cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Long‐Term Population Monitoring: Lessons Learned From an Endangered Passerine in Hawai'i

Abstract Obtaining reliable population estimates is crucial to monitoring endangered species and developing recovery strategies. The palila (Loxioides bailleui) is an endangered seed-eating Hawaiian honeycreeper restricted to the subalpine forests of Mauna Kea, a volcano on the island of Hawai‘i, USA. The species is vulnerable to extinction primarily because >90% of the population is concentrated in <30 km2 of habitat on the western slope of this high, dormant volcano. Annual surveys of the palila population have been conducted for ecological, legal, and other purposes since 1980. Because refinements to sampling protocols and analytical methods have evolved, we examined means of adapting the monitoring program to produce comparable estimates of abundance over the past 25-year period and into the future. We conducted variable circular plot surveys during the nonbreeding season (Jan–Mar) and this used data to obtain estimates of effective detection radius and annual density with Distance 4.0, Release 2. For...
Pediatric blunt trauma: a retrospective analysis in a Level I trauma center.

This study consisted of an 8-year retrospective trauma registry analysis of blunt trauma and comprised of 2458 children ( or = 25 ISS. Mortality in multiple chest injuries was 19 per cent. The presence of chest trauma resulted in a 46-fold higher mortality in children. Most lethal injuries were combined head, chest, and abdomen trauma with a 25 per cent mortality in children and 28 per cent in adults. Admission Glasgow Coma Score <9 and systolic blood pressure below 100 mm Hg carried high mortality: 39 and 6 per cent in children vs 31 and 24 per cent in adults. Ninety-seven per cent of children and 89 per cent of adults were discharged home. Language: en
Prognostic Implications of Lymph Node Yield in Central and Lateral Neck Dissections for Well-Differentiated Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between lymph node yield (LNY) from central (CND) and lateral (LND) neck dissections and risk of recurrence in patients undergoing primary surgery for well-differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma (WDPTC). Methods: Clinical data were reviewed from all patients with biopsy-proven WDPTC who underwent primary total thyroidectomy with CND or LND at the authors' institution from 2005 to 2009. Patient demographics and tumor characteristics were obtained, and clinical data with at least five-year follow-up were used. Within the CNDs and LNDs, total number of nodes removed (LNY), total positive nodes removed, and the ratio of positive lymph nodes to LNY were determined. Results: One hundred fifty-two patients were included in the study, with average follow-up of 69 months. Of 125 patients who underwent CND, 20 had central neck disease recurrence. The LNY of patients with central neck recurrence was significantly less than those who had no recurrenc...
Factors interfering with the hemolytic property of mumps virus.

ConclusionsAn inhibitor for the mumps virus hemolysin occurring in allantoic fluids of embryonated eggs infected with mumps virus can be removed by dialysis, treatment with a cation exchange resin or use of a sodium citrate buffer as diluent. These results suggest that it is a cation, probably calcium, magnesium or manganese. Of these 3, only calcium has demonstrated any significant inhibitory action on the mumps virus hemolysin.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of IgM-class antibodies to cytomegalovirus.

A reliable, generally available serological test for IgM antibody to cytomegalovirus (CMV) would be helpful in the diagnosis of CMV infection because IgM antibody to CMV is produced during primary infection and generally lasts no more than 16 weeks in the normal individual [1]. Many different techniques for detecting IgM antibody to CMV have been described, including RIA, ELISA, immunofluorescence (IF), indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA), latex agglutination (LA), and immunoperoxidase staining [2]. RIA is a very specific and sensitive serological method, but it has many disadvantages, including the need for special equipment, the handling of radioactive material, and the use of reagents that have a short shelf life. Methods such as IHA, LA, and immunoperoxidase staining to detect IgM antibody to CMV have not been adequately evaluated. IF is easier to perform than RIA, but this method has poor sensitivity and specificity when compared with RIA [1-4]. Preliminary evaluations have shown ELISA to be a useful technique to detect IgM antibody to CMV in pregnant women, renal transplant patients, and other immunosuppressed patients [1, 5, 6]. In none of the studies, however, were all the serum specimens subjected to analysis by both RIA and ELISA. We present the results of analysis of 192 serum samples analyzed for the presence of IgM antibody to CMV by both RIA and ELISA.
Enhancement of Solar Hydrogen Generation by Synergistic Interaction of La2Ti2O7 Photocatalyst with Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticles and Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanosheets

This report shows that incorporating nitrogen-doped La2Ti2O7 (NLTO) photocatalyst with gold nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets improves the photocatalytic hydrogen generation rate significantly. The underlying mechanism of the photocatalysis enhancement by the presence of both the Au nanoparticles and the rGO nanosheets is revealed. Nitrogen doping alone can extend the light absorption range of photocatalyst to 550 nm. In addition, nitrogen doping has enabled plasmon-induced resonance energy transfer (PIRET) from the plasmonic Au nanoparticle to NLTO, inducing charge separation in NLTO under solar radiation up to 600 nm. The Au nanoparticles not only serve as the photosensitizers but also lead to a shift in the flat band potential, suppressing the charge recombination and improving the charge extraction. The rGO does not affect the charge separation process but significantly increases the lifetime of photogenerated charge carriers.
Signals and Signal Processing

This chapter covers signals and signal processing. It presents a unified treatment of signals and interrupts, which helps put signals into a proper perspective. It treats signals as interrupts to processes, which diverts a process from its normal executions to do signal processing. It explains sources of signals, which include signals from hardware, exceptions and other processes. Then it uses examples to illustrate common usage of signals in Unix/Linux. It explains signal processing in Unix/Linux in detail. These include signal types, signal vector bits, signal mask bits, signal handlers in the process PROC structure and signal processing steps. It uses examples to show how to install signal catchers to handle program exceptions, such as segmentation faults, in user mode. It also discusses the suitability of using signals as a mechanism for Interprocess Communication (IPC). The programming project is for the reader to use signals and pipes to implement an IPC mechanism for processes to exchange message.
An Interferon Signature in the Peripheral Blood of Dermatomyositis Patients is Associated with Disease Activity

Recent studies have shown increased expression of interferon (IFN)-regulated genes in the peripheral blood cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. A similar interferon signature has been observed in affected muscle tissue from patients with dermatomyositis (DM), but it has not yet been determined if this signature extends to the peripheral blood in DM. We performed global gene expression profiling of peripheral blood cells from adult and juvenile DM patients and healthy controls. Several interesting groups of genes were differentially expressed in DM, including genes with immune function, and others that function in muscle or are involved in mitochondrial/oxidative phosphorylation. Investigation of type I IFN-regulated transcripts revealed a striking interferon signature present in most DM patients studied. Levels of type I IFN-regulated proteins were also elevated in DM serum samples. Furthermore, both the transcript and serum protein IFN signatures were associated with disease activity. These data suggest that the IFN signature may be a useful marker for DM disease activity, and that sampling peripheral blood may be a more practical alternative to muscle biopsy for measuring this signature.
Creating “Spaces” for Professional Development: Education Organizations’ Use of Facebook

The affordances of the Web enable teacher collaboration and growth through learning communities within Web 2.0 environments (Greenhow, Robelia, & Hughes, 2009). Through a qualitative analysis of education organization profiles and postings on Facebook, we examined ways education organizations use social networking sites as a platform to promote trends and issues in education and to promote best practices. Data represents five education organizations and analysis shows the types and frequency of information posted for their followers on Facebook. Social media have the potential to impact professional development in many fields.
Clinical Evaluation of Immunological Methods for Detection of Serum Prostatic Acid Phosphatase

AbstractEvaluation of serum acid phosphatase by 3 immunochemical methods (radioimmunoassay, counterimmunoelectrophoresis and immunoenzymoassay) was done in 3 groups of patients. In 42 patients with stage D prostatic carcinoma a comparison of serum acid phosphatase determination by colorimetric assay and the 3 immunochemical methods in samples obtained before and after initiation of therapy showed an excellent correlation among the assays. Presently, we see no advantage of the immunochemical methods over the colorimetric assay in this group of patients. Among 100 patients studied in a blind fashion to detect those with unsuspected prostatic carcinoma no such cases were found. In the last group of patients with localized prostatic carcinoma staged surgically by pelvic lymphadenectomy the only elevations of serum acid phosphatase were observed in patients with extraprostatic involvement.
Machined surface temperature in hard turning

Abstract Machined surface temperature is critical in turning of hardened steels because high surface temperature can lead to the formation of the white layer, which may have negative impacts on the steel fatigue life. This paper presents two experimental methods to measure machined surface temperatures in hard turning. The first method, based on a tool-foil thermocouple, estimates the machined surface temperature using a metal foil embedded in the workpiece to measure the tool tip temperature. The second method uses a thermocouple embedded in the tool with its tip continuously sliding on the machined surface behind the cutting edge during hard turning. A three-dimensional thermal model is developed and the inverse heat transfer method is applied to find the machined surface temperature near the cutting edge. For validation, hard turning tests were conducted and the cutting forces, tool-foil voltages and embedded thermocouple voltages were measured simultaneously at three levels of feed rates. The peak machined surface temperature occurred along the intersection of cutting edge and the machined surface. Its magnitude was mainly determined by the shear plane heat source and further increased due to flank face frictional heat source. Measurement results showed comparable predictions between the two developed methods with an average deviation of 30 °C over the 500–800 °C range. These two methods, although based on very different approaches, have both proven feasible for the measurement of hard turning machined surface temperatures.
When the tail wags the dog: Clinical skills in the age of technology

> “…with the rapid extension of laboratory tests of greater accuracy, there is a tendency for some clinicians and hence for some students in reaching a diagnosis to rely more on laboratory reports and less on the history of the illness, the examination and behavior of the patient and clinical
Robotic microlaryngeal phonosurgery: Testing of a "steady-hand" microsurgery platform.

Objectives/Hypothesis To evaluate gains in microlaryngeal precision achieved by using a novel robotic “steady hand” microsurgery platform in performing simulated phonosurgical tasks. Study Design Crossover comparative study of surgical performance and descriptive analysis of surgeon feedback. Methods A novel robotic ear, nose, and throat microsurgery system (REMS) was tested in simulated phonosurgery. Participants navigated a 0.4-mm-wide microlaryngeal needle through spirals of varying widths, both with and without robotic assistance. Fail time (time the needle contacted spiral edges) was measured, and statistical comparison was performed. Participants were surveyed to provide subjective feedback on the REMS. Results Nine participants performed the task at three spiral widths, yielding 27 paired testing conditions. In 24 of 27 conditions, robot-assisted performance was better than unassisted; five trials were errorless, all achieved with the robot. Paired analysis of all conditions revealed fail time of 0.769 ± 0.568 seconds manually, improving to 0.284 ± 0.584 seconds with the robot (P = .003). Analysis of individual spiral sizes showed statistically better performance with the REMS at spiral widths of 2 mm (0.156 ± 0.226 seconds vs. 0.549 ± 0.545 seconds, P = .019) and 1.5 mm (0.075 ± 0.099 seconds vs. 0.890 ± 0.518 seconds, P = .002). At 1.2 mm, all nine participants together showed similar performance with and without robotic assistance (0.621 ± 0.923 seconds vs. 0.868 ± 0.634 seconds, P = .52), though subgroup analysis of five surgeons most familiar with microlaryngoscopy showed statistically better performance with the robot (0.204 ± 0.164 seconds vs. 0.664 ± 0.354 seconds, P = .036). Conclusions The REMS is a novel platform with potential applications in microlaryngeal phonosurgery. Further feasibility studies and preclinical testing should be pursued as a bridge to eventual clinical use. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 2017
Clinical accuracy of abnormal cell-free fetal DNA results for the sex chromosomes

Objective To investigate factors associated with abnormal cell-free DNA (cfDNA) results for sex chromosomes (SC). Study Design This is a retrospective cohort study of abnormal cfDNA results for SC at a referral practice, from March 2013 to July 2015. CfDNA results were abnormal if they were positive for SC aneuploidy (SCA), inconclusive, or discordant with ultrasound (US) findings. Primary outcome was concordance with karyotype or postnatal evaluation. Results Of fifty abnormal cfDNA results for SC, 31 patients (62%) were positive for SCA, 13 (26%) were inconclusive, and 6 (12%) were sex-discordant on US. Of SCA results, 19 (61%) were reported as 45,X and 12 (39%) were SC trisomy. Abnormal karyotypes were confirmed in 8/23 (35%) of SC aneuploidy and 1/5 (20%) of inconclusive results. Abnormal SC cfDNA results were associated with IVF (p=0.001) and twins (p<0.001). Sex discordance between cfDNA and US was associated with twin gestation (p<0.001). Conclusions In our cohort, abnormal SC cfDNA results were associated with IVF and twins. Our results indicate that cfDNA for sex prediction in twins of limited utility. Positive predictive value (PPV) and sensitivity for SC determination was lower than previously reported.
Ricin Poisoning after Oral Ingestion of Castor Beans: A Case Report and Review of the Literature and Laboratory Testing.

Abstract Background Ricin is a protein toxin derived from the castor bean plant Ricinus communis. Several cases secondary to its consumption have been published and, more recently, its use as a potential bioterrorism agent has also been reported. Oral absorption of ricin is highly erratic, leading to a wide spectrum of symptoms. In addition, conventional urine drug screening tests will not be able to detect this compound, posing a diagnostic challenge. Case Report A male teenager intended to die by ingesting 200 castor beans after mixing and blending them with juice. Eight hours later, he presented with weakness, light-headedness, nausea, and vomiting and sought medical treatment. The patient was admitted and treated conservatively. An immune-based standard urine toxicology drug screen panel was reported as negative. A comprehensive untargeted urine drug screen test showed the presence of ricinine, a surrogate marker of ricin intoxication. He was transferred to the psychiatric service 3 days after admission. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? This case highlights the importance of knowing the peculiar pharmacokinetic properties of ricin after oral ingestion of castor beans and toxin release through mastication. Emergency physicians should be aware that oral absorption of ricin is dependent on several factors, such type and size of seeds and the geographic harvesting region, making it extremely difficult to estimate its lethality based solely on the number of ingested beans. Finally, comprehensive untargeted urine drug screening testing is highly valuable as a diagnostic tool in this context.
Measuring user experience with postural sway and performance in a head-mounted display

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in performance and postural sway among individuals performing a task when using and not using a head-mounted display (HMD). Twenty participants ...
Constructing dynamic ontologies from biomedical publications

In recent years, there has been explosive growth in the amount of biomedical publications. In this paper, we propose a semantic framework that aims to automatically generate an ontology by extracting assertions and topics from multiple free-text scientific publications in PubMed. The pipeline approach for knowledge discovery and ontology generation in the proposed framework has been implemented on the Spark parallel engine based on the Stanford CoreNLP for Natural Language Processing, TF-IDF (Term Frequency Inverse Document Frequency) for feature extraction, OpenIE (Open Information Extraction) for relation extraction, K-Means clustering for topic discovery and OWL API for ontology generation. We have shown that the ontology generated may be very effective in biomedical applications (such as paper search and summarization) with scientific publications.
Dual Inhibition of TYK2 and JAK1 for the Treatment of Autoimmune Diseases: Discovery of (( S)-2,2-Difluorocyclopropyl)((1 R,5 S)-3-(2-((1-methyl-1 H-pyrazol-4-yl)amino)pyrimidin-4-yl)-3,8-diazabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-8-yl)methanone (PF-06700841).

Cytokine signaling is an important characteristic of autoimmune diseases. Many pro-inflammatory cytokines signal through the Janus kinase (JAK)/Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway. JAK1 is important for the γ-common chain cytokines, interleukin (IL)-6, and type-I interferon (IFN) family, while TYK2 in addition to type-I IFN signaling also plays a role in IL-23 and IL-12 signaling. Intervention with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) or JAK1 inhibitors has demonstrated efficacy in Phase III psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatoid arthritis studies, leading to multiple drug approvals. We hypothesized that a dual JAK1/TYK2 inhibitor will provide additional efficacy, while managing risk by optimizing selectivity against JAK2 driven hematopoietic changes. Our program began with a conformationally constrained piperazinyl-pyrimidine Type 1 ATP site inhibitor, subsequent work led to the discovery of PF-06700841 (compound 23), which is in Phase II clinical d...
Fearing the “Nicas”: Perceptions of Immigrants and Policy Choices in Costa Rica

Do attitudes toward immigrants shape public policy preferences? To answer this question, this article analyzes a prominent example of South-South migration: the Nicaraguan immigrant community in Costa Rica. Over the past two decades, Costa Rica has experienced extensive socioeconomic changes, and Nicaraguans have been frequent scapegoats for the fears and worries generated by these changes. Relying on the 2014 AmericasBarometer survey, this analysis finds that respondents who perceive immigrants as an economic threat are significantly more supportive of punitive crime control policies. Attitudes toward immigrants were also significantly linked to support for government policies to reduce income inequality. However, given the historically strong support for the Costa Rican social welfare state, attitudes toward immigrants did not significantly affect support for government services.
Mapping of Specific Protein-Protein Interactions by NMR

Publisher Summary This chapter describes mapping of specific protein–protein interactions by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In a study described in the chapter, HMQC/HSQC spectra were used to measure three NMR parameters as a function of intermolecular interaction: (1) chemical shift perturbations, (2) 15 N line widths, and (3) amide exchange rates. These properties offer compelling, albeit indirect, evidence concerning the identity of the protein binding site on HPrs. In this system, the resonances that exhibit the largest chemical shift perturbations and decreased amide exchange rates appear to be in the interaction site. One of the features of this approach that contributes to its general applicability is its reliance on simple HMQC spectra that can be obtained on fairly dilute samples in a modest amount of spectrometer time. The observation of intermolecular NOEs is a more definitive approach. Poor solubility and fast exchange conditions are limiting factors in the observation of NOEs.
CC-115, a Dual Mammalian Target of Rapamycin/DNA-Dependent Protein Kinase Inhibitor in Clinical Trial, Is a Substrate of ATP-Binding Cassette G2, a Risk Factor for CC-115 Resistance

CC-115, a triazole-containing compound, is a dual mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) inhibitor currently in clinical trials. To develop this compound further, we investigated factors that may affect cellular response to CC-115. Previously, fatty acid synthase (FASN) was shown to upregulate DNA-PK activity and contribute to drug resistance; therefore, we hypothesized that FASN may affect cellular response to CC-115. Instead, however, we showed that CC-115 is a substrate of ATP-binding cassette G2 (ABCG2), a member of the ATP-binding cassette transporter superfamily, and that expression of ABCG2, not FASN, affects the potency of CC-115. ABCG2 overexpression significantly increases resistance to CC-115. Inhibiting ABCG2 function, using small-molecule inhibitors, sensitizes cancer cells to CC-115. We also found that CC-115 may be a substrate of ABCB1, another known ABC protein that contributes to drug resistance. These findings suggest that expression of ABC transporters, including ABCB1 and ABCG2, may affect the outcome in clinical trials testing CC-115. Additionally, the data indicate that ABC transporters may be used as markers for future precision use of CC-115. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: In this article, we report our findings on the potential mechanism of resistance to CC-115, a dual inhibitor of mTOR and DNA-PK currently in clinical trials. We show that CC-115 is a substrate of ABCG2 and can be recognized by ABCB1, which contributes to CC-115 resistance. These findings provide novel information and potential guidance on future clinical testing of CC-115.
Found Footage and the Speculative Economy of Attention

Found footage as a recent film genre reflects the irony of human attention; the more augmented it is by the technologies such as portable video cameras and other sensor devices, the more edges its restricted focus rediscovers. Monetizing the paranoiac affects aroused by something felt at these edges, but not identifiable by the camera operator’s limited resources to intervene, this new horror genre exemplifies a recent tendency in attention economy, which this article terms “the speculative economy of attention.” The attention we pay to our surroundings through many self-tracking technologies is capitalized not only as the attention per se for advertising revenues, but also as what overvalues the horror of hidden problems in its peripheries.
Transcervical Epiglottopexy for the Management of Type 3 Laryngomalacia

Type 3 laryngomalacia (LM) is characterized by prolapse of the epiglottis into the airway. Endolaryngeal suturing is technically challenging considering the limited exposure. In the present article, we describe a simple technique of transcervical epiglottopexy (TE) via an exo-endolaryngeal technique using an 18-G needle prethreaded with a 2-0 Prolene suture in a looped fashion inserted through the inferior epiglottis. Another 20-G needle with a 2-0 Prolene suture with one free end is inserted above the previous stitch through the superior epiglottis. The single stitch is passed through the looped stitch, which is then pulled through the neck, leaving a single stitch precisely placed through the epiglottis. We have used this technique safely while achieving epiglottopexy in 3 cases of epiglottic prolapse. We describe a method of TE using easily available instruments. This method we believe can easily be adapted for any kind of epiglottic prolapse.
A proteomics approach to characterizing limited hydrolysis of whey protein concentrate

Whey Protein Concentrate was hydrolyzed by trypsin and Protease M, a novel endo/exopeptidase mix from Aspergillus oryzae. Protein peptide profiling demonstrated that Protease M preferentially hydrolyzedα-lactalbumin (α-la), while trypsin targeted β-lactoglobulin (β-lg). Peptide fractions were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass-spectrometry to characterize differences in enzyme specificity, peptide hydrophobicity, and bioactivity, using bioinformatics tools. While trypsin cleaved at the C-terminal end of lysine and arginine, Protease M contributed to pepsin-like endopeptidase activity coupled with carboxyl, amino, and leucine exopeptidase activity, resulting in relatively more hydrophilic peptides compared to those released by trypsin hydrolysis. While trypsin and Protease M had varying specificity, 9 bioactive peptides were common among the hydrolysates, which was attributed to the exopeptidase activity of Protease M. The proteomics coupled with bioinformatics approach provided fundamental knowledge needed to optimize whey protein hydrolysis in a direct and efficient manner for targeted applications.
Impact Mapping for Geospatial Reasoning and Decision Making

ObjectiveThe reported study evaluated a novel approach to aiding geospatial reasoning and decision making.BackgroundImpact mapping aims to alleviate the cognitive demands of geospatial tasks in par...
Differential signalling induced by α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in hippocampal dentate gyrus in vitro and in vivo.

The activation of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) has been shown to improve hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. α7 nAChRs are densely expressed among several different cell types in the hippocampus, with high Ca2+ permeability, although it is unclear if α7 nAChRs mobilize differential signalling mechanisms among distinct neuronal populations. To address this question, we compared α7 nAChR agonist-induced responses (i.e. calcium and cAMP changes) between granule cells and GABAergic neurons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus both in vitro and in vivo. In cultured organotypic hippocampal slices, we observed robust intracellular calcium and cAMP increases in dentate granule cells upon activation of α7 nAChRs. In contrast, GABAergic interneurons displayed little change in either calcium or cAMP concentration after α7 nAChR activation, even though they displayed much larger α7 nAChR current responses than those of dentate granule cells. We found that this was due to smaller α7 nAChR-induced Ca2+ rises in GABAergic interneurons. Thus, the regulation of the Ca2+ transients in different cell types resulted in differential subsequent intracellular signalling cascades and likely the ultimate outcome of α7 nAChR activation. Furthermore, we monitored neuronal activities of dentate granule cells and GABAergic interneurons in vivo via optic fibre photometry. We observed enhancement of neuronal activities after nicotine administration in dentate granule cells, but not in GABAergic neurons, which was absent in α7 nAChR-deficient granule cells. In summary, we reveal a mechanism for α7 nAChR-mediated increase of neuronal activity via cell type-specific intracellular signalling pathways. KEY POINTS: α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are widely distributed throughout the central nervous system and regulate a variety of brain functions including learning and memory. Understanding the cellular signalling mechanisms of their activations among different neuronal populations is important for delineating their actions in cognitive function, and developing effective treatment strategies for cognitive deficits. We report that α7 nAChR activation leads to Ca2+ and cAMP increases in granule cells (but not in GABAergic interneurons) in hippocampal dentate gyrus in vitro, a key region for pattern separation during learning. We also found that nicotine enhanced granule cell (but not in GABAergic interneurons) activity in an α7 nAChR-dependent manner via in vivo fibre photometry recording. Based on our findings, we propose that differential responses to α7 nAChR activation between granule cells and GABAergic interneurons is responsible for the increase of excitation by α7 nAChR agonists in hippocampal circuits synergistically.
The effect of using local mean versus constant reference salinity to estimate Arctic Ocean freshwater content changes

Changes of high-latitude freshwater content (FWC) play an important role in shaping the variability of polar oceans. FWC is defined as depth-integrated departure of salinity from a reference salinity S ref divided by this S ref . A constant S ref is often used for high-latitude FWC estimates. Here it is argued that for analyzing FWC spatiotemporal changes the use of local mean S ref is a better choice. Analysis of 2007 FWC anomalies in the 25–75 m layer demonstrated, for example, that the choice of S ref = 34.8 (which is often used in climate studies) leads to FWC spatial anomalies exaggerated, on average, by ~0.6 m, which is a substantial fraction of total spatial FWC changes. The problem is aggravated in areas where the difference between the local S ref and S ref = 34.8 is greater. Thus, it is concluded that using climatological mean salinities as S ref provides superior estimates of spatiotemporal Arctic Ocean FWC changes.
Plasma amino acid profile, a biomarker for visceral adipose tissue that can substitute for waist circumference in Japanese Americans.

Abstract Background Greater visceral fat area (VFA) is associated with cardiometabolic outcomes. We sought to identify cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between amino acid (AA) levels and VFA in Japanese-Americans. Methods From the cohort of 342 Japanese-American participants (51% men) in a study of diabetes risk factors who were free from diabetes, we measured levels of 20 AA by mass spectrometry, height, weight, waist circumference (WC), VFA, subcutaneous fat area by single-slice CT at the umbilicus. Using AA significantly associated with VFA in univariate analyses, we created a VFA prediction index, termed the 4A index. We compared area under receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of the 4A index to WC and an existing AA index (Yamakado et al. Clin Obes 2012) in classifying VFA at different cutoff values. We fit age-adjusted linear regression models to evaluate associations between AA levels and change in VFA over 5 years. Results All 20 AA levels significantly detected VFA excess, but WC was better. The 4A index performed better than Yamakado index at classifying VFA ≥ 100 cm2 (0.798, 0.807 vs. 0.677, 0.671 for men and women, p Conclusions The 4A index can serve as a biomarker for VFA in Japanese-Americans and be considered for this purpose when WC is not available.
Duration of Exposure to General Endotracheal Anesthesia during Cesarean Deliveries at Term and Perinatal Complications.

OBJECTIVE To examine whether the duration of time from initiation of general endotracheal anesthesia (GETA) to delivery for cesarean deliveries (CDs) performed is related to perinatal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN This is a retrospective study of patients with singleton nonanomalous gestations undergoing CD ≥37 weeks of gestation under GETA with reassuring fetal status at a single tertiary care center from 2000 to 2016. Duration from GETA initiation until delivery was calculated as the time interval from GETA induction to delivery (I-D), categorized into tertiles. Outcomes for those in the tertile with the shortest I-D were compared with those in the other two tertiles. The primary perinatal outcome was a composite of complications (continuous positive airway pressure or high-flow nasal cannula for ≥2 consecutive hours, inspired oxygen ≥30% for ≥4 consecutive hours, mechanical ventilation, stillbirth, or neonatal death ≤72 hours after birth). Secondary outcomes were 5-minute Apgar score 4 minutes. Women with I-D >4 minutes were more likely to have prior abdominal surgery and less likely to have labored prior to CD. I-D >4 minutes was associated with significantly increased frequency of the primary perinatal outcome. This persisted after multivariable adjustment. In bivariable analysis, 5-minute Apgar 4 minutes, but this did not persist in multivariable analysis. Frequency of maternal morbidity did not differ. CONCLUSION When CD is performed at term using GETA without evidence of nonreassuring fetal status prior to delivery, I-D interval >4 minutes is associated with increased frequency of perinatal complications. KEY POINTS · Cesarean delivery under general anesthesia is associated with increased perinatal complications.. · Perinatal complications are increased with increasing duration of exposure to general anesthetics.. · Maternal complications were not increased with shorter duration of exposure to general anesthesia..
Ferroportin-mediated cellular iron efflux requires extracellular calcium

Ferroportin—the only known cellular iron exporter—is responsible for iron efflux from enterocytes and macrophages to the blood plasma. This transporter, under the control of hepcidin, serves as a k...
Healthy Team Healthy U: A Prospective Validation of an Evidence-Based Worksite Health Promotion and Wellness Platform.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a research tested, team-based health promotion and wellness program combined with digital technologies and implemented in a diverse worksite setting among hospital, clinic and university employees. Methods: A prospective cohort study of employees completing biometrics and questionnaires before and after the initial 12-session wellness program and its 12-session booster, one year later. Results: After both the initial intervention and booster, blood pressure and weight were reduced, with greater reductions among employees with pre-hypertension and hypertension and those with a BMI > 25. After both the initial intervention and booster, there was a significant increase in, 1) daily intake of fruit and vegetable servings; 2) days per week of > 30 minutes of exercise; 3) days per week of strength training and 4) levels of moderately vigorous and vigorous daily physical activity. Self-reported indices of depression and work related stress were reduced, while participants reported increased happiness after the initial program and booster. Post booster, average sleep quality and sleep duration increased, among higher risk employees reporting < 6 hours of daily sleep. Employees reported receiving encouragement from co-workers to engage in healthful activities, exercising with fellow employees more, and indicated they would recommend the program to co-workers. Longitudinal analysis revealed the durability of the initial intervention outcomes with further beneficial effects after the booster. Conclusion: A research-tested, comprehensive team-based health promotion and wellness program, combined with digital technologies, positively impacted employee health behaviors, mood, sleep, worker cohesion and biometrics among a diverse multi-site workforce. Positive program effects were durable, with enhanced results after the booster.
System Theoretic Control in Immunology

A systematic overview is presented of body immune response from which a primitive mathematical model is derived as a base for more extensive research. The model provides a basic description of one basic class of cells (B-cells) with extensions for antibody switch-over and secondary response.
Asymptotic Behavior of Continuous‐Time Markov Chains

This article summarizes the theoretical foundations for analyzing the asymptotic behavior of continuous-time Markov chains. We first introduce several concepts for classifying the states of a continuous-time Markov chain. These concepts include irreducibility, recurrence, and transience. Then, we describe how to compute the limiting distribution of a continuous-time Markov chain. Keywords: continuous-time Markov chains; discrete-time Markov chains; asymptotic behavior; balance equation; reducible Markov chains; irreducible Markov chains
INVARIANTS OF MEASURE AND CATEGORY

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss various results concerning the relationship between measure and category. The focus is on set-theoretic properties of the associated ideals, particularly, their cardinal characteristics. The key notion is the Tukey reducibility which compares partial orders with respect to their cofinality type. We define small sets of reals associated with cardinal invariants and discuss their properties. We present a number of ZFC results and forcing-like constructions of various small sets of reals assuming continuum hypothesis. We also present a proof of the result of Shelah that the smallest cardinality of a family of Lebesgue measure zero sets covering the real line may have countable cofinality.
Carbon-fluorine bond cleavage. II. Studies on the mechanism of the defluorination of fluoroacetate.

Abstract Studies on the mechanism of the reaction XCH2COO- + OH- → X- + HOCH2COO- (where X = F, Cl, and I) catalyzed by the enzyme haloacetate halidohydrolase indicate that the hydroxyl group of glycolate is derived from water. No evidence can be obtained for the reversibility of the dehalogenation. In addition, the exchanges between glycolate and H218O and between chloroacetate and 36Cl- are not catalyzed by the enzyme.
Wave propagation in beryllium single crystals

Transmitted wave profiles are presented for beryllium single-crystals that were shock loaded along several crystallographic directions to activate selectively each of the primary, secondary and tertiary slip systems. A definite elastic precursor with a risetime of a few nanoseconds was exhibited by each shock-loaded single crystal, independent of orientation. For single crystals impacted along directions such that secondary and tertiary slip systems were activated, elastic precursor spikes followed by regions of stress relaxation were observed. The phenomenon of multiple plastic wave propagation was observed in a crystal shock loaded along an axis of nonsymmetry.
Carbon Monoxide and Clocks

Several gaseous molecules, including nitric oxide and carbon monoxide (CO), are important neurotransmitters. In their Perspective, [Boehning and Snyder][1] comment on new work ([Dioum][2] et al .) that reveals another important activity for CO, that of modulator of the transcription factor NPAS2, a crucial component of the circadian clock. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/298/5602/2339 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/298/5602/2385
A New Temperature Scale for B Stars Based on OAO-2 Data

The empirical temperature scale of Code, Davis, Bless, and Hanbury Brown has been recalibrated in terms of an ultraviolet color derived from OAO-2 photometry, and mean temperatures have been computed for MK spectral types from O9 to A0. The dereddened color (1910–V)o was chosen as a temperature indicator because it is not strongly affected by lines or continuum edges. This parameter was computed for 16 stars with spectral types earlier than A2, luminosity classes III–V, and normal spectra, whose temperatures had been measured by Code et al. Plotting θeff against (1910–V)o’ we obtained the relation θeff = 0.111 (1910–V)o + 0.565. Next, the quantity (1910–V)o was computed for over 150 stars in the same spectral-type range whicn had been observed by OAO-2, and a mean value was obtained for each spectral type. (Class III stars were excluded for types B5 and later because they were found to be systematically redder than classes IV and V — possibly an evolutionary effect.) Finally, the mean values of (1910–V)o were converted to effective temperatures using the formula given above. The resulting temperature scale is in good agreement with the scales of Morton and Adams, Schild, Peterson and Oke, and Code et al. for types B3 and later, but between types B0.5 and B2 the new scale and the Code scale are significantly hotter than the others.
The Empirical Foundations of Teledermatology: A Review of the Research Evidence

Abstract Introduction: This article presents the scientific evidence for the merit of telemedicine interventions in the diagnosis and management of skin disorders (teledermatology) in the published literature. The impetus for this work derives from the high prevalence of skin disorders, the high cost, the limited availability of dermatologists in certain areas, and the promise of teledermatology to address unmet needs in this area. Materials and Methods: The findings are based on a targeted review of scientific studies published from January 2005 through April 2015. The initial search yielded some 5,020 articles in Google Scholar and 428 in PubMed. A review of the abstracts yielded 71 publications that met the inclusion criteria for this analysis. Evidence is organized according to the following: feasibility and acceptance; intermediate outcomes (use of service, compliance, and diagnostic and treatment concordance and accuracy); outcomes (health improvement and problem resolution); and cost savings. A spe...
Nonuniform fluids in the grand canonical ensemble

Nonuniform simple classical fluids are considered quite generally. The grand canonical ensemble is particularly suitable, conceptually, in the leading approximation of local thermodynamics, which figuratively divides the system into approximately uniform spatial subsystems. The procedure is reviewed by which this approach is systematically corrected for slowly varying density profiles, and a model is suggested that carries the correction into the domain of local fluctuations. The latter is assessed for substrate bounded fluids, as well as for two-phase interfaces. The peculiarities of the grand ensemble in a two-phase region stem from the inherent very large number fluctuations. A primitive model shows how these are quenched in the canonical ensemble. This is taken advantage of by applying the Kac-Siegert representation of the van der Waals decomposition with petit canonical corrections, to the two-phase regime.
Eight polymorphic microsatellite loci developed and characterized from Townsend's big‐eared bat, Corynorhinus townsendii

Two of the five subspecies of the western big-eared bat, Corynorhinus townsendii, are listed as federally endangered with the remaining three being of conservation concern. Knowing the degree of connectivity among populations would aid in the establishment of sound conservation and management plans for this taxon. For this purpose, we have developed and characterized eight polymorphic microsatellite markers.
Dynamics of a gravitationally loaded chain of elastic beads

Elastic beads repel in a highly nonlinear fashion, as described by Hertz law, when they are compressed against one another. Vertical stacking results in significant compressions of beads at finite distances from the surface of the stack due to gravity. Analytic studies that have been reported in the literature assume acoustic excitations upon weak perturbation [J. Hong et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 3058 (1999)] and soliton-like excitations upon strong perturbation [V. Nesterenko, J. Appl. Mech. Tech. Phys. 5, 733 (1983); S. Sen and M. Manciu, Physica A 268, 644 (1999)]. The present study probes the position, velocity and acceleration and selected two-point temporal correlations and their power spectra for individual beads for cases in which the system has been (i) weakly, (ii) strongly, and (iii) moderately perturbed at the surface in the sense specified in the text. Our studies reveal the existence of distinctly different dynamical behavior of the tagged beads, in contrast to conventional acoustic response, as the strength of the perturbation is varied at fixed gravitational loading. We also comment on the effects of polydispersity on system dynamics and probe the relaxation of isolated light and heavy beads in the chain. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics.
Patterns of Airflow in Circular Tubes Caused by a Corona Jet With Concentric and Eccentric Wire Electrodes

A computational investigation is conducted to study the patterns of airflow induced by corona discharge in the cross section of a circular tube. The secondary flow induced by corona wind in various flow passages has been the subject of numerous investigations. The flow patterns are often identified by multiple recirculation bubbles. Such flow patterns have also been anticipated for circular cross sections where the corona discharge is activated by an electrode situated at the center of the cross section. In this investigation, it is shown that, contrary to public perception, a symmetric corona discharge does not generate a secondary flow in circular cross sections. This investigation then proceeds to demonstrate that the flow responsible for thermal enhancements in circular tubes often reported in the published literature is induced only when there is a slight asymmetry in the position of the electrode. The present computations are performed in two parts. In part one, the electric field equations are solved using the method of characteristics. In part two, the flow equations are solved using a finite-volume method. It is shown that the method of characteristics effectively eliminates the dispersion errors observed in other numerical solutions. The present computations show that the flow in the eccentric configuration is characterized by a corona jet that is oriented along the eccentricity direction and two recirculation zones situated on either sides of the jet. In addition to the computational approach, a number of analytical solutions are presented and compared with the computational results.
Should studies of patients undergoing coronary angiography be used to evaluate the role of behavioral risk factors for coronary heart disease

Several studies have attempted to assess the contribution of behavioral factors to coronary heart disease by relating the Type A behavior pattern to the extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients undergoing coronary angiography. Although the earlier studies gave positive results, more recent results have been negative; overall the results are confusing. These differences cannot be easily explained by differences in study design. Possible confounding factors which may limit the usefulness of such studies include biased subject selection (approximately 70% of subjects were classified as Type A, and 70% had CAD) and the effects of beta blockers. Furthermore, other studies of similar design which have attempted to relate the three major risk factors to CAD have also yielded conflicting results: an association has been demonstrated consistently with cholesterol, less consistently with smoking, and not at all with hypertension. It is argued that such studies are not well suited to investigating relationships between behavioral factors and coronary heart disease.