cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genome mining unearths a hybrid nonribosomal peptide synthetase-like-pteridine synthase biosynthetic gene cluster.

Many bacteria produce small molecules that can be used as a basis for developing new drugs. The instructions for the pathways that make these molecules are stored in the genome – the complete set of genetic material – of the bacteria. With the advancements in genome sequencing over the last decade, these instructions are becoming much more readily available in sequence databases. “Genome mining” is a strategy that involves searching these databases to identify unknown biochemical pathways and help to characterize them. This strategy could help us to discover many more ecologically and medically relevant molecules. A bacterium called Photorhabdus luminescens produces many antibiotics and other molecules that play a variety of roles in the bacterium’s lifecycle. The bacteria live in the gut of roundworms, and the two species have a mutually beneficial relationship where they help each other to acquire food. However, the bacteria are less friendly to the insects that the roundworms infect. When P. luminescens is released into the body of an insect, it takes on a disease-causing form and releases toxic molecules that kill the insect. Park, Perez et al. have now used genome mining to identify a biochemical pathway in P. luminescens that combines the pathways used to create two different types of small molecules produced by the bacteria. This “hybrid” pathway produces a new set of molecules – called pepteridines – that are released by the disease-causing form of the bacteria. Park, Perez et al. also identified a regulator protein that controls the hybrid pathway. This regulator is known to help the bacteria to change into the form that kills insects. The pathway also affects the production of proteins known to be involved in “quorum sensing”. In this process, bacteria use a diverse set of chemical signals to report how many other bacteria are nearby, which enables the bacteria to launch coordinated biological responses – for example, releasing toxic molecules – when their numbers are great enough. In the future, further experiments will be pursued to rigorously characterize how the components of the new hybrid pathway work together. While the hybrid pathway responsible for the production of the pepteridines serves as one example of the utility of genome mining, there is still much room for further discovery. Applying a similar strategy to different organisms has the potential to uncover other pathways of biomedical relevance.
Defining the Physical Education Class as a Non-athletic, Non-competitive Activity

The issue in this case was whether participation in a weightlifting activity that fulfilled a physical education requirement, wherein students were not in competition with one another, constituted “participation in an athletic contest” pursuant to Oklahoma statute § 155(20).
Novel magnesium-seamed organic nanocapsules with hierarchical structural complexity.

Enhancing hierarchical structural complexities of metal–organic nanocapsules is an effective way of introducing new functions and properties. Herein, we present the synthesis of novel magnesium-seamed C-alkylpyrogallol[4]arene nanocapsules with hierarchical structural complexity via both exterior and endohedral functionalization. The exterior functionalization is realized by using a variety of covalently modified pyrogallol[4]arene ligands, while the endohedral functionalization is achieved via coordination-driven self-assembly. Especially, functionalization of nanocapsule interior by attaching a proline hexad via metal coordination will shed light to the design and synthesis of metal–organic species with heteroligated architectures.
Game theoretic approach for wireless virtualization with coverage and QoS constraints

Wireless network virtualization is an emerging paradigm to improve spectrum utilization by sharing wireless resources through slicing. In this paper, we investigate interactions between mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and users as a Stackelberg game. We leverage wireless virtualization while creating MVNOs that provide wireless coverage by subleasing the frequencies from owners of wireless infrastructures and announce it along with spectrum usage per-unit price to the users. Traditional wireless network providers or owners of the wireless infrastructure divide and reconfigure their RF bands to sublease to MVNOs based on service level agreements while keeping enough RF bands to their own users. Users maximize their rates by satisfying their imposed coverage, quality-of-service (QoS) and budget constraints. Performance of the users and MVNOs is evaluated using numerical results obtained from Monte Carlo simulations.
Complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Glaucosoma buergeri (Pempheriformes: Glaucosomatidae) with implications based on the phylogenetic position.

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of pearl perch (Glaucosoma buergeri) was determined using a PCR-based method. The genome was 16,529 bp in length and included 37 genes (13 protein-coding ...
Developments in developmental research and theory

ABSTRACTFostered in important respects by the lifespan movement, the study of behavioral development now places much more emphasis on individuality and plasticity than was the case for many decades...
Gender-Transformative Structural Interventions to Advance South African Women’s Capabilities

This chapter focuses on structural interventions undertaken in community settings. Assumptions, evolution in concepts, criteria for, and examples of, two gender-transformative interventions that advance women’s health and capabilities are presented. The evidence of the interventions’ effectiveness and their limitations are highlighted. Together, the two case studies indicate that GTIs can directly enhance women’s capabilities of bodily health and bodily integrity by reducing HIV and IPV risk, reshaping gender norms and supporting gender equality. Distinctive features that underpin the ability of these GTIs to be effective at creating structural level change are identified. The chapter closes with additional debates and key challenges.
A novel tricarbonylmethane agent (CMC2.24) reduces human pancreatic tumor growth in mice by targeting Ras.

Pancreatic Cancer (PC) is a deadly disease in need of new therapeutic options. We recently developed a novel tricarbonylmethane agent (CMC2.24) as a therapeutic agent for PC, and evaluated its efficacy in preclinical models of PC. CMC2.24 inhibited the growth of various human PC cell lines in a concentration and time-dependent manner. Normal human pancreatic epithelial cells were resistant to CMC2.24, indicating selectivity. CMC2.24 reduced the growth of subcutaneous and orthotopic PC xenografts in mice by up to 65% (P < 0.02), and the growth of a human patient-derived tumor xenograft by 47.5% (P < 0.03 vs vehicle control). Mechanistically, CMC2.24 inhibited the Ras-RAF-MEK-ERK pathway. Based on Ras Pull-Down Assays, CMC2.24 inhibited Ras-GTP, the active form of Ras, in MIA PaCa-2 cells and in pancreatic acinar explants isolated from Kras mutant mice, by 90.3% and 89.1%, respectively (P < 0.01, for both). The inhibition of active Ras led to an inhibition of c-RAF, MEK, and ERK phosphorylation by 93%, 91%, and 87%, respectively (P < 0.02, for all) in PC xenografts. Furthermore, c-RAF overexpression partially rescued MIA PaCa-2 cells from the cell growth inhibition by CMC2.24. In addition, downstream of ERK, CMC2.24 inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation levels at the serine 727 residue, enhanced the levels of superoxide anion in mitochondria, and induced intrinsic apoptosis as shown by the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytosol and the further cleavage of caspase 9 in PC cells. In conclusion, CMC2.24, a potential Ras inhibitor, is an efficacious agent for PC treatment in preclinical models, deserving further evaluation.
New Deep Neural Networks for Protein Model Evaluation

Computational protein structure prediction is one of the most important problems in bioinformatics. In the process of protein three-dimensional structure prediction, assessing the quality of generated models accurately is crucial. In recent years, deep neural networks have obtained good results for various structure prediction related problems. In this paper, two new deep neural network structures are developed, trained and tested for single-model quality assessment. These two networks are based on a comprehensive set of model structure features, such as predicted and real secondary structure and solvent accessibility, distance matrix and ϕ, ψ angle. For each model, using these features as inputs, trained deep neural networks are able to predict a quality score in the range of [0, 1]. Experimental results show that the deep neural networks obtained excellent results, comparable with existing state of art single-model QA methods on CASP 12 dataset.
Diagnostic Accuracy of Electromyography Referrals, with a Focus on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (P6.132)

Objective: To review electromyography (EMG) referrals and assess clinician accuracy and effectiveness of the studies. Background: EMG is a costly and often painful diagnostic examination. Therefore, referrals for EMG must be relevant and likely to produce a significant result. Understanding the referral process is paramount to improving quality studies and furthering provider education. Design/Methods: A retrospective chart review examined six months of patient referrals (n=602) to an academic medical center. Data collected included referral question or symptoms, specialty referring, and diagnoses. Data were analyzed examining whether referrals matched the diagnosis, accuracy by subspecialty, and incidental findings (findings in a limb not described in the referral question). Results: Overall, 50.8% of referral questions matched the diagnoses found on EMGs. For specialties referring at least ten patients, neurology had the lowest referral match rate (40.3%), while orthopedics was most accurate (65.3%). When looking specifically at carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), there was an overall 69.8% referral match rate. Here, orthopedics had the lowest referral match (59.4%), while neurosurgery ranked most accurate (76.9%). Additionally, there were 130 incidental CTS diagnoses (21.6% of all patients); 54 referred from primary care and 50 from neurology. Conclusions: Approximately half of EMG results did not correlate with the referral question, most commonly due to a normal test or incidental results. While at times referrals are made to disprove an unlikely diagnosis and thus searching for normal, often this mismatch is due to a lack of a clear question or misunderstanding what EMGs can diagnose. CTS is a more accurate referral, likely since this diagnosis has recognizable clinical findings. However, of concern is CTS found incidentally 20% of times, which can lead to additional medical burden and stressors in a patient’s life. Holding providers to a stricter eligibility for EMG referrals, as done in radiology, may improve EMG efficiency and decrease healthcare costs. Disclosure: Dr. Bhadola has nothing to disclose. Dr. Daniello has nothing to disclose.
On the Connections Between the Two Worlds

“Being” is the widest single category, and if “reality” is the name for it then there is no division but instead an equivalence of “being” with “reality”; and we say that anything that has being is real and we include in this category abstract objects, such as “circularity” or “binarity,” as well as concrete objects, and do not save reality only for what exists but apply it equally to what could exist; but if there is a division of “being,” then either both of the resultant parts are said to possess “reality” in which case it is not necessary to name it since the name would make no distinction, as for example in the case of possibility and actuality or the abstract and the concrete, which are the same with respect to “reality”; or one only is said to possess “reality,” in which case it must be named, as for example in the case of “reality” and “appearance” or “reality” and “illusion”; or it is not named, as for example in the case of “thought” and “extension,” in which “thought” is said to be superior to “extension” or “extension” superior to “thought” with “superior to” in what sense left undetermined if not indeterminate; and similarly in the case of three categories rather than two, and so forth.
The Meaning of the Mandatum: A Report on the Dialogue Between One Archdiocese and a Catholic University Faculty of Theology

In response to John Paul II’s Apostolic constitution, Ex Corde Ecclesiae, the bishops proposed a number of requirements, which were approved by the Vatican. One of the requirements was that Catholic theologians teaching courses in Catholic theology request a mandatum from their local bishop. This article examines the mandatum and its impact on Catholic higher education in general and on one university in particular.
Controversies in VTOS: Is There Ever a Role for Venous Stents in VTOS?

The bony venous thoracic outlet creates significant extrinsic force upon the subclavian vein, and intravascular stents in this location thus perform very poorly. There is some literature supporting the use of stents after decompression, but no level I evidence exists. At present the use of stents in venous thoracic outlet syndrome should not be considered until the bony thoracic outlet has been decompressed, and even then should be reserved for isolated cases with thorough followup.
Using self organizing maps to analyze demographics and swing state voting in the 2008 u.s. presidential election

Emergent self-organizing maps (ESOMs) and k-means clustering are used to cluster counties in each of the states of Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio by demographic data from the 2010 United States census. The counties in these clusters are then analyzed for how they voted in the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, and political strategies are discussed that target demographically similar geographical regions based on ESOM results. The ESOM and k-means clusterings are compared and found to be dissimilar by the variation of information distance function.
More Than the Sum of Its Parts: Single-Cell Transcriptomics Reveals Epidermal Cell States

Compared to mouse models, less is known about human epidermal cell states and differentiation. In this issue of Cell Reports, Cheng et al. (2018) dissect the cell states and heterogeneity in human epidermis with large-scale transcriptomics of 92,889 single epidermal cells from normal and inflamed skin.
Harmonic Circuit Self-Assembly in cTAM Models

We explore algorithmic self-assembly models for nanomanufacturing of electronic circuits akin to models for DNA self-assembly. Growth is controlled by thresholding of the energy required for attachments of new components to a growing assembly. We introduce two new families of such systems in one dimension (1D) and 2D, the so-called harmonic self-assemblers that generalize the new circuit tile assembly model (cTAM), and answer fundamental questions about the size and energy distribution of the assembly sequences and their steady state. As an application, we fully resolve the 1D electric circuit ladders.
Network Intrusion Detection System as a Service in OpenStack Cloud

Network intrusion detection system (NIDS) is indispensable for cloud computing providers to detect ongoing cyber attacks and deter future ones in the cloud computing era. To help cloud users to secure their tenant networks inside a computing cloud, a tenant-based NIDS service model has been proposed where NIDS services are deployed as virtual instances inside tenants. However, this approach imposes significant virtualization overhead at the cost of tenants, and the NIDS provision process can be time-consuming. In this work, we present an innovative service model for OpenStack clouds called Network Intrusion Detection System as a Service (NIDSaaS). NIDSaaS enables on-demand, quick deployment and termination of NIDS, while maintaining lightweight overhead for cloud hosts and tenants. In addition, NIDSaaS provides a straightforward command line interface (CLI) so that cloud administrators can easily integrate NIDS with their tenants. We have implemented a prototype of NIDSaaS and evaluated it on a multi-node OpenStack testbed. Our evaluation results show that NIDSaaS outperforms existing VM-based NIDS service approach substantially in terms of service launch time and resource usage.
Far Lateral Approach for Resection of Transverse Ligament Cyst.

Objectives This study was aimed to describe a far lateral approach for microsurgical resection of a transverse ligament cyst, with emphasis on the microsurgical anatomy and technique. Design A far lateral craniotomy is performed in the lateral decubitus position. After opening the dura laterally, dural sutures are placed for retraction. A stitch placed through the dentate ligament is advantageous to rotate the spinal cord to allow access to the ventral cyst. The cyst is marsupirlized and mass effect on the spinal cord is relieved. Photographs of the region are borrowed from Dr Rhoton's laboratory to illustrate the microsurgical anatomy. Participants The first author performed the surgery and edited the video. Chart review and literature review were performed by the other authors. Outcome Measures Outcome was assessed with postoperative neurological function. Results The patient was discharged home after an uneventful hospital course. At short-term follow-up, the patient had a significant improvement in postoperative strength. Conclusion The far lateral approach provides an adequate corridor to the ventrolateral brainstem in combination with utilization of the dentate ligament to reach ventral cysts compressing the spinal cord. An adequate understanding of the relevant microsurgical anatomy is a key to safe surgery in this region. The link to the video can be found at: https://youtu.be/5MGVPO2Q2pI .
Student Experiences in an Online First-Year Seminar Paired with Remedial Mathematics

Educational research has explored the influence of first-year seminars, online course delivery, and developmental coursework on first-year student success, yet there is limited research on how these educational components intersect. A collective case study approach was used to explore the experiences of students enrolled in an online first-year seminar that was paired with a developmental mathematics course. Students reported different motivating factors and expectations for enrolling in the course, yet all expressed a desire to improve their academic performance and confidence. These results help to inform how delivery of an online FYS can support the goals of students and institutions.
RAEMAP: Real-Time Advanced Eye Movements Analysis Pipeline

Eye-tracking measures enable means to understand the underlying covert processes engaged during inhibitory tasks which rely on attention allocation. We propose Real-Time Advanced Eye Movements Analysis Pipeline (RAEMAP) to utilize eye tracking measures as a valid psychophysiological measure. RAEMAP will include realtime analysis of the traditional positional gaze metrics as well as advanced metrics such as ambient/focal coefficient κ, gaze transition entropy, and index of pupillary activity (IPA). RAEMAP will also provide visualizations of calculated eye gaze metrics, heatmaps, and dynamic AOI generation in real-time. This paper will outline the proposed architecture of RAEMAP in terms of distributed computing, incorporation of machine learning models, and the evaluation to prove the utility of RAEMAP to diagnose ADHD in real-time.
Sources of 2,5-diaminoimidazolone lesions in DNA damage initiated by hydroxyl radical attack.

The present study reports radiation-chemical yields of 2.5-diaminoimidazolone (Iz) derivatives in X-irradiated phosphate-buffered solutions of guanosine and double-stranded DNA. Various gassing con...
Improving Postoperative Conversations With Families: What We Can Learn From Experience.

Abstract Background Postoperative conversations with families are an integral part of the patient–physician relationship. Faculty and resident surgeons alike agree on their importance; however, there is little exposure and formal training during residency training. This study explored faculty surgeons’ perspectives on common themes, impressions, and potential teaching points that could provide a basis for developing a comprehensive formal curriculum on postoperative conversations. Methods Interviews were conducted at a single teaching hospital with faculty surgeons with over 5 y of practice regarding important aspects and teaching points of postoperative conversations with families. Qualitative review was performed using thematic analysis to determine common themes regarding postoperative conversations with families. Results Based on interviews with 15 faculty surgeons, components of postoperative conversation with families were grouped into “what” (sharing data with the patient), “how” (creating an atmosphere, i.e., private, honest, with attention to empathy and reassurance), and “verify” (ensuring clear communication and comprehension). Faculty surgeons stated that challenges in postoperative conversations included discussing poor outcomes, reporting unexpected findings, and ensuring clear communication with families. When teaching residents, developing the appropriate atmosphere and rapport was most emphasized as well as need for additional practice. Yet, faculty frequently noted minimal exposure to these conversations during their residency and stated some logistical and trust barriers from preventing them as faculty to allow surgical trainees to participate in these postoperative conversations. Conclusions This study identified the themes to guide and challenges involved in postoperative conversations with families. Using this data, a complete curriculum could be developed to teach trainees the essential portions of this critical portion of patient care.
Schopenhauer on suicide and negation of the will

Schopenhauer's argument against suicide has served as a punching bag for many modern-day commentators. Dale Jacquette, Sandra Shapshay, and David Hamlyn all argue that the premises of this argument...
Liposomal Dual Delivery of Both Polysaccharide and Protein Antigens

Pneumococcal disease is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, a colonizing microorganism characterized by transitioning from a benign commensal to a virulent pathogen in the presence of suitable circumstances, which then poses a serious infectious disease threat afflicting millions of people. Especially affected are the young and elderly through outcomes that include pneumonia, bacteremia, meningitis, and otitis media. Current prevention vaccine options on the market contain capsular polysaccharides conjugated to the Diphtheria CRM197 protein (Pfizer) or are composed of only pneumococcal polysaccharides (Merck), and in both cases, limitations prevent the generation of comprehensive disease protection. Through the use of a liposomal carrier, we present an alternative methodology for producing a vaccine product via noncovalent colocalization of both polysaccharide and protein classes of complementary pneumococcal disease immunogens.
Simulation of Grid-Forming Inverters Dynamic Models using a Power Hardware-in-the-Loop Testbed

Modern power grids include a variety of renewable Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) as a strategy to comply with new environmental and renewable portfolio standards (RPSs) imposed by state and federal agencies. Typically, DERs include the use of power electronic (PE) interfaces to interact with the power grid. Recently this interaction has not only been focused on supplying maximum available energy, but also on supporting the power grid under abnormal conditions such as low voltage/frequency conditions or non-unity power factor. Over the last few years, grid-following inverters (GFLIs) have proven their value while providing these ancillary grid-support services either at residential or utility scale. However, the use of grid-forming inverters (GFMIs) is gaining momentum as the penetration-level of DERs increases and system inertia decreases. Under abnormal operating conditions, GFMIs tend to better preserve grid stability due to their intrinsic ability to balance loads without the aid of coordination controls. In order to gain and propose fundamental insights into the interfacing of GFMIs to real time simulation, this paper analyzes the dynamics of two different GFMI simulation models in terms of stability and load changes using a Power Hardware-in-the-Loop (PHIL) simulation testbed.
The transformation of hospital medicine to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic crisis

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is placing extraordinary strains not only on hospital-wide systems but most especially on hospital medicine across the nation. The specific challeng...
Gendered nostalgia: grassroots heritage tourism and (de)industrialization in Lota, Chile

This article discusses how residents in the ex-coal mining town of Lota mobilize nostalgia as a driving force to organize and challenge official industrial heritage tourism narratives and practices...
Cellular, physiological, and behavioral validation of a CRFR1:Cre-tdTomato transgenic rat for use in basic neuroscience research

Corticotropin-releasing factor type-1 receptors (CRFR1) are important for mediating the endocrine stress response, modulating synaptic transmission in the central nervous system, and are involved in mediating behaviors that include stress reactivity, anxiety, fear, pain, motivation, and addiction. Understanding the precise role of specific CRFR1 neuronal populations and circuits/networks in CRFR1-relevant behavior is limited by a lack of genetic access to CRFR1-expressing cells in rats. Here, we describe the generation and validation of a transgenic CRFR1:Cre-tdTomato rat line on a Wistar background. Within the central amygdala (CeA) of male and female CRFR1:Cre-tdTomato rats, we show that Crfr1 and Cre mRNA expression are highly colocalized and that CRFR1:Cre-tdTomato cells are largely confined to the medial subdivision of the CeA, consistent with CRF expression patterns in outbred animals. Using tdTomato fluorescent protein as a reporter, we measured membrane properties, inhibitory synaptic transmission, and CRF sensitivity in CeA CRFR1-expressing cells and found that these properties were similar to those previously reported in CRFR1:Cre mice, and that CeA CRFR1 neurons were excited by exogenous CRF application. We also show that stimulatory Gq-coupled DREADD receptors can be targeted to CeA CRFR1 cells via Cre-dependent expression and that these cells can be activated by clozapine-n-oxide (CNO) in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we report that DREADD-mediated activation of CeA CRFR1 cells increases anxiety-like behavior and increases nocifensive responses. Our results demonstrate the utility of this novel CRFR1:Cre-tdTomato transgenic rat line for studying the anatomy, physiology, and behavioral function of select CRFR1-expressing cell populations and circuits under normal conditions and in rat models of human disease.
CONSISTENT EXPECTATIONS EQUILIBRIA IN MARKOV REGIME SWITCHING MODELS AND INFLATION DYNAMICS

We study the existence of Stochastic Consistent Expectations Equilibria (SCEE) in linear Markov regime switching models. An SCEE exists when the model‐implied mean and first‐order autocorrelation coincide with those predicted by the agents via misspecified forecasting rules. For a simple regime‐switching monetary policy model, the parametric space where at least one SCEE exists is rather wide, and may extend well beyond the rational expectations equilibrium determinacy frontier. Misspecified expectations combined with regime switching yield a strong endogenous amplification mechanism that help generate the near unit root dynamics for inflation observed in the United States before the Great Moderation.
The Economics of Online Ad-Supported Services

The Internet did not create the ad-supported business model. However, a larger variety of ad-supported services have arisen and flourished online because the Internet’s functional and economic characteristics have made the ad-supported business model attractive in many online contexts. The existence of such services has provided substantial benefits for both users and advertisers. Government antitrust authorities should resist any temptation to modify antitrust policy toward online ad-supported services, as doing so would put these benefits at risk. There is nothing unique or special about online ad-supported services that would justify treating them differently than other types of businesses. Conduct in this context should be assessed by its effects on consumer welfare, and the same economic techniques used in other contexts are readily applicable to online ad-supported services.
Reducing storage costs for federated search of text databases

In environments containing many text search engines a federated search system provides people with a single point of access. When search engines are managed by independent organizations two key problems are discovering and representing the contents of each text database. Query-based sampling is a recent technique for discovering the contents of uncooperative databases so as to create database resource descriptions that support a variety of necessary capabilities. However, when the documents obtained by query-based sampling are very long, as is common in some government environments, disk storage costs can be surprisingly large. This paper investigates methods of pruning sampled documents to reduce storage costs. The experimental results demonstrate that disk storage costs can be reduced by 54-93% while causing only minor losses in federated search accuracy.
Growth and phenotypic characterization of Legionella species on semisolid media made with washed agar.

Legionella pneumophila (and 28 Legionella species) grew efficiently on charcoal-free, buffered yeast extract medium made with washed agar and without apparent loss of infectivity for U937 cells. Because charcoal-free, buffered yeast extract is transparent, it is a suitable base for indicator media and pigment detection. In standard media, charcoal apparently prevents agar contaminants from inhibiting Legionella growth. Images
Loading doses of aspirin and clopidogrel prior to Enterprise stent-assisted repair of intracranial aneurysm-a pilot study (P3.117)

Background: Antiplatelet regimen in stent-assisted treatment of intracranial aneurysm varies from center to center. There is no clear data regarding usage of loading dose of aspiring and clopidogrel in stent-assisted repair of aneurysm. Objectives: To evaluate the safety, feasibility and outcome of patients in loading dose of aspirin and clopidogrel in Enterprise stent-assisted repair of intracranial aneurysm. Methods: Consecutive patients underwent enterprise stent-assisted repair of aneurysm using loading doses of aspirin 324 mg and clopidogrel 300 mg prior to the procedure were enrolled. Patient’s demographics including intra-operative and post operative events were recorded. Outcome was measured using national institute of health stroke scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score. Results: 58 patients with mean age of 53 ± 13 underwent 67 stent-assisted procedures including two Y-stent neck reconstructions to treat 65 intracranial aneurysms. Stent deployment was achieved in all (98[percnt]) but one who underwent coiling of aneurysm. There was no intra-operative rupture or intracranial hemorrhage, small perioperative hemispheric subarachnoid hemorrhage was observed in one. Intra-operative asymptomatic left MCA branch occlusion developed in one who had failed deployment of sent. Patient’s MCA was recanalized using intra-arterial eptifibatide and discharged home in the following day with NIHSS 0. Post-operative thromboembolic events was observed in 2 cases (1.5[percnt]); both recovered completely (NIHSS 0, mRS 0) in 90 days. Immediate complete and near complete obliteration of aneurysm was observed in 66[percnt] and subtotal in 34[percnt]. There was no mortality or permanent disability in our series. 90 days mRS 0 and 1 was observed in 96[percnt] and mRS 2 in 4[percnt]. Conclusions: Loading dose of antiplatelet in Enterprise stent-assisted repair of intracranial aneurysm is not only safe and feasible but associated with good clinical outcome. Therefore, loading doses antiplatelets is an alternative option for patients who are candidates for stent-assisted repair of intracranial aneurysm. Disclosure: Dr. Lodi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Reddy has nothing to disclose. Dr. Devasenapathy has nothing to disclose. Dr. Shehadeh has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hourini has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chou has nothing to disclose.
Material Flow and Texture in Friction Extruded Wire

Friction extrusion is a solid state process that can produce high quality, fully consolidated wire from metal chips, powder or billet. In order to broaden the understanding of consolidation and material flow during this process flow visualization experiments were conducted during friction extrusion of AA6061 wire with AA2195 as a marker insert. Variations in material flow with changes in die geometry, rotation rate and extrusion force and location of marker insert are presented and discussed with reference to metallographic cross-sections of resulting wire and remaining billet. The shape of marker material in the wire and hence material flow and consolidation during extrusion is highly dependent on die rotation rate and extrusion force. Grain size and crystallographic texture development and their variation during wire extrusion of AA6061 and AA2195 are also elucidated.
Prospective investigation of nimodipine for acute vocal fold paralysis.

Introduction: Nimodipine has been shown to be beneficial for recovery from acute vocal fold paralysis (AVFP) in an animal model. Methods: prospective, open-label trial of patients with AVFP was performed using nimodipine. Consecutive patients were evaluated and offered nimodipine therapy. Results: Fifty-three patients were considered for treatment with nimodipine. Thirteen did not qualify for inclusion, 5 were lost to follow-up, and 7 had side effects requiring cessation of treatment. Thus 28 patients (30 paralyzed vocal folds) were analyzed. Eighteen of the paralyzed vocal folds experienced recovery of purposeful motion (60%). Historical controls and laryngeal electromyography meta-analysis suggest no more than a 20% recovery rate from AVFP. Conclusions: This open label study using nimodipine for treatment of AVFP demonstrates tripling of the recovery rate of vocal fold motion compared with historical controls. Further study in a randomized, controlled manner is warranted. Muscle Nerve 50: 114–118, 2014
Septic Abortion with Intact Fetal Membranes Caused by Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus

We report a case of septic abortion with intact fetal membranes caused by Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus in an 18-year-old woman who was 9 1/2 weeks pregnant.
Gas release and ordering of carbon in the Allende meteorite

An attempt is made to ascertain whether the inert gas atoms leave their carrier phases by volume diffusion, with intact internal phase frameworks, or are instead expelled from the solids as a results of substantial rearrangement, during release from samples of the Allende carbonaceous meteorite. Gas release over the 300-1100 C range was followed by Raman spectroscopic studies in the 1360 and 1580/cm wavelength bands of carbon. The results obtained indicate that the gas release at high temperatures is causally related to the ordering of carbon.
A Review of “To the Left of Inspiration: Adventures in Living with Disabilities”

One of the biggest problems I faced in writing this book was choosing a title to match its spirit. This is not a ‘walk on water’ book, as one of my friends calls books about disabilities. The only ...
Presynaptic calcium is increased during normal synaptic transmission and paired-pulse facilitation, but not in long-term potentiation in area CA1 of hippocampus

We examined the relationship between presynaptic calcium levels and postsynaptic potentials during normal synaptic transmission, paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), and long-term potentiation (LTP) in CA3-CA1 synapses of hippocampus. By selectively loading the presynaptic terminals with the calcium indicator fura-2, we simultaneously recorded a presynaptic calcium (Ca) transient and the corresponding field EPSP evoked by a single stimulus given to the Schaffer collateral-commissural pathway in guinea pig hippocampal slices. A volume average presynaptic Ca influx was obtained by taking the first time derivative of the Ca transient. Our data indicate that the synaptic transmission represented by the initial slope of the field EPSP is approximately proportional to the fourth power of the presynaptic Ca influx, the volume average Ca current. Our results in combination with similar findings at the squid giant synapse (Augustine et al., 1985b; Augustine and Charlton, 1986) suggest that the relationship between Ca influx and transmitter release is well conserved from the molluscan to the mammalian nervous system. A transient increase of the residual Ca level ([Ca]res) is generally thought to be the mechanism underlying PPF (Katz and Miledi, 1968; Charlton et al., 1982); however, the relationship between PPF and the presynaptic [Ca]res had not been examined before. Our results demonstrate that PPF is approximately linearly related to the [Ca]res. This finding further supports the residual Ca hypothesis for PPF. Accumulated evidence from other groups suggests that the presynaptic site contributes to the maintenance of LTP in CA3-CA1 synapses (Bekkers and Stevens, 1990; Malinow and Tsien, 1990); however, our data show that neither an increase of the Ca transient nor a sustained increase of the [Ca]res occurs in the presynaptic terminals during maintenance of LTP. This suggests that the presynaptic mechanism underlying LTP must be downstream to Ca influx.
Role of Divalent Ion Complex Formation in Pyran—Inhibition of Nucleic Acid Biosynthesis

The degree of inhibition of mammalian DNA-dependent RNA polymerases I and II and Moloney leukemia virus RNA-dependent DNA polymerase by pyran copolymer was dependent on the concentration of the divalent cation cofactor in the reaction mixture. Inhibition was completely blocked by an excess of divalent cations. It was concluded that pyran inhibited these enzymes by complexing with the essential divalent cation cofactor.
Semileptonic decay of baryons with two heavy quarks

Abstract We analyse the semileptonic decay between baryons containing two heavy quarks in the heavy quark limit. The matrix elements for such a decay are given in terms of the overlap of Coulomb wavefunction and the Isgur-Wise function and are absolutely normalised at the endpoint.
Hybrid resource allocation scheme in two-hop relaying WiMAX networks

In this paper, we consider resource allocation schemes in two-hop relaying WiMAX networks in order to maximize cell throughput, while serving the subscriber stations (SSs) in a fair manner. First we present two well-known schemes, namely, orthogonal and overlapped, according to the frequency reuse during the access zone intervals of downlink and uplink subframes. We then propose a hybrid resource allocation scheme to harmonize the orthogonal and overlapped schemes in order to improve the efficiency of resource utilization while minimizing interference. We evaluate the performance of our proposed hybrid scheme by comparing it with the optimal scheduling scheme as well as the orthogonal and overlapped schemes, in terms of cell throughput, outage rate, and computation time. The numerical results show that the proposed hybrid scheme achieves a higher throughput than the overlapped scheme while maintaining as low an outage rate as orthogonal scheme. In addition, the computational time is significantly less than the optimal scheme at the expense of minimal throughput degradation.
Quantitative analysis of photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM) datasets using pair-correlation analysis

Pointillistic based super-resolution techniques, such as photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM), involve multiple cycles of sequential activation, imaging, and precise localization of single fluorescent molecules. A super-resolution image, having nanoscopic structural information, is then constructed by compiling all the image sequences. Because the final image resolution is determined by the localization precision of detected single molecules and their density, accurate image reconstruction requires imaging of biological structures labeled with fluorescent molecules at high density. In such image datasets, stochastic variations in photon emission and intervening dark states lead to uncertainties in identification of single molecules. This, in turn, prevents the proper utilization of the wealth of information on molecular distribution and quantity. A recent strategy for overcoming this problem is pair-correlation analysis applied to PALM. Using rigorous statistical algorithms to estimate the number of detected proteins, this approach allows the spatial organization of molecules to be quantitatively described.
High resolution optical microscopy analysis of Influenza Virus A assembly

Novel, advanced imaging tools, like the subdiffraction-limit fluorescence microscopy techniques STORM/PALM (stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy/photoactivation localization microscopy) are exquisitely suited to illuminate and dissect the high complexity and molecular mechanisms of biological processes at nanoscopic scale. These techniques make use of activating only a subset of fluorescent molecules at a time, which allows determining their localization with nanometer precision. Here, we are applying these tools to study the intricate relationship of host-virus interactions at single-particle level, using Influenza virus A as model system.Influenza virions are formed at special “budding sites” at the host cell's plasma membrane but the exact molecular mechanisms and spatio-temporal order of virion assembly/egress are poorly characterized, while constituting attractive targets for anti-viral drugs. Here, we optically “dissect” these processes to obtain a comprehensive assembly model at nanoscale level. We analyzed the spatio-temporal distribution of viral components, including the “spike proteins” hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA), the capsid-forming matrix protein M1, and the nucleoprotein NP, the core of the viral ribonucleoparticles. Using immunofluorescence-based STORM, we detect the various viral constituents at the membrane with high molecular specificity and sensitivity at a resolution of ∼ 30nm. Viral protein clusters grow in a time-dependent fashion, with length scales of a few nanometers at early times post infection to dense clusters of several hundred micrometers after hours. Using multicolor-STORM, we can analyze the molecular composition of these clusters at different times, and find different size/shape characteristics for the different proteins. Furthermore, 3D-STORM imaging allows us to detect and to distinguish individual, micrometer-long HA-coated filaments emanating from the plasma membrane, and measure their cross-sections to ∼100 - 150nm. These subdiffraction-limit data serve us as invaluable basis to characterize of the assembly process in the cell context at nanoscopic detail.
Disorder-induced piezoelectric and piezo-optic effects: II. Piezoelectric effects in amorphous germanium dioxide, arsenic, and boric oxide

Abstract The disorder-induced piezoelectric coefficients, which are the absorptivities divided by the fourth power of the frequencies, of amorphous germanium dioxide, boric oxide, and arsenic, have been determined from the far-infrared spectrum of the sound waves. They are 29 × 10−6, 140 × 10-6, and 11 × 10-6 D2 μm-3 bar-2 (cm s-1)-1, respectively. If the effects of the transverse waves can be neglected, as will often be so to an approximation because shear waves are expected to be much weaker in absorption than longitudinal waves, the longitudinal disorder-induced piezoelectric coefficients, are 9.8, 48, and 2.8 D2 μm-3 bar-2, respectively, for amorphous germanium dioxide, boric oxide and arsenic.
Arterial pH, airway caliber and response to acetylcholine and catecholamines In vivo

Direct assessment of tracheal circumference, which permits evaluation of constriction and dilatation in vivo, was made continuously in intact, pentobarbital-anesthetized, spontaneously breathing dogs. Immediate response to induction of hypercapnia included tracheal constriction and cessation of normal, vagus-dependent rhythmicity of airway tone. The characteristic constrictor response to acetylcholine was exaggerated significantly during hypercapnic acidosis and returned to normal when arterial pH, but not CSF pH, was corrected by NaHCO3 infusion. Epinephrine produced significant tracheal dilatation (infrequently followed by constriction) and isoproterenol produced only dilatation at normal pH. The catecholamine-induced dilatation was decreased significantly during hypercapnic acidosis, but improved after NaHCO3 infusion. Responses to acetylcholine and epinephrine were the the same as control during alkalemia, whereas the response to isoproterenol was unexplainedly diminished. Thus alkalemia may inhibit the action of isoproterenol; acidemia enhances parasympathomimetic constriction and reduces sympathomimetic dilatation; and correction of arterial pH returns these responses to normal, even if hypercapnia and CSF acidosis persist.
A Characterization of Homology Manifolds

A homology «-manifold is a space which has the same local homology at each point as Euclidean n-space. The principal result of this paper is the characterization of triangulable homology manifolds by a global property: The rc-circuit X is a homology manifold if and only if the diagonal cycle A in X x X is Poincare dual to a cocycle with support A (Theorem 1). If X is a smooth manifold, this cocycle represents the Thorn class of the tangent bundle of X. The homological properties of Thorn classes have been studied by Milnor [13; §11] and Spanier [14; Chapter 6]. The proof is based on their techniques. A corollary of this proof is that an w-circuit X satisfies Poincare duality if and only if there is a class U dual to the diagonal which has a certain symmetry with respect to the canonical involution T on XxX; namely U-^V = U^T*V for all V (Proposition 1). Furthermore, for any ^-circuit X, the diagonal cycle is dual to some cocycle U, if coefficients are in a field (Proposition 2). Thus U\(XxX—A) is the " obstruction " to X being a homology manifold. Propositions 1 and 2 have been obtained independently by P. Holm [8]. The ideas of Lefschetz about intersection theory and the topology of algebraic varieties have been my constant guide (cf. [15]). Theorem 1 can be interpreted in terms of the intersection pairing (Theorem 3). This paper is a revised version of part of my doctoral thesis at Brandeis University [11], written under the supervision of Professor Jerome Levine. I have also been helped by the questions and suggestions of P. Lynch, D. Stone, A. Landman, and especially D. Sullivan. My viewpoint has recently been influenced by the work of I. Fary [3]. Homology will be singular homology throughout, with integer coefficients in §§1 and 2, and field coefficients in §§3 and 4. Sign conventions for products are those of [14].