cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gating the mechanistic pathway to the elusive 4-membered ring azeteoporphyrin.

Photolysis of metalated (Cu and Ni) and free base 2-diazo-3-oxochlorins within a frozen matrix (λ = 457.9 nm, toluene, 80 K) generates a single photointermediate with a hypsochromically shifted electronic absorption spectrum relative to the starting diazochlorins. The appearance of ketene (∼2131 cm–1) and azete (∼1670 cm–1) vibrations in infrared absorption and Raman spectra, respectively, identifies this intermediate as resulting from the Wolff rearrangement of the diazochlorins upon N2 loss. Computational modeling of the vibrational spectra and TDDFT simulation of the electronic transitions of potential photointermediates corroborate this assignment. Isolation and analysis of photoproducts of these diazochlorins formed within n-butanol-doped frozen toluene matrices indicate near exclusive formation of azeteoporphyrins. In sharp contrast, room temperature laser photolysis of these materials yields a mixture of photoproducts deriving from the presence of both carbene and ketene intermediates. Computationa...
Energy Drain by Three Pecan Aphid Species (Homoptera: Aphididae) and Their Influence on In-shell Pecan Production

An estimate of the energy requirements of the three species of aphids, Monellia caryella (Fitch), Monelliopsis pecanis Bissell, and Melanocallis caryaefoliae (Davis), that feed on pecan, Carya illinoensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch, indicated that during a lifetime, an individual of M. caryella consumes 8.4-fold more energy (301 J) than that of M. pecanis (36.1 J) and ca. 7-fold that of M. caryaefoliae (44.8 J). When expressed as an average-age individual typical of a season-long field population, M. caryella extracts ca. 8-fold more energy than M. pecanis or M. caryaefoliae . Most energy consumed by all three species was excreted as honeydew. Growth efficiency was low for all three species, but was highest for M. caryaefoliae (25%), followed by M. pecanis (19%) and M. caryella (5%). Regression models were derived to estimate the cumulative level of energy consumed by aphids of various ages for growth, respiration, excretion, and total energy removal. Determination of the season-long standing-aphid population (and aphid-days) in two different aphid management programs within a 70-yr-old ‘Stuart’ pecan orchard and influence of these populations on nut yield indicated that all three species are highly detrimental to nut production; extraction of 1 × 106 J, via feeding by M. pecanis or M. caryella , reduced in-shell nut production by 58.7 g per 70-yr-old ‘Stuart’ tree. A season-long standing population of one individual of M. pecanis per leaf of such trees reduced in-shell nut yield by 2.41 kg; 18.13 kg was lost because of the same level of M. caryella .
Composition and depth distribution of hydrocarbons in Barataria Bay marsh sediments after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

In 2010, an estimate 4.1 million barrels of oil were accidentally released into the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) during the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Oil Spill. One and a half years after this incident, a set of subtidal and intertidal marsh sediment cores were collected from five stations in Barataria Bay, Louisiana, USA, and analyzed to determine the spatial and vertical distributions and source of hydrocarbon residues based on their chemical composition. An archived core, collected before the DWH oil spill from the same area, was also analyzed to assess the pre-spill hydrocarbon distribution in the area. Analyses of aliphatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and stable carbon isotope showed that the distribution of petroleum hydrocarbons in Barataria Bay was patchy and limited in areal extent. Significant TPH and ΣPAH concentrations (77,399 μg/g and 219,065 ng/g, respectively) were detected in the surface sediments of one core (i.e., core A) to a depth of 9 cm. Based on a sedimentation rate of 0.39 cm yr(-1), determined using (137)Cs, the presence of anthropogenic hydrocarbons in these sediment core deposited ca. 50 to 60 years ago. The historical background hydrocarbon concentrations increased significantly at the sediment surface and can be attributed to recent inputs. Although the oil present in the bay's sediments has undergone moderate weathering, biomarker analyses performed on core A samples likely indicated the presence of hydrocarbons from the DWH oil spill. The effects of oiling events on Barataria Bay and other marsh ecosystems in this region remain uncertain, as oil undergoes weathering changes over time.
Latent profiles of perceived time adequacy for paid work, parenting, and partner roles.

This study examined feelings of having enough time (i.e., perceived time adequacy) in a sample of employed parents (N = 880) in information technology and extended-care industries. Adapting a person-centered latent profile approach, we identified 3 profiles of perceived time adequacy for paid work, parenting, and partner roles: family time protected, family time sacrificed, and time balanced. Drawing upon the conservation of resources theory (Hobfoll, 1989), we examined the associations of stressors and resources with the time adequacy profiles. Parents in the family time sacrificed profile were more likely to be younger, women, have younger children, work in the extended-care industry, and have nonstandard work schedules compared to those in the family time protected profile. Results from multinomial logistic regression analyses revealed that, with the time balanced profile as the reference group, having fewer stressors and more resources in the family context (less parent-child conflict and more partner support), work context (longer company tenure, higher schedule control and job satisfaction), and work-family interface (lower work-to-family conflict) was linked to a higher probability of membership in the family time protected profile. By contrast, having more stressors and fewer resources, in the forms of less partner support and higher work-to-family conflict, predicted a higher likelihood of being in the family time sacrificed profile. Our findings suggest that low work-to-family conflict is the most critical predictor of membership in the family time protected profile, whereas lack of partner support is the most important factor to be included in the family time sacrificed profile.
Development and evaluation of low-altitude remote sensing systems for crop production management

Precision agriculture accounts for within-field variability for targeted treatment rather than uniform treatment of an entire field. It is built on agricultural mechanization and state-of-the-art technologies of geographical information systems (GIS), global positioning systems (GPS) and remote sensing, and is used to monitor soil, crop growth, weed infestation, insects, diseases, and water status in farm fields to provide data and information to guide agricultural management practices. Precision agriculture began with mapping of crop fields at different scales to support agricultural planning and decision making. With the development of variable-rate technology, precision agriculture focuses more on tactical actions in controlling variable-rate seeding, fertilizer and pesticide application, and irrigation in real-time or within the crop season instead of mapping a field in one crop season to make decisions for the next crop season. With the development of aerial variable-rate systems, low-altitude airborne systems can provide high-resolution data for prescription variable-rate operations. Airborne systems for multispectral imaging using a number of imaging sensors (cameras) were developed. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) provide a unique platform for remote sensing of crop fields at slow speeds and low-altitudes, and they are efficient and more flexible than manned agricultural airplanes, which often cannot provide images at both low altitude and low speed for capture of high-quality images. UAVs are also more universal in their applicability than agricultural aircraft since the latter are used only in specific regions. This study presents the low-altitude remote sensing systems developed for detection of crop stress caused by multiple factors. UAVs, as a special platform, were discussed for crop sensing based on the researchers' studies. Keywords: low-altitude remote sensing, agricultural airplane, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), crop production management, precision agriculture DOI: 10.3965/j.ijabe.20160904.2010 Citation: Huang Y, Thomson S J, Brand H J, Reddy K N. Development of low-altitude remote sensing systems for crop production management. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2016; 9(4): 1－11.
La cuestión de la proporcionalidad y las elecciones legislativas en la República Argentina

El articulo analiza como la seleccion de un cierto metodo de escrutinio o formula electoral afecta la distribucion de la representacion politica y por lo tanto de la competencia entre partidos politicos a partir de los resultados de cuatro elecciones consecutivas en Argentina (1983-1989), que estuvieron normadas por una misma legislacion electoral (Ley Bignone). Es decir, el trabajo somete a una revision empirica las propuestas clasicas de Rae, Blondel y Lijphart sobre la materia de la proporcionalidad
Design for Product-Embedded Disassembly with Maximum Profit

This paper describes an extension of a method for designing products with built-in disassembly means developed in previous work, as applied to a realistic example of a desktop computer assembly. Given component geometries and revenues, the method simultaneously determines, through an optimization process, the spatial configuration of component, locator and fasteners such that the product can be most economically disassembled via a domino-like "self-disassembly" process triggered by the removal of one or a few fasteners. A multi-objective genetic algorithm is utilized to search for Pareto-optimal designs in terms of four objectives: 1) satisfaction of the distance specification among components, 2) efficient use of locators on components, 3) profit of overall disassembly process, and 4) mass fraction of retrieved components. The method is applied to a simplified model of Power Mac G4 cubereg, and the results inspired a modification to the current design that can improve the ease of disassembly
388. Wide-Scale Gene Transfer of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Related Proteins To Adult Rats

Wide-scale gene transfer to the central nervous system (CNS) has been achieved in the past few years by way of a peripheral route of administration. This may be relevant to gene therapy considering that a one-time peripheral treatment can penetrate the CNS and affect CNS function long-term. We have used the wide-scale approach to study a disease of the spinal cord, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). TDP-43 and FUS are RNA-binding proteins involved in the genetics and pathology of ALS and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Most cases of ALS, including sporadic, non-familial ALS, harbor TDP-43 pathology. TDP-43 was previously expressed in the spinal cord among other tissues after an intravenous delivery of AAV9 to neonatal rats. An adult onset model would be more relevant to ALS and more amenable for sequential gene therapy or pharmacological interventions. In this study, we attempted to induce motor paralysis relevant to ALS in adult rats by expressing TDP-43 or FUS. Several AAV vectors encoding GFP were tested for optimization, AAV8, 9, and 10. The vectors were applied via tail vein to young rats (6 weeks old) at an equal per kg vector dose. Gene transfer in the adult rat CNS was feasible and highly neuron-selective as observed in the spinal cord and the cerebellum with all AAVs tested. When TDP-43 or FUS were individually expressed in adults with AAV9, both proteins caused severe immobilization within 4 weeks, and in the case of FUS, there was physical atrophy. With refinement, this approach could yield an appropriate platform for studying the mechanisms and molecular therapy of ALS and FTLD.
Organ Donation, an Unexpected Benefit of Aggressive Resuscitation of Trauma Patients Presenting Dead on Arrival

Background We sought to determine whether aggressive resuscitation in trauma patients presenting without vital signs, or "dead on arrival," was futile. We also sought to determine whether organ donation was an unexpected benefit of aggressive resuscitation. Study Design We conducted a review of adults presenting to our Level I trauma center with no signs of life (pulse = 0 beats/min; systolic blood pressure = 0 mmHg; and no evidence of neurologic activity, Glasgow Coma Scale score = 3). Primary end point was survival to hospital discharge or major organ donation (ie heart, lung, kidney, liver, or pancreas were harvested). We compared our survival rates with those of the National Trauma Data Bank in 2012. Patient demographics, emergency department vital signs, and outcomes were analyzed. Results Three hundred and forty patients presented with no signs of life to our emergency department after injury (median Injury Severity Score = 40). There were 7 survivors to discharge, but only 5 (1.5%) were functionally independent (4 were victims of penetrating trauma). Of the 333 nonsurvivors, 12 patients (3.6%) donated major organs (16 kidneys, 2 hearts, 4 livers, and 2 lungs). An analysis of the National Trauma Data Bank yielded a comparable survival rate for those presenting dead on arrival, with an overall survival rate of 1.8% (100 of 5,384); 2.3% for blunt trauma and 1.4% for penetrating trauma. Conclusions Trauma patients presenting dead on arrival rarely (1.5%) achieve functional independence. However, organ donation appears to be an under-recognized outcomes benefit (3.6%) of the resuscitation of injury victims arriving without vital signs.
Laboratory assessment of corrosion

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the selection of a suitable laboratory corrosion test. It reveals that the conditions under which it is run depend on many factors, including: expected in-service environment, type of information desired, life expectancy of the component, how sensitively the corrosion can be measured, whether quantitative information is needed, or if qualitative comparison is sufficient. It is emphasized that care should be taken when selecting the tests that will be conducted and the way they will be carried out. The chapter illustrates the results from utilizing a sensor system based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). It presents an example in which a new test methodology was developed and parameters were made to suit specific needs and desires. This test method accurately reproduced in a short period of time the corrosion damage observed in-service over much longer time frames. By putting forth this effort, the new test method that was developed allowed rapid screening of different processing steps, alloy modifications, and other treatments for improved corrosion performance without going through the expense of conducting full fabrication runs and placing components in service for several years.
Bandwidth Scheduling for Energy Efficiency in High-Performance Networks

The transfer of big data in various applications across high-performance networks (HPNs) in a national or international scope consumes a significant amount of energy on a daily basis. However, most existing bandwidth scheduling algorithms only consider traditional objectives, such as data transfer time minimization, and very limited efforts have been devoted to energy efficiency in HPNs. In this paper, we consider two widely adopted power models, i.e., power-down and speed-scaling, and formulate two instant bandwidth scheduling problems to minimize energy consumption under data transfer deadline and reliability constraints. We prove the NP-completeness of both problems, and design a fully polynomial time approximation scheme for the problem using the power-down model. We also design an approximation algorithm and a heuristic approach that considers the tradeoff between objective optimality and time cost in practice for the problem using the speed-scaling model. The performance superiority of the proposed solutions is illustrated by extensive results based on both simulated and real-life networks in comparison with existing methods.
Using Babbage's difference engine to introduce computer architecture

A new approach to introducing computer architecture in introductory logic design courses based on Babbage's difference engine is described. The difference engine is the thread that students follow from logic design to the concepts associated with a basic load/store microprocessor architecture.
Connecting Protein Conformation and Dynamics with Ligand–Receptor Binding Using Three-Color Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Tracking

Specific binding between biomolecules, i.e., molecular recognition, controls virtually all biological processes including the interactions between cells and biointerfaces, both natural and synthetic. Such binding often relies on the conformation of biomacromolecules, which can be highly heterogeneous and sensitive to environmental perturbations, and therefore difficult to characterize and control. An approach is demonstrated here that directly connects the binding kinetics and stability of the protein receptor integrin αvβ3 to the conformation of the ligand fibronectin (FN), which are believed to control cellular mechanosensing. Specifically, we investigated the influence of surface-adsorbed FN structure and dynamics on αvβ3 binding using high-throughput single-molecule three-color Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) tracking methods. By controlling FN structure and dynamics through tuning surface chemistry, we found that as the conformational and translational dynamics of FN increased, the rate of b...
Hematopoietic development: a gap in our understanding of inherited bone marrow failure

Inherited bone marrow failure syndromes (IBMFS) represent a heterogeneous group of multisystem disorders that typically present with cytopenia in early childhood. Efforts to understand the underlying hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) losses have generally focused on postnatal hematopoiesis. However, reflecting the role of many of the involved genes in core cellular functions and the diverse nonhematologic abnormalities seen in patients at birth, studies have begun to explore IBMFS manifestations during fetal development. Here, I consider the current evidence for fetal deficits in the HSC pool and highlight emerging concepts regarding the origins and unique pathophysiology of hematopoietic failure in IBMFS.
Fish and elephant: Reexamining (in)visibility and claiming queer agency in China's first lesbian film

This article examines mainland China's first lesbian film Fish and Elephant (2001) and engages a queer/feminist critique of visibility politics that locates subversive queer female agency in invisi...
Optical tweezers system for live stem cell organization at the single-cell level

Cell manipulation is one of the most impactful applications for optical tweezers, and derived from this promise, we demonstrate a new optical tweezers system for the study of cell adhesion and organization. This method utilizes photonic-crystal-enhanced optical tweezers to manipulate cells with low laser intensities. By doing so, it enables effective cell patterning and culturing within the conditions necessary for successful differentiation and colony formation of human pluripotent stem cells. To this end, the biocompatibility of plasma-treated parylene-C for cell culturing was studied, and a thorough characterization of cellular interactive forces was performed using this system. Furthermore, this study also demonstrates construction of patterned cell arrays at arbitrary positions with micrometer-scale precision.
Reliable On-Chip Voltage Regulation for Sustainable and Compact IoT and Heterogeneous Computing Systems

As an essential part of modern power delivery networks, on-chip voltage regulation consisting of multiple distributed voltage regulators provides the required power and voltage levels for localized load circuits. The harsh application environment of internet of things (IoT) and heterogeneous computing systems including, but not limited to, high temperature and large load current variations, can lead to significant and uneven performance degradations of on-chip voltage regulators due to aging. Investigating sustainable on-chip voltage regulation schemes considering the lifetime of different distributed voltage regulators becomes imperative. Furthermore, techniques to mitigate the aging induced voltage regulator degradations can consume the scarce on-chip area resource. In this work, a new reliable on-chip voltage regulation technique is explored to simultaneously mitigate the performance degradation and reduce the area cost of distributed on-chip voltage regulators to achieve sustainable and compact design and satisfy the needs of different IoT and heterogeneous computing systems considering the interactions among different regulators. A brief survey of reliable design challenges and potential solutions is also provided.
A Comparison of the Pattern- and Total Deviation–Based Glaucoma Change Probability Programs

Purpose To compare the rates of progression of visual field defects in glaucoma patients, by using the Glaucoma Change Probability program based on pattern deviation and total deviation probability maps. Methods The incidence of progression of visual field loss among 67 eyes of 56 glaucoma patients with an average of 6 years of follow-up was estimated by applying the criteria set by the Early Manifest Glaucoma Treatment study, which uses the output from the Glaucoma Change Probability (GCP) program of the Humphrey Field Analyzer (San Leandro, CA) based on pattern deviation probability maps. This incidence estimate was compared with one obtained by applying the same criteria but using the GCP program based on total deviation probability maps. Results The 6-year incidence of progression among patients with glaucoma was 23.2% and 35.7% using the GCP program based on pattern deviation and total deviation probability maps, respectively. Not all patients in whom visual field loss progressed according to pattern deviation also showed progression according to total deviation. Conclusions The GCP program based on pattern deviation probability maps appears to screen out patients in whom progression of visual field defects may be due to diffuse loss from cataract, but the pattern deviation maps may also be identifying other types of field loss not detected by the total deviation maps.
A look at V/STOL for business aircraft.

Attempt to ascertain the economic viability of the V/STOL capability for business aircraft and the manner in which this viability depends on the aircraft concept. A cost-benefit analysis is presented which indicates that a VTOL business aircraft would be more viable economically than a contemporary turbine-powered business aircraft. The combination of traveler's time value and trip distance for which each aircraft dominates is shown. The significance of disk loading in V/STOL concept application is discussed, and preliminary design configuration studies for three different business-aircraft-sized V/STOLs, using three concepts covering a range of disk loading, are presented as examples. Finally, a discussion of operational aspects of interest to future users of V/STOL business aircraft is presented which centers around the requirements for routine IFR terminal-area operations.
Fission Distribution in Seven-Pin Cluster Fuel Elements

The distribution of fissions within one fuel pin of a cluster is asymmetrical because of self-shielding and neutron-streaming phenomena. An implicit solution of the integral form of the Boltzmann equation indicates that, for a given neutron spectrum, this distribution is primarily a function of three dimensionless parameters; pin radius/ neutron mean free path in pin material; pin circle radius/ pin radius; and pin radius/fuel element radius. The actual distribution was determined experimentally by detector foils and autoradiographic techniques for various seven-pin, cluster-type, gas-cooled fuel elements. The experimental fuel pins were fabricated by winding alternate 0.001 inch thick layers of pure aluminum and enriched uranium (93%U/sup 235/) on a solid core until the desired pin diameter was reached. Seven of these pins, assembled into a fuel ele, ment, were irradiated in the thermal column of a research reactor. The layers of uranium and the uranium detector foils (which were exposed concurrently) were subsequently autoradiographed and the resulting x-ray fiim optical density measured on a microdensitometer. The detector foils were also counted in a gamma detector, thus providing a key between relative radioactivity and optical density. It was found that the fission distribution within the center pin of the cluster was symmetricalmore » and could be represented by D = D/sub 1/ exp STAC/sub 1/ (x/sup 2/ + y/sup 2/)!. The fission distrib ution in the outer pins of the cluster was asymmetrical with respect to the pin center but couid be represented by D == D/sub 2/ exp STAC/sub 2/ (x/sup 2/g/sup 2/ + (y -- y/sub o/)/ sup 2/!. Values of th e constants in the equations are correlated by the first two dimensionless parameters given but appear to be independent of the third. (auth)« less
Properties of intestinal lipase.

Little is known regarding intestinal lipase, although its participation in the absorption of neutral fat from the gastrointestinal tract has been suggested (1). Lipolysis by intestinal enzymes was first established by Schiff (2) in studies with depancreatized dogs. Kalaboukoff and Terroine (3) later reported that glycerol extracts of intestinal mucosa hydrolyzed olive oil and that this activity was accelerated by the addition of bile salts. In this study, the lipase activity of intestinal mucosa has been examined. In order to limit the study to lipase activity, we have employed long chain triglycerides as substrate in the form of olive oil emulsions. As will be seen, the intestine also contains aliesterases, as judged by the rapid hydrolysis of short chain fatty acid esters. These enzymes would not be expected to interfere with lipase estimations, since, in other tissues such as the liver, they have been shown to be completely inactive toward long chain triglycerides. The pancreatic enzyme has generally been regarded as the prototype of lipases. We have therefore compared the intestinal and pancreatic enzymes with regard to substrate specificity and the effects of various activators and inhibitors, a number of which have been employed by other investigators to characterize esterolytic enzymes. Although the intestinal activity appears to be similar, in general, to that of the pancreas, it is clear that the enzymes involved are not identical. The possible participation of intestinal lipase in the intestinal absorption of fat is discussed.
History of Behavioral Interventions in STD Control

STDs comprise a wide variety of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa, along with an equally broad range of clinical manifestations, from mild infections localized to the genitalia to more serious diseases affecting reproductive health, the central nervous system, heart, or the immune system. The fundamental reason for placing these diverse biological agents and their sequelae under the same category of STDs is that they share a common mode of transmission—that is, a common human behavior. Given that the category of STDs is defined according to a common behavior rather than a common biological pathogen or sequela, one would expect behavioral interventions to have been at the center of historical and current strategies to prevent and control STDs. Historically, however, the opposite has been true: compared with epidemic infectious diseases such as plague and cholera, which garnered significant public health attention, STD control was relegated to private physicians and largely ignored by public health officials, except for behavioral efforts aimed largely at “marginal” groups such as prostitutes or military personnel. This chapter explains why behavioral interventions for STD control have been a relatively neglected area of public health programs. It should be noted that the term “behavioral interventions” has come into use relatively recently (since the 1980s), while behavioral science itself is a 20th-century creation. To avoid the anachronistic practice of imposing modern categories onto the past, it is important to explain past practices within their own historical context. The categories that people in the past used to describe and explain their STD prevention and control activities often developed from fundamentally different conceptions of disease transmission, public health, and human behavior. I have retained the original language (the “pox” instead of syphilis, if that was the term commonly used) to underscore the need to understand disease control efforts in context. Similarly, depending on the context, I will refer to the historic terminology used to characterize populations, groups, behaviors, and diseases, such as prostitutes rather than commercial sex workers. Efforts to control and treat diseases always develop out of specific historical and cultural contexts. In 19th-century Europe, for example, STD control efforts focused almost entirely on the regulation of prostitution and forced medical inspection of prostitutes. Victorian public health officials and physicians 1
Entschädigung der Exekutivmitglieder in Zürcher Gemeinden

This article deals with the question of how much compensation is paid to the members of city and local councils in the Canton of Zurich who perform their office avocationally. In addition we will examine which factors influence the level of compensation. It turns out that varying levels of total compensation are mainly due to two factors, namely the number of residents and the function performed. Compared to the total compensation, the compensation per hour could only be explained statistically to an insufficient degree. The median value indicates a high stability and is approx. 57 Swiss Francs.
Safety of 2-level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) Performed in an Ambulatory Surgery Setting With Same-day Discharge.

STUDY DESIGN This was a retrospective review of prospectively collected data. OBJECTIVE To evaluate differences in patient factors, procedural factors, outcomes and safety in 2-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) performed in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) versus the hospital setting. BACKGROUND Emphasis on reducing health care costs has led to numerous surgeries across specialties being performed in ASCs. Because of short operative times and moderate postoperative pain, 1-level ACDF is one of the most common spine surgeries successfully performed in ASCs. Despite the success of single-level ACDF, concerns over postoperative complications, including respiratory compromise have curtailed the performance of 2-level ACDF in ASCs. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patient demographics, operative factors and outcomes [blood loss, operative time, length of stay, complications and patient-reported outcomes (PROs)] of patients undergoing 2-level ACDF in an ASC and a hospital were compared using the Fisher exact test for categorical and the Student t test for continuous variables. RESULTS Of the 83 patients included, 25 underwent 2-level ACDF in an ASC, and 58 in a hospital. Mean age for the ASC group was 51.7±7.6 and 53.2±7.9 years for the hospital group (P=0.44). Body mass index was lower in the ASC group, at 27.3 kg/m versus 30.4 in the hospital group (P=0.03). Likewise, the ASC group had a lower ASA grade, favoring ASA 1 and 2 (P<0.001). There were no differences in blood loss (P=0.72) or complication rates, (P=0.16) with urinary retention being most common, and only 1 patient in the hospital setting requiring reintubation. In addition, no patients in the ASC setting required hospitalization. There were no differences in preoperative, 6-week and 6-month PROs. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study suggest that 2-level ACDF can be performed safely in the ASC setting without increased risk of complications compared with the hospital setting in an appropriately selected patient. Specifically, body mass index, and ASA class should be taken into consideration. Importantly, the setting of the surgery does not impact early PROs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level 3.
Alteration in the mRNA expression of genes associated with gastrointestinal permeability and ileal TNF-α secretion due to the exposure of silver nanoparticles in Sprague–Dawley rats

Silver ions from silver nanoparticles (AgNP) or AgNPs themselves itself that are ingested from consumer health care products or indirectly from absorbed food contact material can interact with the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). The permeability of the GIT is strictly regulated to maintain barrier function and proper nutrient absorption. The single layer intestinal epithelium adheres and communicates actively to neighboring cells and the extracellular matrix through different cell junctions. In the current study, we hypothesized that oral exposure to AgNPs may alter the intestinal permeability and expression of genes controlling cell junctions. Changes in cell junction gene expression in the ileum of male and female rats administered different sizes of AgNP for 13-weeks were assessed using qPCR. The results of this study indicate that AgNPs have an altering effect on cell junctions that are known to dictate intestinal permeability. mRNA expression of genes representing tight junction (Cldn1, Cldn5, Cldn6, Cldn10 and Pecam1), focal adhesion (Cav1, Cav2, and Itgb2), adherens junction (Pvrl1, Notch1, and Notch2), and hemidesmosome (Dst) groups were upregulated significantly in females treated with 10 nm AgNP, while no change or downregulation of same genes was detected in male animals. In addition, a higher concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokine, TNF-α, was noticed in AgNP-treated female animals as compared to controls. This study proposes that interaction of silver with GIT could potentially initiate an inflammatory process that could lead to changes in the gastrointestinal permeability and/or nutrient deficiencies in sex-specific manner. Fully understanding the mechanistic consequences of oral AgNP exposure may lead to stricter regulation for the commercial usage of AgNPs and/or improved clinical therapy in the future.
Histologic analysis and lipid profiling reveal reproductive age-associated changes in peri-ovarian adipose tissue

Reproductive aging is a robust phenotype that occurs in all females and is characterized by a significant reduction in gamete quantity and quality, which can have negative consequences on both endocrine function and fertility. Age-associated differences in the oocyte, follicle, and ovary have been well-documented, but how the broader environment changes with age is less well understood. Fat is one of the largest organs in the body, and peri-gonadal adipose tissue surrounds the rodent ovary and comprises a local ovarian environment. The goal of this study was to characterize how peri-ovarian adipose tissue changes with advanced reproductive age. We isolated peri-gonadal adipose tissue from two cohorts of CB6F1 mice: reproductively young (6–12 weeks) and reproductively old (14–17 months). A comparative histological analysis was performed to evaluate adipocyte architecture. We then extracted lipids from the tissue and performed multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)-profiling, a mass spectrometry-based method of metabolite profiling, to compare the lipid profiles of peri-gonadal adipose tissue in these age cohorts. We found that advanced reproductive age was associated with adipocyte hypertrophy and a corresponding decrease in the number of adipocytes per area. Of the 10 lipid classes examined, triacylglycerols (TAGs) had significantly different profiles between young and old cohorts, despite quantitative analysis revealing a decrease in the total amount of TAGs per weight of peri-gonadal adipose tissue with age. These findings pinpoint age-associated physiological changes in peri-gonadal adipose tissue with respect to adipocyte morphology and lipid profiles and lay the foundation for future studies to examine how these alterations may influence both adipocyte and ovarian function.
Listeners consider alternative speaker productions in discourse comprehension and memory: Evidence from beat gesture and pitch accenting

Cues to emphasis, such as beat gesture and contrastive pitch accenting, play an important role in constraining what comprehenders remember from a discourse. One possibility is that these cues are used in a purely bottom-up manner in which additional attention is devoted to emphasized material. Another possibility is that comprehenders use top-down expectations of what cues might be expected in the current communicative context, such that the absence of an expected cue may serve as an indicator that material is unimportant. We independently manipulated two cues conveying emphasis - beat gesture and contrastive pitch accenting - to examine how they affected memory for information in a discourse. When beat gesture was present in some cases (Experiment 1), contrastive pitch accenting facilitated memory when beat gesture was present but not when beat gesture was absent. By contrast, when beat gesture was never present (Experiment 2), contrastive pitch accenting facilitated memory even though stimuli were identical to those in which beat gesture was absent in Experiment 1. Together, these results indicate that which cues could be produced affects interpretation even when these cues are absent, indicating that top-down expectations influence cue integration, consistent with emerging data-explanation views of language processing.
Challenges of simultaneous measurements of brain extracellular GABA and glutamate in vivo using enzyme-coated microelectrode arrays

Abstract Background Although GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS, quantifying in vivo GABA levels has been challenging. The ability to co-monitor both GABA and the major excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate, would be a powerful tool in both research and clinical settings. New method Ceramic-based microelectrode arrays (MEAs) were used to quantify gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) by employing a dual-enzyme reaction scheme including GABase and glutamate oxidase (GluOx). Glutamate was simultaneously quantified on adjacent recording sites coated with GluOx alone. Endogenous glutamate was subtracted from the combined GABA and glutamate signal to yield a pure GABA concentration. Results Electrode sensitivity to GABA in conventional, stirred in vitro calibrations at pH 7.4 did not match the in vivo sensitivity due to diffusional losses. Non-stirred calibrations in agarose or stirred calibrations at pH 8.6 were used to match the in vivo GABA sensitivity. In vivo data collected in the rat brain demonstrated feasibility of the GABA/glutamate MEA including uptake of locally applied GABA, KCl-evoked GABA release and modulation of endogenous GABA with vigabatrin. Comparison with existing methods Implantable enzyme-coated microelectrode arrays have better temporal and spatial resolution than existing off-line methods. However, interpretation of results can be complicated due to the multiple recording site and dual enzyme approach. Conclusions The initial in vitro and in vivo studies supported that the new MEA configuration may be a viable platform for combined GABA and glutamate measures in the CNS extending the previous reports to in vivo GABA detection. The challenges of this approach are emphasized.
Incorporating integrative medicine and patient preferences into a pilot interdisciplinary sickle cell wellness clinic.

Abstract Objective Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder that includes acute pain episodes and chronic pain that can dramatically impact quality of life and goal-achievement. Our staff had limited success in connecting families with the Pain, Palliative Care and Integrative Medicine Clinic (PPCIM) to receive specialized skills for pain management. We created a partnership between Hematology and PPCIM to provide SCD patients/families with needed resources. Design/setting In 2016, key stakeholders collaborated to create a Sickle Cell Wellness Clinic (SCWC) clinic to provide families access to integrative medicine and wellness strategies. Design/structure, based on family focus group data and staff expertise, included a half-day, 7-discipline clinic housed in the PPCIM space. Patients with SCD, ages 8–20, learned strategies in an effort to improve health care utilization and increase overall quality of life. Main outcome measures/results Feedback from two successful pilot clinics in 2017 was incorporated into the formal roll-out of SCWC in 2018. SCWCs continued monthly for one year, serving a total of 20 families post-pilot. SCD patients increased follow-up appointment engagement in the PPCIM clinic following SCWC and reported high levels of satisfaction with their healthcare experience. Conclusions It is feasible to run a multidisciplinary clinic focused on pain management, coping skills, and healthy living with SCD. Providers benefited from the opportunity to collaborate with other disciplines. Patient and family feedback was positive, highlighted benefits of being introduced to new modalities, and reported advantages of meeting other patients/families in a new setting.
Oral Step-Down Therapy With Levofloxacin for Febrile Neutropenia in Children With Cancer

Background Although febrile neutropenia (FN) is a frequent complication in children with cancer receiving chemotherapy, there remains significant variability in selection of route (intravenous [IV] vs oral) and length of therapy. We implemented a guideline with a goal to change practice from using IV antibiotics after hospital discharge to the use of step-down oral therapy with levofloxacin for most children with FN until absolute neutrophil count > 500. The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of this guideline on home IV antibiotic use, and to evaluate the safety of implementation of this guideline. Methods We performed a quasi-experimental, pre-post study of discharge FN treatment at a stand-alone children's hospital in patients without bacteremia discharged between January 2013 and October 2018. In January 2015, a multidisciplinary team created a guideline to switch most children with FN to oral levofloxacin, which was formally implemented as of September 2017. Discharges during the postintervention period (after September 2017) were compared to discharges in the preintervention period (between January 2013 and December 2014). Results In adjusted multivariable regression analyses, the postimplementation period was associated with a decrease in home IV antibiotics (adjusted risk ratio [aRR], 0.07 [95% confidence interval {CI}, .03-.13]) and fewer IV antibiotic initiations within 24 hours of a new healthcare encounter up to 7 days after discharge (aRR, 0.39 [95% CI, .17-.93]) compared to the preintervention time period. Conclusions Step-down oral levofloxacin for children with FN who are afebrile with an ANC ≤ 500 at discharge is feasible and resulted in similar clinical outcomes compared to home IV antibiotics.
Restoration of eutrophic lakes in Iowa, USA

Lakes provide significant ecosystem services that are compromised by human degradation. Watershed and in-lake restoration are used to improve the physical, chemical, and biological condition of lakes, but their success is rarely evaluated. Our objectives were to compare water quality and biological conditions following in-lake, watershed, or a combination of both restoration activities in 20 lakes throughout Iowa, USA compared to reference systems. Lake-specific responses to restoration were variable, making it challenging to detect systematic effects in water quality parameters. Secchi depth generally improved following restoration, particularly in natural in-lake restorations and following sediment removal, fishery renovation, and with the number of restoration practices implemented, but improvements were not sustained. Restoration also tended to reduce nutrient and plankton concentrations and relative abundance of some benthic fishes. Due to the prolonged degradation of eutrophic lakes, it may be unrealistic to expect immediate and long-lasting water quality improvements. In-lake restoration in natural lakes may be the most likely to have detectable effects, but our results also highlight the need for improved restoration documentation and additional research to identify factors associated with restoration success. Our results are useful for guiding lake restoration practices and educating lake users and stakeholders on expected restoration outcomes.
Bis-Ferrocenyl-Pyridinediimine Trinuclear Mixed-Valent Complexes with Metal-Binding Dependent Electronic Coupling: Synthesis, Structures, and Redox-Spectroscopic Characterization.

A family of metal dichloride complexes having a bis-ferrocenyl-substituted pyridinediimine ligand was systematically synthesized ((Fc2PDI)MCl2, M = Mg, Zn, Fe, and Co) and characterized crystallographically, spectroscopically, electrochemically, and computationally. Electronic coupling between the ligand ferrocene units is switched on upon binding to a MCl2 fragment, as evidenced by both sequential oxidation of the ferrocenes in cyclic voltammetry (ΔEox ≈ 200 mV) and by Inter-Valence Charge Transfer electronic excitations in the near IR. Additionally, UV-vis spectra are used to directly observe orbital mixing between the ferrocenyl units and the imine π system since breaking of the orbital symmetry results in allowed transitions (ϵ = 2800 M-1cm-1 vs ϵ ≈ 200 M-1cm-1 in free ferrocene) as well as broadening and red-shifting of the ferrocenyl transitions-indicating organic character in formerly pure metal-centered transitions. DFT analysis reveals that interaction between the ferrocenes and the MCl2 fragment is small and suggests that communication is mediated by better energy matching between the ferrocene and organic π* orbitals upon coordination, allowing superexchange coupling through the LUMO. Furthermore, single crystal diffraction data obtained from oxidation of one and both ferrocenes show distortions, introducing the empty dxy/dx2-y2 orbitals into the secondary coordination sphere of the MCl2 fragment. Such structural rearrangements are infrequent in ferrocenyl mixed-valent compounds, and implications for catalysis as well as electronic communication are discussed.
Reply: The challenges for research on deep brain stimulation and memory.

Sir, We thank Drs van den Noort et al. (2015) and Fried (2015) for their interest in our study (Miller et al. , 2015) reporting improvement in visual-spatial memory during theta burst deep brain stimulation of the fornix in four individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy, a translational study previously tested in rodents by our team (Sweet et al. , 2014). While echoing our cautionary statements regarding interpretation, Dr Fried (2015) applauded the use of a unique clinical opportunity to provide intriguing preliminary data. Dr van den Noort et al. (2015) describe the study as being ‘highly innovative’, ‘a promising direction for various disorders’ and ‘a pioneering study’, adding that ‘it is a strength that the authors of the present study use neuropsychological tests’. Their group also raised some concerns, so we appreciate this opportunity to respond. Dr van den Noort et al. (2015) stated that ‘stimulation settings were different from previous studies, making comparisons … impossible.’ It would have been ideal to directly …