cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of Adenylate Cyclase Activity Mediated by Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors

Abstract Carbachol, an activator of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors of NG108-15 hybrid cells, inhibits adenylate cyclase [ATP pyrophosphate-lyase (cyclizing), EC 4.6.1.1] rapidly and reversibly and slowly evokes a 200-300% increase in adenylate cyclase activity over a period of 24-30 hr. Both the inhibition of adenylate cyclase and the gradual increase in enzyme activity are dependent on muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and the receptor activator. Withdrawal of carbachol results in a gradual return of adenylate cyclase activity to control levels over a period of 6 hr; the half-life for decay of enzyme activity is 1.6 hr. These results show that muscarinic acetylcholine receptors mediate both transient and long-lived effects on adenylate cyclase activity that resemble those of opiates.
Hybrid approach to HeartMate II left ventricular assist device exchange.

We chose bilateral PAB to minimize risks of complete repair of multiple VSDs in the neonatal period and to reduce potential complications of neoaortic valve insufficiency or root dilation. Palliation can improve physiology, cause some VSDs to close or become restrictive, allow easier technical repair of remaining VSDs, and limit aortic valve insufficiency and root dilation. Recently, the use of Amplatzer septal occluder devices (St Jude Medical, Inc, St Paul, Minn) has been described in older children with multiple VSDs; however, there have been no reports involving neonates. The staged approach described here may be a viable low-risk alternative for patients with TGA and multiple midmuscular and apical VSDs.
Adaptability, extensibility and flexibility in real-time operating systems

In this paper, we present a mechanism for runtime updating of all kernel modules of a highly modular dynamic real-time operating system. Our approach can help solve the lack of adaptability, extensibility and flexibility of existing real-time operating systems. The dynamic real-time operating system will efficiently support a wide range of applications since any kernel module can be dynamically loaded at runtime to exactly suit the applications without necessitating a reboot of the system.
A Lipopolysaccharide-Specific Enhancer Complex Involving Ets, Elk-1, Sp1, and CREB Binding Protein and p300 Is Recruited to the Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Promoter In Vivo

The tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) gene is rapidly activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Here, we show that extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase activity but not calcineurin phosphatase activity is required for LPS-stimulated TNF-α gene expression. In LPS-stimulated macrophages, the ERK substrates Ets and Elk-1 bind to the TNF-α promoter in vivo. Strikingly, Ets and Elk-1 bind to two TNF-α nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT)-binding sites, which are required for calcineurin and NFAT-dependent TNF-α gene expression in lymphocytes. The transcription factors ATF-2, c-jun, Egr-1, and Sp1 are also inducibly recruited to the TNF-α promoter in vivo, and the binding sites for each of these activators are required for LPS-stimulated TNF-α gene expression. Furthermore, assembly of the LPS-stimulated TNF-α enhancer complex is dependent upon the coactivator proteins CREB binding protein and p300. The finding that a distinct set of transcription factors associates with a fixed set of binding sites on the TNF-α promoter in response to LPS stimulation lends new insights into the mechanisms by which complex patterns of gene regulation are achieved.
Evolution of the second orangutan: phylogeny and biogeography of hominid origins

Aim To resolve the phylogeny of humans and their fossil relatives (collectively, hominids), orangutans (Pongo) and various Miocene great apes and to present a biogeographical model for their differentiation in space and time. Location Africa, northern Mediterranean, Asia. Methods Maximum parsimony analysis was used to assess phylogenetic relationships among living large-bodied hominoids (= humans, chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, orangutans), and various related African, Asian and European ape fossils. Biogeographical characteristics were analysed for vicariant replacement, main massings and nodes. A geomorphological correlation was identified for a clade we refer to as the 'dental hominoids', and this correlation was used to reconstruct their historical geography. Results Our analyses support the following hypotheses: (1) the living large-bodied hominoids represent a monophyletic group comprising two sister clades: humans + orangutans, and chimpanzees (including bonobos) + gorillas (collectively, the African apes); and (2) the human-orangutan clade (dental hominoids) includes fossil hominids (Homo, australopiths, Orrorin) and the Miocene-age apes Hispanopithecus, Ouranopithecus, Ankarapithecus, Sivapithecus, Lufengpithecus, Khoratpithecus and Gigantopithecus (also Plio-Pleistocene of eastern Asia). We also demonstrate that the distributions of living and fossil genera are largely vicariant, with nodes of geographical overlap or proximity between Gigantopithecus and Sivapithecus in Central Asia, and between Pongo, Gigantopithecus, Lufengpithecus and Khoratpithecus in East Asia. The main massing is represented by five genera and eight species in East Asia. The dental hominoid track is spatially correlated with the East African Rift System (EARS) and the Tethys Orogenic Collage (TOC). Main conclusions Humans and orangutans share a common ancestor that excludes the extant African apes. Molecular analyses are compromised by phenetic procedures such as alignment and are probably based on primitive retentions. We infer that the human-orangutan common ancestor had established a widespread distribution by at least 13 Ma. Vicariant differentiation resulted in the ancestors of hominids in East Africa and various primarily Miocene apes distributed between Spain and Southeast Asia (and possibly also parts of East Africa). The geographical disjunction between early hominids and Asian Pongo is attributed to local extinctions between Europe and Central Asia. The EARS and TOC correlations suggest that these geomorphological features mediated establishment of the ancestral range.
Plasma Phosphate and the Hypocalcemic Response of Intact, Parathyroidectomized and Nephrectomized Rats to Thyrocalcitonin

The purpose of these experiments was to study the effect of the administration of rat thyrocalcitonin (RTCT) to intact, parathyroidectomized (PTX) and nephrectomized (Nephx) rats up to 24 hr after bilateral nephrectomy. The work was instigated because of our recent reports suggesting that, under various physiological conditions, there was a marked difference in the ΔCa:ΔPO4 produced by either TCT or ultimobranchial calcitonin administration. For these experiments all rats were injected with 25 MRC mU of a crude extract of RTCT. Comparative studies were made in both parathyroid intact and PTX animals before and at various intervals following nephrectomy. These studies indicated that the plasma phosphate drop following TCT was surprisingly constant both before and after nephrectomy, despite the rising plasma phosphates caused by kidney removal. The hypocalcemic effect of the hormone was enhanced, however, by the high phosphate level. In fact, the drop in plasma calcium level produced was proportional to sta...
Channel Assignment, Stream Control, Scheduling and Routing in Multi-Radio MIMO Wireless Mesh Networks

Multi-hop wireless mesh networks are designed as a cost-effective solution for last-mile broadband Internet access. Equipping mesh nodes with multiple radios further improves network capacity by using multiple radios to transmit simultaneously on orthogonal channels. In addition, multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antennas have emerged as a physical layer breakthrough for increasing throughput and suppressing interference from neighboring links. These wireless technologies are viewed as the key components in improving the performance of next-generation wireless networks. However, to obtain the full benefits of these technologies, the networking protocols should exploit their capabilities in a systematic way due to their interdependence. In this paper, we provide the first formal study on cross-layer optimization in multi-radio, multi-channel wireless mesh networks with MIMO links. We formulate a framework where data routing at the network layer, link scheduling and channel assignment at the MAC layer, and MIMO stream control at the physical layer can be jointly optimized for maximizing network throughput subject to fairness constraint among mesh nodes. We then present an algorithm in which routing is established on a longer-time scale for system stability, while scheduling, channel assignment and stream control are jointly determined for opportunistic bandwidth access and sharing in time, frequency and space dimensions based on instantaneous channel conditions and traffic dynamics.
Rebuttal: PTH—A Particularly Tricky Hormone: Why Measure It at All in Kidney Patients?

That parathyroid hormone (PTH) plays a role in patient morbidity or mortality cannot be disputed. Thus, measurement of PTH is essential for patient care. We agree with Dr. Garrett and colleagues that PTH is not an ideal assay ([1][1]). We further agree that the reliance on the assessment of PTH
Efficiency tests in the French derivatives market

Abstract The French derivatives market, the Marche a Terme International de France (MATIF) or the French International Futures and Options Exchange is one of the major derivatives markets in the world. The efficiency of four financial contracts traded on the MATIF-CAC40 Index Futures, ECU Bond Futures, National Bond Futures, and PIBOR 3-Month Futures are examined in this paper. Test results from serial correlations, unit root tests, and variance ratio tests provide overwhelming evidence that the random walk hypothesis cannot be rejected for these contracts.
On the Language of Organization Theory

Theories of organization rely upon verbs such as shape, determine, select, and choose. Although these verbs appear to depict processes of organization, instead they obscure organization processes behind empty and misbegotten abstractions. These verbs are shown to have the character of achievements; their grammatical form encompasses the very outcomes they purport to explain. The reasons why such verbs exist and are used so prevalently are explored and implications for revising the language of organization theory are considered.
An Analysis of 126 Patients Treated With Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Brain Metastases

addition, 72.0% had an ECOG 0-1, and 64.0% had a Mib-1 index >5%. Of the cohort, 38.0% received adjuvant RT, which was predominantly given to patients who underwent STR. The three year RFS for males vs. females was 100% vs. 86.1% (pZ0.047). The three year RFS for GTR vs. STR was 96.6% vs. 67.5% (pZ0.025). The three year RFS for size 4.5cm was 100% vs. 85.4% (pZ0.019). The three year RFS Mib-1 index 5% was 100% vs 86.8% (pZ0.244). The three year OS for STR vs. GTR was 70.0% vs. 100% (p 5% was 100% vs. 89.7% (pZ0.008). The three year OS for ECOG 0-1 vs. ECOG 2-4 was 100% vs 66.7% (p<0.001). There was no difference in survival by gender. Conclusion: Characteristics which were strongly associated with a significantly higher rate of recurrence in patients with grade II meningiomas included female sex, subtotal resection and tumors greater than 4.5cm. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and determine whether patients without any of these risk factors can undergo surgical resection without adjuvant radiation therapy. Author Disclosure: C. Fernandez: None. H. Engelhard: None. M.K. Nicholas: None. K. Slavin: None. M. Koshy: None.
The Development of an EM-Field Probing System for Manual Near-Field Scanning

This research was conducted to visualize the frequency-dependent electromagnetic field distribution for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) applications and the time evolution of the current flow induced by an electrostatic discharge (ESD) on complex-shaped electronic systems. These objectives were achieved by combining magnetic field probing with a system that automatically records the probe's position and orientation. The local magnetic field associated with the probe location was recorded and displayed at near real time on the captured 3-D geometry. Consequently, a field strength map was obtained for EMC applications. Also, a video showing the spreading of the ESD-induced current with subnanosecond resolution was captured for ESD applications after the ESD-induced surface current density associated with the probe location was recorded.
Effect of a New Low-Dosage Oral Contraceptive Pill on Blood Electrolytes: A Combined Clinical and Laboratory Evaluation

Effects of a new low-dosage combination oral contraceptive containing .5 mg WY3707 (a progestational substance) plus .05 mg ethinyl estradiol were studied on 30 normal women. Findings based on 25 patients remaining in the study for 5 months indicate a weight gain (64%) a tendency to hypo- and oligomenorrhea (58.3%) headache (52%) dizziness (44%) and nausea (20%) as common side-effects. Blood pressure recordings were below 140/90 and had no major variations. Blood sodium and potassium levels measured before therapy initiation and 2 and 5 months after use showed no significant changes. Discussion centers on 20 previous studies relating oral contraceptives to blood electrolytes and pressure and weight and menstrual changes.
Doping Effects on the Etching Chemistry of GaAs and Si

Doping effects on semiconductor etching rates have been proposed to be associated with field effects in the near-surface region. Detailed investigations of the chemistry of nand p-type Si and GaAs indicate that the majority carrier can also play an important role in determining the reactivity of surface intermediates, providing an independent mechanism for influencing the etch rate. A microscopic picture of central driving forces in semiconductor etching deduced from the doping cffects is proposed.
Structured light in linear and nonlinear engineered media

Structured light has attracted significant interest in applications ranging from optical manipulation to imaging. We discuss theoretical and experimental studies of linear and nonlinear interactions of singular beams in solid, liquid and gaseous engineered media.
Random-start ovarian stimulation in women desiring elective cryopreservation of oocytes

The current study investigates the utility of random-start ovarian stimulation in women desiring elective oocyte cryopreservation. Women in the study cohort underwent random-start ovarian stimulation, and were subdivided based on the phase of the menstrual cycle that ovarian stimulation began, i.e. early follicular, late follicular or luteal phase. Women undergoing conventional cycle day (CD) 2/3 ovarian stimulation start were controls. A total of 1302 women were included - 859 (66.0%) conventional CD 2/3, 342 (26.3%) early follicular, 42 (3.2%) late follicular and 59 (4.5%) luteal ovarian stimulation starts. There was no difference in the demographics or baseline ovarian stimulation characteristics. The duration of ovarian stimulation (11 versus 9 days; P < 0.001) and total dosage of gonadotrophins administered (4095.5 versus 3155 IU; P < 0.001) was higher in the random-start group. The number of total and MII oocytes in the control and random-start groups was similar. A non-significant trend towards increased cycle cancellation was noted in the late follicular start group (7.1%). Study findings indicate the number of total and MII oocytes derived from random-start protocols initiated during any phase of the menstrual cycle is similar to conventional CD 2/3 ovarian stimulation start protocols in women desiring elective oocyte cryopreservation.
Inhibition of reactive oxygen species limits expansion of chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells.

Inhibition of reactive oxygen species limits expansion of chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells
Ecological similarities and differences among littoral species of Ceriodaphnia

The occurrence of six littoral species of Ceriodaphnia (C. affinis, C. laticaudata, C. megops, C. reticulata, C. rotunda and C. setosa) living at the same time and locality is described. Basic population characteristics were studied in all species coexisting in the field, except for C. setosa, which was too scarce. Abundances, proportions of gamogenetic individuals, mean body lengths and clutch sizes were compared among species. Dissolved oxygen, temperature, chlorophyll-a and total seston volume were measured and related to population changes. C. laticaudata and C. rotunda were closely similar to each other in many features and showed significant differences to other species. C. reticulata and C. megops seem to be similar in some features, while C. affinis was ecologically different.
Sensitivity of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current transport to surface buoyancy conditions in the North Atlantic

Abstract The sensitivity of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) transport to surface buoyancy conditions in the North Atlantic is investigated using a sector configuration of an ocean general circulation model. We find that the sensitivity of the ACC transport is significantly weaker than previous studies. We attribute this difference to the different depth of the simulated Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Because a fast restoring buoyancy boundary condition is used that strongly constrains the surface buoyancy structure at the Southern Ocean surface, the ACC transport is determined by the isopycnal slope that is coupled to the overturning circulation in the Southern Ocean. By changing the surface buoyancy in the North Atlantic, the shared buoyancy contour between the North Atlantic and the Southern Ocean is varied, and consequently the strength of the overturning circulation is modified. For different depth of the simulated overturning circulation, the response of the ACC transport to changes in the strength of the overturning circulation varies substantially. This is illustrated in two conceptual models based on the residual-mean theory of overturning circulation. Our results imply that the sensitivity of the ACC transport to surface forcing in the North Atlantic could vary substantially in different models depending on the simulated vertical structure of the overturning circulation.
Field Studies of Cloud Chemistry and the Relative Importance of Various Mechanisms of the Incorporation of Sulfate and Nitrate into Cloud Water

A review is given of cloud chemistry studies carried out over the past 20 years by the Cloud and Aerosol Research Group at the University of Washington.
Both hyper- and hypo-activation to cognitive challenge are associated with increased beta-amyloid deposition in healthy aging: A nonlinear effect

Beta-amyloid (Aβ) positive individuals hyper-activate brain regions compared to those not at-risk; however, hyperactivation is then thought to diminish as Alzheimer's disease symptomatology begins, evidencing eventual hypoactivation. It remains unclear when in the disease staging this transition occurs. We hypothesized that differential levels of amyloid burden would be associated with both increased and decreased activation (i.e., a quadratic trajectory) in cognitively-normal adults. Participants (N = 62; aged 51-94) underwent an fMRI spatial distance-judgment task and Amyvid-PET scanning. Voxelwise regression modeled age, linear-Aβ, and quadratic-Aβ as predictors of BOLD activation to difficult spatial distance-judgments. A significant quadratic-Aβ effect on BOLD response explained differential activation in bilateral angular/temporal and medial prefrontal cortices, such that individuals with slightly elevated Aβ burden exhibited hyperactivation whereas even higher Aβ burden was then associated with hypoactivation. Importantly, in high-Aβ individuals, Aβ load moderated the effect of BOLD activation on behavioral task performance, where in lower-elevation, greater deactivation was associated with better accuracy, but in higher-elevation, greater deactivation was associated with poorer accuracy during the task. This study reveals a dose-response, quadratic relationship between increasing Aβ burden and alterations in BOLD activation to cognitive challenge in cognitively-normal individuals that suggests 1) the shift from hyper-to hypo-activation may begin early in disease staging, 2) depends, in part, on degree of Aβ burden, and 3) tracks cognitive performance.
The Expert Performance Approach and Deliberate Practice: Some Potential Implications for Studying Creative Performance in Organizations

Publisher Summary This chapter is an attempt to address the central question of the expert-performance approach for creative performance—namely, how can one identify and examine reproducibly superior performance the expert-performance approach offers a unique framework for studying skill and expert performance. Whereas studies of expertise have traditionally identified highly educated and experienced individuals as experts and compared their performance to less experienced individuals, the expert-performance approach is committed to the objective study of superior performance, which captures the underlying skill in that domain and then designs controlled tasks that reproduce the relevant performance in standardized laboratory settings. The successful research on expert performance has focused on a single individual's performance, such as the surgeon, the soloist or the nurse in charge of post-operational care. The expert-performance approach is strongly committed to objective measures of performance and actively avoids judgments and ratings by supervisors or teachers, unless they can be demonstrated to be a valid shortcut to objective measures.
Success, Minimal Agency and Epistemic Virtue

In this paper, I discuss a basic tradeoff that any view of agency and epistemic virtue must address, given the most recent psychological findings: the more minimal the sense of agency, the less plausible the postulation of a reflective requirement for knowledge; and the more enriched the sense of agency, the less epistemically relevant the characterization of ‘virtue.’ Although this may not be a surprising tradeoff, I present new consequences of it, which I believe have not been properly addressed in the literature. In particular, I discuss the role that agential reflection may play in action selection, as opposed to motor control, and why this is crucial to distinguish epistemic virtues for knowledge from other epistemic and pragmatic virtues. More specifically, I argue that if reflection is associated with action-selection, then it can be shown that it is dissociated from apt first level belief formation (what Ernest Sosa characterizes as ‘animal knowledge’). On the other hand, if introspective forms of conscious reflection, or even unconscious forms of reflection, influence epistemic cognitive processes, then it can be shown that reflection either becomes a source of error or that it is irrelevant for knowledge. Therefore, in a fully naturalized epistemology there seems to be little room for meta-virtues for knowledge that are based on reflective processes.
Wavelet leader multifractal analysis of heart rate variability in atrial fibrillation.

Abstract Background Accurate and timely detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) episodes is important in primarily and secondary prevention of ischemic stroke and heart-related problems. In this work, heart rate regularity of ECG inter-beat intervals was investigated in episodes of AF and other rhythms using a wavelet leader based multifractal analysis. Our aim was to improve the detectability of AF episodes. Methods Inter-beat intervals from 25 ECG recordings available in the MIT-BIH atrial fibrillation database were analysed. Four types of annotated rhythms (atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, AV junctional rhythm, and other rhythms) were available. A wavelet leader based multifractal analysis was applied to 5 min non-overlapping windows of each recording to estimate the multifractal spectrum in each window. The width of the multifractal spectrum was analysed for its discrimination power between rhythm episodes. Results In 10 of 25 recordings, the width of multifractal spectrum was significantly lower in episodes of AF than in other rhythms indicating increased regularity during AF. High classification accuracy (95%) of AF episodes was achieved using a combination of features derived from the multifractal analysis and statistical central moment features. Conclusions An increase in the regularity of inter-beat intervals was observed during AF episodes by means of multifractal analysis. Multifractal features may be used to improve AF detection accuracy.
Efficacy and tolerability of adjuvant gemcitabine and capecitabine in patients with resected pancreatic cancer in US population: A single network experience.

e15789Background: Adjuvant chemotherapy with combination of gemcitabine and capecitabine improved overall survival (OS) with an acceptable toxicity profile in the European patient population. Howev...
Syntheses, Crystal Structures and Optical Spectroscopy of Ln2(SO4)3·8H2O (Ln: Ho, Tm) and Pr2(SO4)3·4H2O.

Single crystals of the title compounds are prepared by evaporation of aqueous solutions of Ln2O3 (Ln: Ho, Tm, Pr) and H2SO4 at room temperature.
Impact of secondary interventions on mortality after fenestrated branched endovascular aortic aneurysm repair.

Abstract Background Fenestrated and branched endovascular aortic repair (F/BEVAR) is increasingly used to manage pararenal and thoracoabdominal aortic disease (TAAA). Device-related reintervention after F/BEVAR is common, but little is known about its impact on postoperative mortality. The purpose of this analysis was to describe secondary intervention (SI) after F/BEVAR and determine the impact of these procedures on patient survival. Methods A single-center review was done on all consecutive F/BEVARs performed from 2010 to 2016. Primary end points were incidence of secondary aortic, branch, and/or access vessel‒related SI, and survival. SI was categorized as minor endovascular (branch restenting, access vessel treatment, or percutaneous coil embolization), major endovascular (new aortic graft placement), or open (bleeding, access vessel, and/or aortic). Kaplan-Meier methodology was used to estimate freedom from SI and survival. Multivariable analysis was used to identify predictors of SI. Results A total of 308 F/BEVAR procedures were performed (75% physician-modified, 18% custom, 7% Zfen), with 1022 vessels revascularized (celiac, 228; superior mesenteric artery [SMA], 263; renal, 525). There were 117 (39%) extent I-III TAAA, 132 (44%) extent IV TAAA/4-vessel pararenal, and 54 (18%) Conclusions SIs after F/BEVAR most frequently involve branch vessel or aortic device remediation procedures; however, they do not negatively impact out-of-hospital survival. These results further highlight the crucial role of imaging surveillance after F/BEVAR to maintain durability. Discussions with patients, periprocedural planning, and the next generation of device design must focus on issues surrounding the risk of device-related SI events.
Dynamic nuclear polarization enhanced neutron crystallography: Amplifying hydrogen in biological crystals

Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) can provide a powerful means to amplify neutron diffraction from biological crystals by 10-100-fold, while simultaneously enhancing the visibility of hydrogen by an order of magnitude. Polarizing the neutron beam and aligning the proton spins in a polarized sample modulates the coherent and incoherent neutron scattering cross-sections of hydrogen, in ideal cases amplifying the coherent scattering by almost an order of magnitude and suppressing the incoherent background to zero. This chapter describes current efforts to develop and apply DNP techniques for spin polarized neutron protein crystallography, highlighting concepts, experimental design, labeling strategies and recent results, as well as considering new strategies for data collection and analysis that these techniques could enable.
Spectroscopic characterization of two soluble transducers from the Archaeon Halobacterium salinarum.

In the present study, structural aspects of the two soluble transducers, HtrX and HtrXI, from the archaeon H. salinarum have been examined using UV circular dichroism and steady-state fluorescence spectroscopies. Circular dichroism (CD) data indicate that both HtrX and HtrXI exhibit salt-dependent protein folding. Under low-ionic-strength conditions (0.2 M NaCl or KCl) the CD spectra of HtrXI is similar to that of the Gdn-HCl- or urea-denatured forms and is indicative of random coil structure. In contrast, the CD spectrum of HtrX under low-ionic-strength conditions contains roughly 85% α-helical character, indicating a significant degree of folding. Addition of NaCl or KCl to solutions of HtrX or HtrXI results in CD features consistent with predominately α-helical character (>95%) for both proteins. In addition, the transition points (i.e., ionic strengths at which the protein converts from random coil to α-helical character) are quite distinct and dependent upon the type of salt present (i.e., either NaCl or KCl). Accessibility of tryptophan residues to the solvent was also examined for both HtrX and HtrXI in both folded and unfolded states using Kl quenching. The Stern–Volmer constants obtained suggest that the tryptophans (Trp35 in HtrX and both Trp47 and Trp74 in HtrXI) are partially exposed to the solvent, indicating that they are located near the surface of the protein in all three cases. Furthermore, fluorescence quenching with the single Trp mutants Trp74AIa and Trp47AIa of HtrXI indicates different environments for these two residues.
Hydroarylation of Arenes via Reductive Radical-Polar Crossover

A photocatalytic system for the dearomative hydroarylation of benzene derivatives has been developed. Using a combination of an organic photoredox catalyst and an amine reductant, this process operates through a reductive radical-polar crossover mechanism where aryl halide reduction triggers a regioselective radical cyclization event, followed by anion formation and quenching to produce a range of complex spirocyclic cyclohexadienes. This light-driven protocol functions at room temperature in a green solvent system (aq. MeCN) without the need for precious metal-based catalysts or reagents or the generation of stoichiometric metal byproducts.
Mapping and Exploiting the Promiscuity of OxyB toward the Biocatalytic Production of Vancomycin Aglycone Variants

Vancomycin is one of the most important clinical antibiotics in the fight against infectious disease. Its biological activity relies on three aromatic cross-links, which create a cup-shaped topolog...
Dual-Junction GaAs Photovoltaics for Low Irradiance Wireless Power Transfer in Submillimeter-Scale Sensor Nodes

Dual-junction GaAs photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules at submillimeter scale are demonstrated for efficient wireless power transfer for Internet of Things and bio-implantable applications under low-flux illumination. The dual-junction approach meets demanding requirements for these applications by increasing the output voltage per cell with reduced area losses from isolation and interconnects. A single PV cell (150 μm × 150 μm) based on the dual-junction design demonstrates power conversion efficiency above 22% with greater than 1.2 V output voltage under low-flux 850 nm near-infrared LED illumination at 6.62 μW/mm2, which is sufficient for the batteryless operation of miniaturized CMOS IC chips. The output voltage of dual-junction PV modules with four series-connected cells demonstrates greater than 5 V for direct battery charging while maintaining a module power conversion efficiency of more than 23%.
“People look at me like I AM the virus”: Fear, stigma, and discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic

Anti-Asian sentiment is surging because of COVID-19 and there have been incidents of hate crime. This paper presents a reflection by an Asian social work researcher on the impact of this surge on h...
Forced migrants and secure belonging: a case study of Syrian refugees resettled in the United States

For forced migrants, what does it mean to belong in a new place? Drawing on twelve months of participant observation and twenty-two interviews with six Syrian refugee families resettled in the sout...
Postoperative Outcomes after Index vs Interval Cholecystectomy for Perforated Cholecystitis.

Background Gallbladder perforation is a known morbid sequela of acute cholecystitis, yet evidence for its optimal management remains conflicting. This study compares outcomes in patients with perforated cholecystitis who underwent cholecystectomy at the time of index hospital admission with those in patients who underwent interval cholecystectomy. Study Design A retrospective analysis was conducted of 654 patients from the American College of Surgeons NSQIP database who underwent cholecystectomy for perforated cholecystitis (2006-2018). Primary outcomes were 30-day postoperative major and minor morbidity, 30-day mortality, and need for prolonged hospitalization. Patient and procedure characteristics and outcomes were compared using Mann-Whitney rank sum test for continuous variables and Pearson chi-square tests for categorical variables. A subset analysis was conducted of patients matched on propensity for undergoing interval cholecystectomy. Results The 30-day postoperative mortality rate of matched cohort patients undergoing index cholecystectomy was 7% vs 0% of patients undergoing interval cholecystectomy (p = 0.01). The 30-day minor morbidity rates were 2% for index and 8% for interval patients (p = 0.06), and the major morbidity rates were 33% for index and 14% for interval patients (p = 0.003). Of the index patients, 27% required prolonged hospitalization compared with 6% of interval patients (p Conclusions Patients who underwent index cholecystectomy had significantly longer postoperative hospitalizations and higher 30-day postoperative major morbidity and mortality. There were no differences in 30-day minor morbidity. Selected patients with perforated cholecystitis can benefit from operative management on an interval, rather than urgent, basis.
Sleep-deprived residents and rapid picture naming performance using the Mobile Universal Lexicon Evaluation System (MULES) test.

Abstract Objective The Mobile Universal Lexicon Evaluation System (MULES) is a rapid picture naming task that captures extensive brain networks involving neurocognitive, afferent/efferent visual, and language pathways. Many of the factors captured by MULES may be abnormal in sleep-deprived residents. This study investigates the effect of sleep deprivation in post-call residents on MULES performance. Methods MULES, consisting of 54 color photographs, was administered to a cohort of neurology residents taking 24-hour in-hospital call (n = 18) and a group of similar-aged controls not taking call (n = 18). Differences in times between baseline and follow-up MULES scores were compared between the two groups. Results MULES time change in call residents was significantly worse (slower) from baseline (mean 1.2 s slower) compared to non-call controls (mean 11.2 s faster) (P Conclusion The MULES is a novel test for effects of sleep deprivation on neurocognition and vision pathways. Sleep deprivation significantly worsens MULES performance. Subjective sleepiness may also affect MULES performance. MULES may serve as a useful performance assessment tool for sleep deprivation in residents.
Computational Chemistry Activities with Avogadro and ORCA

Computational chemistry modeling activities that took place as part of a course in physical chemistry are described. The main software tools used by the students were Avogadro and ORCA, which are f...
Associations of cannabis use frequency and cannabis use disorder with receiving a substance use screen and healthcare professional discussion of substance use.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) can reduce substance use, but receipt of these services by those who use cannabis frequently and have cannabis use disorder (CUD) remains unexplored. We examined cannabis use frequency and CUD's associations with the odds of receiving a substance use screening and a healthcare professional discussion among those who used healthcare services. METHODS Data came from the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (N = 214,505 aged 18+). Among adults who used cannabis and attended healthcare settings in the past year (N = 36,374), multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations of cannabis use frequency and CUD with receiving a substance use screen and substance use discussion by a healthcare professional. RESULTS Cannabis use frequency was associated with higher odds of receiving a screen (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.14-1.41 for 300+ days of use) and a discussion among those screened (AOR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.60-2.09 for 300+ days of use). CUD was not associated with receiving a screen, but it was positively associated with receiving a discussion among those screened (AOR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.08-1.39). Nonmedical users were less likely to have a discussion among those screened and not screened. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Findings indicate disparities in screening and discussion of substance use with patients, especially between medical and nonmedical users. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Study findings provide novel insight into differences in the reach of SBIRT services among adult cannabis users.
Using Aggregate Patient Data at the Bedside via an On-Demand Consultation Service

Researchers at Stanford University have developed a process to answer patient-specific physician queries to inform care practices and protocols in a learning health system.
The dynamic construction of candidate image

Pundits and the popular press believe that the narratives about the candidates' personalities during the campaign influence the outcome of the election. Political scientists, in contrast, are dismissive of this influence. Instead, Political Scientists view the narrative about candidates as a sideshow and any connection between voters' impressions of the candidates' personalities and their vote as epiphenomenal. Unfortunately, the academic literature never directly measures the key concept of interest: the movement in image of the candidates' personalities during the campaign. Drawing on the connection between language and personality, particularly the Big Five model of personality, this paper demonstrates that the images of the candidates’ personalities in the 2008 election shape the standing of the candidates among the electorate. The results suggest that the image projected of the candidates in the campaigns played an influential role in the outcome of the election.
Democracy as Meaningful Conversation

The article proposes a new model of democracy, in which fidelity to democracy, particularly in the United States, is secured through engagement of the electorate in public conversation about public affairs. The model is descriptive, rather than normative, though limited normative implications are drawn from the analysis, because the central phenomenon described -- electoral engagement and consequent stability of the system -- is usually counted a good thing. The model is contrasted with other models of democracy, especially with the dominant "vote-centered" model, in which outcomes are traceable to equally-weighted voter inputs transmitted through votes in candidate elections. The model is deployed to integrate a wide range of phenomena of American democracy, including bicameralism, geographically defined single member (dual in the case of the Senate) districts, the plurality selection electoral norm, popular satisfaction with the Senate and ambivalence concerning courts, the central role assumed by First Amendment jurisprudence, suspicion of interest group politics, and minority group attitudes toward majority minority districting. The article also identifies and then resolves what should be a puzzle under the vote- centered model, but has seldom been noted -- that parents are not accorded extra votes on account of their children. Implications of the conversational model are explored for term limits, campaign finance reform, legislative districting practices, sizes of legislative bodies, sizes of democracies, and other matters. To a certain extent democracy in the United States is contrasted with versions found in other countries.
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic study of aging in commercial polyurethane

Satellite electronics systems may function for years before failing due to a shorted-out component. If the insulation is considered to be perfectly inert, then such failures would be inexplicable in terms of events intrinsic to the material. However, modern research, as summarized, for example, in Ref. [1], has identified many physical and chemical changes which may occur in the dielectric before breakdown. Hence, a polymer dielectric is not inert and may be more accurately thought of as a seething molecular and electronic cauldron, which gradually drifts in the direction of diminished resistance to applied electrical stress. After a time, which appears indefinite only as long as we have not adequately characterized the system, the constant electrical stress shorts out the degraded insulation.
Culture, Politics, and Development

Whether in the domains of scholarship or practice, important advances have been made in recent years in our understanding of how culture, politics, and development interact. Today’s leading theorists of culture and development represent a fourth distinctive perspective vis-a-vis their predecessors, one that seeks to provide an empirically grounded, mechanisms-based account of how symbols, frames, identities, and narratives are deployed as part of a broader repertoire of cultural "tools" connecting structure and agency. A central virtue of this approach is less the broad policy prescriptions to which it gives rise -- indeed, to offer such prescriptions would be something of a contradiction in terms -- than the emphasis it places on making intensive and extensive commitments to engaging with the idiosyncrasies of local contexts. Deep knowledge of contextual realities can contribute constructively to development policy by enabling careful intra-country comparisons to be made of the conditions under which variable responses to otherwise similar problems emerge. Such knowledge is also important for discerning the generalizability (or "external validity" ) of claims regarding the efficacy of development interventions, especially those overtly engaging with social, legal, and political issues.
A Strategy for Testing Metadata Based Deleted File Recovery Tools

Deleted file recovery tools use residual metadata left behind after files are deleted to reconstruct deleted files. File systems use metadata to keep track of the location of user files, time stamps of file activity, file ownership and file access permissions. When a file is deleted, many file systems do not actually remove the file content, but mark the file blocks as available for reuse by future file allocations. This paper describes a strategy for testing forensic tools that recover deleted files from the residual metadata that can be found after a file has been deleted.
GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION UPON SIMPLIFIED FOOD SUPPLY II. INFLUENCE OF FOOD UPON MOTHER AND YOUNG DURING THE LACTATION PERIOD

Breeding rats were fed upon diets containing respectively one sixth whole milk powder to five sixths ground whole wheat or one third whole milk powder to two thirds ground whole wheat. Young were successfully reared on both diets and both would be regarded as adequate for growth, reproduction and successful suckling of the second generation. The larger proportion of milk in the second diet resulted in the following evidences of improved nutrition: (1) Increase in the number of young produced. (2) Increase in the percentage (and therefore also in the number) of young successfully suckled. (3) Better maintenance of the body weight by the mother while suckling the young. (4) Higher average weight of young at a standard weaning age of four weeks. (5) More economical utilization of the calories of food consumed (as well as of the body material of the mother) in the rearing of the young to weaning age.
Electronic health information quality challenges and interventions to improve public health surveillance data and practice.

Objective.We examined completeness, an attribute of data quality, in the context of electronic laboratory reporting (ELR) of notifiable disease information to public health agencies.Methods.We extracted more than seven million ELR messages from multiple clinical information systems in two states We calculated and compared the completeness of various data fields within the messages that were identified to be important to public health reporting processes We compared unaltered, original messages from source systems with similar messages from another state as well as messages enriched by a health information exchange (HIE). Our analysis focused on calculating completeness (i e, the number of nonmissing values) for fields deemed important for inclusion in notifiable disease case reports.Results.The completeness of data fields for laboratory transactions varied across clinical information systems and jurisdictions. Fields identifying the patient and test results were usually complete (97%–100%). Fields contain...
Neurogenic inflammation in the airways

Abstract Release of neuropeptides, including tachykinins and calcitonin gene-related peptide, from sensory nerves via and axon or local reflex may have inflammatory effects in the airways. This neurogenic inflammation may be initiated by activation of sensory nerves by inflammatory mediators and irritants. Neurogenic inflammation is well developed in rodents and may contribute to the inflammatory response to allergens, infections and irritants in animalmodels. However, the role of neurogenic inflammation in airway inflammatory diseases, such as asthma and COPD is still uncertains, as there is still little direct evidence for the involvement of sensory neuropeptides in human airways. Initial clinical studies using strategies to block neurogenic inflammation have not been encouraging, but it is important to study more severe forms of airway disease in more prolonged studies in the future to explore the role of neurogenic inflammation.
24 – Nonpathogenic Conditions

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the nonpathogenic conditions of trees. The nonpathogenic conditions are treated through education. Normal fall color changes should occur on all the trees of the same species in a particular area at about the same time and should occur only on the innermost or oldest leaves while the outer or younger leaves remain green. The leaves of plants are normally green and yellow foliage is usually considered a symptom of plant disease. However, plants with yellow leaves or with patches of yellow or white tissue among the green leaf tissue or variegated are perfectly healthy plants. Leaf abscission follows fall coloration in most deciduous hardwoods. The fall abscission of older foliage is normal and nonpathogenic condition. The chapter discusses some nonparasitic organisms. Many green plants grow on the bark of trees, using the tree only for support. They are called “epiphytes' and do not harm the tree. Common epiphytes on trees are algae, lichens, and mosses.