cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigating vibrational relaxation in cyanide-bridged transition metal mixed-valence complexes using two-dimensional infrared and infrared pump-probe spectroscopies

Using polarization-selective two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) and infrared pump-probe spectroscopies, we study vibrational relaxation of the four cyanide stretching (νCN) vibrations found in [(NH3)5RuIIINCFeII(CN)5]− (FeRu) dissolved in D2O or formamide and [(NC)5FeIICNPtIV(NH3)4NCFeII(CN)5]4− (FePtFe) dissolved in D2O. These cyanide-bridged transition metal complexes serve as models for understanding the role high frequency vibrational modes play in metal-to-metal charge transfers over a bridging ligand. However, there is currently little information about vibrational relaxation and dephasing dynamics of the anharmonically coupled νCN modes in the electronic ground state of these complexes. IR pump-probe experiments reveal that the vibrational lifetimes of the νCN modes are ∼2 times faster when FeRu is dissolved in D2O versus formamide. They also reveal that the vibrational lifetimes of the νCN modes of FePtFe in D2O are almost four times as long as for FeRu in D2O. Combined with mode-specific relaxation dynamics measured from the 2D IR experiments, the IR pump-probe experiments also reveal that intramolecular vibrational relaxation is occurring in all three systems on ∼1 ps timescale. Center line slope dynamics, which have been shown to be a measure of the frequency-frequency correlation function, reveal that the radial, axial, and trans νCN modes exhibit a ∼3 ps timescale for frequency fluctuations. This timescale is attributed to the forming and breaking of hydrogen bonds between each mode and the solvent. The results presented here along with our previous work on FeRu and FePtFe reveal a picture of coupled anharmonic νCN modes where the spectral diffusion and vibrational relaxation dynamics depend on the spatial localization of the mode on the molecular complex and its specific interaction with the solvent.
Glycemic Control and Urinary Tract Infections in Women with Type 1 Diabetes: Results from the DCCT/EDIC

Purpose: We examined the relationship between glycemic control and urinary tract infections in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus.Materials and Methods: Women enrolled in the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications study, the observational followup of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, were surveyed to assess the rate of physician diagnosed urinary tract infections in the preceding 12 months. The relationship between glycated hemoglobin levels and number of urinary tract infections in the previous 12 months was assessed using a multivariable Poisson regression model.Results: A total of 572 women were evaluated at year 17. Mean age was 50.7 ± 7.2 years, mean body mass index was 28.6 ± 5.9 kg/m2, mean type 1 diabetes duration was 29.8 ± 5.0 years and mean glycated hemoglobin was 8.0% ± 0.9%. Of these women 86 (15.0%) reported at least 1 physician diagnosed urinary tract infection during the last 12 months. Higher glycated hemoglobin levels were significantly associated with numb...
Optimal Allocation of China's Foreign Reserve Assets under Global Financial Crisis

The outbreak of global financial crisis has exposed China's huge foreign reserve assets into a serious risk of loss.China's foreign reserve assets mainly consist of American T-bills,and imply credit risk,exchange rate risk,liquidity risk and the risk of loss from investment income.It's necessary to gradually reduce U.S.dollar assets,optimizing the allocation of foreign reserve assets.As for financial assets,advanced experience in Norway canbe drawn and other countries with establishment of different portfolio accounting for different demands;as for non-financial assets,we can partially convert foreign reserves into gold reserves,the reserves of strategic materials,as well as reserves for development capable of stimulating economic growth,establishing a comprehensive reserve system combining foreign reserves with gold reserves,the reserves of strategic materials and reserves for development.
Medullary Sponge Kidney and Congenital Hemihypertrophy: Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract We report 2 cases of associated medullary sponge kidney and congenital hemihypertrophy. The major clinical manifestations are reviewed. Mental retardation and neoplasms are less common in hemihypertrophy when associated with medullary sponge kidney.
Financial Market Stability, Monetary Policy, and The IMF

There are three central questions that I want to address today. The first is what is the role of monetary policy in economic performance and stability, especially in response to a crisis. I am going to argue1 that the use of monetary policy in response to the Asian Financial Crisis was worse than ineffective: it exacerbated the economic downturn and, worse still, contributed to global economic instability.
Touch recognition and learning from demonstration (LfD) for collaborative human-robot firefighting teams

In Navy human firefighting teams, touch is used extensively to communicate among teammates. In noisy, chaotic, and visually challenging environments, such as among fires on Navy ships, this is the only reliable means of communication. The overarching goal of this work is to augment Navy firefighting teams with an autonomous robot serving as a nozzle operator; to accomplish this, the robot must understand the tactile gestures of its human teammates. Preliminary results recognizing touch gestures have indicated the potential of such an autonomous system to serve as a nozzle operator in human-centric firefighting scenarios.
Eat Well, or Get Roommates Who Do.

In the January issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Griffin et al. (2017) report that the intestinal microbiome adapts to dietary practices. Restricted diversity induced by a typical American diet reflects a durable loss of taxa that is replenished only when dietary manipulation is accompanied by exposure to a healthier microbiota.
Amino Acid Differences in the 1753-to-1851 Region of TcdB Influence Variations in TcdB1 and TcdB2 Cell Entry.

ABSTRACT Clostridium difficile TcdB2 enters cells with a higher efficiency than TcdB1 and exhibits an overall higher level of toxicity. However, the TcdB2-specific sequences that account for more efficient cell entry have not been reported. In this study, we examined the contribution of carboxy-terminal sequence differences to TcdB activity by comparing the binding, uptake, and endosomal localization of TcdB1 and TcdB2 or selected recombinant fragments of these proteins. Our findings suggest that sequence differences in the amino acid 1753 to 1851 region proximal to the combined repetitive oligopeptide domain (CROP) support enhanced uptake of TcdB2 and localization of toxin in acidified endosomes. In the absence of this region, the CROP domains of both forms of the toxin exhibited similar levels of cell interaction, while the addition of amino acids 1753 to 1851 greatly increased toxin binding by only TcdB2. Moreover, the amino acid 1753 to 2366 fragment of TcdB2, but not TcdB1, accumulated to detectable levels in acidified endosomes. Unexpectedly, we discovered an unusual relationship between endocytosis and the efficiency of cell binding for TcdB1 and TcdB2 wherein inhibition of endocytosis by a chemical inhibitor or incubation at a low temperature resulted in a dramatic reduction in cell binding. These findings provide information on sequence variations that may contribute to differences in TcdB1 and TcdB2 toxicity and reveal a heretofore unknown connection between endocytosis and cell binding for this toxin. IMPORTANCE TcdB is a major virulence factor produced by Clostridium difficile , a leading cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Hypervirulent strains of C. difficile encode a variant of TcdB (TcdB2) that is more toxic than toxin derived from historical strains (TcdB1). Though TcdB1 and TcdB2 exhibit 92% overall identity, a 99-amino-acid region previously associated with cell entry and spanning amino acids 1753 to 1851 has only 77% sequence identity. Results from the present study indicate that the substantial sequence variation in this region could contribute to the differences in cell entry between TcdB1 and TcdB2 and possibly explain TcdB2’s heightened toxicity. Finally, during the course of these studies, an unusual aspect of TcdB cell entry was discovered wherein cell binding appeared to depend on endocytosis. These findings provide insight into TcdB’s variant forms and their mechanisms of cell entry.
Cholinomimetic Replacement of Cholinergic Function in Alzheimer Disease

Strong evidence in favor of the role of cholinergic deficits in memory loss and cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer disease (AD) has suggested cholinergic intervention as a means of reducing symptom intensity and improving function (Giacobini and Becker, 1989; Giacobini, 1990).
Abstract WP214: Innovative Presentation of Stroke Symptoms Improves Stroke Awareness Among African American Women

Background: African American women exhibit low stroke awareness in national surveys. Public education materials may not provide meaningful representations of stroke symptoms for African American wo...
College as a Turning Point: Crime Deceleration as a Function of College Attendance and Improved Cognitive Control

Using 1,016 male participants from the pathways to desistance sample, the current investigation assessed two different pathways, one of which ran from college attendance at age 19 to cognitive cont...
Functional outcomes in pediatric severe sepsis: further analysis of the researching severe sepsis and organ dysfunction in children: a global perspective trial.

Objective Evaluate risk factors for poor functional outcome in 28 day survivors after an episode of severe sepsis.
Typicality and Predictive Distributions in Discriminant Function Analysis

While discriminant function analysis is an inherently Bayesian method, researchers attempting to estimate ancestry in human skeletal samples often follow discriminant function analysis with the calculation of frequentist-based typicalities for assigning group membership. Such an approach is problematic because it fails to account for admixture and for variation in why individuals may be classified as outliers or nonmembers of particular groups. This article presents an argument and methodology for employing a fully Bayesian approach in discriminant function analysis applied to cases of ancestry estimation. The approach requires adding the calculation, or estimation, of predictive distributions as the final step in ancestry-focused discriminant analyses. The methods for a fully Bayesian multivariate discriminant analysis are illustrated using craniometrics from identified population samples within the Howells published data. The article also presents ways to visualize predictive distributions calculated in more than three dimensions, explains the limitations of typicality measures, and suggests an analytical route for future studies of ancestry and admixture based in discriminant function analysis.
The Inter Relationship Between Alliances and Acquisitions: An Integrated Perspective

In this research, we study how alliances and acquisitions are used synergistically with each other as a firm grows in a focal market. We examine two questions: (1) How do prior alliances and acquis...
Safety and Efficacy of Combined Transarterial Embolization and Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation for Liver Tumors Using Cone-Beam CT and Needle Navigation Software in a Single Session

PURPOSE To assess the safety and efficacy of single-session transarterial embolization and radiofrequency (RF) ablation for hepatic tumors with the use of needle navigation software. MATERIALS AND METHODS Retrospective analysis was conducted of 24 patients with liver cancer undergoing embolization followed by RF ablation between May 2014 and August 2017. Twelve patients each underwent (i) embolization and computed tomography (CT)-guided RF ablation during different sessions (group 1) and (ii) embolization followed by RF ablation with cone-beam CT and Needle Assist software in 1 session (group 2). Median age (70.5 y [range, 58-78 y] vs 70.5 y [range, 50-82 y]; P = .76) and performance status (0/1) were comparable between groups. Median tumor size was significantly larger in group 2 (2 cm [range, 1.0-7.3 cm] vs 3.2 cm [range, 1.1-9.6 cm]; P < .03). Procedure time, effective dose, and number of scans were examined. Efficacy was assessed by modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors after 1 month. Safety was assessed by Society of Interventional Radiology adverse event classification. RESULTS Group 1 had a mean of 8.5 CT scans, vs a mean of 5.0 cone-beam CT scans in group 2 (P < .001). Median procedure times were 110 min in group 1 and 199.5 min in group 2 (P < .001). Median effective doses were 68.8 mSv in group 1 and 55.4 mSv in group 2 (P = .38). There was no difference in complete response between groups (66.7% vs 63.6%; P = 1). CONCLUSIONS Transarterial embolization followed by RF ablation with cone-beam CT and needle guidance software in a single session seems to be safe and effective.
Older Drugs With Limited Trial Evidence: Are They Worth the Expense? The Case of Repository Corticotropin Marketed as H.P. Acthar Gel.

Repository corticotropin (rACTH), a long-acting form of corticotropin approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1952, was once used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory c...
Dissecting Structure and Function of DNA·RNA Hybrids

DNA·RNA hybrids are non-canonical nucleic acid structures of fundamental importance for gene regulation and disease. In this issue of Chem, Terrazas et al. investigate the origins and biological consequences of the DNA·RNA asymmetry and deliver novel insights for improving applications of key enzymes, such as RNase H and CRISPR-Cas9.
Is the Ability to Pay Principle Ethically Bankrupt

The cost-benefit approach takes as its premise the view that people should pay taxes based on the benefits they receive from government. If you receive benefits, you should pay for them. This approach seems fair, since any other alternative would be to charge people for the costs of government on some basis other than benefit. Some people would pay more than what they get in services while others would pay less. Those who pay more are exploited, while those who pay less are parasites.
Treatment Planning for Charged Particle Radiotherapy

This lecture will cover the general principles involved in treatment planning for charged particle radiotherapy. Development of treatment planning codes for charged particle radiotherapy is being actively pursued at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Cyclotron (protons), at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) and at SIN (pions), and at the Lawrence Berkeley laboratory (LBL) (heavy ions). The general outline of the presentation will include (1) a review of beam properties and depth dose distributions used in treatment planning, (2) the use of CT as a quantitative method for evaluating the relative stopping powers of inhomogeneities. (3) treatment planning algorithms currently in use, (4) representative treatment plans and distribution of inhomogeneities, and (5) factors which affect compensator design (such as possible motions, compensator misregistrations, and multiple Coulomb scattering).
EZH2 Overexpression in Multiple Myeloma: Prognostic Value, Correlation With Clinical Characteristics, and Possible Mechanisms.

Abstract Background EZH2 is a histone methyltransferase that suppresses genes involved in cell cycle control. Overexpression of EZH2 has been associated with a poor prognosis in various malignancies. Pawlyn et al recently reported poor outcomes in patients with multiple myeloma and overexpression of EZH2. In order to validate these findings, we analyzed EZH2 expression and outcomes among patients from the CoMMpass study. Patients and Methods We extracted clinical, expression, and genomic data from Interim Analysis 13 of the MMRF CoMMpass study, which harbors data from over 1000 patients with multiple myeloma. Correlations were drawn between EZH2 expression and common genetic mutations. We analyzed the association of EZH2 overexpression with progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results The estimated median PFS for patients with EZH2 overexpression was 20.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 16.3-25.5 months) compared with 37.2 months (95% CI, 31.5-40.7 months) for patients without (P Conclusion EZH2 overexpression is associated with worse outcomes among patients with multiple myeloma from the CoMMpass study. Its known association with p53 and other drivers of malignancy support further lab-based and clinical study in multiple myeloma.
Current Issues in Scientific Publishing

In May of 2019, I lost a long-time friend, the Journal of Bacteriology (JB) lost a great 7 Editor, and the scientific community lost a magnificent scientist.…
A Low Power Bluetooth Low-Energy Transmitter with a 10.5nJ Startup-Energy Crystal Oscillator

This paper presents a low power, fully-integrated Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) transmitter (TX) for Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications. The complete BLE TX achieves a total energy per bit of 3.5nJ in an open-loop transmission scheme due to the ultra-low startup energy of the system. The overall system architecture of the BLE TX includes an RF front-end, a 16 MHz crystal oscillator (XO), a GFSK modulator, and a digital baseband including a SPI interface. An enhanced capacitively loaded three-stage inverter chain XO is proposed, featuring a 10.2nJ startup-energy, a 150μs startup time, and a 70μW steady-state power. The steady-state frequency inaccuracy of the XO is 14 ppm with less than 26ps cycle-to-cycle jitter. The BLE TX is fabricated in 65nm CMOS technology and it consumes an average power of 2.17mW to transmit an advertisement packet consisting of 368 bits entirely over 600μs including the startup time. Duty-cycling operation is implemented through power gating achieving an average power consumption of 3.72μW (1.86× sleep power) when transmitting a BLE advertising message every 753ms. In our target application, by using these techniques, we are able to extend a common coin battery’s lifetime to more than 20 years.
The Grieving Child in the Classroom: A Guide for School-Based Professionals

The Grieving Child in the Classroom integrates the latest research on children’s bereavement and adapts it for use in the classroom. Chapters tackle the neurological, cognitive, emotional, and social effects of childhood grief and demonstrate the ways in which those reactions can manifest in the classroom. By recognizing individual differences in coping styles and considering variables such as developmental stage, nature of the loss, and availability of support, teachers and staff can become better equipped to respond to the bereaved child’s needs. The book incorporates theoretical explanations of grief responses as well as practical suggestions for supporting bereaved children in real-world settings. Whether the loss affects one child or the entire student body, educators can turn to this comprehensive guidebook for ways to support grieving students in their classrooms.
Shopping Streets and Neighborhood Identity: Retail Theming as Symbolic Ownership in New York:

As the economies of production and trade have dwindled in Western cities, urban locales have had to capitalize on other opportunities for growth. Middle and upper class consumers are now sought aft...
Correction of the Neglected Clubfoot in the Adolescent and Adult Patient

Clubfoot is a complex 4-dimensional deformity involving the hindfoot, midfoot, and forefoot. The fourth dimension is time. Treatment aims at achieving a pain-free, plantigrade, and mobile foot but, over time, flexible deformities become fixed and more difficult to manage. The Ponseti method of serial manipulation and casting can be used successfully in older children and may reduce the need for extensive open surgery. Alternatively, gradual correction of by an external device enables simultaneous correction of all components of the deformity without shortening the foot. Combining gradual soft tissue distraction with open releases and/or bony procedures may achieve a pain-free and plantigrade foot.
Optical and Electrical Analysis of Core-Shell ZnO/ZnTe Micropillar Solar Cells

This paper presents an investigation on the effects of micropillar physical parameters (height, pitch and diameter) on the optical and electrical performance of ZnO/ZnTe core-shell micropillar solar cells. It also studies the effect of the doping level in the absorber layer on the device’s performance considering the impact of Auger’s recombination. A Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) solver, Lumerical, is used for the numerical analysis. Based on the range of parameters analyzed it was concluded that for a core-shell ZnO/ZnTe micropillar solar cell a 4 $\mu \text{m}$ height, a 0.5 $\mu \text{m}$ pitch, a 70 nm ZnTe shell thickness and a $2.16 \times 10^{19}$ cm $^{-3}$ doping concentration for ZnTe achieves an efficiency of 17%.
1-Bit Compressive Sensing via Approximate Message Passing with Built-in Parameter Estimation.

1-bit compressive sensing aims to recover sparse signals from quantized 1-bit measurements. Designing efficient approaches that could handle noisy 1-bit measurements is important in a variety of applications. In this paper we use the approximate message passing (AMP) to achieve this goal due to its high computational efficiency and state-of-the-art performance. In AMP the signal of interest is assumed to follow some prior distribution, and its posterior distribution can be computed and used to recover the signal. In practice, the parameters of the prior distributions are often unknown and need to be estimated. Previous works tried to find the parameters that maximize either the measurement likelihood or the Bethe free entropy, which becomes increasingly difficult to solve in the case of complicated probability models. Here we propose to treat the parameters as unknown variables and compute their posteriors via AMP as well, so that the parameters and the signal can be recovered jointly. This leads to a much simpler way to perform parameter estimation compared to previous methods and enables us to work with noisy 1-bit measurements. We further extend the proposed approach to the general quantization noise model that outputs multi-bit measurements. Experimental results show that the proposed approach generally perform much better than the other state-of-the-art methods in the zero-noise and moderate-noise regimes, and outperforms them in most of the cases in the high-noise regime.
Nonlinear interaction and turbulence transition in the limiting regimes of plasma edge turbulence

We study the nonlinear coupling mechanism and turbulent transition in magnetically confined plasma flows based on two representative limiting regime dynamics. The two-field flux-balanced Hasegawa–Wakatani (BHW) model is taken as a simplified approximation to the key physical processes in the energy-conserving nonlinear plasma flows. The limiting regimes separate the effects of finite non-adiabatic resistivity and extreme non-normal dynamics to enable a more detailed investigation on each individual aspect with the help of various mathematical tools. We adopt the strategy from the selective decay theory used for the simpler one-field system to develop new crucial a priori estimations in the two-field model framework. The competing effects from model dissipation, finite particle resistivity, as well as the nonlinear interaction with a zonal mean state to induce dual direction energy transports are characterized from the systematic analysis. Non-normal dynamics with aligned eigendirections is also shown to go through a sharp transition from turbulence to regularized zonal flows. The diverse phenomena implied from the limiting regime analysis are further confirmed from direct numerical simulations of the BHW model.
Strain engineering of the intrinsic spin Hall conductivity in a SrTiO 3 quantum well

The intrinsic spin Hall conductivity of a two-dimensional gas confined to ${\mathrm{SrTiO}}_{3}$, such as occurs at an ${\mathrm{LaAlO}}_{3}/{\mathrm{SrTiO}}_{3}$ interface, is calculated from the Kubo formula. The effect of strain in the [001] and the [111] directions is incorporated into a full tight-binding Hamiltonian for a quantum well with a [001] growth direction. We show that the spin-charge conversion ratio can be significantly altered through the strain and gate voltage by tuning the chemical potential. The strain direction is also a significant factor in the spin Hall response, as this direction affects the alignment of the conduction bands.
Thermoradiative Cell Equivalent Circuit Model

Thermoradiative cells provide a means of electricity generation through direct transfer of energy from heat flux at the cell to radiation from the cell to a colder ambient. While thermodynamic limits and detailed models have been developed for thermoradiative cells, intuitive models to guide the development of thermoradiative cells and associated circuits have not been established. This work presents an equivalent circuit model for thermoradiative cells based on the underlying thermodynamic device description and incorporation of parasitic nonradiative processes. The compact model combines common circuit elements and defines the specific quantitative parameters needed to describe the behavior of these devices, serving as an important tool for the development of thermoradiative energy devices and circuits.
Bioinspired nonwetting surfaces for corrosion inhibition over a range of temperature and corrosivity.

Abstract Applications of superhydrophobic (SHS) and lubricant infused surfaces (LIS) involve exposure to corrosive environments from the acidic to the basic, at a range of temperatures, that are not fully characterized. We present for the first time a multifactorial study of the effects of surface fabrication method, surface modification, surface functionalization time, temperature and pH of the immersion medium on the corrosion performance of nonwetting copper surfaces. Bioinspired SHS and LIS fabricated using facile methods of etching and electrodeposition are systematically assessed using potentiodynamic polarization measurements for their corrosion resistance in saline solution ( pH ≈ 7) over a temperature range 23–85 °C. SHS and LIS are shown to exhibit diminished corrosion rate, by up to two orders of magnitude, compared to bare copper surface. An Arrhenius model is developed for the first time, describing the temperature-dependent corrosion rate of SHS and LIS. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is used to show that corrosion resistance of LIS is larger by three orders of magnitude in extremely acidic ( pH = 1) and by an order magnitude in extremely alkaline ( pH = 14) media compared to bare copper surface. Etched LIS are generally more resistant to corrosion compared to SHS at all temperatures with excellent microstructural durability.
Recurrent urinary tract infection and estrogen shape the taxonomic ecology and functional potential of the postmenopausal urobiome

Community-acquired urinary tract infection (UTI) is among the most common bacterial infections observed in humans. Postmenopausal women are a rapidly growing and underserved demographic group who are severely affected by rUTI with a >50% recurrence rate. In this population, rUTI can persist for years, reducing quality of life and imposing a significant healthcare burden. rUTI is most often treated by long-term antibiotic therapy, but development of antibiotic resistance and allergy leave physicians with fewer treatment options. The female urobiome has been identified as a key component of the urogenital environment. However, structural and functional changes in the urobiome underlying rUTI susceptibility in postmenopausal women are not well understood. Here, we used strictly curated, controlled cross-sectional human cohorts of postmenopausal women, urobiome whole genome (shotgun) metagenomic sequencing (WGMS), advanced urine culturing techniques, extensive biobanking of >900 patient-derived urinary bacterial and fungal isolates, and mass spectrometry-based estrogen profiling to survey the urobiome in rUTI patients during infection relapse and remission as well as healthy comparators with no lifetime history of UTI. Our results suggest that a history of rUTI strongly shapes the taxonomic and functional ecology of the urobiome. We also find a putative protective commensal population, consisting of species known to convey protection against bacterial vaginosis such as Lactobacillus crispatus, within the urobiome of women who do not experience UTI. Integration of clinical metadata detected an almost exclusive enrichment of putative protective species belonging to the genus, Lactobacillus, in women taking estrogen hormone therapy (EHT). We further show that the urobiome taxonomic ecology is shaped by EHT, with strong enrichments of putatively protective lactobacilli, such as L. crispatus and L. vaginalis. Integrating quantitative metabolite profiling of urinary estrogens with WGMS, we observed robust associations between urobiome taxa, such as Bifidobacterium breve and L. crispatus, and urinary estrogen conjugate concentrations, suggesting that EHT strongly alters the taxonomic composition of the female urobiome. We have further used functional metagenomic profiling and patient-derived isolate phenotyping to identify microbial metabolic pathways, antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), and clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance phenotypes enriched between disease-states. Our data suggest distinct metabolic and ARG signatures of the urobiome associated with current rUTI status and history. Taken together, our data suggests that rUTI history and estrogen use strongly shape the functional and taxonomic composition of the urobiome in postmenopausal women.
Assessment of UHPC Bonded with FRP Bars

The bond of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) and basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP) bars embedded in ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is experimentally examined. This state-of-the-art concrete is mixed with steel fibers (2.3% by volume) and silica fume in addition to high-early strength cement, water, silica sand, and a high-range water reducer. Specifically, silica fume to cement ratios range from 20% to 40%. The topography of the reinforcing bars, measured in accordance with a standard method specified by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), indicates that GFRP has fluctuating elevations, while BFRP possesses a flat surface. Push-out bond tests characterize the failure modes of the UHPC-GFRP and -BFRP interfaces as well as their energy dissipation values. The amount of silica fume affects the load-bearing capacity of the interface, irrespective of bar type. Microscopic analysis exhibits residual resins, after the failure of the interface, and clarifies the influence of steel fibers on the bond between the concrete substrate and reinforcement.
41 – Alcohol, Alcoholism and Effects on the Kidney and Kidney Disease

This chapter reviews the diverse effects of alcohol, alcohol-mediated organ failure, and alcoholism, as they are related to the kidney and interactions in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Ethanol impacts the kidneys both directly and indirectly. Direct effects of alcohol include—alterations in magnesium excretion and vascular alterations that impact hypertension. Heavy alcohol ingestion may also lead to the syndrome of beer potomania in which hyponatremia develops. Indirect effects of alcohol include—hypertension that in turn has been demonstrated to hasten the development of both primary nephrosclerosis and renal dysfunction in those with under- lying chronic kidney disease. Terminal alcoholic cirrhosis with ascites, as in other forms of cirrhosis, leads to renal failure because of the hepatorenal syndrome. Additionally, alcoholic-related cirrhosis is linked to the development of IgA nephropathy. Alcoholism remains prevalent in patients with end-stage renal disease and has diverse impacts on management, from impacts on adherence to treatment regimens and diet to increasing co-morbidities, such as malnutrition and cirrhosis. CKD in alcoholic cirrhosis may be complicated by severely limited metabolism of medication, resulting in an increase in medication-related side effects.
Making sense of scientists' responsibilities at the interface of science and society. Commentary on "Six Domains of Research Ethics".

As Kenneth Pimple points out, scientists’ responsibilities to the larger society have received less attention than ethical issues internal to the practice of science. Yet scientists and specialists who study science have begun to provide analyses of the foundations and scope of scientsts’ responsibilities to society. An account of contributions from Kristen Shrader-Frechette, Melanie Leitner, Ullica Segerstrale, John Ahearne, Helen Longino, and Carl Cranor offers work on scientists’ social responsibilities upon which to build.
Hierarchically clustered HMM for protein sequence motif extraction with variable length

Protein sequence motifs extraction is an important field of bioinformatics since its relevance to the structural analysis. Two major problems are related to this field: (1) searching the motifs within the same protein family; and (2) assuming a window size for the motifs search. This work proposes the Hierarchically Clustered Hidden Markov Model (HC-HMM) approach, which represents the behavior and structure of proteins in terms of a Hidden Markov Model chain and hierarchically clusters each chain by minimizing distance between two given chains’ structure and behavior. It is well known that HMM can be utilized for clustering, however, methods for clustering on Hidden Markov Models themselves are rarely studied. In this paper, we developed a hierarchical clustering based algorithm for HMMs to discover protein sequence motifs that transcend family boundaries with no assumption on the length of the motif. This paper carefully examines the effectiveness of this approach for motif extraction on 2593 proteins that share no more than 25% sequence identity. Many interesting motifs are generated. Three example motifs generated by the HC-HMM approach are analyzed and visualized with their tertiary structure. We believe the proposed method provides a unique protein sequence motif extraction strategy. The related data mining fields using Hidden Markova Model may also benefit from this clustering on HMM themselves approach.
Linux Watch: Hardware Platform for Wearable Computing Research

The Linux Watch is a wearable information access device that is worn on the wrist. It is an ARM7-based low-power Linux system with shortrange wireless communications and a multi-modal (voice and image) user interface with a watch shape and is used as a hardware platform for wearable computing research. The Hands-free Mobile System is a kind of speech-oriented client-server system using the Linux Watch. The Linux Watch acts as a front-end user interface device but appears to have all the functions and intelligence of the server including voice-recognition and synthetic speech capability via its multi-modal user interface. This paper describes The Linux Watch hardware platform and the concept of the Hands-free Mobile System.
Photochemical release of carbon disulfide from 1,1-dithiooxalate and the analogous esters (780.10)

Carbon disulfide (CS2) is thought to be a biologically relevant molecule that, upon reacting with amines, forms dithiocarbamates, which disrupt nuclear factor κB mediated tumor growth. To insure careful control we have designed a photocatalytic system whereby CS2 uncaged from the surface of binary chalcogenide cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanocrystalline quantum dots (QD). This is achieved through a hole transfer process to 1,1-dithiooxalate (DTO) adsorbed to the nanoparticle surface after exciting the QD with visible and near UV light. An analogous photoreaction occurs with the t-butyl- DTO ester. We have also synthesized an octyl-DTO ester through an acetylation and a subsequent sulfur replacement reaction with chloride substituents. These esters provide a modular system where the photochemical breakdown of the DTO compound could release additional therapeutics. Currently, we are working to synthesize a dye-functionalized DTO ester to further understand this photochemical process and product distribution. Th...
Preliminary Findings from a Cross Cultural Usability Study on the Internationalization of User Interfaces

This paper reports the findings from a second preliminary study concerning the Internationalization of User Interfaces. It is a follow up to an initial study conducted on American users [4]. Undergraduate Zambian subjects from the University of Zambia (UNZA) completed a web-based application to gauge their understanding of cultural variables commonly used in user interface development. In general, the findings indicate a distinct affinity towards culturally familiar attributes. The authors conclude that the use of culturally sensitive variables in development of user interfaces can have an affect on the acceptance of technologies.
A clinicopathological classification of endometrial carcinoma based on physical findings, anatomical extent, and histological grade.

Abstract The current classifications of endometrial carcinoma have been analyzed. Their inadequacy and lack of universal acceptance have led to the development of a clinical-pathological classification which is based on a combination of the clinical division, the pathological stage, and the microscopic grade. The clinical division is based on operability. The current stadard includes the complete removal of all carcinoma by total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingooophorectomy. The size of the uterus has been criticized as a basis for classification. Classification based on the anatomical extent of the carcinoma as determined by gross and microscopic examination has been substituted and is as follows: Stage 1, confined to endometrium. Stage 2, involvement of superficial myometrium. Stage 3, penetration of deep myometrium. Stage 4, intrapelvic extension exclusive of bladder and rectum. Stage 5, extrapelvic extension. The use of four histological grades is overrefined. A histological classification which is based on three grades follows: Grade A, well differentiated. Grade B, intermediate. Grade C, poorly differentiated. It has been suggested that the term “adenoma malignum” be abandoned. This lesion should be called what it actually is—well-differentiated or Grade A adenocarcinoma of the endometrium. There is a close correlation between the clinical divisions and the anatomical stages. The anatomical stages parallel the histological grades. The connection between the clinical divisions and the histological grades is less intimate. The anatomical extent with its consequent operability is more important than the histological grade. Both the incidence of recurrences and the survival time bear a direct relationship to the operability, to the anatomical extent, and to the histological grade of the endometrial carcinoma. An abbreviated method of expressing classification has been suggested. Since the vast majority of endometrial carcinomas are operable, the clinical division of operability may be omitted. The carcinoma is then accurately classified by its anatomical stage and histological grade, e.g., 1A, 2B, or 5C. It is suggested that national gynecological or cancer societies formulate an adequate clinicopathological classification of endometrial carcinoma which by its universal adoption would result in a uniform, generally accepted classification.
Bilateral inguinal hernia repair in a child with hyperekplexia.

Summary This is a case report of anesthesia for a child with a rare congenital disease marked by hyperreactivity of the neuromuscular system; hyperekplexia. Unlike other reports, she experienced no untoward effects from general anesthesia using sevoflurane, rocuronium and a caudal block.
Overlapping repressor binding sites regulate expression of the Methanococcus maripaludis glnK1 operon

The euryarchaeal transcriptional repressor NrpR regulates a variety of nitrogen assimilation genes by 2-oxoglutarate-reversible binding to conserved palindromic operators. The number and positioning of these operators varies among promoter regions of regulated genes, suggesting NrpR can bind in different patterns. Particularly intriguing is the contrast between the nif and glnK(1) promoter regions of Methanococcus maripaludis, where two operators are present but with different configurations. Here we study NrpR binding and regulation at the glnK(1) promoter, where the two operator sequences overlap and occur on opposite faces of the double helix. We find that both operators function in binding, with a dimer of NrpR binding simultaneously to each overlapping operator. We show in vivo that the first operator plays a primary role in regulation and the second operator plays an enhancing role. This is the first demonstration of overlapping operators functioning in Archaea.
The Office of Naval Research initiative on ultradependable multicomputers and electronic systems

The US Office of Naval Research initiative in ultradependable multicomputers and electronic systems is focused on the development of novel techniques for achieving high dependability in parallel and distributed systems. Some of the approaches being funded through the initiative and their role in the program as a whole are surveyed. The objective of the program is to achieve greater effectiveness and efficiency (than traditional massive redundancy) through the following: increased understanding of physical failure modes and their effects in real systems; increased sensitivity to the structure, semantics, and requirements of real applications; exploitation of the inherent redundancy in parallel systems; and examination of hardware/software tradeoffs. To achieve these objectives, an integrated program has been constructed around four major components: measurement and modeling of real systems; software-based methods such as robust algorithms; efficient hardware-based methods and real-time systems. >
Phase II trial of paclitaxel and carboplatin in the treatment of advanced urothelial carcinoma.

PURPOSEBoth paclitaxel and carboplatin have single-agent activity against carcinoma of the urothelium. We evaluated the combination of paclitaxel and carboplatin in the treatment of advanced cancers of the urothelium.PATIENTS AND METHODSPatients with cancers of the urothelium who had no prior chemotherapy (prior adjuvant chemotherapy > 6 months allowed) were eligible for treatment. Eligibility requirements were performance status of 2 or less, creatinine level less than 2.0 mg/dL, granulocyte count (AGC) 1,500/microL or greater, platelet count 100,000/microL or greater, and total bilirubin level less than 1.5 mg/dL. Paclitaxel 200 mg/m2 followed by carboplatin (area under the curve [AUC] 5, Calvert formula) were administered every 21 days. Patients were evaluated for toxicity weekly and assessed for response every 6 weeks.RESULTSThirty-six patients were entered onto the study and 35 patients were assessable for response. A total of 184 cycles were administered (median, six cycles per patient). Nine patien...
Freedom and health promotion.

Inner contradictions in ourselves, our programs, and our policies are often the catalysts that create questions, stimulate thought, and motivate the search for some resolution. It was just such a contradiction that jolted me into questioning the relationship between health and human freedom. I worked in two different health promotion/wellness programs in which a philosophy, most often implicit--but sometimes explicit--emphasized personal responsibility for health. At the same time, however, we were using behavioristic methods, in which the underpinnings are based on the nonexistence of human freedom; we were exhorting participants to make healthy choices while we were trying to condition them to behave in the manner that suited us. In practice, we thought we knew how program participants should behave, and it was above question. The espoused philosophy was based on assumptions of human freedom and responsibility; the philosophy in use was based on the lack of freedom to choose. This kind of contradiction often goes unnoticed, but for me it created an uneasiness for which long walks and long talks were the palliative. Even with such soothing activities, however, the ghost of freedom continued to haunt me. After some years of continued practice and reflection, I can now begin to identify a variety of issues related to. freedom and health. One of the issues is the zeitgeist, an apt German word meaning "the spirit of the times." In these times, we tend to focus on that which is most material: ourselves as objects. 1-3 Because this focus, or paradigm, is commensurate with the dominant paradigm of physical science and the belief in technology as our savior, this view is widely accepted and works cleanly to a point. The problem is that, in this view, humans are reduced to mere biomachines in a deterministic and indifferent universe wherein only
Volcanic mound fields on the East Pacific Rise, 16°–19°S: Low effusion rate eruptions at overlapping spreading centers for the past 1 Myr

[1] Volcanic mound fields identified on SeaMARC II and HMR1 12 kHz side-scan data from the southern East Pacific Rise (SEPR) occur near overlapping spreading centers (OSCs) and migration traces of OSCs. The volcanic mound fields appear as a distinctive hummocky seafloor fabric due to side-scan backscatter reflections from clusters of mound-shaped reflectors. The lack of growth of the mound fields away from the ridge axis, and their occurrence in association with OSC traces, suggests that mound fields form along the ridge crest near OSCs. Volcanic mound fields are found where 120 kHz side-scan and visual observations find fields of pillow mounds. Since pillow mounds are constructed by low effusion rate eruptions, the volcanic mound fields found near the OSCs and in their migration traces indicate that volcanic effusion rates tend to be lower near ridge discontinuities than midsegment regions. This tendency for low effusion rate eruptions at OSCs is documented for the past ∼1 Myr. Three independent measurements of ridge segmentation, (1) volcanic segment boundaries marked by the low effusion rate eruptions, (2) tectonic segments defined by OSCs, and (3) magmatic segment boundaries based on continuity of parental magma composition, all coincide in the study area. High backscatter off-axis lava fields not associated with seamounts are found on seafloor younger than ∼0.2 Ma. The ∼0.2 Ma corridor corroborates previous results from the distribution of small isolated volcanoes that indicates randomly distributed off-axis eruptions mainly occur on crust younger than ∼0.2 Ma.