cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural and Functional Roles of Tyrosine 78 of Yeast Guanylate Kinase

The hydroxyl group of Tyr-78 of yeast guanylate kinase (GK) is hydrogen-bonded to the phosphate of the bound GMP as revealed by x-ray crystallography. The structural and functional roles of Tyr-78 were evaluated by site-directed mutagenesis, kinetics, guanidine hydrochloride-induced denaturation, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Substitution of Tyr-78 with a phenylalanine resulted in a decrease in k cat by a factor of 131, an increase in K m (GMP)by a factor of 20 and an increase inK i (GMP) by a factor of 18.K m (MgATP) andK i (MgATP) were very similar to those of the wild-type (WT) GK. The conformational stability of the mutant was lower than that of the WT by 1.0 kcal/mol as measured by guanidine hydrochloride-induced denaturation. Detailed comparison of the TOCSY and NOESY spectra of the WT GK and the mutant indicated that the conformation of Y78F is little perturbed relative to that of the WT GK at the free state and the conformation of Y78F·GMP complex is also very similar to that of the WT·GMP complex. The results taken together showed that the hydrogen bond between Tyr-78 and GMP stabilizes the GK·GMP complex by 1.7 kcal/mol, the ternary complex by 1.8 kcal/mol, and the transition state by 4.6 kcal/mol. Tyr-78 is not essential for proper folding of the enzyme but it may contribute to the conformational stability. Solvent-accessible aromatic residues were identified by using the paramagnetic probe 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl. Comparison of the free and GMP-bound forms of the WT GK by NMR indicated that there are changes in conformation and dynamics upon binding of GMP.
Development and test of a real time battery impedance estimation system

Electrochemical impedance measurement systems use the Bode analysis technique to characterize the impedance of an electrochemical process in a well-established and proven technique. The battery being evaluated is excited with a single frequency current and its response is measured. The process is repeated over a range of frequencies of interest until the spectrum of the impedance is obtained. The method is effective but time consuming, as the process is serial. A parallel approach using bandwidth limited noise as an excitation current can obtain the same information in less time. The system response to the noise is processed via correlation and fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithms and many such responses are averaged. The result is the spectrum of response over the desired frequency range. The averaging of many responses also makes this process somewhat serial. Another technique assembles the current noise waveform from a sum of sinusoids each at a different frequency. The system response as a time record is acquired and processed with the FFT algorithm. To reduce noise, multiple time records of waveforms are processed and their resultant spectra averaged. This process is also serial. There is interest in real-time acquisition of battery impedance for control and diagnostics over a limited frequency range. To support this need, a true parallel approach has been developed by Montana Tech of the University of Montana (Montana Tech) that uses a single acquired time record of the battery response with duration compatible to a real-time control process. The system uses custom-designed instrumentation integrated with a National Instruments Data Acquisition System. The system excites a test battery with current and acquires a time record of the voltage response. The time record of data is processed with a Montana Tech-developed algorithm to yield a frequency spectrum of the test batteries impedance.
Genotypic probabilities for pairs of inbred relatives

Expressions for the joint genotypic probabilities of two related individuals are used in many population and quantitative genetic analyses. These expressions, resting on a set of 15 probabilities of patterns of identity by descent among the four alleles at a locus carried by the relatives, are generally well known. There has been recent interest in special cases where the two individuals are both related and inbred, although there have been differences among published results. Here, we return to the original 15-probability treatment and show appropriate reductions for relatives when they are drawn from a population that itself is inbred or when the relatives have parents who are related. These results have application in affected-relative tests for linkage, and in methods for interpreting forensic genetic profiles.
Tunable Far Infrared Laser Spectroscopy

Tunable far-infrared (FIR) radiation has been generated using CO2 laser difference generation in metal-insulator-metal diodes either from the difference between a fixed frequency CO2 laser and a tunable waveguide laser, or from the difference between two fixed frequency CO2 lasers plus microwave sidebands. Our tunable FIR source is being used to make highly accurate FIR frequency measurements of stable species to serve as frequency and wavelength calibration standards; to measure frequencies of transient species (including molecular ions) for astronomical searches; and to study line broadening and line shape parameters especially for atmospheric spectroscopy applications.
Continuation and path following

The main ideas of path following by predictor–corrector and piecewise-linear methods, and their application in the direction of homotopy methods and nonlinear eigenvalue problems are reviewed. Further new applications to areas such as polynomial systems of equations, linear eigenvalue problems, interior methods for linear programming, parametric programming and complex bifurcation are surveyed. Complexity issues and available software are also discussed.
The evolution of cranial design and performance in squamates: Consequences of skull-bone reduction on feeding behavior

The evolution of cranial design in lepidosaurians is characterized by a general trend toward the loss of cranial elements. The evolution of relatively lighter skulls in squamates appears tightly coupled to a reduction in relative mass of the jaw adductor, implying functional consequences for bite force and feeding behavior. Interestingly, among squamates the postorbital bar was reduced or lost at least twice independently and taxa characterized by the loss of these cranial elements (e.g., geckos and varanids) are generally reported as having a mobile skull. In Gekkotans, the loss of the postorbital bar was accompanied by a reduction of the supratemporal bar, resulting in a pronounced cranial kinesis. Our data show that having a kinetic skull has functional consequences and results in a reduction in bite force. The lower bite force may in turn be responsible for the decreased feeding efficiency as reflected in the longer duration of intra-oral transport cycles. Gekkotans, however, appear to exploit their intracranial mobility in ways that increases the velocity of jaw movement during opening and closing, which may allow them to capture more elusive prey. The morphological changes observed in the evolution of the cranial system in squamates appear tightly linked to functional and constructional demands on the skull, making squamate skull evolution a model system to investigate the consequences of morphological changes in a complex integrated system of performance, behavior, and ecology.
In a different voice: Women's conceptions of self and of morality.

As theories of developmental psychology continue to define educational goals and practice, it has become imperative for educators and researchers to scrutinize not only the underlying assumptions of such theories but also the model of adulthood toward which they point. Carol Gilligan examines the limitations of several theories, most notably Kohlberg's stage theory of moral development, and concludes that developmental theory has not given adequate expression to the concerns and experience of women. Through a review of psychological and literary sources, she illustrates the feminine construction of reality. From her own research data, interviews with women contemplating abortion, she then derives an alternative sequence for the development of women's moral judgments. Finally, she argues for an expanded conception of adulthood that would result from the integration of the "feminine voice" into developmental theory.
Improving Acute Stress Responses: The Power of Reappraisal

Contrary to lay beliefs, physiological changes that co-occur with stress are not necessarily bad. Much can be done during stressful experiences to promote adaptive responses. In this article, we review recent research on one method for improving acute stress responses: reappraising arousal. A growing body of research suggests that cognitive appraisals are powerful tools that help shift negative stress states to more positive ones. Arousal reappraisal instructs individuals to think of stress arousal as a tool that helps maximize performance. By reframing the meaning of the physiological signals that accompany stress, arousal reappraisal breaks the link between negative affective experiences and malignant physiological responses. We demonstrate how this approach can benefit physiological reactivity, attention, and performance and explore its potential applications.
BETWEEN ECONOMIES IN THE MILL ON THE FLOSS: LOANS VERSUS GIFTS, OR, AUDITING MR. TULLIVER'S ACCOUNTS

Mr. tulliver draws little attention from critics of The Mill on the Floss compared to his children, Maggie and Tom, and his finances are hardly ever looked at in any detail, just as other sections of George Eliot's novel that concern economics are not. Yet George Eliot says Mr. Tulliver has his tragedy, as do his daughter and son, and it is precisely Mr. Tulliver's money trouble, his bankruptcy, that sets the condition for the troubles of the next generation. I seek to trace a narrative logic for a novel that has seemed to many to strain plot coherence, and I do so by an economic analysis that allows a link to be drawn between such seemingly disparate tragedies as a father's financial ruin and death and his children's drowning, with the sister giving up love then life itself to reclaim her brother's favor, seeking in vain to rescue him from a flood.1 So I propose to audit Mr. Tullivers's accounts, with an eye to his discrepant accounting between loans and gifts. Mr. Tulliver confuses the two. He does so in a manner that reveals a distinction that Mr. Tulliver himself only dimly apprehends and disregards to his peril and that of his family. This is a distinction between economies: between capitalism and a precapitalist economy of gift exchange. The Mill on the Floss is set in a period of the latter 1820s-1830s when the newer economics was actively layering onto the still persistent older one. But a demarcation clear enough to abstract categorizing may be easily lost sight of, and Eliot's characters sometimes operate according to the older, sometimes the newer economics, without heeding the difference. To such category confusion Eliot traces the tragedies of the father and the daughter and son. And she shows that it is most often transactions between the sexes, and sometimes but less often cross-class transactions between men, that are liable to bring characters to grief between economies. But in order to proceed to Mr. Tulliver and his accounts, we must distinguish basic principles of capitalism, governing loans, and of precapitalist gift exchange.
Mice deficient in oxytocin manifest increased saline consumption following overnight fluid deprivation.

Male mice (9–13 mo of age) in which the gene for oxytocin (OT) had been deleted (OT −/−) were administered 0.5 M sodium chloride (NaCl) solution or tap water as a two-bottle choice test following o...
Public Obligation and the Ethics System

Concern for the public interest is the essence of professionalism, yet systems of professional ethics are just beginning to emphasize the moral values and altruism that are inherent to that principle. This trend is long overdue, but prevailing ethical standards still contain many detailed rules of professional/business etiquette, which divert emphasis from the public obligation fundamental, and also add an undesirable legalistic dimension. A new concept of professional ethics is proposed, based upon the “Professional Ethic”: “The Engineer shall apply specialized knowledge and skill at all times in the public interest with honesty, integrity and honor.” This declaration is sufficient in itself to support an ethics system offering many advantages in the educational, administrative, and enforcement functions provided by the professional society. The “Professional Ethic” is particularly amenable to enforcement without the legalistic complication and atmosphere that characterize present professional conduct procedures. All items of professional/business etiquette would be detailed in a set of “Rules of Professional Practice.”
Growth Repression in Rats by Thiouracil-Iodide Mixtures.∗

SummaryYoung rats grew normally on diets containing either thiouracil or iodide at a. level of 3 μmoles/g of feed, but growth was severely repressed on diets containing this concentration of both substances. After several weeks' treatment, growth repression was quickly overcome by adding thyroid powder to the thiouracil-iodide diet, or by removing thiouracil. Conversely, after being established, the repression was completely maintained by thiouracil alone at the stated concentration. It is concluded that the primary cause of the growth repression was a thyroxine deficiency induced by a synergistic action of thiouracil and iodide on the thyroid gland.
The Ritual of the Mesoamerican Ballgame

(1988). The Ritual of the Mesoamerican Ballgame. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 59, Buyer's Guide Issue, pp. 44-47.
Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative—It's All About Implementation

Keywords: clinical pharmacy; clinical pharmacy specialist; pharmacy practice; Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative
Transport of vitamin A across blood-tissue barriers is facilitated by STRA6

Vitamin A bound to retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) constitutes the major transport mode for retinoids in fasting circulation. Emerging evidence suggests that membrane protein, STRA6 (stimulated by retinoic acid 6), is the RBP4 receptor and vitamin A channel; however, the role of STRA6 in vitamin A homeostasis remains to be defined in vivo We subjected Stra6-knockout mice to diets sufficient and insufficient for vitamin A and used heterozygous siblings as controls. We determined vitamin A levels of the eyes, brain, and testis, which highly express Stra6, as well as of tissues with low expression, such as lung and fat. We also studied the consequence of STRA6 deficiency on retinoid-dependent processes in tissues. Furthermore, we examined how STRA6 deficiency affected retinoid homeostasis of the aging mouse. The picture that emerged indicates a critical role for STRA6 in the transport of vitamin A across blood-tissue barriers in the eyes, brain, and testis. Concurrently, fat and lung rely on dietary vitamin A. In testis and brain, Stra6 expression was regulated by vitamin A. In controls, this regulation reduced vitamin A consumption when the dietary supply was limited, sequestering it for the eye. Thus, STRA6 is critical for vitamin A homeostasis and the adaption of this process to the fluctuating supply of the vitamin.-Kelly, M., Widjaja-Adhi, M. A. K., Palczewski, G., von Lintig, J. Transport of vitamin A across blood-tissue barriers is facilitated by STRA6.
Pharmacological Targeting of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 Decreases Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Migration and Neointima Formation

Objective— Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), a serine protease inhibitor that promotes and inhibits cell migration, plays a complex and important role in adverse vascular remodeling. Little is known about the effects of pharmacological PAI-1 inhibitors, an emerging drug class, on migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs), crucial mediators of vascular remodeling. We investigated the effects of PAI-039 (tiplaxtinin), a specific PAI-1 inhibitor, on SMC and EC migration in vitro and vascular remodeling in vivo. Approach and Results— PAI-039 inhibited SMC migration through collagen gels, including those supplemented with vitronectin and other extracellular matrix proteins, but did not inhibit migration of PAI-1-deficient SMCs, suggesting that its antimigratory effects were PAI-1-specific and physiologically relevant. However, PAI-039 did not inhibit EC migration. PAI-039 inhibited phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of signal transducers and activators of transcription-1 in SMCs, but had no discernable effect on signal transducers and activators of transcription-1 signaling in ECs. Expression of low-density lipoprotein receptor–related protein 1, a motogenic PAI-1 receptor that activates Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription-1 signaling, was markedly lower in ECs than in SMCs. Notably, PAI-039 significantly inhibited intimal hyperplasia and inflammation in murine models of adverse vascular remodeling, but did not adversely affect re-endothelialization after endothelium-denuding mechanical vascular injury. Conclusions— PAI-039 inhibits SMC migration and intimal hyperplasia, while having no inhibitory effect on ECs, which seems to be because of differences in PAI-1-dependent low-density lipoprotein receptor–related protein 1/Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription-1 signaling between SMCs and ECs. These findings suggest that PAI-1 may be an important therapeutic target in obstructive vascular diseases characterized by neointimal hyperplasia.
Merchants of Pollution?: The Soap and Detergent Industry and the Fight to Restore Great Lakes Water Quality, 1965–1972

Beginning in the mid-1960s, the Great Lakes, which together make up the largest body of fresh water on Earth, became the focus of a concerted effort to restore the water quality of these national resources by stopping the man-made pollution which was responsible for their deterioration. Many American public officials and environmental advocates, after initially concentrating on reducing the pollution from the region's manufacturing plants, became convinced that a significant reduction in the level of Great Lakes water pollution could only be achieved through sweepingrestrictions on the sale and use of a common consumer good: household laundry detergent products. The ensuing controversy symbolized a new phase in public policy, a stage which did not fit within the established tradition of business-government relations in the United States and which revealed the limitations of otherwise powerful corporations in influencing public policy in the federal system.
Book Review: Theology's Epistemological Dilemma: How Karl Barth and Alvin Plantinga Provide a Unified Response:

Theology's Epistemological Dilemma: How Karl Barth and Alvin Plantinga Provide a Unified Response. By Kevin Diller. Downers Grove, 111.: IVP Academic, 2014. 352 pp. $38.00 (paper).Theological realism, often beleaguered by postmodernist and postliberal thinkers, is staging a bit of a comeback. In one comer, Reformed philosophers of religion, such as Alvin Plantinga, have meticulously chipped away at modern Enlightenment skepticism to articulate a rational defense of Christian belief. In the other comer, some scholars have retrieved Karl Barths commitment to the objective character of revelation. In this impressive study, Kevin Diller, associate professor of philosophy and religion at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, has woven together insights from these seminal Reformed thinkers to articulate a revamped paradigm for critical realism in theology.Such a convergence is not self-evident. When Plantinga and his colleagues have interrogated Barth, they typically have highlighted critical differences-say, over Barth's supposed denial of a sensus divinitatis in human nature and his trenchant attack on natural theology. Diller remains undaunted: he argues that both Barth and Plantinga, although adhering to different methods, both strongly affirm that revelation is sui generis-that God's special revealing action alone is the basis for knowledge of God among finite and sinful human creatures. These two scholars, Diller argues, offer an alternative to the extremes of fideist credulity and agnostic skepticism. This combined Barth-Plantinga proposal seeks to address what Diller considers to be the fundamental dilemma afflicting Christian epistemology: "Christian theologians are required to adopt a high view of theological knowledge while also maintaining a low view of the unaided capacities of the human knower to secure such knowledge. To use the biblical imagery, Christian theology must acknowledge itself an impoverished earthen vessel while daring not to diminish the value of the treasure it confesses" (p. 17).Part 1 articulates the main lines of this synthesis, which Diller labels "theo-foundationalism." Revelation, he argues, is a personal, self-bestowing gift of Creator to creatures in the illuminating and personal transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Knowledge of God depends neither upon philosophical proofs nor upon natural human capacities; it is objectively real, both cognitive and affective in scope. Unlike modern subjectivists, Diller insists, both Plantinga and Barth view revelation as mediated to concrete communities of faith. Since God is both the author and the content of revelation, it is rendered truly in human speech while remaining intrinsically inexhaustible. Finally, theological epistemology, while independent in its source and authority basis, is not incongruent with general, non-religious theories of knowledge from philosophy or the human sciences. …
Keratoprosthesis Decentration and Tilt Results in Degradation in Image Quality.

Purpose To study the effect of decentration and tilt of the type I Boston keratoprosthesis (KPro) on image quality in both aphakic and pseudophakic eyes. Methods An optical ray-tracing program was used to simulate the image projected onto the retina in an eye with a perfectly centered KPro, and in eyes with varying degrees of KPro decentration and tilt. Decentration was modeled along a typical white-to-white distance of 12.0 mm, and the corresponding tilt was calculated assuming a radius of curvature of 8.0 mm, the radius of curvature of the backplate of the KPro. Both aphakic and pseudophakic eyes were simulated, and the corresponding modulation transfer function curves, point spread functions, and astigmatism were analyzed. Results The perfectly centered KPro produced a high-quality image with no induced astigmatism. Increasing decentration beyond approximately 0.5 mm resulted in poorer image quality with a more pronounced effect in the presence of an intraocular lens. Using models of the normal eye as a threshold, image degradation due to decentration becomes clinically significant at approximately 1.4 mm and 0.9 mm for the aphakic and pseudophakic cases, respectively. Astigmatism introduced by decentration is approximately 0.25 D cylinders at those thresholds. Conclusions Decentration of up to 0.5 mm had no significant impact on image quality and an attempt at good intraoperative centration of the KPro within this range is important. Conversely, decentration of 0.9 mm or more during surgical implantation can result in significant degradation in retinal image quality including astigmatism. The effect is greater in the pseudophakic eye.
1606a Health effects of hazardous drugs

Healthcare workers are exposed to numerous hazardous drugs including antineoplastic agents, antiviral drugs, hormones, and bioengineered/miscellaneous drugs. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in the U.S. has defined hazardous drugs as those that exhibit one or more of the following characteristics in animals or humans: carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, reproductive toxicity, organ toxicity at low does, genotoxicity, and toxic profiles of new drugs that mimic existing drugs. The actual risk to healthcare workers depends on drug toxicity, route of drug entry (e.g., inhalation, percutaneous, ingestion), and work practice handling and exposure and controls. Many of these drugs affect human cell systems through DNA damage, interference with cell growth, or may cause mutations. In considering the hazardous nature of the drug, NIOSH examines the dose for animal testing that results in reproductive or developmental toxic effects, any available human data with toxic effects, and those drugs requiring safe-handling practices as determined from the manufacturer. There are many drugs that are considered hazardous and all of these cannot be discussed here. However, examples will be provided as to effects of antineoplastic agents and non-antineoplastic agents. The issue of safety culture is always important in terms of prevention and control strategies and recognition of the harmful effects of these substances.
THE ROLE OF SYNTHETIC DNA IN THE PREPARATION OF STRUCTURAL GENES CODING FOR PROTEINS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role of synthetic DNA in the preparation of structural genes coding for proteins. One of the key steps in the production of proteins by recombinant DNA technology is the preparation of structural genes coding for the desired proteins. There may be two approaches to this goal: (1) artificial gene synthesis and (2) a combination of cloned cDNA sequences and synthetic DNAs. The method of artificial gene synthesis for the preparation of artificial genes was developed for the synthesis of genes for tRNAs in the late 1960s. The approach of combination of cloned cDNA sequences and synthetic DNA has been developed for the preparation of a gene coding for the human growth hormone. The chapter describes an alternative approach for the synthesis of polydeoxyribonucleotides with defined sequences longer than those accessible by conventional chemical methods. Recent advances in the chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides help to synthesize single-stranded oligonucleotides of up to 40 bases in length, rapidly. It is now possible to synthesize double-stranded DNA fragments using DNA polymerase I in the presence of four deoxynucleoside triphosphosphates.
Time Resolved Optical Detection of Electron Loss and Migration in CdS

A beam of energetic electrons incident on a semiconductor produces a variety of effects depending on the primary beam energy and on the properties of the semiconductor. These effects include electron penetration, internai ionization and thermal deposition as well as external effects such as secondary and back scattered electrons, electron beam induced current (EBIC) and lattice strain. Modulated electron beams have been used for thermal wave imaging by the use of piezoelectric detectors in contact with the sample to monitor the modulated strain produced by the electron beam. This technique is termed Scanning Electron Acoustic Microscopy (SEAM). SEAM studies of integrated circuits have shown that subsurface features are imaged at depths controlled by the energy of the electron beam [1]. However, there is no adequate theory which describes this effect or the more generai question of image contrast in SEAM. This arises in part because SEAM images represent a convolution of thermal, acoustic and electron transport effects as well as the initial electron loss profile in the semiconductor. There is a need for improved understanding of electron injection, scattering, trapping and thermalization especially as they apply to the use of electron excitation beams for thermal wave imaging.
Differential gliotoxicity of organotins.

On the basis of reports that astrocytes play an important role in the neurotoxicity of trimethyltin (TMT), we investigated the sensitivity of astrocytes to TMT and compared it to triethyltin (TET), a neurotoxic analog with a different in vivo specificity. The gliotoxicity of these two compounds was further compared to that of tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT), two purportedly nonneurotoxic organotin compounds. The time and concentration components of organotin toxicity were determined by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and formazan production from dimethylthiazolyldiphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT).
Room temperature synthesis of crystalline metal oxides

Crystalline titanium dioxide powders have been synthesized as either rutile or anatase from aqueous solutions at low temperatures (T≤100°C) and atmospheric pressure. First, a sol is prepared by the hydrolysis of a titanium alkoxide in an acidic solution. The sol is subsequently heated at different rates to produce the different crystalline phases of titanium dioxide. Powder characterization was carried out using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. In general, the precipitate size was observed to be between 50 and 100 nm. Possible mechanisms involved in determining the crystal variants are discussed.
Hubble's top 10.

This article presents Hubble's most riveting contributions to astronomy, according to the author, in light of its sixteen-year anniversary. From a human perspective, the impact of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 into Jupiter was a once-in-a-lifetime event: on average a comet plows into a planet only once every 1,000 years. Hubble has followed up on the ground-based discovery of extrasolar planets by focusing on these planets when they are aligned with our line of sight. Hubble's observation of a planet around the star HD 209458 have given the most detailed information about any planet outside our solar system.
Effect of familiarity and mixing method on gestating sow welfare and productivity in large dynamic groups.

The objectives of this study were twofold: first, to investigate the effects of sow familiarity prior to mixing into a larger dynamic group of gestating sows and, second, to examine the impact of how the sows entered the pen during this mixing event. The cohort of sows was either familiar with each other because of premixing (PMIX) or unfamiliar (UMIX). This PMIX or containment of sows in a stall (UMIX), occurred from weaning until the sows were mixed into the large gestation pen 8 d later. The cohort of incoming sows was introduced either as a batched unit (BAT) or new sows were introduced into the dynamic group singly (IND) though the electronic sow feeder. Lesion severity and quantity score, lameness, and body condition score (BCS) were tracked throughout the entire gestation period for 213 sows. Overall, there was little effect of the treatment but a strong impact of parity on the outcomes. Younger animals had significantly higher risk for lesions (P 0.05). The risk of lameness increased on days 15 and 62 compared to weaning (P < 0.001). Risk of low BCS decreased on days 62 and 113 relative to scores at weaning (P < 0.001). A degree of familiarity by day interaction was present for lesion quantity (P < 0.001) and lesion severity (P < 0.001). The risk of more lesions was higher in the premixed groups before going into the dynamic group, but equilibrated with the unmixed group after day 11, 3 d in the large dynamic pen. The highest risk for the greatest quantity of lesions peaked at day 11 then declined, but never reached the lowest level again which was measured at weaning. Despite the variability in the welfare measures, there was no significant impact of treatment or parity on sow productivity. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that a period of premixing sows and varying the method of entering sows into the pen did not have a long-term impact on the welfare of the sows or on their productivity.
Transmission-Distribution Co-Simulation: Model Validation with Standalone Simulation

The ever-growing complexity of power grid is increasing the interactions between its different integrated subsystems and rendering the traditional analysis tools insufficient for high-fidelity studies. Specifically, the integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) is increasing the interactions between transmission and distribution (T&D) systems. The traditional decoupled methods for T&D system analysis cannot capture the interactions between the T&D systems thus, calling for new methods in integrated T&D analysis. Lately, several co-simulation frameworks have been developed to model T&D interactions by exchanging the power flow solutions at the point of common coupling (PCC). The existing frameworks, however, make some assumptions to reduce the complexity of co-simulation when solving a large-scale coupled T&D system. The assumptions employed to solve and couple the two models characterize the fidelity of the co-simulation platform. Therefore, it is imperative to validate the results obtained from co-simulation approach against a standalone unified model of the T&D system. This paper aims at validating an iteratively coupled T&D co-simulation approach against the standalone model in DIgSilent software. Test cases are generated using IEEE-9 node transmission system coupled with IEEE-13 bus distribution system. It is demonstrated that the proposed co-simulation tool closely approximates the power flow quantities to those obtained from the corresponding standalone model.
La política consular en Estados Unidos: protección, documentación y vinculación con las comunidades mexicanas en el exterior

The consular policy of Mexico is a public policy of the state that responds to structural problems and opportunities in the relationship between Mexico and the United States, and which shows a strong continuity throughout recent governments. During the presidency of Pena Nieto, the consular policy responded to structural and sui generis problems related to the strong social and economic integration between the two countries, to the presence and specific challenges of the Mexican diaspora, and to the changing political conditions in the USA. Its general trend has been the gradual modernization of programs and services, and investment in the expansion of the consular network. Looking to the future, consular policy must continue to modernize and solve the challenge of limited resources.
Approaches to Diagnosis and Treatment of Elder Abuse and Neglect

A 1991 congressional report estimated that each year 1.5 to 2 million older people are physically injured, psychologically mistreated, financially exploited, or neglected by family members (U.S. Congress, House Select Committee on Aging, 1991). Because much of this abuse and neglect occurs between spouses, this phenomenon must be viewed in the context of domestic violence, and much of it constitutes criminal offenses.
Zero-emission vehicle exposure within U.S. carsharing fleets and impacts on sentiment toward electric-drive vehicles

Abstract Reducing carbon emissions from the United States (U.S.) transportation sector has emerged as a priority action to combat climate change. Carsharing and zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) could be integral to creating a more sustainable transportation system. This paper presents the results of a study that evaluated the impacts of ZEV exposure on U.S. carsharing users. Surveys were administered to control and experimental groups of carsharing members that used shared plug-in electric vehicles (PHEVs) or electric vehicles (EVs). Results showed that users who drove shared PHEVs or EVs more frequently were more likely to exhibit improved ZEV opinions. The population of respondents that used shared EVs and PHEVs were also more likely to recommend that others try driving a ZEV. The results suggest that exposure to PHEVs or EVs through carsharing increased a user's reported likeliness to purchase a ZEV in the future. The experimental group, who employed shared PHEVs or EVs, was more likely to indicate that their next vehicle purchase will be a PHEV or EV than the control group. Collectively, the results suggest that temporary exposure to ZEVs through carsharing improves perceptions that may lead to an expanded ZEV market share.
Cryo-EM structure of human type-3 inositol triphosphate receptor reveals the presence of a self-binding peptide that acts as an antagonist

Calcium-mediated signaling through inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptors (IP3Rs) is essential for the regulation of numerous physiological processes, including fertilization, muscle contraction, apoptosis, secretion, and synaptic plasticity. Deregulation of IP3Rs leads to pathological calcium signaling and is implicated in many common diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases. Revealing the mechanism of activation and inhibition of this ion channel will be critical to an improved understanding of the biological processes that are controlled by IP3Rs. Here, we report structural findings of the human type-3 IP3R (IP3R-3) obtained by cryo-EM (at an overall resolution of 3.8 A), revealing an unanticipated regulatory mechanism where a loop distantly located in the primary sequence occupies the IP3-binding site and competitively inhibits IP3 binding. We propose that this inhibitory mechanism must differ qualitatively among IP3R subtypes because of their diverse loop sequences, potentially serving as a key molecular determinant of subtype-specific calcium signaling in IP3Rs. In summary, our structural characterization of human IP3R-3 provides critical insights into the mechanistic function of IP3Rs and into subtype-specific regulation of these important calcium-regulatory channels.
Arachidonate 12-lipoxygenase and 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid contribute to stromal aging-induced progression of pancreatic cancer

The incidence of pancreatic cancer increases with age, suggesting that chronological aging is a significant risk factor for this disease. Fibroblasts are the major nonmalignant cell type in the stroma of human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In this study, we investigated whether the chronological aging of normal human fibroblasts (NHFs), a previously underappreciated area in pancreatic cancer research, influences the progression and therapeutic outcomes of PDAC. Results from experiments with murine xenografts and 2D and 3D co-cultures of NHFs and PDAC cells revealed that older NHFs stimulate proliferation of and confer resistance to radiation therapy of PDAC. MS-based metabolite analysis indicated that older NHFs have significantly increased arachidonic acid 12-lipoxygenase (ALOX12) expression and elevated levels of its mitogenic metabolite, 12-(S)-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid (12-(S)-HETE) compared with their younger counterparts. In co-cultures with older rather than with younger NHFs, PDAC cells exhibited increases in mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling and cellular metabolism, as well as a lower oxidation state that correlated with their enhanced proliferation and resistance to radiation therapy. Expression of ALOX12 was found to be significantly lower in PDAC cell lines and tumor biopsies, suggesting that PDAC cells rely on a stromal supply of mitogens for their proliferative needs. Pharmacological (hydroxytyrosol) and molecular (siRNA) interventions of ALOX12 in older NHFs suppressed their ability to stimulate proliferation of PDAC cells. We conclude that chronological aging of NHFs contributes to PDAC progression and that ALOX12 and 12-(S)-HETE may be potential stromal targets for interventions that seek to halt progression and improve therapy outcomes.
CHAPTER II – Functional Equations

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the comprehensive definitions and background of functional equations and their representations. The study of ordinary differential equations and of certain integral equations, in particular, had inspired many of the original investigations into functional analysis, and the latter, in turn, had provided powerful tools for a simpler and more general analysis of these equations and many of their generalizations. Arguments quite analogous to those that had been used to study the existence of solutions of ordinary differential equations also apply when difference-differential, delay-differential, and certain functional-integral equations are considered. Similarly, the solutions of these equations exhibit many similarities in their dependence on parameters that may appear in these equations.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of multimodal prognostication in cardiac arrest with EEG monitoring.

Objective To determine cost-effectiveness parameters for EEG monitoring in cardiac arrest prognostication. Methods We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis to estimate the cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained by adding continuous EEG monitoring to standard cardiac arrest prognostication using the American Academy of Neurology Practice Parameter (AANPP) decision algorithm: neurologic examination, somatosensory evoked potentials, and neuron-specific enolase. We explored lifetime cost-effectiveness in a closed system that incorporates revenue back into the medical system (return) from payers who survive a cardiac arrest with good outcome and contribute to the health system during the remaining years of life. Good outcome was defined as a Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) score of 1–2 and poor outcome as CPC of 3–5. Results An improvement in specificity for poor outcome prediction of 4.2% would be sufficient to make continuous EEG monitoring cost-effective (baseline AANPP specificity = 83.9%). In sensitivity analysis, the effect of increased sensitivity on the cost-effectiveness of EEG depends on the utility (u) assigned to a poor outcome. For patients who regard surviving with a poor outcome (CPC 3–4) worse than death (u = −0.34), an increased sensitivity for poor outcome prediction of 13.8% would make AANPP + EEG monitoring cost-effective (baseline AANPP sensitivity = 76.3%). In the closed system, an improvement in sensitivity of 1.8% together with an improvement in specificity of 3% was sufficient to make AANPP + EEG monitoring cost-effective, assuming lifetime return of 50% (USD $70,687). Conclusion Incorporating continuous EEG monitoring into cardiac arrest prognostication is cost-effective if relatively small improvements in sensitivity and specificity are achieved.
Introducing Preservice Teachers to Family-Centered Practices: A Scoping Review

Parental involvement in P-12 education could lead to social and academic success for students; however, parents often experience barriers to their involvement. Different or additional barriers exist for parents of children with a disability. School staff can positively influence parents to become involved in their children’s education. Family-centered practices, common in early intervention under special education law (Part C of IDEIA), may foster parent involvement in P-12 schools. In this scoping literature review, we examined 17 studies of teacher preparation programs (TPPs) in higher education in the US who have implemented programs to prepare preservice teachers (PSTs) to collaborate with parents/families. Studies varied by analytic method, participants, purposes, format, and measures. We present a synthesis of the included articles and discuss recommendations for teacher preparation programs.
Malnutrition, illness, poverty, and infant growth: A test of a syndemic hypothesis in Nuñoa, Peru.

Abstract The concept of syndemics provides an important framework for understanding the complex interactions of biological and social conditions. Its use in public health and epidemiological research has increased substantially in the past ten years. Many syndemic analyses rely on the use of a sum score and subsequently fail to demonstrate biological interaction, leading some scholars to question the utility of the syndemic approach. Here, we utilize data from 86 mother/infant pairs from the rural district of Nunoa, Peru to test a potential syndemic relationship among infection, malnutrition and infant growth. Between 2014 and 2015, surveys were conducted to assess household wealth, sanitation, dietary diversity, and reported illness, while anthropometric measures of mothers and infants were conducted to assess nutritional status via height-for-age and weight-for-height z-scores. Ethnographic insight was used in the selection of key economic variables including the development of an agricultural wealth index. We then assessed whether this constellation of health outcomes met the criteria for a syndemic by performing a quantitative analysis in which we tested for (1) an association between economic marginalization and high-risk environments; (2) the concentration of malnutrition, poor growth, and infection; and (3) biological interaction among these health outcomes. We found that economic measures were associated with pathogenic and nutritional risk, and that these in turn were associated with infectious disease, nutritional status, and growth. However, we did not find evidence that the proposed syndemic met criteria (2) or (3). We conclude that, despite being both socially and biologically plausible, a syndemic of malnutrition, poor growth, and infection did not exist in this context. This analysis moves syndemic research forward by demonstrating that such hypotheses are falsifiable, thus presenting a process by which they may be tested and lending support to the use of syndemic theory as an effective analytic framework.
Protocol for GET FIT Prostate: a randomized, controlled trial of group exercise training for fall prevention and functional improvements during and after treatment for prostate cancer.

Many prostate cancer survivors are treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), but these therapies may increase frailty, worsen physical functioning, and increase fall risk. While exercise may counter functional declines associated with ADT, no studies have tested whether and which type of exercise may reduce falls and frailty. The purpose of this trial is to compare the relative efficacy of strength training versus tai ji quan training against each other and to a stretching control group on falls, frailty, and physical functioning in men expose to ADT for prostate cancer. Prostate cancer survivors treated with ADT (N = 360) who have fallen in the past year or are at risk of a fall based on validated risk factors will be recruited to participate in this single-blind, parallel group, randomized trial. Participants will be randomized to one of three supervised, group training programs: (i) strength training, (ii) tai ji quan training, or (iii) stretching (control), that train 3×/week for 6 months. Outcomes are assessed at baseline, 3 (mid-intervention), 6 (immediately post-intervention), and 12 (follow-up) months. The primary outcome is falls assessed by monthly self-report. Secondary outcomes include the following: frailty (low lean body mass (by bioelectrical impedance analysis), exhaustion (by SF-36 vitality scale), low activity (by CHAMPS physical activity survey), slowness (by 4 m usual walk speed), and weakness (by chair stand time)); objective and subjective measures of physical function will also be collected. Negative binomial regression models will be used to assess differences in falls between groups, while mixed effects modeling will be used to compare the relative efficacy of training group on secondary outcomes. Exercise represents a non-pharmacologic approach to mitigate the problem of falls experienced among men treated with ADT. By engaging in appropriate exercise, men may be able to avoid or delay falls, frailty, and disability associated with their cancer treatment. Findings of the trial are expected to inform clinical practice about how exercise could be prescribed as part of cancer care for prostate cancer survivors prescribed ADT. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03741335 . Registered on November 18, 2018.