cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microalgal carbon-dioxide-concentrating mechanisms: Chlamydomonas inorganic carbon transporters

Aquatic photosynthetic micro-organisms have adapted to the variable and often-limiting availability of CO(2), and inorganic carbon (Ci) in general, by development of inducible CO(2)-concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) that allow them to optimize carbon acquisition. Both microalgal and cyanobacterial CCMs function to facilitate CO(2) assimilation when Ci is limiting via active Ci uptake systems to increase internal Ci accumulation and carbonic anhydrase activity to provide elevated internal CO(2) concentrations through the dehydration of accumulated bicarbonate. These CCMs have been studied over several decades, and details of the cyanobacterial CCM function have emerged over recent years. However, significant advances in understanding of the microalgal CCM have been more recent. With the aid of mutational approaches and the availability of multiple microalgal genome sequences, an integrated picture of the functional components of the microalgal CCMs is emerging, together with the molecular details regarding the function and regulation of the CCM. This review will focus on the recent advances in identifying and characterizing the Ci transport components of the microalgal CCM, especially in the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Dangeard.
Genetically Modified Crops and Developing Countries

The world's population is expected to almost double by the year 2050, making food security the most important social issue for the next 30 years. Food production will have to be doubled or preferably tripled to meet the needs of the expected 6 billion people, 90% of whom will reside in the
Characterization of antibody covalently coupled to liposomes.

Abstract We have explored the covalent coupling of fatty acids to immunoglobulin G(IgG). N -hydroxysuccinimide ester of palmitic acid (NHSP) was used to couple palmitic acid to either a mouse monoclonal antibody to the major histocompatibility antigen, H-2 k , or goat antibody to the major glycoprotein of the Molony Leukemia Virus, gp-70. The reaction was characterized in terms of the time course, input ratio of NHSP to IgG, stoichiometry of the coupling, distribution of palmitic acid in the IgG subunits, and the antigen binding capacity of the coupled antibody. Incorporation of the fatty acid modified IgG into liposomal membranes using a detergent-dialysis method was studied as a function of extent of fatty acid coupling. Finally, the binding of IgG-coated liposomes with cells expressing proper antigens was characterized. The major conclusions were: (1) the optimal molar ratio of NHSP to IgG in the reaction was between 10 and 20, which yields about 4–5 palmitoyl chains per IgG molecule; (2) at this level of coupling, the antigen binding capacity of the IgG antibody decreased about 3–4-fold; (3) incorporation of the coupled antibody into unilamellar liposomes (about 1000 A diameter) can be achieved with a deoxycholate-dialysis method with an optimal lipid-to-protein ratio of 10:1 (w/w); (4) there were about 48 IgG molecules incorporated per liposome under these conditions; (5) the apparent dissociation constant of the liposome-bound antibody under the optimal condition was about 6–7-fold higher than that of the native antibody; (6) binding of antibody to the target cells was accompanied by binding of liposomal lipids; both bindings could be blocked by pretreatment of cell with unmodified antibody.
Effects of Fear and Anger on Perceived Risks of Terrorism A National Field Experiment

The aftermath of September 11th highlights the need to un- derstand how emotion affects citizens' responses to risk. It also provides an opportunity to test current theories of such effects. On the basis of appraisal-tendency theory, we predicted opposite effects for anger and fear on risk judgments and policy preferences. In a nationally representative sample of Americans ( N � 973, ages 13-88), fear increased risk esti- mates and plans for precautionary measures; anger did the opposite. These patterns emerged with both experimentally induced emotions and naturally occurring ones. Males had less pessimistic risk estimates than did females, emotion differences explaining 60 to 80% of the gender dif- ference. Emotions also predicted diverging public policy preferences. Dis- cussion focuses on theoretical, methodological, and policy implications. Terrorist attacks on the United States intensely affected many individu- als and institutions, well beyond those directly harmed. Financial markets dropped, consumer spending declined, air travel plummeted, and public opinion toward government shifted. These responses reflected intense thought—and emotion. The attacks—and prospect of sustained conflict with a diffuse, unfamiliar enemy—created anger, fear, and sadness.
NOVEL PHOTOCLEAVABLE PROTEIN CROSSLINKING REAGENTS AND THEIR USE IN THE PREPARATION OF ANTIBODY‐TOXIN CONJUGATES

Abstract— Two photolabile heterobifunctional protein crosslinking reagents have been synthesized and used for the conjugation of a protein toxin to an antibody. o-Nitrobenzyl alcohol derivatives containing protected sulfhydryl groups were converted to o-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl chlorides and covalently attached to pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP-S) obtained from the seeds of Phytolacca americana. The sulfhydryl groups were deprotected and the modified toxins were reacted with J5 antibody (specific for the common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen, CALLA) that had been functionalized with maleimido groups. Antibody-toxin conjugates were formed predominantly in the ratio of 1:1, and were purified from unconjugated antibody and PAP-S. Irradiation of the conjugates with light having a peak intensity at 365 nm effected photolytic fragmentation, and PAP-S was released in fully active form. The methods described here may prove useful for the release of drugs or toxins at sites accessible to light.
TLR-4-dependent and -independent mechanisms of fetal brain injury in the setting of preterm birth

In this study, we sought to assess how essential activation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) is to fetal brain injury from intrauterine inflammation. Both wild-type and TLR-4 mutant fetal central nervous system cells were exposed to inflammation using lipopolysaccharide in vivo or in vitro. Inflammation could not induce neuronal injury in the absence of glial cells, in either wild-type or TLR-4 mutant neurons. However, injured neurons could induce injury in other neurons regardless of TLR-4 competency. Our results indicate that initiation of neuronal injury is a TLR-4-dependent event, while propagation is a TLR-4-independent event.
Vertical integration, exclusive dealing, and ex post cartelization

This paper uncovers an unnoticed connection between exclusive contracts and vertical organization. A vertically integrated …rm can use exclusive dealing to foreclose an equally e¢ cient upstream competitor and to cartelize the downstream industry. Neither
Single-particle tracking of immunoglobulin E receptors (FcεRI) in micron-sized clusters and receptor patches.

When mast cells contact a monovalent antigen-bearing fluid lipid bilayer, IgE-loaded FceRI receptors aggregate at contact points and trigger degranulation and the release of immune activators. We used two-color total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and single-particle tracking to show that most fluorescently labeled receptor complexes diffuse freely within these micron-size clusters, with a diffusion coefficient comparable to free receptors in resting cells. At later times, when the small clusters coalesce to form larger patches, receptors diffuse even more rapidly. In all cases, Monte Carlo diffusion simulations ensured that the tracking results were free of bias, and distinguished biological from statistical variation. These results show the diversity in receptor mobility in mast cells, demonstrating at least three distinct states of receptor diffusivity.
Relevance of macro creatine kinase type 1 and type 2 isoenzymes to laboratory and clinical data

From 8322 patients for whom creatine kinase (CK; EC 2.7.3.2) isoenzyme analysis was ordered, we identified 136 patients with macro CK isoenzyme in their serum. There were 36 cases with type 1 (prevalence: 0.43%) and 100 cases with type 2 isoenzyme (prevalence: 1.20%). About three-fourths of the patients were ambulatory at the time of testing, and approximately 90% of the first 68 patients identified survived at least 1 year after macro CK was found in their serum. Age and gender did not differ significantly between the two groups. The serum total CK was significantly higher (P 0.05 of total CK) was also significantly more common (P < 0.0005) in patients with macro CK type 1 than in those with type 2. On average, macro CK type 2 accounted for approximately 25% and macro CK type 1 for approximately 10% of the serum total CK activity. Patients with macro CK type 1 most often had myositis, whereas those with macro CK type 2 most commonly had a malignancy. We conclude that the presence of macro CK isoenzymes has a low prognostic value for impending death, but may support the diagnosis of an autoimmune process (type 1) or malignant cell proliferation (type 2).
Oxygen delivery and utilization in hypoxic dogs made acidemic and alkalemic.

A long-standing point of discussion in studies of oxygen transport and delivery during hypoxia has been the relative importance of the driving pressure or PO2 and the quantity available at the tissue or volume of oxygen delivered per unit time. Because the position of the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve governs to some extent the ease with which oxygen is loaded at the lung and its driving pressure when unloaded at the tissue, acidemia and alkalemia imposed during hypoxia should affect the quality and quantity of oxygen delivery by their effect upon the position of the dissociation curve, the Bohr effect. To judge whether either condition offers an advantage at a similar level of hypoxia, hypoxic survival time and oxygen uptake were compared to usual parameters of oxygen availability and transport in anesthetized and paralyzed dogs ventilated on an oxygen mixture too low to support the control level of oxygen uptake.
Understanding overall output efficiency in public transit systems: The roles of input regulations, perceived budget and input subsidies

This paper examines the combined effects of subsidies, regulations and perceived budget on overall output and technical efficiency in a sample of single-mode bus transit systems using an indirect production function. The main findings are that the average transit system is 67.21% output efficient and systematic and stochastic technical inefficiencies decrease output. In addition subsidies increase output, regulations decrease output and the overall budget effect is an increase in output. Additionally, it identifies the characteristics of two groups of transit systems whose perceived costs after subsidies and regulations are either less or greater than actual total costs.
An Approach for Specifying and Managing Submarine Combat System Operator Interface Requirements

This paper discusses the importance of a carefully developed set of control and display standards and conventions for submarine combat systems, and the use of a requirements data base and rapid prototyping to assist in their definition. Some of the human factors issues that are confronted when attempting to develop a useful set of control and display standards are discussed. The requirements data base is also being used to assure that the proper level of interface consistency is achieved across functional interfaces. The data base incorporates attributes of Navy specified control and display requirements and attributes imposed by the human factors engineer. The data base attributes and its potential uses for defining and managing operator interface requirements are discussed.
Liver and Blood Glutathione in Male Broiler Chickens, Turkeys, and Quail

Abstract The objective of the present study was to establish age relationships for hepatic and whole blood glutathione (GSH) in male broiler chickens, quail, and turkeys utilizing lines within each poultry species with different rates of growth. Liver and blood samples were obtained from three quail lines (light, medium, and heavy) at 3 and 6 wk of age, from two turkey lines (light and heavy) at 10 and 20 wk of age, and two broiler lines (medium and heavy) at 3, 5, and 7 wk of age. With the exception of the heavy turkey line, older birds generally exhibited higher hepatic GSH concentrations than younger birds. There was no apparent age-related difference in whole blood GSH, nor was whole blood GSH correlated with hepatic GSH in any poultry species.
Surface Electronic Properties of Ionimplanted Laser-Annealed Si(111)

Highly-degenerate As-doped n-type and B-doped p-type Si(l11)−(1×1) surfaces have been prepared via ion implantation and laser annealing and studied using photoemission. For As concentrations of ∼4–7%, surface states become very different from those for intrinsic Si(l11)−(1×1) and the Fermi level E F at the surface moves to the conduction band minima resulting in a zero height n-type Schottky barrier. Emission from the conduction band minima has been directly viewed in momentum space.
Analysis on the status of human resources for non-communicable chronic disease prevention and control in public health systems in Central Anhui Province

Objective To analyze the quantity and quality of chronic non-communicable disease prevention and control(NCD-PC) human resources within public health system in two cities of central Anhui,to provide scientific basis for adjusting and building appropriate professional teams.Methods During March 2011 to June 2011,a general investigation was conducted on all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) in Hefei and Anqing,while community health institutions(CHSI) were selected by stratifying sampling method according to the administrative division.All chronic disease prevention and control staff in the two types of institutions were also investigated.Results In 17 CDCs,the NCD-PC personnel accounted for 4.2% of the total number,the full-time to part-time ratio was 1 ∶ 1.1 and tentatively employed persons are major; of whom 67.6% were males of preventive medicine professional background and 64.7% were bachelor degree or above.In 171CHSIs,72.5% have been equipped with NCD-PC managerial staff; the NCD-PC personnel accounted for 39.3% of the total number of professionals while the full-timer ones only accounted for 28.7%; of the NCD-PC personnel in CHSIs,65.6% were females,89.6% were from clinicine medicine and nursing,44.7% had a junior college degree while 33.9% graduated from high schools or below.Among the NCD-PC personnel in the two types of institutions,the average working years [P50(P25,P75) ] was 2(1,4) years,81.7% are young and middle-aged under 45 years and96.4% were intermediate and the following professional titles.The professional knowledge awareness rate was 66.1% and 77.8% staff received relevant professional training in the past five years,but the training was primary at the corresponding level with insufficient times.Conclusions The development of NCD-PC human resources in central Anhui is relatively backward.To meet people's ever-increasing demand for NCD-PC,efforts should be made to improve the present situation of disease prevention and control teams with few trained full-time staff few training,low education background of the community health workers and lack of preventive health care personnel.
Analysis on Prevalence Situation of Occupational Diseases in Xiangtan During the Period of 2006-2010

Objective To investigate the prevalence situation of occupational diseases in Xiangtan from 2006 to 2010,and to provide the evidence for the prevention and control of occupational diseases. Methods A retrospective investigation was conducted?to comprehensively analyze the characteristics and industrial distribution of newly diagnosed cases of occupational diseases. Results There were 523 newly diagnosed cases in Xiangtan from 2006 to 2010,pneumoconiosis and occupational poisoning accounted for 67.69% and 28.68%,respectively.Pneumoconiosis was mainly distributed in coal industry,the average working years of onset were 18.69 years,which showed a tendency of shortening year by year.The working years of onset in 2010 were more advanced than those in 2006, being 5.09 years in advance;and the difference was statistically significant(P0.01).Occupational poisoning was mainly distributed in chemical industry.The occupational hazard factors were mainly carbon monoxide,cadmium and its compounds,ammonia,hydrogen sulfide,and the mortality of acute hydrogen sulfide poisoning was the highest(42.86%). Conclusions Pneumoconiosis and occupational poisoning are common occupational diseases in Xiangtan.More attention should be paid to the occupational health supervision of high risk industry,like coal industry,chemical industry,etc.Individual protection and self-protection awareness of personnel should be strengthened and improved.
Functional dissection of the mouse Hox-a5 gene.

Abstract The Hox genes are clustered in evolutionarily conserved complexes and encode DNA binding proteins that determine positional identity. Ubiquitous expression of fly or mammalian Hox proteins in Drosophila embryos provides an assay for gene function, since different Hox genes induce characteristic homeotic transformations. Drosophila Sex combs reduced (Scr) and its murine cognate Hox-a5 produce identical transformations in transgenic flies. To study the contributions of domains conserved between the two proteins, truncated versions of mouse Hox-a5 were assayed for their ability to activate transcription in cultured cells and to induce homeotic transformation and activate target gene expression in transgenic embryos. The homeodomain is essential for protein function and/or nuclear targeting; the N-terminal region contributes to transcription activity and transformation potential in the embryo, but plays no role in determining functional specificity. The YPWM motif is essential for biological specificity, although it does not contribute to transcriptional activation potential. It was recently shown that the Hox-a5 YPWM motif is necessary for in vitro interactions with the co-factor Pbx1. Our results suggest that this type of protein-protein interaction may be essential for the biological activities of Hox-a5 and Scr.
Genome Editing for the Study of Cardiovascular Diseases

The opportunities afforded through the recent advent of genome-editing technologies have allowed investigators to more easily study a number of diseases. The advantages and limitations of the most prominent genome-editing technologies are described in this review, along with potential applications specifically focused on cardiovascular diseases. The recent genome-editing tools using programmable nucleases, such as zinc-finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases, and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated 9 (Cas9), have rapidly been adapted to manipulate genes in a variety of cellular and animal models. A number of recent cardiovascular disease-related publications report cases in which specific mutations are introduced into disease models for functional characterization and for testing of therapeutic strategies. Recent advances in genome-editing technologies offer new approaches to understand and treat diseases. Here, we discuss genome editing strategies to easily characterize naturally occurring mutations and offer strategies with potential clinical relevance.
Specific Action of Ethanol on Lateral and Vertical Membrane Lipid Domains

Chin and Goldstein (10) in 1977 published a study on the biophysical effects of ethanol in membranes from ethanol-tolerant and control animals. Their work showed that ethanol in vitro fluidizied membranes and that chronic ethanol consumption resulted in a structural change in the membrane that made the membrane resistant to in vitro fluidization by ethanol. That study and subsequent studies resulted in the development of a hypothesis that proposes that membrane fluidity is involved in the actions of ethanol and has been used to explain ethanol effects ranging from sensitivity and intoxication to membrane transport and neurotransmitter uptake and release (for a review see 24).
Maintaining Hydrophobic Drug Supersaturation in a Micelle Corona Reservoir

Two poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PND) statistical copolymers and a series of three poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N,N-dimethylacrylamide)-b-polystyrene (PND-b-PS-C12) diblock polymers were synthesized by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, in which the molecular weight of the thermoresponsive PND corona block was held constant while the polystyrene core block length was varied. The corona thickness and density of the micelles in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH = 6.5) were quantified by a combination of dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Two hydrophobic model drugs, phenytoin and nilutamide, were used to examine the drug–polymer interactions in aqueous solution. Intermolecular interactions between the diblock polymer micelle corona and both drugs were revealed by 2D 1H nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY). The drug–polymer “binding” strength, quantified by diffusion ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY)...
Weatherman: Exposing weather-based privacy threats in big energy data

Smart energy meters record electricity consumption and generation at fine-grained intervals, and are among the most widely deployed sensors in the world. Energy data embeds detailed information about a building's energy-efficiency, as well as the behavior of its occupants, which academia and industry are actively working to extract. In many cases, either inadvertently or by design, these third-parties only have access to anonymous energy data without an associated location. The location of energy data is highly useful and highly sensitive information: it can provide important contextual information to improve big data analytics or interpret their results, but it can also enable third-parties to link private behavior derived from energy data with a particular location. In this paper, we present Weatherman, which leverages a suite of analytics techniques to localize the source of anonymous energy data. Our key insight is that energy consumption data, as well as wind and solar generation data, largely correlates with weather, e.g., temperature, wind speed, and cloud cover, and that every location on Earth has a distinct weather signature that uniquely identifies it. Weatherman represents a serious privacy threat, but also a potentially useful tool for researchers working with anonymous smart meter data. We evaluate Weatherman's potential in both areas by localizing data from over one hundred smart meters using a weather database that includes data from over 35,000 locations. Our results show that Weatherman localizes coarse (one-hour resolution) energy consumption, wind, and solar data to within 16.68km, 9.84km, and 5.12km, respectively, on average, which is more accurate using much coarser resolution data than prior work on localizing only anonymous solar data using solar signatures.
Designing and Evaluating mHealth Interventions for Vulnerable Populations: A Systematic Review

Diverse disciplines, including Human-Computer Interaction have explored how mobile health (mHealth) applications can transform healthcare and health promotion. Increasingly, research has explored how mHealth tools can promote healthy behaviors within vulnerable populations-groups that disproportionately experience barriers to wellness. We conducted a systematic review of 83 papers from diverse disciplines to characterize the design and impact of mHealth tools in low-socioeconomic (low-SES) and racial/ethnic minority individuals. Our findings highlight that the diversity within low-SES and racial/ethnic minority groups was not reflected in the populations studied. Most studies focused on improving the health of individuals, often neglecting factors at the community and society levels that influence health disparities. Moreover, few improvements in health outcomes were demonstrated. We further discuss factors that acted as barriers and facilitators of mHealth intervention adoption. Our findings highlight trends that can drive critically needed digital health innovations for vulnerable populations.
Maximum Entropy Bootstrap Simulations for Variance Estimation

We report a simulation study where we want to consider a fairly simple data generating process (DGP) used in Nordman and Lahiri (JASA, 2012) with a single fixed regressor and regression errors produced by simple AR(1) processes. We focus on the estimation of standard errors of regression coefficients, not the coefficients themselves. We compare confidence intervals by three inference procedures: the usual Chi-square distribution (Chi-sq), the moving blocks bootstrap (MBB) and a newer maximum entropy bootstrap (meboot). Since simulations have a known true standard error, we can assess the coverage and consistency of the meboot. The traditional Chi-sq confidence intervals have very poor coverage, suggesting that they should not be used in the presence of auto-correlated errors. We also consider the advisability of symmetrizing transformation of the ME density by repeating the experiments. We find that symmetrizing offers a slight advantage. Since the meboot appears to be generally superior to others, it can be recommended.
Preventing and detecting elder mistreatment.

Strategies for preventing and detecting mistreatment of the elderly through neglect or abuse are offered. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Measuring the Difficulty Watching Video With Hemianopia and an Initial Test of a Rehabilitation Approach.

Purpose If you cannot follow the story when watching a video, then the viewing experience is degraded. We measured the difficulty of following the story, defined as the ability to acquire visual information, which is experienced by people with homonymous hemianopia (HH). Further, we proposed and tested a novel rehabilitation aid. Methods Participants watched 30-second directed video clips. Following each video clip, subjects described the visual content of the clip. An objective score of information acquisition (IA) was derived by comparing each new response to a control database of descriptions of the same clip using natural language processing. Study 1 compared 60 participants with normal vision (NV) to 24 participants with HH to test the hypothesis that participants with HH would score lower than NV participants, consistent with reports from people with HH that describe difficulties in video watching. In the second study, 21 participants with HH viewed clips with or without a superimposed dynamic cue that we called a content guide. We hypothesized that IA scores would increase using this content guide. Results The HH group had a significantly lower IA score, with an average of 2.8, compared with 4.3 shared words of the NV group (mixed-effects regression, P < 0.001). Presence of the content guide significantly increased the IA score by 0.5 shared words (P = 0.03). Conclusions Participants with HH had more difficulty acquiring information from a video, which was objectively demonstrated (reduced IA score). The content guide improved information acquisition, but not to the level of people with NV. Translational Relevance The value as a possible rehabilitation aid of the content guide warrants further study that involves an extended period of content-guide use and a randomized controlled trial.
Ritualizing the Size of Books

Rhetoric about books usually emphasizes their semantic contents. Larger-than-average and smaller-than-average books, however, draw our attention to their material form. Size therefore provides one means for ritualizing the iconic dimension of books. While enlarging books quickly exceeds any practical purpose for the sake of public display, shrinking books tends to carry with it pragmatic rhetoric about portability, low expense, and mass production. Yet the popularity of textual amulets across history and cultures suggests that private ritualization drives much of the market for miniatures.
Past, Present, and Future: Editorial on Virtual Reality Applications to Human Services

Abstract“Virtual Reality” interventions in human services may include 360° video, augmented reality, mixed reality, and fully immersive 3-dimensional virtual reality simulations. A variety of appli...
Proximal and Remote Acculturation: Adolescents’ Perspectives of Biculturalism in Two Contexts:

Immigration and globalization are at historic highs, making biculturalism, whether by way of immigration-based proximal acculturation or globalization-based remote acculturation, increasingly commo...
Generating Energy and Greenhouse Gas Inventory Data of Activated Carbon Production Using Machine Learning and Kinetic Based Process Simulation

Understanding the environmental implications of activated carbon (AC) produced from diverse biomass feedstocks is critical for biomass screening and process optimization for sustainability. Many st...
Deep Audio Prior

Deep convolutional neural networks are known to specialize in distilling compact and robust prior from a large amount of data. We are interested in applying deep networks in the absence of training dataset. In this paper, we introduce deep audio prior (DAP) which leverages the structure of a network and the temporal information in a single audio file. Specifically, we demonstrate that a randomly-initialized neural network can be used with carefully designed audio prior to tackle challenging audio problems such as universal blind source separation, interactive audio editing, audio texture synthesis, and audio co-separation. To understand the robustness of the deep audio prior, we construct a benchmark dataset \emph{Universal-150} for universal sound source separation with a diverse set of sources. We show superior audio results than previous work on both qualitative and quantitative evaluations. We also perform thorough ablation study to validate our design choices.
Providing performance-based feedback to teachers in real-time using Bug-in-Ear technology

In educational settings across the globe, a growing number of students with disabilities are being educated alongside their typically-developing peers. With that comes a growing need to provide ade...
Robotic Assisted Living Donor Nephrectomies: A Safe Alternative to Laparoscopic Technique for Kidney Transplant Donation.

Objective To review outcomes after laparoscopic, robotic-assisted living donor nephrectomy (RLDN) in the first, and largest series reported to date. Summary of background data Introduction of minimal invasive, laparoscopic donor nephrectomy has increased live kidney donation, paving the way for further innovation to expand the donor pool with RLDN. Methods Retrospective chart review of 1084 consecutive RLDNs performed between 2000 and 2017. Patient demographics, surgical data, and complications were collected. Results Six patients underwent conversion to open procedures between 2002 and 2005, whereas the remainder were successfully completed robotically. Median donor age was 35.7 (17.4) years, with a median BMI of 28.6 (7.7) kg/m. Nephrectomies were preferentially performed on the left side (95.2%). Multiple renal arteries were present in 24.1%. Median operative time was 159 (54) minutes, warm ischemia time 180 (90) seconds, estimated blood loss 50 (32) mL, and length of stay 3 (1) days. The median follow-up was 15 (28) months. Complications were reported in 216 patients (19.9%), of which 176 patients (81.5%) were minor (Clavien-Dindo class I and II). Duration of surgery, warm ischemia time, operative blood loss, conversion, and complication rates were not associated with increase in body mass index. Conclusion RLDN is a safe technique and offers a reasonable alternative to conventional laparoscopic surgery, in particular in donors with higher body mass index and multiple arteries. It offers transplant surgeons a platform to develop skills in robotic-assisted surgery needed in the more advanced setting of minimal invasive recipient operations.
Simulation-derived best practices for clustering clinical data.

Abstract Introduction Clustering analyses in clinical contexts hold promise to improve the understanding of patient phenotype and disease course in chronic and acute clinical medicine. However, work remains to ensure that solutions are rigorous, valid, and reproducible. In this paper, we evaluate best practices for dissimilarity matrix calculation and clustering on mixed-type, clinical data. Methods We simulate clinical data to represent problems in clinical trials, cohort studies, and EHR data, including single-type datasets (binary, continuous, categorical) and 4 data mixtures. We test 5 single distance metrics (Jaccard, Hamming, Gower, Manhattan, Euclidean) and 3 mixed distance metrics (DAISY, Supersom, and Mercator) with 3 clustering algorithms (hierarchical (HC), k-medoids, self-organizing maps (SOM)). We quantitatively and visually validate by Adjusted Rand Index (ARI) and silhouette width (SW). We applied our best methods to two real-world data sets: (1) 21 features collected on 247 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and (2) 40 features collected on 6000 patients admitted to an intensive care unit. Results HC outperformed k-medoids and SOM by ARI across data types. DAISY produced the highest mean ARI for mixed data types for all mixtures except unbalanced mixtures dominated by continuous data. Compared to other methods, DAISY with HC uncovered superior, separable clusters in both real-world data sets. Discussion Selecting an appropriate mixed-type metric allows the investigator to obtain optimal separation of patient clusters and get maximum use of their data. Superior metrics for mixed-type data handle multiple data types using multiple, type-focused distances. Better subclassification of disease opens avenues for targeted treatments, precision medicine, clinical decision support, and improved patient outcomes.
Mapping of pseudouridine residues on cellular and viral transcripts using a novel antibody-based technique

Pseudouridine (Ψ) is the most common noncanonical ribonucleoside present on mammalian noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including rRNAs, tRNAs, and snRNAs, where it contributes ∼7% of the total uridine level. However, Ψ constitutes only ∼0.1% of the uridines present on mRNAs and its effect on mRNA function remains unclear. Ψ residues have been shown to inhibit the detection of exogenous RNA transcripts by host innate immune factors, thus raising the possibility that viruses might have subverted the addition of Ψ residues to mRNAs by host pseudouridine synthase (PUS) enzymes as a way to inhibit antiviral responses in infected cells. Here, we describe and validate a novel antibody-based Ψ mapping technique called photo-crosslinking-assisted Ψ sequencing (PA-Ψ-seq) and use it to map Ψ residues on not only multiple cellular RNAs but also on the mRNAs and genomic RNA encoded by HIV-1. We describe 293T-derived cell lines in which human PUS enzymes previously reported to add Ψ residues to human mRNAs, specifically PUS1, PUS7, and TRUB1/PUS4, were inactivated by gene editing. Surprisingly, while this allowed us to assign several sites of Ψ addition on cellular mRNAs to each of these three PUS enzymes, Ψ sites present on HIV-1 transcripts remained unaffected. Moreover, loss of PUS1, PUS7, or TRUB1 function did not significantly reduce the level of Ψ residues detected on total human mRNA below the ∼0.1% level seen in wild-type cells, thus implying that the PUS enzyme(s) that adds the bulk of Ψ residues to human mRNAs remains to be defined.
Corporatism and Democracy: Consequences of Electoral Competition for Government Vs. Teacher Union Relations in the Mexican States

This paper outlines a larger planned project on the effect of democracy on corporatism in Mexico. The “state corporatism” by which autocratic governments harnessed major societal interests was common in Latin America during much of the 20th century. As the region democratized, theorists expected these tight state-labor bonds to disappear, and in fact organized labor does appear much more fragile today than before the transition. Yet this weakness is most likely a function of economic, not political, liberalization. Rather, this paper posits that corporatism is likely to survive and possibly thrive in new democracies, all else equal. Yet it has been empirically difficult to isolate the effects of democracy from those of economic opening. Furthermore, the relative distinctiveness of the corporatist experience across countries has hindered systematic comparison. A subnational analysis of the education sector in Mexico reduces these problems. Teachers are largely protected from the international competition associated with mobile capital. And the variation in the level of electoral competition across relatively similar Mexican states facilitates comparative analytic leverage. Nevertheless, the strength of corporatism remains difficult to measure. As such, this paper proposes the use of three education policy areas through which the extent of union-government ties can be seen. Preliminary evidence supports the hypothesis that democratization by itself does not undermine corporatism.
Liberal Education in America: Civic Training and Philosophic Knowledge in the Thought of Edward Everett Hale and James McCosh

In an address entitled "Democracy and Liberal Education" delivered in 1887, Edward Everett Hale attacked the then President of Princeton University, the distinguished Scottish philosopher James McCosh for his remarks in a lecture to the Exeter Academy. Hale argued, in effect, that McCosh was ultimately "un-American" in his pedagogical purposes. The issues which Hale goes on to address, and the arguments to which he gives vent, show clearly the battle lines as far as liberal education in America was concerned. Hale says that McCosh "encourages the students...to supply our lack of a political body of noblemen by an aristocracy founded on letters and learning." In doing so, Hale explains, McCosh is drawing on analogies "as old as Plato." "They are analogies which come most naturally to a man trained among well-defined classes in social order. But they ought not to be long sustained among people who have been trained in the social order of a democratic republic." For Hale the idea liberal education has no "elitist" or exclusivist overtones. Liberal education does not seek "to make any class of scholars." Indeed, "a true republic expects, in the end, to give a liberal education to all its people...the republic regards a liberal education not as the good fortune of a governing class, but as the privilege, if you please, the necessity of all." When we turn to the man who was the springboard of some of Hale's remarks on education we see that McCosh's concern is whether "America has arrived at a stage at which there is a body of men and women who have leisure and taste to cultivate the liberal arts and advance the higher forms of civilization." But it should be observed that, despite their basic differences of concern and approach, both Hale and McCosh believed that there was such a thing as the truth, that God or the Divine was the ultimate phenomenon for human beings, and that belief in these things helped sustain the good that was liberal society. By recalling the arguments of such men we are provided with a picture which contrasts with the debate between "town and gown" in our own day. If there is still some of Hale's moral seriousness about citizenship in "town" it seems hard to allow there is much of McCosh's moral seriousness about the task of philosophy in the realm of the "gown." To say the least, both civic and intellectual seriousness has declined since Hale and McCosh's time. That is why the kind of discussion in which they engaged should be interesting to us today. It allows us to track both the origins of our condition and the path we have come. The study of American educators such as these can be great value as we face the crisis of education and liberal society of our time.
A Comprehensive Introduction to Computational Science [Book review]

Daniel Teske reviews the, "Introduction to Computational Science: Modeling and Simulation for the Sciences, 2nd ed. (Shiflet, A.B. and Shiflet, G.W.; 2014). This second edition covers agent-based simulations and modeling with matrices in addition to the three methods covered in the first edition: system dynamics models, empirical modeling, and cellular automaton simulations. The agent-based models are an impressive addition, with user-friendly choices for the necessary software. The text uses a pseudocode approach, offering several possible software choices for each of the five modeling methods. It’s possible for an instructor to cover the entire text using open source software supplemented with the authors’ own software-specific tutorials. For example, if you use R for matrix models, an extensive set of tutorials on R can be downloaded from the text’s website. The coverage spans the hard sciences, with applications and a large number of programming projects from physics, engineering, chemistry, biochemistry, and biology. Most of the models cover biological systems, and the text does a good job introducing biology students to scientific computing. Students with neither programming nor modeling experience are likely to be challenged, but with some care given to pace and topic selection, biology students with no prior programming experience could learn to numerically model some complex biological systems.
In Vitro Comparison of Dynesys, PEEK, and Titanium Constructs in the Lumbar Spine

Introduction. Pedicle based posterior dynamic stabilization systems aim to stabilize the pathologic spine while also allowing sufficient motion to mitigate adjacent level effects. Two flexible constructs that have been proposed to act in such a manner, the Dynesys Dynamic Stabilization System and PEEK rod, have yet to be directly compared in vitro to a rigid Titanium rod. Methods. Human lumbar specimens were tested in flexion extension, lateral bending, and axial torsion to evaluate the following conditions at L4-L5: Intact, Dynesys, PEEK rod, Titanium rod, and Destabilized. Intervertebral range of motion, interpedicular travel, and interpedicular displacement metrics were evaluated from 3rd-cycle data using an optoelectric tracking system. Results. Statistically significant decreases in ROM compared to Intact and Destabilized conditions were detected for the instrumented conditions during flexion extension and lateral bending. AT ROM was significantly less than Destabilized but not the Intact condition. Similar trends were found for interpedicular displacement in all modes of loading; however, interpedicular travel trends were less consistent. More importantly, no metrics under any mode of loading revealed significant differences between Dynesys, PEEK, and Titanium. Conclusion. The results of this study support previous findings that Dynesys and PEEK constructs behave similarly to a Titanium rod in vitro.
17 – Adhesion and Wetting Phenomena

This chapter presents a study of adhesion and wetting phenomena, and explores the phenomena involving particles and extended surfaces in adhesive contact. The chapter begins with a discussion on surface and interfacial energies. Some commonly used terms are defined followed by deriving useful thermodynamic relations. Conceptual differences between energies and forces, which are particularly manifested in adhesion and wetting phenomena are explained. An overview of the adhesion energies versus adhesion forces is then presented. The chapter introduces the concept of surface energy as the free energy change occurring when the surface area of a medium is increased by unit area. The chapter examines adhesion on highly curved surfaces and interfaces. Differences in the surface energies of droplets and holes are discussed. Surface and interfacial energies of some common substances are given. Concepts of contact angles and wetting films in terms of adhesion are discussed, followed by an explanation of adhesion hysteresis and adhesion of rough and textured surfaces. The chapter concludes with a discussion on plastic deformations and capillary forces.
A simplified liquid-solid extraction technique for the analyses of pesticide residues in soil samples.

A simplified liquid-solid extraction technique was studied forthe analyses of pesticide residues in soil samples. It is a simple, one step sample preparation method based on a relativequantification concept. Linear response curves were obtained for all of the target compounds regardless of their surface adsorption. This observation was explained and modeled to obeyLangmuir adsorption Equation. The adsorption of analytes ontothe sample surfaces will sacrifice the detection sensitivity. The strategies to reduce the surface adsorption, such as, molecular replacement and selection of solvents, were discussed.The relative quantification and the wide varieties of availablesolvents would enable the technique to be a useful method forthe monitoring and analyses of pesticide residues in soils.
Epigenome-wide association studies without the need for cell-type composition

In epigenome-wide association studies, cell-type composition often differs between cases and controls, yielding associations that simply tag cell type rather than reveal fundamental biology. Current solutions require actual or estimated cell-type composition--information not easily obtainable for many samples of interest. We propose a method, FaST-LMM-EWASher, that automatically corrects for cell-type composition without the need for explicit knowledge of it, and then validate our method by comparison with the state-of-the-art approach. Corresponding software is available from http://www.microsoft.com/science/.
Transport properties of thin film TiS2 produced by are

Abstract Titanium disulfide has been made by the Activated Reactive Evaporation process. Its electrical conductivity and electrochemical behavior are similar to that of bulk TiS2, but its lithium diffusivity is lower and depends on the lithium content of the cathode.
Measuring effects of refractive surgery on corneas using Taylor series polynomials

Corneal topographers have made it possible to accurately map corneal shape. We applied this technology to model the post- refractive surgery cornea using Taylor series polynomials. Topography data was taken from 58 patient eyes with photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) or astigmatic photorefractive keratectomy (PARK). We looked at the changes the cornea underwent surgically, as well as the healing process. We compared the post-ablation cornea to the pre-ablation cornea and to the intended correction using novel topography maps. From the refractive map, we quantified the spherical aberration as areas of defocus on the cornea. From the pre-op exam to the first post-op exam, we measured 0.19±0.10 mm radius decrease in PRK and a 0.13±0.08 mm radius decrease in PARK in the areas where rays come to within two diopeters of defocus. As this change occurs within the optical zone, this corresponds to an increase in spherical aberration for both the PRK and the PARK patient. As the patient healed, we found additional decrease in radius of the zones of best vision in PRK patients, whereas we found no significant decrease in PARK patients. This corresponds to increased spherical aberration in the PRK patient.