cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of methods for detecting alloantibodies underlying warm autoantibodies

Background In pretransfusion testing of patients whose sera contain autoantibodies reacting optimally at 37 degrees C, it must be determined whether alloantibodies are also present. Two approaches, testing a 1-in-5 dilution of patients' sera and the adsorption of sera in the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG), have been proposed as alternatives to the time-consuming approach of adsorbing sera with ficin- or ZZAP-treated red cells (RBCs). The three approaches were compared. Study design and methods Patients' sera containing warm autoantibodies, with and without alloantibodies, were retested 1) after dilution (1-in-5) and 2) after adsorption with allogeneic RBCs in the presence of PEG. Results were compared to those after adsorption with ZZAP-treated allogeneic RBCs. Results Dilution (1-in-5): Twenty-seven of 119 sera (7/26 [27%] with and 20/93 [22%] without alloantibodies) did not react; one example each of alloanti-D, -E, -e, -Fy(a), and -Jk(a), and two examples of anti-Jk(b) were not detected at a dilution of 1 in 5. Alloantibodies were identified in 5 (19%) of 26 1-in-5 diluted sera containing alloantibodies; 87 (73%) of 119 sera still reacted with all cells and would have required further workup. PEG adsorption: Thirty-nine sera were tested after parallel PEG and ZZAP adsorptions. The PEG adsorptions required a total of 55 aliquots of adsorbing cells and 13.75 hours, whereas ZZAP adsorptions required 61 aliquots and 30.5 hours. All alloantibodies (anti-D [3], -C [2], -c [1], -E [4], -K [2], -Fy(a) [1], -Jk(a) [2], -Jk(b) [1]) reacted in the adsorbed serum-PEG mixtures at a strength equal to or greater than that in the ZZAP-adsorbed sera. Conclusion Although the 1-in-5 dilution approach is convenient, only 22 percent of warm autoantibodies without alloantibodies were nonreactive, and 27 percent of alloantibodies of potential clinical significance were not detected. PEG adsorption appears to give similar results to those of ZZAP adsorption, but it has the advantages of eliminating the cost and time of prior treatment of the allogeneic adsorbing cells and of a reduction of at least a 50 percent in adsorption time.
The solid-matrix room-temperature luminescence detection and characterization of polyaromatic hydrocarbons without a heavy atom

A selective and sensitive method to detect polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) using a new solid-matrix room-temperature luminescence technique is presented. The solid-matrix room-temperature fluorescence (SMRTF) and phosphorescence (SMRTP) of PAH can be readily obtained by adsorbing a PAH on Whatman 1PS filter paper. Strong phosphorescence can be detected without adding a heavy atom. Detection limits, ranging from 0.12 to 18 ng, were obtained for several PAH.
The incidence of symptomatic acquired lacrimal outflow obstruction among residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1976-2000 (an American Ophthalmological Society thesis).

determined. Results: Five-hundred eighty-seven patients with SALOO were identified, with an average annual incidence rate of 30.47 per 100,000. Nasolacrimal duct obstruction was most common, with an incidence of 20.24 per 100,000. The increase in incidence from 1976-1979 to 1996-2000 was statistically significant (P=.01). Among 397 patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction, 107 (27%) were male and 290 (73%) female, with a mean age of 59.5 ± 22 years. SALOO and nasolacrimal duct obstruction incidence increased with age. Glaucoma, dry eye, cataract, diabetes mellitus, systemic malignancy, cigarette smoking, and hypertension were noted in 5.5%, 8.7%, 37.5%, 10.9%, 18.5%, 26.4%, and 41.1% of patients, respectively. One hundred eleven patients underwent dacryocystorhinostomy, with a success rate of 94.1%. Conclusions: SALOO incidence increased during the study interval, although a possible plateau effect was noted during the last 5 years of the study period. The majority of patients were female above the age of 66 years. The latter finding, in conjunction with US demographic trends, suggests that the frequency of SALOO may continue to increase in the future. External dacryocystorhinostomy appeared to be effective in the management of nasolacrimal duct obstruction.
Methods of Ecological Momentary Assessment in Organizational Research.

Although ecological momentary assessment and experience sampling methods have been in use in other areas of the social and medical sciences for many years, organizational researchers have not taken...
Regional Cerebral Blood Flow During Stimulation of Seventh Cranial Nerve

The right seventh cranial nerve (n. VII) was exposed intracranially via a suboccipital approach in each of eight cats. Measurements of cerebral blood flow (CBF) were made from superficial cortex, sulcal cortex, basal cortex, the basal ganglia, and the centrum semiovale of each cerebral hemisphere of each cat by autoradiography using 14Cantipyrine. In six cats, measurements of CBF were made during electric stimulation of n. VII; in two of these, the nerve was sectioned before stimulation. In the remaining two cats, measurements were made after exposure but without stimulation of n. VII; in these cats, there were no side-to-side differences of CBF. In each of the four cats with n. VII intact, CBF values were lower on the stimulated side. In each of the two cats with n. VII sectioned, CBF values were higher on the stimulated side. Thus, stimulation of n. VII causes regional increases of CBF only when centripetal effects of stimulation are prevented. Cerebral vasodilatation has been observed by others during ...
Measuring the Elasticity of Clathrin-Coated Vesicles via Atomic Force Microscopy

Using a new scheme based on atomic force microscopy (AFM), we investigate mechanical properties of clathrin- coated vesicles (CCVs). CCVs are multicomponent protein and lipid complexes of ;100 nm diameter that are implicated in many essential cell-trafficking processes. Our AFM imaging resolves clathrin lattice polygons and provides height deformation in quantitative response to AFM-substrate compression force. We model CCVs as multilayered elastic spherical shells and, from AFM measurements, estimate their bending rigidity to be 285 6 30 kBT, i.e., ;20 times that of either the outer clathrin cage or inner vesicle membrane. Further analysis reveals a flexible coupling between the clathrin coat and the membrane, a structural property whose modulation may affect vesicle biogenesis and cellular function.
Probable neonatal propoxyphene withdrawal: a case report.

A baby with neonatal withdrawal from propoxyphene as evidenced by severe diarrhea, flapping tremors, shrill cry, diaphoresis, hypertonicity, and seizures is presented. Propoxyphene and its metabolites were identified in the patient9s serum and urine. We express concern about the wide use of propoxyphene and its proposed use in substitution programs for detoxifying and maintaining heroin addicts in view of the possibility of neonatal complications.
RSS-based secret key generation in underwater acoustic networks: advantages, challenges, and performance improvements

Due to the broadcast nature of acoustic channel, underwater acoustic networks (UANs) face threats of eavesdropping and fake data injection. How to secure acoustic communications in a UAN is becoming an important but challenging topic. Among different secret key approaches, received-signal-strength (RSS)-based key generation is particularly appealing, as it can eliminate the need to deploy an additional key distribution center, making it a more attractive method than conventional symmetric key cryptography in resource-constrained UANs. A variety of RSSbased key generation approaches have been designed for wireless radio networks. However, no attempt has been made to evaluate their performance in underwater environments. In this article, we provide an overview of the advantages of RSS-based key generation and explore the major challenges from the unique features of underwater systems through experiment results of sea trails. Meanwhile, we discuss viable solutions to improve the performance of RSS-based key generation in oceans.
Autoimmune Epilepsy Guidelines for Diagnosis

Investigators at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, Australia, and John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK, describe 13 children (11 female; mean age 6 years, range 1-13 years) seen over a period of 3.5 years with suspected autoimmune epilepsy.
Numerical Study of Low Frequency Surf Zone Motions

This paper describes the application of a model of the two dimensional shallow water equations to the growth of instabilities of the longshore current at SUPERDUCK on October 18th. Simulations are carried out using two initial current profiles. In the first case the initial longshore current profile results from a balance between bottom friction, the radiation stress gradient and lateral mixing due to turbulence. In the second case lateral mixing is neglected. The shear wave climates resulting from both simulations are analyzed and compared to data. In the first case the energy in the shear wave band is underpredicted whereas in the second case, it is overpredicted. In both cases, the initial longshore current profile changes due to lateral mixing induced by the shear instabilities. The resulting longshore current profile after shear instabilities have reached finite amplitude is found to be very similar for both cases.
Enjoyment, Barriers, and Beliefs About Physical Activity in Adolescents With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder

The authors compared physical activity enjoyment, perceived barriers, beliefs, and self-efficacy between adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) adolescents. A questionnaire was verbally administered to 35 adolescents with ASD and 60 TD adolescents. Compared with TD adolescents, fewer adolescents with ASD enjoyed team sports (65% vs. 95%, p < .001) and physical education (84% vs. 98%, p = .02). A greater proportion of adolescents with ASD perceived that physical activities were too hard to learn (16% vs. 0%, p < .01), and fewer believed that physical activity was a way to make friends (68% vs. 97%, p < .001). Fewer adolescents with ASD preferred to do physical activity in their free time (25% vs. 58%, p < .01). Most adolescents with ASD felt that physical activity is fun (84%), but the proportion was lower than in TD adolescents (98%, p = .03). Some perceptions about physical activity were similar between the 2 groups, but differences identified may inform program development.
Grain Boundaries in a 2-D Superlattice

In bicrystals with CSL orientation relationships two kinds of coincidence site lattices form, resulting in two kinds of grain boundaries. We examine the thermodynamic properties, using a lattice gas model, and make microstructural predictions about the dihedral angles at junctions between these boundaries. The behavior of these boundaries is examined for low temperatures and through the critical disordering temperature. Some aspects of nonstoichiometry are presented. A wetting transition is found at low temperatures, in which one kind of grain boundary is converted into the other by expelling antiphase domain boundary. No wetting transition is found at the critical temperature because an unusually high critical exponent of 3 is found for the difference in grain boundary energies between the symmetric and antisymmetric cases.
Lentiviral delivery of PPARγ shRNA alters the balance of osteogenesis and adipogenesis, improving bone microarchitecture

Introduction: Skeletal aging is associated not only with alterations in osteoblast (OB) and osteoclast (OC) number and activity within the basic metabolic unit, but also with increased marrow adiposity. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is commonly considered the master transcriptional regulator of adipogenesis, however, it has known roles in osteoblast and osteoclast function as well. Here, we designed a lentiviral delivery system for PPARγ shRNA, and examined its effects in vitro on bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) and in a mouse intramedullary injection model. Methods: PPARγ shRNA was delivered by a replication-deficient lentiviral vector, after in vitro testing to confirm purity, concentration, and efficacy for Pparg transcript reduction. Next, control green fluorescent protein lentivirus or PPARγ shRNA expressing lentivirus were delivered by intramedullary injection into the femoral bone marrow of male SCID mice. Analyses included daily monitoring of animal health, and postmortem analysis at 4 weeks. Postmortem analyses included high resolution microcomputed tomography (microCT) reconstructions and analysis, routine histology and histomorphometric analysis, quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction analysis of Pparg transcript levels, and immunohistochemical analysis for markers of adipocytes (PPARγ, fatty acid binding protein 4 [FABP4]), osteoblasts (alkaline phosphatase [ALP], osteocalcin [OCN]), and osteoclasts (tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase [TRAP], Cathepsin K). Results: In vitro, PPARγ shRNA delivery significantly reduced Pparg expression in mouse BMSC, accompanied by a significant reduction in lipid droplet accumulation. In vivo, a near total reduction in mature marrow adipocytes was observed at 4 weeks postinjection. This was accompanied by significant reductions in adipocyte-specific markers. Parameters of trabecular bone were significantly increased by both microCT and histomorphometric analysis. By immunohistochemical staining and semi-quantification, a significant increase in OCN+osteoblasts and decrease in TRAP+multinucleated osteoclasts was observed with PPARγ shRNA treatment. Discussion: These findings suggest that acute loss of PPARγ in the bone marrow compartment has a significant role beyond anti-adipose effects. Specifically, we found pro-osteoblastogenic, anti-osteoclastic effects after PPARγ shRNA treatment, resulting in improved trabecular bone architecture. Future studies will examine the isolated and direct effects of PPARγ shRNA on OB and OC cell types, and it may help determine whether PPARγ antagonists are potential therapeutic agents for osteoporotic bone loss.
Jury is Out: Robotic or Laparoscopic or Open Surgery.

Dr. Kudsi and his colleagues have presented their single surgeon experience with 106 consecutive robotic repair of ventral hernia over a 3 year period. They have discussed the superiority of minimally invasive ventral hernia repair compared to open repair and its limited use currently. They have highlighted the advantages of robotic surgery for this disease. Robotic surgery provides better range of motion with wristed instruments, 3D imaging, and ergonomics that enable work at difficult angles.
Relationship between changes of fibrinolysis in type 2 diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance

Objective To investigate the relationship between changes of fibrinolysis in type 2 diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance.Method The serum levels of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and its inhibitor,plasminogen activator inhibitor-1(PAI-1) in 63 diabetic patients ( including 30 cases without diabetic angiopathies and 33 cases with diabetic angiopathies ) and 25 normal controls were measured by ELISA method.We analyzed the change tendency and influential factors combining the clinical datas.Result In type 2 diabetic patients,the plasma t-PA level was significantly lower(P0.01)and PAI-1 was significantly higher (P0.01)than normal controls.Those with angiopathies,this change was more obvious (respectively,P0.001).By multiple stepwise regression analysis,HOMA-IR was an independent risk factor of PAI-1.Conclusion In type 2 diabetic patients, the fibrinolysis is impaired.Insulin resistance appears to play an important role in decreasing fibrinolysis of diabetic patients and inducing angiopathies.
Abstract 2836: Characterization of the mechanism of action for abemaciclib with antiestrogen combined therapy in human breast cancer cell lines

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide after lung cancer. About 70% of breast cancers express estrogen receptor α (ER+) and/or progesterone receptor (PR+), and these biomarkers are indicative of hormone dependence. However up to 50% acquire resistance to hormone therapy [1, 2]. Estrogen independent ER+ breast cancer depends on CDK4 for tumor growth and CDK4 inhibitors have emerged as a promising approach to treat this type of tumors [3]. Abemaciclib is a cell cycle inhibitor with selective activity against CDK4 and CDK6 and it is being evaluated in advanced clinical trials for its potential to reduce metastatic ER+ breast cancer growth. We have evaluated combination of abemaciclib with an anti-estrogen therapy in an in vitro breast cancer panel. Phenotypic characterization of sensitive cell lines was carried out by monitoring cell proliferation, senescence, and apoptosis markers using flow cytometry and high content imaging approaches. Using an in vitro panel with a diversity of breast cancer cell lines, a synergistic effect of abemaciclib in combination with the ER down-regulating drug fulvestrant was observed based on Bliss score. This combination treatment demonstrated effective growth inhibition in ER+ cells and exhibited synergism in MCF-7, T47D and ZR-75-1. The mechanistic analyses revealed that the combination of abemaciclib with fulvestrant promoted a decrease in cancer cell proliferation due to G1 phase arrest at doses tested. This growth inhibition was accompanied by increased hallmarks for cell senescence as observed by markers such as SA-β-galactosidase staining or morphological changes. Subsequently, an increase in biomarkers for apoptosis was also observed. These changes occurred in a time dependent manner and were significantly greater with the combination than fulvestrant single agent treatment. We conclude the combination of abemaciclib with fulvestrant better prevented proliferation of breast cancer cell lines by blocking cell proliferation and lead to induction of senescence and apoptosis as compared to fulvestrant treatment alone in ER+ cells. Bibliography [1] American Cancer Society, Cancer Facts & Figures 2014. [2] Dixon J.M. (2014) New Journal of Science. Volume 2014, Article ID 390618. [3] Miller TW et al. (2011) Cancer Discov. Volume 1 (4): 338-51. Citation Format: Raquel Torres, Bruna Calsina, Ana Hermoso, Carmen Baquero, Cecilia Mur, Karsten Boehnke, Joaquin Amat, Alfonso De Dios, Xueqian Gong, Sean Buchanan, Richard Paul Beckmann, Maria Jose Lallena. Characterization of the mechanism of action for abemaciclib with antiestrogen combined therapy in human breast cancer cell lines. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2836.
Paraprotein–Related Kidney Disease: Glomerular Diseases Associated with Paraproteinemias

Paraproteins are monoclonal Igs that accumulate in blood as a result of abnormal excess production. These circulating proteins cause a diversity of kidney disorders that are increasingly being comanaged by nephrologists. In this review, we discuss paraprotein-related diseases that affect the glomerulus. We provide a broad overview of diseases characterized by nonorganized deposits, such as monoclonal Ig deposition disease (MIDD), proliferative GN with monoclonal Ig deposits (PGNMID), and C3 glomerulopathy, as well as those characterized by organized deposits, such as amyloidosis, immunotactoid glomerulopathy, fibrillary GN, and cryoglobulinemic GN, and rarer disorders, such as monoclonal crystalline glomerulopathies, paraprotein–related thrombotic microangiopathies, and membranous-like glomerulopathy with masked IgGκ deposits. This review will provide the nephrologist with an up to date understanding of these entities and highlight the areas of deficit in evidence and future lines of research.
Meiotic recombination gets stressed out: CO frequency is plastic under pressure

Meiotic recombination ensures the fertility of gametes and creates novel genetic combinations. Although meiotic crossover (CO) frequency is under homeostatic control, CO frequency is also plastic in nature and can respond to environmental conditions. Most investigations have focused on temperature and recombination, but other external and internal stimuli also have important roles in modulating CO frequency. Even less is understood about the molecular mechanisms that underly these phenomenon, but recent work has begun to advance our knowledge in this field. In this review, we identify and explore potential mechanisms including changes in: the synaptonemal complex, chromatin state, DNA methylation, and RNA splicing.
Ratio of the Prompt Fission Neutron Spectrum of 239Pu to That of 235U

The prompt fission neutron spectrum resulting from 239Pu fission induced by ∼0.55-MeV incident neutrons is measured from 1.0 to 10.0 MeV relative to that of 235U fission induced by the same inciden...
Sulfur K-Edge XAS Studies of the Effect of DNA Binding on the [Fe4S4] Site in EndoIII and MutY.

S K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was used to study the [Fe4S4] clusters in the DNA repair glycosylases EndoIII and MutY to evaluate the effects of DNA binding and solvation on Fe–S bond covalencies (i.e., the amount of S 3p character mixed into the Fe 3d valence orbitals). Increased covalencies in both iron–thiolate and iron–sulfide bonds would stabilize the oxidized state of the [Fe4S4] clusters. The results are compared to those on previously studied [Fe4S4] model complexes, ferredoxin (Fd), and to new data on high-potential iron–sulfur protein (HiPIP). A limited decrease in covalency is observed upon removal of solvent water from EndoIII and MutY, opposite to the significant increase observed for Fd, where the [Fe4S4] cluster is solvent exposed. Importantly, in EndoIII and MutY, a large increase in covalency is observed upon DNA binding, which is due to the effect of its negative charge on the iron–sulfur bonds. In EndoIII, this change in covalency can be quantified and makes a significant ...
Cross-Sectional Study of the Relation of Health Literacy to Primary Language and Emergency Department Length of Stay.

Objectives The primary aim of this study was to determine whether emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS) or primary language was related to the degree of health literacy of patients. Methods Adult English-speaking and Spanish-speaking patients were recruited for the study. Participants completed the Newest Vital Sign (NVS) tool (English and Spanish versions), a 6-question validated scale. Patients with NVS scores of 0 to 3 were considered to be at risk for limited health literacy, whereas those with adequate health literacy were defined as scoring a 4 to 6. After completion of their ED visit, a retrospective chart review was performed to identify the patient's ED LOS (time from registration to time of disposition) and ED disposition. In addition, 2 single-item questions were compared with the NVS for validity. Results Participants included 250 English-speaking and 257 Spanish-speaking subjects. Per the NVS, 71% (359 of 507) of all patients had limited health literacy. By language group, significantly more Spanish-speaking than English-speaking patients had limited health literacy (93% vs 48%, diff 45%, 95% confidence interval 37-51). There was no significant difference in LOS between the limited health literacy group and adequate health literacy group (medians 440 vs 461 min). The 2 single-item questions had fair validity in comparison to the NVS scale (κ 0.2-0.3). Conclusions There was a significant difference in health literacy based on language, with 93% of all Spanish-speaking patients in our sample having limited health literacy. We found no significant difference in ED LOS between patients with limited health and adequate health literacy in an academic urban ED setting.
Acute Intoxication: General Considerations

Acute intoxication with recreational drugs is a very common reason for visits to the emergency room. These intoxications cause both medical and psychiatric symptoms which must be approached simultaneously. Intoxication with multiple drugs is common and clinicians must exert extreme caution when assessing patients. Intoxications with a single drug does not follow typical clinical presentation: Users often genuinely think they’re taking one drug but take another → E.GL: user purchases “Liquid Ecstasy” (GBL) believing he’s taking Street drugs can contain mixing products and byproducts that are active. Clinical assessment can orient toward a particular drug (see diagnosis orientation tree) but clinicians must be ready to reconsider their diagnosis as a patient’s presentation evolves. Clinicians must be particularly cautious when managing psychiatric symptoms, especially agitation: Use of antipsychotics is ill-advised in case of intoxication with many drugs because of: Risk of QTc prolongation Increased risk of NMS with certain drugs Benzodiazepines are often the safest choice Caution in risk of respiratory depression Some clinical presentations can appear as intoxication when they are in fact withdrawal syndromes. All patients must be reassessed psychiatrically once medically stable/clear “the next day” to evaluate for: Suicidal risk Persisting psychiatric symptoms (psychosis, mood disorder…) resulting from intoxication with the drug Untreated psychiatric disease independent of drug use All patients must be counseled Detox and rehab options vary by drug use and user All users must benefit from HIV/STIs risk reduction strategy: Evaluate risk taking behavior in general and for current visit (i.e.: did patient have unprotected sex immediately prior to visit). Educate about safe sex practices Follow guidelines and consider Post-Exposure Prophylaxis. Encourage repeat users to consider Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis.
Polymyositis as a presentation of advanced carcinoma of Mullerian origin: A case report and discussion.

Paraneoplastic syndromes are rare, occurring in <1% of all patients with cancer (Chandiramani et al., 2006). While rare, typical presentations of paraneoplastic phenomena are increasingly well-characterized and understood (Pelosof and Gerber, 2010). They often result from the secretion of active substances by tumors or from the development of cross-reactive antibodies in the setting of malignancy; many of these specific processes are well-characterized (Pelosof and Gerber, 2010). Atypical presentations of paraneoplastic phenomena, however, continue to present a challenge to the timely diagnosis of new malignancies. For instance, while dermatomyositis has been clearly associated with ovarian cancer (Stockton et al., 2001), polymyositis (without dermatologic features) has only been identified as a presenting symptom of ovarian cancer in rare case reports (Davis and Ahmed, 1997; Ghosh et al., 2007; Iavazzo et al., 2007; Kalogiannidis et al., 2008; Raizman et al., 2017). Because of its rare and atypical presentation, we present a case of carcinoma of Mullerian origin, initially presenting with symptoms of polymyositis (PM).
Biotechnology of cyanobacterial isoprene production.

Heterologous cyanobacterial production of isoprene (C5H8) presents an opportunity to develop renewable resources for fuel and industrial chemicals. Isoprene can be generated photosynthetically in these microorganisms from dimethylallyl-diphosphate (DMAPP) by the recombinant enzyme isoprene synthase (ISPS), as a transgenic product of the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway. The present work sought to combine recent enhancements in the cellular level of reactant (DMAPP) and enzyme (ISPS), as a means in the further development of this technology. This objective was approached upon the heterologous overexpression of fni, an isopentenyl isomerase from Streptococcus pneumoniae, which increased the amount of the DMAPP reactant at the expense of its isomer, isopentenyl-diphosphate (IPP), in the cells. In addition, the cellular concentration of ISPS was substantially enhanced upon expression of the ISPS gene, as a fusion construct with the highly expressed in cyanobacteria cpcB gene, encoding the abundant β-subunit of phycocyanin. Synergy between these two modifications, i.e., enhancement in DMAPP substrate availability and enhancement in the concentration of the ISPS enzyme, improved the isoprene-to-biomass production ratio in cyanobacteria from 0.2:1 mg g−1 (w:w), attained with the ISPS transgene alone, up to 12.3:1 mg g−1 (w:w), measured when the combined two modifications were applied to the same cell. This is the highest verifiable yield of heterologous photosynthetic isoprene production reported so far. Findings in this work constitute a step forward in the development of the cyanobacterial biotechnology for isoprene production.
Case Comment: Schmerber v. California, 384 U.S. 757, 1996

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties explaining the United States Supreme Court's decision in Schmerber v. California upholding the constitutionality of the compelled extraction of blood sample evidence from an arrestee as "real" evidence as opposed to a "testimonial" communication.
Endoluminal Atherosclerotic Plaque Debulking Using Enzymatic and Ultrasonic Energy.

Abstract Background Current procedures to treat severe atherosclerosis are traumatic to the arterial wall and often result in restenosis due to neointimal hyperplasia. We developed a novel therapy using a specially designed double occlusion balloon catheter, ultrasonic wire, and enzymatic digestion solution to atraumatically debulk atherosclerotic plaques. Materials and methods A combination of different enzymes, chemicals, and treatment conditions were evaluated for its effect at reducing atherosclerotic plaque harvested from human carotid artery endarterectomies ex vivo. The optimized digestion solution was examined in harvested intact human superficial femoral arteries in situ. A conventional Yorkshire/Landrace and a genetically modified Yucatan minipig homozygous for a nonfunctional LDLR mutation were used to evaluate the endovascular therapy in nonatherosclerotic and atherosclerotic environments in vivo. Results Ex vivo, the technology successfully digested human carotid artery plaques by 75%. In situ, the therapy successfully reduced plaque area in harvested superficial femoral arteries by 46%. In vivo, the endovascular therapy was technically feasible and demonstrated initial safety with no thrombosis, dissection, or aneurysmal dilatation in a nonatherosclerotic porcine model. In an atherosclerotic porcine model, the therapy demonstrated initial efficacy by successfully reducing atherosclerotic plaque while preserving the arterial wall with an intact internal elastic lamina. Conclusions Using human plaque, human artery, and a normal and atherosclerotic pig model, we demonstrated that delivery of our therapy to the vasculature is technically feasible, appears safe, and shows initial efficacy. Our percutaneous plaque debulking method is a unique and promising therapy for the treatment of atherosclerosis and warrants further study.
Publication standards in infancy research: Three ways to make Violation-of-Expectation studies more reliable

The Violation-of-Expectation paradigm is a widespread paradigm in infancy research that relies on looking time as an index of surprise. This methodological review aims to increase the reliability of future VoE studies by proposing to standardize reporting practices in this literature. I review 15 VoE studies on false-belief reasoning, which used a variety of experimental parameters. An analysis of the distribution of p-values across experiments suggests an absence of p-hacking. However, there are potential concerns with the accuracy of their measures of infants' attention, as well as with the lack of a consensus on the parameters that should be used to set up VoE studies. I propose that (i) future VoE studies ought to report not only looking times (as a measure of attention) but also looking-away times (as an equally important measure of distraction); (ii) VoE studies must offer theoretical justification for the parameters they use, and (iii) when parameters are selected through piloting, pilot data must be reported in order to understand how parameters were selected. Future VoE studies ought to maximize the accuracy of their measures of infants' attention since the reliability of their results and the validity of their conclusions both depend on the accuracy of their measures.
Impaired Spirometry, but Not DLCO, is Associated with Risk of Death or Right Heart Failure Following LVAD Implantation

Purpose Severe medical comorbidities are associated with poor outcomes after LVAD implantation. The association between preoperative pulmonary function and postoperative outcomes after LVAD implantation are unknown. Methods We analyzed LVAD recipients from our institution from 1/1/2015 to 2/28/2018 who had preoperative pulmonary function testing (PFT). We excluded patients bridged to LVAD with ECMO support. The primary outcome was the composite of death within 30 days, need for RVAD support within 30 days, or need for postoperative inotropic support beyond 14 days. We evaluated the association between the percent predicted values of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1pred), forced vital capacity (FVCpred) and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide adjusted for hemoglobin (DLCO-Adjpred) and the primary outcome using univariable logistic regression. Results There were 102 patients with preoperative PFT data available. At baseline, 70 (69%) of patients had moderate or severe right ventricular (RV) dysfunction by echocardiography and 56 (55%) had moderate or severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Mean ± standard deviation of baseline PFT parameters were as follows: FEV1pred, 66.6% ± 14.7; FVCpred 67.4% ± 13.9; DLCO-Adjpred 56.7% ± 16.3. The primary outcome occurred in 43 (42%) patients. A 10 percentage point increase in baseline FEV1pred (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.49-0.9, p Conclusion Reduced FEV1 and FVC were closely associated with risk of death or right heart failure. Whether preoperative spirometry adds incremental value to existing risk models requires further investigation. Specific thresholds should be investigated in larger multicenter cohorts.
The Power of High-Fidelity, Mission-Level Modeling and Simulation to Influence Spacecraft Design and Operability for Europa Clipper

NASA’s planned Europa Clipper mission seeks to assess the habitability of Jupiter’s moon Europa, which exhibits strong evidence of an ocean of liquid water underneath its icy crust. The sheer number of unique instruments, all of which require quiescent environments in order to operate, compounded with Jupiter’s distance from the Sun and Earth, makes this planned mission challenging and resource-constrained. High-fidelity, mission-level simulations that model the spacecraft, ground, and environment from launch to end of mission with a given trajectory and mission plan have been employed early in the project life cycle to better understand the interactions between various components of the mission and how design changes impact the entire system. These simulations have already resulted in tangible benefits to the project by providing vital input to key spacecraft trades, assessing impacts to operability, and quantifying how well the scientific objectives of the mission can be achieved. Improvements to simulation performance and to the process by which information defining the system is gathered and built into models used by simulations have the potential to further expand the scope of their use on Europa Clipper and future missions.
Adapting Coercion: How Three Industrialized Nations Manufacture Vaccination Compliance

Context This research examines the development of vaccination policy in Britain, the United States, and Australia to begin to understand the different forms of coercion that industrialized states utilize to achieve vaccination compliance from the majority of their citizens. Methods This research applies a comparative-historical analysis of the three countries listed, using a combination of primary and secondary documents. Findings The different degrees of compulsion in the vaccination policies of Britain, the United States, and Australia is explained through an analysis of the path-dependent ways that each nation adapted coercion in response to civil society resistance. Each nation has moved up and down a continuum of coercion searching for a policy that balances overcoming passive noncompliance without engendering active resistance. Arriving at different balancing points between these two objectives, the three nations have now institutionalized policies with different degrees of coercion. Conclusions This research shows that vaccination policy is not just created top-down by the state, but through an ongoing interactive process with citizens and civil society. Furthermore, as vaccination is a "wicked problem" that faces ongoing civil society resistance, states will need to perpetually adapt the coerciveness of their policies into the foreseeable future.
Intracellular signaling dynamics and their role in coordinating tissue repair.

Tissue repair is a complex process that requires effective communication and coordination between cells across multiple tissues and organ systems. Two of the initial intracellular signals that encode injury signals and initiate tissue repair responses are calcium and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). However, calcium and ERK signaling control a variety of cellular behaviors important for injury repair including cellular motility, contractility, and proliferation, as well as the activity of several different transcription factors, making it challenging to relate specific injury signals to their respective repair programs. This knowledge gap ultimately hinders the development of new wound healing therapies that could take advantage of native cellular signaling programs to more effectively repair tissue damage. The objective of this review is to highlight the roles of calcium and ERK signaling dynamics as mechanisms that link specific injury signals to specific cellular repair programs during epithelial and stromal injury repair. We detail how the signaling networks controlling calcium and ERK can now also be dissected using classical signal processing techniques with the advent of new biosensors and optogenetic signal controllers. Finally, we advocate the importance of recognizing calcium and ERK dynamics as key links between injury detection and injury repair programs that both organize and execute a coordinated tissue repair response between cells across different tissues and organs. This article is categorized under: Models of Systems Properties and Processes > Mechanistic Models Biological Mechanisms > Cell Signaling Laboratory Methods and Technologies > Imaging Models of Systems Properties and Processes > Organ, Tissue, and Physiological Models.
Abstract WP287: Modeling the Impact of Pre-Hospital Triage on a True Life Drip and Ship Thrombectomy Patient Cohort

Introduction: Patients with emergent large vessel occlusions (ELVO) are often brought to the closest hospital, possibly given intravenous tPA, and transferred to a hospital capable of performing en...
A unifying perspective on linear continuum equations prevalent in science. Part I: Canonical forms for static, steady, and quasistatic equations

Following some past advances, we reformulate a large class of linear continuum science equations in the format of the extended abstract theory of composites so that we can apply this theory to better understand and efficiently solve those equations. Here in part I we elucidate the form for many static, steady, and quasistatic equations.
Developing Risk Assessment Competencies in Preservice K–12 Teachers

In 2015, “NFPA 45, Standard on Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals,” from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) was updated to include language requiring educators to perform a documented risk assessment when conducting demonstrations in K–12 classrooms. Additionally, in the past five years numerous organizations have created new materials to educate teachers about risk-based chemical safety. Despite efforts to disseminate chemical safety information and improve standards, incidents with student injuries continue to occur in educational K–12 laboratories. Because there is now an established expectation for teachers to perform hazard analysis and risk assessment prior to classroom implementation of demonstrations or experiments, chemical safety education to promote meaningful subject learning is needed for preservice science teachers. This paper describes implementation mechanisms and developed content on chemical safety and risk assessment that can be added to a methods course for undergraduate secondary education majors. These ideas are based on combining two established safety systems: RAMP and Five Key Questions to ask and answer.
IHPBA: the first 25 years.

Abstract Background The International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (IHPBA) was established in 1994. In the prior 16 years, considerable international hepatic, pancreatic and biliary association activity had been undertaken. In the subsequent 25 years, the association has grown and evolved dramatically. The aim of this historical account is to document how the IHPBA has advanced from 1994 through 2019. Methods Original materials written by the founders of the precursor societies and Regional Associations were collected. Input from the first five Secretary Generals was solicited. Numerous documents provided by the Management Associations were gathered. Results The IHPBA's origins, vision and mission are documented. The leadership, committee evolution and World Congresses are chronicled. The Regional Associations, National Chapters, membership growth and logos are detailed. The IHPBA's official journal, HBP, and learning platform, myHPB, are discussed. The Warren Fellowship and the IHPBA's Foundation are described. The education and training, research and outreach missions are reported. The HPB Medallion recipients are acknowledged. The financial growth, corporate partners and harmonization efforts are documented. Thoughts about the future are expressed. Conclusion In 25 years, the IHPBA has matured into an international organization devoted to relief of worldwide suffering caused by hepato-pancreato-biliary disorders by improving education, training and patient care.
Social anxiety symptoms, heart rate variability, and vocal emotion recognition in women: evidence for parasympathetically-mediated positivity bias.

Individuals with social anxiety disorder show pronounced perceptual biases in social contexts, such as being hypervigilant to threat and discounting positive social cues. Parasympathetic activity i...
Putting the Military Back into Civil-Military Relations

This essay reviews the following works: Ensaios de grande estrategia brasileira. By Joao Paulo S. Alsina Jr. Rio de Janeiro: Editora FGV, 2018. Pp. 291. Reais 43.00 paperback. ISBN: 9788522520619. Politics in Uniform: Military Officers and Dictatorship in Brazil, 1960–1980. By Maud Chirio. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2018. Pp. xii + 280. $28.95 paperback. ISBN: 9780822965374. Soldiers of the Nation: Military Service and Modern Puerto Rico, 1868–1952. By Harry Franqui-Rivera. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2018. Pp. xiii + 342. $60.00 hardcover. ISBN: 9780803278677. Fuerzas armadas, pretorianismo y calidad de la democracia: Ecuador y Uruguay. By Patricio Haro Ayerve. Quito: FLACSO, 2017. Pp. xix + 307. $18.00. ISBN: 9789978674789. Brazil, 1964–1985: The Military Regimes of Latin America in the Cold War. By Herbert S. Klein and Francisco Vidal Luna. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2017. Pp. xiii+ 216. $40.00 hardcover. ISBN: 9780300223316. Debating Civil-Military Relations in Latin America. Edited by David R. Mares and Rafael Martinez. Eastbourne, UK: Sussex Academic Press, 2014. Pp. xii + 224. $69.95 hardcover. ISBN: 9781845195915. Military Missions in Democratic Latin America. By David Pion-Berlin. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2016. Pp. xiii + 218. $119.99 hardcover. ISBN: 9781137592699. Soldiers, Politicians, and Civilians: Reforming Civil-Military Relations in Democratic Latin America. By David Pion-Berlin and Rafael Martinez. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2017. Pp. i + 414. $32.99 paperback. ISBN: 9781316604434.
A Doxological Necessity: The Use of Biblical, Philosophical, and Empirical Knowledge to Construct a Comprehensive Christian Psychological and Therapeutic Science:

According to Stark, the motive of God’s glory provided the ideological basis for the Scientific Revolution. Smith argues that by the time that revolution began to spread to the human sciences in th...
Photochemistry of NH2NO2 and implications for chemistry in the atmosphere.

Recent studies have indicated that nitramide (NH2NO2) may be formed more plentifully in the atmosphere than previously thought, while also being a missing source of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) via catalyzed isomerization. To validate the importance of NH2NO2 in the Earth’s atmosphere, the ground and first electronic excited states of NH2NO2 were characterized and its photochemistry was investigated using multireference and coupled cluster methods. NH2NO2 is non-planar and of singlet multiplicity in the ground state while exhibiting large out-of-plane rotation in the triplet first excited state. One-dimensional cuts of the adiabatic potential energy surface calculated using the MRCI+Q method show low-lying singlet electronic states with minima in their potential along the N–N and N–O bond coordinates. Due to vertical excitation energies in the 225–180 nm region, photochemical processes will not compete in the troposphere, causing N2O production to be the predicted major removal process of NH2NO2. In the upper atmosphere, photodissociation to form NH2NO + O (3P) is suggested to be a major photochemical removal pathway.
Single port robotic splenectomy for pyruvate kinase deficiency in a five-year-old patient, a case report of a surgical first.

Abstract Introduction Adoption of robotic surgery in pediatrics has been slow. Robotic surgery within spatially-constrained workspaces in children makes traditional platforms less translatable. Da Vinci's newest single port (SP) robotic platform provides narrow, and deep access, making pediatric robotic surgery more feasible. Case presentation A five-year old female presented with hepatosplenomegaly due to hemolytic anemia from pyruvate kinase deficiency (PKD). When she progressed to requiring monthly transfusions, a splenectomy was performed to avoid the complications associated with frequent blood transfusions. The robotic approach was used to remove the intact spleen because traditional minimally invasive surgery can result in post-operative splenosis. Discussion The patient successfully underwent single-port, robotic splenectomy - the first known splenectomy in a child using this approach. Furthermore, during the operation an accessory spleen was encountered in the omentum and was also successfully removed robotically. The patient tolerated the procedure well. Conclusion This case demonstrates that the SP robot can be used for splenectomy to eliminate the risk of splenosis and achieve a superior cosmetic result.