cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Retrospective estimation and correction of physiological fluctuation in functional MRI

Image-to-image fluctuation due to physiological motion is a major limitation to the accurate detection of neuronal activity with functional MRI. In this paper, a new and general technique for the estimation and compensation of the physiological effects is presented. By simultaneously monitoring the respiration and heart beat during the acquisition of imaging data, and retrospectively synchronizing the imaging data with physiological activity, physiological effects are estimated and removed. This technique does not rely on the periodicity of the respiration or the heart beat, does not affect the signal changes arising from neuronal activation, and is beneficial to images acquired with any speed. Experimental studies performed with FLASH and EPI sequences have demonstrated that the new technique is effective in reducing physiological fluctuation and improving the sensitivity of functional MRI and is generally applicable.
Ocean current measurement reliability: An engineer's view

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Buoy Group exists to make current measurements in the oceans. Vector-averaging and burst-sampling current meters are used on wire rope subsurface moorings with glass spheres for buoyancy. Since quality is inherent in the sensor design, for high quality data the instruments must function perfectly. The key to the Buoy Group record of 90% overall data return is the team of electronic and mooring technicians. These are well-trained, experienced and highly motivated people who prepare the instruments and mooring hardware and deploy and recover the mooring systems.
Evidence for Widespread Gene Control Function by the ydaO Riboswitch Candidate

Nearly all representatives of experimentally validated riboswitch classes in bacteria control the expression of genes for the transport or synthesis of key metabolic compounds. Recent findings have revealed that some riboswitches also regulate genes involved in physiological changes, virulence, and stress responses. Many novel RNA motifs are being identified by using bioinformatics algorithms that search for conserved sequence and structural features located in intergenic regions. Some of these RNAs are likely to function as riboswitches for metabolites or signaling compounds, and confirmation of this function would reveal the basis of the genetic control of new regulons. Herein we describe the analysis of the ydaO riboswitch candidate, which represents one of the most widespread candidates remaining to be validated. These RNAs are common in Gram-positive bacteria, and their genomic associations with diverse genes suggest that they sense a compound that signals broader physiological changes. We determined that the ydaO motif exhibits sequence- and structure-dependent gene control, and reporter assays indicate that its natural ligand is present even when cells are grown in defined media. A transposon-mediated knockout screen resulted in mutants with a dysregulated expression of genes controlled by the RNA motif. The mutations disrupt genes that drastically modulate energy-generating pathways, suggesting that the intracellular concentration of the ligand sensed by the ydaO motif is altered under these stress conditions.
980-nm-pumped Er-doped LiNbO/sub 3/ waveguide amplifiers: a comparison with 1484-nm pumping

We have investigated by numerical modeling the relative efficacy of 980-nm and 1484-nm-pumped guided-wave optical amplifiers in Er-doped LiNbO/sub 3/. The shorter wavelength produces a larger differential gain, but the waveguide amplifier suffers from the photorefractive effect if no precautions are taken. Model calculations show that an optical gain of 2.5 dB/cm can be achieved at 80-mW 980-nm pump power, compared to 1.3 dB/cm when pumped at 1484 nm. Experimental results using 80 mW 980 nm give a gain of /spl sim/2.2 dB/cm (minus propagation loss). This gain, however, is degraded by photorefractive damage, which we find is not only due to the 980-nm pump light, but also to the green up-converted light, the latter having the larger effect. Several techniques were shown to reduce the photorefractive damage. ZnO indiffused waveguides in MgO-doped LiNbO/sub 3/ substrates proves to be the most effective. In bulk-doped Er:Mg:LiNbO/sub 3/ samples with ZnO waveguides, an optical gain of 1.6 dB/cm (minus propagation loss) was observed with 54 mW of out-coupled pump power.
Multichannel conical emission and parametric and nonparametric nonlinear optical processes in ytterbium vapor

Collimated and conical emissions that appear when Yb vapor is illuminated by light pulses at 262 nm (near the one-photon Yb 6s2 1S0→6s7p 3P1 transition) are experimentally investigated. Conical emission is observed at multiple wavelengths. Parametric and nonparametric nonlinear optical processes are studied by investigation of the spatial distribution of generated light and the efficiency of light generation as a function of the incident light frequency.
Cycling for Egg Production in the Pheasant

Abstract Two groups of ring-necked Chinese Pheasants (Pbasianus colchicus torquatus) were cycled to lay in different periods of the year in two 12-week periods of egg production within one year, by subjecting the birds to alternating periods of stimulatory (16L:8D) and nonstimulatory (8L:16D) light. During each period of lay, six hens were mated to one male. Eggs were gathered three times daily and set in the incubator every 14 days. Following the onset of stimulatory light, the first egg was laid in 12 or 13 days, and 50% rate of lay was obtained in 9 to 14 days after lay of first egg. Hens cycled to lay during the spring months laid 8 or 9 more eggs per bird in their two cycles than did comparable birds starting their first cycle of lay during the summer months. Peak egg production was reached during the 4th and 5th weeks of lay for the second and first cycles, respectively, regardless of when lay was started. Average fertility and hatchability of eggs from hens cycled to lay their first egg during the spring months was about 6 to 7% higher than for comparable hens starting their first cycle in the summer months. Egg weight varied only slightly among periods of lay. Based on our results, a lighting regimen for cycling pheasants to lay on a year-round basis was proposed.
The sequestration of terrestrial organic carbon in Arctic Ocean sediments: A comparison of methods and implications for regional carbon budgets

Abstract A variety of approaches have previously been developed to estimate the fraction of terrestrial or marine organic carbon present in aquatic sediments. The task of quantifying each component is especially important for the Arctic due to the regions’ sensitivity to global climate change and the potential for enhanced terrestrial organic carbon inputs with continued Arctic warming to alter carbon sequestration. Yet it is unclear how each approach compares in defining organic carbon sources in sediments as well as their impact on regional or pan-Arctic carbon budgets. Here, we investigated multiple methods: (1) two end-member mixing models utilizing bulk stable carbon isotopes; (2) the relationship between long-chain n-alkanes and organic carbon (ALKOC); (3) principal components analysis (PCA) combined with scaling of a large suite of lipid biomarkers; and (4) ratios of branched and isoprenoid glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether lipids (the BIT index) to calculate the fraction of terrestrial organic matter components preserved in Arctic marine sediments. Estimated terrestrial organic carbon content among approaches showed considerable variation for identical sediment samples. For a majority of the samples, the BIT index resulted in the lowest estimates for terrestrial organic carbon, corroborating recent suggestions that this proxy may represent a distinct fraction of terrestrial organic matter; i.e., peat or soil organic matter, as opposed to markers such as n-alkanes or long-chain fatty acids which measure higher plant wax inputs. Because of the patchy inputs of n-alkanes to this region from coastal erosion in the western Arctic, the ALKOC approach was not as effective as when applied to river-dominated margins found in the eastern Arctic. The difficulties in constraining a marine δ13C end-member limit the applicability of stable isotope mixing models in polar regions. Estimates of terrestrial organic carbon using the lipid-based PCA method and the bulk δ13C mixing model approach varied drastically at each site, suggesting that organic matter fractions such as amino acids or carbohydrates may affect bulk organic matter composition in a manner that is not captured in the lipid-based analysis. Overall, terrestrial organic matter inputs to the Chukchi and western Beaufort Seas using the average of the methods at each site ranged from 11% to 44%, indicating that land-derived organic matter plays a substantial role in carbon dynamics in the western Arctic Ocean.
Laminin detection in normal and retinitis pigmentosa human retina.

Epiretinal membrane formation in the posterior pole is an almost constant feature of eyes with retinitis pigmentosa. Using a modified direct immunofluorescence reaction, we demonstrated a strong reaction with antilaminin in a band-like pattern on the inner retinal surface of 3 eyes with retinitis pigmentosa. There were also strongly-laminin-positive pigmented and unpigmented cells scattered throughout the degenerated retinas. This pattern was in sharp contrast to that seen in normal retinas, where the linear band of reaction at the internal limiting membrane was faint and accompanied by a zone of reaction at the level of the outer limiting membrane. Quantitation of laminin by ELISA revealed a six-to tenfold increase (per mg protein) in retinitis pigmentosa retinas, as compared with normal. Since both glial and retinal pigmented epithelial cells can synthesize and deposit laminin, both may participate in the gliosis that occurs during the course of retinitis pigmentosa.
Radioactive plaque therapy for metastatic choroidal carcinoma.

Abstract Purpose To describe the outcome of radioactive episcleral plaque therapy for treatment of metastatic carcinoma to the choroid. Design Retrospective, noncomparative case series. Participants Five patients (six eyes) with carcinoma metastatic to the choroid. Methods Retrospective review of the clinical records of five patients (six eyes) who underwent radioactive episcleral plaque therapy for choroidal metastases. Main outcome measures Tumor height, visual acuity, radiation optic neuropathy, and radiation retinopathy. Results Radioactive episcleral plaque therapy resulted in shrinkage of the treated tumors and resolution of subretinal fluid in all eyes. After plaque treatment, best-corrected visual acuity was maintained within two lines of initial visual acuity for two eyes, decreased more than two lines for one eye, and improved more than two lines in three eyes. The treatment was well tolerated and there was no acute toxicity. Late complications included optic nerve atrophy (at 2 years) with proliferative radiation retinopathy (at 3 years) in one eye and optic atrophy (at 6 months) in another eye that had received prior external beam therapy. Conclusions In carefully selected cases, radioactive episcleral plaque therapy appears to be an effective and reasonable treatment for carcinoma metastatic to the choroid.
The Hidden Consequences of Ventilator Management Decisions

In the following perspective, we will highlight seemingly remote, downstream consequences of common ventilator management decisions. For example, a change in PEEP may alter venous return, blood pressure, cardiac output, arterial and venous blood gas tensions, metabolic rate, respiratory sensations, breathing pattern, and the work of breathing. If providers consider any of these changes dangerous or maladaptive, they may initiate additional interventions in the form of vasoactive agents, intravenous fluids, and/or sedatives, all of which have their own risk/benefit profile. The approach to such co-interventions is rarely addressed even in well-designed large clinical trials. Therefore, it is often impossible to infer intervention-specific mechanisms of action and/or identify the phenotype of responders and nonresponders in such trials. On the flip side, in preclinical research intended to uncover mechanisms, experimental animals are rarely treated the way a critically ill patient would be. For respiratory therapists, this knowledge gap stresses the imperative to think beyond the lungs and to communicate ventilator management decisions with all members of the healthcare team.
Geomicrobiology of High-Level Nuclear Waste-Contaminated Vadose Sediments at the Hanford Site, Washington State

Sediments from a high-level nuclear waste plume were collected as part of investigations to evaluate the potential fate and migration of contaminants in the subsurface. The plume originated from a leak that occurred in 1962 from a waste tank consisting of high concentrations of alkali, nitrate, aluminate, Cr(VI), 137Cs, and 99Tc. Investigations were initiated to determine the distribution of viable microorganisms in the vadose sediment samples, probe the phylogeny of cultivated and uncultivated members, and evaluate the ability of the cultivated organisms to survive acute doses of ionizing radiation. The populations of viable aerobic heterotrophic bacteria were generally low, from below detection to ∼104 CFU g−1, but viable microorganisms were recovered from 11 of 16 samples, including several of the most radioactive ones (e.g., >10 μCi of 137Cs/g). The isolates from the contaminated sediments and clone libraries from sediment DNA extracts were dominated by members related to known gram-positive bacteria. Gram-positive bacteria most closely related to Arthrobacter species were the most common isolates among all samples, but other phyla high in G+C content were also represented, including Rhodococcus and Nocardia. Two isolates from the second-most radioactive sample (>20 μCi of 137Cs g−1) were closely related to Deinococcus radiodurans and were able to survive acute doses of ionizing radiation approaching 20 kGy. Many of the gram-positive isolates were resistant to lower levels of gamma radiation. These results demonstrate that gram-positive bacteria, predominantly from phyla high in G+C content, are indigenous to Hanford vadose sediments and that some are effective at surviving the extreme physical and chemical stress associated with radioactive waste.
Protection from Interferon-Induced Apoptosis by Epstein-Barr Virus Small RNAs Is Not Mediated by Inhibition of PKR

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) EBER transcripts are small, highly structured RNAs able to bind to and inhibit activation of the double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase PKR in cell-free systems, and within latently infected B-cell lines they inhibit alpha interferon-induced apoptosis that is believed to be mediated through PKR. Here, we address the consequences of EBER expression for PKR activation in vivo in response to alpha interferon. In agreement with published findings, either EBV infection or the EBERs alone protected Burkitt lymphoma cells from alpha-interferon-induced apoptosis. However, utilizing multiple phosphorylation state-specific antibodies to monitor PKR activation within cells in response to interferon, we demonstrate that the EBERs are unable to inhibit phosphorylation of either cytoplasmic or nuclear PKR. Concordantly, a direct substrate of PKR, the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF-2alpha), was equally phosphorylated in EBV-positive and EBV-negative cells following interferon treatment. Therefore, EBER inhibition of alpha-interferon-induced apoptosis, and potentially other PKR-mediated events, is unlikely to be mediated through direct inhibition of PKR, as previously thought.
Effect of face separation in corner-cube reflectors

We explore the effect of separation between the faces of a corner-cube reflector on its performance. This is important because, in several retroreflector applications, one (or more) face of the module is some type of modulator. The fabrication and assembly of these modules invariably results in, or requires, gaps between the faces. A two-dimensional aperture optical model is developed to analyze the effect of this separation on performance. A geometric optics approach is used to evaluate the consequence of the separation on the effective retroreflection area. Diffraction effects are then included to provide a complete model of the corner cube retroreflector (CCR). The results show that the separation-to-face length ratio (δ/L) is an important parameter in maximizing performance of the retroreflector module. We show that an increasing δ/L results in a rapid reduction in the retroreflected power. A CCR illuminated along the body-center direction, which yields the highest effective area, sees a 58% reduction in retroreflected power when δ/L=0.2. Consequently, the field of view of the retroreflector reduces significantly. On the basis of this work, we propose that an effective triface retromodulator could be a GaAs-on-Si modulator grown on a silicon precision corner-cube array, thus filling the entire surface with active material.
Disseminated Trichosporon inkin and Histoplasma capsulatum in a patient with newly diagnosed AIDS

Histoplasma capsulatum and Trichosporon inkin may cause disseminated disease in immunocompromised patients. Disseminated T inkin, the causative agent of white piedra, is rare and difficult to diagnose. We report the case of a 28 year-old man with newly diagnosed HIV infection who developed asymptomatic lesions on his trunk and extremities. Histology demonstrated perivascular and intravascular budding yeasts. Blood cultures revealed fungal organisms that were difficult to culture. Specimens were positive for H capsulatum (confirmed by DNA probe) and T inkin. Compared with disseminated histoplasmosis, disseminated Trichosporon is relatively uncommon. Physicians should be aware of this agent in immunocompromised hosts.
The effects of individual and combined feeding of high monosodium phosphate and alpha tocopherol supplemented milk replacer diets and an alternate protein diet on muscle color, composition and cholesterol content of veal

The purpose was to investigate the effects of feeding MP and VITE individually or in combination on myoglobin content and veal muscle color, serum, liver and muscle mineral content and veal muscle color, the relationship between serum total Fe, iron-binding capacity and degree of transferring saturation on myoglobin and muscle color, the effect of MP and VITE feeding on serum, liver, muscle and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and the effect of feeding AP diet to calves on palatability and color of the veal
Working to appear: The plural and uneven geographies of race, sexuality, and the local state in Sydney, Australia:

This paper mobilizes an Arendtian understanding of politics emphasizing plurality and appearance in order to examine a series of projects convened by the City of Sydney council between 2010 and 2013 that were intended to address issues faced by queer people from “culturally and linguistically diverse” communities. Drawing on interviews with participants, as well as archival materials, I argue that these efforts carved out spaces in which racialized queer people in Sydney could appear politically and in which the uneven geographies produced by the mutually constitutive regimes of sexuality and race could become an object of differentially shared concern. Yet, these projects were themselves necessarily shaped by the very dynamics of racialization and normativity to which they responded, and the paper asks how we might differently live with and beyond the fantasy of multicultural queer inclusion at work in these efforts. In doing so, this paper suggests a different way of relating to the binaries (radical/as...
Effect of Different Hibernation Environments on Survival and Movement of the Boll Weevil

Boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis (Boheman), collected from woods trash in the fall, were reinstalled in woods trash of different depths and moisture content. Treatments consisted of woods trash of 1, 3, 5, and 7 inches receiving normal rainfall of 14.6 inches, 3 inches of woods trash receiving no moisture, and 3 inches of woods trash receiving 14.6 inches of normal rainfall plus 12.5 inches additional moisture. Survival was greater in woods trash 3 inches deep with no moisture than in other environments provided. Only 1.2% of the weevils involved in the experiment moved from one environment to another.
Design of an optimum combustion chamber across multiple speed/load points for a heavy-duty diesel engine: analytical design and experimental validation:

Analytical tools such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and micro-genetic optimization algorithm (GA) have been customized and applied at General Motors Research Laboratories (GMR) for designing a combustion chamber for GM heavy-duty diesel engines, capable of meeting present and future emission targets. In the combined analytical and experimental study described in this paper, the analytical design of the piston bowl shape spanned four key steady-state load points and the performance was validated by testing the analytical design in a single-cylinder engine (SCE). Computations were made to assess the fuel economy performance of the first analytical design. Based on the assessment, a second analytical design was performed with a different set of load points. Computations clearly revealed the progress of performance from the first to the second design. The two optimized piston bowl designs were tested in the SCE in order to validate the predicted progression of performance from the baseline bowl shape ...
DESCENING SEQUENCE OF GAUGE ANOMALIES

In this paper,the descending equations of cochains defined on simplexes are generalizedto the general chains.We have also explained geometrically in some detail that the topologi-cal non-trivialness of physical quantities can descend from higher dimension to lower dimen-sion through the surface term.
Immune Reactions of Model Membranes

Studies on the mode of action of amphotericin B, nystatin, and related antifungal antibiotics eventually led to investigations on the mechanism by which the complement system damages cell membranes. These experiments made extensive use of liposomal model membranes and subsequently suggested other applications that liposomes may have in the fields of immunology and pharmacology.
Obesity and morbidity prevalence in a working population.

As part of ongoing medical surveillance, the morbidity prevalence for obese individuals (20% to 40% and greater than 40% overweight) was compared with non-obese corporate employees utilizing group health insurance claims data for 1985. The advantages of claims data as a potential source of morbidity data for disease surveillance and research are discussed herein. The expected finding of a positive association between hypertension (P less than .05) and obesity noted for both male and female employees reiterates the important role of work site weight control programs in reducing hypertension. The positive association between prevalence of mental health disorders and obesity demonstrates the need to address the adverse psychologic risks of obesity in addition to the adverse physical risks. This finding suggests that employee assistance programs emphasize counseling services for obese individuals.
Complement activates Kupffer cells and neutrophils during reperfusion after hepatic ischemia

The hypothesis that complement factors may be involved in the postischemic activation of Kupffer cells (KC) and polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) was investigated in a model of hepatic ischemia (45 min) and reperfusion in male Fischer rats in vivo. Depletion of serum complement before ischemia resulted in a significant attenuation of the KC-induced oxidant stress (enhanced oxidation of plasma glutathione) and also prevented the accumulation of PMNs in the liver during the initial reperfusion period of 1 h. Complement activation through injection of cobra venom factor (CVF; 75 micrograms CVF/kg) also induced enhanced oxidation of plasma glutathione and accumulation of PMNs in the liver. Isolation of KC and PMNs from the liver 1 h after CVF treatment demonstrated a similar priming effect for stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate and opsonized zymosan as was observed in the postischemic liver. Complement-depleted animals and animals pretreated with the soluble human complement receptor type 1 (BRL 55730; 22.5 mg/kg) accumulated significantly less PMNs in the postischemic livers during longer reperfusion periods (24 h) and sustained significantly less injury. It is concluded that complement is involved in the induction of a KC-induced oxidant stress, the priming of KC and PMNs for enhanced reactive oxygen generation, and the continuous accumulation of PMNs in the liver during reperfusion.
Conserving soil: Sociological insights

SCIENTISTS, policymakers, and citizens increasingly are asking two questions about soil conservation programs. The first: Why, after 50 years of soil conservation programs, are there still massive soil erosion problems? The second: Why are those farmers with highly erodible acres not using effective soil conservation practices? Conservation professionals have long sought the ultimate technology or best method for protecting land resources from the erosive effects of wind and water. For decades many people have believed that technological innovations combined with the scientific method were the answers to erosion problems. Indeed, Americans have developed such a strong commitment to technological solutions that we think every problem can be resolved through technology. Conservation problems, like other social concerns, frequently have been approached from the perspective of a technological fix. Such a perspective is based on the position that technology will generate solutions for any and all problems. Creating an appropriate technology or technique will eliminate the identified problem. Proponents of this approach argue that technologies will be developed to produce the highest level of farm output while simultaneously eliminating soil erosion. Unfortunately, such technologies have not been developed. Professionals in the field have begun to realize that the effects of conservation policies …
Infant fungal communities: Current knowledge and research opportunities

The microbes colonizing the infant gastrointestinal tract have been implicated in later-life disease states such as allergies and obesity. Recently, the medical research community has begun to realize that very early colonization events may be most impactful on future health, with the presence of key taxa required for proper immune and metabolic development. However, most studies to date have focused on bacterial colonization events and have left out fungi, a clinically important sub-population of the microbiota. A number of recent findings indicate the importance of host-associated fungi (the mycobiota) in adult and infant disease states, including acute infections, allergies, and metabolism, making characterization of early human mycobiota an important frontier of medical research. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge with a focus on factors influencing infant mycobiota development and associations between early fungal exposures and health outcomes. We also propose next steps for infant fungal mycobiome research, including longitudinal studies of mother–infant pairs while monitoring long-term health outcomes, further exploration of bacterium–fungus interactions, and improved methods and databases for mycobiome quantitation.
Factors affecting self‐sealing of geological faults due to CO2‐leakage

Injecting anthropogenic CO 2 into the subsurface is suggested for climate change mitigation. However, leakage of CO 2 from its target storage formation is a concern. In the event of leakage, permeability in leakage pathways such as faults may get altered due to mineral reactions induced by CO 2 ‐enriched water, thus influencing the migration and fate of the CO 2 . An example of such fault permeability alteration is found in the Little Grand Wash Fault zone (LGWF), where the fault outcrops show fractures filled with calcium carbonate. To test the nature, extent, and time‐frame of such fault ‘self‐sealing’, we developed reactive flow simulations based on hydrogeological conditions of the LGWF. We measured LGWF water chemistry and conducted an x‐ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis of the fault‐rock to constrain the model geochemistry. We hypothesized that the choice of parameters for relative permeability, capillary pressure, and reaction kinetics will have a huge impact on the fault sealing predictions. Simulation results showed that precipitation of calcite in the top portion of the fault led to a decrease in porosity of the damage zone from a value of 40% to ∼ 2 % . Over a simulation time of 1000 years, porosity in the damage zone showed self‐enhancing behavior in the bottom portion and self‐sealing behavior in the top portion of the fault. We found that the results were most sensitive to the relative permeability parameters and the fault architecture. A major conclusion from this analysis is that, under similar conditions, some faults are likely to seal over time. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Symbiosis: Viruses as Intimate Partners.

Viruses must establish an intimate relationship with their hosts and vectors in order to infect, replicate, and disseminate; hence, viruses can be considered as symbionts with their hosts. Symbiotic relationships encompass different lifestyles, including antagonistic (or pathogenic, the most well-studied lifestyle for viruses), commensal (probably the most common lifestyle), and mutualistic (important beneficial partners). Symbiotic relationships can shape the evolution of the partners in a holobiont, and placing viruses in this context provides an important framework for understanding virus-host relationships and virus ecology. Although antagonistic relationships are thought to lead to coevolution, this is not always clear in virus-host interactions, and impacts on evolution may be complex. Commensalism implies a hitchhiking role for viruses—selfish elements just along for the ride. Mutualistic relationships have been described in detail in the past decade, and they reveal how important viruses are in co...
Cefepime induced neurotoxicity: A case series and review of the literature

Cefepime is a fourth generation cephalosporin which is bactericidal for broad spectrum of organisms. This is a case-series of three patients who presented to our hospital with confusion secondary to cefepime use to treat urinary tract infection (UTI) and health care associated pneumonia (HCAP), after excluding other common etiologies of altered mental status (AMS). Of these three patients, one had progressive expressive aphasia and the other two demonstrated asynchronous myoclonic activity of the limbs. The symptoms were seen within four to five days of initiating the treatment and resolved within three days of discontinuation of cefepime. Acute structural abnormalities were excluded by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. Electroencephalogram (EEG) showed diffuse slowing activity with triphasic waves consistent with encephalopathy. In one patient, renal function was within normal limits, whereas it was abnormal in two patients. To our knowledge, this is the first report of cefepime induced asynchronous myoclonus and expressive aphasia in a patient with normal kidney function.
Computationally Guided Catalyst Design in the Type I Dynamic Kinetic Asymmetric Pauson–Khand Reaction of Allenyl Acetates

The Rh(I)-catalyzed allenic Pauson–Khand reaction (APKR) is an efficient, redox-neutral method of synthesizing α-acyloxy cyclopentenones. An enantioselective APKR could provide access to chiral, nonracemic α-acyloxy and α-hydroxy cyclopentenones and their corresponding redox derivatives, such as thapsigargin, a cytotoxic natural product with potent antitumor activity. Rapid scrambling of axial chirality of allenyl acetates in the presence of Rh(I) catalysts enables the conversion of racemic allene to enantiopure cyclopentenone product in a dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation (DyKAT). A combined experimental and computational approach was taken to develop an effective catalytic system to achieve the asymmetric transformation. The optimization of the denticity, and steric and electronic properties of the ancillary ligand (initially (S)-MonoPhos, 58:42 er), afforded a hemilabile bidentate (S)-MonoPhos-alkene-Rh(I) catalyst that provided α-acyloxy cyclopentenone product in up to 14:86 er. Enantioselecti...
Migration and health at older age in rural Malawi

The connection between migration and health has long been established, but relatively little is known about this relationship for older persons, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In this paper, we examine migration selection with regards to health status among older individuals in Malawi, by testing whether older migrants differ from non-migrants in health status before migration. To do so, we use data from the Malawi Longitudinal Study of Families and Health, a longitudinal panel dataset that includes a relatively large number of individuals at older ages. We focus on three measures: mental health, physical health, and HIV status. We find that the relationship between migration and health selection differs by gender. Older women who are HIV-positive are nearly 10 times more likely to migrate compared to their HIV-negative counterparts. For men, those with better mental health are less likely to migrate in the future. These results suggest that, although research in some settings shows that migrants have better health before moving, some older migrants have worse health than their non-migrant peers, and may, therefore, add to the already-heavy burden on rural health centres in Africa.
Trust in the Euro and the EU’s Banking Union After the Financial Crisis

Wihlborg and Khoury examine whether greater institutional flexibility can strengthen confidence in the euro and the European banking union. The authors highlight the costs and benefits of harmonization as compared with those arising from competition among national regulatory frameworks. Greater trust requires either that some EU member states abandon the euro as their currency, or that they effect far-reaching structural reforms. Politically, it is advantageous to divide the euro zone into two different currency areas. Regarding the EU’s banking union, Wihlborg and Khoury contend that market discipline with regard to banks’ risk-taking improves national regulatory frameworks through institutional competition. Mutual recognition between national supervisory authorities requires harmonization of rules for dealing with troubled banks, as well as for banking regulation and supervision.
Revegetation of a Taxodium-Nyssa forested wetland following complete vegetation destruction

Revegetation is described for a portion of a Taxodium distichum-Nyssa aquatica (bald cypress-water tupelo) forested wetland in South Carolina. Thermal effluent from nuclear production reactors from 1954 to 1968 eliminated most of the original vegetation from the study area. Vegetation in disturbed and adjacent undisturbed areas was sampled in 1981 and 1985 using permanent plots. Herbs invaded rapidly throughout the disturbed portion of the wetland after thermal discharge ceased. Shrubs (Salix spp. and Cephalanthus occidentalis) followed soon thereafter, and have gradually occupied more of the area. Taxodium and Nyssa regeneration is rare because of the inability of seedlings of these species to compete with the dense cover of herbs and shrubs. Species composition is correlated with water depth, substrate type, and severity of disturbance. Because of substrate diversity, several successional mechanisms may account for the revegetation patterns.
Effects of endophyte infected tall fescue seed and red clover isoflavones on rumen microbial populations, fiber fermentation, and volatile fatty acidsin vitro

Negative impacts of endophyte-infected Lolium arundinaceum (Darbyshire) (tall fescue) are responsible for over $2 billion in losses to livestock producers annually. While the influence of endophyte-infected tall fescue has been studied for decades, mitigation methods have not been clearly elucidated. Isoflavones found in Trifolium pretense (red clover) have been the subject of recent research regarding tall fescue toxicosis mitigation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of ergovaline and red clover isoflavones on rumen microbial populations, fiber degradation, and volatile fatty acids (VFA) in an in vitro system. Using a dose of 1.10 mg × L-1, endophyte-infected or endophyte-free tall fescue seed was added to ANKOM fiber bags with or without 2.19 mg of isoflavones in the form of a control, powder, or pulverized tablet, resulting in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangements of treatments. Measurements of pH, VFA, bacterial taxa, as well as the disappearance of neutral detergent fiber (aNDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and crude protein (CP) were taken after 48 h of incubation. aNDF disappearance values were significantly altered by seed type (P = 0.003) and isoflavone treatment (P = 0.005), and ADF disappearance values were significantly different in a seed × isoflavone treatment interaction (P ≤ 0.05). A seed × isoflavone treatment interaction was also observed with respect to CP disappearance (P ≤ 0.05). Seventeen bacterial taxa were significantly altered by seed × isoflavone treatment interaction groups (P ≤ 0.05), six bacterial taxa were increased by isoflavones (P ≤ 0.05), and eleven bacterial taxa were altered by seed type (P ≤ 0.05). Due to the beneficial effect of isoflavones on tall fescue seed fiber degradation, these compounds may be viable options for mitigating fescue toxicosis. Further research should be conducted to determine physiological implications as well as microbiological changes in vivo.
Systems approach to assessing and improving local human research Institutional Review Board performance.

ObjectiveTo quantifying the interdependency within the regulatory environment governing human subject research, including Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), federally mandated Medicare coverage analysis and contract negotiations.MethodsOver 8000 IRB, coverage analysis and contract applications initiated between 2013 and 2016 were analyzed using traditional and machine learning analytics for a quality improvement effort to improve the time required to authorize the start of human research studies.ResultsStaffing ratios, study characteristics such as the number of arms, source of funding and number and type of ancillary reviews significantly influenced the timelines. Using key variables, a predictive algorithm identified outliers for a workflow distinct from the standard process. Improved communication between regulatory units, integration of common functions, and education outreach improved the regulatory approval process.ConclusionsUnderstanding and improving the interdependencies between IRB, coverage analysis and contract negotiation offices requires a systems approach and might benefit from predictive analytics.
An efficient ensemble algorithm for numerical approximation of stochastic Stokes–Darcy equations

Abstract We propose and analyze an efficient ensemble algorithm for fast computation of multiple realizations of the stochastic Stokes–Darcy model with a random hydraulic conductivity tensor. The algorithm results in a common coefficient matrix for all realizations at each time step making solving the linear systems much less expensive while maintaining comparable accuracy to traditional methods that compute each realization separately. Moreover, it decouples the Stokes–Darcy system into two smaller sub-physics problems, which reduces the size of the linear systems and allows parallel computation of the two sub-physics problems. We prove the ensemble method is long time stable and first-order in time convergent under a time-step condition and two parameter conditions. Numerical examples are presented to support the theoretical results and illustrate the application of the algorithm.
Ambient Fine Aerosol Concentrations in Multiple Metrics in Taconite Mining Operations

Studies in environmental epidemiology and of occupational cohorts have implicated the effects of fine particulates with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Motivated by this evidence, we conducted an ambient air monitoring campaign to characterize fine aerosol concentrations around various taconite ore processes in six taconite mines in northeastern Minnesota. The ore processes were first categorized into 16 broad work areas/buildings. We then took air samples at 91 fixed locations using an array of direct-reading instruments to obtain measurements of mass (PM2.5 or particles with aerodynamic diameter <2.5 µm, and respirable particulate matter or RPM), alveolar-deposited surface area (ADSA), and particle number (PN) concentrations. At each location, a respirable gravimetric pump (which was used for calibration purposes) and the instruments measured the ambient dust level for 4 h producing ~240 1-min averaging real-time measurements. To analyze these data, we fit a Bayesian hierarchical model with an autoregressive order 1 correlation structure to estimate pooled concentrations for the 16 work areas/buildings while accounting for temporal correlation. PM2.5 and RPM average ambient concentrations were highly correlated to each other (Pearson's correlation = 0.98), followed by ADSA and PN correlation (R = 0.77). Office and control room areas were found to have the lowest concentrations in all four metrics when compared to other groups. Distinguishing between concentration levels among the remaining groups was more difficult due to the high uncertainty associated with the geometric mean estimates. The geometric standard deviation within location (GSDWL) generally ranged from 1 to 3 for all exposure metrics, except for a few locations that may have had changes in the work activities that generated the observed peaks and variability during the sampling duration. The geometric standard deviation between locations estimates were generally higher than GSDWL, which may indicate larger variability in the processes/activities between locations within each broad work area/building. Future work may look into whether it is feasible to use area measurements for epidemiological investigation and use personal measurements (if available) to validate such approach.
Ensartinib (X-396): what does it add for patients with ALK-rearranged NSCLC.

Rearrangements of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase ( ALK ) gene were first identified in 2007 and occur in 3 to 5% of all patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (1).
Sports Journalism and LGBT Issues: Defining Events and Evolving Coverage

This chapter examines sports journalism coverage of issues pertinent to LGBT athletes. To establish context, the enduring criticism of sports as “the toy department” of journalism for having lax standards and failing to engage in the traditional watchdog role of the press is discussed. From there the chapter focuses on research evaluating how sports journalists reported on the coming out stories of four prominent professional athletes: John Amaechi, Sheryl Swoopes, Jason Collins, and Michael Sam.
Metabolic stimulation of phenolic biosynthesis and antioxidant enzyme response in dark germinated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) sprouts using bioprocessed elicitors

Sprouting and seed elicitor treatments stimulate the biosynthesis of health relevant phenolic bioactives in plants partly by upregulating proline-associated pentose phosphate pathway (PAPPP). This study investigated the upregulation of PAPPP-linked and antioxidant enzyme associated metabolic responses in elicitor-treated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) sprouts previously established with stimulation of health relevant phenolic bioactives. Barley seeds were treated with bioprocessed elicitors marine protein hydrolysates (GroPro®, GP) and soluble chitosan oligosaccharide and germinated under dark conditions. Upregulation of PAPPP and subsequent stimulation of phenolic biosynthesis and antioxidant enzyme responses were monitored at day 2, 4, and 6 of sprouting. High PAPPP-linked antioxidant enzyme responses were observed at early stages of germination with selected doses of GP treatments, especially in cv. Pinnacle. Total soluble phenolic content remained at higher level, while guaiacol peroxidase activity increased over the course of sprouting indicating increased phenolic polymerization to support structural needs of sprouts.
Do Microglial Sex Differences Contribute to Sex Differences in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Sex differences have been clinically documented in numerous neurodegenerative diseases and yet the reasons for these differences are not well understood. Recent studies have found that microglia, the innate immune cells of the central nervous system, are a key cell type involved in neurodegenerative diseases. This cell type displays sex differences in their expression profiles and function. Could these sex differences in microglia explain the sex differences seen in neurodegenerative diseases? How can we further probe these differences to better understand disease mechanisms? In this Opinion, we highlight the recent evidence that microglia have sex differences, factors that contribute to these differences, and how these differences could shed new light on the pathophysiology of neurological diseases.
Caspase-1 Activation Is Related With HIV-Associated Atherosclerosis in an HIV Transgenic Mouse Model and HIV Patient Cohort

Objective: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality in people with HIV since the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy. Despite ...