cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genome-wide changes in expression profile of murine endogenous retroviruses (MuERVs) in distant organs after burn injury

Previous studies have shown that burn-elicited stress signals alter expression of certain murine endogenous retroviruses (MuERVs) in distant organs of mice. These findings suggest that MuERVs may participate in a network of pathophysiologic events during post-burn systemic response. To gain a better understanding of the biological roles of MuERVs in post-burn systemic response, we examined the genome-wide changes in the MuERV expression profiles in distant organs and the biological properties of the putative-burn related MuERVs were characterized. Female C57BL/6J mice were subjected to an approximately 18 % total body surface area flame burn and tissues (liver, lung, and kidney) were harvested at 3 hours and 24 hours after injury. The changes in the MuERV expression profiles in these tissues were examined by RT-PCR using a primer set flanking the non-ecotropic MuERV U3 promoter region within the 3' long terminal repeat. There were differential changes in the expression profiles of MuERV U3 regions after injury in all three tissues examined. Subsequently, a total of 31 unique U3 promoter sequences were identified from the tissues of both burn and no burn mice. An analysis of viral tropisms revealed that putative MuERVs harboring these U3 promoter sequences were presumed to be either xenotropic or polytropic. Some putative transcription regulatory elements were present predominantly in U3 promoter sequences isolated from burn and no burn mice, respectively. In addition, in silico mapping using these U3 sequences as a probe against the mouse genome database identified 59 putative MuERVs. The biological properties (coding potentials for retroviral polypeptides, primer binding sites, tropisms, branching ages, recombination events, and neighboring host genes) of each putative MuERV were characterized. In particular, 16 putative MuERVs identified in this study retained intact coding potentials for all three retroviral polypeptides (gag, pol, and env). None of the putative MuERVs identified in this study were mapped to the coding sequences of host genes. In this study, we identified and characterized putative MuERVs whose expression might be altered in response to burn-elicited systemic stress signals. Further investigation is needed to understand the role of these MuERVs in post-burn systemic pathogenesis, in particular, via characterization of their interaction with host genes, MuERV gene products, and viral activities.
Methods for the Initiation and Maintenance of Human Endothelial Cell Culture

The culture of human endothelial cells for the in vitro investigation of the metabolic, synthetic, and physiologic functions of these cells has grown increas ingly common. Model systems investigating the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis are being developed. Methods for the initiation and maintenance of human en dothelial cell cultures are described. The roles of cryopreservation, microcar rier culturing, and roller bottle mass culturing are discussed.
SnapShot: Cortical Development

This SnapShot summarizes current knowledge of mammalian cortical development, with a particular focus on the molecular controls that orchestrate the stepwise decisions leading from multiple types of undifferentiated forebrain progenitors to fully mature projection neurons with correctly-targeted axons and carefully-elaborated dendritic trees, as well as appropriate electrophysiology and gene expression, reflective of precise subtype and area identity.
Predictors of length of stay after coronary stenting

Abstract Background Postprocedure length of stay (LOS) remains an important determinant of medical costs after coronary stenting. Variables that predict LOS in this setting have not been well characterized. Methods We evaluated 359 consecutive patients who underwent coronary stenting with antiplatelet therapy. Sequential multiple linear regression (MLR) models were constructed with use of 4 types of variables to predict log-transformed LOS: preprocedure, intraprocedure, and postprocedure factors and adverse outcomes. Results Preprocedure factors alone explained more than one third of the variability in postprocedure LOS (adjusted R 2 = 0.37). The addition of procedural variables added little to the model (adjusted R 2 = 0.39). Entering nonoutcome postprocedure variables significantly enhanced the predictive capacity of the model, explaining more than half the variability in postprocedure LOS (adjusted R 2 = 0.54). In the final model, addition of outcome variables increased its predictive capacity only slightly (adjusted R 2 = 0.61). In this model, significant preprocedure factors included: myocardial infarction (MI) within 24 hours, MI within 1 to 30 days, women with peripheral vascular disease, intravenous heparin, and chronic atrial fibrillation. High-risk intervention was the only significant intraprocedure variable. Significant postprocedure factors included periprocedure ischemia; cerebrovascular accident or transient ischemic attack; treatment with intravenous heparin or nitroglycerin or intra-aortic balloon pump; and need for blood transfusion. Significant adverse outcomes included contrast nephropathy, gastrointestinal bleeding, arrhythmia, vascular complication, and repeat angiography. Conclusion This prediction model identifies a number of potentially reversible factors responsible for prolonging LOS and may enable the development of more accurate risk-adjusted methods with which to improve or compare care. (Am Heart J 2001;142:799-805.)
KEEPING A SECRET FROM YOURSELF? CONFIDENTIALITY WHEN THE SAME NEUTRAL SERVES BOTH AS MEDIATOR AND AS ARBITRATOR IN THE SAME CASE

As the alternative dispute resolution field has grown, parties have designed their own processes from established processes in an attempt to best serve their process needs. One such hybrid process is mediation-arbitration, called “med-arb” for short. Med-arb involves a single neutral who first serves as a mediator, and, if the parties reach impasse in mediation, the neutral then serves as an arbitrator to resolve the dispute. Although the literature has given some attention to the benefits and drawbacks of med-arb, this Article examines the process in light of broad mediation confidentiality and privilege statutes. Because these laws have no exceptions for med-arb, parties who seek to utilize this process must execute careful waivers to avoid the possibility that any resulting arbitration award later be vacated by the courts.
FACTORS AFFECTING THE IN VITRO METABOLISM OF ADRENAL STEROIDS BY LIVER TISSUE

It has been demonstrated that the rise of urinary 17-ketosteroids following injection of cortisone acetate into adrenalectomized female rats is prevented by simultaneous ascorbic acid treatment (Bacchus, Altszuler, and Heiffer, 1952). Subsequent work indicated that ascorbic acid treatment is also capable of increasing the urinary corticosteroids following cortisone injection into such animals, while depressing the 17-KS excretion (Bacchus and Heiffer, 1953). In a similar manner it was observed that the hematologic effects of injected cortisone are prolonged by simultaneous ascorbic acid treatment (Bacchus, Altszuler and Heiffer, 1952a). These data were interpreted as suggesting that ascorbic acid depresses the breakdown or inactivation of cortisone. This suggestion has recently received support from our observation that the liver tissues of ascorbic acidtreated rats metabolize cortisone to a lesser extent than do control liver tissues (Bacchus, 1953). This paper reports further data on the metabolism of c...
Parallel channel routing

A parallel algorithm is proposed for solving the problem of channel and switchbox routing in the design of VLSI chips. The algorithm is suitable for implementation on a shared-memory multiprocessor environment. Our approach does not impose restrictions on the channel type (such as fix or variable channel widths) and the number of available layers. The algorithm contains three major phases: 1) dividing the channel into several regions by selecting some columns, 2) assigning tracks to nets of the selected columns, and 3) assigning tracks to nets of the columns in each region.
The relation of oxygen tension to virulence of tubercle bacilli and to acquired resistance in tuberculosis.

been reported that the oxygen metabolism of virulent strains of tubercle bacilli is inhibited by atmospheres containing less than approximately 60 mm oxygen,1 that the growth of virulent strains of tubercle bacilli is inhibited by atmospheres containing less than approximately 40 mm oxygen2,3 and that the survival of tubercle bacilli is decreased by anerobic conditions.4 Furthermore, it has been reported that the oxygen requirements of both "avirulent" and "attenuated" strains of tubercle bacilli are greater than the oxygen requirements of virulent strains (Heplar, Clifton, Raffel, and Futrelle,5 Guy,
Unusual population genetics of a parasitic nematode; mtDNA variation within and among populations

Very little is known about the distribution of genetic variance within and among populations of parasitic helminths. In this study we used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction fragment analysis to describe the population genetic structure of Ostertagia ostertagi, a nematode parasite of cattle, in the United States. Estimates of within-population mtDNA diversity are 5 to 10 times greater than typical estimates reported for species in other taxa. Although populations are genetically differentiated for a key life-history trait, greater than 98% of the total genetic diversity is partitioned within populations, and the geographic distribution of individual mtDNA haplotypes suggests high gene flow among populations.
Lipid metabolism in cultured cells. II. Cholesterol uptake from serum of normal and atherosclerotic human adults.

Summary1. The cholesterol content of cells grown on serum samples taken from normal and atherosclerotic humans and rabbits was determined. 2. Cells grown on atherosclerotic sera had significantly higher cholesterol levels than those grown on normal sera. 3. In the group of normal human sera there was significant correlation between (a) age of the donor and cholesterol content of cells, (b) serum cholesterol level and cholesterol content of cells and (c) age of the donor and serum cholesterol level. 4. In the atherosclerotic human sera there was significant correlation between serum and cell cholesterol but none with age of the donor. 5. It appears from these results that in an older group of human atherosclerotics at least, there is no evidence that the higher cholesterol content of cells grown on the serum is due to factors other than the increase in serum cholesterol which occurs with aging.
Late Larval Development and Onset of Symbiosis in the Scleractinian Coral Fungia scutaria.

Many corals that harbor symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) produce offspring that initially lack zooxanthellae. This study examined late larval development and the acquisition of zooxanthellae in the scleractinian coral Fungia scutaria, which produces planula larvae that lack zooxanthellae. Larvae reared under laboratory conditions developed the ability to feed 3 days after fertilization; feeding behavior was stimulated by homogenized Artemia. Larvae began to settle and metamorphose 5 days after fertilization. In laboratory experiments, larvae acquired experimentally added zooxanthellae by ingesting them while feeding. Zooxanthellae entered the gastric cavity and were phagocytosed by endodermal cells. As early as 1 h after feeding, zooxanthellae were observed in both endodermal and ectodermal cells. Larvae were able to form an association with three genetically distinct strains of zooxanthellae. Both zooxanthellate and azooxanthellate larvae underwent metamorphosis, and azooxanthellate polyps were able to ac...
The pain of cancer. Control in the hospice setting.

PreviewWhen the focus of the cancer patient's care shifts from core to comfort, the major concern is control of pain. Dr Wener explains the concept of “total pain,” lists psychological as well as physical sources of pain, and discusses methods of pharmacologic control of physical pain caused by cancer. The opiate morphine remains the cornerstone of analgesic therapy for the severe, chronic pain of advanced cancer, and the author details its use.
Cardiac Troponins and the Future of Precision Medicine

There is an increasing emphasis across the fields of medicine on managing individual patients in ways that are tailored to the patient’s unique characteristics—an approach termed personalized or individualized medicine. Although these terms are relatively new, the concept of personalized medicine has a long history, with Sir William Osler (1849–1919) famously quoted as saying that “the good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.” Because physicians have practiced personalized medicine in this classic sense since long before the introduction of modern advanced testing, the term precision medicine has been proposed to better reflect the incorporation of new scientific and technological advances in the practice of personalized medicine, including the use of genetic information and biomarkers.1 See Article by Zanchin et al Biomarkers have been used in cardiovascular medicine for more than half a century,2 and they are used routinely in contemporary practice to aid in diagnosis (eg, cardiac troponins [cTn] and natriuretic peptides), contribute to risk stratification (eg, blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) as goals for therapy (eg, blood pressure and cholesterol lowering), and increasingly to target therapies to individual patients (eg, use of cTn to triage patients with acute coronary syndromes for early revascularization). The hope for the future—and the holy grail of precision medicine—is the development of targeted therapeutic and preventive strategies, using individual patient genotype or phenotype (including biomarker) data, to achieve the best possible clinical outcomes for that patient, while minimizing the adverse effects and optimizing the use of resources. We are of course still far from that ideal, and numerous challenges lie ahead,3 but this serves as rationale (explicit or implicit) for many studies of cardiac biomarkers, including the one reported by Zanchin et …
Discriminant analysis for predicting dystocia in beef cattle. II. Derivation and validation of a prebreeding prediction model.

Discriminant analysis was utilized to derive and validate a model for predicting dystocia using only data available at the beginning of the breeding season. Data were collected from 211 Chianina crossbred cows (2 to 6 yr old) bred to Chianina bulls. A proportionally stratified sampling procedure divided females into an analysis sample (n = 134) on which the model was derived and a hold-out sample (n = 77) on which the prediction model was validated (tested). Variables available during the derivation stage were cow age, cow weight, pelvic height, pelvic width, pelvic area and calf sire. Dystocia was categorized as either unassisted or assisted. Occurrence of dystocia was 17.2 and 18.2% in the analysis and hold-out samples, respectively. All data were standardized to a mean of zero and a variance of one before statistical analysis. The centroid of cows experiencing dystocia differed (P less than .01) from that of cows calving unassisted in the analysis sample. Significant variables were pelvic area and cow age (standardized coefficients = .56 and .51, respectively). This model correctly classified 85.1% of the cows in the analysis sample. This was 13.5% greater than the proportional chance criterion. For model validation, prediction accuracy was 84.4% in the hold-out group, which was 14.2% greater than the proportional chance criterion. However, only 57.1% of the cows that experienced dystocia were correctly classified. Examination of the data revealed that those cows misclassified were 3 yr of age or older.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Primary Dissolution Therapy of Struvite Calculi

Percutaneous nephrostomy and hemiacidrin were used as primary treatment of magnesium ammonium phosphate calculi in 32 surgical candidates. Of 28 patients who actually received hemiacidrin 24 (85 per cent) had successful treatment (no surgery necessary), including 19 (68 per cent) who had total stone dissolution. There were no significant complications. Patients have been followed for 3 months to 7 years. Percutaneous nephrostomy with hemiacidrin infusion is another possible treatment in the growing alternatives available for patients with urinary struvite calculi.
What Is a Garrison State

Definitions of garrison state and of the American imperium. Principal features of the emergent American garrison state.
Metabolomic comparative analysis of the phloem sap of curry leaf tree (Bergera koenegii), orange jasmine (Murraya paniculata), and Valencia sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) supports their differential responses to Huanglongbing

Orange jasmine, Murraya paniculata and curry leaf tree, Bergera koenegii are alternative hosts for Diaphorina citri, the vector of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), the pathogen of huanglongbing (HLB) in citrus. D. citri feeds on the phloem sap where CLas grows. It has been shown that orange jasmine was a better host than curry leaf tree to D. citri. In addition, CLas can infect orange jasmine but not curry leaf tree. Here, we compared the phloem sap composition of these 2 plants to the main host, Valencia sweet orange, Citrus sinensis. Phloem sap was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after trimethylsilyl derivatization. Orange jasmine was the highest in proteinogenic, non-proteinogenic amino acids, organic acids, as well as total metabolites. Valencia was the highest in mono- and disaccharides, and sugar alcohols. Curry leaf tree was the lowest in most of the metabolites as well as total metabolites. Interestingly, malic acid was high in Valencia and orange jasmine but was not detected in the curry leaf. On the other hand, tartaric acid which can prevent the formation of malic acid in Krebs cycle was high in curry leaf. The nutrient inadequacy of the phloem sap in curry leaf tree, especially the amino acids could be the reason behind the longer life cycle and the low survival of D. citri and the limitation of CLas growth on this host. Information obtained from this study may help in cultivation of CLas and development of artificial diet for rearing of D. citri.
From Social to Political Identity: The Importance of Incorporation and Thinking about Politics

This chapter analyzes the impact of Latino panethnic identity and religion on partisanship. While the results support the view that Latino partisanship is driven by identities, the author proposes that this link does not emerge spontaneously and proposes two important moderators—political socialization and cognitive representation of parties. Political socialization refers broadly to the variety of processes that occur while a person experiences US politics over time. Cognitive representation of parties is used to describe the idea about parties that individuals hold in their minds. It is not the objective knowledge about politics or parties that helps Latinos link their identities to parties, but rather the way the individual perceives of the parties. Latino identity is a stronger predictor of partisanship than religious identities.
Impact of Drug Treatment at Neonatal Ages on Variability of Drug Metabolism and Drug-Drug Interactions in Adult Life

As the number of patients taking more than one medication concurrently continues to increase, predicting and preventing drug-drug interactions (DDIs) are now more important than ever. Administration of one drug can cause changes in the expression and activity of drug-metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) and alter the efficacy or toxicity of other medications that are substrates for these enzymes, resulting in a DDI. In today’s medical practice, potential DDIs are evaluated based on the current medications a patient is taking with little regard to drugs the patient has been exposed to in the past. The purpose of this review is to discuss potential impacts of drug treatment at neonatal ages on the variability of drug metabolism and DDIs in adult life. Existing evidence from the last 30 years has shown that exposure to certain xenobiotics during neonatal life has the potential to permanently alter DME expression through adult life. With recent advancements in the understanding of epigenetic regulation on gene expression, this phenomenon is resurfacing in the scientific community in hopes of defining possible mechanisms. Exposure to compounds that have the ability to bind nuclear receptors and trigger epigenetic modifications at neonatal and pediatric ages may have long-term, if not permanent, consequences on gene expression and DME activity. The information summarized in this review should challenge the way current healthcare providers assess DDI potential and may offer an explanation to the significant interindividual variability in drug metabolism that is observed among patients.
Development of an application programming interface for depletion analysis (APIDA)

Abstract A new utility has been developed with extensive capabilities in identifying nuclide decay and transmutation characteristics, allowing for accurate and efficient tracking of the change in isotopic concentrations in nuclear reactor fuel over time when coupled with a transport solution method. This tool, named the Application Programming Interface for Depletion Analysis (APIDA), employs both a matrix exponential method and a linear chain method to solve for the end-of-time-step nuclide concentrations for all isotopes relevant to nuclear reactors. The Chebyshev Rational Approximation Method (CRAM) was utilized to deal with the ill-conditioned matrices generated during lattice depletion calculations, and a complex linear chain solver was developed to handle isotopes reduced from the burnup matrix due to either radioactive stability or a sufficiently low neutron-induced reaction cross section. The entire tool is housed in a robust but simple application programming interface (API). The development of this API allows other codes, particularly numerical neutron transport solvers, to incorporate APIDA as the burnup solver in a lattice depletion code or reactor core analysis code in memory, without the need to write or read from the hard disk. The APIDA code was benchmarked using several decay and transmutation chains. Burnup solutions produced by APIDA were shown to provide material concentrations comparable to the analytically solved Bateman equations – well below 0.01% relative error for even the most extreme cases using isotopes with vastly different decay constants. As a first order demonstration of the API, APIDA was coupled with the transport solver in the SERPENT code for a fuel pin cell depletion problem. Results show APIDA to be effective and efficient in solving lattice depletion problems, in addition to being successful in terms of portability for users to implement via the API.
Patterned cell and matrix dynamics in branching morphogenesis.

Many embryonic organs undergo branching morphogenesis to maximize their functional epithelial surface area. Branching morphogenesis requires the coordinated interplay of multiple types of cells with the extracellular matrix (ECM). During branching morphogenesis, new branches form by “budding” or “clefting.” Cell migration, proliferation, rearrangement, deformation, and ECM dynamics have varied roles in driving budding versus clefting in different organs. Elongation of the newly formed branch and final maturation of the tip involve cellular mechanisms that include cell elongation, intercalation, convergent extension, proliferation, and differentiation. New methodologies such as high-resolution live imaging, tension sensors, and force-mapping techniques are providing exciting new opportunities for future research into branching morphogenesis.
Neuroprotective Effects of Annexin A1 Tripeptide after Deep Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest in Rats.

Resolution agonists, including lipid mediators and peptides such as annexin a1 (ANXA1), are providing novel approaches to treat inflammatory conditions. Surgical trauma exerts a significant burden on the immune system that can affect and impair multiple organs. Perioperative cerebral injury after cardiac surgery is associated with significant adverse cerebral outcomes such as delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction. Using a clinically relevant rat model of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA), we tested the pro-resolving effects of a novel bioactive ANXA1 tripeptide (ANXA1sp) on neuroinflammation and cognition. Male rats underwent 2 hour CPB with 1 hour DHCA at 18°C, and received vehicle or ANXA1sp followed by timed reperfusion up to postoperative day 7. Immortalized murine microglial cell line BV2 were treated with vehicle or ANXA1sp, and subjected to 2 hours oxygen-glucose deprivation followed by timed reoxygenation. Microglial activation, cell death, neuroinflammation, and NF-kB activation were assessed in tissue samples and cell cultures. Rats exposed to CPB and DHCA had evident neuroinflammation in various brain areas. However, in ANXA1sp-treated rats, microglial activation and cell death (apoptosis and necrosis) were reduced at 24 hours and 7 days after surgery. This was associated with a reduction in key pro-inflammatory cytokines due to inhibition of NF-κB activation in the brain and systemically. Treated rats also had improved neurologic scores and shorter latency in the Morris water maze. In BV2 cells treated with ANXA1sp, similar protective effects were observed including decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines and cell death. Notably, we also found increased expression of ANXA1, which binds to NF-κB p65 and thereby inhibits its transcriptional activity. Our findings provide evidence that treatment with a novel pro-resolving ANXA1 tripeptide is neuroprotective after cardiac surgery in rats by attenuating neuroinflammation, and may prevent postoperative neurologic complications.
Reference Intervals Generated by Electronic Medical Record Data Mining with Clinical Exclusions: Age-Specific Intervals for Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone from 33038 Euthyroid Patients.

Background: Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) reference intervals are dependent on population characteristics, including prevalent thyroid disease and iodine status. Studies in the US have demonstrated increasing TSH levels with age, and the American Thyroid Association recommends higher TSH goals for older patients taking thyroid supplementation, but few laboratories offer age-specific reference intervals for TSH. Our objective was to establish TSH reference ranges in our racially diverse population in northern California. Methods: Data mining of electronic medical records was used with the a posteriori approach to select a euthyroid reference population for TSH reference intervals. A report gathered all TSH results from 2 weeks from >1 year in the past, excluding results from patients with thyroid-related disease or medication use at any time before or after the TSH test. Results: The reference population numbered 33038 and consisted of approximately 44% of the total TSH results reported in the selected time periods. The population identified as 46.5% white, 18.3% Asian, 17.0% Hispanic/Latino, 8.0% black/African American, and 10.3% other or unknown. These data demonstrate an increase in the median and 97.5 percentile of TSH levels with increasing age in adults. No clinically significant difference was seen between female and male individuals or between the self-identified races, except for lower TSH levels in the black/African American population. Conclusions: The a posteriori approach using data mining for disease-specific criteria proved to be an efficient method for obtaining a large healthy reference population. Age-specific TSH reference ranges could prevent inappropriate diagnoses of subclinical hypothyroidism in older patients.
Combating Foster Care Drift: An Ecosystemic Treatment Model For Neglect Cases

The neglect of children may take many forms, but always represents the diminished capacity of the entire system of which the children are a living part. Child, parent, family, neighborhood, and community variables mutually influence one another. Once children are removed from a home, these same individual, relational, and contextual factors may result in foster placements of indefinite term and goals. Families are not reunited nor are the children legally freed to be placed in permanent homes. Because of the multiplicity of transacting influences there needs to be a stage-wise, systemic approach to remediation. This begins with crisis intervention and life stabilization. Later it includes more traditional family therapy work. However, the marital and family therapist contributes substantially at each stage.
Analysis of Three Variable VECM Models Including Demand Functions for Real Balances

The review of the existing literature on empirical money demand functions presented in Chapter 2 suggests that very little confidence is derived from existing single equation estimates, either with respect to the existence of a stable aggregate demand function for real balances, or with respect to the magnitude of the parameter values of such a function, should it exist. In Chapters 3 and 4 newly developed techniques for multiequation analysis are discussed. The purpose of this and subsequent chapters is to apply these techniques to investigations into the existence of long-run aggregate demand functions for real balances. The analyses involve testing for cointegrating vectors among macroeconomic data series and identification of a long-run demand function for real balances among those cointegrating vectors. The identified long-run money demand functions are examined for stability across various sample periods, particularly the periods of “missing money” and those of velocity trend shifts. The robustness of the long-run money demand function is examined with respect to the dimension of the multivariate process and the number of cointegrating vectors. Finally, various techniques of identifying permanent and transitory “economic shocks” are applied to the vector error correction (VECM) models containing the money demand equation, and the resulting dynamic patterns are analyzed.
Nutrition and Gastrointestinal Health as Modulators of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease of aging, characterized by neuronal inclusions comprised of α-synuclein aggregates contributing to debilitating motor and non-motor symptoms. Parkinson’s disease is thought to be caused by neuronal oxidative stress, and more recently, it has been suggested that this oxidative stress may originate in the GI tract, leading to neuronal damage. Those with PD have been shown to have increased intestinal permeability, intestinal α-synuclein aggregates, and increased bacterial translocation and oxidative stress. While impact of diet on PD risk is limited, it is suggestive that diets high in saturated fat from animal sources have a negative impact, and unsaturated fats and foods containing antioxidants may be protective as evidenced by analysis of dietary patterns. Altering PD course through dietary means is difficult, and further experimentation is needed to determine if this modulation is impactful; however, potential exists for fibers such as prebiotics to beneficially modify the gut milieu, reducing constipation in individuals with PD. Due to the potential role of the gastrointestinal barrier in exposure to injurious factors, therapeutic intervention through whole foods, dietary patterns, and supplemental nutrition (probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics) may positively impact intestinal milieu and result in reduced inflammation and oxidation and reduced risk for PD.
Translating Catalysis to Chemiresistive Sensing.

Activating molecules or functional groups with high chemoselectivity in complex environments is the central goal of transition-metal-based catalysis. Promoting strong interactions between a selected substrate and a catalytic system can also be used to create highly selective and customizable sensors, and these concepts are widely recognized for enzymatic processes. We demonstrate the successful translation of organometallic reactions to sensing capability. Specifically, we have developed single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) chemiresistive sensors for the highly selective detection of acrylates using conditions for the aerobic oxidative Heck reaction. The sensors mirror the catalytic processes and selectively respond to electron-deficient alkenes by adapting a catalytic reaction system to modulate the doping levels in carbon nanotubes. The sensors readily detect acrylates at parts per million (ppm) levels in untreated air. The concepts presented here are generally applicable and can guide future sensor de...
Perception of threshold-level whole-body motion during mechanical mastoid vibration

Background Vibration applied on the mastoid has been shown to be an excitatory stimulus to the vestibular receptors, but its effect on vestibular perception is unknown. Objective Determine whether mastoid vibration affects yaw rotation perception using a self-motion perceptual direction-recognition task. Methods We used continuous, bilateral, mechanical mastoid vibration using a stimulus with frequency content between 1 and 500 Hz. Vestibular perception of 10 healthy adults (M±S.D. = 34.3±12 years old) was tested with and without vibration. Subjects repeatedly reported the perceived direction of threshold-level yaw rotations administered at 1 Hz by a motorized platform. A cumulative Gaussian distribution function was fit to subjects' responses, which was described by two parameters: bias and threshold. Bias was defined as the mean of the Gaussian distribution, and equal to the motion perceived on average when exposed to null stimuli. Threshold was defined as the standard deviation of the distribution and corresponded to the stimulus the subject could reliably perceive. Results The results show that mastoid vibration may reduce bias, although two statistical tests yield different conclusions. There was no evidence that yaw rotation thresholds were affected. Conclusions Bilateral mastoid vibration may reduce left-right asymmetry in motion perception.
Abstract TP292: Discrepancies in Arrival Time for Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients

Background: Current best-practice guidelines and national quality improvement efforts emphasize reduction in door-to-needle (DTN) time. Stroke center certifying bodies depend on hospital-reported DTN to appraise compliance and award designations. However, the validation of hospital reported arrival times against ambulance arrival times has not been previously reported. Objective: To determine differences in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) reported arrival time of stroke patients versus hospital documented arrival times at 10 primary and comprehensive stroke centers in Chicago. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of stroke admissions using the Get With The Guidelines (GWTG) Stroke registries of 10 hospitals in Chicago between July 1 and December 31, 2013. We matched ambulance run numbers from EMS records to those in the GWTG-Stroke EMS special initiative tab. GWTG-Stroke data included arrival time, age, sex, race, initial NIHSS score, and whether tPA was administered. EMS data include hospital arrival time in addition to age, sex, hospital name, and clinical impression. We compared GWTG-Stroke and EMS reported arrival times overall and whether any clinical factors were associated with time discrepancy. Results: There were 308 matched EMS to GWTG-Stroke records over the study period and of those, 51 (16.6%) received tPA. Overall, EMS documented arrival time was a median 5 minutes earlier than hospital documented arrival time (range -14 to +35m). There was no significant difference in time discrepancy by tPA administration, stroke type, NIHSS score, age, sex, race, insurance status, or hospital. Median DTN based on EMS data was 88m versus 82m for hospital-reported data (p>0.05). The proportion with DTN times Conclusions: EMS reported arrival time is on average 5 minutes earlier than hospital documented arrival time at 10 Chicago stroke centers. These data suggest that current hospital reported DTN times may be lower than DTN times had EMS arrival been recorded as door time. Further quality improvement should ensure using EMS source data for more accurate documentation of arrival times.
A 42-Year-Old Man With Shortness of Breath, Fever, and Pleural Effusions.

Case Presentation A 42-year-old man with a history of progressive multiple myeloma and chronic kidney disease presented with worsening shortness of breath and fever. He was scheduled for a planned admission for chemotherapy on the day of presentation and had developed these symptoms the night before. He had also developed worsening fatigue but denied any new cough, sputum production, or abdominal pain. The patient had been previously admitted 3 weeks prior for neutropenic fever and colitis during his first cycle of chemotherapy.
Technological Innovation and Economic Growth: A Brief Report on the Evidence

Technological innovation is a fundamental driver of economic growth and human progress. Yet some critics want to deny the vast benefits that innovation has bestowed and continues to bestow on mankind. To inform policy discussions and address the technology critics’ concerns, this paper summarizes relevant literature documenting the impact of technological innovation on economic growth and, more broadly, on living standards and human well-being. The historical record is unambiguous regarding how ongoing innovation has improved the way we live; however, the short-term disruptive aspects of technological change are real and deserve attention as well. The paper concludes with an extended discussion about the relevance of these findings for shaping cultural attitudes toward technology and the role that public policy can play in fostering innovation, growth, and ongoing improvements in the quality of life of citizens.
Identification of the First Nuclear Male Sterility Gene ( Male-sterile 9 ) in Sorghum

CORE IDEAS The male-sterile 9 (ms9) is a novel nuclear male-sterile mutant in sorghum. The Ms9 gene encodes a PHD-finger transcription factor critical for pollen development. The identification of the Ms9 gene provides a strategy to control male sterility in sorghum. Nuclear male sterility (NMS) is important for understanding microspore development and could facilitate the development of new strategies to control male sterility. Several NMS lines and mutants have been reported in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] previously. However, no male-sterile gene has been identified, hampering the utility of NMS in sorghum breeding. In this study, we characterized a new NMS mutant, male sterile 9 (ms9), which is distinct from all other reported NMS loci. The ms9 mutant is stable under a variety of environmental conditions. Homozygous ms9 plants produced normal ovaries but small pale-colored anthers that contained no pollen grains. Microscopic analyses revealed abnormal microspore development of ms9 at the midmicrospore stage, causing degeneration of microspore inside the anther lobes and male sterility of ms9 plants. Using MutMap, we identified the Ms9 gene as a plant homeotic domain (PHD)-finger transcription factor similar to Ms1 in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. and Ptc1 in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Ms9 is the first NMS gene identified in sorghum. Thus, the Ms9 gene and ms9 mutant provide new genetic tools for studying pollen development and controlling male sterility in sorghum.
An Approximate Model for Well Productivity in Heterogeneous Porous Media

An approximate analytical model describing the productivity of vertical wells in two-dimensional, heterogeneous porous media is presented. The model represents well-driven flow in terms of an effective permeability for linear flow coupled with an effective near-well skin. This representation is different from previous descriptions, which represent the problem solely in terms of a system-dependent equivalent permeability for radial flow. Extensive comparisons between the model predictions and numerical calculations for single wells and two-well systems in log-normally distributed permeability fields are presented. These results demonstrate the high degree of accuracy of the approximate model over an extensive parameter range. For the problems considered, the method is shown to be more accurate than a previous spatial averaging approach. More importantly, the new method provides a basis for extending existing semianalytical solutions, applicable to homogeneous or layered systems, to more general heterogeneous systems in three dimensions.
Complementary Task Structure Representations in Hippocampus and Orbitofrontal Cortex during an Odor Sequence Task

Both hippocampus (HPC) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) have been shown to be critical for behavioral tasks that require use of an internal model or cognitive map, composed of the states and the relationships between them, which define the current environment or task at hand. One general idea is that the HPC provides the cognitive map, which is then transformed by OFC to emphasize information of relevance to current goals. Our previous analysis of ensemble activity in OFC in rats performing an odor sequence task revealed a rich representation of behaviorally relevant task structure, consistent with this proposal. Here, we compared those data to recordings from single units in area CA1 of the HPC of rats performing the same task. Contrary to expectations that HPC ensembles would represent detailed, even incidental, information defining the full task space, we found that HPC ensembles-like those in OFC-failed to distinguish states when it was not behaviorally necessary. However, hippocampal ensembles were better than those in OFC at distinguishing task states in which prospective memory was necessary for future performance. These results suggest that, in familiar environments, the HPC and OFC may play complementary roles, with the OFC maintaining the subjects' current position on the cognitive map or state space, supported by HPC when memory demands are high.
Shrinking democracy? Analyzing participatory planning for vacancy and abandonment in Ohio

Numerous scholars have analyzed how local government and policymakers respond to urban decline and suggested a range of strategies. Yet relatively few studies have investigated public participation...
Operator-theoretic framework for forecasting nonlinear time series with kernel analog techniques

Abstract Kernel analog forecasting (KAF), alternatively known as kernel principal component regression, is a kernel method used for nonparametric statistical forecasting of dynamically generated time series data. This paper synthesizes descriptions of kernel methods and Koopman operator theory in order to provide a single consistent account of KAF. The framework presented here illuminates the property of the KAF method that, under measure-preserving and ergodic dynamics, it consistently approximates the conditional expectation of observables that are acted upon by the Koopman operator of the dynamical system and are conditioned on the observed data at forecast initialization. More precisely, KAF yields optimal predictions, in the sense of minimal root mean square error with respect to the invariant measure, in the asymptotic limit of large data. The presented framework facilitates, moreover, the analysis of generalization error and quantification of uncertainty. Extensions of KAF to the construction of conditional variance and conditional probability functions, as well as to non-symmetric kernels, are also shown. Illustrations of various aspects of KAF are provided with applications to simple examples, namely a periodic flow on the circle and the chaotic Lorenz 63 system.
COVID-19 Infection in a Child Presenting With Functional Intestinal Obstruction

This report describes the case of a 13-year-old male patient presenting with functional small bowel obstruction. The child was also observed to have persistent tachycardia, and repeat cardiac examination revealed a new-onset cardiac murmur and a gallop rhythm. Acute viral myocarditis was clinically suspected, prompting further cardiac evaluations including electrocardiogram (EKG), echocardiogram (echo), and cardiac enzyme panel. Both EKG and echo findings suggested acute myocardial injury, in addition to elevated levels of cardiac enzymes and other inflammatory markers. Considering the ongoing pandemic, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection was suspected, but reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was negative. Because multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) may occur later in the course of COVID-19 illness, a SARS-CoV-2 antibody test was performed, with positive results. To our knowledge, this is the first pediatric case of COVID-19 presenting as functional intestinal obstruction. We present this case to share our findings on this unique manifestation of COVID-19 with pediatric colleagues. We also engage in a brief review of MIS-C.
Considerations When Applying Pharmacogenomics to Your Practice

Many practitioners who have not had pharmacogenomic education are required to apply pharmacogenomics to their practices. Although many aspects of pharmacogenomics are similar to traditional concepts of drug-drug interactions, there are some differences. We searched PubMed with the search terms pharmacogenomics and pharmacogenetics (January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2019) and selected articles that supported the application of pharmacogenomics to practice. For inclusion, we gave preference to national and international consortium guidelines for implementation of pharmacogenomics. We discuss special considerations important in the application of pharmacogenomics to assist clinicians with ordering, interpreting, and applying pharmacogenomics in their practices.
Assessing Collaborative Physical Tasks Via Gestural Analysis

Recent studies have shown that gestures are useful indicators of understanding, learning, and memory retention. However, and specially in collaborative settings, current metrics that estimate task understanding often neglect the information expressed through gestures. This work introduces the physical instruction assimilation (PIA) metric, a novel approach to estimate task understanding by analyzing the way in which collaborators use gestures to convey, assimilate, and execute physical instructions. PIA estimates task understanding by inspecting the number of necessary gestures required to complete a shared task. PIA is calculated based on the multiagent gestural instruction comparer (MAGIC) architecture, a previously proposed framework to represent, assess, and compare gestures. To evaluate our metric, we collected gestures from collaborators remotely completing the following three tasks: block assembly, origami, and ultrasound training. The PIA scores of these individuals are compared against two other metrics used to estimate task understanding: number of errors and amount of idle time during the task. Statistically significant correlations between PIA and these metrics are found. Additionally, a Taguchi design is used to evaluate PIA's sensitivity to changes in the MAGIC architecture. The factors evaluated the effect of changes in time, order, and motion trajectories of the collaborators’ gestures. PIA is shown to be robust to these changes, having an average mean change of 0.45. These results hint that gestures, in the form of the assimilation of physical instructions, can reveal insights of task understanding and complement other commonly used metrics.