cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The adipogenic transcriptional cofactor ZNF638 interacts with splicing regulators and influences alternative splicing

Increasing evidence indicates that transcription and alternative splicing are coordinated processes; however, our knowledge of specific factors implicated in both functions during the process of adipocyte differentiation is limited. We have previously demonstrated that the zinc finger protein ZNF638 plays a role as a transcriptional coregulator of adipocyte differentiation via induction of PPARγ in cooperation with CCAAT/enhancer binding proteins (C/EBPs). Here we provide new evidence that ZNF638 is localized in nuclear bodies enriched with splicing factors, and through biochemical purification of ZNF638's interacting proteins in adipocytes and mass spectrometry analysis, we show that ZNF638 interacts with splicing regulators. Functional analysis of the effects of ectopic ZNF638 expression on a minigene reporter demonstrated that ZNF638 is sufficient to promote alternative splicing, a function enhanced through its recruitment to the minigene promoter at C/EBP responsive elements via C/EBP proteins. Structure-function analysis revealed that the arginine/serine-rich motif and the C-terminal zinc finger domain required for speckle localization are necessary for the adipocyte differentiation function of ZNF638 and for the regulation of the levels of alternatively spliced isoforms of lipin1 and nuclear receptor co-repressor 1. Overall, our data demonstrate that ZNF638 participates in splicing decisions and that it may control adipogenesis through regulation of the relative amounts of differentiation-specific isoforms.
Soil organic carbon dynamics along a climatic gradient in a southern Appalachian spruce–fir forest

A field study was conducted in a high-elevation spruce–fir (Picea rubens Sarg. – Abies fraseri (Pursh.) Poir) forest in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to assess the effect of temperature on soil C storage and dynamics. In eight plots along an elevation gradient (1500–1900 m), we measured soil temperature, forest floor and mineral soil C, litter decomposition, soil respiration, and forest floor mean residence time. Mean annual soil temperature and annual degree-days above 5 °C were inversely correlated with elevation. Total soil C (166–241 Mg·ha–1) showed no trend with elevation, while forest floor C accumulation (16.3–35.9 Mg·ha–1) decreased significantly with elevation. Carbon dynamics did not follow a consistent elevation pattern; however, the cooler upper elevations showed the lowest C turnover as indicated by the lowest needle decomposition rate (k = 0.0231·year–1) and the longest mean residence time of forest floor C (22 years). Mean annual CO2 efflux from the soil (1020–1830 kg C·ha–1·year–...
Method of Measurement of Thermal Diffusivity to 1000°C

A non-steady-state method of measuring thermal diffusivity is described. The method has been used for measurements on glasses, ceramics, and refractories up to 1000°C with satisfactory results. The choice of a non-steady-state method permits simplification of the equipment and the specimen preparation required. In addition, only temperature differences, times, and specimen thickness need to be known. The temperature rise of a flat heating element and that of a heat sink in the medium are measured. For a given thickness and time, the diffusivity is a function of the ratio of the foregoing two temperatures. The applications and limitations of the method are discussed.
Assisted living in rural America: results from a national survey.

ABSTRACT: Context: Expanding the availability of long-term care (LTC) services and making them more responsive to consumer preferences is an important goal, particularly for elderly people living in rural areas who tend to be older and have greater functional limitations but less access to the range of LTC options available in metropolitan areas. One option that has been growing in popularity is assisted-living facilities (ALFs). Purpose and Methods: This paper describes rural ALFs and compares them with metropolitan ALFs. Data were collected using a multistage sample design that yielded a nationally representative sample of ALFs. Telephone interviews were completed with administrators of 1,251 ALFs in 1998. Findings: Nationwide, assisted living was largely administered by private payment, and there was an undersupply in rural areas. Compared with metropolitan ALFs, rural ALFs were smaller and less likely to offer the types of services and accommodations associated with the philosophy of assisted living. They were more likely to offer accommodations with little privacy, and while similar in the services they offered, rural ALFs were less likely to have nurses on staff, particularly licensed practical nurses. Moreover, they were less likely to offer a combination of high services and high privacy. Finally, rural ALFs charged lower prices than urban ALFs; however, the average price was still unaffordable for most elderly rural residents. Conclusions: These findings suggest that assisted living, as currently structured, will make only a marginal contribution to meeting the needs of frail elders in rural areas.
DO FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAMS DECREASE POVERTY? EVIDENCE FROM PUBLIC CENSUS DATA

This paper provides new evidence that family planning programs are associated with a decrease in the share of children and adults living in poverty. Our research design exploits the county roll-out of U.S. family planning programs in the late 1960s and early 1970s and examines their relationship with poverty rates in the short and longer-term in public census data. We find that cohorts born after federal family planning programs began were less likely to live in poverty in childhood and that these same cohorts were less likely to live in poverty as adults.
Biomechanical Evaluation of Scaphoid and Lunate Kinematics Following Selective Sectioning of Portions of the Scapholunate Interosseous Ligament

Purpose To determine the relative roles of the dorsal and volar portions of the scapholunate interosseous ligament (SLIL) in the stability of the scaphoid and lunate. Methods Sixteen fresh cadaver wrists were moved through physiological motions using a wrist joint simulator. Electromagnetic sensors measured the motion of the scaphoid and lunate. Data were collected with the wrist intact, after randomly sectioning the dorsal SLIL first (8 wrists) or the volar SLIL first (8 wrists), and after full ligamentous sectioning. Differences in the percent increase in scaphoid flexion or lunate extension were compared using a t test with significance set at P Results Sectioning the dorsal SLIL accounted for 37%, 72%, and 68% of the increase in scaphoid flexion in wrist flexion-extension, radioulnar deviation, and dart throw motion as compared with complete SLIL sectioning. Sectioning the volar SLIL accounted for only 7%, 6%, and 14%, respectively. In the same 3 motions, sectioning the dorsal SLIL accounted for 55%, 57%, and 58% of the increase in lunate extension, whereas volar SLIL sectioning accounted for 27%, 28%, and 22%. Conclusions The dorsal SLIL provides more stability to the scaphoid and lunate in biomechanical testing. The volar SLIL does provide some, although less, stability. Clinical relevance Although this study supports the critical importance of dorsal SLIL repairs or reconstructions, it also shows that there may be some value in implementing a volar SLIL repair or reconstruction.
Selenorhodamine Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Influence of Structure and Surface-Anchoring Mode on Aggregation, Persistence, and Photoelectrochemical Performance

A library of six selenorhodamine dyes (4-Se–9-Se) were synthesized, characterized, and evaluated as photosensitizers of TiO2 in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The dyes were constructed around either a bis(julolidyl)- or bis(half-julolidyl)-modified selenoxanthylium core functionalized at the 9-position with a thienyl group bearing a carboxylic, hydroxamic, or phosphonic acid for attachment to TiO2. Absorption bands of solvated dyes 4-Se–9-Se were red-shifted relative to the dimethylamino analogues. The dyes adsorbed to TiO2 as mixtures of monomeric and H-aggregated dyes, which exhibited broadened absorption spectra and increased light-harvesting efficiencies relative to the solvated monomeric dyes. Carboxylic acid-bearing dyes 4-Se and 7-Se initially exhibited the highest incident photon-to-current efficiencies (IPCEs) of 65–80% under monochromatic illumination, but the dyes desorbed rapidly from TiO2 into solutions of HCl (0.1 M) in a CH3CN:H2O mixed solvent (120:1 v:v). The hydroxamic acid- and pho...
Use of Polish-bred maize hybrids for biogas production.

The suitability for biogas production of silages from selected Polish-bred maize hybrids was investigated. Biogas and methane yield of silages was 513 – 703 and 339 – 443 Ndm3•kg-1 ODM. Hybrids were characterized by a high methane content in biogas (over 63%). Differences were found in biogas and methane production from different maize varieties. The highest-yielding hybrids were SMH 1785 and KBK 11149.
Anemia and RBC Transfusion

Anemia is common in critically ill patients. More than 90% of patients have subnormal hemoglobin by the third day of ICU admission. Despite the fact that blood transfusions have not been shown to improve the outcome of ICU patients (see below) and that the current guidelines recommend blood transfusion only when the hemoglobin falls below 7.0 g/dl, almost half of all patients admitted to an ICU receive a blood transfusion.1,2 The etiology of anemia of critical illness is multi-factorial and complex. Repeated phlebotomy, gastrointestinal blood loss, and other surgical procedures contribute significantly to the development of anemia. Red cell production in critically ill patients is often abnormal and is involved in the development and maintenance of anemia. The pathophysiology of this anemia includes decreased production of erythropoietin (EPO), impaired bone marrow response to erythropoietin, and reduced red cell survival.
Neonatal genital prolapse.

To the Editor.— In regard to the brief report in the September 1992 issue of Pediatrics on "Neonatal Genital Prolapse" by Dr Mahin Bayatpour et al,1 I offer a polyp, arising either from the cervix or vagina, as a more likely diagnosis. Figure 1 of the article fails to show any structure resembling a cervix. Ultrasonographic demonstration of a normal uterus and cervix, presumably in their normal location, is not consistent with the diagnosis of prolapse.
Some Linear Groups

The purpose of this first section is to make you think of multiplication of matrices in the context of group theory, and to work out basic examples accordingly in the exercises. Except for the logic involved, this section could have been placed as exercises in Chapter I.
The Pathology of Amanita Phalloides Intoxication

Up to the time of Robert's publications1 concerning the active principle of Amanita phalloides, little was positively known in regard to the poisons of this fungus, although Boudier,2 Letellier and Speneux,3 and Ore4 had each of them made a chemical analysis of the plant and had extracted certain principles to which the names bulbosin, amanitin, and phalloidin had been respectively given. The ground for criticism of the previous work lay in the imperfect identification of the specimens used by the early investigators, and in a possible admixture of Amanita muscaria from which Schmiedeberg and Koppe5 had obtained the alkaloid muscarin. Robert's studies in 1891 demonstrated that aqueous and saline extracts of fungi, identified beyond peradventure as Amanita phalloides and as the fungus known to be the cause of nearly all the fatal cases of mushroom intoxication, contained a powerful hemolytic substance, dissolving a great variety of corpuscles, his dried material acting upon ox blood, for instance, in a dilution of 1 : 125,000. The discovery of the hemolysin in these fungi was a very great advance in the knowledge of poisonous plants and to its presence in Amanita phalloides Kobert naturally attributed the toxic action of the fungus on man. This hemolytic substance, to which Kobert gave the name phallin, was highly unstable, easily destroyed by acids, alcohol, etc., and was rendered inactive by exposure to a temperature of 700 C. He believed it to be a proteid belonging to a class of poisonous substances characterized as " toxalbumins," in which group he placed also the hemolytic poison of spiders (Spinnengift). How such a labile substance,
CCR7: Unifying Disparate Journeys to the Lymph Node

Many immune responses begin in lymph nodes, and it is no wonder. The lymph node is the only tissue in the body that is primarily organized to be the perfect meeting point for cellular travelers that otherwise would seem to have a low probability to ever make an encounter. Through the high
Prospects for the Arbitration of Disputes in Public – Private Space Projects

International law exists for several purposes including the provision of principles and modalities governing peaceful settlement of disputes. Whilst utilization of outer space continues to have a transformational impact on humankind, the emergence of a global space industry can be attributed to increased involvement by private enterprise in outer space ventures, traditionally conducted by States through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP’s), amongst other business ventures. PPP’s raise a variety of interesting and important questions of a legal nature including the settlement of disputes if and when they do arise. Noting that arbitration is increasingly used for settling disputes, under privately financed infrastructure projects, alongside the fact that international arbitration has evolved as the preferred method for resolving disputes arising from cross-border investments, particularly those involving States, this chapter addresses prospects for arbitration of disputes relating to outer space activities, arising from PPP’s. This chapter examines particular characteristics of existing arrangements for dispute settlement in PPP’s, identifying gaps if any, and justifies a proposal for pragmatic solutions, relying on the Optional Rules for Arbitration of Disputes Relating to Outer Space, adopted in 2011 by the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
Immunological considerations for treating globoid cell leukodystrophy

Globoid cell leukodystrophy (GLD, or Krabbe's disease) is a severe inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by the lack of a lysosomal enzyme, GALC. The disease has been characterized in humans as well as three naturally occurring animal models, murine, canine, and nonhuman primate. Multiple treatment strategies have been explored for GLD, including enzyme replacement therapy, small-molecule pharmacological approaches, gene therapy, and bone marrow transplant. No single therapeutic approach has proved to be entirely effective, and the reason for this is not well understood. It is unclear whether initiation of a neuroinflammatory cascade in GLD precedes demyelination, a hallmark of the disease, but it does precede overt symptoms. This Review explores what is known about the role of inflammation and the immune response in the progression of GLD as well as how various treatment strategies might interplay with innate and adaptive immune responses involved in GLD. The focus of this Review is on GLD, but these concepts may have relevance for other, related diseases. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Case Study in Risk Evaluation for a Small-Scale Sea-Based Trial to Satisfy a New Operational Requirement

The duty holder for corporate risk has the responsibility to manage the corporate residual risk portfolio based on the operational profile of the corporate entity. When a new operational requirement is placed on the company, a risk assessment is required to make the risk profile of the new operation explicit to the duty holder. The completeness and accuracy of the information to support his operational decision and the corporate risk exposure is critical to the duty holder.This paper presents a real example of how the risk evaluation was actually done for a new operational requirement to carry out a series of sea-based trials using a small rigid inflatable vessel to evaluate prototype communication equipment. It proposes that corporate benefit balance was improved, since capability was extended with minimum potential for harm. Rather than a hypothetical example, this paper will discuss a real operational requirement, with rich meta-information and will follow through from trial specification, hazard identification to presentation of residual risk profile and operational recommendations. (5 pages)
Viral Hepatitis: Other Viral Hepatides

Non-hepatotropic viruses cause acute hepatitis and/or acute liver failure, without causing any chronic damage to the liver. These viruses do not primarily target the liver. These viruses include the herpes viruses (Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex virus), parvovirus, adenovirus, influenza, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus.
The effectiveness of a multidisciplinary, team-based approach to cesarean hysterectomy in modern obstetric practice.

Objective To examine the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary, team-based approach to management of cesarean hysterectomy. Methods In a retrospective chart review, data were analyzed from a quality assurance database of hysterectomies performed after cesarean delivery at one institution in the USA. Patients were identified through billing codes for cesarean delivery, cross-referenced to codes for hysterectomy. Demographic, reproductive, and outcome data were compared before (2000–2005) and after (2011–2013) implementation of a multidisciplinary team-based protocol. Results Across the two study periods, 107 cesarean hysterectomies were identified (69 pre-implementation, 38 post-implementation). In univariate analysis, the post-implementation group had fewer days in surgical intensive care than did the pre-implementation group (0.21 ± 0.41 vs 1.04 ± 2.44 days; P=0.011), and a lower frequency of febrile morbidity (4 [11%] vs 22 [32%]; P=0.033]. In multivariate analysis with adjustment for potential confounders, the likelihood of postoperative febrile morbidity was higher during the pre-implementation than the post-implementation period (adjusted odds ratio 3.5, 95% confidence interval 1.09–13.65; P=0.048). Conclusion Outcomes were improved after the multidisciplinary team-based approach to cesarean hysterectomy was implemented. Team-based approaches to care of women undergoing cesarean hysterectomy are important to improve outcomes.
How analogies foster learning from science texts

This article provides an introduction to extended text-based analogies used for instructional purposes in science textbooks. A theoretical framework for understanding learning via extended analogies is discussed, and examples of extended textual analogies are provided. Research which provides direction in how to optimally use analogies in science instruction is reviewed. Characteristics of good analogies, types of learners who might benefit from the use of analogies, and kinds of learning which might be facilitated are discussed. The issue of possible misconceptions generated via instructional analogies is addressed, in conjunction with suggestions for remediation. Finally, recommendations for effective use of analogies in text are made, suggestions for instructional practices accompanying textual science analogies are provided and directions for future research are suggested.
Circular dichroism studies. I. Cytochrome c.

Abstract The circular dichroism spectra of the ferri and ferro forms of cytochrome c obtained from horse, beef, chicken, turtle, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa have been measured at pH 7.0 over the wavelength region from 690 to 220 mμ. For purposes of analysis the spectra were arbitrarily divided into five regions: region I, 690-580 mμ; region II, 580-450 mμ (region related to heme coordination); region III, 450-350 mμ (Soret region); region IV, 350-240 mμ (region of protein-heme interactions and Cotton effects due to the aromatic side-chain residues); and region V, below 240 mμ (region of peptide bond absorption). The spectra are complex, exhibiting numerous Cotton effects. The molar ellipticities of all five cytochromes are small and tend to increase in magnitude at shorter wavelengths. The circular dichroism spectra of the mammalian-type cytochrome c of horse, beef, chicken, and turtle are grossly similar to each other. The similarities and differences between the spectra of the mammalian-type cytochromes c were utilized to locate the positions of some of the optically active transitions in regions II, III, and IV. The positions of the two Cotton effects at 280–290 mμ associated with the aromatic side-chain residues of the protein appear to be unaffected by change in oxidation. The spectra of all five ferrocytochromes c are alike in regions II and III. The spectra of the ferri forms of the mammalian-type and Pseudomonas cytochrome c in the Soret region appear to be mirror images of each other. This effect must reflect a difference in the environment of the heme group in the ferricytochromes c of Pseudomonas and mammalian type. Since the effect does not occur in the spectra of the ferrocytochromes c examined, it is likely that the environment of the heme group in the reduced form of cytochrome c remains invariant. An analysis of the relationship of the circular dichroism of all five ferri- and ferrocytochromes c in regions II and III to the structure of the central coordination complex of mammalian-type cytochrome c is presented.
Prevalence, Characteristics, and Treatment Patterns of Hearing Difficulty in the United States

Importance Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in the United States and has been associated with negative physical, social, cognitive, economic, and emotional consequences. Despite the high prevalence of hearing loss, substantial gaps in the utilization of amplification options, including hearing aids and cochlear implants (CI), have been identified. Objective To investigate the contemporary prevalence, characteristics, and patterns of specialty referral, evaluation, and treatment of hearing difficulty among adults in the United States. Design, Setting, and Participants A cross-sectional analysis of responses from a nationwide clustered representative sample of adults who participated in the 2014 National Health Interview Survey and responded to the hearing module questions was carried out. Main Outcomes and Measures Data regarding demographics as well as self-reported hearing status, functional hearing, laterality, onset, and primary cause of the hearing loss were collected. In addition, specific data regarding hearing-related clinician visits, hearing tests, referrals to hearing specialist, and utilization of hearing aids and CIs were analyzed. Results Among 239.6 million adults, 40.3 million (16.8%) indicated their hearing was less than “excellent/good,” ranging from “a little trouble hearing” to “deaf.” The mean (SD) age of participants was 47 (0.2) years with 48.2% being men and 51.8% women. Approximately 48.8 million (20.6%) had visited a physician for hearing problems in the preceding 5 years. Of these, 32.6% were referred to an otolaryngologist and 27.3% were referred to an audiologist. Functional hearing was reported as the ability to hear “whispering” or “normal voice” (225.4 million; 95.5%), to “only hear shouting” (8.0 million; 3.4%), and “not appreciating shouting” (2.8 million; 1.1%). Among the last group, 5.3% were recommended to have a CI, of which 22.1% had received one. Of the adults who indicated their hearing from “a little trouble hearing” to being “deaf,” 12.9 million (32.2%) had never seen a clinician for hearing problems and 11.1 million (28.0%) had never had their hearing tested. Conclusions and Relevance There are considerable gaps between self-reported hearing loss and patients receiving medical evaluation and recommended treatments for hearing loss. Improved awareness regarding referrals to otolaryngologists and audiologists as well as auditory rehabilitative options among clinicians may improve hearing loss care.
Gold photothermal therapy: A positive for negative margins

Background People with severe COPD have a burden of symptoms, often greater than those with lung cancer and have unmet need (Gore and Brophy 2000). A local palliative care needs analysis was conducted across primary and secondary care. Gaps were identified in the management of anxiety, breathlessness, social isolation, advance planning and carer support. Patients had high comparative admission rate and length of stay. A team, including a psychologist, OT, palliative and respiratory medicine and physiotherapy and a palliative care CNS, developed and delivered the programme. The focus of the programme was behavioural change through psycho-education, exercise and relaxation, underpinned by CBT. Method Referral was from acute respiratory service for those with at least 2 acute admissions in the previous 6 months, FEV1 of Two programmes were completed with a total of 12 patients and 3 carers HADS and CATS were taken at week 1 and week 6. 6 month pre and post course admission data was collected. Results Patients described; improvement in confidence and quality of life and improved management of their exacerbations. HADS and CATS remained unchanged. Initial data from programme 1 demonstrated reduction in total admissions from 7 to 4 and reduction in total bed days from 47 to 20, over a 6 month period. Conclusions Patient evaluated improvement in function and quality of life and reduction in hospital bed days would suggested continuation of the programme with a change in quality of life measurement.
Accurate and Efficient Image Forgery Detection Using Lateral Chromatic Aberration

In copy-and-paste image forgeries, where image content is copied from one image and pasted into another, inconsistencies in an imaging feature called lateral chromatic aberration (LCA) are intrinsically introduced. In this paper, we propose a new methodology to detect forged image regions that is based on detecting localized LCA inconsistencies. To do this, we propose a statistical model that captures the inconsistency between global and local estimates of LCA. We then use this model to pose forgery detection as a hypothesis testing problem and derive a detection statistic, which we show is optimal when certain conditions are met. To test its detection efficacy, we conduct a series of experiments that demonstrate our proposed methodology significantly outperforms prior art and addresses deficiencies of previous research. Additionally, we propose a new and efficient LCA estimation algorithm. To accomplish this we adapt a block matching algorithm, called diamond search, which efficiently measures the LCA in a localized region. We experimentally show that our proposed estimation algorithm reduces estimation time by two orders of magnitude without introducing additional estimation error.
R program for estimation of group efficiency and finding its gradient. Stochastic data envelopment analysis with a perfect object approach.

Abstract The data presented here are related to the research article “Energy-environmental efficiency and optimal restructuring of the global economy” (Vaninsky, 2018) [1] . This article describes how the world economy can be restructured to become more energy-environmental efficient, while still increasing its growth potential. It demonstrates how available energy-environmental and economic information may support policy-making decisions on the atmosphere preservation and climate change prevention. This Data article presents a computer program in R language together with examples of input and output files that serve as a means of implementation of the novel approach suggested in publication [1] . The computer program utilizes stochastic data envelopment analysis with a perfect object (SDAEA PO) to calculate the group efficiency of a collection of decision-making units (DMUs), the efficiency gradient, and the projected gradient. The projected gradient is computed in the case when the SDEA PO inputs and outputs are given as shares in total, to satisfy the constraints of adding up to a unit. By so doing, the program assesses the energy-environmental efficiency of the global economy and determines the ways of its maximum possible increase via locally optimal economic restructuring.
A MICROPROCESSOR BASED SIMULATOR FOR OBJECTIVELY EVALUATING PROSPECTIVE DRIVERS OF ADAPTED PERSONAL LICENSED VEHICLES

ABSTRACT The first purpose of this paper is to introduce the philosophy behind behind the use of a pursuit tracking task to estimate a handicapped client's ability to control sophisticated, personal licensed vehicles. The second is to detail our microcomputer methods of presenting an appropriate tracking task, preserving the client-display interaction, and condensing the results of the interaction in a way that is cost effective and easily transferrable to, and interpreted by, interested parties.
Research, Reflection, Practice: A Lesson Plan as Professional Development? You've Got to Be Kidding!

Lesson yet it is also the butt of many jokes by teachers: Its purpose is seen as pleasing others, such as university supervisors or principals. Teachers often find the process tedious, time consuming, or just another hoop to jump through. So why would we suggest it as a way to improve teaching? We believe the lesson plan format proposed in this article requires teachers to grapple with content, examining it from many angles; use strategic knowledge to negotiate troublesome teaching situations and analyze student actions; and, above all, reflect on the teaching-learning process. According to Shulman (1987), teaching is a process of "pedagogical reasoning and action" that involves the need for teachers to grasp, probe, and comprehend an idea, to "turn it about in his or her mind, seeing many sides of it. Then the idea is shaped or tailored until it can in turn be grasped by students" (p. 13), but still this is not enough. Teachers also need to develop strategic knowledge (Shulman 1986) to confront troublesome, ambiguous teaching situations and build a "wisdom of practice" (p. 13). A multicolumn lesson-plan format is part of most lesson studies (Fernandez and Yoshida 2004; Lewis 2002) and has been used by many other educators, notably the Middle Grades Math Project, which evolved into the Connected Mathematics
Group Translocation Catalyzed by the Phosphoenolpyruvate: Sugar Phosphotransferase System

The phosphoenolpyruvate, sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS) is found in a wide variety of bacterial species and is involved in the transport and phosphorylation of many sugars. This chapter focuses primarily on the systems found in the enteric bacteria, Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and Salmonella typhimurium . It discusses the three of the sequences of phosphoryl transfer reactions that are responsible for sugar group translocation in E. coli . The chapter also discusses the properties and mechanism of action of enzyme I from E . coli or S . typhimurium . The small phosphocarrier protein, heat-stable, histidine-containing protein (HPr) has been purified to homogeneity and sequenced from four bacterial species: (1) Salmonella typhimurium , (2) Staphylococcus aureus , (3) Streptococcus faecalis , and (4) Bacillus subtilis . The proteins from E. coli and S. typhimurium are very similar in amino acid composition and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, and they exhibit full enzymatic cross-reactivity. Therefore, these proteins may be identical or nearly identical. In contrast, the protein from S. typhimurium does not substitute well for those from the three gram-positive bacterial species although the latter three are enzymatically interchangeable.
Polycystic Ovarian Condition May Be a Risk Factor for Ovarian Tumor Development in the Laying Hen Model of Spontaneous Ovarian Cancer

Chronic inflammation and long-standing oxidative stress are potential predisposing factors for developing malignancies, including ovarian cancer (OVCA). Information on the association of ovarian chronic abnormal conditions, including polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), with the development of OVCA is unknown. The goal of this study was to examine if polycystic ovarian conditions are associated with OVCA development. In the exploratory study, 3–4-year-old laying hens were randomly selected and examined for the presence of polycystic ovaries with cancer (PCOC). In the prospective study, hens were monitored by ultrasound scanning to detect the incidence of a polycystic ovaries and subsequent development of OVCA. Tissues from normal ovaries and PCOC were examined for macrophage infiltration, expression of interleukin-16, and superoxide dismutase 2. The exploratory study detected spontaneous PCOC at early and late stages in hens. PCOC in hens were accompanied with influx of macrophages (17.33 ± 2.26 in PCOC at the early stage and 24.24 ± 2.5 in PCOC at the late stage in 20 mm2 areas of tissue as compared with 6.77 ± 1.58 in normal hens). Expression of interleukin-16 was more than 2.5-fold higher and superoxide dismutase 2 was approximately 3-fold higher in PCOC hens than normal hens. The prospective study showed the development of OVCA in some hens with polycystic ovarian condition (PCO). PCOC development in hens was associated with chronic inflammation in the ovary. Laying hens may represent a potential model for the study of spontaneous PCOS and its long-term risk of PCOC development.
An Essay in Praise of Scholastic Theology

This essay attempts to give the Scholastic Theology of the High Middle Ages due praise by inhabiting its beautiful intellectual architecture. Among the core features observed are Scholasticism’s methodological vitality explained as an exegetical-humility with patristic roots, the animating principle of desire for union with God, and a conception of Christian doctrine as fundamental to the divine work of human salvation. Rather than engage directly with Scholasticism’s fashionable modern enemies, the essay proceeds in successive steps as a lectio magistrorum (“reading of the masters”). Anslem of Canterbury, Hugh of St. Victor, Peter Abelard, Bonaventure, and Thomas Aquinas represent the primary sources of interest. The goal is simply to generate reconsideration of medieval theology through an introduction to atypically studied aspects of a few figures.
Study Guide: Literacy from A to Z

The activities in the guide will help you connect the suggestions and strategies in Literacy from A to Z to your real-life teaching experiences. For each of the 26 chapters in the book, you will find a series of three activities that will help you reflect on your current practices. They ask you to ACT now and turn your classroom into a place where students can thrive.
Identity Formation Through Stories of Suffering: A Comparative Textual Analysis of The Book of Job and The War Scroll

The purpose of this paper is to provide a comparative literary analysis of two early sectarian Jewish stories to understand the creation and preservation of identity throughout history. The War Scroll expresses the identity of the Essenes as the last righteous interpreters of God, who will not succumb to the surrounding chaos. The Book of Job expresses the identity of the early Jewish people as moral challengers to unjustified suffering. Both stories place emphasis on the groups’ freedom from external oppression/unjustified suffering due to God’s intervention as long as they maintain a moral identity. This paper argues that while it is apparent that the Book of Job and the War Scroll are wildly different in form, content, and contextual history, both were responses to the external struggles each group faced and both emphasized a moral identity for each respective group. The Book of Job, as Wisdom literature, addressed the issue of theodicy and early Jewish identity, and the War Scroll, as apocalyptic literature, addressed the end times and Essene identity. Despite differing approaches, both of these scriptural texts reflected the external political chaos of each group during the time of authorship and the belief that moral behavior or identity was the key to God’s intervention. Though there is discontinuity in practice of the contemporary Jewish traditions and early sectarian Judaism, there is continuity in the experience of suffering as informing their thought and in creating a sense of group identity. This is articulated by the writing of, and the continued faith in, past stories of suffering.
Becoming a physician: towards a more robust physician recruitment process.

Medical education is strictly regulated in the USA according to the ‘American standards’, conforming to the local culture of comfort and convenience. Undergraduate (UGME), graduate medical education (GME) as well as general healthcare practice is easier as the system is well structured, career paths customized, clinical documentation electronically templated, academic efforts highly encouraged, trainees’ welfare upheld as a priority and financial remunerations disproportionately higher. Given recent reports of further customizing and, more likely, shrinking training time is daunting as healthcare outcomes in the USA remain substandard, inefficient and cost-ineffective and the metrics to measure those outcomes are yet to be clearly defined.1 2 The problem is further compounded by the fact that patient outcomes may not always correlate with skills and competence acquired during residency training, specifically surgical technical skills.3 Only the strong horses make it until the end—efficient, intelligent and productive. Hence, the recruitment of a robustly selected and diverse workforce is an important step towards building a strong healthcare structure. In comparison with other GME structures in the world, the ‘spongy’ US training system is inherently designed to potentially absorb each residency applicant from around the world that fulfills the basic selection criteria, one that does not include a robust ‘real-time test of clinical skills’. Assessments are either subjective or objective. The former ranges from medical school EPAs (Entrustable Professional Activities) through to core competencies of the American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), responsible for nurturing competent clinicians expected to render patient care in an unsupervised manner. These evaluations carry significant potential for human bias, being entirely subjective in nature. The objective assessments for recruitment into the US GME are composed of instantaneous, computer-based tests and remain a common modality to assess a clinician’s competence—from the United States …
First Record of the Anuran Family Rhinophrynidae from the Oligocene of Eastern North America

The anuran family Rhinophrynidae today comprises a single species restricted to southernmost Texas and Central America. Three extinct genera allied to this family are known from the Jurassic (Rhadinosteus) and Eocene (Chelomophrynus, Eorhinophrynus), whereas the sole extant genus Rhinophrynus is known from the latest Eocene (Chadronian) of Saskatchewan and the Pleistocene of Mexico. We provide the first records of the Rhinophrynidae from the Oligocene of eastern North America. From two of the oldest terrestrial vertebrate sites on the Florida peninsula (I-75, early Oligocene; Brooksville 2, late Oligocene), we have identified one nearly complete and several partial humeri, two radioulnae, two partial presacral vertebrae, three partial ilia, and one femur that are all referable to the Rhinophrynidae. These specimens are similar in size to the Eocene Rhinophrynus canadensis, smaller than the extant R. dorsalis, and might be distinguishable from both by features of the ilium and humerus. The presence of rhinophrynids during the Oligocene provides the first indication of change in the anuran fauna on the Florida peninsula during the Cenozoic.
The Bipolar Hip: How Acetabular and Femoral Pathomorphology Affects Hip Motion in Femoral Acetabular Impingement Syndrome.

Purpose To investigate the individual and combined contributions of acetabular and femoral morphology to hip range of motion (ROM) in patients with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) by use of computed tomography measurements and hip ROM evaluated on physical examination. Methods A retrospective chart and radiographic analysis of patients presenting with hip pain suggestive of FAIS was performed. The femoral neck-shaft angle, femoral version, magnitude and clock-face location of the alpha angle, midcoronal center-edge angle (CEA), midsagittal CEA, acetabular version, and McKibbin index were measured on computed tomography scans. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses determined which measurements correlated with hip ROM, including hip flexion as well as hip internal and external rotation with the hip in 90° of flexion. Results Two hundred hips that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria during the eligibility period were included in the analysis. The mean age was 31.9 ±10.0 years, there were 145 female patients (72%), and the mean body mass index was 25.2 ± 5.0. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the midsagittal CEA was the only measurement correlating with flexion (q = .031) whereas the femoral neck-shaft angle and McKibbin index were the only significant variables that correlated with external rotation (q = .031 and q Conclusions Multivariate analysis showed that combined acetabular and femoral version significantly correlated with internal and external rotation whereas femoral version in isolation did not. Increased cam morphology remained a significant contributor to reduced internal rotation but did not affect hip flexion. These data suggest that hip ROM is affected by both femoral pathomorphology and acetabular pathomorphology and that careful evaluation of both should be conducted prior to corrective osteoplasty or osteotomy. Level of Evidence Level IV, retrospective case series.
Identification of Perinatal Risk Factors for Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder

Objectives/hypothesis To identify medical risk factors associated with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD). Study design Retrospective case-control study. Methods During a 2-year period (2013-2014) patients with newly diagnosed ANSD were identified at a tertiary care facility. Twenty-two patients (n = 22) were identified aged 0.5 to 8.1 years. There were 15 males and seven females. Sixteen had bilateral, four had left-sided, and two had right-sided ANSD. Two age-matched, side-matched, and gender-matched control groups were then collected. The first group was 22 normal-hearing children (n = 22). The second was 22 children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) (n = 22) who did not meet the criteria for ANSD. The chart of each subject was reviewed for the following five-predictor variables: prematurity, low birth weight, jaundice, use of mechanical ventilation, and administration of ototoxic medications. Analysis of variance was performed to analyze the prevalence of perinatal risk factors among the three groups. Multivariate linear regression was then applied. Results When comparing the ANSD group to both the normal-hearing and SNHL groups, the subjects with ANSD had statistically significant higher rates of prematurity, low birth weight, jaundice, and mechanical ventilation. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of ANSD compared to each control group individually. Jaundice in the first month of life approached significance when comparing the ANSD group to the normal-hearing group, and was the only medical risk factor found to be statistically significant when comparing the ANSD group to the SNHL group. Conclusions A history of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia was significantly more common in children with ANSD compared to children with severe SNHL. Level of evidence 3 Laryngoscope, 131:671-674, 2021.
Pediatric Endocrine Diseases

Pediatric endocrine diseases are uncommon however knowledge of the most commonly encountered endocrine disorders is necessary for pediatric surgical practice. This chapter will review the most common non-tumorpediatric endocrine diseases with a focus on the thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, and adrenal glands.
Adaptive estimation of a function from its Exponential Radon Transform in presence of noise

In this article we propose a locally adaptive strategy for estimating a function from its Exponential Radon Transform (ERT) data, without prior knowledge of the smoothness of functions that are to be estimated. We build a non-parametric kernel type estimator and show that for a class of functions comprising a wide Sobolev regularity scale, our proposed strategy follows the minimax optimal rate up to a $\log{n}$ factor. We also show that there does not exist an optimal adaptive estimator on the Sobolev scale when the pointwise risk is used and in fact the rate achieved by the proposed estimator is the adaptive rate of convergence.
Dermatologic Clinical Trials: A Practical Approach

This chapter is written for dermatologists who want to learn about practical aspects of clinical trials. It is a practical overview of the clinical trials setup and conduct process in the academic research setting. Given the complexity and scope of clinical trials, this chapter is not comprehensive but provides an initial framework for further reading.
An Administrators’ Association Partnership Translates to Gifted Education Advocacy:

A formal partnership between a state-level umbrella association of educational administrators and one of its constituent associations, the association of gifted education administrators, has result...
CEP164 is essential for efferent duct multiciliogenesis and male fertility

Cilia are evolutionarily conserved microtubule-based structures that perform diverse biological functions. Cilia are assembled on basal bodies and anchored to the plasma membrane via distal appendages. In the male reproductive tract, multicilia in efferent ducts (EDs) move in a whip-like motion to prevent sperm agglutination. Previously, we demonstrated that the distal appendage protein CEP164 recruits Chibby1 (Cby1) to basal bodies to facilitate basal body docking and ciliogenesis. Mice lacking CEP164 in multiciliated cells (MCCs) (FoxJ1-Cre;CEP164fl/fl) show a significant loss of multicilia in the trachea, oviduct, and ependyma. In addition, we observed male sterility, however, the precise role of CEP164 in male fertility remained unknown. Here, we report that the seminiferous tubules and rete testis of FoxJ1-Cre;CEP164fl/fl mice exhibit substantial dilation, indicative of dysfunctional multicilia in the EDs. We found that multicilia were hardly detectable in the EDs of FoxJ1-Cre;CEP164fl/fl mice although FoxJ1-positive immature cells were present. Sperm aggregation and agglutination were commonly noticeable in the lumen of the seminiferous tubules and EDs of FoxJ1-Cre;CEP164fl/fl mice. In FoxJ1-Cre;CEP164fl/fl mice, the apical localization of Cby1 and the transition zone marker NPHP1 was severely diminished, suggesting basal body docking defects. TEM analysis of EDs further confirmed basal body accumulation in the cytoplasm of MCCs. Collectively, we conclude that male infertility in FoxJ1-Cre;CEP164fl/fl mice is caused by sperm agglutination and obstruction of EDs due to loss of multicilia. Our study, therefore, unravels an essential role of the distal appendage protein CEP164 in male fertility.
Path Analysis of RCT Recruitment: Secondary Analysis of Results from a Systematic Review:

We examine recruitment processes for 71 pragmatic and comparative effectiveness trials identified in a systematic review, using path analysis to examine rates of refusal to screen, test, and consen...
Effect of contact geometry on temperature field distribution and thermal buckling of an in-wheel disc brake system

This paper aims to determine the effect of contact geometry on temperature distribution and thermal buckling in an in-wheel brake system. Numerical analysis is conducted to investigate the variatio...