cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A biochemically active MCM-like helicase in Bacillus cereus

The mini-chromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins serve as the replicative helicases in archaea and eukaryotes. Interestingly, an MCM homolog was identified, by BLAST analysis, within a phage integrated in the bacterium Bacillus cereus (Bc). BcMCM is only related to the AAA region of MCM-helicases; the typical amino-terminus is missing and is replaced by a segment with weak homology to primases. We show that BcMCM displays 3′→5′ helicase and ssDNA-stimulated ATPase activity, properties that arise from its conserved AAA domain. Isolated BcMCM is a monomer in solution but likely forms the functional oligomer in vivo. We found that the BcMCM amino-terminus can bind ssDNA and harbors a zinc atom, both hallmarks of the typical MCM amino-terminus. No BcMCM-catalyzed primase activity could be detected. We propose that the divergent amino-terminus of BcMCM is a paralog of the corresponding region of MCM-helicases. A divergent amino terminus makes BcMCM a useful model for typical MCM-helicases since it accomplishes the same function using an apparently unrelated structure.
Molecular cloning and expression of canine hepcidin.

Background: Hepcidin is a recently identified acute phase protein with antimicrobial and iron regulatory functions. It has been suggested that hepcidin may be the key mediator of anemia of chronic disease. Our research group is interested in developing a diagnostic assay to measure hepcidin in dogs. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to clone and sequence the canine hepcidin gene and to gather preliminary data about tissue expression of hepcidin in dogs. Methods: RNA was extracted from fresh canine liver tissue and cDNA was generated and amplified. Standard reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction techniques were used with degenerate primers based on sequence homo logy between several other species. The amino acid (AA) sequence was compared with known sequences in other species. Tissue expression of canine hepcidin was determined by Western blot. Results: The canine hepcidin cDNA sequence encoded a highly conserved protein of 85 AAs with 8 cysteine residues at the C-terminal end. This protein was likely the precursor form (pro-hepcidin) of a smaller secreted peptide. Phylogenetic analysis showed that human hepcidin was more homologous with canine than with rodent hepcidin. In dogs, as in people, hepcidin was expressed most strongly in the liver. Western blotting showed a clear band of approximately 9 kDa, consistent with pro-hepcidin. Weak expression was also detected in canine kidney and lung tissues. Conclusion: The results of this study establish the basis for future investigation involving canine hepcidin and suggest that the dog may be a suitable model for studying the role of hepcidin in human health and disease.
Transforming hospital board meetings: guidelines for comprehensive change.

Does the following remind you of a hospital board meeting you attended recently? The meeting starts late, the PowerPoint presentation on hospital operations is too detailed to understand, 20 minutes are spent discussing parking, one or two trustees do all the talking, others check their PDAs or scribble on the agenda, and you try to keep your mouth shut while yawning. Hospital board meetings are often described as ritualized, unfocused, rambling, mindless, and inconclusive. Experts agree that board meetings in many hospitals are dysfunctional and need restructuring (Knecht 2001; Perrine 2003; Orlikoff and Totten 2002). Recently, St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California, employed consultants and invested much effort in making its board meetings productive (Perrine). More such endeavors are needed for better hospital governance. In the last 5 years, several books and articles have focused on reforming board meetings. In this article I draw on them to discuss key problems of board meetings and how to make t...
Ratios of Magnitude Estimates

Suppose magnitude estimates on successive trials preserve the ratio of random internal representations of the corresponding signals. Then the mean response generally exhibits drift over trials; sequential dependencies usually exist in which case the mean response ratio is not a function of intensity ratio; however, a modified function is if the mean representation is a power function of intensity. Relevant loudness data are cited. The special timing representation is wrong if the sample size is just a function of the signal, but is viable if it is one of two sizes depending on the size of the intensity ratio to the preceding signal. This attention hypothesis is an analogue for intensity of the critical-band notion for frequency.
The Structure of Parental Involvement and Relations to Disease Management for Youth with Type 1 Diabetes

Objective To test structural models of parental involvement in type 1 diabetes and to examine associations of parental involvement with adherence and metabolic control. Methods Two hundred and fifty-two young adolescents (10–14 years) completed reports of adherence and parents’ involvement: acceptance, independence encouragement, communication, general and diabetes-specific monitoring, frequency of help, and intrusive support. HbA1c values came from medical records. Results A model of relationship quality, behavioral involvement, and monitoring as three separate yet interrelated factors best fit the data. Higher reports of mothers’ and fathers’ monitoring and fathers’ relationship quality uniquely related to better adherence, whereas higher reports of fathers’ behavioral involvement uniquely related to poorer adherence. Higher reports of paternal monitoring were related to lower HbA1c. Conclusions Adolescent perceptions of components of parental involvement are interrelated, yet separate constructs for both mothers and fathers. Parental monitoring was an important predictor of management of type 1 diabetes during adolescence.
Effect of DNA Superhelicity and Bound Proteins on Mechanistic Aspects of the Hin-Mediated and Fis-Enhanced Inversion

Using a recently developed inhomogeneous, macroscopic model for long DNA bound to proteins, we examine topological and geometric aspects of DNA/protein structures and dynamics on various stages of the Hin inversion pathway. This biological reaction involves exchange of DNA in a synaptic complex that brings together several DNA sites bound to Hin dimers as well as Fis enhancers. Brownian dynamics simulations in the millisecond timescale allow us to follow and analyze the DNA/protein dynamics trajectories and to examine the effects of DNA superhelicity and protein binding on various reaction steps. Analysis of the generated kinetic pathways helps explain mechanistic aspects regarding the process by which two or three protein-bound DNA sites come to close spatial proximity and show that how topological selectivity (two trapped supercoils), enhancer binding, and properties of supercoiled DNA play critical roles in regulating the inversion reaction. Specifically, a critical amount of DNA superhelicity (e.g., |σ| > 0.02) leads to an optimal interplay for the first reaction step—two-site juxtaposition—between large-scale random rearrangements of Hin-bound DNA and local slithering within branches of plectonemes. The three-site juxtaposition, the second step, is significantly accelerated by the presence of an enhancer protein that, due to severe local bending, also alters juxtaposition mechanisms, especially for superhelical density magnitude greater than around 0.04.
A Simpler Approach

Although the described technique of using an introducer to aid the insertion of a urethral catheter in these patients seems simple and logical, we propose an even easier technique that does not require the use of an introducer. First, the patient's legs are abducted and knees bent as for pelvic examination. Second, a two digit assessment (using the index and middle finger of the left hand) of the vagina is made to locate the urethral meatus along the anterior vaginal wall. If the urethra is found to be recessed, the index and middle fingers are angled anteriorly to guide the urethral catheter through the meatus. This technique has proved to be useful not only during the insertion of a urethral catheter, but also when performing flexible cystoscopy in the elderly.
Evaluation of Multibody Parafoil Dynamics Using Distributed Miniature Wireless Sensors

Guided parafoils are comprised of two primary bodies, a payload and parafoil. The payload encompasses the majority of the overall system mass; however, the parafoil generates the majority of aerodynamic loads and is the sole source of control. Despite the canopy being the source of control, the sensor systems used for guidance are located away from the parafoil. Many multi-body models exist in literature and use different degrees-of-freedom to represent parafoil-payload relative motion. However, in all cases, simulations are used to investigate how the relative motion between bodies affects the overall dynamics without experimental validation determining accuracy of the motion predicted. Lack of validation for parafoil-payload relative motion has primarily been due to challenges in accurately measuring parafoil canopy motion which include; its flexibility, light weight, need to be packed in a small volume before deployment, and connection through suspension lines to the payload. In this paper, multiple miniature wireless sensors are embedded in the parafoil canopy and payload during flight and used to measure the parafoil-payload relative motion. Experimental measurements are then compared to a nine degree-of-freedom model and relative payload-parafoil motion is analyzed.
Effects of the Vietnam Experience on Subsequent Drug Use Among Servicemen

Data from three samples of active duty servicemen (total n = 1743) surveyed in 1971 at a midwestern military installation provided only limited evidence that service in Southeast Asia affected subsequent drug use. Reported incidence of opiate use in the presurvey month was higher for Vietnam returnees than for nonreturnee controls from the same units on only one of three surveys. Results suggest that stateside use of at least the nonopiate drugs is as endemic to the general military population as it is to the special population of combat-zone returnees.
HIV Treatment Adherence and Sexual Functioning

To our knowledge, no studies have considered the bidirectional relationship between HIV infected patients’ social/sexual lives and HAART adherence. To determine it’s potential impact the study sample consisted of 135 men starting HAART and being followed for 6 months. Twenty percent of men enrolled in the study self-reported non-adherence. Non-adherent patients reported a greater number and severity of adverse effects such as gastrointestinal and body changes. All participants were aware of these risks, requested support, and were advised by the health care providers. As many as 26% of the HIV infected men, at the second visit, reported sexual dysfunction and none received information regarding the possibility of this side effect. Of importance, patients reporting sexual dysfunction, were more likely to report not being fully adherent to the medication (RR = 2.46 95% CI 1.3–4.7; P = 0.04). Of most concern, none of the men reported looking for medical advice
Reagan on War: A Reappraisal of the Weinberger Doctrine, 1980–1984. By Gail E. S. Yoshitani. (College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 2011. Pp. xvii, 250. $35.00.)

According to the author of this study, the Weinberger Doctrine was a new strategic concept of and pattern for civil‐military relations systematically developed in the Reagan administration and not ...
Sensitivity of Seismic Applications to Different Shape Memory Alloy Models

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are known for their superelastic properties, which have been exploited in numerous applications in the biomedical, aerospace, and commercial fields. More recently, these materials have been evaluated for applications in the area of earthquake engineering. One key question that arises when using these materials is the appropriate constitutive material model to use to capture the highly nonlinear behavior of SMAs. This paper explores the effect of using different SMA constitutive models on the resulting response of systems using SMAs. A sensitivity analysis is conducted by using three SMA models with various levels of complexity. The models are implemented in a single-degree-of-freedom system and subjected to three groups of earthquake records with various characteristics. Considering a more accurate trend in modeling incomplete cycles in SMAs has little impact on the structural response. The strength degradation and residual deformation seem to be of more importance than the sublooping behavior. The response is more sensitive to the cyclic effects in the case of records with long durations or large intensities.
Gender, race and the Gestapo

As part of an ongoing project on Nazi terror, this paper systematically examines the evidence contained in hundreds of Gestapo and Special Court case files in the Cities of Krefeld and Cologne and the results of a recent survey of elderly Cologne citizens pertaining to their experiences in Nazi Germany to compare the persecution of Jewish men and women with the persecution of non-Jewish men and women during the Third Reich. It argues that while most elderly Germans claim today that they had violated Nazi laws at one time or another (e.g. by listening to foreign radio broadcasts, telling anti-Nazi jokes, giving aid to Nazi victims, or spreading information about the Holocaust) very few of their illegal acts concerned the police and justice authorities greatiy and very few either came to the attention of the Gestapo or were punished with severity when they did, except in cases involving Jewish men and Jewish women, who suffered ruthless punishment for even the most minor of infractions. Since the end of the Second World War, German women have often been cast alongside the ranks of millions of other victims of a macho men's society in which fear and terror were supposedly omnipresent and punishment certain for anyone who did not scrupulously obey Hitler's every whim and dictate. Sometimes women have been portrayed primarily as indirect victims. Forced * Address all communications to Eric A. Johnson, Department of History, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48859, USA, e-mail: Er ic.A.Johnson@cmich.edu This is a revised version of a paper presented in London, England, on April 3, 1995, at a conference on ?Gender and Crime in Britain and Europe.? The research for this study has been supported by generous grants from the National Endowment for Humanities (RO-22401-92) and the National Science Foundation (SES-9209720). The research for this paper was conducted while I was a visiting professor at the Center for Historical Social Research/Zentralarchiv fur empirische Sozialforschung of the University of Cologne. Thanks go to my colleagues at that institution, and, in particular, to my two research assistants, Anna Perez Belmonte and Christiane Wever.
Redefining Protected 'Opposition' Activity in Employment Retaliation Cases

Over the last decade, retaliation claims under our federal employment discrimination laws -- such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA)) -- have skyrocketed. In that period, these claims have increased in number by over fifty percent and now rank as the single most popular claims filed with the EEOC.A critical element in these retaliation claims is the presence of “protected activity” by the whistleblowing employee. One type of protected activity is “opposition” activity, which encompasses less formal reports or protests, such as making internal complaints about harassing workplace conduct to a supervisor or Human Resources department.Currently, federal courts narrowly define what qualifies as protected opposition activity under the Title VII, ADA, and ADEA anti-retaliation provisions. Specifically, a whistleblowing employee is protected only if two requirements are met: (i) the employee had an honest, good-faith belief that the reported conduct was unlawful under federal employment discrimination law; and (ii) the employee’s belief was either correct (i.e., the conduct was actually unlawful) or reasonably incorrect (i.e., she was at least reasonable in believing that the conduct was actually unlawful). In other words, our courts protect whistleblowing employees only if they are honest, “correct believers” or honest, “reasonably incorrect believers.”This definition of protected opposition activity is flawed because it focuses only upon the correctness or reasonableness of a whistleblowing employee’s belief and does not accommodate the reasonableness of her action. That belief-driven focus fails to protect multitudes of employees who not only possess an honest, good-faith belief that workplace conduct was unlawful under federal employment discrimination law, but also then act reasonably under the circumstances to stop it by internally reporting it.This Article argues that the definition of protected opposition activity should be expanded to protect whistleblowing employees who are honest, “reasonable actors.” Specifically, this Article proposes and defends the addition of a “Reasonable Action Option” to that definition. This proposed approach represents a significant improvement in federal anti-retaliation law for three reasons: (a) it is consistent with the Supreme Court’s “reasonable worker (re)action” philosophy that is clearly evidenced in its post-1998 employment discrimination and retaliation decisions; (b) it avoids a so-called “Goldilocks problem,” where an employee’s retaliation claim is destroyed by an internal complaint that is timed “too soon” and is only protected by one that is somehow timed “just right”; and (c) it promotes the purpose and policy behind the anti-retaliation provisions of our federal employment discrimination laws.
Future Scientific Research in Exercise and Sport and the Role of Bioanalytical Chemistry

This chapter looks forward to the research questions, advancing technologies, and methods that will inform exercise science in the near future—what needs to be studied and how to study it. Two fields of inquiry are focused on, genetics, with its subdiscipline epigenetics, and proteomics. Diseases related to lifestyle and aging are emphasized. Specific research objectives are recommended to point the way forward, such as exploiting genomics to personalize treatment therapies by establishing multidimensional, integrated clinical research; and, translating the findings of basic science to practical application through a team effort of engineers, physicians, pharmacists, and other concerned parties. It is suggested that a large part of the solution to much current morbidity and unnecessary mortality is simple, economical, already available to most people, and proven effective: sensible diet, regular exercise, adequate rest, and recreation.
The Effect of Credit Definition and Aggregation Strategies on Multi-Objective Hyper-Heuristics

Heuristics and meta-heuristics are often used to solve complex real-world problems such as the non-linear, non-convex, and multi-objective combinatorial optimization problems that regularly appear in system design and architecture. Unfortunately, the performance of a specific heuristic is largely dependent on the specific problem at hand. Moreover, a heuristic’s performance can vary throughout the optimization process. Hyper-heuristics is one approach that can maintain relatively good performance over the course of an optimization process and across a variety of problems without parameter retuning or major modifications. Given a set of domain-specific and domain-independent heuristics, a hyper-heuristic adapts its search strategy over time by selecting the most promising heuristics to use at a given point.A hyper-heuristic must have: 1) a credit assignment strategy to rank the heuristics by their likelihood of producing improving solutions; and 2) a heuristic selection strategy based on the credits assigned to each heuristic. The literature contains many examples of hyper-heuristics with effective credit assignment and heuristic selection strategies for single-objective optimization problems. In multi-objective optimization problems, however, defining credit is less straightforward because there are often competing objectives. Therefore, there is a need to define and assign credit so that heuristics are rewarded for finding solutions with good trades between the objectives.This paper studies, for the first time, different combinations of credit definition, credit aggregation, and heuristic selection strategies. Credit definitions are based on different applications of the notion of Pareto dominance, namely: A1) dominance of the offspring with respect to the parent solutions; A2) ability to produce non-dominated solutions with respect to the entire population; A3) Pareto ranking with respect to the entire population. Two different credit aggregation strategies for assigning credit are also examined. A heuristic will receive credit for: B1) only the solutions it created in the current iteration or B2) all solutions it created that are in the current population. Different heuristic selection strategies are considered including: C1) probability matching; C2) dynamic multi-armed bandit; and C3) Hyper-GA.Thus, we conduct an experiment with three factors: credit definition (A1, A2, A3), credit aggregation (B1, B2), and heuristic selection (C1, C2, C3) and conduct a full factorial experiment. Performance is measured by hyper-volume of the last population. All algorithms are tested on a design problem for a climate monitoring satellite constellation instead of classical benchmarking problems to apply domain-specific heuristics within the hyper-heuristic.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Modified DLM Method for Finite-Volume Simulation of Particle Flow

A Distributed-Lagrange-Multiplier(DLM)-based method is implemented for the simulation of particulate flow. Initially, we show that our fluid-particle solver produces results which are in good agreement with numerical studies of benchmark viscous flow problems. Subsequently, the bouncing motion of a solid sphere onto a solid plate in an ambient fluid is considered. Comparing results for the coefficient of restitution for different Stokes numbers shows very good agreement with the experimental results. Finally, the effect of the coefficient of restitution for a dry collision on the vortex dynamics associated with a colliding sphere onto a wall is discussed.
The Effectiveness of Dry and Wet Stormwater Detention Basins As Sediment and Nutrient Processors

Urban sprawl places watersheds and associated streams and rivers under increased stress in terms of impaired water quality from stormwater runoff. This study investigated the response of one wet and two dry stormwater detention basins to rainfall events to determine their effectiveness as sediment and nutrient processors. The study was conducted in James City County, Virginia, a county presently experiencing rapid residential and commercial growth. Using automated ISCO © water samplers, samples were collected before, during, and after rainfall events of variable magnitude. Samples were analyzed for the following: dissolved inorganic phosphorus, total particulate phosphorus, dissolved nitrate+nitrite, dissolved ammonium, total suspended sediment (TSS), and total dissolved sediment (TDS). Significant increases in nutrient concentration and sediment discharge from both wet and dry detention basins were observed during and after rainfall events. Dry detention basins, however, were less effective than wet basins in processing sediment and nutrient concentrations during the three separate rainfall events. In James City County there has been a recent policy push to install wet detention basins rather than dry basins. These data support such a change in stormwater management practices to maintain better water quality in developing watersheds.
Interaction of CuS and sulfur in Li-S battery system

Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) battery has been a subject of intensive research in recent years due to its potential to provide much higher energy density and lower cost than the current state of the art lithiumion battery technology. In this work, we have investigated Cupric Sulfide (CuS) as a capacitycontributing conductive additive to the sulfur electrode in a Li-S battery. Galvanostatic charge/discharge cycling has been used to compare the performance of both sulfur electrodes and S:CuS hybrid electrodes with various ratios. We found that the conductive CuS additive enhanced the utilization of the sulfur cathode under a 1C rate discharge. However, under a C/10 discharge rate, S:CuS hybrid electrodes exhibited lower sulfur utilization in the first discharge and faster capacity decay in later cycles than a pure sulfur electrode due to the dissolution of CuS. The CuS dissolution is found to be the result of strong interaction between the soluble low order polysulfide Li2S3 and CuS. As a result, we identified the presence of conductive copper-containing sulfides at the cycled lithium anode surface, which may degrade the effectiveness of the passivation function of the solid-electrolyte-interphase (SEI) layer, accounting for the poor cycling performance of the S:CuS hybrid cells at low rate.
Embryoscopy and fetoscopy

SUMMARY The introduction of transabdominal fiberoptic thin-gauge visualization of the embryo or fetus in the first trimester allows an earlier diagnosis of congenital anomalies currently beyond the resolution of ultrasound. In addition, it has the true potential of providing access to the fetal circulation at an early age, an accomplishment that would have enormous diagnostic and therapeutic implications. In the second and third trimester, operative fetoscopic techniques promise to open a new frontier in the diagnosis and management of fetal surgical and medical conditions.
From Cooperation to Confrontation: the Unveiling of the Alpha Plan

Following the Gaza raid, the Eisenhower administration finally unveiled the Alpha Plan and sought to remove the last obstacle to effective incorporation of the Middle East into its global alliance network. The deteriorating regional trends and the arrival of the presidential election season made the resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict particularly urgent. The moment seemed inauspicious, as Egypt sought to facilitate the rise of its pan-Arabist aspirations through a three-track diplomacy of establishing an anti-Iraqi pact, participating in Third World nonalignment groupings, and cultivating a closer relationship with the Soviet Union to obtain weapons that were not forthcoming from the Western bloc. The American and Egyptian policy tracks were simply on a collision course whose magnitude became fully obvious in March 1956. By then, the once promising hope of building the containment walls in the Middle East by guiding Egypt dissipated as the United States moved to a more decisive alignment with the conservative forces in the region.
Prefrontal Cortical Asymmetry and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Fractal information dimension (FID), a scale-free measure, was used to assess the prefrontal cortical convolution complexity and asymmetry in 12 boys with ADHD and 11 controls, in an MRI study at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and other centers in Beijing, PR China.
Contemporary E-Commerce Sites: Perceived Value of Netflix Self-Service App

The main goal of this study was to respond to the call by self-service technology (SST) researchers to investigate consumer evaluation of SST value in a unique context. The self-service app context is relevant in our modern-day contemporary e-commerce society where consumers increasingly rely on apps to make consumption decisions. For instance the video streaming service from Netflix’s self-service app is a global network phenomenon, according to tech analysts on Wall Street
Charge collection in silicon strip detectors with a large strip pitch

We present a study of charge collection in silicon strip detectors for which the readout pitch is equal to the thickness of the silicon wafer and is much larger than the strip width. The charge collection efficiency and signal characteristics are measured as a function of the lateral distance of the initial ionization from the strip, for various bias voltages. We find that the charge collection efficiency is significantly degraded in the region midway between strips. A simple simulation supports the hypothesis that the effect is due to interaction of drifting holes with the silicon surface. The situation could be rectified, at the expense of greater capacitance, by greatly increasing the strip width or decreasing the pitch. >
Comparative genome-wide phylogenetic and expression analysis of SBP genes from potato (Solanum tuberosum)

Display Omitted Identified 15 members of SBP in potato, that showed resemblance to Arabidopsis SBP-box genes.Found to be distributed in nine chromosomes and eight of them included miR156 and miRNA157 target sites.Expression pattern of StSBP was confirmed in the context of early flowering response. Flowering time is a very important phase in transition to reproductive stage of life in higher plants. SQUAMOSA promoter-binding protein (SBP) gene family encodes plant-specific transcription factors that are involved in regulation of several developmental processes, especially flowering. Although SBP-box genes have been identified in different plants, there have been no study indicating the regulatory effect of SBP box in potato flowering. Here, we report for the first time the identification and characterization of SBP-box transcription factors as well as determination of expression level of SBP-box genes in Solanum tuberosum L. an important crop worldwide. Fifteen different SBP-box transcription factor genes were identified in potato genome. They were found to be distributed in nine chromosomes and eight of them included miR156 and miRNA157 target sites. Characterization of amino acid sequences were performed and protein interactions were predicted. In addition, expression levels of five S. tuberosum SBP-box genes were analysed by both in silico and qRT-PCR. All these results provide a better understanding of functional role of SBP-box gene family members in flowering time in potato.
Cellular and Physiological Effects of Arginine in Seniors

Arginine is a conditionally essential amino acid that plays a number of critical roles in human health and disease. Since discovering arginine to be the nitrogen source for nitric oxide, biomedical research has intensely focused on it and its vasodilatory effects. However, other recent work has highlighted not only these potential cardiovascular benefits of arginine and its metabolites but also the advances in the knowledge of arginine biochemistry, organ–organ trafficking, and insights from clinical studies examining its role of arginine as a therapeutic modality in a variety of disease states. These advances, along with a comprehensive review of arginine biochemistry and physiology, are reviewed within this chapter and aim to highlight this robust area of medical research.
Phosphoinositides and Membrane Targeting in Cell Polarity

Selective enrichment of the polyphosphoinositides (PPIn), such as PtdIns(4,5)P2 and PtdIns4P, helps to determine the identity of the plasma membrane (PM) and regulates many aspects of cell biology through a vast number of protein effectors. Polarity proteins had long been assumed to be non-PPIn-binding proteins that mainly associate with PM/cell cortex through their extensive protein-protein interaction network. However, recent studies began to reveal that several key polarity proteins electrostatically bind to PPIn through their positively charged protein domains or structures and such PPIn-binding property is essential for their direct and specific attachment to PM. Although the physical nature of the charge-based PPIn binding appears to be simple and nonspecific, it serves as an elegant mechanism that can be efficiently and specifically regulated for achieving polarized PM targeting of polarity proteins. As an unexpected consequence, subcellular localization of PPIn-binding polarity proteins are also subject to regulations by physiological conditions such as hypoxia and ischemia that acutely and reversibly depletes PPIn from PM.
ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction in Patients Hospitalized for Non-Cardiac Conditions ☆

Abstract Background Timely use of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the standard of care for patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Most patients with STEMI present via emergency medical services or self-transport to the emergency department (ED) and relatively little is known about the minority of patients that develop STEMI while hospitalized for non-cardiac conditions. The objective of this study was to analyze treatment times and clinical outcome for in-hospital STEMI patients. Methods Two-hundred fifty-five patients with STEMI treated at Keck Medical Center of USC and Los Angeles County USC Medical Center from January, 2009 to December, 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographics, treatment time intervals and clinical outcome were collected. Patients arriving via the ED (ED STEMI Group, n = 228; 89%) were compared to patients that developed in-hospital STEMI (In-hospital STEMI Group, n = 27; 11%). Results Patients with in-hospital STEMI were similar in age, gender and associated medical conditions to ED STEMI patients. In-hospital STEMI patients were less likely to present with chest pain compared to ED STEMI patients, 5% vs. 79%, respectively, p Conclusions In-hospital STEMI patients have significant treatment delays and worse clinical outcome compared to STEMI patients that present via the emergency department. Additional efforts are required to promptly identify in-hospital patients that develop STEMI.
Improving Value in Neonatal Intensive Care

Work within the US health care system has sought to improve outcomes, decrease costs, and improve the patient experience. Combining those three elements leads to value-added care. Quality improvement within neonatology has focused primarily on the improvement of clinical outcomes without explicit consideration of cost. Future improvement efforts in neonatology should consider opportunities to decrease or eliminate waste, and improve outcomes. Consideration of how a change affects all stakeholders reveals potential cost-saving opportunities, and developing aims with value in mind facilitates understanding and goal-setting with senior administrative leaders.
Photosystem II Carbonic Anhydrase Activity Depends on Cl- and Ca++

As reported in 1986(1) photosystem II carbonic anhydrase (CA) is stimulated by both chloride and calcium. Those findings have now been extended to include concentration curves in which the effects of these ions on CA were compared to their effects on oxygen evolution (Hill reaction). These studies were done with maize thylakoids and PSIIenriched membrane preparations in which either two (17 and 24 kDa) or three (17, 24, and 33 kDa) extrinsic proteins were removed. It is known that these treatments dramatically change the chloride requirement for oxygen evolution. Membranes were also made calcium-dependent by treatment with EDTA. The response of photosystem II CA to Cl- and Ca++ resembled that of oxygen evolution in the various membrane preparations.
Combination of bow-tie antenna and log periodic dipole array for circular polarization

A Log Periodic Dipole Array antenna is orthogonally placed with a wideband bow-tie antenna to achieve bandwidth enhancement with circularly polarization. The simulated −10-dB impedance bandwidth is 30.2% (2.11 GHz ∼ 2.86 GHz), and the 3-dB axial-ratio bandwidth is 24.5% (2.07 GHz ∼ 2.65 GHz). The overlapped 3-dB axial-ratio and −10-dB impedance bandwidth is 22.6% (2.11 GHz ∼ 2.65 GHz). The averaged realized gain is 4.7 dBic, and the maximum realized gain is 5.5 dBic over the bandwidth in common.
Comparison of Telemedicine to Traditional Face-to-Face Care for Children with Special Needs: A Quasiexperimental Study.

Abstract Background: Services for Children with Special Healthcare Needs (CSHCN) have been challenging in terms of cost and access to appropriate healthcare services. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to examine cost, caring, and family-centered care in relationship to pediatric specialty services integrating telemedicine visits compared to traditional face-to-face visits only for (CSHCN) in rural, remote, and medically underserved areas. Methods: This study used a prospective, quasiexperimental research design with 222 parents or legal guardians of CSHCN receiving pediatric specialty care. The traditional group (n = 110) included families receiving face-to-face pediatric specialty care and the telemedicine group (n = 112) included families who had telemedicine visits along with traditional face-to-face pediatric specialty care. Results: Results indicated no significant differences in family costs when the telemedicine group was compared to traditional face-to-face care. When the telemedicine ...
An On-Top-Plasty Reconstruction for Complicated Radial Polydactyly

Background: The clinical presentation of radial polydactyly can vary greatly. Careful planning and appreciation of the anatomic subtleties provides alternative surgical options to improve patient outcomes. Methods: We present a case of a well-formed accessory web space thumb and a hypoplastic primary thumb. Results: Rather than excising the accessory digit, we performed a spare-part, on-top-plasty reconstruction to replace the diminutive distal phalanx of the primary thumb. Conclusions: This novel case applied the principle of spare-part surgery to reconstruct a more aesthetic and functional reconstructed digit.
Electronic Mail Addressing Tables

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the electronic mail addressing tables. These tables describe ways to address mail among various networks described in the directory. In some cases they are neither complete nor definitive; Internetwork mail is a maze of twisty little passages, all different, and getting from here to there is sometimes more of an art than a science. Mail systems and mail system configurations naturally vary widely from host to host. Wherever possible, the tables present likely alternatives for addressing mail, listed in decreasing order of preference. In these tables, words and symbols in boldface should be copied literally when constructing an electronic mail address. Words in italics should be replaced with the appropriate host, user, or gateway name.
Sensitivity analysis of muscle mechanics-based voice simulator to determine gender-specific speech characteristics

The purpose of this study was to investigate the gender differences in voice simulation using a sensitivity analysis approach. A global, Monte Carlo-based approach was employed, and the relationships between biomechanical inputs (lung pressure and muscle activation levels) and acoustic outputs (fundamental frequency, f0, and sound pressure level, SPL) were investigated for male and female versions of a voice simulator model. The gender distinction in the model was based on an anatomical scaling of the laryngeal structures. Results showed strong relationships for f0 and SPL as functions of lung pressure, as well as for f0 as a function of cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid muscle activity, in agreement with previous literature. Also expected was a systematic shift in f0 range between the genders. It was found that the female model exhibited greater pitch strength (saliency) than the male model, which might equate to a perceptually more periodic or higher-quality voice for females. In addition, the female model required slightly higher lung pressures than the male model to achieve the same SPL, suggesting a possibly greater phonatory effort and predisposition for fatigue in the female voice. The methods and results of this study lay the groundwork for a complete mapping of simulator sound signal characteristics as a function of simulator input parameters and a better understanding of gender-specific voice production and vocal health.
Historical Analysis of U.S. Tornado Fatalities (1808–2017): Population, Science, and Technology

AbstractThe record of tornado fatalities in the United States for over two centuries (1808–2017) and decadal census records have been examined to search for historical trends. Particular attention ...
Reservoir Sedimentation and Environmental Degradation: Assessing Trends in Sediment-Associated Trace Elements in Grenada Lake, Mississippi

Sediments impounded within flood control reservoirs are potentially important archives of environmental and geomorphic processes occurring within drainage basins. The concentrations of select sediment-associated trace elements were assessed within the impoundment of Grenada Lake, a relatively large flood control reservoir in Mississippi with a history of contaminant bioaccumulation in fish. The post-construction sediments (after 1954) are discriminated from the pre-construction sediments (before 1954) based on depth variations in sediment texture and 137 Cs emissions. The concentrations of select trace elements of the post-1954 sediments all are statistically greater than the pre-1954 sediments, and these same sediments also are enriched in clay. Once these concentrations are normalized by clay content, all trace elements in the post-1954 sediments are lower in concentration than the pre-1954 normalized sediments. Moreover, the trace elements when normalized by clay or Al content show virtually no change vertically (over time) within the reservoir impoundment. This suggests that the sources of these sediment-associated trace elements within Grenada Lake, whether natural or anthropogenic, have not changed appreciably over the lifespan of the reservoir and that the degradation of sedimentologic and ecologic indices within the lake are due to the sequestration of clay or clay-sized materials.
Obstacles to Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder and Myths About Autism

This chapter reviews some of the common thoughts, beliefs, and misconceptions that can act as barriers to an ASD diagnosis. The requirements of healthcare practice make it hard for PCPs to diagnose conditions like autism. It is critical that children with developmental delays get identified and referred to intervention programs as early as possible, when the brain is most actively developing. “Let’s wait and see” must be avoided when there are concerns about development. The shortage of developmental subspecialists makes it even more important that PCPs can get children into intervention services as soon as possible. Early intervention would help everyone with skill deficits. Our ideas regarding what children with autism should look like in the office can often be misleading.
Evaluation of feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, carcass retail cut distribution, Warner-Bratzler shear force, and fatty acid composition of crossbred Jersey steers and heifers

ABSTRACT Objective This experiment investigated the effects of sire breed and sex on the feedlot performance, carcass yield, fatty acid composition, and tenderness of crossbred Jersey cattle. Materials and Methods Crossbred Jersey steers and heifers sired by Angus (n = 9, 11), SimAngus (n = 10, 19), and Red Wagyu (n = 15, 7) bulls were used in a randomized complete block design. Results and Discussion Adjusted to a similar initial BW, Angus- and SimAngus-sired cattle had a greater ADG (P ≤ 0.01) and average daily DMI (P ≤ 0.01), resulting in a greater off-test BW (P ≤ 0.04) and fewer days on feed (P ≤ 0.01) compared with Wagyu-sired cattle. At a similar adjusted hot carcass weight, carcasses from Angus-sired cattle had a greater fat thickness (P ≤ 0.01) and less kidney fat (P ≤ 0.01) compared with carcasses from SimAngus- and Wagyu-sired cattle. Sire breed did not affect total red meat yield (P = 0.32), fat yield (P = 0.28), and bone yield (P = 0.35). Warner-Bratzler shear force values were greater (P ≤ 0.01) for steaks from Angus-sired cattle compared with steaks from SimAngus- and Wagyu-sired cattle. Steaks from Angus-sired cattle had a greater marbling score (P ≤ 0.01) and percentage of total lipid (P ≤ 0.01) compared with steaks from SimAngus- and Wagyu-sired cattle. Implications and Applications Appropriate selection of a terminal sire breed will depend on where the producer intends to sell in the production chain, because different sire breeds excel in different growth and carcass traits.
Discovery of Tyrosine Kinase 2 (TYK2) Inhibitor (PF-06826647) for the Treatment of Autoimmune Diseases

Tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) is a member of the JAK kinase family that regulates signal transduction downstream of receptors for the IL-23/IL-12 pathways and type I interferon family, where it pairs with JAK2 or JAK1, respectively. On the basis of human genetic and emerging clinical data, a selective TYK2 inhibitor provides an opportunity to treat autoimmune diseases delivering a potentially differentiated clinical profile compared to currently approved JAK inhibitors. The discovery of an ATP-competitive pyrazolopyrazinyl series of TYK2 inhibitors was accomplished through computational and structurally enabled design starting from a known kinase hinge binding motif. With understanding of PK/PD relationships, a target profile balancing TYK2 potency and selectivity over off-target JAK2 was established. Lead optimization involved modulating potency, selectivity, and ADME properties which led to the identification of the clinical candidate PF-06826647 (22).
Evolution of High Strain Rate Mechanical Properties of SAC-R with High Temperature Storage at 50°C with High and Low Operating-Temperatures

Previous published literature on material constitutive behavior for SAC-R lead-free solder alloys is restricted to either low strain-rates or room temperature storage (25°C). For the material (SAC-R), high strain-rate data is not available for the storage at high or low operating temperatures. In this experiment, SAC-R has been tested and analyzed at various surrounding temperatures starting from 25°C up to 200°C, with high strain-rates and high aging-temperature as well as low surrounding temperatures from 0°C to -65°C. Storage times of 30-days and 60 days have been studies for a storage temperature of 50°C. Multiple replicates have been tested at each of the conditions and averaged curves reported in the paper. Stress-strain curves have been plotted for a wide range of strain rates and operating temperatures for pristine specimen to aged specimen which have been made using reflow profiles representative of solder-joint production assemblies. The experimental data has been fit into the Anand Viscoplasticity model for (SAC-R) and the Anand constants have been computed by forecasting the measured stress-strain behavior for large ranges of operating temperatures and strain rates. Predictions are compared with the experimentally measured values.