cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enzymes of the Taurine Biosynthetic Pathway Are Expressed in Rat Mammary Gland

Taurine is the most abundant free amino acid in the body and is present at high concentrations during development and in the early milk. It is synthesized from cysteine via oxidation of cysteine to cysteinesulfinate by the enzyme cysteine dioxygenase (CDO), followed by the decarboxylation of cysteinesulfinate to hypotaurine, catalyzed by cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase (CSAD). To determine whether the taurine biosynthetic pathway is present in mammary gland and whether it is differentially expressed during pregnancy and lactation, and also to further explore the possible regulation of hepatic taurine synthesis during pregnancy and lactation, we measured mammary and hepatic CDO and CSAD mRNA and protein concentrations and tissue, plasma and milk taurine concentrations. CDO and CSAD mRNA and protein were expressed in mammary gland and liver regardless of physiological state. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated the expression of CDO in ductal cells of pregnant rats, but not in other mammary epithelial cells or in ductal cells of nonpregnant rats. CDO was also present in stromal adipocytes in mammary glands of both pregnant and nonpregnant rats. Our findings support an upregulation of taurine synthetic capacity in the mammary gland of pregnant rats, based on mammary taurine and hypotaurine concentrations and the intense immunohistochemical staining for CDO in ductal cells of pregnant rats. Hepatic taurine synthetic capacity, particularly CSAD, and taurine concentrations were highest in rats during the early stages of lactation, suggesting the liver may also play a role in the synthesis of taurine to support lactation or repletion of maternal reserves.
Cost-Effectiveness of Strategies to Prevent Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Transmission and Infection in an Intensive Care Unit

OBJECTIVE To create a national policy model to evaluate the projected cost-effectiveness of multiple hospital-based strategies to prevent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) transmission and infection. DESIGN Cost-effectiveness analysis using a Markov microsimulation model that simulates the natural history of MRSA acquisition and infection. PATIENTS AND SETTING Hypothetical cohort of 10,000 adult patients admitted to a US intensive care unit. METHODS We compared 7 strategies to standard precautions using a hospital perspective: (1) active surveillance cultures; (2) active surveillance cultures plus selective decolonization; (3) universal contact precautions (UCP); (4) universal chlorhexidine gluconate baths; (5) universal decolonization; (6) UCP + chlorhexidine gluconate baths; and (7) UCP+decolonization. For each strategy, both efficacy and compliance were considered. Outcomes of interest were: (1) MRSA colonization averted; (2) MRSA infection averted; (3) incremental cost per colonization averted; (4) incremental cost per infection averted. RESULTS A total of 1989 cases of colonization and 544 MRSA invasive infections occurred under standard precautions per 10,000 patients. Universal decolonization was the least expensive strategy and was more effective compared with all strategies except UCP+decolonization and UCP+chlorhexidine gluconate. UCP+decolonization was more effective than universal decolonization but would cost $2469 per colonization averted and $9007 per infection averted. If MRSA colonization prevalence decreases from 12% to 5%, active surveillance cultures plus selective decolonization becomes the least expensive strategy. CONCLUSIONS Universal decolonization is cost-saving, preventing 44% of cases of MRSA colonization and 45% of cases of MRSA infection. Our model provides useful guidance for decision makers choosing between multiple available hospital-based strategies to prevent MRSA transmission.
Lattice-Boltzmann lighting

A new technique for lighting participating media is suggested. The technique is based on the lattice-Boltzmann method, which is gaining popularity as alternative to finite-element methods for flow computations, due to its ease of implementation and ability to handle complex boundary conditions. A relatively simple, grid-based photon transport model is postulated and then shown to describe, in the limit, a diffusion process. An application to lighting clouds is provided, where cloud densities are generated by combining two well-established techniques. Performance of the new lighting technique is not real-time, but the technique is highly parallel and does offer an ability to easily represent complex scattering events. Sample renderings are included.
Abstract 55: Novel Genetic Risk Variants for Kidney Function: A Large-Scale Exome Array Analysis of 111,666 European Ancestry Individuals

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a worldwide public health problem. Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 29 loci for estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, a measure of kidney function), they account for only a small proportion of the variation in eGFR. Exonic genetic variants with minor allele frequency (MAF) Hypothesis: Multiple low frequency (MAF 1-5%) and rare (MAF Methods: We meta-analyzed the association result from 24 studies between eGFR as estimated from serum creatinine with the MDRD equation and up to 134,329 genetic variants genotyped on the Illumina HumanExome Beadchip (“Exome Array”) in up to 111,666 European ancestry participants. We conducted inverse-variance weighted fixed-effect meta-analysis for single variants. To test for within-gene enrichment of rare exonic variants, we performed gene-based collapsing tests (T1 and sequence kernel association test [SKAT]) incorporating variants annotated as nonsynonymous or splice site with MAF Results: Among 29 known kidney function loci, 28 of them achieved exome array wide significance (p Conclusions: Using the exome array, we have not identified single rare exonic variants associated with eGFR. With the identification of common and low-frequency variants and one gene with enrichment of rare coding variants associated with eGFR, our findings provide further insight into the genetic architecture of kidney function and offer the potential to provide new insights into the pathogenesis of CKD.
Influence of La and Gd Impurities on the Two Phase Transitions in U0.97Th0.03Be13

The phase diagram of U1−xThxBe13exhibits two irregular points at xC1=1.9 at.% and xC2=4.55 at.% which mark the endpoints of the concentration range where two phase transitions in specific heat measurements are observed. While it is clear that the upper one belongs to a superconducting phase transition, there are different interpretations for the lower one. It has been suggested that the lower transition involves magnetic correlations which coexist with a single superconducting state or that the lower transition separates two different superconducting states (one or both are probably non-s-wave like). In this scenario the onset of local magnetic order is discussed as being due to an accompanied antiferromagnetic transition or as a product of broken time reversal symmetry. To get more information about the nature of the two superconducting phases, substitution experiments with non-magnetic La and magnetic Gd on the U sites in U0.97Th0.03Be13were performed. From specific heat measurements we argue that the upper transition behaves with La/Gd doping like a conventional s-wave superconductor, whereas the lower transition cannot be brought in line with common pictures of superconducting transitions.
Associations between negative affect and binge/purge behaviors in women with anorexia nervosa: Considering the role of negative urgency

Abstract Objective Evidence implicates negative affect in the occurrence of binge/purge behaviors, although the extent to which theoretically relevant individual difference variables may impact this association remains unclear. Negative urgency, the dispositional tendency to engage in rash action when experiencing negative affect , is a unique facet of impulsivity that may play a key role. Moreover, it was hypothesized that women with anorexia nervosa (AN) who are higher on measures of negative urgency, relative to those lower on negative urgency, would exhibit: 1) greater binge eating and purging frequencies on high negative affect days, and 2) a greater change in negative affect prior to and following binge eating and purging episodes. Method Women with AN ( n = 82) completed a self-report measure of negative urgency and a 2-week ecological momentary assessment protocol in which they recorded binge eating, purging, and negative affect ratings. Results Women with higher levels of negative urgency exhibited a greater frequency of binge eating and purging; however, in comparison to women low on negative urgency, they: 1) were more likely to binge eat on days corresponding with low-to-moderate negative affect (similar rates of binge eating were observed on high negative affect days), and 2) displayed substantially elevated levels of negative affect across time, and thus, smaller degrees of change in negative affect prior to and following binge eating and purging episodes. Discussion Negative urgency underlies individual differences in the daily experience of negative affect. Women with AN who are high on negative urgency may have an increased propensity for binge eating and purging via a relatively persistent and heightened state of negative emotions.
Acoustic-vorticity modes in an annular duct with mean vortical swirling flow

The propagation of acoustic-vorticity disturbances in an annular swirling flow is examined. The normal mode analysis of the unsteady motion shows that the eigenmodes are characterized as nearlysonic pressure-dominated and nearly-convected vorticity-dominated. Doppler frequency shift enhances the number of non-axisymmetric nearlysonic modes propagating opposite to the mean flow swirl. Nearly-convected eigenvalues are split in two branches and clustered with increasing density as they approach a critical layer. A pseudo-spectral numerical method is complemented by a multiplescale analysis applied to investigate the behavior of nearly-convected solution in the vicinity of the critical layer. Briggs criteria are then used to examine the stability of nearly-convected solutions.
The Madden–Julian Oscillation and the Monsoons

The Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) is the most important type of tropical intra-seasonal variations in the Earth System and has an influential role on the monsoons. This influence is manifested in many ways, especially on the precipitation variability of the monsoons in Asia, India, Australia–Indonesia, Africa, and the Americas. The MJO shows substantial variations on seasonal and inter-annual time scales. In addition, observational and modeling studies indicate that the activity of the MJO on decadal and longer time scales may be sensitive to the warming of the planet, especially over the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. This chapter reviews the influence of the MJO on monsoon systems and discusses several studies that investigated future projections of climate change and potential changes in the MJO.
“Idealized” vs. “True” learning curves: the case of laparoscopic liver resection

Background Learning curves are believed to resemble an “idealized” model, in which continuous improvement occurs until a plateau is reached. We hypothesized that this “idealized” model would not adequately describe the learning process for a complex surgical technique, specifically laparoscopic liver resection (LLR).
Study on the Core Competence Framework of University Librarians Based on the Requirements of the Service Innovation

Librarian is the core of the library value realization and the main part of the library service innovation. The ability of librarian decides the height of the library service innovation. However, now a lot of research described librarians as omnipotent, this is unrealistic. Starting from the research hotspot types of library service innovation, combined with the post setting of library, the author counts and analyzes recruitment notice of library in recent years and some department functions and find that Librarians' service innovation should start with the librarians of information service.And then, associate the librarians' competence requirements with the library department setting and service innovation requirements. In the end, the author constructs the core competence framework of librarians.
Zymogen activation as a sensitive enzymeamplifying assay for a protease with tryptic specificity

Abstract A protease, `trypsinogenase', secreted in small amounts by the sea-urchin blastula, is assayed in two steps as an example of enzyme-amplifying kinetics. In reaction 1 the trypsinogenase catalyses the activation of trypsinogen to trypsin. In reaction 2 the trypsin catalyses the hydrolysis of N-α-toluene-p-sulphonylarginine methyl ester, at a rate that is linear with trypsinogenase concentration over a 20-fold range. Results are reproducible within a batch of zymogen, but each batch requires a separate standard curve.
The roles of feedback and working memory in children’s reference production

Abstract Children’s communicative perspective-taking ability was investigated in a sample of 62 5- and 6-year-olds using a spoken production referential communication task in which speakers identify target objects for listeners. We assessed whether children would make use of non-verbal negative feedback to improve their future production of referring expressions, which involve words or phrases that function in discourse to identify individual objects. We also examined whether the use of such feedback is related to cognitive resources. Results indicated that children who were given feedback from addressees produced more informative referring expressions than those who received no feedback. Furthermore, this tendency to effectively make use of feedback was greatest among children with higher working memory. These findings demonstrate that feedback can facilitate learning about referential communication and suggest that one limitation in using such feedback is the ability to hold it in mind so that it can be used to guide the production of referring expressions.
Estimating the probability of fish encountering a marine hydrokinetic device

Abstract Strong tidal currents in eastern Maine, USA, make that region attractive for tidal power development. Little is known about the effects of marine hydrokinetic (MHK) devices on fish, yet many fish species use tidal currents for movements. We used empirical data from stationary and mobile hydroacoustic surveys to examine the probability that fish would be at the depth of an MHK device and may therefore encounter it. The probability was estimated using three components: 1) probability of fish being at device-depth when the device was absent; 2) probability of fish behavior changing to avoid the device in the far-field; and 3) probability of fish being at device-depth in the near-field when the device was present. There were differences in probabilities of fish encountering the MHK device based on month, diel condition and tidal stage. The maximum probability of fish encountering the whole device was 0.432 (95% CI: [0.305, 0.553]), and the probability of fish encountering only device foils was 0.058 (95% CI: [0.043, 0.073]). Mobile hydroacoustics indicated that fish likely avoided the device with horizontal movement beginning 140 m away. We estimated the encounter probability for one device, but results can be applied to arrays, which may have bay-wide implications.
Guardians of the Sacred : The Nuns of Soissons and the Slipper of the Virgin Mary

What could it mean to a medieval monastic community to own a valuable object? Certainly, property in general was crucial to the survival of a stable community, ideals of poverty and the thirteenth-century Franciscan experiment in radical poverty notwithstanding. More specifically, what did it mean to own not simply a field or mill that generated revenue, but an object that was believed to have power beyond its material qualities? Such objects—saints’ relics and wonder-working images—did of course also generate revenue, but their meaning and role for the monastic community and the wider society could be much richer than that. And what if the monastic community was a convent of nuns, of professed religious women whose lives were shaped not just by the rule they shared with their male counterparts, but also by the codes, both implicit and increasingly explicit, that constrained the range of women's religious activities?Although the first two of these questions—about monastic property and the religious value of sacred objects—have been extensively discussed in scholarship on the Middle Ages, a specific focus on gender in relation to monastic ownership of sacred objects has not been widely examined. My focus on gender here is generated by two salient aspects of religious life in the twelfth century, the period of this study. First, there was an increasing articulation of the priesthood as the sole means of mediating divine presence, and of that priesthood as exclusively male.
The Dimensions of Consumption Needs: A Conceptualization

Needs are a central concept for understanding individuals in their role as a consumer. Need structures from many sources have been applied to the act of consumption. Based on a synthesis of these structures, a three‐dimensional model of consumption needs is proposed. This model not only serves as a conceptual tool but also has the potential of serving as a means of measuring the need satisfying ability of different products.
Graphitic Carbon Films Across Systems

When metal surfaces come into contact, lubricants are used to overcome friction. Various forms of hydrocarbons play a central role in lubrication, through both liquid lubricants and surface coatings. Solid lubricants like graphite and complex surface coatings such as diamond-like carbon have led to great advancements in friction mitigation. In addition to these designed carbon films, unintentional carbon films can also spontaneously form during metal–metal sliding. Here, we analyze various systems that produce carbon films, focusing on systems with cyclical metal sliding, hydrocarbon lubricants, and catalytic activity. The systems we analyze include friction polymers, diamond-like carbon coatings, varnish from industrial machines, metal-on-metal hip implants, microelectromechanical systems, and catalysis coke. These films, analyzed at the nanoscale, are primarily graphitic carbon with local regions of sp2 bonding. The graphitic carbon can act as a lubricant in some systems and not in others. Through comparing these various fields, we seek to better understand the formation, evolution, and friction properties of carbon films. Through design and control of carbon films formation, we can control triboactivity to improve system performance.
IMPATT (Impact Avalanche Transit Time) Devices

IMPATT (Impact Avalanche Transit Time) devices are solid state oscillators or amplifiers for microwave and millimeter wave frequencies up to above 200 GHz, generally with high power output (for a solid state device). Efficiencies as high as 25% have recently been obtained withGaAsdevices, but the traditional IMPATT is a silicon device with up to 15% efficiency. The basic principle involves a 180° phase-delay of the current with respect to the voltage, which clearly will make the device exhibit a negative resistance. Shockley (1954) had introduced this general idea, not yet involving impact avalanching to produce the phase-shift. A number of different p-n-junction type structures are used today. During operation, the diode is undergoing (controlled) reverse break-down.
Future Directions in Public Policy Relating to Elder Abuse

As the earlier chapters of this book make abundantly clear, as the planet’s population ages “[e]lder abuse is a universal phenomenon” [49]. It is present in both developed and developing [69] countries [61, 62].
Non-invasive tracking of photovoltaic modules at the utility scale level

Existing methods of utility-scale PV plant monitoring and measurement are invasive, and often require disconnection of the solar module in order to connect the module to measuring tools. This paper describes a method to validate a novel approach to non-invasive monitoring. Specifications for the technique include the ability to understand and diagnose plant health while also being cost-efficient and time-efficient compared to existing methods. After a series of research and on-site solar farm visits, it was concluded that a way to measure performance without the need for module disconnection would be to use plant health metrics that a typical solar farm accesses daily, and compare those metrics to an ideal metrics.
Improvisational Idyll: Joachim's “Presence” and Brahms's Violin Concerto, op. 77

Abstract Boris Schwarz once characterized Brahms9s Violin Concerto, op. 77, as an “intangible interplay between the art of Brahms and that of Joachim.” The celebrated violinist was not only the inspiration for this concerto; he also played a crucial role in its compositional genesis and early performance history. But while Joachim9s compositional contributions to the concerto have been well documented, his importance as a performer is usually acknowledged only in vague terms. We sense that Joachim the performer is somehow “in” this concerto without being able to articulate how. This article examines the intersections between Joachim9s style and persona as a performer, the cultural meanings ascribed to performance, and specific formal and expressive features of the Violin Concerto. Particularly important was Joachim9s perceived ability to present composed musical works as though they were being improvised, created on the spot through a mysterious fusion of Joachim himself with the mind and spirit of the composer. In the later nineteenth century, as the practice of improvisation began to disappear from the concert stage, improvisation could represent a lost ideal of spontaneous, unmediated subjective expression. An analysis of the concerto9s first movement shows that it thematizes tensions between two contrasting visions of creativity—one involving spontaneous inspiration and improvisation at an instrument, the other, the rigors of logical, planned out, and written composition. These expressive features take on additional meanings when considered in the context of Joachim9s performances of the concerto, and they allow for a recovery of some of its historical meanings that resided not only in the notated score, but also in performed events.
On Tanaka‐Mura's fatigue crack nucleation model and validation

Tanaka-Mura's fatigue crack nucleation model is revisited. A dimensional problem is found in their cyclic plastic strain formulation obtained by integration of the displacement function, and hence, it is rederived based on the true strain definition. Using the corrected strain formulation, a new fatigue crack nucleation life expression is obtained, and for the first time, low cycle fatigue lives of several metals and alloys are predicted without resorting to experiments. With such theoretical life as the baseline, other factors such as surface roughness, environment, and even high-temperature damage mechanisms can be delineated in further studies.
A six-gene expression toolbox for the glands, epithelium and chondrocytes in the mouse nasal cavity.

Abstract The nose is the central feature of the amniote face. In adults, the nose is a structurally and functionally complex organ that consists of bone, cartilage, glands and ducts. In an ongoing expression screen in our lab, we found several novel markers for specific tissues in the nasal region. Here, using in situ hybridization expression experiments, we report that Alx1, Ap-2β, Crispld1, Eya4, Moxd1, and Penk have tissue specific expression during murine nasal development. At E11.5, we observed that Alx1, Ap-2β, Crispld1, and Eya4 are expressed in the medial and lateral nasal prominences. We found that Moxd1 and Penk are expressed in the lateral nasal prominences. At E15.5, Alx1 is expressed in nasal septum. Ap-2β and Crispld1 are expressed in nasal glands and cartilages. Eya4 is expressed in olfactory epithelium. Intriguingly at E15.5 Moxd1 is expressed in all the nasal cartilage while the expression of Penk is restricted to chondrocytes contributing to the posterior nasal septum. The expression domains reported here suggest that these genes warrant functional studies to determine their role in nasal capsule morphogenesis.
The importance of benchmarking for charge-based and beyond CMOS devices

As it has become physically more difficult and more expensive to extend the performance characteristics of planar CMOS technology, there have been many efforts to create new technologies. Some of these are CMOS extensions, such as Finfet devices. Others are the so-called beyond CMOS devices, which include charge-based logic such as Tunnel FET based systems, others are non-charge based, which include nano-magnetic structures, spintronics devices, advanced charge-based devices and a variety of quantum structures.
Current Approaches to Risk Assessment for Developmental Neurotoxicity

Abstract Risk assessment for developmental neurotoxicity of chemicals follows a standardized paradigm that includes problem formulation and scoping, hazard identification, dose–response assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterization. In each step, relevant data are systematically evaluated and integrated into a determination of potential risk to humans of neurological perturbation following exposure during periods of nervous system development. Human and animal data are supplemented by information from nonmammalian species, in vitro assays, toxicokinetic data, and other mechanistic studies when available. Developmental neurotoxicity risk assessment incorporates considerations of intrinsic susceptibilities, critical developmental windows of exposure and periods of assessment, the major manifestations of developmental toxicity (death, structural abnormalities, delayed growth, and functional effects), and an assessment of dose response. Methodological challenges are related to the outcomes assessed, the populations of concern, and the complexity and trajectory of nervous system development. Developmental neurotoxicity risk assessment is an indispensable tool to inform decisions for public health protection.
Caspase Activation by the Extrinsic Pathway

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, has been an area of extensive study since the early 1990s, largely due to its essential role in the development and maintenance of homeostasis and its implication in numerous diseases, ranging from cancer and autoimmunity to neurodegeneration and immunodeficiency (1). To date, one of the most important insights into the molecular mechanism of apoptosis is the discovery that apoptosis is executed by a family of intracellular proteases known as caspases. Caspases are cysteine aspases, i.e., they use cysteine as the nucleophilic group in their active site to cleave proteins after aspartic acid residues. This discovery initially came a decade ago with the cloning of CED-3, a Caenorhabditis elegans gene required for developmental cell death. During the development of this small organism, 1090 somatic cells are generated, 131 of which are deleted by apoptosis (2,3). Genetic analysis has revealed a core apoptotic program in C. elegans comprised of three genes: CED-3, CED-4, and CED-9, with the first two promoting apoptosis and the latter inhibiting it. Epistatic analysis has identified CED-3 as the most downstream component of this program, suggesting that the functions of CED-4 and CED-9 are to control CED-3 activity. CED-3 encodes a protein this is significantly similar to the only other caspase identified at that time, caspase-1, or interleukin(IL)-1β converting enzyme (ICE), which, as its name indicates, is responsible for processing pro-IL-1β to its mature form, a potent inflammatory cytokine (4,5). This finding has placed caspases at the center of apoptosis study, leading to earnest efforts to identify additional caspases in a range of organisms and extensive investigation of their functions and regulation. Presently, fourteen caspases have been found in mammals, five in Drosophila, and three in C. elegans. A large number of studies using inhibitors of caspases (either small peptide inhibitors or protein inhibitors encoded by viruses) and cells and animals deficient in caspases have confirmed a critical role of some caspases in apoptosis (6, 7, 8). However, other caspases appear to mainly function in nonapoptotic processes such as inflammation. Mammalian caspases are named according to the order in which they were identified (9). The apoptosis caspases include caspase-2, -3, -6, -7, -8, -9, -10, and -12, and the inflammatory caspases are caspase-1, -4, -5, and -11 (Fig. 1).
Psychosocial Resources: Functions, Origins, and Links to Mental and Physical Health

Abstract Psychosocial resources are individual differences and social relationships that have beneficial effects on mental and physical health outcomes. The exact processes whereby psychosocial resources beneficially affect well-being and physical health outcomes have, until recently, been largely unknown. We examine chronic negative and positive affect, approach versus avoidant coping processes, and neural responses to threat as likely mediators. These, in turn, regulate psychological, autonomic, neuroendocrine, and immune responses, the likely proximal factors that lead to differential health outcomes. The origins of psychosocial resources are in the early environment, genetic predispositions, and their interaction. We conclude with consideration of whether psychosocial resources can be taught and a discussion of issues remaining to be addressed by future research.
Applications to Learning, State Dependent Noise, and Queueing

This chapter deals with more specific classes of examples, which are of increasing importance in current applications in many areas of technology. They are described in somewhat more detail than the examples of Chapter 1 are, and the illustration(s) given for each class are typical of those in a rapidly increasing literature. Section 1 deals with a problem in learning theory: the learning of an optimal hunting strategy by an animal, based on the history of successes and failures in repeated attempts to feed itself efficiently. Section 2 concerns the “learning” or “training” of a neural network. In the training phase, a random series of inputs is presented to the network, and there is a desirable response to each input. The problem is to adjust the weights in the network to minimize the average distance between the actual and desired responses. This is done by a training procedure, where the weights are adjusted after each (input, output) pair is observed. Loosely speaking, the increments in the weights are proportional to stochastic estimates of the derivative of the error with respect to the weights. Section 3 deals with an optimization problem for a controlled Markov chain model, where the transition probabilities are not known and one wishes to learn the optimal strategy in the course of the system’s operation.
Information Technology and Libraries at 50 the 1980s in Review

A retrospective review of the 1980s issues of the Journal of Library Automation and Information Technology and Libraries . Includes some commentary about the past and how it relates to the present in the area of library technology.
Minimal Change in Cardiac Index With Increasing PEEP in Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Objective: To determine if increasing positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) leads to a change in cardiac index in children with Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome ranging from mild to severe. Design: Prospective interventional study. Setting: Multidisciplinary Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in a University teaching hospital. Patients: Fifteen intubated children (5 females, 10 males) with a median age of 72 months (IQR 11, 132) and a median weight of 19.3 kg (IQR 7.5, 53.6) with a severity of Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome that ranged from mild to severe with a median lung injury score of 2.3 (IQR 2.0, 2.7). Measurements: Cardiac index (CI) and stroke volume (SV) were measured on baseline ventilator settings and subsequently with a PEEP 4 cmH2O higher than baseline. Change in CI and SV from baseline values was evaluated using Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: A total of 19 paired measurements obtained. The median baseline PEEP was 8 cmH2O (IQR 8, 10) Range 6-14 cmH2O. There was no significant change in cardiac index or stroke volume with change in PEEP. Baseline median CI 4.4 L/min/m2 (IQR 3.4, 4.8) and PEEP 4 higher median CI of 4.3 L/min/m2 (IQR 3.6, 4.8), p = 0.65. Baseline median SV 26 ml (IQR 13, 44) and at PEEP 4 higher median SV 34 ml (IQR 12, 44) p = 0.63. Conclusion: There is no significant change in cardiac index or stroke volume with increasing PEEP by 4 cmH2O in a population of children with mild to severe PARDS. Clinical Trial Registration: The study is registered on Clinical trails.gov under the Identifier: NCT02354365.
A Computer-Based Graphic Organizer With Embedded Self-Regulated Learning Strategies to Support Student Writing:

Written expression is often difficult for students with and without learning disabilities. Research-based strategies to support this essential skill include self-regulated learning strategies, tech...
Variable colonization by the hemlock woolly adelgid suggests infestation is associated with hemlock host species

Studies increasingly indicate host resistance likely influences hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) populations. We describe coexisting HWA populations in four hemlock species, three from HWA’s native range (Tsuga chinensis, T. dumosa, and T. sieboldii) and one from its introduced range: T. canadensis. HWA populations were greater in T. canadensis and lesser or absent in T. chinensis and T. dumosa. HWA stylet insertion was observed the least in T. chinensis and T. dumosa, suggesting a physical and/or chemical feeding deterrent. While T. chinensis and T. dumosa consistently and distinctly differed from T. canadensis, T. sieboldii grouped with T. canadensis or T. chinensis and T. dumosa in different experiments, suggesting mechanisms influencing HWA populations differ by host species. HWA were found more often on tops of T. chinensis and T. dumosa branches but equally on tops and bottoms of T. canadensis branches, corresponding with locations of trichomes (which T. sieboldii lacks). Evidence from the literature about dissimilarities in hemlock hosts (e.g., HWA interactions and vulnerability, feeding damage response, cuticle thickness, terpenoid chemistry, arthropod and microbial communities) and native and introduced HWA populations (e.g., losses of sexual reproduction and primary spruce host) suggests a limit to applying information from native systems to management in introduced systems.
Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: a Review

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is an important condition with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Patients with PPCM are at risk of developing lifelong cardiac disease, requiring regular management and medical intervention. This article conducts a review of recent literature and gives insight into this disease. There is promising research in the fields of vascular, hormonal, and genetics. A number of genetic markers are being analyzed, including TTNC1, TTN, and STAT3. Mutations to these genes have been found to be prevalent in PPCM. These combined with the secretion of placental angiogenic factors potentially create imbalance in angiogenesis as the primary etiology. Current biomarkers do not differentiate between PPCM and other variants of heart failure. Women with PPCM are more likely to have a cesarean section, to have hypertensive disease, at greater risk of major adverse cardiac events, and to have lifelong morbidity.
Biological integrity of mixed-grass prairie topsoils subjected to long-term stockpiling

Abstract Surface mining often requires storage of topsoil in large piles for long periods of time (1–30 years). Such soil handling and storage results in physical and biogeochemical changes and may alter the soil biological integrity. Microbial activity regulates nutrient cycling and soil quality, and post-mining revegetation of most native forb species in the Northern Great Plains relies on a viable seedbank. Soil condition and biological viability influence the establishment and success of the aboveground plant community, and therefore should be considered in facilitating successful reclamation. In this study, we characterized soil biological integrity via the seed bank and microbial community structure in a topsoil stockpile (depths of 15 cm–750 cm). We measured microbial community structure using phospholipid fatty acid analysis and assessed the seed bank using the seedling emergence method under greenhouse conditions. We hypothesized with increasing depth, soil biota would decrease in abundance and perhaps exhibit a shift in community structure, and stockpiled soils would display different communities compared to an undisturbed reference site. Further, we hypothesized the soil seedbank would decrease with increasing depth and be less than the reference site. We found distinct shifts in microbial communities in terms of community structure and declines in overall abundance of organisms with increased depth using principal component analysis. Furthermore, overall microbial abundance within the top 15 cm of stockpiled soil was nearly one third less than our native undisturbed reference site, and soil at depth was increasingly depleted. Total seedling emergence from soil collected at all depths of the stockpile was lower (20 viable seeds) compared to the reference soil emergence (36 viable seeds). Our results demonstrate that stockpiling greatly affects soil microbial communities and that stockpiled topsoil is not a dependable source for forb seeds. Reclamation may require forb seeding and soil amendments to facilitate whole-system restoration.
Fundamental Concepts of Dosage Calculations

This chapter demonstrates how one calculates dosage regimens using certain pharmacokinetic parameters and the simplest of the pharmacokinetic models, the one-compartment model. Prior to describing the one-compartment model, the chapter discusses the difference between drug selectivity and receptor biological event specificity, relates drug selectivity with therapeutic efficacy and toxicity, and explains how to relate the physicochemical properties of drugs to their extent of tissue distribution. It also discusses the difference between excretion, clearance, and elimination and defines the concept of bioavailability which is critical in understanding the difference between dose and effective dose. Ultimately, you will learn how to calculate effective drug doses using the concept of bioavailability and salt factor. The second part of the chapter describes the operational principles of the one-compartment pharmacokinetic model, defines the therapeutic index of drugs, the concepts of drug volume of distribution, and clearance, and demonstrates how to calculate their values from plasma drug concentrations. Finally, it demonstrates how to apply these pharmacokinetic parameters and the concepts of drug accumulation and fluctuation to calculate optimum drug loading and maintenance dosages that achieve plasma drug levels within therapeutic range. After reading Chaps. 11– 13, you are definitely ready to study the main course of pharmacokinetics.
Quantification of toxic metallic elements using machine learning techniques and spark emission spectroscopy

Abstract. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) list of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) includes metal elements suspected or associated with development of cancer. Traditional techniques for detecting and quantifying toxic metallic elements in the atmosphere are either not real time, hindering identification of sources, or limited by instrument costs. Spark emission spectroscopy is a promising and cost effective technique that can be used for analyzing toxic metallic elements in real time. Here, we have developed a cost-effective spark emission spectroscopy system to quantify the concentration of toxic metallic elements targeted by US EPA. Specifically, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb solutions were diluted and deposited on the ground electrode of the spark emission system. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) was optimized and employed to detect useful features from the spark-generated plasma emissions. The optimized model was able to detect atomic emission lines along with other features to build a regression model that predicts the concentration of toxic metallic elements from the observed spectra. The limits of detections (LOD) were estimated using the detected features and compared to the traditional single-feature approach. LASSO is capable of detecting highly sensitive features in the input spectrum; however for some elements the single-feature LOD marginally outperforms LASSO LOD. The combination of low cost instruments with advanced machine learning techniques for data analysis could pave the path forward for data driven solutions to costly measurements.
Immune dysregulation in patients with RAG deficiency and other forms of combined immune deficiency

Traditionally, primary immune deficiencies have been defined based on increased susceptibility to recurrent and/or severe infections. However, immune dysregulation, manifesting with autoimmunity or hyperinflammatory disease, has emerged as a common feature. This is especially true in patients affected by combined immune deficiency (CID), a group of disorders caused by genetic defects that impair, but do not completely abolish, T-cell function. Hypomorphic mutations in the recombination activating genes RAG1 and RAG2 represent the prototype of the broad spectrum of clinical and immunological phenotypes associated with CID. The study of patients with RAG deficiency and with other forms of CID has revealed distinct abnormalities in central and peripheral T- and B-cell tolerance as the key mechanisms involved in immune dysregulation. Understanding the pathophysiology of autoimmunity and hyperinflammation in these disorders may also permit more targeted therapeutic interventions.
Effect of cancer patients’ oxygen breathing during uptake phase of the study on tumor F18-FDG uptake.

e21072 Background: We previously reported that in mice, 18F-FDG uptake is higher in hypoxic cancer cells than well-oxygenated xenografts of human cancer cells. This enhanced uptake was abrogated by...
Crystal structure of N,N-diisopropyl-4-methyl-benzene-sulfonamide.

The synthesis of the title compound, C13H21NO2S, is reported here along with its crystal structure. This compound crystallizes with two mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit. The sulfonamide functional group of this structure features S=O bond lengths ranging from 1.433 (3) to 1.439 (3) A, S—C bond lengths of 1.777 (3) and 1.773 (4) A, and S—N bond lengths of 1.622 (3) and 1.624 (3) A. When viewing the mol­ecules down the S—N bond, the isopropyl groups are gauche to the aromatic ring. On each mol­ecule, two methyl hydrogen atoms of one isopropyl group are engaged in intra­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds with a nearby sulfonamide oxygen atom. Inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds and C—H⋯π inter­actions link mol­ecules of the title compound in the solid state.
The Association between Emergency Department Super-Utilizer Status and Willingness to Participate in Research.

Background. Research based on emergency departments (EDs) primarily focuses on medical conditions. There is limited research that investigates patients who willingly participate in research. This current study explored ED super-utilizers’ (SUs’) and nonsuper-utilizers’ (NSUs’) attitudes toward research. Objective. The study assesses the willingness of SUs to participate in research. We hypothesize that the SU population will be as interested as nonutilizers in participating in medical research. Methods. This prospective observational study stratified participants into SU and NSU cohorts based on their self-reported number of ED visits within 6 months. Surveys were captured in a secured database and analyzed using SAS 9.4. Results. 7,481 completed questionnaires. SUs were more interested in participating in all types of research compared to NSUs. Both groups were most willing to participate in surveys. Neither group was particularly interested in studies that required medications. SUs were not more willing to participate in studies without payment than NSUs. Both groups trusted researchers at the same rates. Conclusion. Although rarely included in medical research, SUs were more willing to participate in nearly all types of research and expressed a similar trust in medical research when compared to nonsuper-utilizers.
Long-term effects of the proline-rich antimicrobial peptide Oncocin112 on the Escherichia coli translation machinery.

Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) are cationic antimicrobial peptides unusual for their ability to penetrate bacterial membranes and kill cells without causing membrane permeabilization. Structural studies show that many such PrAMPs bind deep in the peptide exit channel of the ribosome, near the peptidyl transfer center. Biochemical studies of the particular synthetic PrAMP oncocin112 (Onc112) suggest that on reaching the cytoplasm, the peptide occupies its binding site prior to the transition from initiation to the elongation phase of translation, thus blocking further initiation events. We present a superresolution fluorescence microscopy study of the long-term effects of Onc112 on ribosome, elongation factor-Tu (EF-Tu), and DNA spatial distributions and diffusive properties in intact Escherichia coli cells. The new data corroborate earlier mechanistic inferences from studies in vitro. Comparisons with the diffusive behavior induced by the ribosome-binding antibiotics chloramphenicol and kasugamycin show how the specific location of each agent's ribosomal binding site affects the long-term distribution of ribosomal species between 30S and 50S subunits versus 70S polysomes. Analysis of the single-step displacements from ribosome and EF-Tu diffusive trajectories before and after Onc112 treatment suggests that the act of codon testing of noncognate ternary complexes (TCs) at the ribosomal A-site enhances the dissociation rate of such TCs from their L7/L12 tethers. Testing and rejection of noncognate TCs on a sub-ms timescale is essential to enable incorporation of the rare cognate amino acids into the growing peptide chain at a rate of ∼20 aa/s.
Analyzing Navigational Data and Predicting Student Grades Using Support Vector Machine

The advent of Learning Management System (LMS) has unfolded a unique opportunity to predict student grades well in advance which benefits both students and educational institutions. The objective of this study is to investigate student access patterns and navigational data of Blackboard (Bb), a form of LMS, to forecast final grades. This research study consists of students who are pursuing a Networking course in Information Science and Technology Department (IST) at George Mason University (GMU). The gathered data consists of a wide variety of attributes, such as the amount of time spent on lecture slides and other learning materials, number of times course contents are accessed, time and days of the week study material is reviewed, and student grades in various assessments. By analyzing these predictors using Support Vector Machine, one of the most efficient classification algorithms available, we are able to project final grades of students and identify those individuals who are at risk for failing the course so that they can receive proper guidance from instructors. After comparing actual grades with predicted grades, it is concluded that our developed model is able to accurately predict grades of 70% of the students. This study stands unique as it is the first to employ solely online LMS data to successfully deduce academic outcomes of students.