cardiovascular basal lamina, and the interactions of endothelial cells with prominent ECM components of the basement membrane. A summary of ECM-mimetic strategies used in cardiovascular devices is provided with a focus on the effects of key adhesion modalities on endothelial cell regulators of hemostasis.
Stimulation of coleoptile elongation in Zea mays by p-hydroxybenzoic acid.

Abstract Based on the biochemistry of coenzyme Q and plastoquinone, corn coleoptile sections were treated with p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) and p-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid (HPPA), which are biosynthetic precursors of the essential coenzyme Q 10 and plastoquinone-9, respectively. HBA at low concentrations stimulated growth; higher concentrations inhibited elongation. HPPA did not stimulate growth, but inhibited growth. HBA could promote growth by benefiting respiration particularly if a deficiency of HBA existed and there were a depressed biosynthesis of coenzyme Q 10 for electron transfer in respiration.
Summary and Musings

Practitioners must appreciate the complexities of parenting and the parent-child interaction. The child’s behavioral concerns cannot be treated in isolation, and both parenting and child outcomes depend on three main factors: (1) parental characteristics, (2) child characteristics, and (3) the social and cultural contexts in which the child and parent interact (Belsky, 1984). All aspects of this triad must be considered by the practitioner. Developmentally appropriate parenting is highly dependent upon the parents’ sensitive responsiveness to the child’s needs. This responsiveness will shape the child’s perception of the environment in terms of trust and optimism (vis a vis Erikson’s theoretical approach outlined previously: 1963; 1964). It will also provide the child with a perception as to what role he plays in interactions with adults, and also a sense of security and a feeling of positive self-regard. There is a fine line dividing sensitive responsiveness and overindulgence, the latter being problematic and often associated with the permissive parenting style.
Endogenous microRNA competition as a mechanism of shRNA-induced cardiotoxicity

Gene knockdown using short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) is a promising strategy for targeting dominant mutations; however, delivering too much shRNA can disrupt the processing of endogenous microRNAs (miRNAs) and lead to toxicity. Here, we sought to understand the effect that excessive shRNAs have on muscle miRNAs by treating mice with recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAVs) that produce shRNAs with 19-nt or 21-nt stem sequences. Small RNA sequencing of their muscle and liver tissues revealed that shRNA expression was highest in the heart, where mice experienced substantial cardiomyopathy when shRNAs accumulated to 51.2% ± 13.7% of total small RNAs. With the same treatment, shRNAs in other muscle tissues reached only 12.1% ± 5.0% of total small RNAs. Regardless of treatment, the predominant heart miRNAs remained relatively stable across samples. Instead, the lower-expressed miR-451, one of the few miRNAs processed independently of Dicer, changed in relation to shRNA level and toxicity. Our data suggest that a protective mechanism exists in cardiac tissue for maintaining the levels of most miRNAs in response to shRNA delivery, in contrast with what has been shown in the liver. Quantifying miRNA profiles after excessive shRNA delivery illuminates the host response to rAAV-shRNA, allowing for safer and more robust therapeutic gene knockdown.
Determinants of Oxygen Uptake (VO2) among Patients with CF-LVADs

Purpose Characterize individual components of VO2 (cardiac output [Qc] and (A-V)O2 difference) at rest and during submaximal and peak exercise among CF-LVAD patients. Methods Thirteen CF-LVAD participants (56±12 yrs, 12 male) and 9 healthy controls 42±12 yrs, 7 male) completed invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a stationary upright cycle ergometer. Hemodynamic data and gas-exchange parameters were collected at rest, two submaximal levels of exercise below the ventilatory threshold, and peak workload. Swan-Ganz catheterization was performed to determine baseline hemodynamics. A conductance catheter was then used to calculate Qc at each stage of exercise. VO2was recorded on a breath-by-breath basis by indirect calorimetry. Blood pressure was continuously monitored by arterial line. Musculoskeletal performance was assessed by calculating the (A-V)O2 difference at each stage of exercise. Results Cohort characteristics and baseline demographics are demonstrated in table 1. Peak VO2 among CF-LVAD participants was severely reduced compared to healthy controls. When CF-LVAD participants were matched to healthy controls by workload according to VO2 quartiles, the CF-LVAD participants had a hypotensive response to exercise, as well as a blunted rise in Qc, with modest increases only from rest to submaximal exercise (figure 1). As a result, (A-V)O2 difference was higher for CF-LVAD participants than healthy controls at each VO2 quartile. Conclusion Due to impairments in contractile reserve, CF-LVAD participants exhibit a greater (A-V)O2 difference than healthy individuals when exercising at similar workloads.
Safety and efficacy of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for the treatment of canine thyroid carcinoma.

Thyroid carcinoma develops spontaneously in dogs, with only 25% to 50% of cases amenable to surgery at diagnosis. Local control for unresectable tumours can be provided with external beam radiotherapy. The aim of this retrospective study is to describe the safety and efficacy of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for treatment of canine thyroid carcinoma. Twenty-three dogs met inclusion criteria; median tumour volume before SBRT was 129.9 cm3 (range, 2.7-452.8 cm3 ). Sixteen patients (70%) had unresectable tumours. Pulmonary metastasis was present or suspected in 10 patients (44%) before SBRT. Patients were prescribed 15 to 40 Gy to targeted tumour volume in one to five fractions. Twenty patients evaluated had overall response rate of 70% (complete response, n = 4; partial response, n = 10). Thirteen out of sixteen (81%) symptomatic patients had clinical improvement within a median time of 16 days (range, 2-79 days). Median progression free survival (MPFS) was 315 days. Median survival time (MST) was 362 days. Nine patients (39%) had grade 1 acute radiation toxicity. Three patients had grade 1 late radiation toxicity (two leukotrichia and one [4%] with intermittent cough). Responders had significantly longer MPFS (362 vs 90 days; HR 4.3; 95% CI 1.4-13.5; P = .013) and MST (455 vs 90 days; HR 2.9; 95% CI 1-8.4; P = .053). Presenting with metastasis was not a significant negative prognostic factor (MST 347 vs 348 days without metastasis; P = .352). SBRT is a safe and effective treatment modality for non-resectable canine thyroid carcinoma.
Identification of Plasma Lipidome Changes Associated with Low Dose Space-Type Radiation Exposure in a Murine Model

Long-term exposures to low dose space radiation may have adverse effects on human health during missions in deep space. Conventional dosimetry, monitoring of prodromal symptoms, and peripheral lymphocyte counts are of limited value as biomarkers of organ- and tissue-specific radiation injury, particularly of injuries that appear weeks or months after radiation exposure. To assess the feasibility of using plasma metabolic and lipidomic profiles as biomarkers of injury from space radiation, we used a mouse model of exposure to low doses of oxygen ions (16O) and protons (1H). Plasma profiles were compared with those of mice exposed to γ-rays as a reference set. Our results demonstrate major changes in glycerophospholipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, as well as fatty acid metabolism. We also observed dyslipidemia and lipid peroxidation, suggesting an inflammatory phenotype with possible long-term consequences to overall health upon exposure to low doses of high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation.
Public opinion and the politics of collateral consequence policies

We analyze data from a national sample of the U.S. population to assess public support for policies that deny former offenders’ access to job training programs, food stamps, and public housing. We ...
Improving alkane dehydrogenation activity on γ-Al2O3 through Ga doping

Nonoxidative alkane dehydrogenation is a promising route to produce olefins, commonly used as building blocks in the chemical industry. Metal oxides, including γ-Al2O3 and β-Ga2O3, are attractive dehydrogenation catalysts due to their surface Lewis acid–base properties. In this work, we use density functional theory (DFT) to investigate nonoxidative dehydrogenation of ethane, propane, and isobutane on the Ga-doped and undoped (100) γ-Al2O3via the concerted and stepwise mechanisms. We revealed that doping (100) γ-Al2O3 with Ga atoms has significant improvement in the dehydrogenation activity by decreasing the C–H activation barriers of the kinetically favored concerted mechanism and increasing the overall dehydrogenation turnover frequencies. We identified the dissociated H2 binding energy as an activity descriptor for alkane dehydrogenation, accounting for the strength of the Lewis acidity and basicity of the active sites. We demonstrate linear correlations between the dissociated H2 binding energy and the activation barriers of the rate determining steps for both the concerted and stepwise mechanisms. We further found the carbenium ion stability to be a quantitative reactant-type descriptor, correlating with the C–H activation barriers of the different alkanes. Importantly, we developed an alkane dehydrogenation model that captures the effect of catalyst acid–base surface properties (through dissociated H2 binding energy) and reactant substitution (through carbenium ion stability). Additionally, we show that the dissociated H2 binding energy can be used to predict the overall dehydrogenation turnover frequencies. Taken together, our developed methodology facilitates the screening and discovery of alkane dehydrogenation catalysts and demonstrates doping as an effective route to enhance catalytic activity.
Type 2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-5 reduce severe outcomes from Clostridiodes difficile infection.

Abstract Clostridiodes difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of hospital-acquired gastrointestinal infections in the U.S. While the immune response to C. difficile is not well understood, it has been shown that severe disease is accompanied by high levels of infiltrating immune cells and pro-inflammatory cytokine production. This study tests the roles of two type 2 cytokines, IL-4 and IL-5, in mediating protection in a murine model of disease. Administration of IL-5 protected from mortality due to CDI, and both IL-4 and IL-5 were protective against severe disease symptoms. Together, the results from this study increase our understanding of how type 2 immune signaling processes are protective from severe C. difficile infection.
Tantrum Tool: Development and Open Pilot Study of Online Parent Training for Irritability and Disruptive Behavior.

Objectives: Parent management training is an effective treatment for disruptive behavior disorders but it is often underutilized in clinical settings. Access to care is limited due to logistical ba...
Late onset of Synaptotagmin 2a expression at synapses relevant to social behavior

As they form, synapses go through various stages of maturation and refinement. These steps are linked to significant changes in synaptic function, potentially resulting in emergence and maturation of behavioral outputs. Synaptotagmins are calcium-sensing proteins of the synaptic vesicle exocytosis machinery, and changes in Synaptotagmin proteins at synapses have significant effects on vesicle release and synaptic function. Here, we examined the distribution of the synaptic vesicle protein Synaptotagmin 2a (Syt2a) during development of the zebrafish nervous system. Syt2a is widely distributed throughout the midbrain and hindbrain early during larval development but very weakly expressed in the forebrain. Later in development, Syt2a expression levels in the forebrain increase, particularly in regions associated with social behavior, and most intriguingly, around the time social behavior becomes apparent. We provide evidence that Syt2a localizes to synapses onto neurons implicated in social behavior in the ventral forebrain and show that Syt2a is colocalized with tyrosine hydroxylase, a biosynthetic enzyme in the dopamine pathway. Our results suggest a developmentally important role for Syt2a in maturing synapses in the forebrain, coinciding with the emergence of social behavior.
Association Between Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation and Malignancies among Children Living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Multicenter Case-Control Study

Background: Currently only 43% of children living with HIV worldwide receive antiretroviral therapy (ART). Among adults, ART has been shown to decrease risk of HIV-related malignancies; however, few studies have described the association among children living with HIV, especially in resource-limited settings. Our objective is to determine the association between age at ART initiation and the incidence of malignancies in children with HIV infection. Methods: We …
Orbital variational adiabatic hyperspherical method applied to Bose-Einstein condensates

A variational basis set motivated by mean-field theory is utilized to describe the Bose-Einstein condensate within the adiabatic hyperspherical coordinate framework. The simplest single-orbital variant of this treatment reproduces many of the ground-state properties predicted by the Gross-Pitaevskii equation. But a multiorbital improvement to the basis set yields a better representation of particle correlations and of the critical number where the condensate collapses for a negative two-body scattering length. The method also produces systematic deviations from Bogoliubov theory for the fundamental monopole excitation frequency.
The First Sale Doctrine in the Era of Digital Networks

The arst sale doctrine has been essential to the balance in copyright law between authors’ rights and public access to works. The growth of digital technology, however, has drastically changed the means of disseminating many types of works and, as a result, has undermined the arst sale doctrine. This Article considers the long-term impact of technological change on the arst sale doctrine. The Article focuses on the affordability and availability effects of the doctrine, reviewing the traditional causes and beneats of these effects, as well as the ways in which electronic commerce has weakened and could continue to weaken them. The Article concludes that it is still too early to determine the ultimate impact of digital technology on affordability and availability but suggests means of preserving these effects even as the arst sale doctrine itself faces increasing technological challenge.
Effect of commercially available thickening agents on ready-to-feed infant formulas.

Because of the importance of providing the appropriate fluid consistency for effective management of swallowing problems (dysphagia) in infants, this project sought to determine the effect of three commercially available thickening agents on the resulting thickened consistencies of commonly prescribed, ready-to-feed infant formulas. Nine ready-to-feed infant formulas were thickened with three different thickening agents to nectar and honey consistencies following manufacturer's instructions and their resulting thickness was measured via line spread test (LST). The nine formulas with nothing added to them (thin liquids) and the 27 target-nectar and 27 target-honey samples together created 63 unique samples for comparison. A series of one-way analysis of variance analyses were conducted to determine if the resulting thickness (as measured by LST values) for target categories of nectar and honey consistencies was significantly influenced by the type of thickening agent used. The achieved thickness of the formula samples as measured by LST values was statistically significantly different for the three different types of thickening agents used to achieve a target nectar consistency, F (2, 24) = 15.55, p η p 2 = .709. Additionally, the achieved thickness of the formula samples was statistically significantly different for the three different types of thickening agents used to achieve a target honey consistency, F (2, 24) = 16.18, p η p 2 = .709. The results of this study reveal that the choice of thickening agent impacts the resulting thickness of ready-to-feed infant formula.
Preliminary in vivo Evidence of Reduced Synaptic Density in HIV despite Antiretroviral Therapy.

BACKGROUND Synaptic injury is a pathological hallmark of neurological impairment in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, PLWH), a common complication despite viral suppression with antiretroviral therapy (ART). Measurement of synaptic density in living humans may allow better understanding of HIV neuropathogenesis and provide a dynamic biomarker for therapeutic studies. We applied novel synaptic vesical protein 2A (SV2A) positron emission tomographic (PET) imaging to investigate synaptic density in the frontostriatalthalamic region in PLWH and HIV-uninfected participants. METHODS In this cross-sectional pilot study,13 older male PLWH on ART underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and PET scanning with the SV2A ligand [11C]UCB-J with partial volume correction and had neurocognitive assessments. SV2A binding potential (BPND) in the frontostriatalthalamic circuit was compared to 13 age-matched HIV-uninfected participants and assessed with respect to neurocognitive performance in PLWH. RESULTS PLWH had 14% lower frontostriatalthalamic SV2A synaptic density compared to HIV-uninfected (PLWH: mean [SD], 3.93 [0.80]; HIV-uninfected: 4.59 [0.43]; P = .02, effect size 1.02). Differences were observed in widespread additional regions in exploratory analyses. Higher frontostriatalthalamic SV2A BPND associated with better grooved pegboard performance, a measure of motor coordination, in PLWH (r = 0.61, P = .03). CONCLUSIONS In a pilot study, SV2A PET imaging reveals reduced synaptic density in older male PLWH on ART compared to HIV-uninfected in the frontostriatalthalamic circuit and other cortical areas. Larger studies controlling for factors in addition to age are needed to determine whether differences are attributable to HIV or comorbidities in PLWH. SV2A imaging is a promising biomarker for studies of neuropathogenesis and therapeutic interventions in HIV.
Met35 Oxidation Hinders Aβ25-35 Peptide Aggregation within the Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine Bilayer

Using all-atom explicit solvent replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations, we studied the aggregation of oxidized (ox) Aβ25-35 peptides into dimers mediated by the zwitterionic dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) lipid bilayer. By comparing oxAβ25-35 aggregation with that observed for reduced and phosphorylated Aβ25-35 peptides, we elucidated plausible impact of post-translational modifications on cytotoxicity of Aβ peptides involved in Alzheimer's disease. We found that Met35 oxidation reduces helical propensity in oxAβ25-35 peptides bound to the lipid bilayer and enhances backbone fluctuations. These factors destabilize the wild-type head-to-tail dimer interface and lower the aggregation propensity. Met35 oxidation diversifies aggregation pathways by adding monomeric species to the bound conformational ensemble. The oxAβ25-35 dimer becomes partially expelled from the DMPC bilayer and as a result inflicts limited disruption to the bilayer structure compared to wild-type Aβ25-35. Interestingly, the effect of Ser26 phosphorylation is largely opposite, as it preserves the wild-type head-to-tail aggregation interface and strengthens, not weakens, aggregation propensity. The differing effects can be attributed to the sequence locations of these post-translational modifications, since in contrast to Ser26 phosphorylation, Met35 oxidation directly affects the wild-type C-terminal aggregation interface. A comparison with experimental data is provided.