cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autonomic modulation in gestational diabetes mellitus

Abstract Aims The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and positional aortocaval compression on cardiovascular autonomic nervous system (ANS) function in late pregnancy. Methods Pregnant women with ( n =31) and without ( n =12) GDM were evaluated at 30–35weeks gestation and 2–3months postpartum. Measures of ANS function included power spectral analysis (performed sitting) and RR-variation during deep breathing (performed supine). Time-related changes (late pregnancy versus 2–3months postpartum) for measurements of cardiovascular ANS function were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance for repeated measures. Results Baseline characteristics were similar for both groups. Comparing ANS measures for GDM+versus GDM− women during pregnancy and postpartum revealed no significant differences. Time related changes indicated that during late pregnancy total spectral power, low frequency (LF) power, high frequency (HF) power, and RR-variation during deep breathing were significantly reduced ( p p =0.678). Conclusions Our results suggest decreased activity in both branches of the ANS during mid-third trimester pregnancy, but no significant change in sympathovagal balance. Aortocaval compression appears to affect ANS function whether tests were performed sitting or supine for GDM+and GDM− women.
Impact of therapy and strain type on outcomes in urinary tract infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae

Objectives Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is an important healthcare-associated pathogen. We evaluated the impact of CRKP strain type and treatment on outcomes of patients with CRKP bacteriuria. Patients and methods Physician-diagnosed CRKP urinary tract infection (UTI)-defined as those patients who received directed treatment for CRKP bacteriuria-was studied in the multicentre, prospective Consortium on Resistance against Carbapenems in Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRaCKle) cohort. Strain typing by repetitive extragenic palindromic PCR (rep-PCR) was performed. Outcomes were classified as failure, indeterminate or success. Univariate and multivariate ordinal analyses to evaluate the associations between outcome, treatment and strain type were followed by binomial analyses. Results One-hundred-and-fifty-seven patients with physician-diagnosed CRKP UTI were included. After adjustment for CDC/National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)-defined UTI, critical illness and receipt of more than one active antibiotic, patients treated with aminoglycosides were less likely to fail therapy [adjusted OR (aOR) for failure 0.34, 95% CI 0.15-0.73, P=0.0049]. In contrast, patients treated with tigecycline were more likely to fail therapy (aOR for failure 2.29, 95% CI 1.03-5.13, P=0.0425). Strain type data were analysed for 55 patients. The predominant clades were ST258A (n=18, 33%) and ST258B (n=26, 47%). After adjustment for CDC/NHSN-defined UTI and use of tigecycline and aminoglycosides, infection with strain type ST258A was associated with clinical outcome in ordinal analysis (P=0.0343). In multivariate binomial models, strain type ST258A was associated with clinical failure (aOR for failure 5.82, 95% CI 1.47-28.50, P=0.0113). Conclusions In this nested cohort study of physician-diagnosed CRKP UTI, both choice of treatment and CRKP strain type appeared to impact on clinical outcomes.
Mapping of the Cryptococcus neoformans MATα Locus: Presence of Mating Type-Specific Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Cascade Homologs

In this study we investigated the relationship between the MATα locus of Cryptococcus neoformans and several MATα-specific mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signal transduction cascade genes, including STE12α, STE11α, and STE20α. To resolve the location of the genes, we screened a cosmid library of the MATα strain B-4500 (JEC21), which was chosen for the C. neoformans genome project. We isolated several overlapping cosmids spanning a region of about 71 kb covering the entire MATα locus. It was found that STE12α, STE11α, and STE20α are imbedded within the locus rather than closely linked to the locus. Furthermore, three copies of MFα, the mating type α-pheromone gene, a MATα-specific myosin gene, and a pheromone receptor (CPRα) were identified within the locus. We created a physical map, based on the restriction enzyme BamHI, and identified both borders of the MATα locus. The MATα locus of C. neoformans is approximately 50 kb in size and is one of the largest mating type loci reported among fungi with a one-locus, two-allele mating system.
Storage and secretion of Ag-Aper14, a novel peritrophic matrix protein, and Ag-Muc1 from the mosquito Anopheles gambiae

The gene Ag-Aper14 encodes a novel peritrophic matrix (or peritrophic membrane; PM) protein in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae. The Ag-Aper14 protein is merely 89 amino acids long and has a single putative chitin-binding domain. Prior to blood feeding, the Ag-Aper14 protein is stored in secretory vesicles next to the epithelial cell lumenal surface. Immunoelectron microscopy has revealed that Ag-Aper14 co-localizes to the same secretory vesicles as another PM protein, Ag-Aper1, indicating a common mode of regulated secretion. Conversely, Ag-Muc1, an epithelial cell-surface protein, does not co-localize to these secretory vesicles and is detected only on the cell surface. After blood feeding, Ag-Aper14 is secreted and incorporated into the PM that surrounds the ingested blood.
Chronic rise in monophasic defibrillation thresholds with a transvenous lead system

This study was a prospective evaluation of chronic changes of defibrillation thresholds in 31 clinically stable patients with a single transvenous lead, optimal shock polarity, and uniform testing protocol. At a mean follow-up of 273 +/- 146 days, defibrillation thresholds increased 26%, from 13.2 +/- 5.6 J to 17.1 +/- 6:0 J (p < 0.001), and shock impedance increased from 46.2 +/- 7.0 omega to 51.2 +/- 6.2 omega (p < 0.001).
Fracture growth—I. Formulation and implementations

SUMMARY The orientation of fracture growth 0 can be determined by using the maximum strain-energy release-rate criterion G,,,. When a fracture is under compression, the evaluation of G(8) involves the solution to frictional contact problems, where the fracture faces are constrained by the non-interpenetration condition and a friction law. We propose a repulsion scheme to handle these constraints on the fracture faces: the interpenetration is iteratively eliminated by adjusting the normal compressive force (repulsion), and the friction law is satisfied by modifying the friction resistance at each iteration. Under uniaxial compression, the numerical results show that an artificial cut extends by a kink, which is consistent with laboratory observations. Fractures under pure mode I1 (simple shearing) and under mixed-mode loading (transtension) grow by a kink and along a smooth, slightly convex trajectory; the computed path is almost identical to the one obtained in the laboratory.
Mechanism of Ubiquinol Oxidation by the bc1 Complex: Role of the Iron Sulfur Protein and Its Mobility †

Native structures of ubihydroquinone:cytochrome c oxidoreductase (bc(1) complex) from different sources, and structures with inhibitors in place, show a 16-22 A displacement of the [2Fe-2S] cluster and the position of the C-terminal extrinsic domain of the iron sulfur protein. None of the structures shows a static configuration that would allow catalysis of all partial reactions of quinol oxidation. We have suggested that the different conformations reflect a movement of the subunit necessary for catalysis. The displacement from an interface with cytochrome c(1) in native crystals to an interface with cytochrome b is induced by stigmatellin or 5-n-undecyl-6-hydroxy-4,7-dioxobenzothiazole (UHDBT) and involves ligand formation between His-161 of the [2Fe-2S] binding cluster and the inhibitor. The movement is a rotational displacement, so that the same conserved docking surface on the iron sulfur protein interacts with cytochrome c(1) and with cytochrome b. The mobile extrinsic domain retains essentially the same tertiary structure, and the anchoring N-terminal tail remains in the same position. The movement occurs through an extension of a helical segment in the short linking span. We report details of the protein structure for the two main configurations in the chicken heart mitochondrial complex and discuss insights into mechanism provided by the structures and by mutant strains in which the docking at the cytochrome b interface is impaired. The movement of the iron sulfur protein represents a novel mechanism of electron transfer, in which a tethered mobile head allows electron transfer through a distance without the entropic loss from free diffusion.
Mortality after rib fracture: A population-based analysis

Abstract Background. In single-institution studies, age is a risk factor for mortality after rib fracture. Sample size has limited the assessment of other risk factors. We used a national database to analyze suspected risk factors contributing to mortality in patients sustaining rib fracture. Methods. The 1999 Nationwide Inpatient Sample was queried for all patients with rib fracture. Age, gender, number of rib fractures, ISS, comorbidities, pneumonia, and mortality were abstracted from the database. Comorbidities were scored according to Elixhauser. Multivariate analysis identified independent risk factors for mortality. Results. 23,426 patients were identified. Mean age was 59. Median number of ribs fractured was 3. Mean ISS was 11.1. The number of comorbidities ranged from 0 to 10 and 9% of patients had pneumonia. Overall mortality was 4%. Odds ratios for death are shown. Conclusions. In a model controlling for multiple known risk factors, age and injury severity are the most important predictors of mortality in patients with rib fractures. The effect of a single comorbidity is minimal; however, multiple comorbidities can increase the odds of mortality equivalent to advanced age or severe injury. TABLE—ABSTRACT 39 . Risk factor Odds ratio 95% Confidence interval Age 1.0 — 55–64 1.9 1.4, 2.5 65–79 2.7 2.2, 3.3 >79 5.3 4.2, 6.6 Comorbidity score ∗ 1.14 1.1, 1.2 ISS 1.0 — 9–15 1.4 1.2, 1.7 16–25 2.8 2.2, 3.6 >25 16.9 13.4, 21.3 Pneumonia 1.5 1.2, 1.9 Female gender 0.6 0.5, 0.7 ∗ The odds ratio for comorbidity indicates the odds ratio/comorbidity; the reference is a comorbidity score of 0 (no comorbidities).
A simple cryopreservation method for the maintenance of cell viability and mechanical integrity of a cultured cartilage analog.

Abstract A method for cryopreserving a 100-μm-thick sheet of tissue produced by cultured rabbit chondrocytes has been developed. The method maintains cell viability and avoids tissue fracture and degradation of mechanical properties. A slow-freeze, fast-thaw procedure with 2 M Me 2 SO as the cryoprotectant resulted in no tissue fracture and approximately 90% viable cells after storage in culture flasks at −80°C. The cells in the retrieved tissue remained responsive to IL-1β, and tensile and fracture toughness properties of the tissue were not degraded by cryopreservation.
Socio-Political Integration and Conflict Resolution in the Palestinian Camps in Lebanon

A pervasive problem in many developing and newly independent states is what Lawrence Rosen terms tension between the revival of traditional legal cultures and the promotion of national unity through "generally applicable statutes without alienating those who recognize different, often incompatible, legal regimes. "' Elia Zureik noted that "the crux of the central dilemma facing Arab regimes is how to deal with multiple societal allegiances predicated in some instances, but not always, on primordial attachments, while at the same time increasing the scope of state legitimacy."2 These general problems of the relation between law, the state, and primary forms of identity and loyalty are equally relevant to the PLO in pre-1982 Lebanon. This paper will explore a few selected facets of the issue of incipient state formation and law in the Palestinian community in Lebanon prior to 1982, when the PLO exercised a considerable degree of authority in the refugee camps and over the daily lives of most Palestinians in the country.3 The cases presented are intended to show the interplay between the conflict resolution forums, procedures, and outcomes once customary in rural
CALCULATED PROTEIN AND PROTON MOTIONS COUPLED TO ELECTRON TRANSFER : ELECTRON TRANSFER FROM QA- TO QB IN BACTERIAL PHOTOSYNTHETIC REACTION CENTERS

Reaction centers from Rhodobacter sphaeroides were subjected to Monte Carlo sampling to determine the Boltzmann distribution of side-chain ionization states and positions and buried water orientation and site occupancy. Changing the oxidation states of the bacteriochlorophyll dimer electron donor (P) and primary (QA) and secondary (QB) quinone electron acceptors allows preparation of the ground (all neutral), P+QA-, P+QB-, P0QA-, and P0QB- states. The calculated proton binding going from ground to other oxidation states and the free energy of electron transfer from QA-QB to form QAQB- (ΔGAB) compare well with experiment from pH 5 to pH 11. At pH 7 ΔGAB is measured as −65 meV and calculated to be −80 meV. With fixed protein positions as in standard electrostatic calculations, ΔGAB is +170 meV. At pH 7 ≈0.2 H+/protein is bound on QA reduction. On electron transfer to QB there is little additional proton uptake, but shifts in side chain protonation and position occur throughout the protein. Waters in channel...
The home needs an operating system (and an app store)

We argue that heterogeneity is hindering technological innovation in the home---homes differ in terms of their devices and how those devices are connected and used. To abstract these differences, we propose to develop a home-wide operating system. A HomeOS can simplify application development and let users easily add functionality by installing new devices or applications. The development of such an OS is an inherently inter-disciplinary exercise. Not only must the abstractions meet the usual goals of being efficient and easy to program, but the underlying primitives must also match how users want to manage and secure their home. We describe the preliminary design of HomeOS and our experience with developing applications for it.
A method for progressive optimization of pump power and wavelengths for Raman amplification

We present a method for progressive optimization of pump power and wavelengths for Raman amplification, which allows for selective compensation of the relevant nonlinear interactions. This method first allows for a rapid one-step assessment of gain performance for a given set of wavelengths without determining pump powers in a novel approach which completely avoids the numeric solution of the Raman equations, thereby enabling ideal performance prediction while significantly reducing computational effort. The method then provides a technique to selectively compensate for pump-pump, pump-signal, and amplified signal-signal interactions, enabling one to control how much computational effort is expended determining pump powers based on the level of accuracy desired, which varies widely in practice. Lastly, the method is independent of solution techniques for the Raman equations, thereby eliminating the need to recast the Raman equations with separate, typically restrictive assumptions (such as ignoring amplified spontaneous emission and Rayleigh backscattering).
The mind's best trick: how we experience conscious will

We often consciously will our own actions. This experience is so profound that it tempts us to believe that our actions are caused by consciousness. It could also be a trick, however – the mind’s way of estimating its own apparent authorship by drawing causal inferences about relationships between thoughts and actions. Cognitive, social, and neuropsychological studies of apparent mental causation suggest that experiences of conscious will frequently depart from actual causal processes and so might not reflect direct perceptions of conscious thought causing action. Does consciousness cause action? Many people think that even asking this question is absurd. How could consciousness not cause what we do? Every few moments of every day, we think about doing something and then do it. We think of moving a finger and then do it, we think of going to the store for milk and do it, we think of looking away from this page ‐ and then do it. It certainly doesn’t take a rocket scientist to draw the obvious conclusion from a lifelong accumulation of such examples: consciousness is an active force, an engine of will. The mind has been known to play tricks, though. Could this be one? What if our minds keep showing us the same set of appearances, leading to an impression of conscious will again and again, but never revealing to us how our actions are actually caused? One way this could happen is if both the thought about action and the action itself are caused by unperceived forces of mind: you think of doing X and then do X ‐ not because conscious thinking causes doing, but because other mental processes (that are not consciously perceived) cause both the thinking and the doing. Based on your conscious perceptions of your thoughts and actions, it would be impossible to tell in any given case whether your thought was causing your action, or something else was causing both of them. Could it be that the deep intuition we all have about the power of our conscious will is the result of this ‘sleight of mind’? Perhaps we experience conscious will when we infer that our thought causes our action, although we can’t really know that this is the causal path (see Fig. 1).
A Study of Thyroid Activity in Normal Pregnancy

Summary Our results demonstrate conclusively, as do those of Anselmino and Hoffman, that a substance which lowers the level of mouse liver glycogen, is present in the blood serum of pregnant women. This glycogen reduction indicates an increased level of thyroid hormone in the test material (pregnancy serum) injected. The evidence seems to indicate that this increase in thyroid hormone is due to an actual physiological hyperfunction of the thyroid gland of the mother during pregnancy.
Architecture, Abstractions, and Algorithms for Controlling Large Teams of Robots: Experimental Testbed and Results

We describe the architecture, algorithms, and experimental testbed for the deployment of large numbers of cooperating robots, and applications to tasks like manipulation and transportation. The coordination between robots is completely decentralized to enable scaling up to large numbers of robots. There is no labeling or identification of robots and all robots (and their software) are identical allowing robustness to failures, ease of programming, and modularity enabling the addition or deletion of robots from the team. Our approach requires minimal communication and sensing and the proposed controllers are based only on local information. Moreover, our architecture facilitates asymmetric communication from one or more supervisory agents that can broadcast information to all robots and close the loop by acquiring abstract, high level information related to the supervised robots. We discuss the hardware and software implementation, the architecture, and present recent experimental results.
Offset Rotating Plates Bounding a Fluid-Saturated Porous Medium in a Uniformly Rotating System

The steady flow induced between two offset plates rotating at angular velocity $$\Omega $$ bounding a fluid-saturated porous medium in a system uniformly rotating at angular velocity $$\omega $$ is studied. The problem is governed by a Reynolds number R, a porosity parameter $$\gamma $$ , and $$\sigma = \omega /\Omega $$ representing the ratio of Coriolis to inertial forces. Details of the loci of centers of rotation projected onto the mid-plane are found, and sample similarity profiles covering a range of parameters are given in graphical form. A formula is derived to compute spiral angles as a function of $$R,\gamma $$ and $$\sigma $$ .
In Situ Observation of Random Solid Solution Zone in LiFePO4 Electrode

Nanostructured LiFePO4 (LFP) electrodes have attracted great interest in the Li-ion battery field. Recently there have been debates on the presence and role of metastable phases during lithiation/delithiation, originating from the apparent high rate capability of LFP batteries despite poor electronic/ionic conductivities of bulk LFP and FePO4 (FP) phases. Here we report a potentiostatic in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study of LFP electrode kinetics during delithiation. Using in situ high-resolution TEM, a Li-sublattice disordered solid solution zone (SSZ) is observed to form quickly and reach 10–25 nm × 20–40 nm in size, different from the sharp LFP|FP interface observed under other conditions. This 20 nm scale SSZ is quite stable and persists for hundreds of seconds at room temperature during our experiments. In contrast to the nanoscopically sharp LFP|FP interface, the wider SSZ seen here contains no dislocations, so reduced fatigue and enhanced cycle life can be expected along with enha...
The fertilization-induced zinc spark is a novel biomarker of mouse embryo quality and early development

Upon activation, mammalian eggs release billions of zinc ions in an exocytotic event termed the "zinc spark." The zinc spark is dependent on and occurs coordinately with intracellular calcium transients, which are tightly associated with embryonic development. Thus, we hypothesized that the zinc spark represents an early extracellular physicochemical marker of the developmental potential of the zygote. To test this hypothesis, we monitored zinc exocytosis in individual mouse eggs following parthenogenetic activation or in vitro fertilization (IVF) and tracked their development. Retrospective analysis of zinc spark profiles revealed that parthenotes and zygotes that developed into blastocysts released more zinc than those that failed to develop. Prospective selection of embryos based on their zinc spark profile significantly improved developmental outcomes and more than doubled the percentage of embryos that reached the blastocyst stage. Moreover, the zinc spark profile was also associated with embryo quality as the total cell number in the resulting morulae and blastocysts positively correlated with the zinc spark amplitude (R = 0.9209). Zinc sparks can thus serve as an early biomarker of zygote quality in mouse model.
Sensing of Salivary Glucose Using Nano-Structured Biosensors.

The anxiety and pain associated with frequent finger pricking has always been troublesome for diabetics measuring blood glucose (BG) in their daily lives. For this reason, a reliable glucose monitoring system that allows noninvasive measurements is highly desirable. Our main objective is to develop a biosensor that can detect low-level glucose in saliva (physiological range 0.5–20 mg/dL). Salivary glucose (SG) sensors were built using a layer-by-layer self-assembly of single-walled carbon nanotubes, chitosan, gold nanoparticles, and glucose oxidase onto a screen-printed platinum electrode. An electrochemical method was utilized for the quantitative detection of glucose in both buffer solution and saliva samples. A standard spectrophotometric technique was used as a reference method to validate the glucose content of each sample. The disposable glucose sensors have a detection limit of 0.41 mg/dL, a sensitivity of 0.24 μA·s·dL·mg−1, a linear range of 0.5–20 mg/dL in buffer solution, and a response time of 30 s. A study of 10 healthy subjects was conducted, and SG levels between 1.1 to 10.1 mg/dL were successfully detected. The results revealed that the noninvasive SG monitoring could be an alternative for diabetes self-management at home. This paper is not intended to replace regular BG tests, but to study SG itself as an indicator for the quality of diabetes care. It can potentially help patients control and monitor their health conditions, enabling them to comply with prescribed treatments for diabetes.
Iron-Oxide and Yttrium-Iron-Oxide Thin Films a Test of the Feasibility of Producing and Measuring Micro- and Millimeter-Wave Materials

Tin-oxide/iron-oxide and yttrium-iron-oxide thin-films have been produced with the sol-gel method. Film thicknesses from 50 to 155 nm were deposited by the sol-to-gel transformation onto borosilicate substrates. The dielectric losses of the films were deduced by the complex reflection coefficient of these materials in the range from 2 GHz to 18GHz using an HP network analyzer. Samples of 5 cm × 5 cm were centered on the waveguide flange and a shorting plate (12.2 cm × 15.2 cm) of brass centered over the sample. Measurements were automatically made using the HP software provided. In the X-Band region, three absorption bands at 8.3, 9.4, and 11.5 GHz were detected for the substrate, with losses (absorption peaks) ranging from 13.5, 11.9, and 9.9, respectively. For the tin-oxide/iron-oxide sol-gel coated substrate, three bands at 8.4, 9.5, and 11.6 GHz were observed having losses of 16.2 to 13.4, 12.9 to 11.4. and 11.3 to 9.7, respectively, depending upon thickness and orientation. For the yttrium-iron-oxide sol-gel coated substrate, three bands at 8.4, 9.5, and 11.6, with losses depending upon solgel thickness and orientation.
Realtime data forecasting based on partial least square method in thermal power plant

The principal on how to select related variables,cross validation on confirm the numbers of the components were discussed in detail.The forecasting regression function was deduced to forecast the realtime data based on partial least square method.The research work was based on the 24 hours data from PI server database of one 300 MW units.Partial least square method(PLS) was adopted to develop the simulating model to detect and diagnosis the sensor faults.This approach performs well when multicollinearity of variables exists and has the virtues of fast calculating speed and high precision.
Identification of Resistant to Stem-borer of Indica Rice A232 Under Natural Conditions in Hainan Province

Screening and exploring the germplasm resources of resistant to stem-borer were a foundation to breed the resistant varieties.Characteristics of resistance to stem-borer of A232 were identified by using the index of dead heart under natural rice fields condition with high selection pressure to stem-borer in Hainan province.The results showed that the dead heart rate of A232 was 10.82 %,significantly less than that of the contrast variety F77.The index of dead heart of A232 was 36.31 %,indicating that A232 reached the medium level of stem-borer resistance.At the same time,the use of tested material were discussed in this paper.
Approaches to understanding protein hypersecretion in fungi

Abstract Fungi are well known for secreting high levels of proteins. A number of strategies have been used to characterize and maximize protein secretion for industrial purposes. In this review, we highlight three different ascomycetes and focus on a specific protein production example for each. Aspergillus niger has been utilized as a production host for amylases and multiple molecular genetic approaches have been applied to increase secretion in this organism. Saccharification of plant biomass is an integral part of biofuel production and classical genetic and genomic approaches have been used in Trichoderma reesei to understand and manipulate the pathways controlling secretion of plant cell wall degrading enzymes. Finally, Neurospora crassa, a model filamentous ascomycete has been exploited to understand a wide range of biological processes including protein secretion.
Evaluation of Therapeutic Tissue Crosslinking (TXL) for Myopia Using Second Harmonic Generation Signal Microscopy in Rabbit Sclera.

Purpose Second harmonic generation signals (SHG) are emitted preferentially from collagenous tissue structures and have been used to evaluate photochemically-induced (CXL) crosslinking changes in the cornea. Since therapeutic tissue crosslinking (TXL) using sodium hydroxymethylglycinate (SMG) of the sclera is a potential treatment for high myopia, we explored the use of SHG microscopy to evaluate the effects. Methods Single sub-Tenon's (sT) injections (400 μL) using SMG (40-400 mM) were made at the equatorial 12 o'clock position of the right eye of cadaveric rabbit heads (n = 16 pairs). After 3.5 hours, confocal microscopy (CM) was performed using 860 nm two-photon excitation and 400 to 450 nm emission. Pixel density and fiber bundle "waviness" analyses were performed on the images. Crosslinking effects were confirmed using thermal denaturation (Tm) temperature. Comparison experiments with riboflavin photochemical crosslinking were done. Results Therapeutic tissue crosslinking localization studies indicated that crosslinking changes occurred at the site of injection and in adjacent sectors. Second harmonic generation signals revealed large fibrous collagenous bundled structures that displayed various degrees of waviness. Histogram analysis showed a nearly 6-fold signal increase in 400 mM SMG over 40 mM. This corresponded to a ΔTm = 13°C for 400 mM versus ΔTm = 4°C for 40 mM. Waviness analysis indicated increased fiber straightening as a result of SMG CXL. Conclusions Second harmonic generation signal intensity and fiber bundle waviness is altered by scleral tissue crosslinking using SMG. These changes provide insights into the macromolecular changes that are induced by therapeutic crosslinking technology and may provide a method to evaluate connective tissue protein changes induced by scleral crosslinking therapies.
Echo-Guided Interventions

As these procedures evolve toward an increasingly complex, anatomically based approach, the use of real-time echocardiography for guidance has become essential to their success. Traditionally fluoroscopy and angiography have been utilized for procedural guidance in the catheterization and electrophysiology laboratory, but signifi cant limitations exist. Fluoroscopy is unable to identify important anatomic structures such as the cardiac valves and annular structures, as well as the atrial septum, coronary sinus ostium, vena cava, and pulmonary veins.
Reminiscing on Remnants: Imaging of Meckel Diverticulum and Its Complications in Adults

OBJECTIVE. Meckel diverticulum may become symptomatic if it is complicated by hemorrhage, intestinal obstruction, diverticulitis, or tumor. Although classically described in children, it is often m...
Mismodeled purines: implicit alternates and hidden Hoogsteens

Hoogsteen base pairs are seen in DNA crystal structures, but only rarely. This study tests whether Hoogsteens or other syn purines are either under-modeled or over-modeled, which are known problems for rare conformations. Candidate purines needing a syn/anti 180° flip were identified by diagnostic patterns of difference electron-density peaks. Manual inspection narrowed 105 flip candidates to 20 convincing cases, all at ≤2.7 A resolution. Rebuilding and refinement confirmed that 14 of these were authentic purine flips. Seven examples are modeled as Watson-Crick base pairs but should be Hoogsteens (commonest at duplex termini), and three had the opposite issue. Syn/anti flips were also needed for some single-stranded purines. Five of the 20 convincing cases arose from an unmodeled alternate duplex running in the opposite direction. These are in semi-palindromic DNA sequences bound by a homodimeric protein and show flipped-purine-like difference peaks at residues where the palindrome is imperfect. This study documents types of incorrect modeling which are worth avoiding. However, the primary conclusions are that such mistakes are infrequent, the bias towards fitting anti purines is very slight, and the occurrence rate of Hoogsteen base pairs in DNA crystal structures remains unchanged from earlier estimates at ∼0.3%.
From Lalla Batoul to Oum Hamza: New Trends in Moroccan Women’s Fight for Citizenship

An effective technique for maintaining power is the time-honored premise of “divide and conquer.” When faced with the prospect of Arab Spring-inspired popular revolt, the Moroccan monarchy made the pre-emptive move of offering concessions on social issues while conceding little political terrain. This appeased half of the population and spared the country the turmoil and uncertainty of political instability. This chapter discusses the Moroccan monarchy’s reaction to the Arab Spring revolts, and the outcomes of this evolution. It pays special attention to the impact of these complex phenomena on women, their status, and their struggle for gender equality in Morocco.
The Challenges of Supporting Equity Literacy Skill Development in White Teacher Candidates: A Self-Study of Two White Field Instructors

In classrooms, race-based bias, discrimination, and inequities result in unsafe and unproductive learning environments. Teacher educators are charged with helping preservice teachers develop racial...
Effects of environmental change on helminth infections in amphibians: exploring the emergence of Ribeiroia and Echinostoma infections in North America.

Amphibians have long served as model organisms for studying animal physiology, vertebrate anatomy, and host–parasite interactions. Recently, however, the occurrence of precipitous declines in many amphibian populations and of severe limb malformations in others has catalyzed renewed efforts to understand the effects of parasites on amphibians. In this brief review, we examine the importance of two groups of trematodes that utilize amphibians as intermediate hosts: species in the genus Ribeiroia and the broader “echinostome” group which collectively includes the genera Echinostoma and Echinoparyphium. For each, we specifically explore the pathology resulting from infection, whether the parasite has recently increased in abundance or geographic range, and the biotic and abiotic factors likely to influence infection. Both groups of parasites can induce significant pathology in amphibian hosts. Exposure to Ribeiroia cercariae causes substantial increases in mortality and limb malformations in larval amphibians. These malformations, which include missing, malformed and extra limbs, may further reduce survival in amphibians; malformations are extremely rare in adult frogs, even following years in which they are abundant (>50%) among juvenile frogs. Similarly, the echinostomes, which colonize the kidneys of amphibians, can reduce the survival and increase the incidence of edema and renal failure, particularly in laboratory experiments. Recent surveys of National Wildlife Refuges across the USA suggest that both groups of parasites are widespread and sometimes extremely abundant (~1,000 metacercariae per frog). Infections appear to be most common along major rivers and bird flyways in the northern half of the country. While limited evidence suggests a recent increase in amphibian malformations and Ribeiroia infection, the paucity of available historical data precludes a definitive assessment of whether either parasite group has recently emerged. We discuss future approaches to this question and explore contemporary ecological changes known or hypothesized to influence patterns of infection, including changes in land use, increases in nutrient and pesticide runoff, decreases in community diversity and shifts in climate. Considering the documented pathologies of each parasite group, their widespread and often abundant infection patterns, and the ongoing declines observed in amphibian populations, we emphasize the urgent need for further study of Ribeiroia and echinostome infections in amphibians.
Autoregulation Of T-Cell Proliferation

One of the unique characteristics of the immune system is the exquisite specificity of reactivity. The introduction of an antigen, either in vivo or in vitro, results in a clone-specific proliferative expansion and differentiation to effector function. Of course, this specificity of reactivity resides in the clonal distribution of antigen receptors on B cells and T cells; each cell reacts with high affinity only to one antigen epitope. As such, this phenomenon precludes the expression of interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptors by lymphocytes that have yet to encounter their specific antigen, since multiple clonal antigen specificities would react if non-antigen-specific cells were also capable of responding to IL-2. In practice, IL-2 receptors can not be detected on freshly isolated lymphocytes1. Moreover, immunoaffinity-purified, homogeneous IL-2 does not generate a proliferative response provided potential antigens are excluded from the culture system2. Accordingly, one of the unique aspects of the IL-2 hormone-receptor system is the inducibility of IL-2 receptors3: the immune system remains quiescent until environmental, foreign material is introduced, whereupon the IL-2 hormone-receptor system functions to transfer these environmental molecular signals to an internal, endocrine-like control mechanism. Consequently, the rapidity of induction, magnitude, and duration of T-cell proliferative responses are dictated by the rate and extent of IL-2 and IL-2 receptor gene expression3,4.
Interaction of Frog Virus 3 with the Cytoskeleton

The eukaryotic cell contains a detergent-insoluble structural framework termed the cytoskeleton (Brown etal. 1976; Lenk etal. 1977; Osborn and Weber 1977; Webster et al. 1978). The principal components of the cytoskeleton are three chemically and morphologically distinct filaments: the microtubules, the intermediate filaments, and the microfilaments. The three filaments have been well characterized both morphologically and biochemically. Microtubules are hollow tubes measuring 22–26 nm in diameter and each microtubule contains protofilaments which in turn are composed of heterodimers of tubulin (Olmsted and Borisy 1973). Intermediate filaments are wavy filaments measuring 7–11 nm in diameter (Lazarides 1981). At present, four classes of intermediate filaments have been identified (Lazaredes 1981). They are keratin filaments of epithelial cells, neurofilaments of neurons, glial filaments of cells of glial origin (e.g., astrocytes), and a class of intermediate filaments common to all cell types. Though morphologically similar, each class of intermediate filaments contains distinct proteins. Microfilaments measure 4–8 nm in diameter (Goldman et al. 1975) and contain subunits of actin (Groeschel-Stewart 1980).
The Role of Ferredoxin in the Hydrogenase System from Clostridium kluyveri

In 1952 Korkes (1) demonstrated that cell-free extracts of Clostridium kluyveri catalyze the reduction of diphosphopyridine nucleotide with molecular hydrogen. The complex nature of this over-all process was revealed by kinetic measurements suggesting the participation of more than one protein component (2) and by the demonstration of requirements for at least two heatstable cofactors (2-4). One of these cofactors is replaceable with FAD; the other is unidentified (4). In addition stimulation by ferrous salts was reported (2, 3). This report describes the separation of cell-free extracts into two protein fractions, both of which are required for hydrogenlinked DPN reduction. Ferredoxin (5) was identified as the active component of one of these fractions. Incidental to this study was the development of a new manometric procedure for measuring DPN-dependent hydrogen uptake that permits a more careful kinetic analysis of the reaction. A preliminary report of these results has been published (6).
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-Lessons for Future Pandemics.

Epidemiology, etiology, transmission, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Temporal Block Spectral Clustering for Multi-Layer Temporal Functional Connectivity Networks

Many real world complex systems can be modeled as networks, i.e. graphs. A key approach to network analysis is community detection. Early work in community detection methods focused on a single network, whereas in most applications networks may be time dependent or may have multiple types of edges relating the nodes. Recently, multi-layer networks that incorporate multiple channels of connectivity have been introduced to represent such complex systems. In this paper, we focus on multi-layer temporal networks. A temporal block spectral clustering approach is proposed to detect and track the community structure across time. In this approach, both the connections between nodes of the network within a time window, i.e. intralayer adjacency, as well as the connections between nodes across different time windows, i.e. inter-layer adjacency are taken into account. The proposed framework is evaluated on both simulated and resting state fMRI data.
Rheological properties of corn stover slurries during fermentation by Clostridium thermocellum

Milling during fermentation, termed cotreatment, has recently been proposed as an alternative to thermochemical pretreatment as a means to increase the accessibility of lignocellulosic biomass to biological attack. A central premise of this approach is that partial solubilization of biomass changes the slurry’s physical properties such that milling becomes more impactful and more feasible. A key uncertainty is the energy required to mill partially fermented biomass. To inform both of these issues, we report rheological characterization of small-particle, corn stover slurries undergoing fermentation by Clostridium thermocellum. Fermented and unfermented corn stover slurries were found to be shear-thinning and well described by a power law model with an exponent of 0.10. Plastic viscosity of a slurry, initially at 16 wt.% insoluble solids, decreased as a result of fermentation by a factor of 2000, with the first eightfold reduction occurring in the first 10% of carbohydrate conversion. Large amplitude oscillatory shear experiments revealed only minor changes to the slurry’s rheological fingerprint as a result of fermentation, with the notable change being a reduction in the critical strain amplitude needed for the onset of nonlinearity. All slurries were found to be elastoviscoplastic, with the elastic/viscous crossover at roughly 100% strain amplitude. Whereas prior biomass rheology studies have involved pretreated feedstocks and solubilization mediated by fungal cellulase, we report results for feedstocks with no pretreatment other than autoclaving and for solubilization mediated by C. thermocellum. As observed in prior studies, C. thermocellum fermentation results in a dramatic decrease in viscosity. The magnitude of this decrease, however, is much larger starting with unpretreated feedstock than previously reported for pretreated feedstocks. LAOS measurements provide a detailed picture of the rheological fingerprint of the material. Viscosity measurements confirm the hypothesis that the physical character of corn stover slurries changes dramatically during fermentation by C. thermocellum, and indicate that the energy expended on overcoming slurry viscosity will be far less for partially fermented corn stover than for unfermented corn stover.
Distinct epidemiological profiles associated with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC): A comprehensive analysis of the IBC registry at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Background To date, studies on inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) lack comprehensive epidemiological data. We analyzed detailed prospectively collected clinical and epidemiological data from the IBC Registry at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Methods Patients with IBC (n = 248) were consecutively diagnosed and prospectively enrolled between November 2006 and April 2013. All patients were newly diagnosed and at least 18 years old. Secondary IBC was excluded. Overall 160 variables were collected and evaluated including sociodemographics, anthropometrics, tobacco and alcohol consumption, reproductive variables, and family history data. Results Mean age at diagnosis was 51.6 (±11.5 SD) years, and the majority of patients were White (77.8%). A mean BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, irrespective of menopausal status, was observed in 80.2% of all patients, with 82.6% of African Americans being obese. Approximately 42.2% of patients were ever smokers, and 91% reported ever being pregnant. A history of breastfeeding was reported in 54% of patients, with significant differences between ethnic groups in favor of White women (P<0.0001). Other reproductive factors such as use of birth control pills & hormone replacement therapy were also more frequently associated with White women compare to other ethnic groups (P < 0.05). In the multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis, African American or Hispanic ethnicity, not having breastfed, higher clinical stage, and TNBC subtype were associated with shorter survival. Conclusion Our data suggest that IBC is associated with distinct epidemiological profiles. This information could assist in targeting patients with specific preventive strategies based on their modifiable behavioral patterns.
Nonlinear Brain Tumor Model Estimation with Long Short-Term Memory Neural Networks

Gliomas are malignant brain tumors that are associated with high neurological morbidity and poor outcomes. Patients diagnosed with low-grade gliomas are typically followed by a sequence of measurements of the tumor size. Here, we show the promise of Long Short-Term Memory Neural Networks (LSTMs) to address two important clinical questions in low-grade gliomas: 1) classification and prediction of future behavior; and 2) early detection of dedifferentiation to a higher grade or more aggressive growth. We use a system of partial differential equations (PDEs), from our earlier work, to generate simulated growth of low-grade gliomas with different clinical parameters. We design an LSTM network to solve the inverse problem of PDE parameter estimation. We find that accuracy increases as a function of the number of tumor measurements and perplexity can also be used to detect a change in tumor grade. These findings highlight the potential usefulness of LSTMs in solving inverse clinical problems.
Provider trends in paediatric and adult transfusion reaction reporting.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Passive transfusion reaction reporting systems fail to capture a significant number of reactions, and no data exist on provider reporting trends. The aim of this study was to describe transfusion reaction reporting patterns by adult and paediatric providers. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a multihospital study on transfusion reaction reporting over a 7-year period. Reports were categorized according to transfusion location and assigned to either a transfusion reaction or nonreaction group according to Centers for Disease Control imputability guidelines. Included in the reaction group (RXN) were definite, probable or possible reaction categories; with the remainder assigned as nonreactions (NORXN). Rates were calculated per 100,000 components transfused using chi-square comparison. RESULTS There were 1092 reports generated from 363 437 transfusions; 230 reports from 69 311 paediatric and 862 reports from 294 126 adult treatment areas. The reporting rate per 100 000 components transfused was 332 for paediatric and 293 for adult (P = 0·09). The per 100 000 components transfused rates were as follows: 237 for paediatric and 169 for adult (P < 0·01) in the RXN group; with 95 paediatric and 124 adult rates in the NORXN group (P = 0·04). CONCLUSION The total number of reports generated by paediatric and adult providers was not significantly different, suggesting that both provider groups engage the passive reporting system equally. However, paediatric providers reported more true reactions compared to adult providers. Robust hemovigilance systems will further the understanding of these trends and may aid in the development of targeted provider education programmes.