cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Guiding Questions Enhance Student Learning From Educational Videos

We tested a procedure designed to enhance psychology students' learning from educational videos. Introductory psychology students (N = 127) watched a video about social psychology during a regular class session. Students in some sections of the course watched the video with no special instructions; students in other sections answered 8 guiding questions in writing while watching the video. After viewing the video, students took a test containing video-related and textbook-related questions. As predicted, students who received guiding questions scored significantly higher on the video-related questions than did those in the control group; there was no effect of experimental condition on students' performance on the textbook-related questions.
Electron Transfer from Cytochrome c2 to the Reaction Center: A Transition State Model for Ionic Strength Effects Due to Neutral Mutations †

Interprotein electron transfer plays an important role in biological energy conversion. In this work the electron transfer reaction between cytochrome c2 (cyt) and reaction center (RC) was studied to determine the mechanisms coupling association and electron transfer. Previous studies have shown that mutation of hydrophobic residues in the reaction interface, particularly Tyr L162, change the binding affinity and rates of electron transfer at low ionic strength. In this study the effect of ionic strength on the second order electron transfer rate constant k2, between cyt c2 and native or mutant RCs was examined. Mutations of hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding residues caused k2 to decrease more rapidly with increasing ionic strength. This change is explained with a transition state model by a switch from a diffusion-limited reaction in native RCs, where electron transfer occurs upon each binding event, to a fast exchange reaction in the Tyr L162 mutant, where dissociation occurs before electron transfer and k2 depends upon the equilibrium between bound and free protein complexes. The difference in ionic strength dependence is attributed to a smaller effect of ionic strength on the energy of the transition state compared to the bound state due to larger distances between charged residues in the transition state. This model explains the faster dissociation rate at higher ionic strength that may assist rapid turnover important for biological function. These results provide a quantitative model for coupling protein association with electron transfer and elucidate the role of short-range interactions in determining the rate of electron transfer.
Lucky VII? A Dual Role for Collagen in Wound Healing

A blistering skin disorder—recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa—is caused by mutations in the COL7A1 gene, which encodes a chain of type VII collagen (Col-7). Such chronic wounding disorders of the skin—or others that result from diabetes, immobility, and other conditions—present a substantial medical burden, afflicting nearly 6 million patients and costing tens of billions of U.S. dollars per annum. Although tissue engineers work to develop more effective skin substitutes to treat such wounds, a greater understanding of what catalyzes wound closure and what signals cessation of wound healing is desperately needed. Nystrom et al. have now investigated the biology underlying the failure of Col-7–deficient wounds to close. Using inducible knockout mice, hypomorphs that express only one-tenth the wild-type levels of Col-7, and cell culture assays, the authors explored the effects of Col-7 deficiency on the microenvironment of skin epithelium. The authors demonstrate that diminished levels of Col-7 cause another extracellular matrix molecule, laminin-332, to accumulate, which in turn enhances α6β4 integrin expression within the epidermis. Elevated expression of these molecules impairs keratinocyte migration, hence their ability to close a wound. Col-7 plays an additional role in the dermis, influencing myofibroblast activation and immune cell clearance, both of which must occur at the right place and the right time for proper cinching of the wound and remodeling of the granulation tissue. Is simply applying Col-7 to chronic wounds such as those caused by recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa the lucky strike? Probably not. Col-7 appears to be subject to the “Goldilocks effect,” in which too little or too much will disrupt wounding. Instead, developing a way to achieve the proper levels and distribution of Col-7 should be the next step in turning the findings of Nystrom et al. into an effective therapy. A. Nystrom et al ., Collagen VII plays a dual role in wound healing. J. Clin. Invest. , published online 8 July 2013 (10.1172/JCI68127). [[Full text]][1] [1]: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/68127
DEVELOPMENT OF A FIELD-DEPLOYABLE LASER OPTOGALVANIC SPECTROMETRY SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AIRBORNE METAL PARTICLES

Laser optogalvanic spectrometry (LOGS) provides the capability to monitor the concentration of species of environmental concern on-line and in real time. Species of interest in the off-gases from mixed waste thermal treatment systems include gas-phase toxic trace metal species (metal and metal oxides), particularly the highly toxic metal emissions regulated by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and selected radioactive metals. Although LOGS is a general purpose technique that is applicable to a wide variety of species, our efforts concentrate on species that are difficult to measure in real time with sufficient sensitivity by other methods. The current LOGS laboratory limits of detection (LODs) for Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg and Sb are lower than the desired EPA continuous emission monitor LODs. Here we report an on-line, real time LOGS measurement of Cr under field simulated conditions on the DIAL plasma hearth off-gas system.
Detecting differential protein expression in large-scale population proteomics

Motivation: Mass spectrometry (MS)-based high-throughput quantitative proteomics shows great potential in large-scale clinical biomarker studies, identifying and quantifying thousands of proteins in biological samples. However, there are unique challenges in analyzing the quantitative proteomics data. One issue is that the quantification of a given peptide is often missing in a subset of the experiments, especially for less abundant peptides. Another issue is that different MS experiments of the same study have significantly varying numbers of peptides quantified, which can result in more missing peptide abundances in an experiment that has a smaller total number of quantified peptides. To detect as many biomarker proteins as possible, it is necessary to develop bioinformatics methods that appropriately handle these challenges. Results: We propose a Significance Analysis for Large-scale Proteomics Studies (SALPS) that handles missing peptide intensity values caused by the two mechanisms mentioned above. Our model has a robust performance in both simulated data and proteomics data from a large clinical study. Because varying patients’ sample qualities and deviating instrument performances are not avoidable for clinical studies performed over the course of several years, we believe that our approach will be useful to analyze large-scale clinical proteomics data. Availability and Implementation: R codes for SALPS are available at http://www.stanford.edu/%7eclairesr/software.html. Contact: ude.dravrah.hgm@oaix.gnohznew Supplementary information: Supplementary materials are available at Bioinformatics online.
Four Mutations in the SI Gene Are Responsible for the Majority of Clinical Symptoms of CSID

1. Prader A, Auricchio S, Muerset G. D rchfall infolge hereditaren Mangels an intestinaler Saccharaseaktivitat (Saccharoseintoleranz). Schweizerischen Mediz Wochenschr 1961;91:465–75. 2. Robayo-Torres CC, Opekun AR, Quezada-Calvillo R, et al. 13C-breath tests for sucrose digestion in congenital sucrase isomaltase-deficient and sacrosidase-supplemented patients. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2009; 48:412–8. 3. Auricchio S, Ciccimarra F, Moauro L, et al. Intraluminal and mucosal starch digestion in congenital deficiency of intestinal sucrase and isomaltase activities. Pediatr Res 1972;6:832–9. 4. Dahlqvist A. Assay of intestinal disaccharidases. Anal Biochem 1968; 22:99–107. 5. Talley NJ, Stanghellini V, Heading RC, et al. Functional gastroduodenal disorders. In: Drossman DA, Corazziari E, Talley NJ, et al, eds. Rome II: The Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders. 2nd ed. McLean, VA: Degnon Associates; 2000: 302. 6. Karnsakul W, Luginbuehl U, Hahn D, et al. Disaccharidase activities in dyspeptic children: biochemical and molecular investigations of maltaseglucoamylase activity. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2002;35:551–6. 7. Dahlqvist A, Auricchio S, Semenza G, et al. Human intestinal disaccharidases and hereditary disaccharide intolerance. The hydrolysis of sucrose, isomaltose, palatinose (isomaltulose), and a 1,6-alpha-oligosaccharide (isomalto-oligosaccharide) preparation. J Clin Invest 1963;42:556–62. 8. Leeds JS, Hopper AD, Sidhu R, et al. Some patients with irritable bowel syndrome may have exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2010;8:433–8.
High Fat High Cholesterol Diet (Western Diet) Aggravates Atherosclerosis, Hyperglycemia and Renal Failure in Nephrectomized LDL Receptor Knockout Mice: Role of Intestine Derived Lipopolysaccharide

A high fat meal, frequently known as western diet (WD), exacerbates atherosclerosis and diabetes. Both these diseases are frequently associated with renal failure. Recent studies have shown that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) leaks into the circulation from the intestine in the setting of renal failure and after WD. However, it is not clear how renal function and associated disorders are affected by LPS. This study demonstrates that circulatory LPS exacerbates renal insufficiency, atherosclerosis and glucose intolerance. Renal insufficiency was induced by 2/3 nephrectomy in LDL receptor knockout mice. Nx animals were given normal diet (Nx) or WD (Nx+WD). The controls were sham operated animals on normal diet (control) and WD (WD). To verify if LPS plays a role in exaggerating renal insufficiency, polymyxin (PM), a known LPS antagonist, and curcumin (CU), a compound known to ameliorate chronic kidney disease (CKD), was given to Nx animals on western diet (Nx+WD+PM and Nx+WD+CU, respectively). Compared to control, all other groups displayed increased circulatory LPS. The Nx+WD cohort had the highest levels of LPS. Nx group had significant renal insufficiency and glucose intolerance but not atherosclerosis. WD had intense atherosclerosis and glucose intolerance but it did not show signs of renal insufficiency. Compared to other groups, Nx+WD had significantly higher cytokine expression, macrophage infiltration in the kidney, renal insufficiency, glucose intolerance and atherosclerosis. PM treatment blunted the expression of cytokines, deterioration of renal function and associated disorders, albeit not to the levels of Nx, and was significantly inferior to CU. PM is a non-absorbable antibiotic with LPS binding properties, hence its beneficial effect can only be due to its effect within the GI tract. We conclude that LPS may not cause renal insufficiency but can exaggerate kidney failure and associated disorders following renal insufficiency.
The site of 3' end formation of histone messenger RNA is a fixed distance from the downstream element recognized by the U7 snRNP.

Abstract Two conserved elements direct the 3' end processing of histone messenger RNA: a stem-loop structure immediately upstream of the site of cleavage and the histone downstream element (HDE), located 12-19 nucleotides downstream of the stem-loop in the premessenger RNA. We studied the role of these two elements by systematically inserting up to 10 C residues between them in the mouse H2A-614 histone pre-mRNA. 3' End mapping of RNAs processed in vitro demonstrated that as the HDE is move downstream, the site of cleavage correspondingly moves 3'. In addition, the efficiency of processing declines. In the wild-type substrate, cleavage occurs 3' of an A residue; modest increases in the efficiency of processing of the insertion mutants were observed when an A residue was placed at the new cleavage site. The results of psoralen cross-linking studies and immunoprecipitations using anti-trimethylguanosine antibodies indicated that the decreased processing efficiency of the insertion mutants is not due to impaired binding of the U7 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP). We conclude that the mammalian U7 snRNP acts as a molecular ruler, targeting enzymatic components of cleave histone pre-mRNAs a fixed distance from its binding site, the HDE.
Triazine‐Based Sequence‐Defined Polymers with Side‐Chain Diversity and Backbone–Backbone Interaction Motifs

Sequence control in polymers, well-known in nature, encodes structure and functionality. Here we introduce a new architecture, based on the nucleophilic aromatic substitution chemistry of cyanuric chloride, that creates a new class of sequence-defined polymers dubbed TZPs. Proof of concept is demonstrated with two synthesized hexamers, having neutral and ionizable side chains. Molecular dynamics simulations show backbone-backbone interactions, including H-bonding motifs and pi-pi interactions. This architecture is arguably biomimetic while differing from sequence-defined polymers having peptide bonds. The synthetic methodology supports the structural diversity of side chains known in peptides, as well as backbone-backbone hydrogen-bonding motifs, and will thus enable new macromolecules and materials with useful functions.
History of vasculitis: the life and work of Adolf Kussmaul.

Adolf Kussmaul is well known for his contributions to the science of medicine and the specialty of rheumatology. A much-loved teacher and respected physician and researcher, Kussmaul’s desire to understand disease, his careful clinical observations, and his innovative thinking in medical technology mark him as a pioneer in modern rheumatology.
Wiesel: From Eternal Oneness to Spiritual Bankruptcy

The book, “Night,” written by journalist and Nazi Death Camp survivor Eliezer Wiesel, is a compelling account of a father and son’s struggle to survive in the face of the most terrifying atrocities ever unleashed on a single race of people. From its ordinary beginnings through the nightmarish accounts that followed, Wiesel’s experiences would ultimately change his religious perspective. Thus, the scope of this investigate will trace the changes in Wiesel religious outlook as events in his life grew ever more disturbing.
Climate-Adaptive Water Year Typing for Instream Flow Requirements in California’s Sierra Nevada

AbstractWater year types (WYTs), whereby years are classified by river runoff quantity compared to historical runoff, are one tool to help make major water management decisions. Increasingly, these decisions include instream flow requirements (IFRs) below dams for river ecosystem management. However, WYTs are typically based on assumptions of stationarity, and are thus rendered less meaningful with climate change. Hydrologic alteration resulting from climate change means that a WYT-based IFR scheme using stationary historical observations might inadvertently result in long-term river management outcomes inconsistent with original water management goals. This study assesses the management implications of assuming hydrologic nonstationarity in a WYT-based IFR scheme in California’s upper Yuba River and demonstrates a rolling period of record as a climate adaptation strategy. The existing, nonadaptive water management scheme leads to vastly different possible water allocation outcomes than originally planned...
A Predictive Model for USMLE Step 1 Scores.

PURPOSE The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 plays a pivotal role in one's residency application. While prior literature has investigated which factors influence performance on the examination, the authors sought to include factors such as performance on a well-used question bank and financial need to develop a predictive model. METHOD After obtaining institutional review board approval, the authors surveyed two consecutive second-year medical school classes and correlated the data to the students' Step 1 and National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Comprehensive Basic Science Examination (CBSE) scores. The survey included questions such as how many days they studied per week, how many days they studied in total, which resources they used, how they performed on question banks, group studying habits, and whether they were receiving financial aid. The authors also assessed whether the students received only A letter grades during the first year of medical school. The authors used SPSS® Statistics V22.0 (IBM® Corporation, NY, USA ) and included one-way analysis of covariance (ANOVA) and multiple linear regression for statistical analysis. RESULTS Eighty-one students completed the survey with an average Step 1 score of 240.5 and with an average study time of 39.5 days. The Step 1 Scores significantly correlated with the CBSE taken immediately preceding the dedicated study period (r=0.711, P=<0.001), UWorld Question Bank (UWorld) percentage correct (r = 0.622, P<0.001), straight As during first-year (r=0.356, P=0.001), and financial need (r=0.318, P=0.01). The scores were not correlated with age, gender, Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), prior medical training, number of days studied, or the students' perception of appropriate time studied. The authors developed a predictive model accounting for 62.3% of the variability. 140.625+(0.319xCBSE)-(3.817xA)+(5.845xN)+(0.452xU), where A=1 if straight As, N=1 if receiving need-based scholarship, U=UWorld percent-correct, and CBSE=the three-digit score of the CBSE taken prior to the dedicated study period. CONCLUSIONS Academic performance and financial need may predict Step 1 scores. Interestingly, the number of days studied did not have a correlation with scores, suggesting that increased length of study may not ameliorate poor grades.
Information Systems Success Measurement

Information Systems Success Measurement presents a comprehensive review of the foundations, the trends, and the future challenges of IS success measurement in order to improve research and practice in terms of the measurement and evaluation of information systems. Information Systems Success Measurement explores the foundations and trends in the definition and measurement of information systems success. Starting with an introduction that examines how the concept of “effective” or “successful” information systems has progressed as information technology and its use has changed over the past 60 years. The authors introduce the DeLone and McLean Information Systems Success Model as an organizing framework for this monograph. Section 2 identifies five eras of information systems and for each of these eras the authors consider the types of information systems used in firms, the stakeholders impacted by these systems, the relevant research about information systems evaluation, and the measurement of IS success in practice during each of these periods. Section 3 discusses the foundational research on IS success measurement. Based on the evolution of the field’s understanding of IS success, important trends in IS success measurement is highlighted in Section 4. Section 5 examines the future of IS success research. Section 6 reviews empirical findings related to success factors, which influence IS success. Section 7 explores how managers can improve the methods they use to measure and track IS success. Finally, the authors offer concluding remarks in Section 8.
Novel role of insulin in the regulation of glucose excretion by mourning doves (Zenaida macroura)

In mammals, insulin primarily lowers plasma glucose (PGlu) by increasing its uptake into tissues. Studies have also shown that insulin lowers PGlu in mammals by modulating glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Birds have naturally high PGlu and, although insulin administration significantly decreases glucose concentrations, birds are resistant to insulin-mediated glucose uptake into tissues. Since prior work has not examined the effects of insulin on GFR in birds, the purpose of the present study was to assess whether insulin can augment renal glucose excretion and thereby lower PGlu. Therefore, the hypothesis of the present study was that insulin lowers PGlu in birds by augmenting GFR, as estimated by inulin clearance (CIn). Adult mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) were used as experimental animals. Doves were anesthetized and the brachial vein was cannulated for administration of [14C]-inulin and insulin and the brachial artery was cannulated for blood collections. Ureteral urine was collected via a catheter inserted into the cloaca. Ten minutes following administration of exogenous insulin (400μg/kg body mass, i.v.) plasma glucose was significantly decreased (p=0.0003). Twenty minutes following insulin administration, increases in GFR (p=0.016) were observed along with decreases in urine glucose concentrations (p=0.008), glucose excretion (p=0.028), and the fractional excretion of glucose (p=0.003). Urine flow rate (p=0.051) also tended to increase after administration of insulin. These data demonstrate a significant role for insulin in modulating GFR in mourning doves, which may in part explain the lower PGlu measured following insulin administration.
Experimental Limits on the Decays K L 0 → μ + μ − , e + e − , and μ ± e ∓

We have performed a search at the Bevatron for the decays ${{K}_{L}}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{-}},{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}, \mathrm{and} {\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}{e}^{\ensuremath{\mp}}$ with a double magnetic spectrometer using wire spark chambers. Over ${10}^{6}$ observed ${{K}_{L}}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ decays determine the normalization for the di-lepton decay modes. No ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ or ${\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}{e}^{\ensuremath{\mp}}$ events were observed. For each of these decays the upper limit on the branching ratio relative to all modes is 1.57 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}$ (90% confidence level). For the decay ${{K}_{L}}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, the limit is 1.82 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}$ (90% confidence level).
Behavioral and Structural Adaptations to Stress

Unpredictable aversive experiences, or stressors, lead to changes in depression- and anxiety-related behavior and to changes in hippocampal structure including decreases in adult neurogenesis, granule cell and pyramidal cell dendritic morphology, and volume. Here we review the relationship between these behavioral and structural changes and discuss the possibility that these changes may be largely adaptive. Specifically, we suggest that new neurons in the dentate gyrus enhance behavioral adaptability to changes in the environment, biasing behavior in novel situations based on previous experience with stress. Conversely, atrophy-like changes in the hippocampus and decreased adult neurogenesis following chronic stress may serve to limit stress responses and stabilize behavior during chronic stress.
Living Labs: Measuring Human Experience in the Built Environment

The built environment affects the behaviors and experience of its occupants. Recent technological advances have made it possible to simultaneously quantify features of indoor and outdoor built environments and people's reactions and behaviors within these environments. In a new research methodology, the "living lab", aspects of the environment are varied, and people's consequent reactions and behaviors to environmental changes are measured through a combination of objective automated sensing capabilities and behavioral techniques. This approach can be implemented within tightly controlled lab spaces or out in the real world, creating new opportunities to research human-environment interactions across a variety of environments and populations. In this workshop, we highlight the capabilities of the living lab methodology and share how insights from lab and real-world research can inform innovative applications to improve the health, performance, and well-being of building occupants.
Somatomedins: A New Look at Old Questions

The somatomedins were originally recognized as GH dependent serum factors which mediated GH action on cartilage in-vitro, while the source of these serum factors was at first unknown, the liver was widely suspected. McConaghey and Sledge1 in 1970 reported that rat livers released somatomedins bioactivity during perfusion and the release was increased by GH. This finding has been confirmed with more specific assay methods and extended to studies of isolated hepatocytes2. Modern molecular biological probes have confirmed GH regulation of IGF-I gene expression in rat and mouse liver. The role of the liver as the major source of serum IGF-II is less well established in man because most of the studies of IGF-II gene expression have been done in rats and mice. In this species, IGF-II m RNA drops to a very low level in all tissues except choroid plexus and meninges3. The fact that IGF-II is not elevated in acromegaly and only decreases to about 50% of normal in hypopituitary patients is indicative of reduced GH dependence.
Inhibition of aldose reductase by gossypol and gossypol-related compounds.

The aldo-keto reductases are a widely distributed family of oxidoreductases (Wirth and Wermuth, 1985; Wermuth, 1985; Grimshaw and Mathur, 1989). Aldose reductase (EC 1.1.1.21; ALR2; or AKR1B1 (Jez et al., 1997)), which has a role in the etiology of diabetic complications (Gabbay, 1973; Kador and Kinoshita, 1985), has received most attention as a potential drug target. The emphasis on ALR2 results from the ability of ALR2 to catalyze the reduction of glucose to sorbitol, which is an important reaction under conditions of hyperglycemia. ALR2 continues to be a major target for development of drugs that may be useful in preventing diabetic complications, an effort aided by the crystal structures of ALR2-cofactor-inhibitor ternary complexes (Petrash et al., 1994; Wilson et al., 1993). The more recent crystallographic studies of ALR2-cofactor-inhibitor complexes indicate a complex pattern of inhibitor binding, including the ability of ALR2 to complex more than one equivalent of inhibitor (Harrison et al., 1997; Potier et al., 1997) and the ability of ALR2 to adopt different conformations in response to different inhibitors (Urzhumtsev et al., 1997). In all cases, these inhibitors are bound to the extended substrate binding site (Nakano and Petrash, 1996).
Identifying and Addressing High Priority Issues in General Surgery Training and Education.

Background Complex problems are often easier to address when multiple entities collaborate. The Procedural Learning and Safety Collaborative (PLSC) was established to address complex problems in general surgery residency training by connectively engaging multiple residency programs in addressing progressive research questions. Study Design Recently, PLSC members held a national symposium which included leadership from several leading surgical societies to come to a consensus on what are the most critical issues in general surgery education. Results This paper describes the process used and the end result of this process. This paper describes the process used and the end result of this process.
Choriocapillaris changes in dry age-related macular degeneration and geographic atrophy: a review

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of central vision loss worldwide. The progression of dry AMD from early to intermediate stages is primarily characterized by increasing drusen formation and adverse impact on outer retinal cells. Late stage AMD consists of either geographic atrophy (GA), the non-exudative (dry) AMD subtype, or choroidal neovascularization, the exudative (wet) AMD subtype. GA is characterized by outer retinal and choroidal atrophy, specifically the photoreceptor layer, RPE, and choriocapillaris. Much remains to be discovered regarding the pathogenesis of AMD progression and subsequent development of GA. As the functionality of all three layers is closely linked, the temporal sequence of events that end up in atrophy is important in the understanding of the pathogenic pathway of the disease. The advent of OCTA, and particularly of swept-source technology, has allowed for depth-resolved imaging of retinal vasculature and the choriocapillaris. With the use of OCTA, recent studies demonstrate that choriocapillaris flow alterations are closely associated with the development and progression of AMD. Such changes may even possibly offer predictive value in determining progression of GA. This article reviews studies demonstrating choriocapillaris changes in dry AMD and summarizes the existing literature on the potential role of the choriocapillaris as a key factor in the pathogenesis of AMD.
Comparison of product distribution, content and fermentability of biomass in a hybrid thermochemical/biological processing platform

Abstract Thermochemical processing is a promising method for the rapid depolymerization of biomass. This study investigated switchgrass, corn stover, red oak, hybrid poplar, and loblolly pine in terms of heteropolymer and elemental composition, and the distribution and composition of the fast pyrolysis products. Corn stover differed from other biomass types in that less of the biomass was recovered as sugar or phenolic oil (PO) and more of the biomass was recovered as bio-char and bio-gas. The sugar-rich aqueous stream recovered from the bio-oil heavy fraction was characterized in terms of sugar content and distribution, inhibitor content, and ability to support production of ethanol by Escherichia coli KO11 + lgk as a model biorenewable product. Levoglucosan was the most abundant sugar from each type of biomass, followed by either xylose or cellobiosan. For hybrid poplar, cellobiosan accounted for 30 wt% of the total sugar pool. Each of the sugar streams also contained a variety of inhibitors, particularly 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) and methylcyclopentenolone. Methylcyclopentenolone, maple lactone, was found to decrease the specific growth rate of E. coli by 50% when present at 0.72 wt%, indicating that it is less toxic than furfural, acetic acid and guaiacol. Sugars produced from switchgrass contained 4-fold less contaminants on a per-sugar basis than those from poplar and pine. All of the sugar streams contained too many inhibitors to be used at an industrially feasible concentration without additional detoxification. The poplar-derived pyrolytic sugar syrup was particularly inhibitory, possibly due to the high abundance of aromatic hydrocarbons, such as xylenes, and anisoles.
A Proposal for Establishing Specialized Federal and State

Takings doctrine is incoherent, complex and intractable. This article proposes that we just accept that -- and establish specialized federal and state "takings courts" for adjudicating takings claims.
The limits of university regionalism

As producers of urban knowledge and urbanizing actors in their own right, universities play a vital role in identifying the projects, processes, and agents involved in constructing the “region in i...
Outbreak of murine infection with Clostridium difficile associated with the administration of a pre- and peri-natal methyl-donor diet

Between October 2016 and June 2017, a C57BL/6J mouse colony that was undergoing a pre- and peri-natal methyl-donor supplementation diet intervention to study the impact of parental nutrition on offspring susceptibility to disease was found to suffer from an epizootic of unexpected deaths. Necropsy revealed the presence of severe colitis, and further investigation linked these outbreak deaths to a Clostridium difficile strain of ribotype 027 we term 16N203. C. difficile infection (CDI) is associated with antibiotic use in humans. Current murine models of CDI rely on antibiotic pretreatment to establish clinical phenotypes. In this report, the C. difficile outbreak occurs in F1 mice linked to alterations in the parental diet. The diagnosis of CDI in the affected mice was confirmed by cecal/colonic histopathology, presence of C. difficile bacteria in fecal/colonic culture, and detection of C. difficile toxins. F1 mice from parents fed the methyl-supplementation diet also had significantly reduced survival (p<0.0001) than F1 mice from parents fed the control diet. When we tested the 16N203 outbreak strain in an established mouse model of antibiotic-induced CDI, we confirmed that this strain is pathogenic. Our serendipitous observations from this spontaneous outbreak of C. difficile in association with a pre- and perinatal methyl-donor diet suggest the important role diet may play in host defense and CDI risk factors.nnImportanceClostridium difficile infection (CDI) has become the leading cause of infectious diarrhea in hospitals worldwide, owing its preeminence to the emergence of hyperendemic strains, such as ribotype 027 (RT027). A major CDI risk factor is antibiotic exposure which alters gut microbiota, resulting in the loss of colonization resistance. Current murine models of CDI also depend on pretreatment of antibiotics of animals to establish disease. The outbreak we report here is unique in that the CDI occurred in mice with no antibiotic exposure and is associated to a pre- and peri-natal methyl-supplementation donor diet intervention study. Our investigation subsequently reveals that the outbreak strain we term 16N203 is an RT027 strain, and this isolated strain is also pathogenic in an established murine model of CDI (with antibiotics). Our report of this spontaneous outbreak offers additional insight into the importance of environmental factors, such as diet, and CDI susceptibility.
The Palladium-Catalyzed Enyne Cycloisomerization Reaction in a General Approach to the Asymmetric Syntheses of the Picrotoxane Sesquiterpenes. Part I. First-Generation Total Synthesis of Corianin and Formal Syntheses of Picrotoxinin and Picrotin

The palladium-catalyzed enyne cycloisomerization is used as a key ring-forming process for the obtention of the cis-fused hydrindane carbon skeleton characteristic of the picrotoxanes sesquiterpenes. The enyne cycloisomerization product is suitably functionalized so that each carbon of the hydrindane core can be modified to permit access to many members of the picrotoxane family, not only to picrotoxinin itself. Part I of this report describes our first-generation approach to the picrotoxane sesquiterpenes as illustrated by the asymmetric synthesis of corianin and the asymmetric formal syntheses of picrotoxinin and picrotin. A new catalyst system to effect the cycloisomerization emerged from this study. Subsequent work proved the generality of this catalyst system.
APPLICATION OF OPERATIONS RESEARCH IN PAPER PROCUREMENT

Abstract The Bell telephone directories are produced in 15 different plants suitably located across the continent. Once a month the printers place orders for quantities of paper rolls of given width with the purchasing organization of Western Electric Company, and Purchasing distributes the orders among several paper mills in the U.S. and Canada. The mills supply the orders from large paper reels which they manufacture in widths ranging from 114 and up to 214 inches. The question of how to minimize paper cost gives rise to two related problems. The roll widths cut from a given reel rarely add perfectly to equal the width of the reel. Hence, a certain amount of paper at the edge of the reel is wasted. This waste is called trim loss and is reflected in the cost of the paper. Thus the trim problem is the question of how to allocate the orders of the printers among the mills so as to minimize trim loss. However, merely seeking to minimize trim loss may increase transportation costs because certain rolls may have to be shipped from distant mills. Thus, the transportation problem is the question of how to place the orders so as to minimize the cost of shipping rolls from mills at different locations to printers at other different locations. In this article both costs are jointly considered so as to minimize total paper procurement cost.
Reply: Clarifying the Utility of Myocardial Blood Flow and Myocardial Flow Reserve After Cardiac Transplantation.

REPLY: We would like to thank Dr. Sabour for taking an interest in our article, which highlights the potential diagnostic and prognostic utility of PET in patients after cardiac transplantation with known or suspected cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) ([1][1]). As discussed by Dr. Sabour ([2][2
Family, Parochial, and Public Levels of Social Control and Recidivism: An Extension of the Systemic Model of Social Disorganization:

Although offenders’ individual-level characteristics such as attenuated family bonds and financial difficulty undermine the reentry process, these factors represent only part of the story. A comple...
The Literature of Absolute War: Transnationalism and World War II

This book explores for the first time the literature of absolute war in connection to World War II. From a transnational and comparative standpoint, it addresses a set of theoretical, historical, and literary questions, shedding new light on the nature of absolute war, the literature on the world war of 1939–45, and modern war writing in general. It determines the main features of the language of absolute war, and how it gravitates around fundamental semantic clusters, such as the horror, terror, and the specter. The Literature of Absolute War studies the variegated responses given by literary authors to the extreme and seemingly unsolvable challenges posed by absolute war to epistemology, ethics, and language. It also delves into the different poetics that articulate the writing on absolute war, placing special emphasis on four literary practices: traditional realism, traumatic realism, the fantastic, and catastrophic modernism.
A motion aftereffect from viewing other people’s gaze

Recent work suggests that our brains may generate subtle, false motion signals streaming from other people to the objects of their attention, aiding social cognition. For instance, brief exposure to static images depicting other people gazing at objects made subjects slower at detecting subsequent motion in the direction of gaze, suggesting that looking at someone else9s gaze caused a directional motion adaptation. Here we confirm, using a more stringent method, that viewing static images of another person gazing in a particular direction, at an object, produced motion aftereffects in the opposite direction. The aftereffect was manifested as a change in perceptual decision threshold for detecting left versus right motion. The effect disappeared when the person was looking away from the object. These findings suggest that the attentive gaze of others is encoded as an implied agent-to-object motion that is sufficiently robust to cause genuine motion aftereffects, though subtle enough to remain subthreshold.
Molecular organization of cytokinesis node predicts the constriction rate of the contractile ring

The molecular organization of cytokinesis proteins governs contractile ring function. We used single molecule localization microscopy in live cells to elucidate the molecular organization of cytokinesis proteins and relate it to the constriction rate of the contractile ring. Wild-type fission yeast cells assemble contractile rings by the coalescence of cortical proteins complexes called nodes whereas cells without Anillin/Mid1p (Δmid1) lack visible nodes yet assemble contractile rings competent for constriction from the looping of strands. We leveraged the Δmid1 contractile ring assembly mechanism to determine how two distinct molecular organizations, nodes versus strands, can yield functional contractile rings. Contrary to previous interpretations, nodes assemble in Δmid1 cells. Our results suggest that Myo2p heads condense upon interaction with actin filaments and an excess number of Myo2p heads bound to actin filaments hinders constriction thus reducing the constriction rate. Our work establishes a predictive correlation between the molecular organization of nodes and the behavior of the contractile ring.
On the evolution of the language of nephrology.

It is no exaggeration to state that the ICD has been one of the best examples of international collaboration in developing an authoritative tool in the service of medical discourse worldwide. It has endowed the language of medicine with a uniformity that is deficient or lacking in other disciplines. Much as the categories of diseases listed in the ICD in general have increased so have those used in the language of nephrology used today (Fig. 2). And, much as it can be fairly assumed that the categories listed in future versions of ICD will increase, it can be assumed that the terminology of renal diseases will be modified and expanded as new knowledge on kidney function and disease accrues.
Common Barriers to Reporting Medical Errors.

Background Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States. Reporting of all medical errors is important to better understand the problem and to implement solutions based on root causes. Underreporting of medical errors is a common and a challenging obstacle in the fight for patient safety. The goal of this study is to review common barriers to reporting medical errors. Methods We systematically reviewed the literature by searching the MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases for studies on barriers to reporting medical errors. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guideline was followed in selecting eligible studies. Results Thirty studies were included in the final review, 8 of which were from the United States. The majority of the studies used self-administered questionnaires (75%) to collect data. Nurses were the most studied providers (87%), followed by physicians (27%). Fear of consequences is the most reported barrier (63%), followed by lack of feedback (27%) and work climate/culture (27%). Barriers to reporting were highly variable between different centers.
TKQML: A Scripting Tool for Building Agents

Tcl/Tk is an attractive language for the design of intelligent agents because it allows the quick construction of prototypes and user interfaces; new scripts can easily be bound at runtime to respond to events; and execution state is encapsulated by the interpreter, which helps in agent migration. However, a system of intelligent agents must share a common language for communicating requests and knowledge. We have integrated KQML (Knowledge Query Manipulation Language), one such standard language, into Tcl/Tk. The resulting system, called TKQML, provides several benefits to those building intelligent agent systems. First, TKQML allows easy integration of existing tools which have Tcl/Tk interfaces with an agent system by using TO to move information between KQML and the application. Second, TKQML is an excellent language with which to build agents, allowing on-the-fly specification of message handlers and construction of graphical interfaces. This paper describes the implementation of TKQML, and discusses its use in our intelligent agent system for information retrieval.
Nanoindentation Induced Deformation Near Grain Boundaries of Corrosion Resistant Nickel Alloys

The damage accumulation behavior of different grain boundary structures in Inconel 690 (Ni-29wt%Cr-9wt%Fe) was investigated in the presence of large, localized plastic strains induced by nanoindentation. Spatially-resolved hardness was measured as a function of lateral distance from ‘random’ high-angle grain boundaries and twin boundaries. The confinement of induced defects between the indenter tip and grain boundaries did not lead to significant differences in measured hardness between high angle and twin boundaries. Critical “pop-in” loads indicating the onset of incipient plasticity were lower within 1μm of grain boundaries, but were statistically equivalent for random and twin boundaries. These results suggest a comparable extent of dislocation mobility and absorption at the different grain boundary types in Inconel 690 under ambient conditions.
Glucose-6-phosphatase deficiency glycogen storage disease. Studies on the interrelationships of carbohydrate, lipid, and purine abnormalities.

Three siblings with glycogen storage disease have been studied. These children demonstrated the classic physical findings of von Gierke9s disease. Liver enzyme assays on one sibling revealed very low glucose 6-phosphatase activity. Hepatic phosphoglucomutase, phosphorylase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and fructose 1,6-diphosphatase activities were within normal limits. Erythrocyte glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity was also normal. Incubation of liver slices with glucose 1-C14 and glucose 6-C14 revealed an initial rate of C14O2 production at which CO2 from C-1 was three times that from C-6. This is strong evidence for the active operation of the phosphogluconate oxidation pathway in this patient, and taken with the normal assay value of hepatic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, constitutes a negation of the concept of a dual enzyme defect recently proposed for von Gierke9s disease. Striking elevations of free fatty acids in serum, triglycerides, phospholipids, cholesterol, and blood ketones were noted. Potential mechanisms for these elevations have been discussed. Marked hyperuricemia was a persistent finding and was associated with a somewhat low renal clearance of urate in the one patient studied. All three had striking elevations of lactic acid in blood, which is known to interfere with renal urate excretion. Thus renal factors may have contributed to the hyperuricemia, previously considered solely a consequence of enhanced nucleoprotein catabolism secondary to persistent hypoglycemia. Long-term intramuscular administration of glucagon did not produce significant clinical or laboratory improvement in the one patient in whom it was employed.
Mobile OS security: Current situation and future directions

Mobile devices have become so prevalent in human's life. Mobile operating systems (MOS) will be the next big thing in operating systems to provide security protection to mobile devices. Compared to desktop operating systems, MOS are so new in their life cycle. In this paper, we present the future directions to develop MOS to protect devices and data. We also discuss approaches that could be used to secure phones and information before secure MOS become available.
Recent Arctic Sea ice variability: Connections to the Arctic Oscillation and the ENSO

[1] Trends in the satellite-derived Arctic sea ice concentrations (1978–2002) show pronounced decreases in the Barents/Kara Seas, between the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, the central Sea of Okhotsk and a portion of the Hudson/Baffin Bay by ∼2–8% per decade, exceeding the 95% confidence level. Qualitatively speaking, positive phases of the Arctic Oscillation (AO) and El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) produce similar ice changes in the western Arctic, but opposite ice changes in the eastern Arctic. The manner in which the ice changes are related to the AO and ENSO are demonstrated. Over the last 24 years, the magnitude of the ice changes associated with the positive AO trend and the negative ENSO trend is much smaller than the regional ice trends. Thus, more local or less understood large scale processes should be investigated for explanations.