cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Climate of Fear: Provider Perceptions of Latinx Immigrant Service Utilization.

Latinx immigrants endure stressors throughout the immigration process that detrimentally impact their health and wellbeing. Yet, they also face substantial barriers to accessing and utilizing services. These barriers might be heightened under the Trump administration, which has implemented policies facilitating increased immigration enforcement and punitive immigration practices. This study utilizes data collected from providers who serve Latinx immigrants in the border state of Texas to better understand current immigrant service utilization behaviors. Individual interviews and focus groups were conducted shortly after the last presidential election to inquire about recruitment, retention, program completion, and resources to address key client risk factors. Applying grounded theory analysis strategies, interviews, and focus group recordings were coded for key themes. Data demonstrated central concerns held by providers serving immigrants, and especially those who are undocumented or in mixed-status families. Concerns were related to the following three themes: (1) undocumented immigrant stressors, (2) limited resources for undocumented immigrants, and (3) service utilization barriers. Lack of services for undocumented immigrants and fear related to service utilization were prominent subthemes. These findings extend our knowledge of stressors and barriers of access and utilization for immigrants during this time period of increased immigration enforcement which have valuable implications for practice and future research. Providers can take concrete actions to educate immigrants, regardless of documentation status, on how their clients’ identities will be protected. In addition, intentional trust-building strategies are essential to help overcome fear of utilizing services. Future research should ascertain perspectives of immigrant families, as this study drew perspectives only from providers.
Identification of optimal catalyst distributions in heat-exchanger reactors

One of the most studied catalyst distributions for heat exchanger reactors is the on-off distribution where fully active and inert regions appear in strategic locations to balance heat transfer bet...
The Long and Disputed Judicial Reform Process in Serbia: Legacies of the Past and Predominant National Actors

This chapter describes political relations between the EU and Serbia from 2000 to 2012. It then focuses on the judicial reforms launched in 2001 in the context of the Stabilization and Association Process. After highlighting the main stages of the Serbian path towards achieving the status of candidate country, while also mentioning the main political developments, the chapter focuses on the process of judicial reform.
Transport Processes in a Li-ion Cell during an Internal Short-Circuit

Internal short-circuit in lithium-ion battery causes abrupt increase of cell temperature and triggers thermal runaway of battery packs. In this work, we developed a detailed electrochemical-thermal model to investigate the physical behavior during the internal short-circuit. Simulations at wide range of heat transfer coefficients and short-circuit resistances are conducted to illustrate electrochemical and thermal behavior at wide range of conditions. Strong interactions between electrochemical behavior and thermal behavior are found, since parameters such as rate constants, diffusivities and conductivities are affected by temperature. Poorer thermal management tends to cause faster discharging rate and hence more susceptible to thermal runaway. Also, the Joule heating at the shorted region promotes electrochemical reactions nearby, causing in-plane non-uniformity of electrolyte and active material transport. Furthermore, it is found that diffusion in solid active materials plays a significant role at very high shorting conditions (~20C), as electrochemical reactions rates are being progressively more limited by active material diffusion with increasing discharging rate. This diffusion limitation causes decrease of cell equilibrium potential and heat generation rate at the shorted spot. Hence, the heating regime shifts from "local heating" to "global heating". Based on the findings, important design parameters for battery safety are discussed.
"Silos" in the Democratization of Science

Efforts aimed at democratizing science continue to emerge, but these many efforts remain isolated from each other. This article argues that the full impact of democratization efforts will not be felt until they are integrated with each other. Two strategies for integration are proposed: a typology approach and a generative strategy. Uses of such strategies in other areas have been successful and offer pathways for coordinating science efforts. The article ends with recommendations for how such strategies could be pursued to integrate promising but dispersed democratization of science efforts such as citizen science, community based participatory research, participatory action research, and public participation in scientific research.
Preserving Multidisciplinary Care Model and Patient Safety During Reopening of Ambulatory Cystic Fibrosis Clinic for Nonurgent Care: A Hybrid Telehealth Model.

Introduction: The University of Virginia's (UVA's) adult cystic fibrosis (CF) program implemented a rapid and successful transition to telemedicine care mid-March of 2020 in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In May 2020, the adult UVA CF program redesigned the care model to adjust to the reopening of ambulatory operations and introduced hybrid clinics. The goal remained to minimize person-to-person contacts for patients and care team members (CTMs) while ensuring patient access to quarterly, coproduced, synchronous, multidisciplinary CF care, similar to pre-COVID-19 era regular CF care. Methods: Using quality improvement tools, the UVA adult CF program created a standardized hybrid model of care for in-clinic visits, which included combined components of in-person and synchronous virtual interactions with members of the multidisciplinary team. Results: A total of 16 hybrid visits occurred between May 14 and June 11, 2020. All hybrid visits were multidisciplinary and fulfilled patient requests to see CTMs. All patients seen by hybrid encounter participated in coproduced agenda setting, underwent spirometry, and obtained blood work; 75% provided sputum for surveillance culture. Each hybrid visit type was attended by an average of four CTMs and amounted to 63 separate interactions. Of these interactions, 28 were completed virtually, reducing in-person contacts and personal protection equipment utilization by 44% compared with a fully in-person model of care. Conclusions: Combining in-person and telehealth components in a multidisciplinary CF care model reduces patient and staff interactions and personal protective equipment utilization. The hybrid model of in-person/remote combined care enables reliable access to biological data to support medical decision making while mitigating the risks of person-to-person contact for patients and staff.
Inpatient fluoroquinolone use in Veterans' Affairs hospitals is a predictor of Clostridioides difficile infection due to fluoroquinolone-resistant ribotype 027 strains

Background: Reduction in the use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics has been associated with reductions in Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs) due to fluoroquinolone-resistant strains. Objective: To determine whether facility-level fluoroquinolone use predicts healthcare facility-associated (HCFA) CDI due to fluoroquinolone-resistant 027 strains. Methods: Using a nationwide cohort of hospitalized patients in the Veterans’ Affairs Healthcare System, we identified hospitals that categorized >80% of CDI cases as positive or negative for the 027 strain for at least one-quarter of fiscal years 2011–2018. Within these facilities, we used visual summaries and multilevel logistic regression models to assess the association between facility-level fluoroquinolone use and rates of HCFA-CDI due to 027 strains, controlling for time and facility complexity level, and adjusting for correlated outcomes within facilities. Results: Between 2011 and 2018, 55 hospitals met criteria for reporting 027 results, including a total of 5,091 HCFA-CDI cases, with 1,017 infections (20.0%) due to 027 strains. Across these facilities, the use of fluoroquinolones decreased by 52% from 2011 to 2018, with concurrent reductions in the overall HCFA-CDI rate and the proportion of HCFA-CDI cases due to the 027 strain of 13% and 55%, respectively. A multilevel logistic model demonstrated a significant effect of facility-level fluoroquinolone use on the proportion of infections in the facility due to the 027 strain, most noticeably in low-complexity facilities. Conclusions: Our findings provide support for interventions to reduce use of fluroquinolones as a control measure for CDI, particularly in settings where fluoroquinolone use is high and fluoroquinolone-resistant strains are common causes of infection.
SARS-CoV-2 Load does not Predict Transmissibility in College Students

SARS-CoV2 is highly contagious and the global spread has caused significant medical, social and economic impacts. Other than vaccination, effective public health measures, including contact tracing, isolation and quarantine, is critical for deterring viral transmission, preventing infection progression and resuming normal activities. Viral transmission is affected by many factors but the viral load and vitality could be among the most important ones. Although in vitro culture studies have indicated that the amount of virus isolated from infected people determines the successful rate of virus isolation, whether the viral load carried at the individual level would affect the transmissibility was not known. We aimed to determine whether the Ct value, a measurement of viral load by RT-PCR assay, could differentiate the spreader from the non-spreader in a population of college students. Our results indicate that while at the population level the Ct value is lower, suggesting a higher viral load, in the symptomatic spreaders than the asymptomatic non-spreaders, there is a significant overlap in the Ct values between the two groups. Thus Ct values, or the viral load, at the individual level could not predict the transmissibility. Our studies also suggest that a sensitive method to detect the presence of virus is needed to identify asymptomatic persons who may carry a low viral load but can still be infectious.
Impact of a School-Based, Multi-Tiered Emotional and Behavioral Health Crisis Intervention on School Safety and Discipline

Schools across the United States are struggling with how to formulate comprehensive and effective programs to address the mental health needs of students and to promote school safety. This study, funded as part of the National Institute of Justice Comprehensive School Safety Initiative, employed a randomized controlled study design to evaluate the impact of a multi-component package of crisis prevention and response interventions on school safety and discipline outcomes, including suspensions, office discipline referrals, bullying reports, juvenile justice referrals, threat assessments, and follow-up procedures. Forty schools participated, all in a culturally diverse Mid-Atlantic, US school system spanning urban, suburban, and rural areas. The Emotional and Behavioral Health-Crisis Response and Prevention (EBH-CRP) intervention is a comprehensive training, organizational, and support protocol for school and community stakeholders aimed at increasing competence in preventing and responding to student EBH crises using multiple evidence-informed strategies that address emotional and behavioral health concerns across the continuum of supports. Results indicate that the EBH-CRP intervention had a significant positive effect on suspensions, office discipline referrals, and juvenile justice referrals for secondary schools. In addition, the intervention had positive effects on the number of bullying reports overall, with a particularly strong impact on primary schools. The intervention also had positive effects in maintaining more use of threat assessment and follow-up procedures. Although the intervention had a significant positive effect on secondary school-level suspensions, there was no impact on racial/ethnic disproportionality rates for this outcome. Implications for school safety prevention are discussed.
Outcomes of patients with moderate-to-severe Ischemia excluded from the ischemia trial

The International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness with Medical and Invasive Approaches (ISCHEMIA) trial showed no difference in outcomes between medical therapy vs coronary revascularization in the management of patients with stable coronary artery disease. We aimed to determine the percentage of patients with at least moderate ischemia that would have been eligible for enrollment and evaluate the outcomes of those who would not. Consecutive patients who underwent cardiac single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) between April 2016 and September 2019 were identified and all-cause mortality was determined. There were a total of 1508 patients (mean age 67 ± 11.6 years, 69.5% males) with any perfusion defect on SPECT. Patients had a high prevalence of cardiac risk factors (73.4% with hypertension and 54.4% with diabetes mellitus.) Nearly half (709, 47%) had moderate-to-severe ischemia but over two-thirds (479/709, 66.3%) had at least one ISCHEMIA trial exclusion criteria. Patients meeting ISCHEMIA enrollment criteria had a significantly lower all-cause mortality than those who would have been excluded (3.91% vs. 11.3%, respectively, P < .001). Our results show that ISCHEMIA selected a relatively small subset of lower risk patients among the larger higher risk group of patients with moderate-to-severe ischemia typical to most cardiology centers.
Indexicality, phenomenality and the trinity

I utilize recent work in analytic epistemology on the notion of essentially indexical knowledge, as well as Marion’s notion of saturated phenomenality, to ground the psychological model of the Trinity. I argue that classical theism implies that God is essentially omniscient. This omniscience entails complete self-knowledge on God’s part. There are, however, truths about God’s consciousness that are reducible neither to concepts nor to 1st person experience. These are the truths about how God’s presence is perceived from a 2nd person perspective. In order for God to know such truths about himself, he would have to experience himself as both an ‘I’ and a ‘You.’ Thus, God must exist as a being with multiple subjective centers of consciousness.
Responses of Lysosomal and Non-Lysosomal Proteases to Unloading of the Soleus

Atrophy of skeletal muscle can be induced by a number of interventions, including denervation of the hindlimb,1 hindlimb immobilization,2 and total mechanical unloading by either tail-cast suspension,3harness suspension,4 or exposure to microgravity. 5One probable causal factor for this loss of muscle mass is an increased rate of degradation of myofibrillar proteins. When coupled with an unchanged or decreased rate of protein synthesis, this leads to a net protein breakdown and thus muscle atrophy. While the exact mechanism for this intramuscular protein breakdown is still unclear,6 it is most likely due to either an increase in the proteolytic capacity of the muscle cell, an increased susceptibility of substrate proteins to proteolytic enzymes, or a combination of the two.6
JSD = Δ CSP ⊕ TLZ: a case study

We present a case study in the use of JSD, a popular structural design method, as a unifying mechanism for formal notations addressing different aspects of a system design. An asynchronous variant of CSP is used to address issues relating to time-ordering of events and communication between processes, while TLZ (a hybrid of Z and TLA) addresses state-based aspects of the system design and permits the expression of timing constraints and fairness conditions. The result is a hybrid real-time design method, appropriate for particular classes of real-time systems. The novelty is that a structural design method (with simplified semantics) serves to provide various views of the design, with the benefits and proof systems of the various formal methods being maintained.
Improvement with Impunity: Development-Induced Displacement and the Guiding Principle 6(2)(c) Proportionality Test Applied to the Merowe Dam Project in Sudan

INTRODUCTION 379 I. BACKGROUND 381 A. IDPS AND SUDAN’S ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH IDPS 382 B. THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND THE PRINCIPLE 6(2)(C) PROPORTIONALITY TEST 384 1. The Guiding Principles Generally and Principle 6(2)(c) Addressing Large Development Projects 385 2. Proposed Benefits Relevant for a Principle 6(2)(c) Proportionality Analysis 387 C. THE BINDING INTERNATIONAL LAW OF THE ICCPR AND ICESCR PROTECTS IDPS 389 D. THE ROME STATUTE ALLOWS FOR PROSECUTION IN AN INTERNATIONAL FORUM OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOVEREIGN VIOLATIONS OF BINDING HUMAN RIGHTS INSTRUMENTS 390 II. ANALYSIS 392
IMF Program Suspensions: Theoretical Issues in Model Specification

Recent criticisms of the International Monetary Fund focus on its inattention to the role of political institutions in shaping the ability of states to meet the conditions required in austerity programs. To what extent are these criticisms, which I term the information hypothesis, valid? As an initial pass at this question, I assess the Fund’s response to the approach of elections in countries under its programs. The conventional wisdom is that elections lead to program suspension, though this raises the question of whether the IMF responds proactively to the approach of elections by altering conditionality. The problem with using conventional discrete choice models to answer this question is that they force the variance across cases to be a constant. The variance surrounding program suspensions, however, is a proxy for the countries “margin of error” between economic performance and program suspension. As a result, models that force the variance to be constant across cases limit what we can learn about the Fund’s response to political shocks. Using a heteroskedastic probit model, I find that the approach of elections alters the variance surrounding program suspensions, providing another piece of evidence to counter the information hypothesis.
Seasonal Forecast of Local Lake-Effect Snowfall: The Case of Buffalo, U.S.A.

The climate and weather patterns of Buffalo (New York, U.S.A.) are strongly influenced by thecity’s proximity to Lake Erie. Total monthly snowfall in Buffalo is forecasted using neural network techniques(Multi-Layer Perceptron = MLP) and a multiple linear regression (LR) model. The period of analysis comprises 28 years from January 1982 to December 2009. Input data include: zonal wind speed (u-wind), meridional wind speed (v-wind), air temperature, the geopotential height (GPH) over Lake Erie and the surrounding regions at the 1000 mb -, 925 mb -, 850 mb -, and 700 mb - levels as well as the surface pressure and air temperature, mean water temperature, lake surface water temperatures (LSWT) and the amount of ice coverage of Lake Erie; the 500 mb GPH over James Bay, Canada; and the surface pressure over the North-Central Great Plains. Different lead times of the input variables are tested for their suitability. The most accurate result is obtained by using the MLP with an optimum lead time approach (lead times vary for the different input variables between one and six months). The results of the MLP with six months lead time are in good agreement with observed precipitation records over the study period.
How do I best manage the care of older patients with cancer with multimorbidity

Abstract The typical older patient with cancer presents with several other chronic conditions. The coexistence of multiple chronic conditions in one patient is best termed multimorbidity, and it affects a growing percentage of the population each year. In cancer care, as in much sub-specialty care, “other diseases” have been approached from a research and clinical standpoint as “comorbidities” – other age-associated diseases that are of secondary importance to cancer care. This is not the same as the newer concept of “multimorbidity”, a situation in which several overlapping chronic conditions are managed as equally-important to patient quality of life and outcomes. In the absence of a substantial evidence base or clinical practice guidelines that are tailored for multimorbid patients, clinicians need practical guidance for a rational approach to care for these complex patients. We adapt the American Geriatrics Society's Guiding Principles as an excellent starting point for clinical decision-making and management. These Guiding Principles include: 1) assessing patient preferences, 2) interpreting the available evidence, 3) estimating prognosis, 4) considering treatment feasibility, and 5) optimizing therapies and care plans. We apply them to older patients with cancer. As the population of older adults with cancer and multimorbidity grows, understanding the impact of multimorbidity on the care of patients with cancer and developing a management approach for these vulnerable patients will be vital for oncology care.
Interaction between Ustilago maydis REC2 and RAD51 genes in DNA repair and mitotic recombination

A gene encoding a Ustilago maydis Rad51 orthologue has been isolated. rad51-1, a mutant constructed by disrupting the gene, was as sensitive to killing by ultraviolet light and γ radiation as the rec2-1 mutant and slightly more sensitive to killing by methyl methanesulfonate. There was no suppression of killing by ultraviolet light when a rec2-1 strain was transformed with a multicopy plasmid containing RAD51, nor was there suppression when rad51-1 was transformed with a multicopy plasmid containing REC2. Recombination proficiency as measured by a gap repair assay was diminished in both rec2-1 and rad51-1 strains. In rec2-1 the frequency of recombination was decreased, but the spectrum of events was similar to that observed in wild type, while in rad51-1 the frequency as well as the spectrum of recombination events were different. Studies with the rec2-1 rad51-1 double mutant indicated that there was epistasis in the action of REC2 and RAD51 in certain repair and recombination functions, but some measure of independent action in other functions.
Efficacy of tranexamic acid as compared to aprotinin in open heart surgery in children

Background: Coagulopathy is a major issue in children undergoing high-risk pediatric cardiac surgery. Use of anti-fibrinolytics is well documented in adults, but recently there are questions raised about safety and effectiveness of their use on routine use. Tranexamic acid is a potent anti-fibrinolytic, but its role is not fully understood in children. This study aims to study the benefits tranexamic acid in controlling postoperative bleeding in pediatric cardiac surgical patients. Methods and Results: Fifty consecutive children who underwent cardiac surgery were randomized prospectively to receive either aprotinin (Group A; n = 24) or tranexamic acid (Group B; n = 26) from September 2009 to February 2010 were studied. Primary end points were early mortality, postoperative drainage, reoperation for bleeding and complications. Mean age and body weight was smaller in Group A (Age: 48.55 vs. 64.73 months; weight 10.75 vs. 14.80 kg) respectively. Group A had more cyanotic heart disease than Group B (87.5% vs. 76.92%). Mean cardiopulmonary bypass time (144.33 vs. 84.34 min) and aortic cross-clamp time (78.5 vs. 41.46 min) were significantly higher in group A. While the blood and products usage was significantly higher in Group A, there was no difference in indexed postoperative drainage in first 4, 8 and 12 h and postoperative coagulation parameters. Mean C-reactive protein was less in Group A than B and renal dysfunction was seen more in Group A (25% vs. 7.6%). Mortality in Group A was 16.66% and 7.6% in Group B. Conclusion: Anti-fibrinolytics have a definitive role in high-risk children who undergo open-heart surgery. Tranexamic acid is as equally effective as aprotinin with no additional increase in morbidity or mortality. Ultramini Abstract: Coagulopathy has been a major issue in pediatric cardiac surgery, and anti-fibrinolytics have been used fairly regularly in various settings. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of tranexamic acid as compared against that of aprotinin in a randomized model. Tranexamic acid proves to be equally effective with less toxicity with no added mortality.
TOLLIP, MUC5B, and the Response to N-Acetylcysteine among Individuals with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Rationale: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating lung disease of unknown etiology. The genes TOLLIP and MUC5B play important roles in lung host defense, which is an immune process influenced by oxidative signaling. Whether polymorphisms in TOLLIP and MUC5B modify the effect of immunosuppressive and antioxidant therapy in individuals with IPF is unknown.Objectives: To determine whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within TOLLIP and MUC5B modify the effect of interventions in subjects participating in the Evaluating the Effectiveness of Prednisone, Azathioprine, and N-Acetylcysteine in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (PANTHER-IPF) clinical trial.Methods: SNPs within TOLLIP (rs5743890/rs5743894/rs5743854/rs3750920) and MUC5B (rs35705950) were genotyped. Interaction modeling was conducted with multivariable Cox regression followed by genotype-stratified survival analysis using a composite endpoint of death, transplantation, hospitalization, or a decline of ≥10% in FVC.Meas...
Directed network motifs in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment.

Directed network motifs are the building blocks of complex networks, such as human brain networks, and capture deep connectivity information that is not contained in standard network measures. In this paper we present the first application of directed network motifs in vivo to human brain networks, utilizing recently developed directed progression networks which are built upon rates of cortical thickness changes between brain regions. This is in contrast to previous studies which have relied on simulations and in vitro analysis of non-human brains. We show that frequencies of specific directed network motifs can be used to distinguish between patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and normal control (NC) subjects. Especially interesting from a clinical standpoint, these motif frequencies can also distinguish between subjects with mild cognitive impairment who remained stable over three years (MCI) and those who converted to AD (CONV). Furthermore, we find that the entropy of the distribution of directed network motifs increased from MCI to CONV to AD, implying that the distribution of pathology is more structured in MCI but becomes less so as it progresses to CONV and further to AD. Thus, directed network motifs frequencies and distributional properties provide new insights into the progression of Alzheimer’s disease as well as new imaging markers for distinguishing between normal controls, stable mild cognitive impairment, MCI converters and Alzheimer’s disease.
Kinetic and Thermodynamic Acidity of [Cp(NO)(PPh3)Re(2,5-dimethyl-3-thienyl)carbene]+. Transition State Imbalance and Intrinsic Barriers†

The synthesis and characterization of [Cp(NO)(PPh3)Re(2,5-dimethyl-3-thienyl)carbene]+ (3H+(S)), a novel Fischer carbene complex, is described. 3H+(S) undergoes reversible deprotonation with a pKa of 2.64 in 50% MeCN−50% water (v/v). Rate constants for the deprotonation of 3H+(S) by carboxylate ions and by primary aliphatic and secondary alicyclic amines were determined. A major focus of this paper is a comparison of the kinetic and thermodynamic acidities of 3H+(S) with those of [Cp(NO)(PPh3)Re(2-thienyl)carbene]+, 1H+(S). The pKa of 1H+(S) (2.51) is virtually the same as that of 3H+(S). This appears to be the result of a fortuitous cancellation of acidity-reducing and acidity-enhancing factors, a conclusion supported by a computational study of gas phase acidities. An analysis of Bronsted plots indicates that the intrinsic rate constants for proton transfer are about 2 orders of magnitude lower for 3H+(S) than for 1H+(S). This reduction is the result of steric effects and of electronic effects connected...
Neurofibromin Deficiency in Mice Causes Exencephaly and Is a Modifier for Splotch Neural Tube Defects

Neural tube defects are common and serious human congenital anomalies. These malformations have a multifactorial etiology and can be reproduced in mouse models by mutations of numerous individual genes and by perturbation of multiple environmental factors. The identification of specific genetic interactions affecting neural tube closure will facilitate our understanding of molecular pathways regulating normal neural development and will enhance our ability to predict and modify the incidence of spina bifida and other neural tube defects. Here, we report a genetic interaction between Nf1, encoding the intracellular signal transduction protein neurofibromin, and Pax3, a transcription factor gene mutated in the Splotch mouse. Both Pax3 and Nf1 are important for the development of neural crest-derived structures and the central nervous system. Splotch is an established model of folate-sensitive neural tube defects, and homozygous mutant embryos develop spina bifida and sometimes exencephaly. Neural development is grossly normal in heterozygotes and neural tube defects are not seen. In contrast, we found a low incidence of neural tube defects in heterozygous Splotch mice that also harbored a mutation in one Nf1 allele. All compound homozygotes had severe neural tube defects and died earlier in embryogenesis than either Nf1(-/-) or Sp(-/-) embryos. We also report occasional exencephaly in Nf1(-/-) mice and identify more subtle CNS abnormalities in normal-appearing Nf1(-/-) embryos. Though other genetic loci and environmental factors affect the incidence of neural tube defects in Splotch mice, these results establish Nf1 as the first known gene to act as a modifier of neural tube defects in Splotch.
A transgender health care panel discussion in a required diversity course.

Objectives. To examine the impact of a panel discussion on transgender health care on first-year (P1) pharmacy students’ knowledge and understanding of transgender experiences in an Introduction to Diversity course.Design. The panel consisted of both transgender males and females. After panelists shared their healthcare experiences, students asked them questions in a moderated setting. Students completed evaluations on the presentation and learning outcomes. They also wrote a self-reflection paper on the experience.Assessment. Ninety-one percent of students agreed that they could describe methods for showing respect to a transgender patient and 91.0% evaluated the usefulness of the presentation to be very good or excellent. Qualitative analysis (phenomenological study) was conducted on the self-reflection papers and revealed 7 major themes.Conclusion. First-year students reported that they found the panel discussion to be eye opening and relevant to their pharmacy career. Our panel may serve as model for ...
The origin and fate of secretory packages, especially synaptic vesicles.

Publisher Summary Views about neurotransmission are strongly conditioned by information about secretory processes in gland cells, whose geometry and technical accessibility have permitted more thorough studies of several facets of the storage and release of secretions than have yet proved feasible with nervous tissue. This chapter discusses the features of gland cells directly pertinent to neurons. Although there are still a few dissenters, most cell biologists agree that the secretions of typical gland cells follow more or less the same general path through the cell. Protein components are thought to be synthesized on the ribosomes of the rough or granular endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and to enter the membrane delimited cavities of the cisternae of the ER. In cells secreting lipoproteins, the lipids are synthesized by the endoplasmic reticulum. It is often assumed that the agranular or smooth (ribosome-free) ER is especially important for this as in cells such as hepatocytes, the agranular reticulum is seen to accumulate the small globules believed to represent liproproteins.
Stable, reproducible, and automated capillary zone electrophoresis-tandem mass spectrometry system with an electrokinetically pumped sheath-flow nanospray interface.

Abstract A PrinCE autosampler was coupled to a Q-Exactive mass spectrometer by an electrokinetically pumped sheath–flow nanospray interface to perform automated capillary zone electrophoresis-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (CZE-ESI-MS/MS). 20 ng aliquots of an Escherichia coli digest were injected to evaluate the system. Eight sequential injections over an 8-h period identified 1115 ± 70 (relative standard deviation, RSD = 6%) peptides and 270 ± 8 (RSD = 3%) proteins per run. The average RSDs of migration time, peak intensity, and peak area were 3%, 24% and 19%, respectively, for 340 peptides with high intensity. This is the first report of an automated CZE-ESI-MS/MS system using the electrokinetically pumped sheath–flow nanospray interface. The results demonstrate that this system is capable of reproducibly identifying over 1000 peptides from an E. coli tryptic digest in a 1-h analysis time.
Adsorption kinetics and dynamics of small organic molecules on a silica wafer: Butane, pentane, nonane, thiophene, and methanol adsorption on SiO2/Si(1 1 1)

Abstract The adsorption kinetics (by thermal desorption spectroscopy) and adsorption dynamics (by molecular beam scattering) have been determined for a number of alkanes, methanol, thiophene, and water on a silica wafer—SiO2/Si(1 1 1). No indications for bond activation were present, i.e., all probe molecules adsorb molecularly obeying 1st order kinetics. The coverage-dependent heat of adsorption has been determined accordingly. The adsorption dynamics are precursor-mediated with Kisliuk-like shapes of the adsorption probabilities at low impact energies and adsorbate-assisted adsorption at large impact energies.
Pseudoxanthoma elasticum-like phenotypes: more diseases than one.

The classic pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) phenotype derives from mutations in ABCC6. PXE-like phenotypes have been observed in a number of disorders, with no evidence of mutations in ABCC6. Vanakker et al. report PXE-like skin findings in patients with mutations in GGCX critical for γ-carboxylation of gla-proteins. This report expands the clinical spectrum of PXE-like conditions and also provides potential insights into the ectopic mineralization process.
Structure, gravity models and stratigraphy of an early Proterozoic volcanic—sedimentary belt in northeastern Ghana

Abstract The structure of an early Proterozoic volcanic—sedimentary belt in northeastern Ghana is inferred from the distribution of lithologic units and interpretation of Bouguer gravity anomaly associated with the belt. It is shown from gravity modelling that the vertical thickness (depth) of the volcanic—sedimentary succession is ca. 3 km and that the structure of the western part of the belt is an overturned anticline, an interpretation consistent with facing data. This structure provides the basis from which the stratigraphic order of the mapped lithic units is deduced: (1) fine-grained epiclastic sediments interbedded with minor felsic tuffs, followed by (2) tholeiitic basaltic lavas, which are overlain by (3) calc-alkaline andesitic and dacitic lavas and tuffs; the youngest volcanic unit belonging to the sequence is a calc-alkaline mafic tuff (4). A manganese-rich chemical sediment is preserved at the boundary between the tholeiitic mafic lava and calc-alkaline intermediate volcanic rock units. The early Proterozoic sequence, which is unconformably overlain by coarse fluviatile sediments, is estimated to be ca. 8500 m thick. The stratigraphic sequence in the study area contrasts strongly with the conceptual stratigraphic schemes which are currently held to be valid for similar lithologic associations of early Proterozoic age (Birimian) in the West African shield.
The biochemical basis for the distinction between the two Cryptococcus neoformans varieties with CGB medium.

Summary The biochemical basis for the reaction to canavanine-glycine-bromthymol blue (CGB) agar by Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii and C. neoformans var. neoformans was investigated. All of the var. gattii isolates tested were found to utilize glycine as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen and were resistant to L-canavanine. Only 11% of the serotype D isolates of var. neoformans utilized glycine as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen, but these were all sensitive to canavanine. Nineteen percent of the serotype A isolates of var. neoformans were able to assimilate glycine, and 81% of the glycine users were resistant to canavanine. However, these canavanine-resistant, glycine-assimilating, var. neoformans isolates failed to grow when they were cultured on a medium containing glycine and canavanine. Unlike the var. neoformans isolates, all of the var. gattii isolates tested grew on a medium that contained both of these compounds. Glycine-utilizing isolates exhibited good uptake of the aminoacid, and a glycine-cleaving enzyme was discernable in the isolate. The isolates that fail to utilize glycine accumulated the aminoacid at a rate which was barely 15% of that seen in the glycine users, and no glycine-cleaving enzyme was apparent within the 48-hr incubation period. When a cell-free extract (which had been derived from a glycine-utilizing isolate), was incubated with 14 C labeled glycine, ammonia, radiolabeled CO 2 , and serine were produced. The glycine decarboxylase activity of the cell-free extract was found to be enhanced by the addition of dithiothreitol, tetrahydrofolate, pyridoxal phosphate, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). The ammonia released during glycine cleavage seems to be responsible for the positive reaction on CGB medium.
Infrared Spectroscopic Ellipsometry of Self-Assembled Monolayers

Ellipsometry measures the relative intensity of and the phase difference between the parallel and perpendicular components of a polarized electric field vector interacting with a sample. In this paper, a technique using polarized Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for measuring this information, as the complex optical density function, is presented. The advantage of the complex optical density function is that it relates the properties of the polarized electric field vector to the supporting surface instead of the plane of incidence. In this configuration, the precise positioning of the sample surface compared to the reference surface and the reproducibility of the analyzer movement are the most important contributions to the errors in the complex optical density function. We demonstrate that these errors are small compared to the complex optical density function measured from the presence of an organic monolayer on a metal surface. The measured complex optical density function provides a signature t...
A one‐film‐model ellipsometry program for the simultaneous calculation of protein film thickness and refractive index

Heterogeneous protein films are not perfectly suited to ellipsometric analysis, and commercially available software often fails to yield meaningful optical properties for such films. Here, we describe a computer program uniquely suited for calculation of the thickness and refractive index of protein films. An important feature of the new program is an algorithm that allows a search for a solution in up to four directions.
Patterns of Dominance and Aggressive Behavior in Blue Jays at a Feeder

We studied interactions among Blue Jays (Cyanocitta cristata) visiting a feeder in south-central Florida over a 4-year period to examine the influence of sex, time of year, and body size on dominance and aggression, describe changes in dominance among individuals over time, and test for the presence of linear dominance hierarchies. Males dominated females throughout the annual cycle, and in all 24 of the male-female significant dyads. We cannot reject the hypothesis that male dominance over females results from the larger body size of males. We infer that males also were more aggressive than females because they were involved in more interactions than expected by chance. Females became more, and males became less, aggressive immediately prior to the breeding season, but fluctuations in aggression did not lead to shifts in intersexual dominance. Dominance relationships among a few high-ranking males were intransitive and changed over time. Dominance hierarchies, characterized by reversals, circular triads, and unknown relationships, were not linear. Whereas linear hierarchies have been shown to exist in New World jays that live in small, stable social groups, we suspect the variable constituency and instability of flocks precludes the emergence of strictly linear hierarchies in the genus Cyanocitta.
Effect of progestin therapy on cortical and trabecular bone: Comparison with estrogen

Abstract purpose: To determine the effect of progestin therapy on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women and to compare its effects to those of estrogen. subjects and methods: A prospective, randomized clinical trial was performed in 81 postmenopausal women aged 51.7 ± 4.4 years (mean ± SD). They were assigned to one of four groups: Provera® 20 mg, Premarin® 0.6 mg, Premarin 0.3 mg plus Provera 10 mg, and a placebo. In addition, all women received calcium supplementation, if necessary, to a calcium intake of 1,000 mg/day. We used single- and dual-photon absorpiometry, metacarpal radiogrammetry, and computed axial tomography to measure bone mineral density in the total skeleton, spine, radius, and metacarpal. results: Women receiving placebo lost bone at all sites (p conclusions: Compared to placebo, Provera reduced the rate of loss in cortical areas of the skeleton, but not in the spine, which contains more trabecular bone. In contrast, Premarin reduced the rate of loss in both cortical and trabecular areas of the skeleton. The low-dose combination of Premarin plus Provera was similar in its effect on bone to that of Premarin alone, suggesting that there may be a synergistic effect of this hormone combination on bone. Serum cholesterol levels decreased with Provera, Premarin, and the combination of both, whereas levels of serum triglycerides increased with Premarin treatment, decreased with the Provera regimen, and were unchanged with the combination therapy. Provera does not adversely affect the lipid profile.
Determination of Volatility Distributions of Primary Organic Aerosol Emissions from Internal Combustion Engines Using Thermal Desorption Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

A new technique for measuring the primary organic aerosol (POA) emissions from internal combustion engines is presented. The method combines thermal-optical OC/EC analysis and thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) of quartz filter samples collected using a dilution sampler to quantify the total emissions of low-volatility organics and to distribute them across the volatility basis set. These data can be used in conjunction with partitioning theory to predict the gas-particle partitioning and thus the total amount of POA over the entire range of atmospheric conditions. The approach is evaluated using POA emissions data from two gas-turbine engines and one diesel generator. To evaluate the new method, we directly measured the effects of temperature and concentration on gas-particle partitioning of the emissions from each. Predictions based on the volatility distributions derived from the filter analyses are consistent with the direct partitioning measurements. The new approach r...
Expression of embryonic hemoglobin genes in mice heterozygous for α-thalassemia or β-duplication traits and in mice heterozygous for both traits☆☆☆

Abstract Hemoglobins of mouse embryos at 11.5 through 16.5 days of gestation were separated by electrophoresis on cellulose acetate and quantitated by a scanning densitometer to study the effects of two radiation-induced mutations on the expression of embryonic hemoglobin genes in mice. Normal mice produce three kinds of embryonic hemoglobins. In heterozygous α-thalassemic embryos, expression of EI (x2y2) and EII (α2y2) is deficient because the x- and α-globin genes of one of the allelic pairs of Hba on chromosome 11 was deleted or otherwise inactivated by X irradiation. Simultaneous inactivation of the x- and α-globin genes indicates that these genes must be closely linked. Reduced x- and α-chain synthesis results in an excess of y chains that associate as homotetramers. This unique y4 hemoglobin also appears in β-duplication embryos where excess y chains are produced by the presence of three rather than two functional alleles of y- and β-globin genes. In double heterozygotes, which have a single functional allele of x- and α-globin genes and three functional alleles of y- and β-globin genes, synthesis of α and non-α chains is severely imbalanced and half of the total hemoglobin is y4. Mouse y4 has a high affinity for oxygen, P50 of less than 10 mm Hg, but it lacks cooperativity so is inefficient for oxygen transport. The death of double heterozygotes in late fetal or neonatal life may be due in large part to oxygen deprivation to the tissues.
Heteroepitaxial nucleation of diamond on nickel

Abstract Highly oriented diamond has been grown on (100) nickel substrates by the hot filament chemical vapor deposition method. Epitaxial nuclei were obtained by a diamond powder seeding and high temperature annealing process. Since the timing of the process was crucial for the achievement of a high degree of orientation and high density of diamond nuclei, a real-time, in-situ laser reflectometry system was developed to monitor changes in surface morphology observed during the high temperature annealing stage. Characteristic features observed in the intensities of reflected and scattered light were interpreted by comparison with scanning electron micrographs of the samples quenched at sequential stages of the process. It was concluded that the scattered light signal can be effectively used as a process steering parameter. Using this technique, oriented nucleation and growth of diamond on Ni was reproducibly achieved. Auger spectroscopy showed that up to 6 at% of carbon was dissolved in the nickel surface layer. The investigation of interfacial microstructures and phases involved by transmission electron microscopy revealed the formation of Ni4C already in the early stages of nucleation. This phase was manifested as coherent precipitates and is believed to have been the precursor for diamond nucleation. Perfectly epitaxial diamond was grown by this process. The epitaxial relationship was determined by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and selected area diffraction analysis.