cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of coal solubilization by bacteria and fungi

Coal-solubilizing agents produced byTrametes versicolor, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Aspergillus sp., a bacterial consortium, and a bacterial isolate,Arthrobacter sp., from that consortium were compared in terms of pH dependence, thermostability, molecular mass, mechanism of action, and product diversity. The thermostability and low molecular weights exhibited by the coal-solubilizing agents indicated a non-enzymatic mechanism of action. Competition studies using cupric copper indicated that coal solubilization by these agents involved metal chelation. Results demonstrated that oxalate could account for some but not all of the coal solubilization observed forT.versicolor andP.chrysosporium. The very low levels of oxalate detected inAspergillus sp. and the bacterial cultures indicated that oxalate is not an important factor in coal solubilization by these microbes. When subjected to gel permeation chromatography, the soluble coal products generated by each microbial coal-solubilizing agent yielded unique molecular mass profiles suggesting substantial product diversity. Such diversity increases the possibility of identifying potentially valuable compounds and extending the commercial utilization of coal.
208. Single-Cell Gene Expression Profiles of Genetically Modified T Cells for Adoptive Immunotherapy

System-level characterization of cell states requires detailed portrayal of cellular components such as gene transcripts or proteins. Here, we exploit a robust single-cell platform technology to characterize T cells expanded ex vivo intended for human application. Coupled with advanced custom analytics, we identify “drivers” (relatively few, but vital) genes which orchestrate T-cell activation and clonal expansion programming, versus “passengers” (relatively many, less critical) or resultant/downstream transcripts.Detailed analyses reveal that there is considerable variability between individual activated T cells, implying that cell state may undergo multiple stepwise transitions in a stochastic manner. Compared to interrogation of bulk T-cell populations (e.g., analyzed using RNA-Seq, microarrays, and Northern blotting), where heterogeneity in expression signals is attenuated by temporal and cell-cycle averaging, the genetic heterogeneity between cells in isogenic populations may be a reflection of fundamental phenomena such as transcriptional bursting. Our model describes cell state oscillation in tandem with transcriptional repressive (closed chromatin) and permissive conformations (open chromatin), versus simpler probabilistic models of transcription. T-cell variability can significantly impact upon individual cell behavior within seemly isogenic populations, and may be essential in molding survival and cytotoxicity within certain contexts, such as the rapidly changing and stressful tumor microenvironments. We find that lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) is a leading indicator for the metabolic adaptation during T-cell activation and together with other energetics related genes such pyruvate kinase isoform 2 (PKM2), can be harnessed to adjust our culture conditions during ex vivo expansion. These cellular fingerprints suggest useful ways for tuning the balance between oxidative and non-oxidative glucose metabolism to enhance the killing and thus therapeutic potential of our T cells. Our framework to harness catalogs of gene expression data into clinically-applicable insights can be adapted for meaningful characterization of other therapeutically-relevant source populations such as hematopoietic stem cells and reprogrammed NK cells. This is being reduced to practice by understanding the heterogeneity within and between genetically modified T-cell products generated for clinical use.
Diverting Special Categories of Offenders to Community Treatment Programs

In this chapter, alternative methods for processing certain categories of offenders are explored. Various specialty courts for the mentally ill, substance abuse offenders, family violence offenders, and veterans’ and community courts for those who commit misdemeanor offenses are described. The criteria for acceptance to a specialty court, the process followed, and the supervision and treatment programs relating to each type of court are explained.
Neurite reconstruction from time-lapse sequences using co-segmentation

We introduce a novel segmentation method for time-lapse image stacks of neurites based on the co-segmentation principle. Our method aggregates information from multiple stacks to improve the segmentation task, using a neurite model and a tree similarity term. The neurite model takes into account branching characteristics, such as local shape smoothness and continuity, while the tree similarity term exploits the local branch dynamics across image stacks. Our approach improves accuracy in ambiguous regions, handling successfully out-of-focus effects and branching bifurcations. We validated our method using Drosophila sensory neuron datasets and made comparisons with existing methods.
Electro-Radiological Observations of Grade III/IV Hepatic Encephalopathy Patients with Seizures

Neurological complications in liver failure are common. Often under-recognized neurological complications are seizures and status epilepticus. These may go unrecognized without continuous electroencephalography (CEEG). We highlight the observed electro-radiological changes in patients with grade III/IV hepatic encephalopathy (HE) found to have seizures and/or status epilepticus on CEEG and the associated neuroimaging. This study was a retrospective review of patients with West Haven grade III/IV HE and seizures/status epilepticus on CEEG. Eleven patients were included. Alcohol was the most common cause of HE (54.5%). All patients were either stuporous/comatose. The most common CEEG pattern was diffuse slowing (100%) followed by generalized periodic discharges (GPDs; 36.4%) and lateralized periodic discharges (LPDs, 36.4%). The subtype of GPDs with triphasic morphology was only seen in 27.3%. All seizures and/or status epilepticus were without clinical signs. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was available in six patients. Cortical hyperintensities on diffusion weighted imaging sequence were seen in all six patients. One patient had CEEG seizure concomitantly with the MRI. Seven patients died prior to discharge. Seizures or status epilepticus in the setting of HE were without clinical findings and could go unrecognized without CEEG. The finding of cortical hyperintensity on MRI should lead to further evaluation for unrecognized seizure or status epilepticus.
Purinergic Signaling in Wound Healing and Airway Remodeling

Airway epithelia are continuously damaged by airborne pollutants, pathogens and allergens, and they rely on intrinsic mechanisms to restore barrier integrity. Epithelial repair is a multi-step process including cell migration into the wounded area, proliferation, differentiation and matrix deposition. Each step requires the secretion of various molecules, including growth factors, integrins and matrix metalloproteinases. Evidence is emerging that purinergic signaling promotes repair in human airway epithelia. An injury induces ATP release, which binds P2Y2 receptors (P2Y2Rs) to initiate protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent oxidative activation of TNFα-converting enzyme (TACE), which then releases the membrane-bound ligands of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The P2Y2R- and EGFR-dependent signaling cascades converge to induce mediator release, whereas the latter also induces cytoskeletal rearrangement for cell migration and proliferation. Similar roles for purinergic signaling are reported in pulmonary endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts. In chronic airway diseases, the aberrant regulation of extracellular purines is implicated in the development of airway remodeling by mucus cell metaplasia and hypersecretion, excess collagen deposition, fibrosis and neovascularization. This chapter describes the crosstalk between these signaling cascades and discusses the impact of deregulated purinergic signaling in chronic lung diseases.
New perspectives in the treatment of body dysmorphic disorder

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a disabling illness with a high worldwide prevalence. Patients demonstrate a debilitating preoccupation with one or more perceived defects, often marked by poor insight or delusional convictions. Multiple studies have suggested that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and various cognitive behavioral therapy modalities are effective first-line treatments in decreasing BDD severity, relieving depressive symptoms, restoring insight, and increasing quality of life. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have also recently been shown to be effective for relapse prevention. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the current understanding of BDD, including its clinical features, epidemiology, genetics, and current treatment modalities. Additional research is needed to fully elucidate the relationship between BDD and comorbid illnesses such as obsessive-compulsive-related disorders and depression and to develop therapies for refractory patients and those who have contraindications for pharmacological intervention.
AWilbrink-Like Equation for Neo-Difference Sets

Neo-difference sets arise in the study of projective planes of Lenz-Barlotti types I.3 and I.4. In the course of their proof that an abelian neo-difference set of order 3n satisfies either n = 1 or 3|n, Ghinelli and Jungnickel produce a Wilbrink-like equation for neo-difference sets of order 3n. In this note we generalise that part of their proof to produce a version of this equation that holds for all neo-difference sets.
The Pathology Workforce and Clinical Licensure: The Role of the PhD Clinical Laboratorian in the United States

There has been a recent recognition of the need to prepare PhD-trained scientists for increasingly diverse careers in academia, industry, and health care. The PhD Data Task Force was formed to bett...
PID Controller Synthesis with Specifed Stability Requirement for Some Classes of MIMO Systems.

For certain classes of linear, timeinvariant, multi-input multi-output plants, a systematic synthesis method is developed for stabilization using Proportional+Integral+Derivative (PID) controllers, where the closed-loop poles can be assigned to the left of an axis shifted to the left of the origin. For some of these plant classes, the real-parts of the closed-loop poles can be smaller than any arbitrary pre-chosen negative value. Stable and some unstable multi-input multi-input plants with transmissionzeros in the left-half complex-plane are included in these classes that admit PID-controllers with this property of small negative real-part assignability of closed-loop poles.
Trace Element Deficiencies and Immune Responsiveness

In recent years, great interest has been generated regarding the influence of nutrition upon host immunocompetence (Katz and Steihm, 1977; Suskind, 1977). While the main focus has been on protein and energy nutriture and their role in immune responsiveness (Malave, et al, 1980), trace metals, many of which are critical for mammalian survival and reproduction, have begun to be investigated in this connection (Cunningham-Rundles, 1982). Because of the consumption of highly refined and heavily processed food items, in which the trace element content may be reduced significantly (Zwickl, et al, 1980) there is now concern that marginal deficiency of trace elements may represent a public health problem in developed nations (Klevay, et al, 1980), including marginal trace element status in countries such as the United States (Hambidge, et al, 1976). In this paper we will focus on the effects of deficiencies of zinc, copper and manganese on the immune system.
The Rhyme Structure of Pushkin’s “Pamjatnik”

The following study attempts to show in some detail the rather unique fashion in which Alexander Pushkin, the Russian genius of early nineteenth-century poetry, dealt with the device of rhyme in one of his most famous poems. Elsewhere1 I have shown the patterned structure of the phonological elements in his Prorok (The Prophet) as well as in certain other of his lyrics. A cursory glance at almost any of his lyrics shows that it is insufficient merely to state the rhyme scheme which this poet used in a particular poem since his sensitivities to the sound texture of his creations led him to deal with them in such a way as to produce rather intricate patterns of sound. Thanks to the achievements of modern structural linguistics, especially in the field of phonology, this patterning can be described and assessed not only in a very objective way but in a way which could well represent the poet’s conscious or unconscious creative sensitivities to the patterning of the phonological elements of his language.
Fibrations, compactifications and algebras of pseudodifferential operators

Some recent, and some new, results on the structure of algebras of pseudodifferential operators on compact manifolds with boundary are discussed. In particular their relationship to compactifications of noncompact spaces is emphasized. It is shown how these relationships allow the methods of pseudodifferential operators (“microlocalization”) to be applied to problems in scattering and spectral theory.
IN VITRO STIMULATION OF UNPRIMED LYMPHOCYTES BY ALLOGENEIC SEMI-SOLUBLE LYMPHOCYTE MEMBRANE FRAGMENTS

Publisher Summary This chapter presents experimental results of in vitro stimulation of unprimed lymphocytes by allogenetic semi-soluble lymphocyte membrane fragments. In vitro exposure of primed alloimmune lymphocytes to allogeneic subcellular preparations obtained from lymphocytes of the immunizing strain induces the immune cells to proliferate, eliciting a secondary mixed lymphocyte response. Nonimmune lymphocytes, however, have not been reported to specifically respond to such subcellular products. The experiments were conducted to demonstrate that unprimed rat T lymphocytes are specifically stimulated by allogeneic cell fragments (Fm). An optimal rat MLC is best obtained utilizing nylon wool nonadherent and spleen cells (S-NAd) as the responder population. Fm prepared from spleen cells are suppressive in MLC and even reduce the amount of spontaneous blastogenesis. The results of the experiments indicate that semi-soluble thymic Fm stimulates a blastogenic reaction when cultured with allogeneic but not syngeneic cells.
A pilot study evaluating the impact of hospital hospitality houses (HHH) programs on the quality of life and mood of patients and their caregivers following hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT).

e19500Background: The quality of life (QOL) of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) patients and their caregivers declines steeply with worsening depression during the first 8 days followi...
Discourse processes and topic management in false confession contamination by police investigators

This article advances an analysis of discourse processes which produce confession contamination by two police investigators in an interrogation which resulted in a voluntary false confession. Specifically, I identify and exemplify processes which I call ‘clueing’, ‘stacking’, ‘marking’ and ‘telling’, which are recruited to both covertly and overtly disclose inside crime knowledge to an innocent suspect who is being questioned about such knowledge but is, of course, unable to supply it.
Refugee camps and refugee rights: A simulation of the response to large refugee influxes

This essay introduces and analyzes a one-class role-play simulation during which students engage in stakeholder negotiations on how to respond to a large flow of refugees between two fictional Afri...
Analog quantum computing (AQC) by revisiting the underlying physics

It has been proven that universal quantum computers based on qubits and classical analog networks both have superTuring capabilities. It is a grand challenge to computer science to prove that the combination of the two, in analog (continuous variable) quantum computing, offers supersuperTuring capability, the best we can achieve. Computing with continuous spins is now the most promising path AQC. Two papers at SPIE2014 described unbreakable quantum codes using continuous spins beyond what traditional qubits allow. To make this real, we must first develop a realistic ability to model and predict the behavior of networks of spin gates which act in part as polarizers. Last year I proposed a triphoton experiment, where three entangled photons go to linear polarizers set to angles θ a , θ b and θ c . Assuming a “collapse of the wave function” yields predictions for the coincidence detection rate, R 3 /R 0 (θ a , θ b , θ c ) significantly different from the prediction of a new family of models based on classical Markov Random Fields (MRF) across space time, even though both yield the same correct prediction in the two-photon case. We cannot expect to predict systems of 100 entangled photons correctly if we cannot even predict three yet. Yanhua Shih is currently performing this experiment, as a first step to demonstrating a new technology to produce 100 entangled photons (collaborating with Scully) and understanding larger systems. I have also developed continuous-time versions of the MRF models and of “collapse of the wave function”, so as to eliminate the need to assume metaphysical observers in general.
Giardia Infection and Trypanosoma Cruzi Exposure in Dogs in the Bosawás Biosphere Reserve, Nicaragua.

Indigenous Mayangna and Miskitu inhabit Nicaragua’s remote Bosawas Biosphere Reserve, located in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region. They are sedentary horticulturists who supplement their diet with wild game, hunting with the assistance of dogs. To test whether hunting dogs increased the risk of human exposure to protozoal zoonotic neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), we sampled dogs from three communities varying in population size and level of contact with other communities. We screened dog feces (n = 58) for Giardia and Cryptosporidium DNA and sera (n = 78) for Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies and DNA. Giardia DNA was detected in 22% (13/58) of samples; sequencing revealed the presence of both zoonotic genotypes (assemblages A and B) and dog-specific genotypes (assemblages C and D). Giardia shedding was associated with community and age. Older dogs and those in the two, more accessible communities had greater odds of shedding parasites. Seroprevalence of T. cruzi antibodies, indicating prior exposure, was 9% (7/78). These results contribute to the limited literature on NTDs in indigenous populations, and suggest hunting dogs can both serve as sentinels of environmental NTDs and pose zoonotic risk for their owners and communities.
Bennett on building

This paper discusses three aspects of Karen Bennett’s theory of building relations, as articulated in her book Making Things Up: the inclusion of causation among the building relations, the denial ...
Dravet Syndrome: A Review of Current Management

Dravet syndrome is a debilitating epileptic encephalopathy of childhood with few treatment options available in the United States before 2018. In the modern era, new genetic testing options will allow diagnosis closer to disease onset. Three new medicines-stiripentol, cannabidiol, and fenfluramine-have documented efficacy and safety as adjunctive therapies for treating pharmacoresistant Dravet syndrome. Early diagnosis resulting in earlier treatment with these and other medications may improve prognosis of long-term outcomes, including less severity of cognitive, motor, and behavioral impairments. New rescue medication formulations can now manage acute seizures and help prevent status epilepticus via intranasal, buccal, and intramuscular routes as opposed to rectal administration. Preventing status epilepticus and generalized tonic-clonic seizures could potentially lower the risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. With this changing landscape in diagnostic and treatment options comes questions and controversies for the practicing clinician, especially as diagnostic techniques outpace clinical treatment strategies. Critical decision points include when to start treatment, what pharmacotherapy combinations to try first, which rescue medication to recommend, and how to advise parents on controversial topics (e.g., immunizations). Given that most patients require polypharmacy, clinicians must be cognizant of drug-drug interactions between new medicines, existing anti-epileptic drugs, and other medications to manage comorbidities and must have an understanding of available therapeutic drug monitoring strategies and pharmacokinetic parameters. This review places new diagnostic, treatment and acute care options into the modern era and provides an overview of the challenges and opportunities facing the pediatric epileptologist in this rapidly changing landscape.
Chapter 1 – The Exposome: Purpose, Definition, and Scope

The exposome is a recently introduced concept aimed at explaining the complex exposures we face as humans. It can be viewed as the environmental equivalent of the human genome. The exposome represents the totality of exposures we face throughout our lives and includes the food we ingest, the air we breathe, the objects we touch, the psychological stresses we face, and the activities in which we engage. This chapter provides a detailed definition of the term, an overview of the concept, and its potential utility. It also introduces the challenges the scientific community must overcome to make the exposome a useful tool in public health.
How the "folding funnel" depends on size and structure of proteins? a view from the scoring function perspective

It has been well accepted that the folding energy landscape may resemble a funnel according to the theory of protein folding. This theory of "folding funnel" has been extensively studied and thought to play an important role in guiding the sampling process of the protein folding and refinement in protein structure prediction. Here, we have investigated the relationship between the "funnel likeness" of protein folding and the size/structure of the proteins based on a set of non-homologous proteins we have recently evaluated using a statistical mechanics- based scoring function ITScorePro. It was found that larger proteins that consist of more helix/sheet structures tend to have a higher score-Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) correlation (or a more funnel like energy landscape). Another measurement in protein folding, Z-score, has also shown some correlation with the size of the proteins. As expected, proteins with a better "olding funnel likeness" (or score-RMSD correlation) tend to have a better- predicted conformation with a lower RMSD from their native structures. These findings can be extremely valuable for the development and improvement of sampling and scoring algorithms for protein structure prediction.
The combined use of 2D scout and 3D axial CT images to accurately determine the catheter tips for high-dose-rate brachytherapy plans.

Purpose To develop a method combining CT scout images with axial images to improve the localization accuracy of catheter tips in high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy treatments. Materials and methods CT scout images were utilized along with conventionally reconstructed axial images to aid the localization of catheter tips used during HDR treatment planning. A method was developed to take advantage of the finer image resolution of the scout images to more precisely identify the tip coordinates. The accuracies of this method were compared with the conventional method based on the axial CT images alone, for various slice thicknesses, in a computed tomography dose index (CTDI) head phantom. A clinical case which involved multiple interstitial catheters was also selected for the evaluation of this method. Locations of the catheter tips were reconstructed with the conventional CT-based method and this newly developed method, respectively. Location coordinates obtained via both methods were quantitatively compared. Results Combination of the scout and axial CT images improved the accuracy of identification and reconstruction of catheter tips along the longitudinal direction (i.e., head-to-foot direction, more or less parallel to the catheter tracks), compared to relying on the axial CT images alone. The degree of improvement was dependent on CT slice thickness. For the clinical patient case, the coordinate differences of the reconstructed catheter tips were 2.6 mm ± 0.9 mm in the head-to-foot direction, 0.4 mm ± 0.2 mm in the left-to-right direction, and 0.6 mm ± 0.2 mm in the anterior-to-posterior direction, respectively. Conclusion Combining CT scout and axial images demonstrates the ability to provide a more accurate identification and reconstruction of the interstitial catheter tips for HDR brachytherapy treatment, especially in the longitudinal direction. The method developed in this work has the potential to be implemented clinically together with automatic segmentation in modern brachytherapy treatment planning systems, in order to improve the reconstruction accuracy of HDR catheters.
Equitable Vaccine Access within an Age-Based Framework

Abstract Several states have adopted age-based prioritization for COVID-19 vaccine eligibility (also prioritizing teachers and child care workers) because it is simple (especially when age is quantized by decade) and age is strongly associated with COVID-19 mortality. But this approach raises equity concerns based in law and ethics. Analysis of CDC data reveals that COVID-19 mortality in the U.S. rises 3-fold per decade of life. People with specific conditions (including certain disabilities and certain medical conditions) associated with a 3-fold or 6-fold risk ratio should therefore be granted vaccine eligibility along with people 10 or 20 years older, respectively. Along with additional recommendations on data collection and reporting, this could help address equity within an age-based framework. One-Sentence Summary For equity in COVID-19 vaccine priority, calibrate mortality in vulnerable groups against age-related mortality.
Synthesis of N4-Methylcytidine (m4C) and N4,N4-Dimethylcytidine (m42C) Modified RNA

This article summarizes the protocols for phosphoramidite chemistry and solid phase synthesis of RNA oligonucleotides containing N4 -methylcytidine (m4 C) and N4 ,N4 -dimethylcytidine (m42 C) residues for base-pairing, structural, and enzymatic activity studies. The two key m4 C and m42 C phosphoramidite building blocks can be synthesized starting from the partially protected cytidine nucleosides, followed by solid-phase synthesis and HPLC purification of the modified target RNA oligonucleotides. These modified RNA strands are then prepared for base pairing stability, specificity, and structural studies using UV-melting temperature (Tm ) measurements and X-ray crystallography. Functional studies are performed by reverse transcription assays in primer extension reactions employing different enzymes. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Chemical synthesis of m4 C phosphoramidite Basic Protocol 2: Synthesis of m42 C phosphoramidite Basic Protocol 3: Synthesis and purification of m4 C and m42 C containing RNA oligonucleotides.
Do adolescents want more autonomy? Testing gender differences in autonomy across STEM.

Abstract Introduction A growing body of research has identified gender disparities in STEM education, but data are limited from studies directly comparing autonomy given to autonomy wanted by adolescents, as experienced in classrooms by gender and across course subjects. Methods With a sample of US adolescents (n = 540), aged 11–19 and 55% female, we assessed students’ perceived levels of autonomy given, and levels of autonomy wanted, by adapting an autonomy assessment specific to course subjects of math, science, and English. We then employed contrast models testing gender differences of autonomy levels across course subjects of math, science, and English, and controlled for age. Results Overall, all adolescents reported getting less autonomy than they want. Within gender, girls reported wanting the most autonomy from science. Between genders, girls reported wanting more autonomy from both math and science, compared to boys. In contrast, girls reported getting more autonomy in English, compared to boys. While we found no developmental differences for reported levels of autonomy given, we did find developmental differences with levels of autonomy wanted, showing significant variability of adolescents wanting more autonomy with age. Conclusions Our results suggest a general desire for more autonomy across adolescence, with a desire for more autonomy in STEM more common amongst girls. If adolescents' perceived levels of autonomy vary across STEM and by gender, these effects may extend more broadly to their pursuits of STEM careers. Students’ beliefs of autonomy and self-concept shape their career interests and academic engagement, a trajectory that warrants concern and further investigation.
Linguistic Anthropology: Meaning in linguistic forms

Like other social scientists, linguists are very inventive at creating new terms for the mere purpose of description. This makes their work authoritative and at the same time impenetrable to those who are outside of the field of linguistics. In this chapter, I will introduce some of the units of analysis employed by grammarians in the formal study of the structure of natural languages (phonemes, morphemes). After introducing some basic principles of structuralist linguistics, I will discuss how events and participants' roles are marked through nominal and verbal morphology. In particular, I will illustrate how the differentiated treatment received by different types of referents across languages is related to contextual features such as animacy, person, and level of involvement. Grammatical structures and choices will be shown to be related to a number of parameters, including the nature of action and the extent to which information is foregrounded or backgrounded. I will then introduce the notion of metalinguistic awareness and show that certain aspects of meaning that cannot be captured by studying speakers' intuitions can be captured when we examine spontaneous language use, especially conversational discourse. The relation between language and gender will be illustrated through the notion of indexicality, a property of a particular type of signs.
Other DEA Applications in Hospital Settings

Chapter 14 introduced various performance models for other health care providers that serve the patient needs including dialysis centers, community mental health centers, community-based youth services, organ procurement organizations, aging agencies, dental providers, radiology providers, substance abuse treatment providers, free clinics, rehabilitation providers, ambulatory surgery centers, and oncology care. In addition to those, there are other DEA models designed to evaluate health care provider performance from both efficiency and effectiveness (quality) perspectives for specific treatments, including stroke, mechanical ventilation, perioperative services, physicians in hospital settings, hospital-acquired infections, hospital mergers, hospital closures, hospital labor, hospital services in local markets, geographic hospital clusters, critical care hospitals, faith-based hospitals and so forth (Hollingsworth 2003, 2008). These additional models are presented below.
Becoming a Science Educator | Researcher: A Personal Narrative from a Sociocultural Perspective

In this chapter I incorporate a sociocultural perspective in a short narrative of my development as a college teacher researcher. I emphasize methodologies and methods others may find helpful when conducting research on their own practices.
Is carbon dioxide a ‘good’ greenhouse gas?

Abstract Carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, a greenhouse gas, may also provide benefits for mankind: many plants grow better under increasing CO2 concentrations. Individuals have speculated that agricultural yields will increase up to 30% under future CO2 concentrations, and natural ecosystems will become more lush and resilient. However, infertile conditions and complex ecological interactions often limit Improved plant growth under increasing CO2 atmospheres. Future policies to adapt to a CO2-rich world must not overstate benefits from these conditions, nor ignore their usefulness for increasing future agricultural yields or restoring degraded habitats.
AAV for disorders of the CNS

Publisher Summary This chapter describes gene therapy of neurological disorders using mainly recombinant adeno-associated virus 2 (rAAV2) as a delivery vector. rAAV has proved to be an efficient and safe vector for gene delivery in the nervous system. Single injections into brain parenchyma cause little, if any, inflammatory response and only a modest humoral response to capsid antigen. This results in long-term gene expression that is believed to persist for the lifetime of the animal. AAV, therefore, is ideally suited for the task of gene transfer in the brain for all diseases that require long-term expression. Because vector injection in brain parenchyma results in limited diffusion, the logical candidates for rAAV gene therapy are the diseases that affect a discrete region of the brain, such as epilepsy or Parkinson disease. To effectively treat diseases that affect the entire CNS, better methods will have to be developed to distribute vector over the entire brain. In addition, many of the genes contemplated for therapy have associated toxicity when they are overexpressed.
The Persisting Ideal of Agreement in an Age of Boilerplate

This essay argues that the treatment of boilerplate as a distinct phenomenon in some contract scholarship sheds light on the way we imagine our social relations. In Omri Ben‐Shahar's 2007 compilation, Boilerplate: The Foundation of Market Contracts, aspects of the traditional meeting‐of‐the‐minds model persist, notwithstanding the move away from this framework indicated by the differentiation of boilerplate from traditional contract. Much boilerplate scholarship is informed by a narrative of agreement as an ideal involving agency, autonomy, and meaningful choice. Thus, in an age in which form language pervades American life, a narrative of genuine agreement continues to frame a conception of contractual relations.
Fes Mediates the IL-4 Activation of Insulin Receptor Substrate-2 and Cellular Proliferation

Although Jak kinases are essential for initiating cytokine signaling, the role of other nonreceptor tyrosine kinases in this process remains unclear. We have examined the role of Fes in IL-4 signaling. Examination of Jak1-deficient cell lines demonstrates that Jak1 is required for the activation of Fes by IL-4. Experiments studying signaling molecules activated by IL-4 receptor suggest that IL-4 signaling can be subdivided into Fes-dependent and Fes-independent pathways. Overexpression of kinase-inactive Fes blocks the IL-4 activation of insulin receptor substrate-2, but not STAT6. Fes appears to be a downstream kinase from Jak1/Jak3 in this process. Further examination of downstream signaling demonstrates that kinase-inactive Fes inhibits the recruitment of phosphoinositide 3-kinase to the activated IL-4 receptor complex and decreases the activation of p70(S6k) kinase in response to IL-4. This inhibition correlates with a decrease in IL-4-induced proliferation. In contrast, mutant Fes does not inhibit the activation of Akt by IL-4. These data demonstrate that signaling pathways activated by IL-4 require different tyrosine kinases. This differential requirement predicts that specific kinase inhibitors may permit the disruption of specific IL-4-induced functions.
Voltammetric immunoassay of human albumin and goat antiserum to human albumin by cobalt labelling

Homogeneous and heterogeneous voltammetric immunoassay (VIA) of human albumin and goat antiserum to human albumin were studied by monitoring the current of complexed cobalt and the Brdicka wave at the appropriate potentials as a function of immunochemical reaction using differential pulse polarography. Using homogeneous VIA, concentration levels as low as 2.0×10−6 M human albumin and 1.1×10−6M goat antiserum to human albumin showed detectable change in the observed currents. With heterogeneous VIA, in which globulin proteins were removed by precipitation, levels of human albumin as low as 1.0×10−7M were detected.
Alternative sigma factor RpoN and its modulation protein YhbH are indispensable for Erwinia amylovora virulence

In Erwinia amylovora, ECF (extracytoplasmic functions) alternative sigma factor HrpL regulates the transcription of hrp (hypersensitive response and pathogenicity)-type III secretion system (T3SS) genes by binding to a consensus sequence known as the hrp box in hrp gene promoters. In turn, the expression of hrpL has been proposed to be positively controlled by alternative sigma factor 54 (σ(54)) (RpoN) and HrpS, a member of the σ(54) enhancer-binding proteins (EBPs). However, the function of RpoN has not been characterized genetically in E. amylovora. In this study, we investigated the role of RpoN, a nitrogen limitation sigma factor, and its modulation protein YhbH, a novel ribosome-associated protein, in E. amylovora virulence. Our results showed that mutations in hrpS, hrpL, rpoN and yhbH, but not yfiA and rmf3, resulted in a nonpathogenic phenotype on immature pear fruits and apple shoots. Consistently, the expression of T3SS genes, including hrpL, dspE, hrpN and hrpA, was barely detected in hrpS, hrpL, rpoN and yhbH mutants. These mutants were also not capable of eliciting a hypersensitive response (HR) on tobacco; however, the overexpression of hrpL using an inducible promoter rescued the HR-eliciting abilities of these mutants. These results suggest that a sigma factor cascade exists in the regulatory networks of E. amylovora and regulates important virulence factors. On the basis of this study and previously reported data, a model is proposed for the regulation of T3SS in E. amylovora.
The Zurna Tradition of Southwest Bulgaria: Romany Musicians in Practice The Seven Sins of Chalga: Toward an Anthropology of Ethnopop Music

The Zurna Tradition of Southwest Bulgaria: Romany Musicians in Practice Lozanka Peycheva & Ventsislav Dimov Translated by Ivanka Ivanova and Angel Igov Sofia [Bulgarian Academy of Sciences], Bulgar...
Toxicity of Candidate Molluscicides to Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and Selected Nontarget Organisms

Many compounds have been marketed for control of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha), but most compounds lack comparable toxicity data and have not been tested on nontarget organisms. We tested the toxicity of 18 chemicals to two sizes of zebra mussels, two nontarget fish (rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss and channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus), and a unionid mussel (threehorn wartyback, Obliquaria reflexa) under standard conditions. Organisms were exposed to the chemicals for 48 h in “soft” reference water (pH 7.7, alkalinity 6 × 10−4 m/L (30 mg/L) as CaCO3, and total hardness 40 mg/L as CaCOj) at 17° C. Zebra mussels and unionid mussels were held in untreated reference water for another 48 h after exposure to measure delayed mortality. The LC50 values and 95% confidence intervals were compared among test organisms. Potassium chloride, Bayluscide (a registered molluscicide), and Clamtrol CT-1 (a poly quaternary ammonium compound) were the most selective chemicals tested against zebra mussels. They were two to three times more toxic to zebra mussels than to the nontarget species. Most of the remaining chemicals lacked the desired toxicity or were more toxic to fish than to zebra mussels.
An unusual central cytoplasmic body in large crayfish neurons: a light and electron microscopic study.

Abstract An unusual centrally located cytoplasmic body (~20 micron diameter) sometimes found in large neurons of crayfish abdominal ganglia is described. It is uniquely situated near the terminus of the axoplasmic stream and is surrounded by a lightly staining halo (~ 1 micron) with some radial striae connecting to the axoplasm. Its composition is primarily membranous, consisting of on branched tubules and vesicles resembling a type of smooth ER. Scattered islands of polyribosomes, granular ER, and a few mitochondria are also present. Its location, composition and metabolic activity (H 3 -leucine autoradiography) suggest a functional role associated with production of axonal components.
Effects of co-optimization of energy and reserves on prices

With a growing interest for the participation of Electric Vehicles (EV) in energy markets, there is a need to understand the effects EV might have on energy markets. In this paper we show that the co-optimization among reserves and energy in certain market structures can give counter intuitive results. Typically, markets operate such that a decrease in demand results in a decrease in prices. But because of the co-optimization of a common resource among multiple market services, this outcome need not always be true. In this paper we show that a particular “either-or” constraint on the allocation of a resource among two services can lead to an increase in prices for both services with a decrease in demand. This is intended to be analogous to certain reserve and regulation markets, an analysis of which alerted us to this peculiar property while analyzing the inclusion of EV in a regulation market.
Location of body fat and body size impacts DXA soft tissue measures: a simulation study

The aim of this study was to determine the ability of dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to detect exogenous fat in men and women simulating typical sex-specific weight changes. A diverse sample including 29 elderly (52–83 years) and 61 young (18–40 years) individuals (45 women, 45 men) of varying body mass index (BMI; M±s.d.: 26.1±4.9 kg/m2, range=16.4–39 kg/m2). Whole body (WB) DXA scans (Hologic QDR 4500A) were completed with Scan 1 performed as a normal baseline scan, Scan 2 with 1 kg packet of lard placed on each thigh and Scan 3 with two 1 kg lard packets placed on the abdomen (men) or chest and abdomen (women). Measurement error of fat mass (FM) was more pronounced in the trunk as lard packets were detected with 59% accuracy (error=0.82±0.42 kg, P<0.001), whereas 94% of thigh lard (error=0.11±0.45 kg, P<0.001) was determined to be FM, while the remainder in both conditions was determined to be mineral free lean mass. Initial FM (r=0.37, P<0.001) for thigh loading and trunk bone mineral content (r=0.30, P<0.01) for trunk-loaded conditions had the most impact on measurement error of WB FM. Regional differences impact measurement error of simulated changes in FM with greater measurement error in the trunk compared to the thigh region and initial FM and higher levels of bone mineral content in the trunk region impacting error.
Designing Distribution Systems to Support Vendor Strategies in Supply Chain Management

The interactions among a firm's distribution strategy, market share, and distribution costs are an important consideration in the design of supply chain networks. However, these interactions are largely ignored by existing distribution system design methodologies, which assume demand is constant regardless of the firm's distribution strategy. This paper describes a multidisciplinary framework that considers these interactions in the design of “profit maximizing” distribution networks. The framework employs two major decision support methodologies: (1) binary logit models for estimating market share considering various demand-influencing parameters such as product price and distribution service, and (2) a mixed-integer programming (MIP) model for finding optimal distribution network designs. We applied the framework to an actual design problem facing a national distributor of industrial chemical products. The test results verify the framework's large-scale capability and the potential benefit of the integrated solution methodology.
Superoxide dismutase ameliorates impaired nitric oxide synthase-dependent dilatation of the basilar artery during chronic alcohol consumption.

Abstract The goals of this study were to determine whether chronic alcohol consumption impairs nitric oxide synthase-dependent reactivity of the basilar artery and to determine a potential mechanism which might account for the effects of alcohol on the basilar artery. Sprague–Dawley rats were fed liquid diets with or without alcohol for 8 weeks. Using intravital microscopy, we measured the diameter of basilar artery in response to nitric oxide synthase-dependent agonists (acetylcholine and bradykinin) and a nitric oxide synthase-independent agonist (nitroglycerin). Topical application of acetylcholine (0.1 and 1 μM) and bradykinin (1 and 10 nM) produced dose-related dilatation of the basilar artery in non-alcohol-fed and alcohol-fed rats. However, the magnitude of vasodilatation in response to acetylcholine and bradykinin was significantly less in alcohol-fed rats compared to non-alcohol-fed rats. Dilatation of the basilar artery in response to nitroglycerin was similar in non-alcohol-fed and alcohol-fed rats. Next, we examined whether impaired responses of the basilar artery in alcohol-fed rats in response to acetylcholine and bradykinin may be related to the production of oxygen radicals. We found that topical application of superoxide dismutase (150 U/ml) significantly improved impaired receptor-mediated nitric oxide synthase-dependent dilatation of basilar artery in alcohol-fed rats. However, superoxide dismutase did not alter responses of the basilar artery to nitroglycerin in alcohol-fed rats, and did not alter responses of the basilar artery to nitric oxide synthase-dependent or -independent agonists in non-alcohol-fed rats. Our findings suggest that chronic consumption of alcohol impairs nitric oxide synthase-dependent dilatation of a large cerebral artery which may be related to the receptor-mediated release of oxygen radicals to inactivate nitric oxide.
The Sat as a Measure of Problem-Solving Ability in Males and Females

The purposes of this study were to determine (1) the relationship between mental operations involved in solving 5 insight problems and those used in taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and (2) whether the sex difference in problem-solving performance is still present in college students when SAT scores are equated. 264 male and 210 female Ss were tested. It was found that the SAT (Math) scores were correlated with problem-solving ability for both sexes, while the SAT (Verbal) showed little correlation for either sex. All problems contributed to the Math form correlation. Females were found to have scored significantly lower than males on the Math form and on the insight problems but did equally well on the Verbal. Matching of scores on the Math form did not remove the sex difference in problem-solving ability. When these scores were divided into sub-groups by level, it was found that females with high Math scores were responsible for most of the male-female difference in problem solving. Further ana...