cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anticholinergic Prescribing in Medicare Part D Beneficiaries Residing in Nursing Homes: Results from a Retrospective Cross-Sectional Analysis of Medicare Data.

Prescribing of medications with anticholinergic properties in older nursing home residents is relatively common, despite an association with an increased risk for falls, delirium, and other outcomes. Few studies have investigated what factors influence different levels of prescribing of these agents. The primary objective was to identify factors associated with low- and high-level anticholinergic burden in nursing home residents. A secondary objective was to examine in detail the contribution of different medications to low versus high burden to aid in determining which drugs to target in interventions. This was a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of a national sample of 2009–2010 Medicare Part A and B claims, Part D prescription drug events, and Minimum Data Set (MDS) v2.0 assessments. The cohort included 4730 Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥ 65 years with continuous Medicare Parts A, B, and D enrollment, admitted for non-skilled stays of ≥ 14 days between 1 January 2010 and 30 September 2010. Anticholinergic burden was defined using the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden (ACB) scale. Medication scores were summed at the patient level and categorized as high (score ≥ 3), low (score 1–2), or none. Baseline predisposing factors (age, sex, race/ethnicity), enabling factors (prior year hospitalization, emergency department, primary care, specialist visits; region; Medicaid/low-income subsidy), and medical need factors (dementia severity, anti-dementia medication, Charlson co-morbidity index [CCI], select comorbidities) were evaluated for association with anticholinergic burden using multinomial logistic regression. Overall, 29.6% of subjects had a high anticholinergic burden and 35.2% had a low burden. High burden was most often (72%) due to one highly anticholinergic medication rather than a cumulative effect. In adjusted analyses, factors associated with increased risk of both low and high anticholinergic burden included comorbidity, antidementia medication, depression, hypertension, and prior year hospitalization. Older age was associated with decreased odds of high anticholinergic burden. Urinary incontinence and prior year specialist visit were associated with increased odds of high anticholinergic burden. Severe and nonsevere dementia were associated with decreased odds of low burden but increased odds of high burden. Almost two-thirds of nursing home patients have some degree of anticholinergic burden. Several medical need variables are significantly associated with increased risk for low and high anticholinergic burden. Interventions should be developed to optimize prescribing for residents at increased risk of receiving medications with anticholinergic properties. Future study is needed to evaluate the difference in the risk of adverse outcomes associated with various levels of anticholinergic burden.
Magma ascent and lava flow emplacement rates during the 2011 Axial Seamount eruption based on CO2 degassing

Abstract Quantitative metrics for eruption rates at mid-ocean ridges (MORs) would improve our understanding of the structure and formation of the uppermost oceanic crust and would provide a means to link volcanic processes with the conditions of the underlying magmatic system. However, these metrics remain elusive because no MOR eruptions have been directly observed. The possibility of disequilibrium degassing in mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB), due to high eruptive depressurization rates, makes the analysis of volatile concentrations in MORB glass a promising method for evaluating eruption rates. In this study, we estimate magma ascent and lava flow emplacement rates during the 2011 eruption of Axial Seamount based on numerical modeling of diffusion-controlled bubble growth and new measurements of dissolved volatiles, vesicularity, and vesicle size distributions in erupted basalts. This dataset provides a unique view of the variability in magma ascent (∼0.02–1.2 m/s) and lava flow rates (∼0.1–0.7 m/s) during a submarine MOR eruption based on 50 samples collected from a >10 km long fissure system and three individual lava flow lobes. Samples from the 2011 eruption display an unprecedented range in dissolved CO2 concentrations, nearly spanning the full range observed on the global MOR system. The variable vesicularity and dissolved CO2 concentrations in these samples can be explained by differences in the extent of degassing, dictated by flow lengths and velocities during both vertical ascent and horizontal flow along the seafloor. Our results document, for the first time, the variability in magma ascent rates during a submarine eruption (∼0.02–1.2 m/s), which spans the global range previously proposed based on CO2 degassing. The slowest ascent rates are associated with hummocky flows while faster ascent rates produce channelized sheet flows. This study corroborates degassing-based models for eruption rates using comparisons with independent methods and documents the relationship between eruption dynamics, magma ascent rates, and the morphology of eruptive products. Globally, this approach allows interrogation of the processes that govern mid-ocean ridge eruptions and influence the formation of the oceanic crust.
Vulnerability of Arctic marine mammals to vessel traffic in the increasingly ice-free Northwest Passage and Northern Sea Route

The fabled Northwest Passage and Northern Sea Route that were once the quests of early Western explorers are now increasingly sea ice–free, with routine vessel transits expected by midcentury. The potential impacts of this novel vessel traffic on endemic Arctic marine mammal (AMM) species are unknown despite their critical social and ecological roles in the ecosystem and widely recognized susceptibility to ice loss. We developed a vulnerability assessment of 80 subpopulations of seven AMM species to vessel traffic during the ice-free season. Vulnerability scores were based on the combined influence of spatially explicit exposure to the sea routes and a suite of sensitivity variables. More than half of AMM subpopulations (42/80) are exposed to open-water vessel transits in the Arctic sea routes. Narwhals ( Monodon monoceros ) were estimated to be most vulnerable to vessel impacts, given their high exposure and sensitivity, and polar bears ( Ursus maritimus ) were estimated to be the least vulnerable because of their low exposure and sensitivity. Regions with geographic bottlenecks, such as the Bering Strait and eastern Canadian Arctic, were characterized by two to three times higher vulnerability than more remote regions. These pinch points are obligatory pathways for both vessels and migratory AMMs, and so represent potentially high conflict areas but also opportunities for conservation-informed planning. Some of the species and regions identified as least vulnerable were also characterized by high uncertainty, highlighting additional data and monitoring needs. Our quantification of the heterogeneity of risk across AMM species provides a necessary first step toward developing best practices for maritime industries poised to advance into this rapidly changing seascape.
Stimulatory effects of gibberellins on the growth of Chlorella pyrenoidosa (chick).

Abstract Gibberellic acid in concentrations above 100 ppm affects the growth of Chlorella pyrenoidosa (Chick) maintained under supraoptimal conditions. Increases in the rate of cell division as well as in average cell size were observed. It is suggested that these two changes, while correlated, may be separately and independently mediated.
Reflective Practice in the Professions: Teaching

When Donald Schon published his landmark book, The Reflective Practitioner , he set off a cottage industry in the professions. This chapter examines the growth and development of reflective practice specifically in the field of education. It begins with Dewey, includes Lawrence Stenhouse and the teacher as researcher movement in the UK, touches on the German Didactik tradition and examines Joseph Schwab’s contributions through his groundbreaking essays on “the practical” in the US. Along the way, related research undertaken at the interface of curriculum and teaching is reviewed. Also, a narrative exemplar illuminating how reflective practice has played out within the context of school reform over the past decade in the US is featured. Lastly, three issues specific to reflective practice in the teaching profession are highlighted.
Beyond Monge's Theorem: A Generalization of the Pythagorean Theorem

It is a well-known fact from linear algebra that the volume of an n-dimensional parallelepiped in lR spanned by vectors A1, . . ., An is given by the (absolute value of the) determinant of the matrix with the vectors Al,... An as rows or columns. Although perhaps not all students realize this, it is this property that is behind those pesky integral transformations in (advanced) calculus that one has to go through to determine the volume of almost any object in 3-space that is more complicated than a sphere or a cylinder. But what if, rather than a parallelepiped that has the same dimensions as the space it lives in, we have a parallelepiped that is spanned by fewer vectors? In the linear space spanned by the vectors that define such a parallelepiped, this parallelepiped will have a volume as well, but there does not seem an easy way to determine such lower-dimensional volume. In other words, if instead of our n-dimensional parallelepiped living in R , we have a p-dimensional parallelepiped in RO", how can the (p-dimensional) volume of that parallelepiped be determined? Let us consider some examples to make it clear what we are looking for. If we have just one vector in R n (n > 1), our parallelepiped will be a line segment, the (1-dimensional) "volume" of which is usually referred to as length. In this case, for any point A = (a,,.. . an) in R , the length of the corresponding vector A is defined by the relation
Stress and metabolic regulation in Drosophila

Environmental changes that result in stress (defined here as decreased absolute viability and/or fecundity) result in extrinsic changes in metabolism that are to some extent compensated by altered gene expression. The fact that different genotypes may respond differently to environmental stress may be of key importance to the maintenance of genetic variation in metabolic traits. Here we quantify a set of metabolic characters in genetically defined lines of Drosophila melanogaster subjected to four stresses (3% acetic acid, 3% ethanol, starvation and thermal stress) in order to assess the magnitude of environmental effects and genotype × environment interactions. Genetic correlations were quantified, and many exhibit significant heterogeneity across environments. Pleiotropically related traits may exhibit the phenomenon of apparent selection, whose effects may be particularly strong in stressful environments. This transient apparent selection may have a large consequence on the maintenance of genetic variation.
The Cerebral Organization of Language

Until modern times the study of the cerebral organization of language coincided largely with the study of aphasia. Adults with focal cerebral lesions, usually strokes (secondary to hemorrhage, embolus, or thrombosis), served as the major study population. There is little disagreement that patients with focal cerebral lesions, usually restricted to the left cerebral hemisphere, may suffer a variety of speech and language symptoms. However, considerable disagreement continues to exist regarding the relevance of cerebral localization to specific patterns of linguistic deficits. The history of aphasia reflects the varying philosophical attitudes of investigators over these issues, ever since Paul Broca presented evidence for the localization of aphasia within the left cerebral hemisphere more than 100 years ago (Broca, 1865).
Quantification of Longitudinal Changes in Retinal Vasculature from Wide-Field Fluorescein Angiography via a Novel Registration and Change Detection Approach

Wide-field fluorescein angiography (FA) images are commonly used in ophthalmology to assess longitudinal changes in retinal vasculature, specifically, non-perfusion. Current practice relies on manual qualitative comparisons between images taken at successive clinic visits, a few months apart. Objective quantitative assessments, although desirable for evaluating disease progression and treatment, are impractical to perform manually and challenging for image analysis because of the changes in the capture viewpoints and temporal imaging variations seen as the FA dye injection perfuses the retina. We propose a methodology for quantifying retinal non-perfusion by automated analysis of the FA images captured during successive clinical visits. Blood vessels are first detected in the image from each visit. The vascular networks in FA images are then precisely registered to obtain a co-aligned pair via parametric chamfer matching under polynomial transformation, a process that explicitly allows for increase or decrease in perfusion. Changes in perfusion are then quantified by identifying the common and distinct regions in co-aligned image pairs. The proposed framework is tested on FA images that are manually annotated by an ophthalmologist to provide ground truth binary vessel masks and to identify vasculature changes. Results indicate that the proposed method provides assessments of vasculature changes that are in good agreement with the ophthalmologist-provided annotations.
Specific Proteomes of Hippocampal Regions CA2 and CA1 Reveal Proteins Linked to the Unique Physiology of Area CA2

The hippocampus is well established as an essential brain center for learning and memory. Within the hippocampus, recent studies show that area CA2 is important for social memory and is an anomaly compared to its better-understood neighboring region, CA1. Unlike CA1, CA2 displays a lack of typical synaptic plasticity, enhanced calcium buffering and extrusion, and resilience to cell death following injury. Although recent studies have identified multiple molecular markers of area CA2, the proteins that mediate the unique physiology, signaling, and resilience of this region are unknown. Using a transgenic GFP-reporter mouse line that expresses eGFP in CA2, we were able to perform targeted dissections of area CA2 and CA1 for proteomic analysis. We identified over 100 proteins with robustly enriched expression in area CA2 compared to CA1. Many of these proteins, including RGS14 and NECAB2, have already been shown to be enriched in CA2 and important for its function, while many more merit further study in the context of enhanced expression in this enigmatic brain region. Furthermore, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the entire data set (>2300 proteins) using a weighted protein co-expression network analysis. This identified eight distinct co-expressed patterns of protein co-enrichment associated with increased expression in area CA2 tissue (compared to CA1). The novel data set we present here reveals a specific CA2 hippocampal proteome, laying the groundwork for future studies and a deeper understanding of area CA2 and the proteins mediating its unique physiology and signaling.
Peeking into the Black Box of School Turnaround: A Formal Test of Mediators and Suppressors.

A growing body of research evaluates the effects of turnaround on chronically low-performing schools. We extend this literature by formally testing factors that may either mediate or suppress the e...
Labor Productivity in the Construction Industry

The effective use of labor within the construction industry is evaluated. The primary factors affecting labor productivity are discussed under the general headings of Environmental Factors, Labor Availability Facts, Job Factors, Management Factors, and Other Factors. The need for a better understanding of the Interrelationships between crew size and crew productivity is emphasized as a basis for rational management and job planning. Construction applications for industrial engineering techniques and for work psychology findings are briefly examined and controlled research programs are suggested.
Behold! A Magic Square.

M 111 any mathematical activities have been generated through the use of magic squares in ways described in articles of the Arithmetic Teacher. Recently, while trying to master a card trick, I found an unexpected magic square that elementary students could discover for themselves. Suppose one takes a deck of ordinary playing cards, takes out the four fives, fours, threes, and twos, and then lays the remainder of the deck aside. The task is to place the selected cards in a square array in such a way that there is exactly one club, one diamond, one heart, and one spade in each row, column, and major diagonal. Make sure, also, that there is exactly one five, one four, one three, and one two in each row, column, and diagonal. You will quickly discover an interesting arrangement. The cards must have the color pattern shown in figure 1.
Quantification and Valuation of Nitrogen Removal Services Provided by Commercial Shellfish Aquaculture at the Subwatershed Scale

Eutrophication is a global environmental challenge, and diverse watershed nitrogen sources require multifaceted management approaches. Shellfish aquaculture removes nitrogen, but the extent and value of this ecosystem service have not been well-characterized at the local scale. A novel approach was employed to quantify and value nitrogen reduction services provided by the shellfish aquaculture industry to a municipality. Cultivated hard clam and eastern oyster nitrogen removal in Greenwich Bay, Connecticut, was valued using the replacement cost methodology and allocated by municipal nitrogen source. Using the preferred analysis allocating replacement costs by nitrogen source, aquaculture-based removal of 14 006 kg nitrogen was valued at $2.3-5.8 (2.3-6.4€) million year-1. This nitrogen removal represents 9% of the total annual Greenwich-specific nitrogen load, 16% of the combined nonpoint sources, 38% of the fertilizer sources, 51% of the septic sources, 98% of the atmospheric deposition to the watershed, or 184% of the atmospheric deposition to the embayments that discharge to Greenwich Bay. Our approach is transferable to other coastal watersheds pursuing nitrogen reduction goals, both with and without established shellfish aquaculture. It provides context for decisions related to watershed nitrogen management expenditures and suggests a strategy to comprehensively evaluate mechanisms to achieve nitrogen reduction targets.
Out-of-Control COVID-19 Pandemic Hampers the Nationalism

Early studies show that the COVID-19 pandemic causes the rally-around-the-flag effect and increases the level of nationalism among the voters after the outbreak. However, how long does this boost l...
Role of hospitals in addressing social determinants of health: A groundwater approach.

Abstract Adverse social determinants of health, such as unequal access to health care, lack of educational opportunities, and food insecurity are noted for shaping health disparities across race, ethnicity, and geographic context. Underlying racial discriminatory practices and policies catalyze and reinforce these disparities. Health care and academic medicine leaders must consider adopting strategies and programs that target health-related social needs by addressing underlying structural racism that shapes the uneven distribution of adverse social determinants. We present a groundwater allegory from the Racial Equity Institute to describe how leaders can leverage hospitals' role as anchor institutions within communities to ensure that the communities they serve have equitable resources and opportunities to improve their health. We describe how hospitals—through their economic power, policy influence, and wealth of data—can advance health equity through policies and practices that move beyond the individual level health-related social needs to change local social, political, and economic structural conditions that create disparities. We depict three potential ways for hospitals, by embracing their role as anchor institutions within communities, to address the groundwater conditions that have the most significant impact on community health.
Friend or foe? The role of biotic agents in drought-induced plant mortality

Plant mortality is a complex process influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors. In recent decades, widespread mortality events have been attributed to increasing drought severity, which has motivated research to examine the physiological mechanisms of drought-induced mortality, particularly hydraulic failure. Drought-based mortality mechanisms are further influenced by plant interactions with biota such as neighboring plants, insect pests, and microbes. In this review, we highlight some of the most influential papers addressing these biotic interactions and their influence on plant mortality. Plant–plant interactions can be positive (facilitation), neutral, or negative (competition), depending on drought intensity and neighbor identity. For example, stand-scale mortality likely increases with basal area (an index of competition). However, the diversity of forest stands matters, as more diverse forests suffer less mortality from drought than species-poor forests. Dense forest stands also increase bark beetle attack frequency, which can exacerbate drought stress and mortality, particularly for fast-growing species with lower defense allocation. In some cases, however, drought stress can alleviate biotic attack, depending on feedbacks between plant and pest physiology. Finally, plant interactions with beneficial microorganisms can increase drought tolerance, reduce the likelihood of mortality, and even extend plant distributions into drier habitats. Our review suggests more work is needed in natural herbaceous plant communities as well as dry tropical ecosystems where mortality mechanisms are less understood. Overall, relatively few studies directly link biotic interactions with the physiological mechanisms of mortality. Simultaneous manipulations of biotic interactions and measurements of physiological thresholds (e.g., xylem cavitation) are needed to fully represent biotic interactions in predictive models of plant mortality.
Daily Streamflow Simulation

A daily multiple-station streamflow simulator is developed using a first order Markov chain and regression analysis techniques. Historical flow records of two gaging stations on the Calapooia River in Oregon are analyzed and the hydrographs rearranged to reduce the observed variations of flow within any particular day and between each day. Rearrangement of flows consists of distributing the monthly peak or peaks of the hydrograph about particular days in order that the ascension and recession curves of the arranged flows occur on particular days. Daily flows are simulated on the basis of the statistical properties of the rarranged flows. A dampening factor is contained in the simulator to produce nonhistoric flow sequences with statistical distributions similar to the historic distributions for the annual flows, maximum one-day, three-day and ten-day average flows and the minimum one, seven, 30 and 120-day average flows.
Reducing energy requirements for instruction issue and dispatch in superscalar microprocessors

Recent studies [MGK 98, Tiw 98] have confirmed that a significant amount of energy is dissipated in the process of instruction dispatching and issue in modern superscalar microprocessors. We propose a model for the energy dissipated by instruction dispatching and issuing logic in modern superscalar microprocessors and validate them through register level simulations and SPICE-measured dissipation coefficients from 0.5 micron CMOS layouts of relevant circuits. Alternative organizations are studied for instruction window buffers that result in energy savings of about 47% over traditional designs.
Abstract 129: Endovascular Therapy Demonstrates Benefit over IV-tPA based on 90-day NIHSS: A Longitudinal, Secondary Analysis of the IMS III Trial

Introduction: The IMS III trial was a randomized controlled trial designed to compare the add-on effect of endovascular therapy after IV-tPA. The primary outcome was mRS at 90 days. Secondary outcomes included NIHSS, which was evaluated repeatedly through 90 days. Objective: To evaluate the treatment effect of endovascular therapy over time on NIHSS. Methods: 656 subjects were enrolled in the IMS III trial, including 434 subjects randomized to endovascular therapy and 222 to IV-tPA only. NIHSS evaluated at 40 min, 24 hours, Day 5 and Day 90 were included in the analysis. A mixed effects model was used to investigate the treatment effect on NIHSS over time, adjusting for relevant covariates including baseline stroke severity (NIHSS ≤19 vs ≥20). Model assumptions were held. Result: After adjusting for age, time from symptom onset to initiation of IV tPA, and baseline stroke severity, a significant time by treatment interaction effect (p = 0.0137) was observed. Only NIHSS at Day 90 showed a significant treat...
Neurocognitive function in patients with small cell lung cancer : effect of prophylactic cranial irradiation.

BACKGROUND. The use of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has been tempered by fears of detrimental effects on cognitive function. Neuropsychologic testing was prospectively conducted before and after PCI to evaluate its effects on cognitive function in patients with SCLC. METHODS. Ninety-six patients who completely or partially responded to initial therapy underwent formal neurocognitive testing before PCI. Three patients who had central nervous system metastasis were excluded. Of the remaining patients, 69 received PCI (mean dose, 25 grays [Gy] in 10 fractions). Repeat testing was performed on 37 patients (median follow-up, 23 months; range, 6–120 months). RESULTS. Baseline impairment was defined as ≥1.5 standard deviations below the normative mean. Before undergoing PCI, 47% of patients had evidence of impaired cognitive function. After PCI, univariate analysis revealed significant transient declines in executive function (pre-PCI mean, 15.6 ± 11.5; post-PCI, 27.1 ± 17.6 [P = .008]) and language (pre-PCI mean, 33.8 ± 9.9; post-PCI, 31.0 ± 9.0 [P = .049]) at early timepoints. Controlling for noncentral nervous system disease progression the deficit in executive function was no longer significant. Moreover, these deficits were not sustained, and significant improvements in language and motor coordination were recorded. On multivariate analysis, no significant differences before and after PCI were found. CONCLUSIONS. Neurocognitive testing demonstrated that a substantial portion of patients with SCLC had impaired brain functioning at baseline. Persistent declines in cognitive function were not observed after cranial irradiation. These data do not favor the omission of PCI on the basis of fears of neurotoxic effects. Cancer 2008. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
DNA Repair Decline During Mouse Spermiogenesis Results in the Accumulation of Heritable DNA Damage

The postmeiotic phase of mouse spermatogenesis (spermiogenesis) is very sensitive to the genomic effects of environmental mutagens because as male germ cells form mature sperm they progressively lose the ability to repair DNA damage. We hypothesized that repeated exposures to mutagens during this repair-deficient phase result in the accumulation of heritable genomic damage in mouse sperm that leads to chromosomal aberrations in zygotes after fertilization. We used a combination of single or fractionated exposures to diepoxybutane (DEB), a component of tobacco smoke, to investigate how differential DNA repair efficiencies during the 3 weeks of spermiogenesis affected the accumulation of DEB-induced heritable damage in early spermatids (21-15 days before fertilization (dbf)), late spermatids (14-8dbf) and sperm (7-1dbf). Analysis of chromosomal aberrations in zygotic metaphases using PAINT/DAPI showed that late spermatids and sperm are unable to repair DEB-induced DNA damage as demonstrated by significant increases (P<0.001) in the frequencies of zygotes with chromosomal aberrations. Comparisons between single and fractionated exposures suggested that the DNA repair-deficient window during late spermiogenesis may be less than 2 weeks in the mouse and that during this repair-deficient window there is accumulation of DNA damage in sperm. Finally, the dose-response study in sperm indicated a linear response for both single and repeated exposures. These findings show that the differential DNA repair capacity of postmeiotic male germ cells has a major impact on the risk of paternally transmitted heritable damage and suggest that chronic exposures that may occur in the weeks prior to fertilization because of occupational or lifestyle factors (i.e., smoking) can lead to an accumulation of genetic damage in sperm and result in heritable chromosomal aberrations of paternal origin.
Relatedness of an RNA-binding motif in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 TAR RNA-binding protein TRBP to human P1/dsI kinase and Drosophila staufen.

Abstract TRBP is a human cellular protein that binds the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 TAR RNA. Here, we show that the intact presence of amino acids 247 to 267 in TRBP correlates with its ability to bind RNA. This region contains a lysine- and arginine-rich motif, KKLAKRNAAAKMLLRVHTVPLDAR. A 24-amino-acid synthetic peptide (TR1) of this sequence bound TAR RNA with affinities similar to that of the entire TRBP, thus suggesting that this short motif contains a sufficient RNA-binding activity. Using RNA probe-shift analysis, we determined that TR1 does not bind all double-stranded RNAs but prefers TAR and other double-stranded RNAs with G+C-rich characteristics. Immunoprecipitation of TRBP from human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected T lymphocytes recovered TAR RNA. This is consistent with a TRBP-TAR ribonucleoprotein during viral infection. Computer alignment revealed that TR1 is highly homologous to the RNA-binding domain of human P1/dsI protein kinase and two regions within Drosophila Staufen. We suggest that these proteins are related by virtue of sharing a common RNA-binding moiety.
Inhibition of Human Cytomegalovirus DNA Maturation by a Benzimidazole Ribonucleoside Is Mediated through the UL89 Gene Product

2-Bromo-5,6-dichloro-1-β-d-ribofuranosyl benzimidazole (BDCRB) is a member of a new class of benzimidazole ribonucleosides which inhibit human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) late in the replication cycle without inhibiting viral DNA synthesis. We show here that polygenomic concatemeric HCMV DNA does not mature to unit genome length in the presence of BDCRB. To discover the locus of action, virus resistant to BDCRB was selected by serial passage in the presence of the compound. Genetic mapping experiments with BDCRB-resistant virus demonstrated that the resistance phenotype mapped to one amino acid (Asp344Glu; low resistance) or two amino acids (Asp344Glu and Ala355Thr; high resistance) within the product of exon 2 of the HCMV UL89 open reading frame. The HCMV UL89 open reading frame and its homologs are among the most conserved open reading frames in the herpesviruses, and their products have sequence similarities to a known ATP-dependent endonuclease from the double-stranded DNA bacteriophage T4. These findings strongly suggest that BDCRB prevents viral DNA maturation by interacting with a UL89 gene product and that the UL89 open reading frame may encode an endonucleolytic subunit of the putative HCMV terminase. Further, since mammalian cell DNA replication does not involve a DNA maturation step, compounds which inhibit viral DNA maturation should be selective and safe.
Bone disease in CKD.

Purpose of review Fractures are a common problem in chronic kidney disease (CKD). The 2009 KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) review of the bone and mineral disorders highlighted areas of uncertainty and stressed the importance of further research. This review includes studies published since that report with a focus on the bone. Recent findings Bone biopsies have shown a shift toward more adynamic bone, which may be associated with vascular calcifications. There are important racial differences in skeletal metabolism. Bone density may be helpful in identifying patients who have fractures, but neuromuscular tests perform better than radiographic ones. Even if bone density can predict fractures, it is still not clear what can be done in patients who have advanced stages of CKD. New data show interrelationships of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) secretion, parathyroid hormone, and wnt-signaling pathways. High FGF23 could have a negative impact on the bone. Summary These advances suggest that caution must be used prior to treatment with medications that inhibit bone turnover. Racial differences in response to vitamin D therapy need more careful delineation. Medications which inhibit wnt-signaling offer hope but development of new therapies to treat the bone disease will rely on further understanding of bone and vascular physiology.
Effect of incident flux on surface concentrations and condensation coefficients when growth and vaporization involve mobile surface species

Kinetic analysis of condensation and vaporization processes which proceed through a mobile, adsorbed precursor state shows that the relative concentration cs/cse of mobile surface molecules depends upon both the vapor saturation ratio P/Pe and the condensation or vaporization coefficient α: cs/cse=α+(P/Pe)(1−α). The result may affect previous treatments of two‐dimensional nucleation and of spiral ledge dynamics in which it was assumed that cs/cse =P/Pe. When condensation or vaporization proceeds through a mobile surface layer, condensation coefficients of unity may be approached, but not attained. If surface migration is rapid, the condensation–vaporization coefficient α will change with vapor saturation only if there is a change in the concentration of surface sites at which mobile molecules are incorporated, in the rate constant for incorporation of mobile molecules at these sites, or in the surface residence time. When α is small, the temperature dependence of α yields information on the difference bet...
Cross-linking of cell wall phenolic arabinoxylans in graminaceous plants

Abstract O-[5-O-((E)-p-coumaroyl)-α- l -arabinofuranosyl]-(1→3)-O-β- d -Xylopyranosyl-(1→4)- d -xylopyranose (PAXX) and O-[5-O-((E)-feruloyl)-α- L -arabinofuranosyl]-(1→3)-O-β- D -Xylopyranosyl-(1→4)- D -xylopyranose (FAXX) were isolated from cell walls of Cynodon dactylon by treatment with cell wall carbohydrases. The esters were exposed to light for several days. The p-coumaric acid (P) component of PAXX dimerized to 4,4′-dihydroxy-α-truxillic acid (Mr twice P, i.e. a `PP' type stereodimer) and to other PP type dimers esterified to oligosaccharide. FAXX behaved in a similar manner to PAXX; its ferulic acid (F) component dimerized to esterified 4,4′-dihydroxy-3,3′-dimethoxy-α- truxillic acid (Mr twice F, i.e. an `FF' type stereodimer) plus other esterified FF type dimers. A mixture of PAXX plus FAXX gave esterified 4,4′-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-α-truxillic acid (Mr P plus F, i.e. a `PF' type stereodimer) as the major product. It seems likely that similar dimerization reactions occur in the cell walls of the growing graminaceous plant. Such a mechanism could be involved in cross-linking adjacent p-coumaroyl and feruloyl groups in arabinoxylans leading to increased cell wall rigidity and decreased biodegradability of the wall polysaccharides.
A Robust Microbalance of High Sensitivity, Suitable for Weighing Sorbed Films

The sorption balance of McBain and Baker may be made of high degree of sensitivity, but the total weight which it will then support is correspondingly diminished. For weighing a monomolecular film on a comparatively heavy plane surface it is necessary to use a balance of beam type. A balance sensitive to 4 x 10-9 grams can be made sufficiently compact to be placed in a horizontal tube so that it may be used over a wide range of temperatures and pressures including the conditions necessary for freeing from sorbed material the surfaces to be weighed. such a balance may be so designed that the volumes of the two sides of the balance are equal and unaffected by buoyancy. If, likewise, there be placed upon the two sides of the balance equal volumes of the same substance but of different area of surface, the differential change of weight caused by adsorption will be measured directly. A final desideratum is that the balance should be of null point type and free from any bind of hysteresis. Steele and Grant described a microbalance made of fused quartz which was sensitive to 4 x 10-9 grams and was capable of weighing 0.1 gram with an accuracy of 1 x 10-7 gram, added improvements were described by Gray and Ramsay .Aston simplified the design of the beam and made a balance specially adapted to the determination of gas densities. Stock and Ritter made a further modification by replacing the fused charts bulks-edge with a pair of needle points. They also described a null-point balance in which a magnetised steel needle was sealed horizontally within the beam. The magnetic held from a bar magnet held vertically over the centre of the balance was used to compensate changes in level of the beam. The intensity of this controlling magnetic field was varied either by altering the distance between the bar magnet and the balance, or by increasing the held of the bar magnet electrically.
Development of the cardiac beta adrenergic receptor in fetal rat heart.

Abstract Hearts from 13-day-old rat fetuses were shown to specifically bind 7- 3 H D, L-norepinephrine. In addition, norepinephrine activated adenylate cyclase in homogenates from the same hearts. The activation of the enzyme was abolished by D, L-propranolol. These data demonstrate the existence of a functionally intact cardiac beta adrenergic receptor at a period of time in fetal life prior to the development of inotropic and chronotropic responses to the catecholamines.
Brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa) envenomation in small animals.

Objective – To provide a comprehensive review of relevant literature regarding the brown recluse spider (BRS) and to define those criteria that must be satisfied before making a diagnosis of brown recluse envenomation. Etiology – The complex venom of the BRS contains sphingomyelinase D, which is capable of producing all the clinical signs in the human and some animal models. Diagnosis – There is no current commercially available test. In humans there are many proposed guidelines to achieve a definitive diagnosis; however, there are no established guidelines for veterinary patients. Therapy – Currently, no consensus exists for treatment of BRS envenomation other than supportive care, which includes rest, thorough cleaning of the site, ice, compression, and elevation. Prognosis – Prognosis varies based on severity of clinical signs and response to supportive care.
Curative radiotherapy is the best single treatment modality for the favorable early stage Hodgkin's disease

The impact of radiation treatment of Hodgkin’s disease is one of the most impressive stories in the treatment of neoplasis. The dramatic improvement in the survival .of the Hodgkin’s Disease patient over the past half century reflects the advantage of staging, pathological identification, and well-planned and delivered treatment. Extended field radiotherapy (EFRT) alone in the treatment of Pathologically Staged IA and IIA is presently the standard accepted treatment. Following EFRT in favorable groups of Hodgkin’s disease patients, 5- and lo-year freedom from recurrence is greater than 90% in Stage IA and 80% in Stage IIA, with an overall survival of 90100% (10, 14, 19, 32). The incidence of pelvic recurrence following mantle and paraaortic irradiation in patients with pathological Stage I and II Hodgkin’s disease is reported to be about 4-10% (10, 19,20). The current paper by Zanini et al. (33), reports the results of extended field radiotherapy treatment in favorable pathological Stage IA and IIA Hodgkin’s disease (“no bulky mediastinal mass, no hilar disease and no E disease”). The 7-year actuarial overall survival is 94% for Stage IA and 92% for Stage IIA. The actuarial freedom from the first relapse (FFIR) is 88% for Stage IA and 7 1% for Stage IIA. This difference in FFR was statistically significant Zanini et al. report recurrence in 29 of 147 patients (20% of all patients: 9 Stage IA and 21 Stage IIA). Sixteen of these 29 (55%) recurred in the pelvic lymph nodes. Based on these results, Zanini et al. recommend that IIA patients receive a combined modality treatment (CMT) with relatively short-term chemotherapy, not including alkylating agents. At the University of Mi:nnesota we treated 100 favorable (no hilar or large mediastinal masses) Pathological Stage IA and IIA patients with EFRT with median follow-up at 149 months. We experienced a total of 19 (19%) recurrences. Forty-seven percent of the total recurrences occurred in the ileo-inguinal area (5 in pelvic and 4 in groin lymph nodes). Male patients experienced higher relapse rates than females (23% vs. 14%). Also, patients older than 35 had a higher recurrence rate than younger patients (23% vs. 18%). A recent report from Mendenhall et al. (20) showed a 10% pelvic failure rate among patients who received EFRT with median follow-up of all patients at 156 months. This constitutes 41% of the total failure in their group of patients. The best results in reducing pelvic failures were achieved in those patients treated with total nodal irradiation. Combination chemotherapy was not shown to be a significant factor in the reduction of pelvic recurrences. There has been an increasing interest in the use of chemotherapy either alone or in combination with radiotherapy in the early stage of Hodgkin’s disease, especially
Spray-Drying of Amylase Hydrolyzed Sweetpotato Puree and Physicochemical Properties of Powder

Spray-drying, which has been used for commercial production of functional ingredients from several fruits and vegetables, has not yet been studied for sweetpotato processing. Thus, the objective was to determine the effects of viscosity reduction of sweetpotato puree with alpha-amylase, maltodextrin (MD) addition, and inlet air temperature on the physicochemical characteristics of spray-dried sweetpotato powder. A face-centered cube design was used to evaluate the effects of amylase level (0, 3.75, and 7.5 mL/kg puree), MD concentration (0%, 10%, and 20%), and inlet air temperature (150 ◦ C, 190 ◦ C, and 220 ◦ C) on powder characteristics. Model-fitting using response surface methodology was performed to examine the effects of independent variables on the moisture content, color, water absorption, solubility, particle size, bulk density, and glass transition temperature. The data were fit to a full second order polynomial equation. However, only the linear and quadratic terms proved to be significant for most dried powder attributes. MD significantly increased powder solubility, altered the hue value, and raised the glass transition temperature of the powder. Pretreatment with alpha-amylase resulted in a lower glass transition temperature and a decrease in particle size. Overall, results show that good quality sweetpotato powders can be produced using this drying method, with potential applications in food and nutraceutical products.
Screening for critical illness polyneuromyopathy with single nerve conduction studies

The ability to diagnose patients with critical illness polyneuromyopathy (CIPNM) is hampered by impaired patient sensorium, technical limitations, and the time-intensive nature of performing electrophysiological testing. Therefore, we sought to determine whether single nerve conduction studies (NCS) could accurately screen for CIPNM. Critically ill patients at increased risk for developing CIPNM were identified. Bilateral NCS of six nerves, and concentric needle electromyography were performed within 24 h of meeting inclusion criteria, and subsequently on a weekly basis until CIPNM was diagnosed or the patient was discharged from the intensive care unit (ICU). A total of 75 patients were enrolled into the study. Patients who developed CIPNM had a higher hospital mortality (50 vs. 13 %, p = 0.002), and fewer ICU-free days (0 vs. 11, p = 0.04). There were no differences between the right and left amplitudes (p = 0.59, 0.91, and 0.21) for nerves that could be simultaneously tested bilaterally (sural, peroneal, and tibial). The amplitudes for each of the six individual nerves were significantly diminished in patients with CIPNM when compared to patients without CIPNM. The nerves with the best diagnostic accuracy were the peroneal nerve [AUC = 0.8856; sensitivity = 94 % (95 % CI = 88–100 %); specificity = 74 % (95 % CI = 63–85 %)], and the sural nerve [AUC = 0.8611; sensitivity = 94 % (95 % CI = 88–100 %); specificity = 70 % (95 % CI = 59–81 %)]. The combined diagnostic accuracy for the amplitudes of the peroneal and sural nerves increased significantly [AUC = 0.9336; sensitivity = 100 % (95 % CI = 100–100 %) and specificity = 81 % (95 % CI = 71–91 %)]. Unilateral peroneal and sural NCS can accurately screen for CIPNM in ICU patients and detect a limited number of patients that would need concentric needle electromyography to confirm a diagnosis of CIPNM. These results identify a more streamlined method to diagnose CIPNM that may facilitate routine diagnostic testing and monitoring of weakness in critically ill patients.
Artificial ‘spin ice’ in a geometrically frustrated lattice of nanoscale ferromagnetic islands

When a number of interactions compete within a system they can't all prevail, so the resolution of ‘frustrated’ forces is an important determinant of the overall behaviour of a system. In particular, geometrical frustration among spins in magnetic systems can lead to exotic effects such as ‘spin ice’, a state where atomic magnetic moments mimic the frustration of hydrogen ion positions in water ice. Wang et al. have created artificial spin ice using lithographically fabricated arrays of nanoscale magnets. Magnetic moments in the lattice follow the two [pointing]-in/ two-out ‘ice rule’ typical of spin ice. With this model it is possible to study frustration in great detail; this is relevant to magnetic recording, where ferromagnetic elements are being pushed to ever higher densities. On the cover, a magnetic force microscopy representation of the magnetization pattern of artificial spin ice: plateaus and valleys show regions of opposite magnetization. Frustration, defined as a competition between interactions such that not all of them can be satisfied, is important in systems ranging from neural networks to structural glasses. Geometrical frustration, which arises from the topology of a well-ordered structure rather than from disorder, has recently become a topic of considerable interest1. In particular, geometrical frustration among spins in magnetic materials can lead to exotic low-temperature states2, including ‘spin ice’, in which the local moments mimic the frustration of hydrogen ion positions in frozen water3,4,5,6. Here we report an artificial geometrically frustrated magnet based on an array of lithographically fabricated single-domain ferromagnetic islands. The islands are arranged such that the dipole interactions create a two-dimensional analogue to spin ice. Images of the magnetic moments of individual elements in this correlated system allow us to study the local accommodation of frustration. We see both ice-like short-range correlations and an absence of long-range correlations, behaviour which is strikingly similar to the low-temperature state of spin ice. These results demonstrate that artificial frustrated magnets can provide an uncharted arena in which the physics of frustration can be directly visualized.
Stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol-seeking in rats is selectively suppressed by the neurokinin 1 (NK1) antagonist L822429

Rationale Genetic inactivation or pharmacological antagonism of neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptors blocks morphine and alcohol reward in rodents, while NK1 antagonism decreases alcohol craving in humans. The role of the NK1 system for relapse-like behavior has not previously been examined.