cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cellular ingrowth and thickness changes in poly-L-lactide and polyglycolide matrices implanted subcutaneously in the rat

Highly porous matrices of poly-L-lactide (PL) and polyglycolide (PG), 24, 50, or 95 mg/cc in the form of 10 × 10 × 3 mm wafers, were implanted subcutaneously (two per rat) in the flanks of 8–12-week-old female Lewis rats (n = 120). Matrices were harvested, two rats per week, for 15 weeks and examined histologically. At weeks 1 and 2, a thin fibrous capsule was present and matrices showed capillary beds and host-cell infiltration along the implant margins. By week 4, the PL specimens had some arterioles while the PG specimens still had only capillary beds. At week 7, PL had well developed arterioles, venules, and capillaries while PG began to show modest vascular beds of capillaries only. In terms of cellular ingrowth, PL remained unchanged from 7 to 15 weeks. Giant cell formation was observed wherever polymer was present. There was a loss of thickness and cell mass for both matrices over time (PG > PL) despite initial host-cell ingrowth. As both polymers degraded and were absorbed, the ingrown cell mass regressed. There was little remaining PG at 15 weeks, leaving no trace of cells that previously had ingrown and no evidence of scar tissue. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 41, 412–421, 1998.
Notch1 is required in newly postmitotic cells to inhibit the rod photoreceptor fate.

Several models of cell fate determination can be invoked to explain how single retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) produce different cell types in a terminal division. To gain insight into this process, the effects of the removal of a cell fate regulator, Notch1, were studied in newly postmitotic cells using a conditional allele of Notch1 (N1-CKO) in mice. Almost all newly postmitotic N1-CKO cells became rod photoreceptors, whereas wild-type (WT) cells achieved a variety of fates. Single cell profiling of wild-type and N1-CKO retinal cells transitioning from progenitor to differentiated states revealed differential expression of inhibitor of DNA binding factors Id1 and Id3, as well as Notch-regulated ankyrin repeat protein (Nrarp). Misexpression of Id1 and Id3 was found to be sufficient to drive production of Muller glial cells and/or RPCs. Moreover, Id1 and Id3 were shown to partially rescue the production of bipolar and Muller glial cells in the absence of Notch1 in mitotic and newly postmitotic cells. Misexpression of Nrarp, a downstream target gene and inhibitor of the Notch signaling pathway, resulted in the overproduction of rod photoreceptors at the expense of Muller glial cells. These data demonstrate that cell fate decisions can be made in newly postmitotic retinal cells, and reveal some of the regulators downstream of Notch1 that influence the choice of rod and non-rod fates. Taken together, our results begin to address how different signals downstream from a common pathway lead to different fate outcomes.
Analysis of instantaneous synchrony during seizures

Epileptic seizures were experimentally induced in the CA3 region of rat hippocampus in vivo. Recordings of seizure activity were made in both hippocampi as well as anteromedial region of the thalamus in order to analyze the instantaneous activity for synchronous oscillators. A new method is introduced for detecting this synchrony which combines empirical mode decomposition, the Hilbert analytic signal method and eigenvalue decomposition.
Effect of Residual Stress and Heterogeneity on Circumferential Stress in the Arterial Wall

Quantifying the stress distribution through the arterial wall is essential to studies of arterial growth and disease. Previous studies have shown that both residual stress, as measured by opening angle, and differing material properties for the media-intima and the adventitial layers affect the transmural circumferential stress (sigma theta) distribution. Because a lack of comprehensive data on a single species and artery has led to combinations from multiple sources, this study determined the sensitivity of sigma theta to published variations in both opening angle and layer thickness data. We fit material properties to previously published experimental data for pressure-diameter relations and opening angles of rabbit carotid artery, and predicted sigma theta through the arterial wall at physiologic conditions. Using a one-layer model, the ratio of sigma theta at the internal wall to the mean sigma theta decreased from 2.34 to 0.98 as the opening angle increased from 60 to 130 deg. In a two-layer model using a 95 deg opening angle, mean sigma theta in the adventitia increased (112 percent for 25 percent adventitia) and mean sigma theta in the media decreased (47 percent for 25 percent adventitia). These results suggest that both residual stress and wall layers have important effects on transmural stress distribution. Thus, experimental measurements of loading curves, opening angles, and wall composition from the same species and artery are needed to accurately predict the transmural stress distribution in the arterial wall.
Systemic sarcoidosis and red dye granulomatous tattoo inflammation after influenza vaccination: a case report and review of literature.

A patient with bilateral granulomatous uveitis also had the simultaneous manifestation of granulomatous inflammation under red dye areas of a 10-year-old multicolored tattoo. The patient manifested secondary cystoid macular edema and uveitic glaucoma due to the chronic uveitis. Punch biopsy of the inflamed area of the tattooed dermis displayed a dense lichenoid granulomatous inflammation. Thoracic imaging revealed lymphadenopathy and pulmonary biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of sarcoidosis. This case and review of literature demonstrates that tattoo inflammation, whether generalized or localized to a particular color, should be considered a potential sign of systemic sarcoidosis and patients should be carefully evaluated for systemic granulomatous inflammation.
The Importance of Equity Perception and Job Satisfaction in Predicting Employee Intent to Stay at Television Stations

The purpose of this study was to determine what predicts employee intent to stay at commercial television stations. Above-the-line employees of five commercial television stations completed a survey questionnaire, which focused on employee turnover in three departments: news, production, and sales. Data analysis indicated that a category of system outcomes predicted perception of equity; that a category of interpersonal outcomes, in conjunction with opportunity and perception of equity, predicted job satisfaction; and that job satisfaction, in conjunction with perception of equity and education, predicted intent to stay.
Effects of charged water‐soluble polymers on the stability and activity of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase and subtilisin Carlsberg

Remarkable increases in enzyme catalytic stability resulting from addition of charged water-soluble polymers have recently been reported, suggesting that use of these polymers may be an attractive general strategy for enzyme stabilization. To test the proposed hypothesis that coulombic forces between water-soluble polymers and enzymes are primarily responsible for enzyme stabilization, we examined the catalytic stability and activity of two enzymes in the presence of polymers differing in net charge. All polymers tested increased enzyme lifetimes, regardless of their net charge, suggesting that stabilization of these enzymes by water-soluble polymers is not solely dependent on simple electrostatic interactions between the polymers and enzymes.
Is the Technology in Your Car Driving You to Distraction

Driver distraction is increasingly recognized as a significant source of injuries and fatalities on the roadway. Distraction can arise from visual/manual interference, for example, when a driver ta...
Epidermal growth factor inhibits Na-Pi cotransport and mRNA in OK cells

The present study examined the effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on Na-Pi cotransport in a tubular epithelial cell line derived from the opossum kidney (OKP cells). EGF caused a time- and dose-dependent decrease in Na-Pi cotransport. The inhibition of Na-Pi cotransport by 10(-8) M EGF was first demonstrable after 18 h with maximal effect seen at 24 h. EGF inhibited Na-Pi cotransport by decreasing the maximal velocity (10.8 +/- 0.9 in control vs. 4.9 +/- 0.8 nmol 32Pi.4 min-1.mg protein-1 in EGF, P < 0.001). Northern blot analysis indicated that EGF caused a significant decrease in NaPi-4 mRNA abundance. The abundance of NaPi-4 mRNA relative to beta-actin and/or glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase mRNA was decreased by twofold in OK cells treated with EGF for 4 h and threefold in OKP cells treated with EGF for 24 h. Thus the decrease in NaPi-4 mRNA abundance preceded the decrease in Na-Pi cotransport activity. Inhibition of transcription with actinomycin D and protein synthesis with cycloheximide prevented the inhibition of Na-Pi cotransport. Furthermore, inhibition of phospholipase C activity with U-73,122 also significantly blocked the inhibitory effect of EGF on Na-Pi cotransport. The results indicate that EGF-induced decrease in OKP Na-Pi cotransport is mediated through a decrease in NaPi-4 mRNA and activation of the phospholipase C signaling pathway.
Gallium-doped magnesium zinc oxide (GMZO) transparent conducting oxide layers for CdTe thin-film photovoltaics

Zinc oxide-based TCO films have high mobility and transmission, but are limited by a bandgap of approximately 3.5 eV. High-efficiency CdTe thin-film solar cells often use window layers which are transparent over the entire spectrum. In these cells, TCO absorption can be a significant source of current loss. Relative to ZnO, MgxZn1−xO (MZO) has a higher optical bandgap and and a lower electron affinity, both of which are desirable for the front contact. MZO doped with gallium showed high conductivity and transmission over a broad range, indicating that it is suitable for high-performance CdTe thin-film solar cells. Window layer band alignment and device results are presented.
Perceptions of Doing Business in Other Countries: A Logistic Regression Analysis of Survey Results

Abstract -This study involved an analysis of survey results about perception of doing business. U.S. Manufacturing managers were asked about their opinion on the Ease of Doing Business indicators with respect to Mexico, India, China and Singapore. The purpose of this research is to find out about the manager’s perceptions and determine from a set of give factors which are significant to the opinion. Logistic regression was used. Regressors used include demographics such as age, have lived abroad and have experience with outsourcing. Competitive priorities such cost, quality, delivery and flexibility and challenging to offshoring diverse functions were also used. Lastly comparative analyses of score were done with the World Bank ranking of economies. Experience with outsourcing resulted in a significant variable and flexibility and cost were significant to China. Quality and delivery were significant to Singapore in terms of Trading Across the Border. Perception of how challenging to outsource is assembly resulted significant to china in terms of business indicators: Time to Open a Business and Trading Across Border. Finally, a comparative analysis with the World Bank rankings displays a gap between perception and reality.
ETHICS REFORM IN NEW ORLEANS: PROGRESS—AND PROBLEMS TEN YEARS POST-KATRINA

The article examines three New Orleans ethics entities created ten years ago in the wake of Hurricane Katrina — the Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Office of Independent Police Monitor (OIPM), and the Ethics Review Board (ERB). The OIG and OIPM are oversight bodies; only the ERB has enforcement power.The OIG proved successful and productive, issuing many reports and claiming city government savings of nearly $60,000,000. The presence of a well-regarded OIG in Orleans Parish has provoked consideration and implementation of the concept in adjacent parishes.The OIPM instituted a police-community mediation program, engaged with a federal consent decree, and monitored critical incident reports. But the OIPM’s effectiveness would be enhanced by charter reform, giving the office financial and operational independence.The ERB functioned well in selecting the first two Inspectors General in 2007 and 2009. But during 2010-2014 the ERB declined to exercise its ethics enforcement authority; repeatedly violated the open meetings law; neglected the opportunity to recommend improvements to the city ethics code; and fell out of compliance with diversity requirements, lacking any women, Hispanics, or Asians among its membership. Its problems were not structural or systemic; all can be addressed by improved policy decisions and performance.The article recommends several strategies for improving overall functioning of the city’s ethics entities and concludes that New Orleans is a stronger, more resilient community because of the three local ethics bodies, all of which only began operating post-Katrina.
One-Sample and Paired-Sample Inferences Based on the Method of Randomization

The signed-rank tests of the previous chapter rely on the fact that all assignments of signs to the ranks of the absolute values of independent observations are equally likely under the null hypothesis of distributions symmetric about zero, or about some arbitrary point which is subtracted from each observation before ranking. The same fact is true also for the observations themselves, not merely for their ranks, and the idea underlying these tests can be applied to any function of the observations, not merely to a function of the signed ranks.
Extreme precipitation drives groundwater recharge: the Northern High Plains Aquifer, central United States, 1950-2010

Future extreme precipitation (EP, daily rainfall amount over certain thresholds) is projected to increase with global climate change; however, its effect on groundwater recharge has not been fully explored. This study specifically investigates the spatiotemporal dynamics of groundwater recharge and the effects of extreme precipitation (daily rainfall amount over the 95th percentile, which is tagged by ranking the percentiles in each season for a base period) on groundwater recharge from 1950 to 2010 over the Northern High Plains (NHP) Aquifer using the Soil Water Balance Model. The results show that groundwater recharge significantly (p < 0.05) increased in the eastern NHP from 1950 to 2010, where the highest annual average groundwater recharge occurs compared to the central and the western NHP. In the eastern NHP, 45.1% of the annual precipitation fell as EP, which contributed 56.8% of the annual total groundwater recharge. In the western NHP, 30.9% of the annual precipitation fell as extreme precipitation, which contributed 62.5% of the annual total groundwater recharge. In addition, recharge by extreme precipitation mainly occurred in late spring and early summer, before the maximum evapotranspiration rate, which usually occurs in mid-summer until late fall. A dry site in the western NHP and a wet site in the eastern NHP were analysed to indicate how recharge responds to EP with different precipitation regimes. The maximum daily recharge at the dry site exceeded the wet site when there was EP. When precipitation fell as non-extreme rainfall, most recharge was less than 5 mm at both the dry and wet sites, and the maximum recharge at the dry site became lower than the wet site. This study shows that extreme precipitation plays a significant role in determining groundwater recharge. © 2016 The Authors Hydrological Processes Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
The Role of Pump Coherence in a Two-photon Interference Experiment

We perform a parametric down-conversion two-photon interference experiment using two unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometers and a short-coherence-length continuous-wave pump. The experiment explores the role of the pump coherence in two-photon interferometry.
Why Should Scholars Keep Coming Back to John Dewey

AbstractThis essay attempts to explain why philosophers, philosophers of education, and scholars of democracy should keep coming back to John Dewey for insights and inspiration on issues related to democracy and education. Mordechai Gordon argues that there are four major reasons that contribute to scholars' need to keep returning to Dewey for inspiration and guidance. First, is Dewey’s pragmatic educational approach that seeks to maintain quality and stability in schools while rejecting the tendency to implement extreme changes in education based on the shifting winds of time. Second, Dewey’s works contain both modern and postmodern elements and as such, it is difficult to label him as a member of one particular school of thought. Third, is the fact that Dewey’s body of research represents a wide range of topics and interests from art to politics and from philosophy to the nature and purpose of education. Indeed, many of Dewey’s essays and books can be viewed as a dialog between modern and postmodern ide...
On the structure of synergies in cooperative games

We investigate synergy, or lack thereof, between agents in co-operative games, building on the popular notion of Shapley value. We think of a pair of agents as synergistic (resp., antagonistic) if the Shapley value of one agent when the other agent participates in a joint effort is higher (resp. lower) than when the other agent does not participate. Our main theoretical result is that any graph specifying synergistic and antagonistic pairs can arise even from a restricted class of cooperative games. We also study the computational complexity of determining whether a given pair of agents is synergistic. Finally, we use the concepts developed in the paper to uncover the structure of synergies in two real-world organizations, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.
Indium-based and iodine-based labeling of HPMA copolymer-epirubicin conjugates: Impact of structure on the in vivo fate.

Abstract Recently, we developed 2nd generation backbone degradable N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer-drug conjugates which contain enzymatically cleavable sequences (GFLG) in both polymeric backbone and side-chains. This design allows using polymeric carriers with molecular weights above renal threshold without impairing their biocompatibility, thereby leading to significant improvement in therapeutic efficacy. For example, 2nd generation HPMA copolymer-epirubicin (EPI) conjugates (2P-EPI) demonstrated complete tumor regression in the treatment of mice bearing ovarian carcinoma. To obtain a better understanding of the in vivo fate of this system, we developed a dual-labeling strategy to simultaneously investigate the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of the polymer carrier and drug EPI. First, we synthesized two different types of dual-radiolabeled conjugates, including 1) 111In-2P-EPI-125I (polymeric carrier 2P was radiolabeled with 111In and drug EPI with 125I), and 2) 125I-2P-EPI-111In (polymeric carrier 2P was radiolabeled with 125I and drug EPI with 111In). Then, we compared the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of these two dual-labeled conjugates in female nude mice bearing A2780 human ovarian carcinoma. There was no significant difference in the blood circulation between polymeric carrier and payload; the carriers (111In-2P and 125I-2P) showed similar retention of radioactivity in both tumor and major organs except kidney. However, compared to 111In-labeled payload EPI, 125I-labeled EPI showed lower radioactivity in normal organs and tumor at 48 h and 144 h after intravenous administration of conjugates. This may be due to different drug release rates resulting from steric hindrance to the formation of enzyme-substrate complex as indicated by cleavage experiments with lysosomal enzymes (Tritosomes). A slower release rate of EPI(DTPA)111In than EPI(Tyr)125I was observed. It may be also due to in vivo catabolism and subsequent iodine loss as literature reported. Nevertheless, tumor-to-tissue uptake ratios of both radionuclides were comparable, indicating that drug-labeling strategy does not affect the tumor targeting ability of HPMA copolymer conjugates.
Prologue: Gallicanism and reform in the sixteenth century

Ever since the Middle Ages French kings were both consecrated and crowned during the coronation ceremony that marked their ascension to the throne. And though French ceremonial shared much in common with English coronations across the Channel, by the sixteenth century it was clear that the constitutional aspects of the ceremony so emphasized in England took a backseat to the liturgical nature of the coronation so heavily accentuated in France. The ceremony itself was called a sacre in France, emphasizing consecration rather than coronation. Patterned after the first such ceremony, the crowning of Charlemagne by the pope in Rome in the year 800, French coronations traditionally took place in the cathedral church of Reims with the local archbishop officiating. With the ecclesiastical and lay peers of the realm, as well as the bishops of the French church and the royal princes of the blood assembled around him, the new king was required to make explicit his duties and responsibilities to the Christian church in his coronation oath. In the first part of the oath, called the ecclesiastical oath, the king swore: ‘I shall protect the canonical privilege, due law, and justice, and I shall exercise defense of each bishop and of each church committed to him, as much as I am able – with God's help – just as a king ought properly to do in his kingdom.’
Addiction to Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines are sedative hypnotic medications that can induce a state of dependence. Dependence however is not the same as addiction. The development of dependence is a predictable phenomenon, influenced by dose, duration of treatment, and a number of other factors including individual characteristics of the benzodiazepine user. It is unclear whether there are meaningful differences among benzodiazepines in producing a state of dependence. Benzodiazepine dependence is also characterized by a predictable discontinuation syndrome. Benzodiazepines are rarely abused by non-substance abusers. The regulation of benzodiazepines although the legitimate therapeutic use has been significantly reduced.
Book Review: The Latino Threat by Leo R. Chavez

The following is a book review of Leo Chavez's "The Latino Threat: Constructing Immigrants, Citizens, and the Nation."
Data Aggregation in Static Adhoc Networks

This research is concerned with the data aggregation (DA) algorithms in wireless static networks, where host mobility is low or not provided and the number of nodes is fixed. The DA problem is investigated in the presence of omission faults, which can be a common type of failure in wireless communication. It is shown that, in the worst case, the number of rounds of message-exchange needed to reduce the diameter of values held by the hosts in the network is half the maximum network diameter. The research also obtains the upper bound on the number of rounds of message-exchange to reach the stationary-convergence, i.e. the difference between the agreed upon values among the hosts is within a predefined tolerance.
Imaging of Perineural Spread in Head and Neck Cancer

Perineural spread (PNS) of tumor is a recognized pattern of metastasis occurring in the head and neck. Imaging plays a critical role in identifying PNS for adequate staging and treatment planning. Understanding the major branches and pathways of cranial nerves V and VII, key anatomic landmarks, interconnections between these nerves, and pearls and pitfalls of PNS imaging can aid in early detection, appropriate therapy, and the best possible chance for cure.
Programming Interfacial Energetic Offsets and Charge Transfer in β-Pb0.33V2O5/Quantum-Dot Heterostructures: Tuning Valence-Band Edges to Overlap with Midgap States

Semiconductor heterostructures for solar energy conversion interface light-harvesting semiconductor nanoparticles with wide-band-gap semiconductors that serve as charge acceptors. In such heterostructures, the kinetics of charge separation depend on the thermodynamic driving force, which is dictated by energetic offsets across the interface. A recently developed promising platform interfaces semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) with ternary vanadium oxides that have characteristic midgap states situated between the valence and conduction bands. In this work, we have prepared CdS/β-Pb0.33V2O5 heterostructures by both linker-assisted assembly and surface precipitation and contrasted these materials with CdSe/β-Pb0.33V2O5 heterostructures prepared by the same methods. Increased valence-band (VB) edge onsets in X-ray photoelectron spectra for CdS/β-Pb0.33V2O5 heterostructures relative to CdSe/β-Pb0.33V2O5 heterostructures suggest a positive shift in the VB edge potential and, therefore, an increased driving force...
Safety of 2-Octyl Cyanoacrylate in Spreader Grafting.

Cyanoacrylate adhesives can make the placement of spreader grafts in open septorhinoplasty technically easier, but its use is off-label beneath the skin. There is a theoretical risk of toxicity from cyanoacrylate breakdown products, but this risk has not been thoroughly studied in rhinoplasty. The objective was to evaluate the effects of subcutaneous cyanoacrylate use during spreader graft placement in rhinoplasty in a retrospective review of open septorhinoplasties in which 2-octyl cyanoacrylate was used to aid placement of spreader grafts. The review was carried out in a tertiary care military academic medical center. A total of 140 adults underwent open septorhinoplasty between September 2013 and May 2016 with spreader graft placement. The authors excluded patients in whom 2-octyl cyanoacrylate was not used to aid graft placement and those who did not follow up postoperatively in our clinic. 108 (85 males and 23 females) patients were included in the final analysis. Nine (8.3%) patients had inflammatory reactions possibly attributable to 2-octyl cyanoacrylate toxicity. The overall rate of postoperative inflammation possibly attributable to 2-octyl cyanoacrylate was 17% among females and 5.9% among males, and this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.07). However, the rate of postoperative inflammation attributable to 2-octyl cyanoacrylate that required an intervention (incision and drainage or antibiotics) was 2.7% overall, 13% among women and 0% among men, and this difference was significant based on chi-square testing (p
Reviews of Science for Science Librarians: Forestry as a Climate Change Mitigation Tool

Understanding how to reduce greenhouse emissions and mitigate their impacts is at the forefront of research agendas across the globe. Trees and other plants play an essential role in the absorption...
Trade-off or Connected Growers: Implications on Accuracy and Complexity in L2 Writing

This paper responds to Exploring the dynamism between propositional complexity and error rate: a case study by Jordan Van Horn (this issue). In her study, Jordan Van Horn analyzes asynchronous email exchanges between a native and nonnative speaker of English utilizing three methods of analysis: error analysis, complexity analysis, and qualitative analysis. In triangulating the data, the author states that this mixed-methods approach can offer a better solution to limitations that arise as a result of employing only one method to analyze performance data. In order to better account for this variability and enhance our understanding of second language acquisition (SLA), the author incorporated Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST) to guide her analysis. A major contribution of this study was Van Horn’s finding of connected growers between complexity and accuracy. This finding has major implications not only for our understanding of complex dynamic systems, but also, of SLA in particular, as during L2 linguistic performance, complexity and accuracy often compete with each other for cognitive resources and positive correlations between these two areas have been less common in the literature (Skehan, 2009).
Democratization of Human Clinical Research: How Peer Production is Changing the Research Paradigm

In the healthcare industry, it is and has traditionally been assumed that care providers, researchers and industry executives are more expert medical innovators than are patient “user innovators” – those who are themselves afflicted by medical problems needing solutions. This assumption has led to a top-down model of innovation favoring large organizations such as hospital networks, academic medical centers, pharmaceutical companies and the like. There is however strong evidence that this top-down, hierarchical model is quietly and systematically being challenged in some areas of medicine, just as it is in many other fields today. Patients – often the end users of medical innovations – are becoming increasingly empowered and effective innovators in activity areas ranging from innovation development to clinical trials. In this paper, we explore the evidence and argue that recognizing, supporting, and integrating this increasingly powerful source of clinical trial innovation can yield great dividends for all participants in the healthcare system.
Eigenstate entanglement in the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model

We study the entanglement entropy of eigenstates (including the ground state) of the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model. We argue for a volume law, whose coefficient can be calculated analytically from the density of states. The coefficient depends on not only the energy density of the eigenstate but also the subsystem size. Very recent numerical results of Liu et al. confirm our analytical results.
Longitudinal decline of driving safety in Parkinson disease

Objective: To longitudinally assess and predict on-road driving safety in Parkinson disease (PD). Methods: Drivers with PD (n = 67) and healthy controls (n = 110) drove a standardized route in an instrumented vehicle and were invited to return 2 years later. A professional driving expert reviewed drive data and videos to score safety errors. Results: At baseline, drivers with PD performed worse on visual, cognitive, and motor tests, and committed more road safety errors compared to controls (median PD 38.0 vs controls 30.5; p p p p p Conclusions: Despite drop out of the more impaired drivers within the PD cohort, returning drivers with PD, who drove like controls without PD at baseline, showed many more driving safety errors than controls after 2 years. Driving decline in PD was predicted by baseline driving performance and deterioration of cognitive, visual, and functional abnormalities on follow-up.
Exploring young women's decisional needs for contraceptive method choice: a qualitative study.

Abstract Objective Assisting women with choosing contraceptive methods that meet their needs and preferences is essential to providing patient-centered care, but research to inform interventions supporting method choice is lacking. An assessment of patient decisional needs for contraceptive method choice may provide insight into patient-centered ways to support decision making. Study design Using the Ottawa Decision Support Framework as a guide, we conducted a qualitative study with semistructured interviews to identify women's decisional needs for choosing a contraceptive method. The sample consisted of 21 women aged 18–29 from an integrated health care delivery system. We employed thematic analysis to identify common themes in the participants' experience. Results Overall, participants perceived choosing a contraceptive method to be a somewhat difficult decision and described feeling hesitant and unsure. Lack of knowledge of and familiarity with methods and the unpredictability of side effects contributed to participants' hesitancy. Women considered method choice in the context of their lives and their values for various contraceptive attributes, particularly side effects. Participants identified several sources for contraceptive information. Information from friends and family was highly influential. Participants desired both factual and experiential information. Conclusions Contraceptive method choice may be difficult for many young women, suggesting a need for decision support. Interventions supporting method choice may be more relevant if they directly address knowledge gaps and uncertainty as well as provide both factual and experiential information on a comprehensive set of contraceptive attributes.
Analysis of the consistency in the structural modeling of SNOMED CT and CORE problem list concepts

SNOMED CT has continued to expand its adoption as a comprehensive clinical terminology. In 2013, the US government mandated SNOMED CT as a requirement for Stage 2 meaningful use criteria for Electronic Health Records. Studies have, however, identified inconsistencies in the content of SNOMED CT that may lessen its effectiveness when used for encoding patient data. Auditing thus becomes an integral part of SNOMED CT's evolution. However, manually auditing every concept in SNOMED CT can be a humongous and a tedious task. Algorithmic techniques are needed to identify concepts with inconsistencies. This study uses a lexical method to identify concepts with high likelihood of inconsistencies in their structural modeling. A sample of concepts derived by using this technique is manually audited. Over a third (36.7%) of the sample concepts are found to exhibit one or more inconsistencies in their structural modeling. Such technique can extend SNOMED International's own effort to maintain the quality of the content of SNOMED CT.
Rhetoric and Economics, Analysis and History

In the 1980s, Deirdre McCloskey argued that economists should look beyond their mathematical formulas and their positivist methodologies. If “economic style appeals in various ways to an ethos wort...
Electronic Structure of Doped Insulators and High Temperature Superconductivity

The Fermi liquid theory of the normal state and the BCS-Eliashberg theory of the superconducting state were designed for good metals not for doped antiferromagnetic insulators, such as the high temperature superconductors. Consequently, it is necessary to understand the electronic structure of the doped insulator and to develop a new mechanism and many-body theory of superconductivity for these materials. It will be argued that, since the motion of a single hole in an antiferromagnet is frustrated, the driving force for the physics of a finite concentration of doped holes is the need to reduce their zero-point kinetic energy. This proceeds in three steps that are reflected in a sequence of crossovers and phase transitions. First of all, the system forms a charge-inhomogeneous state – an electronic liquid crystal phase, involving an array of metallic stripes, which lowers the kinetic energy along a stripe. In the direction perpendicular to the stripes, the kinetic energy is lowered by pair hopping, which proceeds in two steps. Local pair hopping induces spin pairing and then, at a lower temperature, pair hopping from stripe to stripe produces superconducting phase coherence. Some of the experimental support for the various aspects of this model will be described.
Routing of thylakoid lumen proteins by the chloroplast twin arginine transport pathway

Thylakoids are complex sub-organellar membrane systems whose role in photosynthesis makes them critical to life. Thylakoids require the coordinated expression of both nuclear- and plastid-encoded proteins to allow rapid response to changing environmental conditions. Transport of cytoplasmically synthesized proteins to thylakoids or the thylakoid lumen is complex; the process involves transport across up to three membrane systems with routing through three aqueous compartments. Protein transport in thylakoids is accomplished by conserved ancestral prokaryotic plasma membrane translocases containing novel adaptations for the sub-organellar location. This review focuses on the evolutionarily conserved chloroplast twin arginine transport (cpTat) pathway. An overview is provided of known aspects of the cpTat components, energy requirements, and mechanisms with a focus on recent discoveries. Some of the most exciting new studies have been in determining the structural architecture of the membrane complex involved in forming the point of passage for the precursor and binding features of the translocase components. The cpTat system is of particular interest because it transports folded protein domains using only the proton motive force for energy. The implications for mechanism of translocation by recent studies focusing on interactions between membrane Tat components and with the translocating precursor will be discussed.
Harnessing Student Leadership in Building a Center for Students in Recovery at a Private Catholic University in Central Texas

This presentation describes the different processes and steps taken by two faculty members from the social work department and a group of students to start a Center for Student Recovery (CSR) at a small private university in central Texas serving mostly first-generation Hispanic students. The presentation highlights the unique history of the university and how its mission and values align with the creation of a CSR, making it the first private catholic university with this type of service to its student population. Additionally, the presentation showcases the different stages undergone by the stakeholders to get to the point of student involvement. The stages include the social work department obtaining part of an SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) grant which allowed for training to be embedded in certain classes which sparked conversations of substance and alcohol use among the student population. It also included a student health survey that provided a snapshot of the state of substance and alcohol use on campus, and the approval of a proposal presented to the University’s board of trustee and president. Emphasis is given to the process of recruiting the student leadership, the student’s motivation and their role in the creation of the CSR.
RoyalFlush: non-invasive water level monitor to prevent toilet overflows

Neglected toilet overflow can cost thousands of dollars through mold growth and damage to furniture, upholstery, electronics, and household appliances. We propose RoyalFlush: a novel non-invasive overflow system meant to detect such events in their early stages and prevent them from escalating. RoyalFlush uses a floating capacitive sensing technique that relies on the sizable difference between the dielectric constants of water and air for tracking changes in the water level. Capacitive sensing in this way does not require any hardware inside the toilet bowl. RoyalFlush consumes only 150 μW of continuous power, allowing it to operate for a couple of years on a 9 volt 625 mAh alkaline battery. We evaluate RoyalFlush on 10 different toilets in a controlled 60-minute experiment to validate its functionality. Additionally, we deployed RoyalFlush into 5 homes for 24 hours to test in real-world scenarios. During the real-world deployment, RoyalFlush identified overflow events with a precision of 98.16% and a recall of 100%.
Doctoral Preparation Influence on New Faculty's Perception of Role Transition

Context: Teaching, scholarship, and service are required of all faculty in order to earn tenure. Faculty members hired directly from doctoral programs may not be adequately prepared to face the responsibilities of a full-time position in the professoriate. Objective: To explore what mechanisms as part of doctoral education influenced the perceptions of junior faculty development while transitioning postgraduation. Design: Qualitative phenomenological study. Setting: Fourteen higher education institutions. Patients or Other Participants: Sixteen junior faculty (7 male, 9 female, age = 32 ± 3.5 years) representing 7 National Athletic Trainers' Association districts participated. At the time of the interview, participants were within their first 3 years of a full-time faculty position. All participants earned doctorates from residential programs and had an assistantship position. Main Outcome Measure(s): All participants completed a semistructured telephone interview. The interview guide was focused on the e...
Variations on a Theme: Corruption in Mexico and the U.S.

While widely-cited measures based on expert opinion show significantly higher levels of corruption in Mexico than the U.S., other surveys reflecting public opinion show strikingly much closer results. Such patterns raise questions regarding the underlying meanings and types of corruption that inform these surveys. This paper explores these differences and similarities while highlighting the distinct patterns of corruption found in the two countries. I argue that the opinions of the Mexican and US public emphasize a certain form of corruption and share a broader understanding of the concept, while experts’ opinion reflect a narrower approach and understanding of corruption. In the end, the study underscores the serious mismatch between different conceptualizations and types of corruption, on the one hand, and how corruption is measured, on the other.
From the Ternary Phase Ca14Zn1+δSb11 (δ ≈ 0.4) to the Quaternary Solid Solutions Ca14–xRExZnSb11 (RE = La–Nd, Sm, Gd, x ≈ 0.9). A Tale of Electron Doping via Rare-Earth Metal Substitutions and the Concomitant Structural Transformations

The ternary compound Ca14Zn1.37(1)Sb11 and its six rare-earth metal substituted derivatives Ca14–xRExZnSb11 (RE = La–Nd, Sm, Gd; x ≈ 0.90 ± 0.06) have been synthesized and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. All compounds formally crystallize in the tetragonal Ca14AlSb11 structure type (space group I41/acd, No. 142, Z = 8). The crystal structure of Ca14Zn1.37(1)Sb11 subtly differs from the structure of the remaining six, as well as from the structure of the archetype, due to the presence of a partially occupied interstitial Zn position. The extra zinc atom is needed in this structure to alleviate the unfavorable number of valence electrons in the imaginary Ca14ZnSb11. Electron doping, via substitution of RE3+ ions on Ca2+ sites, is shown as an alternative route to achieve electron balance in these Zn-based analogs of the Ca14AlSb11 structure, which does not require the incorporation of interstitial atoms. Electrical resistivity measurements done on single-crystalline sa...
Ordering volatile openings: instrumentation and the rationalization of bodily odors

Odors define many things: plants, foods, people. Although the rise of instrumental flavor and odor analysis techniques from the 1950s to 1980s, largely driven by the food and perfumery industries, ...
Forskolin modulates acetylcholine receptor gating by interacting with the small extracellular loop between the M2 and M3 transmembrane domains.

1. Forskolin acts as an allosteric modulator of muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Receptors from mouse muscle and Torpedo electroplax demonstrate differential sensitivity to inhibition by forskolin. Previous work from this laboratory suggested that the γ subunit is responsible for this differential sensitivity. 2. We have used a series of mouse/Torpedo species-chimeric γ subunits to further define the site of forskolin interaction with the γ subunit. Analysis of the patterns of forskolin inhibition of receptors containing mouse/Torpedo chimeric γ subunits along with the mouse α, β, and δ subunits suggests that forskolin interacts with the small extracellular domain that links the M2 and M3 transmembrane domains (the M2–M3 linker). 3. We suggest that the M2–M3 linker domain plays an important role in the transduction of ligand binding to the conformational changes that result in channel opening.
Chronic myeloid leukemia: 2020 update on diagnosis, therapy and monitoring

Disease overview Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm with an incidence of 1-2 cases per 100 000 adults. It accounts for approximately 15% of newly diagnosed cases of leukemia in adults. Diagnosis CML is characterized by a balanced genetic translocation, t(9;22)(q34;q11.2), involving a fusion of the Abelson gene (ABL1) from chromosome 9q34 with the breakpoint cluster region (BCR) gene on chromosome 22q11.2. This rearrangement is known as the Philadelphia chromosome. The molecular consequence of this translocation is the generation of a BCR-ABL1 fusion oncogene, which in turn translates into a BCR-ABL oncoprotein. Frontline therapy Four tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), imatinib, nilotinib, dasatinib, and bosutinib are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for first-line treatment of newly diagnosed CML in chronic phase (CML-CP). Clinical trials with second generation TKIs reported significantly deeper and faster responses, but they had no impact on survival prolongation, likely because of the existence of highly effective salvage therapies for patients who have a cytogenetic relapse with frontline TKI. Salvage therapy For CML post failure on frontline therapy, second-line options include second and third generation TKIs. Although potent and selective, these exhibit unique pharmacological profiles and response patterns relative to different patient and disease characteristics, such as patients' comorbidities, disease stage, and BCR-ABL1 mutational status. Patients who develop the T315I "gatekeeper" mutation display resistance to all currently available TKIs except ponatinib. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation remains an important therapeutic option for patients with CML-CP who have failed at least 2 TKIs, and for all patients in advanced phase disease. Even among older patients who have a cytogenetic relapse post failure on all TKIs, they can maintain long-term survival if they continue on a daily most effective/less toxic TKI, with or without the addition of non-TKI anti-CML agents (hydroxyurea, omacetaxine, azacitidine, decitabine, cytarabine, busulfan, others).
CHAPTER III – Carbohydrases

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of maltase. Maltase is a special enzyme that produces glucose. These enzymes are also known as α-glucosidase. Maltase is found in the small intestine and in yeasts, molds, and malt. It is generally present in all organisms and is said to accompany the enzyme amylase. Traces of maltase are found occasionally in human saliva. Maltase in barley and in molds is a true maltase that unites with the glucose part of maltose whereas the maltase of yeast and animals is α-glucosidase. They unite with the glucoside part of maltose and are able to hydrolyze various α-glucosidase. Animal amylase is able to digest glycogen and hence might be called glycogenase. However, the so-called liver glycogenase is almost certainly nothing more than the enzyme phosphorylase. This enzyme breaks down glycogen in the presence of phosphate to form glucose-1-phosphate, or Cori ester.