cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effective RNAi-mediated β2-microglobulin loss of function by transgenesis in Xenopus laevis.

Summary To impair MHC class I (class I) function in vivo in the amphibian Xenopus , we developed an effective reverse genetic loss of function approach by combining I-SceI meganuclease-mediated transgenesis with RNAi technology. We generated transgenic outbred X. laevis and isogenetic laevis/gilli cloned lines with stably silenced expression of β2-microglobulin ( b2m ) critical for class I function. Transgenic F 1 frogs exhibited decreased surface class I expression on erythrocytes and lymphocytes, decreased frequency of peripheral CD8 T cells and impaired CD8 T cell-mediated skin allograft rejection. Additionally, b2m knockdown increased susceptibility to viral infection of F 0 transgenic larvae. This loss of function strategy offers new avenues for studying ontogeny of immunity and other developmental processes in Xenopus .
Mirror, mirror on the wall: who's the fairest of them all? [equations of modern science]

This paper discusses the greatest scientific equations of all time according to several philosophers and historians.
A study of the emotional climate of psychoanalytic institutes.

(1958). A Study of the Emotional Climate of Psychoanalytic Institutes. Psychiatry: Vol. 21, Dedicated to the Memory of Frieda Fromm-Reichmann, pp. 45-51.
Histochemistry as a guide for interpretation of cell function.

Abstract Histochemistry can be used to differentiate the steroidogenic cells of the human ovary and indicate the specific hormone produced. The steroid 3β-ol dehydrogenase, which can be demonstrated in the corpus luteum cells, the theca cells, and the hilus cells, seems to differ. The cell specificity of this enzyme may determine the hormone production of the cell. The demonstration of an internal intracellular feedback mechanism, which apparently maintains the cellular homeostasis, makes it necessary to use unphysiologic substrates for the best histochemical results.
Improving Transgender Healthcare in the New York City Correctional System

Abstract Purpose: Correctional settings create unique challenges for patients with special needs, including transgender patients, who have an increased rate of overall discrimination, sexual abuse, healthcare disparities, and improper housing. As part of our correctional health quality improvement process, we sought to review and evaluate the adequacy of care for transgender patients in the New York City jail system. Methods: Using correctional pharmacy records, transgender patients receiving hormonal treatment were identified. A brief in-person survey was conducted to evaluate their care in the community before incarceration, medical care in jail, and experience in the jail environment. Results: Survey findings and analysis of transgender patient healthcare-related complaints revealed opportunities for improvements in the provision of care and staff understanding of this population. Utilizing these findings, we conducted lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) trainings in all 12 jail clinics for ...
Vorinostat (NSC 701852) in patients (pts) with relapsed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): A Wisconsin Oncology Network phase II study.

B94 Background: Vorinostat (SAHA) is a small molecule inhibitor of histone deacetylase (HDAC). HDAC inhibitors have shown preclinical activity in lung cancer and are postulated to have an antitumor effect by alteration in acetylation status of histone and non-histone proteins. Methods: Pts with relapsed NSCLC who failed no more than 1 prior cytotoxic therapy were eligible. Treatment: vorinostat, 400 mg po daily in a 21 day cycle. Primary objective: response rate (RR), with goal of at least one responder in first 14 evaluable pts according to the Simon-optimal two-stage design. Secondary objectives: time to progression (TTP), overall survival (OS), safety, and correlative assays. Results: 16 pts enrolled from 12/05-4/07. Median age 59.5 yrs (range 47-79). 13 females (81%). PS 0:1, 10 pts (63%):6 pts (37%). Fifteen of 16 pts had only 1 prior cytotoxic regimen; 1 pt had only prior erlotinib. Best response to prior treatment: partial response (1 pt), stable disease (SD; 12 pts), progressive disease (PD; 3 pts). Median time since last prior therapy: 2.7 mo (range 0.2-78.5). Vorinostat treatment compliance: 96.3 %. Two pts were not evaluable for response due to not completing Cycle 1 of treatment due to PD. No objective antitumor responses were seen in the first 14 evaluable pts. Eight pts experienced SD (median 3 mo, range 1.7-10.7). Median TTP: 2.4 mo (range 0.9-17.9+); median OS 6.5 mo (range 1.4-17.9+); estimated 6 mo OS rate 54% (SE 13%) and estimated 1 year OS rate 18% (SE 11%). Adverse events possibly or probably related to vorinostat: Grade (Gr) 5 toxicity: CVA (1 pt). Gr 3/4 toxicities: neutropenia (Gr 4-1 pt; Gr 3-1 pt), lymphopenia (Gr 3-3 pts), fatigue (Gr 3-2 pts), elevated alk phos (Gr 3-1 pt), memory impairment (Gr 3-1 pt), PE/DVT (Gr 3-1 pt; Gr 4-2 pts), dehydration (Gr 3-1 pt), vomiting (Gr 3-1 pt), hypokalemia (Gr 3-1 pt). Flow cytometry was performed on 1 patient using buccal mucosal cells pre- and post-treatment: no change was seen in the percentage of cells in S phase after treatment with vorinostat. Data from the following additional correlative studies will be updated: p53 status of archived tumor cells, gene expression in baseline peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), H3 acetylation in PBMCs pre- and post-treatment, transcription of p21, Nur77, Hsp70, erbB1 and 2, and Akt in PBMCs pre- and post-treatment, and assay of plasma isoprostanes generated by treatment with vorinostat. Conclusions: Vorinostat 400 mg daily is tolerable with more than 87% of patients completing Cycle 1. No objective antitumor activity was detected with vorinostat in this setting; however, it yields TTP in relapsed NSCLC similar to that of other targeted agents. Treatment exerted no effect on buccal mucosal cell cycling in the one patient sampled. Further studies in NSCLC should focus on combining vorinostat with other antitumor agents.
Becoming Transdisciplinary: The Emergence of the Transdisciplinary Individual

This article develops the idea of becoming a transdisciplinary individual, and begins by tracing the origins and contemporary currents of transdisciplinarity (from 1972 to present day). Using Nicolescu's earlier concept of a transdisciplinary attitude as an intellectual springboard, this article explores the traits of individuals involved in transdisciplinary projects. Emergent from the literature are four overarching dimensions of understanding what is entailed in becoming and being a transdisciplinary individual: (a) an appreciation of an array of skills, characteristics, and personality traits aligned with a transdisciplinary attitude; (b) acceptance of the idea that transdisciplinary individuals are intellectual risk takers and institutional transgressors; (c) insights into the nuances of transdisciplinary practice and attendant virtues; (d) a respect for the role of creative inquiry, cultural diversity, and cultural relativism. More research is needed on the subjective and embodied experiences of tra...
An optimized extrapolation and interpolation method for computational aeroacoustics

The errors incurred in using extrapolation and interpolation in large scale computations are analyzed and quantified in the wavenumber space. If a large extrapolation stencil is used, the errors in the low wavenumbers can be significantly reduced. However, the errors in the high wavenumbers are, at the same time, greatly increased. The opposite is true if the stencil size is reduced. Based on the wavenumber analysis, an optimized extrapolation and interpolation method is proposed. The optimization is carried out over a selected band of wavenumbers. It is known that extrapolation often leads to numerical instability. The instability is the result of large error amplification in the high wavenumber range. To reduce the tendency to trigger numerical instability, it is proposed that an extra constraint be imposed on the optimized extrapolation method. The added constraint aims to reduce error amplification over the high wavenumbers. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate that accurate and stable numerical results can be obtained in large scale simulation using a high-order finite difference scheme and the proposed optimized extrapolation method. When the same problems are recomputed using the familiar Lagrange polynomials extrapolation method, in one case the numerical results are plagued by large errors. In another problem, it is found that the use of the Lagrange polynomials extrapolation method would lead immediately to numerical instability.
CRT-200.42 The Role of Calcium Channel Blockers in Radial Cocktail on Radial Artery Spasm, A Meta Analysis

Radial access has become the preferred access in coronary angiography. Radial artery spasm (RAS) remains a challenge in some of these cases resulting in transfemoral conversion. Various intra-arterial vasodilators like calcium channel blockers (CCB) have been used to help decreasing RAS. We
Epitaxial growth of ordered and disordered granular sphere packings

We demonstrate that epitaxy can be used to obtain a wide range of ordered to disordered granular packings by simply changing the deposition flux. We show that a defect-free face-centered-cubic (fcc) monocrystal can be obtained by depositing athermal granular spheres randomly into a container with a templated surface in a gravitational field without direct manipulation. This packing corresponds to the maximum sphere packing fraction and is obtained when the substrate is templated corresponding to the (100) plane of a fcc crystal and the container side is an integer multiple of the sphere diameter. We find that the maximum sphere packing is obtained when the deposited grains come to rest, one at a time, without damaging the substrate. A transition to a disordered packing is observed when the flux is increased. Using micro x-ray computed tomography, we find that defects nucleate at the boundaries of the container in which the packing is grown as grains cooperatively come to rest above their local potential minimum. This leads to a transition from ordered to disordered loose packings that grow in the form of an inverted cone, with the apex located at the defect nucleation site. We capture the observed decrease in order using a minimal model in which a defect leads to growth of further defects in the neighboring sites in the layer above with a probability that increases with the deposition flux.
Effect of Age and Sex on the Association Constant and Binding Capacity of Chicken Serum for Corticosteroid

Abstract In two experiments, the blood of White Rock chickens was collected at 6 intervals from the time they were 2 to 140 days old. The effects of age, sex of the bird, and removal of exogenous steroids (stripping) on the association constant (Ka), and the binding capacity (CBGBC) for corticosterone in the serum were measured. The Ka of the serum declined when the chickens were between 84 and 140 days old. Stripping increased the Ka only when all chickens were 2 days old and when the females were 140 days old. The CBGBC was highest in all chickens when they were 28 to 56 days old. In general, CBGBC was higher in serum of males than in that of females, but was reduced to a greater extent by stripping in males than in females. These results indicate that the bound to free ratio for corticosteroids should be highest when the chickens are 28 to 56 days old, when both Ka and CBGBC are highest.
Anne Brontë, [‘Letter to the Reverend David Thom’] (1848), in Times Literary Supplement , 21 June 1923, p. 422

Dear Sir — Ill-health must plead my excuse for this long delay in acknowledging your flattering communication; but, believe me, I am not the less gratified at the pleasure you have derived from my own and my relatives’ work, and especially from the opinions they express. I have seen so little of controversial Theology that I was not aware the doctrine of Universal Salvation had so able and ardent an advocate as yourself; but I have cherished it from my very childhood — with a trembling hope at first, and afterwards with a firm and glad conviction of its truth. I drew it secretly from my own heart and from the Word of God before I knew that any other held it. And since then it has ever been a source of true delight to me to find the same views either timidly suggested or boldly advocated by benevolent and thoughtful minds; and I now believe there are many more believers than professors in that consoling creed. Why good men should be so averse to admit it, I know not; into their own hearts at least, however they might object to its promulgation among the bulk of mankind. But perhaps the world is not ripe for it yet. I have frequently thought that since it has pleased God to leave it in darkness so long respecting this particular truth, and often to use such doubtful language as to admit of such a general misconception thereupon, he must have some good reason for it. We see how liable men are to yield to the temptations of the passing hour; how little the dread of future punishment — how still less the promise of future reward can avail to make them forbear and wait; and if so many thousands rush into destruction with (as they suppose) the prospect of Eternal Death before their eyes — what might not the consequence be, if that prospect were changed for one of a limited season of punishment, far distant and unseen, however protracted and terrible it might be?
Effects of a forest health thinning program on land and timber values in eastern Oregon

The Healthy Forests Restoration Act authorizes programs of thinning on public forest lands to reduce fire hazard and improve the vigor of residual stands. These programs could generate significant volumes of merchantable sawtimber, potentially altering supply-demand conditions in local sawtimber markets and the values of private timberland. We examine the effects of two hypothetical programs on timberland prices in eastern Oregon using a modelofthe region's market. We find both reductions and increases in the values of various types of private timberland due to changes in the output of the region's industry, the timing of private harvests, and long-term sawtimber prices. Thinning programs in other western regions with comparable conditions of private inventory and a declining sawtimber processing industry could produce similar changes.
Discrepancies between asymptotic and exact spectral-gap analyses of quantum adiabatic barrier tunneling

We study the asymptotic behavior of the spectral gap of simple barrier tunneling problems, which are related to using quantum annealing to find the global optimum of cost functions defined over $n$ bits. Specifically we look at the problem of having an $n$ qubit system tunnel through a barrier of width and height proportional to ${n}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$. We show that with these quantum annealing problems, the asymptotic, $n\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$, behavior of the spectral gap does not accurately describe the behavior of the gap at finite $n$ until extremely large values of $n$ ($ng{10}^{12}$). We prove that this deficiency of the asymptotic expression is a feature of simple one-dimensional tunneling problems themselves, casting doubt on whether asymptotic analysis is an appropriate tool for studying tunneling problems in quantum annealing for reasonably sized systems.
Marketing Ethics: Onward Toward Greater Expectations

This article introduces a set of articles selected for this special JPP&M “Symposium on Marketing Ethics.” It also provides a brief overview of the evolution of marketing ethics research during the...
Tactical urbanism as a means of testing relational processes in space: A complex systems perspective:

Too often, master planning strategies have failed to produce spaces responding to the social, cultural, and economic needs of their inhabitants. Accordingly, many planners have turned to relational...
An Efficient Way for Nitrifying Bacteria Enrichment with Coal Ash: Nitrification and Microbial Community

In this study, five different fillers: coal ash, fiber-ball, polypropylene, ceramic, and polyhedron empty ball were used for cultivating nitrifying bacteria by increasing influent ammonia concentration gradually in sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). The results of ammonia removal performance showed that the reactor with coal ash has the highest NH4 +-N removal rate all the time. The ammonia removal rate of it averagely reached ≥ 95% under the condition of hydraulic retention time (HRT), dissolved oxygen (DO), pH was 12 h, 4.5 ± 0.5 mg/L, 7.5–8.5, respectively, even when the ammonia nitrogen loading reached 1000 mg/L. MiSeq Highthrough sequence was used for analyzing microbial community. The results revealed that obvious variation have occurred among the reactors after 48 days of operation; however, Nitrosomonas was enriched in large amount and became the dominant genus except in the reactor with polypropylene. Compared with other carriers, coal ash can enrich more nitrifying bacteria, the cell biomass of Nitrosomonas increased from 12.25 to 384.18 mg/L, which was 5.5 times more than the negative control. The use of coal ash as filler realizes the enrichment of a large amount of nitrifying bacteria in a short period, which guarantees a highly efficient nitrification.
Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) In Hospitalized Patients: What Proportion Is Attributable to Malignancy?

Abstract Abstract 5250 Background: VTE is a public health burden in hospitalized patients, affecting the length of hospital stay and overall cost of care. Recent studies suggest increasing incidence of VTE among cancer patients, but contemporary data regarding proportion of VTE attributable to cancer and non-cancer populations are lacking. Methods: Hospital-acquired VTE is a reportable event to New York State and we studied all reported VTE events among patients hospitalized at the University of Rochester Medical Center from January 2003 through April 2009. We utilized electronic medical records to identify additional information including demographics and diagnosis of malignancy. Results: We identified 2031 patients with 2185 documented VTE events during the study period. Of these, 1102 (54.3%) were men and 929 (45.7%) were women. VTE events included deep vein thrombosis (DVT) (N=1428, 65 %), pulmonary embolism (PE) (N=757, 34.6%), and concurrent DVT and PE (N=153, 7 %). Of the 2031 hospitalized patients with VTE, 492 (24.2%) had a concurrent diagnosis of cancer and 1539 (75.8%) did not. Of 492 cancer-related VTE, 167 (34%) were associated with hematologic malignancies, and 324 (66%) with solid tumors. The proportion of cancer-associated VTE varied by year, ranging from 21% to 31%. Conclusions: Approximately one-fourth of all VTE in hospitalized patients occurred in patients with cancer, including a substantial proportion with hematologic malignancy. Public health efforts to reduce hospital-associated VTE should focus on improving compliance with thromboprophylaxis for this population. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
An AIM photonics update

The presentation describes the progress made in the first two years of operation on technical goals, operational framework, and opportunities for the broader photonics community. The institute is providing a turn key capability to industrial customers with a primary focus on SMEs, universities and government agencies.
The mre11A470T mutation and homeologous interactions increase error-prone BIR.

Abstract In the absence of the RNA-templated reverse transcriptase, telomerase, the predominant means of terminal addition, arises from break-induced replication (BIR) at multiple homologous subtelomeric Y′ loci and among internal homeologous (imperfect) (polyG1-3T) tracts. These last tracts are interspersed between subtelomeric Y′ direct repeats. One major survivor class contains very short (~50 bp) terminal telomere repeats. This size is sufficient for slow growth and partial telomere functionality and cell viability. However, in cells carrying the mre11A470T allele, adjacent to the predicted Rad50/Mre11 junction, cells thrive at wild-type rates, with small, but reproducible, increases in telomere length. We have proposed that the increase in telomere size and growth rate are causally linked. To understand the BIR process at the telomere, we initiated studies of large-tract (RAD51-sensitive) homologous BIR in MRE11 and mre11A470T cells in a model color assay coupled with CHEF gel analysis and marker retention. Wild-type and mutant homologous BIR rates are maintained at the same level as the rates between wild-type and mutant homeologous BIR. However, the fidelity of BIR products was severely altered in mre11A470T cells. We find that 95% of homologous BIR in MRE11 cells gives rise to the expected product size, while 25% of BIR products in mre11A470T cells were of unpredicted size (error-prone), most of which initiated at an aberrant site. However, ~25% of homeologous MRE11 cells and 1/7 of homeologous mre11A470T cells underwent error-prone BIR. This class is initiated erroneously, followed by secondary events that elongate or truncate the telomere. We conclude that error-prone BIRs are increased in homeologous recombination in wild-type and in mre11A470T cells. This finding may explain the bypass of senescence in telomerase-negative cells.
On the Dynamics of Tropical Cyclone and Trough Interactions

AbstractThe interaction between a tropical cyclone (TC) and an upper-level trough is simulated in an idealized framework using Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS) for Trop...
HIV and SIV in Body Fluids: From Breast Milk to the Genitourinary Tract

HIV-1 is present in many secretions including oral, intestinal, genital, and breast milk. However, most people exposed to HIV-1 within these mucosal compartments do not become infected despite often frequent and repetitive exposure over prolonged periods of time. In this review, we discuss what is known about the levels of cell-free HIV RNA, cell-associated HIV DNA and cell-associated HIV RNA in external secretions. Levels of virus are usually lower than contemporaneously obtained blood, increased in settings of inflammation and infection, and decreased in response to antiretroviral therapy. Additionally, each mucosal compartment has unique innate and adaptive immune responses that affect the composition and presence of HIV-1 within each external secretion. We discuss the current state of knowledge about the types and amounts of virus present in the various excretions, touch on innate and adaptive immune responses as they affect viral levels, and highlight important areas for further study.
Barotoxic Effects on Morphology and Viability of Trabecular Cells

Studies of cells from cultured intraocular tissues have been generally carried out at atmospheric pressure. However, normally in vivo, these tissues are conditioned to hydrostatic pressure which ranges from 10 to 21 mmHg above atmospheric pressure, and are subjected to a several-fold higher pressure in glaucomatous states of the eye. The purpose of this study was to investigate the response of trabecular cells exposed to varying levels of hydrostatic pressure to simulate normal and abnormal conditions of the eye.
The Economic Benefits of Attaining an Associate Degree Before Transfer: Evidence From North Carolina

Many students enroll in a two-year college with the intention of transferring to a four-year college and obtaining a bachelor’s degree. These students must decide whether to first complete their associate degree at the two-year college and then transfer, or to transfer earlier without earning a degree from the two-year college. An informed decision on this matter requires information about several factors, many of which are hard to observe. This paper presents a model for making the optimal transfer decision. I consider each possible outcome and use data on student credit accumulation, award receipt, and labor market returns from students in the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) to calculate which outcome is best, given its probability of occurring. The findings suggest that, on economic grounds, more NCCCS students should complete their associate degree before transferring to a four-year institution to attempt a bachelor’s degree. This conclusion is made from the perspective of the state of North Carolina, comparing all college costs (composed of public subsidies and tuition revenue) with the labor market benefits of college. Taking into account how many credits and which award (if any) a student earns, the total cost of providing public (twoand four-year) college education is approximately the same whether a student completes an associate degree first or whether that student bypasses that degree and transfers earlier to a four-year college. In absolute terms, the student will have received approximately the same amount of resources by taking either pathway. However, the benefits of first completing an associate degree exceed the benefits of early transfer, as relatively few students who transfer early ever complete a bachelor’s degree and therefore leave college with no credential. Thus, the net benefits of choosing to complete an associate degree before transfer are greater than the net benefits of early transfer. This conclusion is robust to many alternative scenarios as to the value of credits, the probability of completing each degree, and the labor market returns to college. For early transfer to be more valuable than earning an associate degree beforehand, the pool of early transfer students must have a bachelor’s degree completion rate that exceeds 90 percent.
Paradox and persuasion: negotiating the place of molecular evolution within evolutionary biology.

Les chercheurs en biologie moleculaire ont impose leurs recherches au sein de la biologie et ont du se distinguer des travaux effectues en biologie des organismes
Psoriasis in Skin of Color

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects approximately 3.2% of the adult population of the USA. Amongst this population, Caucasians have the highest prevalence rate at 3.6%, while in non-Caucasians or individuals with skin of color the prevalence is lower, 1.9%, 1.6%, and 1.4% in African Americans, Hispanics, and other non-Caucasians, respectively [1]. Based on these statistics, one might gather that psoriasis is less likely in skin of color [2]. One of the earliest review articles detailing psoriasis prevalence by ethnic origin highlights several groups including the specific categories: Caucasian, African American, black-skinned South African, Fiji Islands, American Indian, Latin American Indian, Japanese, and Indonesians [3]. The 1965 text perpetuates the idea that psoriasis is relatively common in Caucasians and much less frequent in skin of color while acknowledging that psoriasis may not be as rare in those of African descent as previously believed. It was proposed that in evaluating the incidence of psoriasis among different ethnic groups, the potential influence of variables such as genetics, climate, diet, degree of skin pigmentation, exercise, stress level, economic factors, social factors, and hygiene factors must be considered [3]. This study was subject to selection bias as the text concluded that psoriasis was uncommon in black-skinned individuals during a time period when black-skinned individuals with psoriasis were much less likely to visit the dermatologist than white Caucasians.
Adolescent Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure and Astrocyte-Specific Genetic Vulnerability Converge on Nuclear Factor-κB-Cyclooxygenase-2 Signaling to Impair Memory in Adulthood.

Abstract Background Although several studies have linked adolescent cannabis use to long-term cognitive dysfunction, there are negative reports as well. The fact that not all users develop cognitive impairment suggests a genetic vulnerability to adverse effects of cannabis, which are attributed to action of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), a cannabis constituent and partial agonist of brain cannabinoid receptor 1. As both neurons and glial cells express cannabinoid receptor 1, genetic vulnerability could influence Δ9-THC–induced signaling in a cell type–specific manner. Methods Here we use an animal model of inducible expression of dominant-negative disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DN-DISC1) selectively in astrocytes to evaluate the molecular mechanisms, whereby an astrocyte genetic vulnerability could interact with adolescent Δ9-THC exposure to impair recognition memory in adulthood. Results Selective expression of DN-DISC1 in astrocytes and adolescent treatment with Δ9-THC synergistically affected recognition memory in adult mice. Similar deficits in recognition memory were observed following knockdown of endogenous Disc1 in hippocampal astrocytes in mice treated with Δ9-THC during adolescence. At the molecular level, DN-DISC1 and Δ9-THC synergistically activated the nuclear factor-κB–cyclooxygenase-2 pathway in astrocytes and decreased immunoreactivity of parvalbumin-positive presynaptic inhibitory boutons around pyramidal neurons of the hippocampal CA3 area. The cognitive abnormalities were prevented in DN-DISC1 mice exposed to Δ9-THC by simultaneous adolescent treatment with the cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, NS398. Conclusions Our data demonstrate that individual vulnerability to cannabis can be exclusively mediated by astrocytes. Results of this work suggest that genetic predisposition within astrocytes can exaggerate Δ9-THC–produced cognitive impairments via convergent inflammatory signaling, suggesting possible targets for preventing adverse effects of cannabis within susceptible individuals.
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of a Conformationally Mobile Peptide-Based Catalyst for Atroposelective Bromination

It is widely accepted that structural rigidity is required to achieve high levels of asymmetric induction in catalytic, enantioselective reactions. This fundamental design principle often does not apply to highly selective catalytic peptides that often exhibit conformational heterogeneity. As a result, these complex systems are particularly challenging to study both experimentally and computationally. Herein, we utilize molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the role of conformational mobility on the reactivity and selectivity exhibited by a catalytic, β-turn-biased peptide in an atroposelective bromination reaction. By means of cluster analysis, multiple distinct conformers of the peptide and a catalyst-substrate complex were identified in the simulations, all of which were corroborated by experimental NMR measurements. The simulations also revealed that a shift in the conformational equilibrium of the peptidic catalyst occurs upon addition of substrate, and the degree of change varies among different substrates. On the basis of these data, we propose a correlation between the composition of the peptide conformational ensemble and its catalytic properties. Moreover, these findings highlight the importance of conformational dynamics in catalytic, asymmetric reactions mediated by oligopeptides, unveiled through high-level, state-of-the-art computational modeling.
Elevated umbilical cord arterial lactate at birth and electronic fetal monitoring characteristics on admission and in the active phase.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between elevated umbilical arterial lactate at birth and electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) characteristics at admission and in the beginning of the active phase of labor. STUDY DESIGN Nested case-control study within a prospective cohort of laboring patients at term who achieved active labor. Neonates with umbilical arterial lactate ≥ 4 mmol/L (cases, n = 119), were matched 1:1 to controls with lactate < 4 mmol/L. EFM patterns were compared with multivariable logistic regression. RESULT There were no differences in EFM parameters in the first 60 minutes after admission. At the beginning of active labor, 13.5% of cases and 26.1% of controls had always category I tracings, adjusted odds ratio 0.48, 95% confidence interval 0.24-0.94). Cases were less likely to have an always category I tracing from admission into the active phase. CONCLUSION Elevated umbilical arterial lactate at birth is associated with distinct EFM patterns early in the labor course.
Duodenal switch: Fully stapled technique

Abstract Background Duodenal switch and single anastomosis modifications continue to gain greater interest among bariatric surgeons. Limiting factors to adoption include concerns around the nutritional management, patient compliance and follow-up, and the technical challenge of the operation. The majority of techniques offered currently use a hand-sewn duodenoileostomy. This approach is limited by the steep learning curve as well as longer operating times. Objectives We present a video demonstrating the fully stapled technique for duodenoileostomy and ileileostomy. We offer technical pearls around the technique, specifically focused on maintaining a widely patent anastomosis, open biliopancreatic limb, safe duodenal dissection, and correct loop orientation. Methods Laparoscopic fully stapled duodenoileostomy for duodenal switch and single anastomosis modification. Setting Community hospital, single institution, 3 surgeons. Conclusion Triple staple offers a reproducible and safe technique for the duodenoileostomy and specifically for construction of a Roux or loop anastomosis in duodenal switch.
Characteristics of Horticultural Distribution Centers

Abstract A national survey of Horticultural Distribution Centers (HDCs) resulted in a 32.3% response rate with owners representing 68% of respondents. The greatest number of respondents were from t...
Feasibility of utilizing advanced reproductive technologies for sheep breeding in Egypt. Part 1. Genetic and nutritional resources

SUMMARYSheep are a valuable livestock species because of their ability to convert forages, as well as feedstuffs not suitable for human consumption, into meat and milk that are important sources of human dietary protein. Sheep are the most abundant ruminant livestock species in Egypt, and great opportunity exists to enhance their productivity though implementation of a genetic improvement program utilizing the advanced reproductive technologies of artificial insemination and embryo transfer. These two reproductive technologies permit the production of more offspring from genetically superior animals in a shorter amount of time than would be possible through conventional breeding. It will be important to match the appropriate breeds of sheep with the proper nutritional and production environments that will enable animals to express their full genetic potential for enhanced production of meat, milk and fiber.
How to Say Goodbye: Simple Lessons for the Cardiovascular Physician When Faced With Patient Death

Nobody teaches you how to deal with the death of your first patient—neither in training nor as an attending. It had been a couple of months since starting my first job after cardiology fellowship when I received an e-mail that I had been expecting the least: one of my first patients, whom I had
Using Chromatin-Nuclear Receptor Interactions to Quantitate Endocrine, Paracrine, and Autocrine Signaling:

Hormone-activated nuclear receptors (NRs) control myriad cellular processes. The classical paradigm for hormone delivery is secretion from endocrine organs and blood-borne distribution to respondin...
A Seamless Transition Scheme of Position Sensorless Control in Industrial Permanent Magnet Motor Drives With Output Filter and Transformer for Oil Pump Applications

This article proposes a position sensorless control scheme for the induction and permanent magnetic low-voltage (LV) motor drives with an output filter and transformer for an electric submersible pump (ESP) and progressive cavity pump (PCP). The proposed sensorless strategy covers the full-speed range for ESP drives. An open velocity loop, current regulated sensorless controller is utilized to drive induction and permanent magnet motors (PMMs) during starting and at low speeds. A field-oriented controller (FOC) that utilizes an estimated rotor position based upon motor back electromotive force (EMF) is utilized to drive the motor at higher speeds. A seamless transition between controllers for the two operational modes, i.e., low-speed control and high-speed control, is proposed in this article. With velocity mode control over the full-speed range and mode control hysteresis, a smooth transition between open loop and EMF-based observer control can be achieved. The sensorless control scheme presented in this article has been implemented in a commercial drive for an ESP (deep well) application.
Genetic analysis of norovirus in infants and children in Jilin Province from 2014 to 2016

Objective To analyze the genetic characteristics of norovirus(NoV) in Jilin province from 2014 to 2016. Methods Stool samples from children under 5 years of age with diarrhea were collected from Changchun Children′s Hospital. Samples were amplified by RT-PCR. The polymerase and capsid gene of the positive specimens were amplified.Sequences were analyzed by homologous comparison and phylogenetic analysis. Results A total of 1 335 samples were detected, 177 were positive for NoV, and positive rate was 13.26%. The positive rate was 11.83% in 2014, 12.53% in 2015 and 15.75% in 2016. Genotyping of polymerase region revealed GII.P12 types dominated in 2014 and GII.Pe types dominated in 2015 and 2016. Genotyping of polymerase region revealed that GII.3 types dominated in 2014 and GII.4_Sydney2012 types dominated in 2015 and 2016. The types of both regions included GII.P17/GII.17, GII.Pe/GII.4_Sydney2012, GII.P12/GII.3, GII.Pe/GII.3、GII.P16/GII.2 and GII.P7/GII.6. Conclusions Genotypes of NoV infection are diverse in Jilin province. Most of them are recombinant strains. The main epidemic strains changed from GII.P12/GII.3 in 2014 to GII.Pe/GII.4_Sydney2012 in 2015 and 2016. Key words: Norovirus; Genotyping; Recombination; Diarrhea
Photoluminescence Decomposition Analysis: A Technique to Characterize N -V Creation in Diamond

Nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond are promising as sensitive vector magnetometers, quantum repeaters, and qubits, but realizing this potential has been limited by the diamond material itself. Here a comprehensive study addresses creation of nitrogen-vacancy centers, balancing the impact of irradiation and annealing on the quantum coherence properties of commercial material. Photoluminescence decomposition analysis is used to quantitatively determine the neutral-to-negative charge-state ratio, and for insight into the impact of electron irradiation on material quantum coherence properties.
Approximate Distributions for Maximum Likelihood and Maximum a posteriori Estimates Under a Gaussain Noise Model

The performance of Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimates in nonlinear problems at low data SNR is not well predicted by the Cramer-Rao or other lower bounds on variance. In order to better characterize the distribution of ML and MAP estimates under these conditions, we derive an approximate density for the conditional distribution of such estimates. In one example, this approximate distribution captures the essential features of the distribution of ML and MAP estimates in the presence of Gaussian-distributed noise.
Patterns of arrest in domestic violence encounters: Identifying a police decision-making model

Arrest patterns of police officers in domestic violence events were explored for a stratified random sample of domestic violence incidents (from police reports) in two police districts in Boston for the calendar year 1993. The initial analytic strategy used was the chi-square automatic interaction detector, which conducts segmentation modeling useful for identifying interaction effects among a predefined set of variables. The interaction effects were then entered into several logistic regression models to generate odds ratios in the predictions of arrest. Results showed that risk to the victim is the most important decision-making criterion for officers, and that officers use variable pieces of information in deciding when to make arrests in domestic violence events based on the different levels of risk.
Cosmological Information from X-Ray Observations

The fact that x-ray astronomy could yield cosmological information was apparent in the earliest rocket flights carried out in 1962 and 1963 (Giacconi et al, 1962, Bowyer et al, 1963). These flights established that diffuse radiation was present around the sky; indeed one of the first theoretical papers commenting on the x-ray results was by Fred Hoyle (1963) showing that the observed background flux was below that predicted for the hot, steady-state universe. A few years later, the first discrete source was credibly identified with an external galaxy (Byram, et al. 1966).
Being Brave, Being Nice: Themes of Agency and Communion in Children’s Narratives

Although much is known about the presence of themes of agency and communion in adults’ autobiographical stories, little is known about the presence of these themes in children’s autobiographical stories. In this paper we examine the extent to which children describe themselves and others as agentic and communal beings in ordinary conversational narratives. Subjects were 96 rural, working-class children between the ages of 4 and 9 years. Personal narratives were elicited in the course of informal conversations with an adult experimenter. Narratives were analyzed for the presence of storyworld participants, and for the presence of themes of agency and communion. For both genders, themes of agency were more common than were themes of communion. Girls, however, were more likely to describe themes of communion than were boys, and were more likely to include family members in their narratives than were boys. Finally, correlations between themes of agency and communion were generally low. The findings extend the age to which the concepts of agency and communion can be productively applied to personal narratives. Implications for future theoretical and empirical work are also discussed.
The linear transformation model with frailties for the analysis of item response times

The item response times (RTs) collected from computerized testing represent an underutilized source of information about items and examinees. In addition to knowing the examinees' responses to each item, we can investigate the amount of time examinees spend on each item. In this paper, we propose a semi-parametric model for RTs, the linear transformation model with a latent speed covariate, which combines the flexibility of non-parametric modelling and the brevity as well as interpretability of parametric modelling. In this new model, the RTs, after some non-parametric monotone transformation, become a linear model with latent speed as covariate plus an error term. The distribution of the error term implicitly defines the relationship between the RT and examinees' latent speeds; whereas the non-parametric transformation is able to describe various shapes of RT distributions. The linear transformation model represents a rich family of models that includes the Cox proportional hazards model, the Box-Cox normal model, and many other models as special cases. This new model is embedded in a hierarchical framework so that both RTs and responses are modelled simultaneously. A two-stage estimation method is proposed. In the first stage, the Markov chain Monte Carlo method is employed to estimate the parametric part of the model. In the second stage, an estimating equation method with a recursive algorithm is adopted to estimate the non-parametric transformation. Applicability of the new model is demonstrated with a simulation study and a real data application. Finally, methods to evaluate the model fit are suggested.
Causal relations between the development of phonological processing abilities and the acquisition of reading skills: A meta-analysis.

A meta-analysis is reported of longitudinal correlational studies and training studies of causal relations between the development of phonological processing abilities and the acquisition of word-level reading skills. Estimates of the magni tude of the causal relations between phonological processing abilities and sub sequent reading skill were substantial, with estimates based on training studies approximately double those based on longitudinal correlational studies. The re sults of a path analysis supported relatively independent causal roles in the ac quisition of word analysis skills for the phonological processing abilities of analy sis, synthesis, coding in the context of lexical access, and coding in working memory. Similar results were obtained for a path analysis of the acquisition of word recognition skills, with the exception that the causal relation for synthesis was not independent of that for analysis. The present study demonstrates the relative neglect by researchers of the probable causal role of learning to read on the subsequent development of phonological processing abilities.
Doing the Charleston bump

In this issue of The Oceanography Report, S. Narimousa and T. Maxworthy point out the similarity between standing lee waves in their tank experiments and the quasi-stationary wavelike wake often found in the Gulf Stream downstream from the bottom feature known as the “Charleston Bump” (see the article “Laboratory Modeling of Coastal Upwelling’). The Bump is perhaps more accurately described as a ridge-and-trough transverse anomaly in the continental shelf topography, but the more colorful name seems to be permanently lodged in the literature. Singer et al. [1983] detail the history of the Charleston Bump and its effects on the hydrographic structure of the Gulf Stream in the Cape Romain region, and Brooks and Bane [1983] describe the structure of the wavelike meanders that form farther downstream.
Selective innervation of target regions within fetal mouse spinal cord and medulla explants by isolated dorsal root ganglia in organotypic co-cultures.

Abstract Correlative electrophysiologic and cytologic analyses demonstrate that a significant group of neurons in isolated (NGF-enhanced) fetal mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) can grow across a collagen substrate and selectively innervate specific dorsal horn and dorsal column nuclei regions in co-cultured explants of deafferented spinal cord and medulla. Neurites from this group of DRG cells form connections in CNS target zones that generate characteristic primary afferent network responses to sensory stimuli, as observed in cultures of spinal cord with attached DRGs. Systematic microelectrode stimulus-mapping tests revealed that many DRG neurites were preferentially distributed in sensory target zones of co-cultured cord and medulla explants and that few collaterals of these DRG neurons were present in neighboring inappropriate regions, especially in the ventral cord. Another group of DRG neurons appears to be responsible for the less prominent, but clear-cut, innervation that developed in some of the co-cultured ventral cord explants. Fetal DRGs were also able to establish characteristic primary afferent dorsal horn or dorsal column nuclei networks when introduced into cultures of deafferented spinal cord and medulla that had been explanted alone for 1–3 weeks prior to introduction of the DRGs. These experiments demonstrate that CNS target neurons remain receptive to DRG innervation even after 1–3 weeks of maturation in vitro. Our electrophysiologic and cytologic analyses of DRG and CNS explants in organotypic co-cultures provide the first systematic attempt to establish conditions under which preferential neuritic growth to and functional innervation of specific CNS target tissues can occur in vitro. This model system should facilitate analyses of mechanisms underlying development, as well as regeneration, of specific synaptic connections in the CNS.
Psychiatric disorders in medical outpatients complaining of palpitations

Objective: To determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in ambulatory patients undergoing Holter monitoring to evaluate palpitations.