cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Yeast GRD20 Gene Is Required for Protein Sorting in the trans-Golgi Network/Endosomal System and for Polarization of the Actin Cytoskeleton

The proper localization of resident membrane proteins to the trans-Golgi network (TGN) involves mechanisms for both TGN retention and retrieval from post-TGN compartments. In this study we report identification of a new gene, GRD20, involved in protein sorting in the TGN/endosomal system of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A strain carrying a transposon insertion allele of GRD20 exhibited rapid vacuolar degradation of the resident TGN endoprotease Kex2p and aberrantly secreted ;50% of the soluble vacuolar hydrolase carboxypeptidase Y. The Kex2p mislocalization and carboxypeptidase Y missorting phenotypes were exhibited rapidly after loss of Grd20p function in grd20 temperature-sensitive mutant strains, indicating that Grd20p plays a direct role in these processes. Surprisingly, little if any vacuolar degradation was observed for the TGN membrane proteins A-ALP and Vps10p, underscoring a difference in trafficking patterns for these proteins compared with that of Kex2p. A grd20 null mutant strain exhibited extremely slow growth and a defect in polarization of the actin cytoskeleton, and these two phenotypes were invariably linked in a collection of randomly mutagenized grd20 alleles. GRD20 encodes a hydrophilic protein that partially associates with the TGN. The discovery of GRD20 suggests a link between the cytoskeleton and function of the yeast TGN.
Rhetorical Moralism in the Plebiscitary Presidency: New Speech Forms and Their Ideological Entailments

Although the concept of the “modern” presidency is not precisely defined in presidential studies, most scholars agree that a plebiscitary approach to executive leadership has dominated the American political landscape for much of the past century. The characteristics of this “plebiscitary presidency” include aggressive assertions of executive independence, direct appeals to the people, active manipulation of public opinion, and, binding all these together, a new emphasis on rhetorical prowess.Samuel Kernell, Going Public: New Strategies of Presidential Leadership (Washington, DC: CQ Press, 1997); Jeffrey Tulis, The Rhetorical Presidency (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1987); Theodore Lowi, The Personal President (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1985); Richard Rose, The Post-Modern President (Chatham, NJ: Chatham House Publishers, 1988); Ryan J. Barilleaux, The Post-Modern Presidency: The Office After Reagan (New York: Praeger, 1988). These characteristics are associated with enhanced resources for the exercise of leadership, but they stimulate, and sit in an uncertain balance with, a vast expansion of expectations for leadership.
Real time control of multilevel manufacturing systems using colored Petri nets

A colored Petri net (CPN) model of a cell controller capable of real-time control and monitoring of multiple workstations is described. The need to incorporate the ideas of both computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) and flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) is discussed, and the controller is based on these concepts. The CPN for the cell controller is presented and described. The controller in this case controls two workstations: the Cincinnati Milacron 5VC machining center and a robotic assembly workstation using an Adept robot. An analysis of the net is performed, and relevant portions are presented. A data structure for implementing this type of a CPN is given. The code for the controller is divided into application-dependent and -independent code. An execution algorithm is provided. The conclusions emphasize the advantages of CPNs in modeling and analysis for discrete-event control of manufacturing systems. >
Diffusion transport in chemical systems – key phenomena and criteria

This report is intended to be an overview of the state of the art involving the interaction between diffusional mass transport and molecular transformations. Professor Carl Wagner, in his recent book [1], reminds us that scientific approaches can range anywhere from the “classic” to the “romantic”. This review may tend toward the romantic, for it will, like the artist's sketch, ignore much detail and concentrate on some of the most basic features. They posses considerable beauty, for they are simple, universal, and useful. Dieser Bericht soll einen Uberblick uber den momentanen Stand der Forschung geben, wobei die Wechselwirkung zwischen dem Massen-transport durch Diffusion und molekularer Umwandlungen mit einbezogen sind. Professor Carl Wagner ruft uns in seinem kurzlich erschienenen Buch in Erinnerung, das die wissenschaftliche Stellungnahme irgendwo zwischen „Klassik„ und „Romantik„ liegen kann. Dieser Uberblick neigt etwas mehr zum Romantischen, denn er wird wie die Skizzen der Kunstler viele Details auser acht lassen und sich auf einige der grundlegenden Eigenschaften konzentrieren. Diese besitzen betrachtliche Schonheit, denn sie sind einfach, universell und nutzlich.
Local earthquakes in New England, 1934–1935

During 1934 and 1935, records of approximately 150 disturbances, definitely local in character, were obtained on the Benioff seismographs at the Harvard Seismograph-Station. Distances for 105 of these shocks were computed from the S-P interval, using the Harvard travel-times for New England. The range of distances varies from 12 to 320 km, with a total of- 60 shocks between 100 and 150 km from the station.
Variation in Vaginal Birth After Cesarean by Maternal Race and Detailed Ethnicity

Objective Our objective was to examine the likelihood of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) for women in Massachusetts. Methods We used birth certificate data among term, singleton, vertex presentation births by repeat cesarean or VBAC to conduct logistic regression models to examine the likelihood of VBAC for women categorized into standard classifications of race and ethnicity and into 31 detailed ethnicities. Data were analyzed for the entire study period (1996-2010, N = 119,752) and for the last 5 years (2006-2010, N = 46,081). Results The adjusted odds of VBAC were lowest for non-Hispanic Black mothers (0.91, CI [0.85, 0.98]) and highest for Asian/Pacific Islander mothers (1.41, CI [1.31, 1.53]) relative to non-Hispanic White women. VBAC rates ranged from 5.8 % among Brazilians to 29.3 % among Cambodians. The adjusted odds of VBAC were lower for 7 of the 30 ethnic groups (range of AORs 0.40-0.89) and higher for 8 of the 30 ethnic groups (range of AORs 1.18-2.11) relative to self-identified American mothers. For the last 5 years, Asian/Pacific Islander mothers had a higher adjusted VBAC rate (1.39, CI [1.21, 1.60]), as did 9 of the 30 ethnic groups (range of 1.25-1.84). Only Brazilian mothers had lower rates (0.37, CI [0.27, 0.50]), relative to self-identified American mothers. Conclusions Detailed maternal ethnicity explains the variation in VBAC rates more precisely than broad race/ethnicity categories. Improvements in our public health data infrastructure to capture detailed ethnicity are recommended to identify and address disparities and improve the quality of maternity care.
Seasonal population dynamics of wireworms in wheat crops in the Pacific Northwestern United States

Insect pests often exhibit predictable seasonal population dynamics in response to temperature and other environmental drivers. Understanding these dynamics is critical to developing effective integrated pest management strategies. Here we studied the seasonal phenology and feeding activity of two wireworm species that are major pests of wheat crops in the Pacific Northwestern United States, Limonius californicus and L. infuscatus. We conducted monthly sampling of the damaging larval stages of both species in commercial spring wheat fields in Washington and Idaho throughout 2013 and 2014. These data were used to model the seasonal phenology and feeding activity of each species in relation to soil temperature. We found larvae of both species were most abundant relatively early in the season, with total wireworms captures in soil cores declining as the season progressed. Larvae of both species were collected predominantly in the top 70 cm of the soil profile, suggesting that they primarily feed on plant roots and seeds up to this depth. While patterns of seasonal abundance of both species were similar, feeding activity varied significantly between the two species. Our results indicate that as spring moves into summer L. californicus feeds more aggressively, whereas the activity of L. infuscatus decreases as the crop season progresses. These differences might help explain why L. californicus is generally a more economically damaging pest that also threatens winter crops, while damage from L. infuscatus is generally limited to the spring. Accordingly, management strategies for each species should be tailored to their specific seasonal dynamics.
Measuring permeabilities of Middle-Bakken samples using three different methods

Abstract In recent years, petroleum exploration and production from the Williston Basin at the Bakken Formation has garnered great success. Producing hydrocarbons from the Bakken Formation is challenging due to its low porosity and permeability. Investigating the permeability of the Bakken Formation is required in order to better understand the performance of wells that produce hydrocarbons. In addition, permeability is one of the key parameters in modeling fluids flow in reservoir simulation matrices. Unfortunately, the measurement of permeability of tight rocks, such as in Bakken samples, is time consuming and expensive due to their low to extremely low permeability; in addition, sometimes the results from different methods are not in good agreement. Because of the high uncertainty in measuring the permeability of tight rock, it is worthwhile to investigate permeability through different methods in order to reduce uncertainty. In this study, we measured the permeability of tight rocks utilizing three different methods with the same setup. The investigated methods were the oscillating pulse method, the downstream pressure buildup method, and the radius-of-investigation method. In this way, the comparison provides uncertainty and magnitude and indicates the possible presence of heterogeneities and lamination.
Recent Developments in the use of the Tripod Polisher for TEM Specimen Preparation

Cross sections of material specimens for TEM analysis must be produced in the shortest time possible, contain few, if any, artifacts and have a large area available for analysis. The analyst must also be able to prepare these cross sections from specified areas of complex, heterogeneous structures on a routine, reproducible basis to meet the growing needs of the semiconductor industry for TEM analysis. The specimen preparation spatial resolution required for preparing precision cross sections is substantially less than one micron. Cross sections meeting these requirements can be prepared by mounting a specimen to the Tripod Polisher and mechanically polishing on one side of the specimen, using a sequence of progressively finer grit diamond lapping films, until the area of interest is reached. This polished surface is then very briefly polished on a cloth wheel with colloidal silica to attain the final polish on that side. The specimen is then flipped over on the Tripod Polisher and polished from the other side, using same sequence of diamond lapping films to reach the predefined area of interest. The Tripod Polisher is set at a slight angle, to produce a tapered, wedge-shaped specimen, which has the area of interest at the thinnest edge of the taper. The specimen is polished with the diamond lapping films and the colloidal silica until it is 1000 Angstroms or less in thickness. The specimen is removed from the polisher and mounted on a 2 × 1mm slotted grid with M-Bond 610 epoxy. After the epoxy is cured the specimen can be taken directly to the microscope for analysis. The need for ion milling has been eliminated or reduced to a few minutes in most of our work because of the thinness of the final specimen. The total specimen preparation time is between 2.5 and 4 hours, depending on the specimen and the size of the specified area. The area available for analysis ranges from 0.5mm up to the full size of the mounting grid opening. The wedge shape of the specimen provides the mechanical stability needed for a long thin specimen.
Parallel screening of electrocatalyst candidates using bipolar electrochemistry.

Here we report simultaneous screening of bimetallic electrocatalyst candidates for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) using bipolar electrochemistry. The analysis is carried out by dispensing different bimetallic precursor compositions onto the cathodic poles of an array of bipolar electrodes (BPEs) and then heating them in a reducing atmosphere to yield the catalyst candidates. Because BPEs do not require a direct electrical connection for activation, up to 33 electrocatalysts can be screened simultaneously by applying a voltage to the electrolyte solution in which the BPE array is immersed. The screening of the electrocatalyst candidates can be achieved in about 10 min. The current required to drive the ORR arises from oxidation of Cr microbands present at the anodic poles of the BPEs. Therefore, the most effective electrocatalysts result in oxidation (dissolution) of the most microbands, and simply counting the microbands remaining at the end of the screen provides information about the onset potentia...
Semantic satiation, forewarning, and decision latency

Sixteen Ss were asked to decide if pairs of words had the same meaning. It was found that asking S to repeat one of the words 1 or 15 sec. in advance equally facilitated his decision. The results indicate that forewarning and not semantic satiation reduces decision latency.
Zonas de excepción económica

Las ‘zonas’ -areas de territorio que poseen un estatus legal excepcional- son presentadas en Extrastatecraft: the power of infrastructure space, el libro mas reciente de Keller Easterling. Indicando que las zonas son formulas espaciales repetibles utilizadas por la gente mas poderosa del mundo (por lo que tienen fuertes consecuencias politicas), en esta entrevista Easterling explica ademas por que los arquitectos no debiesemos ignorar estos productos espaciales.
Evidence-based treatment of subarachnoid hemorrhage: current status and future possibilities.

INTRODUCTION A neurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) affects approximately 30,000 Americans each year. The incidence approximates 6 to 16 per 100,000 persons per year, with some geographic variation throughout the world. There has been a modest decline in incidence over time, in contrast to more marked decreases in incidence of other types of stroke (such as ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage), which is consistent with epidemiological data indicating that the avoidance of risk factors for ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage, mainly hypertension, and possibly cigarette smoking, diabetes, and abnormal serum lipids, can reduce the incidence of the disease. Guidelines for the management of aneurysmal SAH were published in 1994.47 There have been numerous advances in diagnosis and management of aneurysmal SAH since that time, as well as some notable failures of extensively-tested drugs. This review summarizes some of these advances.
Utilization of Medicaid mental health services by nondisabled children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVE Mental health service use and costs for nondisabled children and adolescents in the Medicaid programs of Michigan and Tennessee were examined to improve understanding of patterns of service use in this population. METHODS Data from the Medicaid Analysis Project for States, sponsored by the Health Care Financing Administration, were examined for nondisabled children and adolescents under 19 years of age who were continuously enrolled in Medicaid in 1990 and who received Medicaid mental services, including treatment for alcohol and drug abuse. Recipients of mental health services constituted 5 and 7 percent of the nondisabled children and adolescents in the Medicaid programs in Michigan and Tennessee, respectively. RESULTS Total expenditures for mental health care recipients were three or more times higher than the level suggested by their proportion in the general Medicaid nondisabled population. Their psychiatric hospitalizations were much longer, with mean lengths of stay of 44 days in Tennessee and 60 in Michigan. Although inpatient utilization rates were similar in the two states, outpatient utilization differed by type of problem treated, provider, and type of treatment. About a third of mental health recipients received psychotropic drugs; cerebral stimulants were the most commonly prescribed type. CONCLUSIONS Results illustrate the need to learn more about Medicaid mental health services for younger children and the use of psychotropic drugs. They also suggest that states reforming their Medicaid programs to contain costs should pay particular attention to the use of mental health services by children and adolescents.
Malignant melanoma : The role of radiation therapy revisited

In a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of malignant melanoma, the role of radiation therapy is often relegated to one of minor importance. There is a supporting body of scientific literature that shows a relative radioresistance of melanoma when compared with other malignancies. Others have disputed the notion of resistance and have recommended radiation in a number of clinical settings including not only palliation but also in the primary management of melanoma. This article reviews the current and historical literature to better define the current role of radiation in a multidisciplinary approach for cancer management.
Regulation of synaptic fusion by heterotrimeric G proteins

Publisher Summary Chemical synaptic transmission is central to neural communication. Alterations in its efficacy underlie the identity; physiological and pathophysiological. A component of this synaptic plasticity is controlled by presynaptic G-protein-coupled-receptors (GPCRs), which universally modify neurotransmitter release at all synapses in which their effect is studied. GPCRs act either as autoreceptors following neurotransmitter release from that particular terminal, or as heteroreceptors activated by axo-axonic or paracrine projections to the synapse. GPCRs have been found to alter the entry of Ca 2+ to the presynaptic terminal, its storage and release in the terminal, and the outcome of its entry to the presynaptic terminal. Most molecular studies of the detailed mechanisms come from either transfection of the relevant proteins into cultured cell lines and Xenopus oocytes, or from electrophysiological measurements from neuronal cell bodies. GPCRs that inhibit neurotransmitter release have perhaps been the mostly widely studied modulators of synaptic transmission.
The sociology of technology before the turn to technology

Abstract This project recommences an underdeveloped conversation between the sociology of technology and classical sociology. There was a vibrant and consistent interest in technology among sociology's founders between Marx and Ogburn and revisiting this tradition is beneficial for contemporary sociological studies of technology. In addition to functioning as exemplars of excellence for the sociology of technology, classical sociology provides distinctive and important considerations and contributions, including: the potential benefits of borrowing technology (Veblen), the ecological influences on technological development and use (Cooley), the impact of technology on science (Mauss), and the rationalization of technology (Weber). Most importantly, classical sociology offers partial though unique frameworks for examining technology in society and vice versa, frameworks that are novel precisely because they are out of sync with recent trends.
On the Choice of Organizational Form: Theory and Evidence from the Insurance Industry

Organizational forms within the insurance industry include stock companies, mutuals, reciprocals, and Lloyds. We focus on the association between the choice of organizational form and the firm’s contracting costs, arguing that different organizational forms reduce contracting costs in specific dimensions. This suggests that differing costs of controlling particular incentive conflicts among the parties of the insurance firm lead to the efficiency of alternative organizational forms across lines of insurance. We analyze the incentives of individuals performing the three major functions within the insurance firm—the manager function, the owner function, and the customer function. We review evidence from the insurance industry that directly examines this product-specialization hypothesis. We then examine evidence on corporate policy choices by the alternative organizational forms: executive compensation policy, board composition, distribution system choice, reinsurance purchases, and the use of participating policies. Finally, we review evidence of the relative efficiency of the alternative organizational forms.
Interpersonal Couplings in Human Interactions

As inherently social beings people routinely interact with others. Interpersonal activities such as dancing, conversation, or team sports require people to coordinate at several different levels, ranging from the coordination of physical movements and physiological states of the body to the coordination of mental states and cognitive or linguistic activity. One of the challenges confronted by researchers in this interdisciplinary field has been to find ways to objectively quantify interpersonal coupling on the basis of brief, noisy, nonstationary, and complex time series of human behavioral sequences. Given their robustness to these challenges, recurrence-based strategies have played a very important role in the development of this field of research. This chapter provides a review of current behavioral, cognitive, and physiological research that has used recurrence methods to quantify interpersonal coupling.
P046 Cortico-cerebellar pathway contribution to stroke recovery

Introduction Upper limb impairment from stroke is a major factor interfering with the return to independence in activities in daily life. Given the vast number of processes that unfold following stroke, it is critical to explore the pathways for recovery. The cerebellar afferent dentato-thalamo-cortical (DRTC) pathway supports motor learning and motor control, and thus might be important for recovery from stroke. Objective To test for the relative contribution of the DRTC using a multi-modal approach that included assessment of pathway physiology using TMS and DTI. Patients & methods We investigated the contribution of the DRTC in motor recovery in 6 chronic stroke patients. We defined our recovery measure (Δ FM−UE ) as the Fugl-Meyer upper extremity score (FM-UE) change from week 52 (24 weeks for 1 patient) minus the FM-UE at 4 weeks postinfarct. At the chronic stage, we measured the structural and physiological efficacy of the DRTC using TMS, DTI, as well as behavioral assays. This involved: (1) cerebellar-brain inhibition (CBI) paired-pulse TMS to measure the strength of connectivity between the motor cortex and cerebellum; (2) region-based fractional anisotropy (FA) of canonical structures using DTI MultiAtlas Segmentation; (3) a center-out reaching task, which involved slicing movements to 1 of 8 targets spaced 10 cm from a central location without vision of their hand. Results Participants were well recovered (M FM−UE = 62.83) at the time of assessment. Using multiple linear regression to develop a predictive model of Δ FM−UE , we found that explained variance of the model approached 90% ( p = 0.006) with reach endpoint error variance and CBI amplitude selected as the independent variable inputs. Moreover, we found a similar relationship when using the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) as a recovery scale (Δ ARAT ), with superior peduncle FA and a ratio of CBI between affected and unaffected limb accounting for 85% of the variance ( p = 0.024). Conclusion Our results indicate the importance of the cortico-cerebellar pathway in the recovery from stroke, and suggest that CBI might contribute additional diagnostic information beyond assessment of corticospinal tract integrity. In particular, these results suggest that the DRTC supports recovery for patients that have had a relatively high recovery in terms of FM-UE.
Building Resentment: How the Alabama Press Prepared the Ground for New York Times v. Sullivan

Abstract The 1964 Supreme Court case of New York Times v. Sullivaa which gave American news organizations strong protection against libel suits from public officials, grew out of the civil rights turmoil in the Deep South. One aspect of that background was the simmering resentment that white Southerners had long felt toward outsiders who passed judgment on the South in racial matters. This sore spot in the Southern psyche became a specialty for certain editors in the 1950s, such as Grover C. Hall Jr., of the Montgomery Advertiser. Hall's editorial campaign against the “hypocrisy” of outside coverage of the South's racial troubles is examined here as part of the context out of which the Sullivan case emerged. The paper looks at how built-up resentment exploded when the sit-in movement of 1960 triggered a series of events in Montgomery that led Police Commissioner L.B. Sullivan to file his $500,000 libel suit against the Times. It argues that the theme of Southern editorial resentment against “Yankee” cover...
Effect of whole-body vibration on center-of-mass movement during standing in children and young adults

Abstract Whole body vibration (WBV) can affect postural control and muscular activation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the center-of-mass (COM) movement of children and young adults before, during, immediately after, and 5 min after 40-s WBV in quiet standing. Fourteen young adults (mean age 24.5 years) and fourteen children (mean age 8.1 years) participated in the study. A full-body 35-marker set was placed on the participants and used to calculate COM. Forty-second standing trials were collected before, during, immediately after, and 5 min after WBV with an frequency of 28 Hz and an amplitude of
Abstract 429: HDL Protects Against Polymicrobial-induced Sepsis in Mice

HDL has been considered a protective factor in sepsis, however, most contributing studies were conducted using endotoxic animal model; and evidence from clinically relevant septic animal models remains limited and controversial. Furthermore, little is known about the roles of HDL in sepsis other than LPS neutralization. In this study, we employed cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), a clinically relevant septic animal model and utilized ApoA-I knockout (ApoA-I KO) mice and ApoA-I transgenic (ApoA-I-tg) mice to elucidate the roles of HDL in sepsis. ApoA-I KO mice were more susceptible to CLP-induced septic death as shown by 47.1% survival of ApoA-I KO mice versus 76.7% survival of C57BL/6J (B6) mice (p = 0.038). ApoA-I KO mice had exacerbated inflammatory cytokine production during sepsis compared with B6 mice. Further study indicated that serum from ApoA-I KO mice displays less capacity for LPS neutralization compared with serum from B6 mice. In addition, ApoA-I KO mice had moderately impaired LPS clearance and a significant reduction in corticosterone generation in sepsis. In contrast to ApoA-I KO mice, ApoA-I-tg mice were moderately resistant to CLP-induced septic death compared with B6 mice. In conclusion, our findings reveal multiple protective roles of HDL in CLP-induced sepsis. In addition to its well-established role in neutralization of LPS, HDL exerts its protection against sepsis through promoting LPS clearance and modulating corticosterone production. Our study supports efforts to raise HDL levels as a therapeutic approach for sepsis.
Targeting Ras with Macromolecules

Activating Ras mutations are associated with ∼30% of all human cancers and the four Ras isoforms are highly attractive targets for anticancer drug discovery. However, Ras proteins are challenging targets for conventional drug discovery because they function through intracellular protein-protein interactions and their surfaces lack major pockets for small molecules to bind. Over the past few years, researchers have explored a variety of approaches and modalities, with the aim of specifically targeting oncogenic Ras mutants for anticancer treatment. This perspective will provide an overview of the efforts on developing "macromolecular" inhibitors against Ras proteins, including peptides, macrocycles, antibodies, nonimmunoglobulin proteins, and nucleic acids.
The End of Radicalism: “Throwing Oginga Odinga Under the Bus”

This chapter describes and analyzes the political and strategic initiatives of the British intelligence services and the CIA, to oust the radicals from the government and the KANU (the sole political party). A lot of attention is placed on efforts to oust Oginga Odinga from power. He had come to be identified by the British intelligence services and the CIA as an unacceptable symbol of radical nationalism and christened by these intelligence services as an intolerable communist. In the end, Kenyatta and the conservative nationalists threw Oginga “under the bus.” The power of political propaganda, employment of fear, political assassinations, and the propping up of Kenyatta and his conservative neo-colonial policies and the continental implications are discussed.
Golden Gate III, ERISA Preemption, and the San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance

An exploration of the most recent decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Golden Gate Restaurant Association v. City and County of San Francisco (Golden Gate III) indicates that ERISA Section 514(a) preempts the San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance. Two premises guide this exploration of Golden Gate III. First, employers' ongoing payments to health care administrators, such as insurance companies, constitute employee benefit "plans" for ERISA purposes. Second, employers' contributions are central features of their employee plans. This first premise indicates that a San Francisco employer which regularly contributes to San Francisco pursuant to that City's health ordinance thereby creates a "plan" for ERISA purposes. The ERISA status of this plan purchasing municipally-administered medical services is the same as the ERISA status of an analogous employer-financed plan paying a private administrator for comparable health care: As to all of these plans, ERISA Section 514(a) preempts state and local regulation. Moreover, it is not persuasive for purposes of ERISA Section 514 to say (as does the Ninth Circuit) that San Francisco, by its health care ordinance, regulates employers' health care contributions, but not employers' health care plans. Contributions are central features of employers' health care plans for their employees. By regulating employers' contributions, San Francisco regulates employers' plans.
Mechanochemical Treatment Facilitates Two-Step Oxidative Depolymerization of Kraft Lignin

Mechanochemical treatment of Indulin AT kraft lignin by ball-milling with KOH and toluene produces significant carbonyl functionality, among other changes. The chemical reactivity of the lignin is increased, resulting in greater lignin degradation from porphyrin oxidation followed by Baeyer–Villiger oxidation. The mechanochemical treatment produces a level of lignin oxidation that is similar to that produced by porphyrin-catalyzed oxidation. Combining mechanochemical treatment with porphyrin oxidation has a synergistic positive effect on the depolymerization of lignin, as demonstrated by a significantly higher yield of monomers. The methyl ester of vanillic acid was obtained as the main monomeric product (after methylation), along with of methyl 5-carbomethoxyvanillate, in a 10% yield, which is among the highest reported from kraft lignin.
Molecular Fitness Landscapes from High-Coverage Sequence Profiling

The function of fitness (or molecular activity) in the space of all possible sequences is known as the fitness landscape. Evolution is a random walk on the fitness landscape, with a bias toward climbing hills. Mapping the topography of real fitness landscapes is fundamental to understanding evolution, but previous efforts were hampered by the difficulty of obtaining large, quantitative data sets. The accessibility of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) has transformed this study, enabling large-scale enumeration of fitness for many mutants and even complete sequence spaces in some cases. We review the progress of high-throughput studies in mapping molecular fitness landscapes, both in vitro and in vivo, as well as opportunities for future research. Such studies are rapidly growing in number. HTS is expected to have a profound effect on the understanding of real molecular fitness landscapes.
PSMA-targeted [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT-avid lesions in a patient with prostate cancer: Clinical decision-making informed by the PSMA-RADS interpretive framework

Abstract We present the case of a man with oligometastatic prostate cancer who underwent a PSMA-targeted 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT scan in order to illustrate how the PSMA-RADS grading sytem can be successfully used to support clinical decision-making and treatment planning. Notably, the presented patient was found to have an equivocal bone lesion (PSMA-RADS-3B) which was further worked up with a tumor protocol MRI and found to be definitively benign (PSMA-RADS-1B) and thus removed from the oligometastatic treatment plan. Remaining avid lesions were incorporated into the treatment plan or deferred for later work-up or monitoring, as indicated within the PSMA-RADS framework.
Exploring the Doctor of Nursing Practice project facilitator/mentor role

Abstract Background The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) facilitator/mentor is a collaborative member of the project team, yet little has been reported about this role. This qualitative study explored the experiences of DNP project facilitators. Methods Focus groups were conducted using a purposeful sample of project facilitators. Focus group questions were developed using Gitlin, Lyons, and Kolodner's five-stage model of collaboration. Data were transcribed and content analyzed using Kruger and Casey methods. Results Three focus groups included 21 facilitators who were affiliated with an academic health system. Six themes emerged: (a) exploring student interest, (b) establishing a collaborative fit, (c) connecting with key stakeholders, (d) overcoming barriers, (e) role clarity, and (f) interaction. Conclusion DNP project facilitators have an important role not only in students’ formation, but also in contributing to the academic–practice partnership. The importance of the facilitator role as the student progresses through their DNP project cannot be overstated.
An Innovative Model for Training Orientation and Mobility Assistants

This article reports on a federally funded short-term project that developed and implemented a model to prepare orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists to train and supervise O&M assistants (OMA...
Meta-analysis of dye-based chromoendoscopy compared with standard- and high-definition white-light endoscopy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease at increased risk of colon cancer.

Background Patients with ulcerative colitis have an increased risk of colorectal cancer. We sought to assess the comparative efficacy of standard white-light endoscopy (SDWLE) or high-definition white-light endoscopy (HDWLE) versus dye-based chromoendoscopy through a meta-analysis and rate the quality of evidence using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) system. Methods A systematic review of the literature in PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science was performed in April 2018. The primary outcome was the number of patients in whom dysplasia was identified using a per patient analysis in randomized controlled trials (RCT) and analyzed separately for non-RCTs. Analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 reporting random-effects risk ratios. Results Of the 27,904 studies identified, 10 studies were included 6 of which were RCTs (3 SDWLE and 3 HDWLE). Seventeen percent (84/494) of patients were noted to have dysplasia using chromoendoscopy compared with 11% (55/496) with white-light endoscopy (relative risk [RR] 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-2.10). When analyzed separately, chromoendoscopy (n = 249) was more effective at identifying dysplasia than SDWLE (n = 248) (RR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.15-3.91), but chromoendoscopy (n = 245) was not more effective compared with HDWLE (n = 248) (RR, 1.36; 95% CI, 0.84-2.18). The quality of evidence was moderate. In non-RCTs, dysplasia was identified in 16% (114/698) of patients with chromoendoscopy compared with 6% (62/1069) with white-light endoscopy (RR, 3.41; 95% CI, 2.13-5.47). Chromoendoscopy (n = 58) was more effective than SDWLE (n = 141) for identification of dysplasia (RR, 3.52; 95% CI, 1.38-8.99), and chromoendoscopy (n = 113) was also more effective than HDWLE (n = 257) (RR, 3.15; 95% CI, 1.62-6.13). The quality of the evidence was very low. Conclusion Based on this meta-analysis, non-RCTs demonstrate a benefit of chromoendoscopy over SDWLE and HDWLE, whereas RCTs only show a small benefit of chromoendoscopy over SDWLE, but not over HDWLE.
Modeling-Driven Optimization of Mechanically Robust REBCO Tapes and Wires

The bending properties of RE-Ba-Cu-O (REBCO, RE = rare earth) coated conductors are a stringent constraint for coil and cable applications. While the use of thinner substrates reduces the stresses/strains in the REBCO layer, it is also possible to enhance the mechanical properties of these tapes by optimizing the stabilizer thickness in order to reduce the distance between the neutral axis and the REBCO layer. In this paper, we present both experimental and analytical results showing a significant improvement in the critical current (I c ) retention at small bend diameters (less than 2 mm) for tapes with various substrate thicknesses by using an optimized copper thickness on the REBCO side only. The presented analytical method accounts for the neutral axis shift caused by the progressive plastic deformation in the various layers (Hastelloy, silver, and copper). The Ic dependence of different substrate tapes on the thickness of single-sided electroplated copper stabilizer was measured at bending diameters ranging from 0.81 to 12.5 mm by means of a single-turn helical winding on a cylindrical former. The strains were then calculated and an optimized copper thickness is determined for the various configurations. Based on these results, an optimal design for ultra-small diameter REBCO wires is also presented.
Use of complementary/integrative methods: cancer survivors’ misconceptions about recurrence prevention

Many cancer survivors use complementary and alternative health methods (CAM). Because we are unaware of high-level evidence supporting CAM for preventing cancer recurrence, we studied post-treatment survivors who use CAM to assess (1) the percentage who included preventing recurrence as a motive for using CAM, (2) characteristics of survivors who use CAM intended to prevent recurrence, and (3) CAM domains associated with use for recurrence prevention. We studied participants in the American Cancer Society’s Study of Cancer Survivors-I (nationwide study of adult survivors) who used CAM (excluding osteopathy, yoga, tai chi, or qi gong users, as well as anyone whose only reported CAM was prayer/meditation). Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine associations of independent variables with CAM use for recurrence prevention. Among 1220 survivors using CAM, 14.8% reported recurrence prevention as a reason for CAM use (although only 0.4% indicated this was their only reason). The following were independently associated with odds of CAM use to prevent recurrence: not being married/in a marriage-like relationship (OR = 1.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05–2.23), using mind–body (OR = 1.65, 95% CI 1.08–2.51) or biologically based (OR = 4.11, 95% CI 1.96–8.59) CAM and clinically relevant fear of recurrence (OR = 1.96, 95% CI 1.38–2.78). Approximately 1/7 of survivors who use CAM have unrealistic expectations about CAM reducing recurrence risk. This expectation is strongly associated with the use of biologically based CAM. Patient education should support informed decisions and realistic expectations regarding any complementary/integrative or mainstream/conventional clinical intervention.
Does Informant-Based Reporting of Cognitive Symptoms Predict Amyloid Positivity on Positron Emission Tomography?

Abstract Introduction Researchers are searching for clinical instruments to predict amyloid positivity for disease classification. Informant-based reports could detect disease status. This study compares subjective memory complaints captured by informant-based reports between positron emission tomography (PET)–positive and PET-negative patients and hypothesizes that amyloid PET positivity associates with increased informant-based cognitive complaints. Methods Ninety-eight amnestic mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia subjects were studied. Subjective report was captured by the informant-driven Alzheimer's Questionnaire (AQ) administered before PET. Differences in demographics and AQ score by diagnostic status and amyloid status were measured, and a receiver-operating characteristic curve was calculated. Results Sixty-five mild cognitive impairment/Alzheimer's disease amyloid PET-positive and 33 amyloid PET-negative subjects were included. AQ was significantly higher (12.51 ± 4.95) for amyloid PET-positive subjects (9.06 ± 3.65; P = .001). Conclusions Amyloid PET-positive subjects with Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment have more informant-based reports of cognitive decline, indicating utility for a brief informant measure.
Perioperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation technique for the marginal donor heart transplantation: a report of 4 cases

Objective To investigate the clinical results of the perioperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)technique instead of conservative CPB used in the heart transplantation operation with long ischemic time donor hearts.Methods In 2006 the ECMO technique instead of conservative CPB was tried in the heart transplantation in 4 cases of long ischemic time donor hearts with ischemic time arranging from 4.8 to 8.0 h.During the operation the pump blood flow rate was controlled at 4.5-5.0 L/min. The conservative ECMO canula connection was retained after the assisted blood flow was reduced to one half after the operation.Then the patients returned back to ICU with the ECMO assistance and the ECMO was removed in the following suitable time.Results Totally 4 cases of heart transplantation were performed with the ECMO techniques instead of the CPB.All the hearts rebeated automatically after the successful operation.The mean cross clamp time was(90±3)min with on pump(136±14)min.The femoral artery blood flow rate during the ECMO machines were removed the next day.All the recipients recovered without right ventricular failure or obvious tricuspid regurgitation which were commonly seen after heart transplantation Postoperative bleeding occurred in 2 cases and lymphoid leakage and leg nerve overreact phenomenon in 1 case respectively.All the 4 cases discharged with NYHA Ⅰ/Ⅱcardiac function without tricuspid regurgitation.The mean left ventricle end-diastolic dimension was 37-43 mm and the left ventricle ejection fraction arranged from 56% to 64 %.Conclusion Replacing the routine CPB with ECMO techniques in the heart transplantation could effectively protect the donor hearts even with long cold ischemic time and improve the cardiac function recovery. Key words: Heart transplantation; Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
THE MORTALITY COST OF EXPENDITURES

This paper updates the mortality cost of expenditures, which has relevance to a broad range of policies, including regulations, wars, and COVID-19 restrictions. Because changes in income lead to changes in mortality risk, health investments costing more per life saved than a threshold cost-per-life-saved cutoff level are expected to increase mortality risk. This article discusses the mechanisms driving this relationship and provides recent empirical support. The 2019 cost-per-life-saved cutoff level at which expenditures increase mortality risk has a lower bound of $83.1 million and an upper bound of $133.8 million, with a midpoint of $108.5 million. (JEL D61, I18, J17, K32).
Optic disc dose reduction in ocular brachytherapy using(125)I notched COMS plaques: A simulation study based on current clinical practice

PURPOSE Although notched Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS) plaques have been widely used, optic disc dose reduction by notched COMS plaques has not been discussed in the literature. Therefore, this study investigated optic disc dose reduction in ocular brachytherapy using 125 I notched COMS plaques in comparison with optic disc dose for 125 I standard COMS plaques. METHODS For this simulation study, an in-house brachytherapy dose calculation program was developed using MATLAB software by incorporating the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group-43 Update (AAPM TG-43U1) dosimetry formalism with a line source approximation in a homogeneous water medium and COMS seed coordinates in the AAPM TG 129. Using this program, optic disc doses for standard COMS plaques (from 12 to 22 mm in diameter in 2 mm increments) and notched COMS plaques with one seed removed (Case #1, from 12 to 22 mm) and with two seeds removed (Case #2, from 14 to 22 mm) were calculated as a function of tumor margin-to-optic disc distance (DT) for various tumor basal dimensions (BDs) for prescription depths from 1 to 10 mm in 1 mm intervals. A dose of 85 Gy for an irradiation time of 168 h was prescribed to each prescription depth. Then absolute and relative optic disc dose reduction by notched COMS plaques (Cases #1 and #2) was calculated for all prescription depths. RESULTS Optic disc dose reduction by notched COMS plaques (Cases #1 and #2) had five unique trends related to maximum optic disc dose reduction and corresponding optimal DT for each BD in each plaque. It increased with increasing prescription depth. CONCLUSIONS The results presented in this study would enable the clinician to choose an adequate plaque type among standard and notched 125 I COMS plaques and a prescription depth to minimize optic disc dose.
The Domestic Effects of Foreign Capital: Public Debt and Regional Inequalities in Late Qing China

This chapter examines how the imposition of modern public debt in late nineteenth-century China brought spatial and social reorientation of fiscal resources across the Qing empire. It contrasts the new debt regime with elements of active redistribution in established frameworks of pre-1850 public finance, emphasizes the role public debt played in reconfiguring governing priorities and power dynamics between post-1850s interest groups, and highlights a growing concentration of fiscal resources in southeastern coastal regions. In shifting from a spatial-based framework of inter-provincial fiscal transfers to a temporal-based framework of modern public debt, the Qing government faced an erosion of their traditional claims on political legitimacy through dynastic loyalties and benevolent governance, to be superseded by a liberal-nationalist discourse of efficiency in public debt usage and preserving national sovereignty. These competing discourses, this chapter suggests, shaped the contours of engagement with modern public debt in twentieth-century China.