cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
One-carbon metabolism gene polymorphisms are associated with cognitive trajectory among African-American adults.

Abstract The sex-specific link between longitudinal annual rate of cognitive change (LARCC) and polymorphisms in one-carbon metabolism enzymatic genes remains unclear, particularly among African-American adults. We tested associations of 14 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from MTHFR, MTRR, MTR, and SHMT genes and select MTHFR haplotypes and latent classes (SNPHAP/SNPLC) with LARCC. Up to 797 African-American participants in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span study (age: 30–64 y, 52% women) had 1.6–1.7 (i.e., 1 or 2) repeated measures (follow-up time, mean = 4.69 y) on 9 cognitive test scores, reflecting verbal and visual memory, verbal fluency, psychomotor speed, attention, and executive function: California Verbal Learning Test–immediate recall (CVLT-List A), CVLT-DFR (delayed free recall), Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT), Animal Fluency (AF), Digits Span Forward and Backward tests, and Trail Making Test parts A and B (Trails A and B). Multiple linear mixed-effects and multiple linear regression models were conducted. Overall, MTHFR SNPs rs4846051(A1317G, G>A) and rs1801131(A1298C, G>T) were associated with slower and faster declines on AF, respectively, whereas rs2066462(C1056T, A>G) was related to slower decline on Trails B (executive function). Among men, rs4846051(A1317G, G>A) was linked to faster decline on BVRT (visual memory), whereas rs2066462(C1056T, A>G) and rs9651118(C>T) were associated with slower decline on CVLT-List A and rs9651118(C>T) with faster decline on CVLT-DFR. Among women, a slower decline on the domain “verbal memory/fluency” was observed with rs1801133(C677T, A>G). MTHFR2 SNPHAP [rs1801133(C677T, A>G)/rs1801131(A1298C, G>T): GG] was associated with slower decline on AF among women, whereas MTHFR3 SNPHAP(AT) was linked with slower decline on CVLT-List A among men but faster decline on “verbal memory/fluency” among women. Similar patterns were observed for MTHFR SNPLCs. In sum, MTHFR gene variations can differentially impact longitudinal changes in multiple cognitive domains among African-American adults.
Distinguishing between demographic and contextual factors linked to early childhood physical discipline and physical maltreatment among Black families.

Abstract Background Despite persistent discouragement from professionals, U.S. parents, especially Black parents, highly endorse physical discipline, which also is a risk factor for physical maltreatment. Few studies have examined physical discipline heterogeneity or maltreatment, and predictive demographic and contextual factors within the same population. Objective This exploratory study aimed to identify subgroups of Black parents’ use of early childhood physical discipline. It also examined whether demographic and contextual factors’ relations with physical discipline were similar or different from those with physical maltreatment. Participants and setting 310 Black parents from three geographically-distinct high-risk U.S. communities participated in home-based interview and survey data collection. Methods We conducted latent class analyses to identify sub-groups among Black parents characterized by physical discipline frequency and type. Bolck, Croon, and Hagenaars method and binary logistic regression were conducted to examine relations between demographic and contextual factors (child gender, family income, marital status, parental education, family stress and perceived neighborhood safety), discipline and maltreatment. Results Three physical discipline classes, which differed in frequency and type, were identified among Black parents. Only income was significantly related to both discipline (x2 = 18.97, p Conclusions Differing demographic and contextual factor relations with physical discipline and maltreatment within a Black population should be considered when identifying parents at-risk.
Patch Test Practice Patterns of Members of the American Contact Dermatitis Society

Background Patch testing is the criterion standard for diagnosis and management of allergic contact dermatitis. Limitations on the number of allergens tested can negatively impact patient care. Objective This study reports clinical practice patterns of American Contact Dermatitis Society (ACDS) members. Methods In October and November 2018, the US-based members of the ACDS received an electronic survey regarding their procedures and experiences with patch testing. We evaluated the type of practice, number of patients tested, type of screening and supplemental series, number of allergens tested, and billing and reimbursement concerns. Results There were 149 respondents; 62% use ACDS Core 80, 70% "sometimes" or "always" test with supplemental series, and 70% "sometimes" or "always" test patient products. Participants estimated that supplemental series identify relevant allergens 35% of the time. Approximately 66% most commonly test more than 81 allergens per patient, and 78% expressed concerns regarding fair reimbursement. Conclusions Most ACDS members routinely test more than 81 allergens per patient. Barriers to fair payment for beyond a fixed number of patches at any one visit may impede the diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis, prolong suffering, and worsen outcomes.
Gender Disparity in Authorship of Peer-Reviewed Medical Publications.

Abstract Background Women are underrepresented in medicine despite increases in the percentage of female physicians. It is unknown if academic productivity contributes to these differences. We sought to determine whether gender disparity exists in peer-reviewed literature authorship in the United States from 2000 to 2017. Methods Medical and surgical peer-reviewed research articles from the United States were retrospectively reviewed using PubMed from 2000 to 2017. Manuscripts were randomly selected within 4 different time periods: 2000-2005, 2006-2010, 2011-2015 and 2016-2017. The gender of the first and last authors was determined and the journal's impact factor recorded. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) databases were used to determine the percent of female residents, attendings and academic leadership positions. Primary outcome was the prevalence of female authors in peer-reviewed literature. Secondary aims were differences in disparity in medical versus surgical specialties, differences in publications' impact factor among gender and the association between gender and mentoring. Results Within 1,120 articles reviewed, 31.6% of first authors and 19.4% of last authors were women. Female first and last authors increased over time and authorship was proportional to the number of women in the studied specialties at that specific time period (P = 0.78). There was no difference in the journal's impact factors between gender (P = 0.64). On subgroup analysis of medical and surgical subspecialties, results remained unchanged. Conclusions Women publish research at a rate proportional to the number of academic female physicians. Disparities in leadership roles are unlikely explained by differences in publications. While gender disparities in medicine have improved, substantial disparities in leadership persist.
Abstract 111: Myeloid Specific Deletion of CD36 Increases Microglia-Like CD45 Low Subset and Exacerbates Stroke-Induced Brain Injury

Objective: CD36 regulates biological and pathological processes including inflammation, resolution, phagocytosis, and angiogenesis. Highly expressed in monocytes/macrophages (MM), MM CD36 has been ...
Post-traumatic stress disorder and risk of prescription opioid use, over-use, and misuse among World Trade Center Health Registry enrollees, 2015-2016.

Abstract Background Among veterans, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been shown to be associated with the use and misuse of prescription opioids. Less is known about PTSD among the general population and PTSD resulting from non-combat related trauma. We sought to determine if PTSD following exposure to the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster is associated with the recent use, over use, or misuse of prescription opioids. Methods This study, conducted in 2018, examined 26,840 individuals from the WTC Health Registry. PTSD symptoms were assessed on multiple surveys (2003–2016) using the PCL Checklist-17. Three categories of post-9/11 PTSD were derived: never, past, and current. Self-reported opioid use outcomes (past year, 2015–2016) were defined as (yes/no): recent use (use of a prescription opioid), over-use (use of a prescribed opioid in a manner other than prescribed) and misuse (use of a prescription opioid prescribed to someone else). Results Opioid use, over-use, and misuse prevalence was highest among those with current PTSD (prevalence: 12.2 %–46.1 %) compared to past PTSD (prevalence: 6.7 %–35.8 %) and never PTSD (prevalence: 3.6 %–22.9 %). In adjusted models, individuals with past and current PTSD had a greater risk of all opioid outcomes compared to never PTSD. Conclusions Past and current 9/11-related PTSD is a risk factor for opioid use and misuse among the general population, findings which may assist in improving screening and surveillance measures.
Information Uncertainty and Acquirer Wealth Losses

A large body of literature demonstrates that acquisitions are on average value-destroying for the acquirer. We investigate whether the change in the acquirer’s information uncertainty contributes to acquirer wealth losses. Information uncertainty affects the discount rate (the cost of capital), which in turn influences stock price. Our results indicate that acquisitions lead to increases in information uncertainty, as proxied by analysts’ earnings forecast dispersion. We also find that the change in information uncertainty is negatively related to acquirer long-term stock performance, after controlling for the acquirer’s fundamentals. Taken together, the evidence is consistent with the conclusion that increases in information uncertainty resulting from acquisitions contribute to acquirer post-acquisition wealth losses.
Measuring acquired ocular torsion with optical coherence tomography

Disorders of ocular torsion can occur in acquired neurologic conditions such as trochlear nerve palsies and skew deviations. 1-6 Ocular torsion is measured in degrees and is denoted with positive v...
Propensity-matched Analysis Demonstrates Long-term Risk of Respiratory and Cardiac Mortality After Pneumonectomy Compared With Lobectomy for Lung Cancer

OBJECTIVE We sought to quantify and characterize long-term consequences of pneumonectomy, with particular attention to nononcologic mortality. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Pneumonectomy is associated with profound changes in cardiopulmonary physiology. Studies of long-term outcomes after pneumonectomy typically report generalized measures, such as disease-free and overall survival. METHODS Patients undergoing lobectomy or pneumonectomy for lung cancer at our institution from 2000 to 2018 were reviewed. Propensity-score matching was performed for 12 clinicopathologic factors. Ninety-day complications and deaths were compared. Five-year cumulative incidence of oncologic and nononcologic mortality were compared using competing risks approaches. RESULTS From 3339 lobectomy and 355 pneumonectomy patients identified, we derived 318 matched pairs. At 90 days, rates of overall complications were similar (46% for pneumonectomy vs 43% for lobectomy; P = 0.40), but rates of major complications (21% vs 13%; P = 0.005) and deaths (6.9% vs 1.9%; P = 0.002) were higher the pneumonectomy cohort. The cumulative incidence of oncologic mortality was not significantly different between cohorts (P = 0.9584). However, the cumulative incidence of nononcologic mortality was substantially higher in the pneumonectomy cohort for both date of surgery and 1-year landmark analyses (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0002, respectively). Forty-five pneumonectomy patients (18%) died of nononcologic causes 1-5 years after surgery; pneumonia (n = 21) and myocardial infarction (n = 10) were the most common causes. In pneumonectomy patients, preexisting cardiac comorbidity and low diffusion capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide were predictive of nononcologic mortality. CONCLUSIONS Compared to lobectomy, excess mortality after pneumonectomy extends beyond 1 year and is driven primarily by nononcologic causes. Pneumonectomy patients require lifelong monitoring and may benefit from expeditious assessment and intervention at the initial signs of illness.
SARS-CoV-2 found in semen

With a novel coronavirus comes novel unknowns. One such unknown was whether or not the SARS-CoV-2 virus could be detected in semen. A recent report demonstrated the presence of the virus in semen, which raises additional questions.
Transgender migrations : the bodies, borders, and politics of transition

Introduction: Migration and Morphing Trystan T. Cotten Part I Affective Alien(n)ations and (Re)territorialization Chapter 1: Colorful Bodies in the Multikulti Metropolis: On the Neoliberal and Punitive Bases of Trans Vitality and Victimology in the Berlin Hate Crime Debate Jin Haritaworn Chapter 2: Forging "Moral Geographies": Law, Sexual Minorities and Internal Tensions in Northern Mexico Border Towns Vek Lewis Part II Trans Aesthetics, Counterpublics and Spatiality Chapter 3: Transgender Movement(s) and Beating the Straight Flush: Building an Art of Trans Washrooms Don Romesburg Lucas Crawford Chapter 4: Queer Exteriors: Transgender Aesthetics in Early Gay and Lesbian Travel Advertising Quinn Miller Chapter 5: Spider/City/Sex Eva Hayward Part III Transectionalities: Mapping Multiple Migrations Chapter 6: Passing for White, Passing for Man: Johnson's The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man as Transgender Narrative C. Riley Snorton Chapter 7: Longevity and Limits in Rae Bourbon's Life in Motion Don Romesburg Part IV Troubling Trans- and Queer Theory Chapter 8: The Trans Travel Narrative: Provincializing Transsexuality Aren Aizura Chapter 9: TRANS/SCRIPTIONS: Home, (Trans)sexual Citizenship and Racialized Bodies Nael Bhanji
Pre- and Perinatal Correlates of Ideal Cardiovascular Health during Early Childhood: A Prospective Analysis in the Healthy Start Study.

Objectives To characterize prevalence of ideal cardiovascular health (ICVH) during early childhood (4-7 years of age), and to identify pre- and perinatal biological, sociodemographic, metabolic, and behavioral correlates of ICVH. Study design Among 350 mother-child pairs in the Healthy Start Study, we defined ICVH as no exposure to second hand smoke; ≥1 hour/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity; body mass index ≤85th percentile; systolic and diastolic blood pressure Results ICVH prevalence at mean ± SD age 4.7±0.6 years was 6.9%; boys had twice the prevalence as girls (9% vs 4.4%). Most (>85%) children met criteria for second hand smoke, body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose, and only one-third met criteria for physical activity (31.4%) and diet (35.1%). In multivariable analyses, key correlates of ICVH were maternal weight status (ORoverweight/obese vs nonoverweight/obese = 0.41 [0.23, 0.73]) and offspring sex (ORmale vs female = 2.14 [1.22, 3.65]). Conclusions At age 4-7 years, ICVH prevalence is already low, with diet and adequate physical activity being the limiting factors. Healthy maternal weight prior to pregnancy and male sex are potential determinants of childhood ICVH. Additional work is required to explore associations of early-life ICVH with future health outcomes.
Obstetric venous thromboembolism prophylaxis, risk factors and outcomes.

Purpose of review Risk factors for obstetric venous thromboembolism (VTE), a leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States, are increasing on a population basis. This review provides the obstetrician with an update of current issues related to obstetric VTE risk, prophylaxis, outcomes, anaesthesia considerations and future research opportunities. Recent findings Obstetric VTE affects approximately 1 per 1000 pregnancies and accounts consistently for 9-10% of maternal deaths in the United States. In industrialized countries, risk factors for VTE, including overweight/obesity, caesarean delivery and obstetrical complications such postpartum haemorrhage and infection continue to increase. VTE prophylaxis is central to reducing maternal mortality. However, recommendations for prophylaxis from leadership societies vary widely. In the UK, maternal mortality risk from VTE has decreased significantly in the setting of broader heparin prophylaxis. In the United States where mechanical VTE prophylaxis is used more commonly, mortality risk has remained constant. Summary Obstetric VTE is a leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States. The incidence of risk factors for obstetric VTE continues to increase. Currently, recommendations for obstetric VTE prophylaxis vary substantially. Opportunities for research in this area exist to optimize prophylaxis and improve maternal outcomes.
Prolonged response to exemestane following multiple surgical resections and hormonal therapies in a patient with recurrent endometrial stromal sarcoma

Background Endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESSs) are rare, indolent tumors with high recurrence rates. Management includes surgery and hormonal therapy given high estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER/PR) expression.
Commentary on Steele and Steele

Howard and Miriam Steele ask for a reunion between attachment and psychoanalysis, but was there ever a complete separation? In the mid 1980s I asked John Bowlby to read the manuscript for a chapter I had written for Joy Osofsky’s Handbook of Infant Development (Bretherton, 1987). One chapter heading read ‘Comparison of Attachment Theory with Two Object Relations Theories.’ I was slightly surprised when Bowlby asked me if I might consider changing that heading to ‘. . . and Two Other Object Relations Theories.’ There may have been a time when he thought he was traveling down an entirely new road, but in the preface of his 1969 volume he remarks ‘. . . it was gradually borne in upon me that the field I had set out to plough so lightheartedly was no less than the one that Freud had started tilling sixty years earlier, and that it contained all those same rocky excrescences and thorny entanglements that he had encountered.’ While it is correct that Bowlby delved deeply into evolutionary biology, ethology, control theory, cognitive theory and emotion theory (such as it then was), I would not say that these theories inspired him to pursue attachment theory. Rather, he mined theories from outside the psychoanalytic domain that appeared to provide promising leads in support of hunches he already had, hunches derived from psychoanalytic thinking. The basic role of these theories was to serve as tools. When Bowlby discovered a theory or findings that seemed relevant, he studied them in considerable depth and with an astonishingly keen sense for cutting edge ideas. At the same time, he retained an enduring respect for clinical case studies, as shown by extensive summaries in his volume on loss (Bowlby, 1980). I believe that John Bowlby would have been the last person to say that psychoanalysis should be given a respectful burial. Furthermore, I have the strong impression that a reunion between attachment and psychoanalysis is already in train, if by reunion is meant fruitful exchange of ideas. In the last decade of his life Bowlby accepted many invitations from psychiatrists and psychoanalysts in the US who wished to discuss the clinical implications of his theory. I suspect that the conclusions the Steeles draw from their literature search for articles and dissertations on attachment and psychoanalysis may be overly pessimistic. Not all articles that compare psychoanalysis and attachment say so in the title (several of mine did not; e.g. Bretherton 1987, 1990, 1991). Morris Eagle in the US, Serge Lebovici in France, Massimo Ammaniti in Italy, and the Steeles’ own colleague, Peter Fonagy in the UK, strike me as major trail-blazers for a renewed and mutually appreciative dialogue. The book ‘Psychoanalysis and Attachment’ that emerged from the 1993 Toronto Conference (Goldberg, Muir, & Kerr, 1995) contains many articles that link attachment with other psychoanalytic theories.
The anatomy of a shrike bite: bill shape and bite performance in Loggerhead Shrikes

We examined the relationship between bill morphology and bite performance in Loggerhead Shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus), small passerines with raptorial bills. Shrikes feed on arthropods and vertebrates, and our aim was to understand how upper bill shape and jaw performance are integrated to meet the demands of their phenotypically diverse prey. We used geometric morphometrics to quantify variation in the shape of the upper bill, which houses the hooked tip and tomial ‘teeth,’ and took measurements of bite force and pressure (force per unit bill contact area) of wild-caught Loggerhead Shrikes throughout California, USA. We expected that longer bill hooks and tomial teeth would covary positively with bite force, because both hooks and teeth, as well as force, ought to be important for capturing, subduing, and dispatching vertebrate prey. Shrikes, however, with relatively longer, narrower culmens and longer hook tips produced lower bite forces than those with relatively stouter culmens and shorter hook tips. There was no significant relationship, however, between upper bill shape and bite pressure. Our results suggest that shrikes may achieve functional equivalence in bite pressure (force per unit of bill contact area) through variation in the amount of force applied by bills of different shapes. In this way, bill shape may be decoupled from force production, but without any direct costs to overall bite performance. This decoupling, in turn, may provide shrikes with greater phenotypic flexibility to meet the varied demands of their arthropod and vertebrate prey. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 112, 485–498.
Recognizing Success in the Chaplain Profession: Connecting Perceptions With Practice

The current investigation examines the communicative hallmarks of successful chaplaincy work as articulated by professional chaplains providing spiritual care at the end-of-life. Data grounded in qualitative interviews with 32 chaplains of various denominations and lengths of service reveals a challenge in gauging success when working with dying patients and families. Chaplains reported nonverbal hallmarks of success consist of (a) intrapersonal sense of accomplishment, (b) progress in fulfilling patient needs, and (c) meaningful connection with patients. Verbal hallmarks of success include (a) patient affirmation, (b) family affirmation, and the (c) chaplain being asked to participate in religious rites. In practice, the authors conjecture, chaplains assess professional competency in the self, patient, and family domains. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Cultural History in the Native Northeast

Native People of Southern New England, 1500-1650, Kathleen J. Bragdon. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1996. 301 pp. Historic Contact: Indian People and Colonists in Today's Northeastern United States in the Sixteenth through the Eighteenth Centuries. Robert S. Grumet. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1995. 514 pp.
Vortex Line Fluctuations in Superconductors from Elementary Quantum Mechanics

Concepts from elementary quantum mechanics can be used to understand vortex line fluctuations in high-temperature superconductors. Flux lines are essentially classical objects, described by a string tension, their mutual repulsion, and interactions with pinning centers. The classical partition function, however, is isomorphic to the imaginary time path integral description of quantum mechanics. This observation is used to determine the thermal renormalization of critical currents, the decoupling field, the flux lattice melting temperature at low and moderate inductions, and to estimate the degree of entanglement in dense flux liquids. The consequences of the “polymer glass” freezing scenario, which assumes that the kinetic constraints of entanglement prevent field cooled flux liquids from crystallizing, are reviewed.
An Assessment of Deforestation Models for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD)

With the increasing concerns in developing methodologies for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) projects, there is a need to understand the characteristics of existing Land-Use/Cover Change (LUCC) modules. This research presents a modular framework for assessing predictive accuracy of business-as-usual deforestation in the future by comparing two existing approaches: GEOMOD Modeling (GM) and Land Change Modeler (LCM). The comparison uses data from a case study in Chiquitania, Bolivia. Data from 1986 and 1994 are used to simulate land-cover of 2000; the resulting maps are compared with an observed land-cover map of 2000. GM and LCM simulate business-as-usual deforestations at the pixel level. The model structures of GM’s linear extrapolation and LCM’s Markov Chain are compared to review quantity of LUCC; and the model structures of GM’s empirical frequency, LCM’s logistic regression, and LCM’s multilayer perceptron are compared to review (spatial) allocation of LUCC. Relative operating characteristics, figure of merit, and multiple resolution analysis are employed to assess predictive accuracy of multiple transition modeling. By design, GM lacks the potential to model multiple transitions, and the LCM’s multilayer perceptron may produce different results for each simulation due to its stochastic element. Based on the model structure and predictive accuracy comparisons, the LCM seems more suitable than the GM for a REDD application. When a project is to employ a predictive method for its spatially explicit baseline setting, then it is highly recommended to use the proposed framework to assess accuracy of the baseline as part of a project design document.
MitoTALEN: A General Approach to Reduce Mutant mtDNA Loads and Restore Oxidative Phosphorylation Function in Mitochondrial Diseases

We have designed mitochondrially targeted transcription activator-like effector nucleases or mitoTALENs to cleave specific sequences in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) with the goal of eliminating mtDNA carrying pathogenic point mutations. To test the generality of the approach, we designed mitoTALENs to target two relatively common pathogenic mtDNA point mutations associated with mitochondrial diseases: the m.8344A>G tRNALys gene mutation associated with myoclonic epilepsy with ragged red fibers (MERRF) and the m.13513G>A ND5 mutation associated with MELAS/Leigh syndrome. Transmitochondrial cybrid cells harbouring the respective heteroplasmic mtDNA mutations were transfected with the respective mitoTALEN and analyzed after different time periods. MitoTALENs efficiently reduced the levels of the targeted pathogenic mtDNAs in the respective cell lines. Functional assays showed that cells with heteroplasmic mutant mtDNA were able to recover respiratory capacity and oxidative phosphorylation enzymes activity after transfection with the mitoTALEN. To improve the design in the context of the low complexity of mtDNA, we designed shorter versions of the mitoTALEN specific for the MERRF m.8344A>G mutation. These shorter mitoTALENs also eliminated the mutant mtDNA. These reductions in size will improve our ability to package these large sequences into viral vectors, bringing the use of these genetic tools closer to clinical trials.
Amino acid esters as inhibitors of growth and of aminoacyl transfer ribonucleic acid synthetases in Euglena and Astasia.

Abstract At moderate concentrations the methyl, ethyl, or butyl esters of 10 amino acids inhibit the growth of Astasia. At least 8 of these also inhibit the growth of Euglena, although Euglena is generally less sensitive to these esters than Astasia. None of the amino acids tested at comparable concentrations inhibit growth except cysteine. The concentrations of ester required for 50% inhibition of growth rate depend not only on the amino acid, but on the ester group, increasing inhibition being generally observed with increasing size of the alcohol moiety. Recovery takes place primarily by nonenzymatic hydrolysis of the ester. Inhibition is highly pH-sensitive, with little inhibition below pH 5 and maximal inhibition above pH 6. Experiments with 14C-leucine ethyl ester indicate that Astasia is much less permeable to this ester at low pH. These observations led to the hypothesis that the amino acid esters inhibited growth by interfering with the corresponding aminoacyl transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) synthetases. Consistent with this hypothesis were the observations that: (a) phenylalanine ethyl ester inhibited the synthesis of an induced acid phosphatase; (b) the methyl and ethyl esters of serine, which did not inhibit growth, did not inhibit a partially purified seryl-tRNA synthetase of Astasia; (c) the methyl and ethyl esters of leucine, which inhibited growth, competitively inhibited the partially purified leucyl-tRNA synthetase of Astasia. Other growth experiments demonstrated that, whereas leucine slightly protected against growth inhibition by leucine ethyl ester, phenylalanine potentiated growth inhibition due to phenylalanine ethyl ester. It was then found that partially purified phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase is inhibited by excess substrate concentrations. It is suggested that some amino acid esters may be useful inhibitors of the first committed steps of protein synthesis.
Percolation effects in degradable polyethylene‐starch blends

The accessibility of starch in polyethylene starch blends was investigated by computer simulation, percolation theory, and acid hydrolysis experiments. The object of this work was to model the bilateral invasion of microbes in polyethylene-starch blends as a function of starch concentration (p), and thickness of the material. It was found that computer simulations in three dimensions were in agreement with both percolation theory and the acid digestion experiments. In computer simulation the accessibility is highly dependent on the percolation threshold concentration (pc), which is 31.17%. Similarly, the accessibility of starch is highly dependent on an apparent percolation threshold near 30% by volume or approximately 40% by weight of starch. At p pc connected pathways existing throughout the bulk of the material facilitate large amounts of starch extraction. The sharpness of the transition at pc increases with the ratio of sample thickness to starch particle size. The results of this work have application to conduction and reacting systems where one component is dispersed in a matrix of the other.
Cobalt-catalyzed ammonia borane dehydrocoupling and transfer hydrogenation under aerobic conditions

Two cobalt compounds, Cp*Co(CO)I2 (1) and CpCo(CO)I2 (2) (Cp* = η5-C5Me5, Cp = η5-C5H5), catalyze the dehydrogenation of ammonia borane under either anaerobic or aerobic conditions and are also effective hydrogenation catalysts for alkenes and alkynes using ammonia borane as a hydrogen source, also in the presence of air.
Patient survival after open and endovascular mesenteric revascularization for chronic mesenteric ischemia

Objective To evaluate long-term patient survival and causes of death after open (OR) or endovascular (ER) mesenteric revascularization for atherosclerotic chronic mesenteric ischemia using propensity score-matched comparison and clinical risk stratification. Methods The clinical data of 343 patients treated with mesenteric revascularization for chronic mesenteric ischemia between 1991 and 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical, anatomical, and procedure-related variables were analyzed using a multivariate model to identify independent predictors of any-cause early and late (>30 days) mortality. Cause of death was retrieved from review of the National Death Index. Patient survival was analyzed using Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) comorbidity scores and propensity score-matched comparison based on independent predictors of any-cause mortality. Results There were 187 patients treated by OR and 156 patients treated by ER. Early procedure-related mortality was 2.6% (9/343), including five OR (2.7%) and four ER (2.6%) patients. Median follow-up was 96 ± 54 months (range, 1-168 months). There were 144 late deaths, most commonly from cardiac causes in 35% (51/144), followed by cancer in 15% (21/144), pulmonary complications in 13% (19/144), and mesenteric ischemia in 11% (16/144). A further 21 patients died from various identifiable causes, and 14 patients (10%) died of unknown causes. Overall, 25 patients (7.3%) died of mesenteric-related causes, including nine early and 16 late deaths (OR, 10/187; 8.0%, and ER, 6/156; 6.4%). Multivariate analysis identified age >80, diabetes, chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage IV or V, and home oxygen therapy as independent predictors ( P P 16). Using propensity matched scores, 5-year survival was nearly identical for patients treated by OR (60%) or ER (57%; P = .7). Conclusions Long-term patient survival after mesenteric revascularization was not influenced by type of arterial reconstruction. Age >80 years, diabetes, CKD stage IV or V, and home oxygen were independent predictors of any-cause mortality. Diabetes and CKD stage IV or V were independently associated with mesenteric-related death.
Role of UDPGA flux in acetaminophen clearance and hepatotoxicity

1. Factors which determine the acetaminophen glucuronidation capacity in the male rat have been examined.2. Conditions previously shown to increase (streptozotocin diabetes) or decrease (a 24 h fast) the glucuronidation capacity in vivo did not alter the microsomal glucuronyl transferase activity, indicating that the amount of enzyme is not rate-limiting.3. Acetaminophen caused a rapid depletion of hepatic levels of the co-substrate, UDPGA; both the extent of depletion and the time required for recovery back to pre-drug levels were dependent on the dose of acetaminophen administered.4. The amount of UPDGA required for the glucuronidation of a therapeutic dose was nearly equal to the total content of UDPGA in the liver; after a toxic dose, the UDPGA demand was over 100-fold greater than the normal basal level.5. It is concluded that the glucuronidation capacity of the animals is determined by their capacity to synthesize UDPGA, which in turn is dependent on flux through the glucuronic acid pathway.
Task-dependent changes in brain activation following therapy for nonfluent aphasia: discussion of two individual cases.

The complex process of cortical reorganization of language-related brain regions during recovery from aphasia and the effects of therapeutic interventions on brain systems are poorly understood. We studied two patients with chronic aphasia and compared their functional neuroanatomical responses to a younger control group on two tasks, an oral-reading task involving overt speech and a “passive” audiovisual story-comprehension task. Following identical therapy, we re-examined behavioral (language) and functional neuroanatomical changes using the same functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) tasks. We hypothesized that better recovery would be associated with brain activation patterns more closely resembling healthy controls, whereas positive responses to language treatment would be associated with increased activity in undamaged left perisylvian areas and/or right-hemisphere areas homologous to the damaged regions. For the participant with a frontal lesion who was most responsive to therapy, brain activation increased in the right hemisphere during oral-reading, but decreased bilaterally in most regions on story-comprehension. The other participant with a temporal–parietal lesion showed decreased activation, particularly in the right hemisphere, during oral-reading but increased activation bilaterally on story-comprehension. Results highlight individual variability following language therapy, with brain activation changes depending on lesion site and size, language skill, type of intervention, and the nature of the fMRI task. (JINS, 2006, 12, 828–842.)
Application of the general height equivalent to a theoretical plate equation to size exclusion chromatography. Study of the mass transfer of high-molecular-mass compounds in liquid chromatography.

The mass transfer of nonretained, high-molecular-weight polystyrene standards in a chromatographic column packed with 4-μm-diameter silica particles for SEC (average pore size 80 A) and eluted with tetrahydrofuran was investigated. The HETPs of nine polystyrene standards (MW 560, 760, 1780, 3680, 6400, 13 200, 19 300, 31 600, and 90 000) and of ethylbenzene were measured by the method of moments. These HETPs were accounted for by a general HETP equation previously derived for the mass transfer of low-molecular-weight compounds in RPLC (Gritti, F.; Guiochon, G. Anal. Chem. 2006, 78, 5329.). The best fit between the experimental and the theoretical HETPs allowed the estimation of the internal restricted diffusion coefficients of the polymers. The internal diffusion coefficients of the polystyrene standards were also measured, using the peak parking method. Both methods give comparable results and show that the restriction diffusion coefficient γpKD decreases linearly with increasing logarithm of the polymer...
Case Report: Absent C6 Cervical Pedicle in a Collegiate Football Player

Congenital absence of a cervical pedicle is a rare clinical finding with only 70 reported cases in the literature from 1946 until present. The congenitally absent pedicle has clinical importance owing to the frequency of misdiagnosis and inappropriate invasive treatments. We present the case of a 21-year-old college football player who experienced neck and shoulder pain after violent twisting of his neck by the face mask. The player walked off the field under his own power. He was sent to the locker room, where he underwent right shoulder and cervical spine radiographs. Initial review of the radiographs raised concern for a jumped right C6 facet. The patient then underwent CT and MRI of the cervical spine, confirming the diagnosis of an absent cervical pedicle. He was treated nonoperatively for a short time and completed the season. He had no symptoms at last followup at 8 months. The most frequent location of the absent cervical pedicle is at the C6 level, and the next most common is at the C5 level. Neural compression or instability is uncommon and nonsurgical treatment is the mainstay of treatment. Misdiagnosis can lead to inappropriate treatment such as halo or tong application with traction, which occurred in seven of 57 cases in one series, and exploratory surgery, which occurred in four of 57 cases.
Resilience in Quaking Aspen: Recent Advances and Future Needs

Abstract Quaking Aspen ( Populus tremuloides ) sustainability is a topic of intense interest in forest ecology. Reports range from declines to persisting or increasing coverage in some areas. Moreover, there is little agreement on ultimate factors driving changes. Low aspen recruitment has been attributed to climate patterns, past management, herbivore increases, competitive interactions with conifers, predator and beaver extirpation, and livestock grazing. Several of these potential causes result from direct or indirect actions of human agency. On June 27–28, 2012 a group of leading aspen ecologists from diverse backgrounds convened at the High Lonesome Ranch in western Colorado to address the state of aspen science under the title, Resilience in Quaking Aspen: restoring ecosystem processes through applied science . The purposes of this meeting were to: (a) present disciplinary updates on recent developments; (b) focus our collective understanding on determining key research gaps; and, to the extent possible, (c) develop a plan to communicate both advances and science gaps to wider audiences. Presentations and group discussions were framed mainly in the geographic context of the western US. The symposium addressed dual central themes—historical aspen cover change and ungulate herbivory—both of which have important ramifications for future aspen resilience. We also found emergent themes in disturbance, climate work, and genetic innovation. This paper presents a brief review of the state of aspen science and a synopsis of issues and needs identified at the symposium. Detailed treatments of topics mentioned here are found in accompanying articles of this volume. A key recommendation from researchers here is that there are many “aspen types” and novel, landscape- or aspen type-specific, approaches will be required to appropriately address this regional diversity. We further emphasize needed interdisciplinary work addressing changing climates, altered disturbance patterns, intensive herbivory, and human drivers of ecological change.
Interaction of physisorbed oxygen with thin superconducting tin films

The influence of oxygen, adsorbed on thin tin films at liquid helium temperature, on the superconducting transition temperature of the metal film was studied. At this temperature oxygen is adsorbed as O2 molecules. At higher degrees of coverage, antiferromagnetically coupled (O2)2 is formed. The observed phenomena and the quantitative results are interpreted as an interaction of the localized oxygen spins with the spins of the conduction electrons of the metal underneath.
Progressive spatial clustering of content-based satellite imagery retrieval results

The ProgressiveDBSCAN algorithm allows for the progressive clustering of results from a geospatial information retrieval system. Results can be clustered by a combination of both their spatial and non-spatial attributes. The benefit of this clustering is that users are able to sort through the results returned from a geospatial information retrieval system in a spatial context. No longer are results from disparate locations presented to the user, but instead compact spatial clusters are displayed. There is a 98% reduction in the spatial distance between consecutive CBIR results and the spatial distance between the compact clusters; this leads to more efficient analysis of results by reducing the amount of time users spend context switching while on average only adding a few seconds to the query time.
Elastic interactions between ’’voids’’ induced by solute segregation

Expressions are derived for the elastic interaction energy between void‐solute shell composites. These composites consist of spherical void cores surrounded by spherically symmetric solute shells containing a uniform concentration of irradiation segregated solute. The solutes are assumed ’’misfitting’’ and as such represent sources of internal stress. The elastic interaction energy between composites arises because of the so‐called inhomogeneity interaction and has minimum values at certain composite separations and solute shell thickness. The existence of these minima obtains largely because the misfit of the composites increases as the composite separation R increases. For a constant misfit, the interaction energy would decrease monotonically approximately as R−6. The surface stress of voids is taken to be zero in the calculations so that the only source of interaction between composites is the stress induced by solute segregation. The calculations are performed for both two‐composite and N‐composite interactions, and we show that, primarily, only nearest‐neighbor interactions are significant. The calculations are compared with experimental investigations of void ordering in an Ni ion‐irradiated Nb‐1Zr alloy containing 0.0038 atom fraction of oxygen as an impurity. Given experimentally determined void sizes and auxiliary data, the correct void lattice parameter is predicted when the solute shell thickness is ∼30% of the composite radius. In pure Nb, it is found the O, C, or N impurities are necessary for void ordering, which supports the main thesis of the present paper, viz., solutes/impurities are a primary cause of void ordering.
Modeling H-Bonding and Protonation States of Membrane Buried ARG-TYR Pairs

Previous X-ray crystallographic studies have shown that in the activated states of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), or in those of microbial rhodopsins, the side chains in conserved R+Y dyads transiently move within several A of each other. In the M state of bR, substantial side-chain perturbation occurs, as has been shown previously, e.g. by FTIR and solid-state (SS) NMR studies of bR with 15N-labeled R82. No simpler system has been able to model the transient spectral perturbations of R82 in M. Here we report the synthesis of crystalline ω-(4-anisolyl)-dodecylguanidine (ADG) and ω-(4-phenolyl)-dodecylguanidine (PDG), with either natural isotope abundance or 98% 15N-enrichment at the 2 terminal nitrogens. The ADG free base, with a deprotonated guanidine group, is a good spectroscopic model for both IR and 15N-SS-NMR signals that were previously seen from R82 in the M photointermediate, particularly for the unusually large 15N chemical shift splitting. In the crystalline PDG free base, however, this chemical shift splitting is reduced to nearly the same value seen for the HBr salts of ADG, PDG, and arginine itself, all of which have protonated guanidinium groups. The high-resolution X-ray structure of the free-base form of PDG, as well as the IR spectrum of these crystals in KBr disk, show clearly that what crystallizes is actually a zwitterion, with guanidinium and phenolate groups; additionally, 2 H-bonding solvent (methanol) molecules co-crystallize with each PDG. These PDG free-base crystals are surprisingly insoluble in most aprotic solvents. However, they are sufficiently soluble in DMSO to observe IR, UV-vis and 1H NMR spectra. These spectra are all consistent with a ∼50/50 mix of rapidly-interchanging zwitterionic and neutral forms. The high proton polarizability of PDG makes this an interesting model system for buried H-bonded uncharged R+Y dyads in proteins.
Modeling of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Removal from Contaminated Soil Using Steam

Microwave-generated steam technology shows promise as an effective remediation alternative for removal of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from contaminated soils, based on our laboratory-scale experiments. The overall process can be described by a nonisothermal, unsteady, coupled heat and multicomponent PCB mass-transport model in a multiphase, variably saturated, porous soil medium. In this paper, a multicomponent PCB mass-transport model is presented that assumes evaporation is an important removal mechanism and that is based on first-order mass transfer between the interface of PCB films and the bulk steam. The model was calibrated using the experimental data, and the calibrated model was verified by computational mass-balance checks and comparisons with laboratory-scale column experimental results. From a qualitative point of view, the calibrated model successfully simulated the transport of PCBs in variably saturated soil media. The calculated increase/decrease factors of physicochemical properties ...