cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early Nociceptive Events Influence the Temporal Profile, but not the Magnitude, of the Tonic Response to Subcutaneous Formalin: Effects with Remifentanil

Injection of dilute formalin into the hindpaw produces brief (phase 1) and persistent (phase 2) nociceptive responses in the rat. We recently reported that ongoing peripheral nerve input is required for the expression of behavioral and cardiovascular responses during phase 2. Here we evaluated the contribution of central and peripheral sensitization mechanisms, generated during phase 1, to the magnitude and temporal profile of phase 2. During phase 1, we administered analgesic doses of an ultrashort-acting opioid, remifentanil (i.v. administration from 0-5 min after 5.0% formalin injection), or anesthetic concentrations of halothane (2.1%). Inhibition of phase 1 did not reduce the magnitude of flinching and cardiovascular responses during phase 2, but it did delay their onset and/or termination. Longer remifentanil infusions (0-15 or 0-30 min) produced even longer delays (up to 30 min) in the onset and termination of flinching during phase 2; however, when remifentanil was administered during the early part of phase 2 (15-30 or 15-45 min), it did not prolong the time to termination of phase 2. Continuous infusion (10 mg/kg/hr i.v.) of a peripherally acting opiate antagonist, naloxone methiodide, did not reduce the antinociception produced by remifentanil during phase 1 but almost completely reversed the delay in the onset and termination of phase 2. We conclude that central sensitization mechanisms during phase 1 do not influence the magnitude of phase 2. We also hypothesize that remifentanil interacts with peripheral opioid receptors to impede the formalin-evoked synthesis and/or release of proinflammatory compounds during phase 1 and thus delay phase 2.
In Vitro Generation of Highly-Purified Functional Invariant NKT Cells: A Strategy for Immunotherapy in Multiple Myeloma.

Invariant NKT (iNKT) cells are characterized by the expression of invariant T-cell receptor encoded by Vα24-JαQ and NK receptors. iNKT cells recognize glycolipid antigens with CD1d restriction, and play an important immunoregulatory role in innate immunity. Through the production of IFN-γ, iNKT cells can contribute to immune surveillance in malignancy. However, in progressive multiple myeloma (MM), as well as in other advanced cancers, iNKT cells have a marked deficiency of ligand-dependent IFN-γ production. Thus, the development of effective iNKT cells is a novel strategy for the immunotherapy of MM. In this study, we report the establishment of highly purified primary iNKT cell lines from healthy donors and MM patients. iNKT cells derived from peripheral blood or bone marrow mononuclear cells were enriched with anti-TCRVα 24 mAb or anti-6B11 mAb and further expanded by several rounds of stimulation with α-GalCer-loaded dendritic cells. Phenotype analysis confirmed 95% purity in expanded iNKT cell lines. No significant phenotypic difference was observed in iNKT cells between healthy donors and MM patients. Most of iNKT cell lines are CD4+ cell lines (CD4 + cells > 90%, with less than 2% were CD8 + cells). Majority of iNKT cells expressed CD161 and CD28, whereas CD56 expression was at very low level. Following anti-CD3 or α-GalCer-loaded dendritic cells stimulation, iNKT cells showed strong proliferative activity as measured by 3 H-TdR incorporation assay. These cells expressed high level of CD25 and produced high levels of IFN-γ as well as IL-2 as measured by ELISA assay. These results provide the preclinical feasibility of producing large volume of highly-enriched functional iNKT cells from myeloma patients and rationale to clinically evaluate the efficacy of adoptive transfer of iNKT cells in MM. Based on these results a clinical study is under development.
Presence of Virulence-Associated Genes and Ability to Form Biofilm among Clinical Isolates of Escherichia coli Causing Urinary Infection in Domestic Animals

Background: Urinary tract infection caused by Escherichia coli is a frequently observed condition both in humans and animals. Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) has been shown to have a pathogenicity island that enables them to infect the urinary tract. Because there is little information about the presence of UPEC-associated virulent genes in animal isolates this work was carried out with the intent to enhance the understanding about the strains of E.coli that cause infections in animals. Results: We screened 21 E. coli strains isolated causing urinary tract infection in domestic animals. Primers were designed to amplify urinary infection-associated genes. Nine genes, papA, tcpC, fyuA, tpbA, Lma, hylA, picU, tonB, and flicC were then amplified and sequenced. Different from the human isolate CFT073, all the animals E. coli lack some of the pathogenesis-associated genes. Genes encoding for proteins used to scavenge iron appear not to be so necessary during animal infections as they are in human infection. In further investigation of phenotypic properties, it was observed that animal UPECs have significantly more impaired ability to form biofilms than human UPEC strain. Conclusions: This study identified significant differences between human and animal UPECs. This may have its roots in the fact that it is difficult to determine if an animal has symptoms. Future studies will focus on some of the observations.
The Consciously Rejected Child: Legal and Social Issues

With increasing frequency, we are observing the phenomenon of the parentally abandoned or rejected child. This can in large measure be attributed to several social/historical developments in American society (Crandall and Grossberg, 1978). Important factors contributing to the phenomenon include the much publicized "breakdown" of traditional family structures; increasing divorce rates; the urbanization of the American population, which creates a cloak of social anonymity; and the establishment of a state/federal welfare bureaucracy, which in part supplants the caretaking functions traditionally carried out by parents. Children who become the victims of parental abandonment find themselves in circumstances in which they come to the attention of an remain, at least for a time, the responsiblity of the legal system and the mental health professions. The interaction of these two institutions, with their overlapping obligations of responsibility toward protecting children, often creates its own problems. Problems arise in part from the somewhat different "interests" of children whom the legal and mental health professions seek to protect and in part from a lack of mutual understanding and knowledge concerning the respective goals, duties, and professional obligations of the two professions. By becoming familiar with the complexity of legal issues which surround the topic of intrafamily relationships in general and parental rights in particular, the psychiatric practitioner can anticipate certain problems which might occur during the course of treatment and can in some instances specify conditions or introduce safeguards in order to minimize the impact of legal intrusions upon the treatment program. The following discussion is designed to help the practitioner to achieve these goals. Language: en
The MidSouth Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Society

RP-68 MCBIOS is a regional bioinformatics society founded in 2002. Its mission is to foster networking and collaboration, and promote the professional development of its members with a strong orientation toward supporting our students. We seek to: 1) Advance the understanding of bioinformatics and computational biology; 2) Bring together scientists of various backgrounds and disciplines; 3) Facilitate the collaboration of researchers with similar or complementary backgrounds to solve biological, health, and/or medical problems; 4) Promote education in bioinformatics and computational biology; 5) Inform the general public on the results and implications of current research in bioinformatics and computational biology; and 6) Promote other activities that will contribute to the development of bioinformatics and computational biology. While centered in a region encompassing Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, western Tennessee, and eastern Texas, attendees at our annual conferences come from close to half the states in the US. These conferences are held early in the Spring semester and feature well-known keynote speakers. For more information, please visit www.MCBIOS.org and a related article on “Regional Societies: Fostering Competitive Research Through Virtual Infrastructures” at http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.0020372.
Programmable DNA Nanoswitches for Detection of Nucleic Acid Sequences

Detection of nucleic acid sequences is important for applications such as medicine and forensics, but many detection strategies involve multiple time-consuming steps or require expensive lab equipment. Here we report a programmable DNA nanoswitch that undergoes a predefined conformational change upon binding a target sequence, flipping the switch from a linear “off” state to a looped “on” state. The presence of the target sequence is determined without amplification using standard gel electrophoresis to separate the on and off states. We characterized the nanoswitch on a variety of DNA sequences and fragment lengths, showing detection of fragments as short as 20-nt, and sensitivity into the low picomolar range. Specificity and robustness were demonstrated by detection of a single target sequence from both a randomized pool of high concentration oligonucleotides and from a solution of fetal bovine serum (FBS), with no false positive detection in either case. Furthermore, we optimized the process to take le...
Examination of the dynamic interplay between posttraumatic stress symptoms and alcohol misuse among combat-exposed Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Veterans.

Abstract Background Although alcohol misuse co-occurs with PTSD symptoms at a strikingly high rate (i.e., nearly 52% of men and 28% of women with PTSD also meet diagnostic criteria for an Alcohol Use Disorder), the functional associations between these symptom types remain unclear. Methods The current study sought to clarify the nature of posttraumatic stress-alcohol misuse relations by employing a prospective longitudinal methodology-the latent difference score approach-to examine dynamic change in posttraumatic stress symptoms and alcohol misuse among 478 combat-exposed Veterans completing a longitudinal survey of post-deployment mental and physical health. This study builds on the existing literature, as most prior research has been limited to cross-sectional studies and has not explored prospective relations between specific PTSD symptom clusters and alcohol misuse. Results Consistent with the self-medication model, results indicated that PTSD symptoms demonstrate a prospective and proximal association with alcohol misuse during the assessment period; however, alcohol misuse did not appear to be a unique contributor to overall PTSD symptom exacerbation over time. Examination of individual PTSD symptom clusters revealed that more severe symptoms of intrusion and numbing, but not avoidance and hyperarousal, predicted greater alcohol misuse at subsequent time intervals. Limitations The constructs examined within this investigation relied on self-report data; diagnostic criteria for PTSD and/or Alcohol Use Disorders were not assessed. Future work may benefit from replicating these findings in clinical populations formally diagnosed with PTSD via clinician-administered structured interviews. Conclusions Findings underscore the importance of addressing PTSD symptoms in the context of alcohol treatment to facilitate improved drinking outcomes.
Escaping the corporate net: Pragmatics of small boat direct marketing in the U.S. Salmon fishing industry of the Northeastern pacific

Abstract This article considers corporate power in the fishing industry of southeast Alaska and Puget Sound, Washington State, USA, as experienced by direct marketing salmon gillnet fishermen. Tracing the evolution of a small family-based fish business, this paper examines survival strategies of independent fishermen in a context of concentrated corporate power. Topics addressed include corporate domination of the fishing industry, “niche” alternatives to the commodity system, alliance with the farmers’ market movement, obstacles to direct sales and the critical role of family participation.
Emptying of the Uterovaginal Sperm Storage Glands in the Absence of Ovulation and Oviposition in the Domestic Hen

Domestic hens were treated with pregnant mare serum to study the temporal pattern of sperm gland emptying in the absence of ovulation and oviposition. After a cessation of ovulation and oviposition, the hens were artificially inseminated with .034 ml of pooled semen. Subsequent histological examination of the uterovaginal sperm glands on days 1, 6, and 12 post-insemination indicated that the temporal rate of sperm-gland emptying was not significantly different from that of control birds which were laying normally. This observation suggests that ovulation and oviposition, along with their assoicated humoral factors, have a minimal effect on the emptying of the uterovaginal sperm storage glands.
Study on Matching Relation Between Material Properties and Thickness of Base Metals in Tailor-welded Blank

The change law of integrated strength ratio of Tailor-Welded Blank(TWB) with the matching relation between material properties of base metals and its thickness was analyzed theoretically based on the research of constitutive relation equations in plane stress state and the integrated strength ratio of TWB.The simulation work was conducted with the aim to study the change law of the bugle forming limit of TWB with the matching relation between the material properties and its thickness of base metals with the verified numerical model,and the non-uniform deformation was analyzed under different matching conditions.The results indicate that rational matching of initial blank thickness and material properties can reduce the integrated strength ratio of TWB,decrease the deformation non-uniformity during the forming process,and thus improve its stamping formability.This could provide certain theoretical basis for the part design and also provide advantage for the quality improvement of TWB parts.
Hypertension Prevalence for Working Population in Several Provinces in China

Objective: To investigate the hypertension prevalence for working population in 8 provinces including Shandong and Hunan, in order to better control the hypertension in China.Methods: A total of 17 517 employees from 21 worksites in 8 provinces were investigated by questionnaire survey for their gender, age, education, occupation and the history of disease. Their blood pressures were measured by mercury sphygmomanometers. The hypertension was defined according to 2010 Chinese guidelines as systolic blood pressure(SBP) ≥140 mmHg and DBP≥90 mmHg or currently taking anti-hypertension medication. The statistical analysis was conducted by SAS9.2 software.Results: There were 63.3% of participants with male gender and the mean age at(40.4 ± 9.0) years. The average SBP in male and female were(129.6 ± 16.2) mmHg and(120.3 ± 16.2) mmHg, DBP(81.5 ± 11.2) mmHg and(74.0 ± 10.4) mmHg respectively. There were 25.2% of participants with hypertension after standardization and 44.2% with high normal BP after standardization. The prevalence showed a rising trend with the increased age, P0.001. The hypertension prevalence in male was higher than that in female as 30.3% vs. 14.9%, P0.001. The hypertension prevalence was related to the type of occupation, P0.001 the worker group was the highest(28.4%), The prevalence was higher in east region(31.7%) and the population with higher education had the lower prevalence(20.9%).Conclusion: The ideal blood pressure in working population was less than 1/3 in china, the prevalence related to theoccupation and educafion.
Clouds for Hit-and-Run Wireless Attacks

Most cloud security research focuses on its protection from security threats. In this paper, we studied how to use cloud infrastructure to carry out Hit-and-Run type of attacks to a wireless networks. We demonstrate how to use cloud to gain access and control to routers while hiding attacker identities. We illustrate such an attack on a private wireless network using a cloud virtual environment. Besides identifying the vulnerabilities of wireless routers, we studied the damages can be done through such attacks and propose some solutions to detect and protect against this kind of hit-and-run attacks.
Effects of Synthesis Parameters on CVD Molybdenum Disulfide Growth

Since the isolation of graphene, a monolayer of sp2-bonded carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, two-dimensional (2D) layered materials have attracted a great deal of attention due to their outstanding mechanical, optical and electronic properties. The research areas of interest for these new materials include exploring their novel properties, developing scalable approaches to synthesize these materials, and integrating them into a new generation of nanodevices. The utilization of 2D materials in devices has many advantages, which includes scaled materials to the limit of atomic-scale membranes, and the potential to form device structures on flexible and transparent substrates, among others. Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) monolayers in particular, have received increasing attention in recent years, especially molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), which is one of the most well explored semiconducting materials in the 2D materials system. In this work we present the synthesis of MoS2 using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), where we have varied the synthesis parameters and compared the structure and quality of the CVD synthesized MoS2. At the same time, we have compared the characteristics with those obtained for mechanically exfoliated flakes from the bulk MoS2 crystal. The MoS2 quality has been analyzed using Raman spectroscopy.
The Pragmatic Case Study in Psychotherapy: A Mixed Methods Approach Informed by Psychology’s Striving for Methodological Quality

At least as far back as Plato and Aristotle, psychology began as a stepchild of philosophy. The establishment by Wilhelm Wundt in 1879 of the first formal psychological laboratory focused on studying psychophysiological phenomena was psychology’s declaration of independence as a discipline. By positioning itself as the application of natural-science-based, empirical methods involving quantitative, group-based approaches to psychological topics, the discipline consolidated its independence and its societal status and clout. This paper first summarizes these developments, to highlight the causes of psychology’s historical resistance to qualitative case studies, and to qualitative research generally. I then briefly review three movements that have stimulated psychology to slowly but surely embrace qualitative case study research, with the addition of complementary, quantitative data: the rise of postmodern philosophy, the related “cognitive revolution” in psychology, and the “mixed methods” model of research in the social sciences that synergistically combines qualitative and quantitative methods. The result of this embrace, in the context of psychology’s established science-oriented identity, has been for psychology to add quality-of-knowledge guidelines for elevating the yield of case study knowledge. This result is illustrated by three examples: Kazdin’s (J Consult Clin Psychol 49:183–192, 1981) strategies for reducing threats to the validity of conclusions from case studies; Elliott, Fischer, and Rennie’s (Br J Clin Psychol 38:215–229, 1999) development of methodological standards for both quantitative and qualitative research; and my own work in developing the Pragmatic Case Study (PCS), which particularly reflects three of the recent trends in psychology: pluralism, pragmatism, and the mixed methods approach. Comparisons between organized social work’s and organized psychology’s approach to psychotherapy training and research is noted, with the two fields starting off in opposite directions and recently coming together.
Barriers and Facilitators to Deaf Trauma Survivors’ Help-Seeking Behavior: Lessons for Behavioral Clinical Trials Research

Deaf individuals experience significant obstacles to participating in behavioral health research when careful consideration is not given to accessibility during the design of study methodology. To inform such considerations, we conducted an exploratory secondary analysis of a mixed-methods study that originally explored 16 Deaf trauma survivors' help-seeking experiences. Our objective was to identify key findings and qualitative themes from consumers' own words that could be applied to the design of behavioral clinical trials methodology. In many ways, the themes that emerged were not wholly dissimilar from the general preferences of members of other sociolinguistic minority groups-a need for communication access, empathy, respect, strict confidentiality procedures, trust, and transparency of the research process. Yet, how these themes are applied to the inclusion of Deaf research participants is distinct from any other sociolinguistic minority population, given Deaf people's unique sensory and linguistic characteristics. We summarize our findings in a preliminary "Checklist for Designing Deaf Behavioral Clinical Trials" to operationalize the steps researchers can take to apply Deaf-friendly approaches in their empirical work.
Pain and Fear Ratings ☆: Clinical Implications of Age and Gender Differences

Abstract The study investigated the relationships among children's self-report of anticipatory pain and fear, physiological measures of distress, and previous medical experience in 62 outpatients during allergy skin testing. Younger (aged 3–7 years) and older (aged 8–12 years) children reported similar amounts of pain and fear. Girls reported more pain than boys. Older children and boys provided differential pain and fear ratings compared with younger children and girls. Younger children's self-report of distress was not related to any physiological measures, but older children's report of fear was significantly related to blood pressure. In girls, positive medical experience was correlated with less pain. The implications of these findings for the clinical measurement and intervention of children's distress during painful medical procedures are discussed.
Managing Feedstock Supply Risk for the Development of a US Stover Biofuel Industry

Feedstock supply risk is one of the key concerns limiting cellulosic biofuel expansion. We use an economic model of corn stover-based ethanol production to investigate strategies to manage stover supply uncertainty, including three contract arrangements that vary according to risk-sharing between the processor and farmers. Applying this model to corn stover-based ethanol in the USA, we find that a greater quantity of biofuel is supplied at lower cost under right-of-access contracts than a delivered quantity contract. The processor can manage some of the risk borne under the right-of-access contracts by contracting excess acreage and, if available, by purchasing deficit stover from a spot market. Contracting excess acreage increases the expected biofuel cost but results in lower uncertainty surrounding cellulosic biofuel supply. A biomass spot market provides a source of biomass during low yielding years, but can also create competition for the processor as an alternative outlet for farmers to supply stover under favorable spot market prices. In general, farmers’ contract preferences are responsive to the basic structure of incentives, which could provide flexibility to processors as the industry develops and market uncertainties change.
Construction of the DEF-ring system of nogalamycin and menogaril via an efficient Suzuki-Miyaura reaction

Abstract A new approach to the total synthesis of anthracycline natural products, nogalamycin and menogaril, was explored. The goal was to enable late-stage introduction of the EF-ring segment. The new synthetic route has been developed through strategic application of a Suzuki-Miyaura reaction as the key step, which coupled the EF-ring segment with the D- ring to give a 1,1′-disubsitituted alkene in good yield under biphasic conditions. Further manipulation of the coupling product completed the construction of the DEF-ring system.
Genomic diagnostics within a medically underserved population: efficacy and implications.

We integrated whole-exome sequencing (WES) and chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) into a clinical workflow to serve an endogamous, uninsured, agrarian community. Seventy-nine probands (newborn to 49.8 years) who presented between 1998 and 2015 remained undiagnosed after biochemical and molecular investigations. We generated WES data for probands and family members and vetted variants through rephenotyping, segregation analyses, and population studies. The most common presentation was neurological disease (64%). Seven (9%) probands were diagnosed by CMA. Family WES data were informative for 37 (51%) of the 72 remaining individuals, yielding a specific genetic diagnosis (n = 32) or revealing a novel molecular etiology (n = 5). For five (7%) additional subjects, negative WES decreased the likelihood of genetic disease. Compared to trio analysis, “family” WES (average seven exomes per proband) reduced filtered candidate variants from 22 ± 6 to 5 ± 3 per proband. Nineteen (51%) alleles were de novo and 17 (46%) inherited; the latter added to a population-based diagnostic panel. We found actionable secondary variants in 21 (4.2%) of 502 subjects, all of whom opted to be informed. CMA and family-based WES streamline and economize diagnosis of rare genetic disorders, accelerate novel gene discovery, and create new opportunities for community-based screening and prevention in underserved populations.
The spectrum of sickle hemoglobin-related nephropathy: from sickle cell disease to sickle trait.

Introduction: Renal dysfunction is among the most common complication of sickle cell disease (SCD), from hyposthenuria in children to progression to overt chronic kidney disease (CKD) in young adul...
Abdominal obesity adversely affects bone mass in children.

Aim To determine the effect of childhood obesity and insulin resistance on bone health. Methods We conducted a cross sectional study in pubertal adolescents and young adults 13-20 years old who were either overweight/obese or normal weight. Participants were Tanner 3 or above for pubertal stage, and had fasting blood work done to measure glucose, insulin, C-reactive protein and lipid levels. Homeostatic model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated using the formula (Fasting Blood Glucose *Insulin/405). Body composition and bone mineral density were measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA; Hologic QDR 4500, Waltham, MA, United Kingdom). Results Percent trunk fat was associated inversely with whole body bone mineral content (BMC), whereas HOMA-IR was associated positively with whole body BMC. Conclusion Our results suggest that abdominal adiposity may have an adverse effect on whole body bone parameters and that this effect is not mediated by insulin resistance.
Acute Renal Failure as a Complication of Maxillofacial Surgery

Acute kidney injury continues to remain one of the most common yet serious complications of surgical patients. Despite having multiple definitions and criteria for diagnosing acute kidney injury along with introduction of new novel markers, acute kidney injury continues to be underdiagnosed, and the prevalence continues to rise. Patients who develop acute kidney injury or even small rises in serum creatinine have an increased risk of morbidity, mortality, and prolonged hospitalization. Medical therapies remain limited, and there are few advances in care and treatment. The cornerstone of therapy remains early recognition of preventable risk factors, early detection of renal pathology, and early consultative care with a nephrologist and targeted therapy to prevent further progression of kidney disease and promote renal recovery.
Incorporating macroinvertebrate biological structures into gravel-bedded stream fluid dynamics using 3D CFD modelling

Abstract In gravel-bedded streams and rivers, silk nets of hydropsychid caddisfly larvae (Trichoptera:Hydropsychidae) can increase the critical shear stress, τ∗c, required for sediment particle motion, reduce bedload flux, and provide a low flow refuge for other organisms. However, there is still a limited understanding of the mechanisms that regulate how biological silk structures might influence near-bed fluid dynamics. Part of the challenge in identifying both the per capita and population level influences of caddisfly silk nets lies in the difficulty of modelling such fine-scale and detailed architecture of the structures. Here, we use a 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model to evaluate the impact of silk nets on shear stress and pore space velocity by varying silk net aerial density within a modelled gravel bedded stream where the silk nets are simulated as small rigid bodies of realistic distribution, geometry, and orientation. The model revealed that silk net densities of 330 and 735 nets/m2 reduce the average shear stresses by an average 6.0% and 11.6%, respectively, over a range of inflow velocities. Silk nets also result in near-bed flows close to 0 m/s by reducing velocity by up to 60%. Our research sheds light on the important influence of small but numerous aquatic animals on water flow paths and highlights the significance of adding biological complexity into water flow models in lotic ecosystems to improve erosion models that may be used in river channel and riparian habitat design.
Using glycolysis enzyme sequences to inform Lactobacillus phylogeny

The genus Lactobacillus encompasses a diversity of species that occur widely in nature and encode a plethora of metabolic pathways reflecting their adaptation to various ecological niches, including humans, animals, plants and food products. Accordingly, their functional attributes have been exploited industrially and several strains are commonly formulated as probiotics or starter cultures in the food industry. Although divergent evolutionary processes have yielded the acquisition and evolution of specialized functionalities, all Lactobacillus species share a small set of core metabolic properties, including the glycolysis pathway. Thus, the sequences of glycolytic enzymes afford a means to establish phylogenetic groups with the potential to discern species that are too closely related from a 16S rRNA standpoint. Here, we identified and extracted glycolysis enzyme sequences from 52 species, and carried out individual and concatenated phylogenetic analyses. We show that a glycolysis-based phylogenetic tree can robustly segregate lactobacilli into distinct clusters and discern very closely related species. We also compare and contrast evolutionary patterns with genome-wide features and transcriptomic patterns, reflecting genomic drift trends. Overall, results suggest that glycolytic enzymes provide valuable phylogenetic insights and may constitute practical targets for evolutionary studies.
Science Education in and for Turbulent Times

Scientific literacy can be related to ways in which citizens solve problems as they endeavor to meet their goals in everyday life. I examine science from a sociocultural perspective in which people use science as they participate in various activities in their day-to-day lives. I examine the goals for science education and argue for their expansion to include continuous learning of science across the lifespan and goals that connect explicitly to health, politics, well-being, and intellectual growth. If science education is to break free from the current emphasis on canonical science and pre-K-12 curricula it may be necessary to rethink ways in which priorities for reform are formulated. Science educators are well placed to change the focus of science education to incorporate goals related to sustainability, mindfulness, and well-being of a global citizenry.
Justice and the Defective Newborn

Neonatology, the care of the critically ill newborn, is a new subspecialty of pediatrics. The first examination to certify specialists in neonatology was held in 1975. Even before this formal recognition of the specialty, ominous ethical clouds were gathering around it. Two years before, pediatricians Raymond Duff and A. G. M. Campbell reported that, in their newborn intensive care nursery, treatment was deliberately discontinued for some infants “with the knowledge that earlier death and relief from suffering would occur” ([3], p. 891). In the same year, a film, produced by the Kennedy Foundation, dramatized a case which had taken place ten years earlier: a newborn infant, suffering from Down’s Syndrome, was allowed to die after its parents refused permission for life-saving surgery [8]. A quiet debate over the treatment of infants born with spina bifida had been going on during the previous decade and then broke into public view [6]. All this caught the attention of philosophers and theologians interested in the ethics of medicine, who then poured out a flood of literature on ethical issues in care of the defective newborn.
Mechanisms of M. tuberculosis Immune Evasion as Challenges to TB Vaccine Design.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a large global health problem, in part because of the long period of coevolution of the pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and its human host. A major factor that sustains the global epidemic of TB is the lack of a sufficiently effective vaccine. While basic mechanisms of immunity that protect against TB have been identified, attempts to improve immunity to TB by vaccination have been disappointing. This Review discusses the mechanisms used by M. tuberculosis to evade innate and adaptive immunity and that likely limit the efficacy of vaccines developed to date. Despite multiple mechanisms of immune evasion, recent trials have indicated that effective TB vaccines remain an attainable goal. This Review discusses how knowledge from other systems can inform improvements on current vaccine approaches.
Tritium labeling of peptides and proteins. A review

Methods for tritium labeling of peptides and proteins by chemical synthesis, catalytic H-T exchange and radiation-induced labeling are discussed, and a mechanistic model for the labeling of peptides and proteins by microwave discharge activation of tritium gas is proposed.
Fabrizio Panebianco and Emanuele Serrelli, eds, Understanding Cultural Traits: A Multidisciplinary Perspective on Cultural Diversity

Fabrizio Panebianco and Emanuele Serrelli, eds, Understanding Cultural Traits: A Multidisciplinary Perspective on Cultural Diversity (Heidelberg, New York, Dordrecht and London: Springer, 2016). viii + 410 pp. ISBN 978-3-319-24347-4. €139.99 (hbk)/€118.99 (ebook).
Bridging commercialisation and redevelopment: Jurisdictions and university policy development:

Universities, as anchor institutions in regional entrepreneurial ecosystems, have embraced university business incubators (UBIs) as part of broader commercialisation programmes nurturing university...
Office for research and the collection of information (ORCI)

Abstract The Office for Research and the Collection of Information (ORCI) is a small unit in the political sector of the Offices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Its basic function is to provide early-warning as a vital element in the Secretary-General's preventative diplomacy and the exercise of his good offices, in accordance with Articles 98 and 99 of the UN Charter. ORCI is responsible for, among other things, gathering information, conducting research, assessing global trends, and bringing potential trouble spots and critical security situations to the attention of the Secretary-General.
Interaction of the lectin limulin with capsular polysaccharides from Neisseria meningitidis and Escherichia coli.

Abstract The lectin limulin from the serum of the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus binds to N -acetylneuraminic acid and 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate residues. These interactions were examined using capsular polysaccharides from strains of Neisseria meningitidis and Escherichia coli . Our findings indicate that limulin has greatest reactivity with homopolymers of N -acetylneuraminic acid as compared with heteropolymers of either sugar. Polysaccharides with α(2→9) ketosidic linkages were most efficient in precipitating this lectin. Finally, O -acetylated homopolymers of N -acetylneuraminic acid were more reactive than their O -acetyl-negative counterparts.
Authorizations in Cloud-Based Internet of Things: Current Trends and Use Cases

With the advancement of the Internet and technology, the Internet of Things (IoT) has gained significant momentum in recent years. There is rapid growth in the number of smart IoT devices and IoT applications. These devices and applications primarily gather, store, and share user data. However, the IoT devices have limited resources, such as storage, power, and computation. Cloud Computing enables IoT to leverage its unlimited capabilities, such as storage, computation, and analytics. Today, Cloud and IoT have become parallels and move together to form a Cloud-Enabled IoT architecture. This diverse and dynamic Cloud-IoT architecture, where IoT devices connect and disconnect on the fly and share data for analysis and computation with the Cloud raises many security and privacy concerns and broadens the attack surface. For example, in a government organization with high security and data privacy risk, there has to be a secure access control mechanism in place to ensure authorized access to data and resources. In this paper, we discuss the state-of-art of authorization mechanisms in Cloud- Enabled IoT architecture. We present two use cases – A Smart Home use case, and A Smart University Parking use case, to discuss various access control and authorization requirements in Cloud-Based IoT. We then propose an Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC), a flexible access control approach, to address these access control requirements in the Cloud-Based IoT architecture, mainly in the context of presented use cases.
One-pot enol silane formation-Mukaiyama aldol reactions: Crossed aldehyde-aldehyde coupling, thioester substrates, and reactions in ester solvents

Abstract Trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf) and a trialkylamine base promote both in situ enol silane/silyl ketene acetal formation and Mukaiyama aldol addition reactions between a variety of reaction partners in a single reaction flask. Isolation of the required enol silane or silyl ketene acetal is not necessary. For example, crossed aldol reactions between α-disubstituted aldehydes and non-enolizable aldehydes yield β-hydroxy aldehydes in good yield. In a related reaction, the common laboratory solvent ethyl acetate functions as both an enolate precursor and a green reaction solvent. When thioesters are employed as enolate precursors, high yields for additions to non-enolizable aldehydes are routinely observed.
MEDICARE IS THE LAST HOLDOUT: EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF MEDICARE POLICY ON OLDER ADULTS’ ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE

Medicare is the primary insurance provider for approximately 59 million Americans, and the number of beneficiaries is expected to surpass 80 million by 2030. Currently, Medicare regulations allow psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, and psychiatric nurses to provide mental health services. These providers were last updated in 1989 with passage of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989. Since that time, the mental health marketplace has changed dramatically, and Medicare beneficiaries are unable to access care from approximately 200,000 graduate-level mental health professionals with similar training to eligible Medicare providers. There is evidence that this Medicare mental health coverage gap (MMHCG) impacts both providers and beneficiaries. For example, some beneficiaries may begin treatment only to have services interrupted, or stopped altogether, once the provider is no longer able to be reimbursed by Medicare. We surveyed 6,550 members of the American Counseling Association, including 3,815 who identified themselves as practicing counselors. These individuals work in diverse contexts (e.g., community mental health agencies, private practice, and integrated care settings). Survey results indicated that a significant number of practicing counselors turn away or refer Medicare beneficiaries who seek mental health care due to the MMHCG. In-depth interviews were also completed with eight licensed mental health professionals who detailed the challenges they and their clients experienced. Participants perceived a discrepancy between Medicare’s intended aims to promote health and provider restrictions that were confusing and frustrating to navigate. Participants concluded that the MMHCG has a negative impact on older adult clients.
On Urban Event Tracking from Online Media: A Social Cognition Perspective

Modern online media, such as Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, democratized information broadcast, allowing anyone to offer content for large-scale dissemination. The resulting global accessibility of real-time information marked an unprecedented change in human history. It ushered-in an age of information overload and introduced fundamentally new content dissemination dynamics within a very short period of time compared to that necessary for our cognitive faculties to co-evolve. In the meantime, the public nature of offered information allows automated tools to observe not only what is being transmitted but also how it propagates. Actual diffusion of information is driven by recepients, who must individually prioritize what to consume and propagate in the face of mounting overload. The resulting propagation patterns offer insights into the collective cognitive choices made by the underlying population. Automated algorithms can harvest these insights to offer added value to the population at hand. One example is content curation (or recommendation) services that help users sift through increasingly larger amounts of information clutter to find the most relevant and interesting items. We argue that contemporary information distillation services that manage overload can lead to significant negative side-effects that may range from unintentional suppression of pertinent information to the undermining of the very foundations of modern democracy. This paper explains the mechanism by which these side effects occur and explores possible research directions surrounding the mitigation of such side effects, set in the context of urban event tracking applications.
Announcements, Expectations, and Stock Returns with Asymmetric Information

Revisions of consensus forecasts of macroeconomic variables positively predict announcement day forecast errors, whereas stock market returns on forecast revision days predict announcement day returns in the opposite direction. A dynamic noisy rational expectations model with periodic macroeconomic announcements quantitatively accounts for these findings. Under asymmetric information, average beliefs are not Bayesian: they underweight new information and positively predict subsequent belief errors. In addition, stock prices are partly driven by noise, and therefore negatively predict returns on announcement days when noise is revealed and the market corrects itself.
Usefulness of a Simulated Helicopter Transport Experience for Medical Resident Training.

Abstract Objective This study evaluated the usefulness of a medical transport simulation to increase residents’ understanding of medical transport. Methods Twenty-four medical residents participated in an intensive half-day medical transport simulation experience. Two questionnaires were administered, a pre/postsimulation questionnaire containing 11 questions that assessed the impact of the simulation training and a questionnaire that assessed realism of the flight simulator. Results There were statistically significant differences between the pre/postsimulation questions assessing perceived level of knowledge, experience, and training of transferring a patient in a helicopter with a mean change of 25 points on a 0 to 100 scale (P ≤ .001) and awareness of obstacles to treating patients during air transport exhibiting a mean change of 28 (P ≤ .001). The mean stress level for all participants increased from 32 (0-100 scale) before the start of the simulation to 47 during the simulation and decreased to 31 after the simulation (F2,46 = 20.67, P ≤ .001). Conclusion The findings from this study provide evidence that the air medical simulation experience increases residents’ perceived awareness of the context and difficulties of transferring a patient by helicopter and that the experience would influence their medical decision making in their future practice related to patient transfers.
Rapid implementation of Inpatient eConsult Programme addresses new challenges for patient care during COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction At the early epicentre of the COVID-19 crisis in the USA, our institution saw a surge in the demand for inpatient consultations for areas impacted by COVID-19 (eg, infectious diseases, nephrology, palliative care) and shortages in personal protective equipment (PPE). We aimed to provide timely specialist input for consult requests during the COVID-19 pandemic by implementing an Inpatient eConsult Programme. Methods We used the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance implementation science framework and run chart analysis to evaluate the reach, adoption and maintenance of the Inpatient eConsult Programme compared with traditional in-person consults. We solicited qualitative feedback from frontline physicians and specialists for programme improvements. Results During the study period, there were 46 available in-person consult orders and 21 new eConsult orders. At the peak of utilisation, 42% of all consult requests were eConsults, and by the end of the study period, utilisation fell to 20%. Qualitative feedback revealed subspecialties best suited for eConsults (infectious diseases, nephrology, haematology, endocrinology) and influenced improvements to the ordering workflow, documentation, billing and education regarding use. Discussion When offered inpatient eConsult requests as an alternative to in-person consults in the context of a surge in patients with COVID-19, frontline physicians used eConsult requests and decreased use of in-person consults. As the demand for consults decreased and PPE shortages were no longer a major concern, eConsult utilisation decreased, revealing a preference for in-person consultations when possible. Conclusions Lessons learnt can be used to develop and implement inpatient eConsults to meet context-specific challenges at other institutions.
Diminishing returns, increasing risks: Impact of antibiotic duration of therapy on respiratory bacterial isolates in hospitalized patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic

In 829 hospital encounters for patients with COVID-19, 73.2% included orders for antibiotics; however, only 1.8% had respiratory cultures during the first 3 hospital days isolating bacteria. Case–control analysis of 30 patients and 96 controls found that each antibiotic day increased the risk of isolating multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (MDR-GNB) in respiratory cultures by 6.5%.