cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mycobacterium tuberculosis-induced cytokine and chemokine expression by human microglia and astrocytes: Effects of dexamethasone

Although corticosteroids are recommended as adjunctive therapy for tuberculous meningitis, the mechanism underlying their beneficial effect is poorly understood. In this study, human microglia and astrocytes were infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, and cytokine and chemokine expression was examined with and without dexamethasone treatment. Microglia were the principal cells infected by tubercle bacilli, which elicited robust amounts of several cytokines and chemokines. Treatment with dexamethasone markedly suppressed production of these mediators. The results of this study support the concept that microglia play an important role in neuropathogenesis of tuberculosis and that dexamethasone could operate via modulation of the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines by these brain macrophages.
Discrete linear quadratic regulators with eigenvalue placement in specified regions

A new procedure is presented for the design of discrete linear quadratic regulators in the frequency domain with eigenvalue placement at exact locations and/or within specified regions of the complex z-plane. The method utilizes the frequency domain optimality conditions for achieving the desired pole placement. Also, the proposed procedure is sequential and enables the retention of some stable open-loop eigenvalues and associated eigenvectors in the closed-loop system. An illustrative example is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Localized entrapment of green fluorescent protein within nanostructured polymer films

Protein entrapment within ultrathin polymer matrices is of significant interest for applications in biosensing, drug delivery, and bioconversion; however, it remains a big challenge due to insufficient control over protein distribution inside the matrices. We report on nanostructured protein-polyelectrolyte (PE) films obtained through localized incorporation of green fluorescent protein (GFP) within poly(styrene sulfonate)/poly(allylamine hydrochloride) matrices assembled via the spin-assisted layer-by-layer method. Film compositional and structural analyses were performed by using a combination of techniques such as neutron and X-ray reflectometry, circular dichroism (CD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), spectroscopic ellipsometry, and Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). By using deuterated GFP as a marker for neutron scattering contrast we have inferred the architecture of the films both in vertical and lateral directions. We found that films assembled with a single GFP layer confined at various distances from the substrate exhibit a strong localization of the GFP layer without intermixing into the PE matrix. The GFP volume fraction approached the maximum value of a monolayer packing density of randomly oriented GFP molecules. However, partial intermixing of the GFP with polymeric material is evidenced in multiple-GFP layer films which showed alternating protein-rich and protein-deficient regions. Our results yield new insights into the organization of immobilized proteins within polyelectrolyte matrices and open opportunities for fabrication of protein-containing films with well-organized structure and controllable function, a crucial requirement for advanced sensing applications.
Contingency Theory: Science Or Technology?

An answer to the research question, 'Is Contingency Theory Science or Technology?' is proposed in this paper. Contingency theories and a contingency perspective are popular among researchers in organization theory and design. They are based on the idea that a proper fit between contingency variables and organizational design parameters will result in the highest performance. Does the identification of a 'contingency theory' consisting of a set contingency variable/design parameter matches constitute scientific theory or prescriptive technology? Justifications are made for these theories as science, technology and both. The conclusion presented is that a contingency theory is both science and technology, but often ineffective as technology because it is not applied. General recommendations are made for researchers to increase emphasis on (1) multiple rather than single contingencies and (2) explanations of relationships.
The Returning Warrior and the Limits of Just War Theory

In this essay, I seek to explore a Christian tradition that is neither the just war theory nor pacifism. Unlike pacifism, this tradition teaches that war is a necessary and inescapable aspect of the human condition, and that Christians cannot escape from engaging in it. Unlike just war theory, this tradition holds that engaging in war is intrinsically sinful, however justifiable that activity may be considered to be in the light of human law, morality or reason. Michael Walzer captured the essence of this way of thinking in a celebrated essay on the problem of “dirty hands.” Although Walzer’s essay was chiefly about political rather than military action, he rightly observed that there was a strand in Christian reflection that saw killing, whether in a just or unjust war, as defiling or even sinful, even if it conformed to moral and legal standards. That tradition, though subordinate, still survives in Christian, especially Lutheran, thought.The Church’s thought about war and peace went through several phases before finally settling on the just war theory. Throughout much of the Middle Ages, the Church’s approach to war was primarily pastoral and unsystematic. Although opinions varied widely depending on the circumstances, the early medieval Church was commonly skeptical of the permissibility of killing in warfare. Rather, the Church at that time tended to the view that killing – even in a just war – was sinful and required penance. The decisive change from that attitude towards a systematic just war theory took place during the great eleventh century Reform – some would say, Revolution -- under Pope Gregory VII (Hildebrand) and his immediate predecessors and twelfth century successors. These papacies marked the emergence of the Church as a prototype of the early modern European State, equipped with legislative authority, courts, a legal and administrative bureaucracy and even a military enforcement arm. As an essential part of this epochal transformation, the Papal program required the Church to abandon its earlier skepticism about war and to settle on the view that war could be justifiable, even sanctified.
Self-Reported Negative Consequences of Drug Use among Rural Adolescents

Abstract This paper focuses on an examination of self-reported negative consequences of drug use based on data collected in 1987 from 3,348 junior and senior high school students in rural central and southern Illinois. Nine items relating to negative consequences were examined: interference with school work, school absence, hurt friendship, accident or injury, family trouble, law trouble, school authority trouble, lowered self-satisfaction, and fights. Data indicated that between 4 percent and 14 percent of the sample reported negative consequences. All nine items differed significantly by grade level with older students reporting higher frequencies of negative consequences than younger students. The sharpest increase in reports of negative consequences occurred between the 8th and 9th grade: only 9.7 percent of the 8th grade sample reported trouble with family due to drugs while 18.2 percent of the 9th grade sample did so. Only three of the nine items showed significant differences between males and fema...
Contraction dynamics and power production of pink muscle of the scup (Stenotomus chrysops)

Although the contribution of red muscle to sustained swimming in fish has been studied in detail in recent years, the role of pink myotomal muscle has not received attention. Pink myotomal muscle in the scup (Stenotomus chrysops) lies just medial to red muscle, has the same longitudinal fibre orientation and is recruited along with the red muscle during steady sustainable swimming. However, pink muscle has significantly faster rates of relaxation, and the maximum velocity of shortening of pink muscle (7.26 +/- 0.18 muscle lengths s-1, N = 9, at 20 degrees C, and 4.46 +/- 0.15 muscle lengths s-1, N = 6, at 10 degrees C; mean +/- S.E.M.) is significantly faster than that of red muscle. These properties facilitate higher mass-specific maximum oscillatory power production relative to that of red muscle at frequencies similar to the tailbeat frequency at maximum sustained swimming speeds in scup. Additionally, pink muscle is found in anatomical positions in which red muscle is produces very little power during swimming: the anterior region of the fish, which undergoes the lowest strain during swimming. Pink muscle produces more oscillatory power than red muscle under low-strain conditions (+/- 2-3%) and this may allow pink muscle to supplement the relatively low power generated by red muscle in the anterior regions of swimming scup.
Learning to expect the unexpected: Updating the cerebellum during voluntary movement

To guide our muscles precisely and carefully, we must quickly refine the neural commands to muscles and limbs, whether we are responding to unexpected forces or making routine movements. The cerebellum, a region at the lower back of the brain, participates by constructing an estimate of where our body is in space, but there is only theoretical evidence of where and how this estimate is refined during movement. The prevailing theory is that the brain compares a predicted measure of motor output with actual sensory feedback. This difference, the sensory prediction error, is fundamental to refining motor commands. Brooks et al . recently revealed the elegant computation performed by the cerebellum, which compares expected and unexpected sensory inputs to fine-tune behavior during motor learning. To examine the learning process, the team investigated a well-organized and straightforward sensory-motor pathway in the monkey cerebral cortex that sends information to structures involved in postural control, such as the spinal cord and vestibular system. While monkeys made voluntary head movements, the authors applied an unexpected load to the head and recorded activity from single neurons in the cerebellar nucleus. Their key finding was that neurons displayed responses consistent with the initial introduction of a sensory prediction error, as well as its subsequent decline, throughout motor learning. Further corroborating their findings, they observed corresponding parallel changes in the responses of neurons downstream in the vestibular nucleus. This substantiated a direct link between the observed changes in the cerebellar commands with voluntary head motion. This team has now demonstrated the existence of an explicit neural representation of motor learning in the cerebellum. The changes in head movement were consistently linked to changes in neural responses whereby the neurons increased sensitivity upon application of an expected and unexpected load. This is an important contribution to our understanding of motor learning and how it contributes to health and disease. J. X. Brooks et al ., Learning to expect the unexpected: Rapid updating in primate cerebellum during voluntary self-motion. Nat. Neurosci. 18 , 1310–1317 (2015). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v18/n9/full/nn.4077.html
Hexagonal Silicon, a Stress-Induced Martesitic Transformation

It is shown that indentation-induced formation of hexagonal silicon at the temperature range 400-700° C is fully consistent with its occurence via a martensitic transformation. After presenting HREM images of hexagonal ribbons in a diamond cubic matrix, a crystallographic analysis of the phase transformation is given, and a dislocation mechanism responsible for the transformation is discussed.
Denseness and Completeness in Certain Function Spaces

(1967). Denseness and Completeness in Certain Function Spaces. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 74, No. 3, pp. 266-271.
Assessment of cryptobiotic crust recovery

Chlorophyll a and b analyses of cryptobiotic crusts from burned and unburned sites on the Snake River plain provided an estimate of crust recovery. In less than 3 years, chlorophyll a levels were approximately 50% of the unburned reference site. Chlorophyll a/b ratios indicated that the biotic composition of the recovering cryptobiotic crust consisted largely of eukaryotic algae and bryophytes.
Evaluation of the impact of concurrent gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist administration on GnRH agonist-induced gonadotrope desensitization * †

Objective To evaluate the impact of chronic GnRH antagonist therapy on the extent of GnRH agonist-induced gonadotrope desensitization. Design Prospective and controlled. Setting Primate Research Center. Participants Six reproductive age cycling female baboons ( Papio cyanocephalus anubis ). Interventions The animals were divided into two groups. Group A received a total of 19 pulses of 0.83 µ g/kg leuprolide acetate (LA) on a 12-hour dosing schedule. Group B received Nal-Lys (3mg/kg then 1mg/kg every other day) for 1week and then added an identical 19 pulses of LA while continuing Nal-Lys therapy. Main Outcome Measures Characterization of the gonadotropin response was done by collecting serum samples at -15, 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 240, and 480minutes relative to the injection of the LA. Results After equivalent baseline responses, the baboons pretreated with Nal-Lys had an increased LH and FSH response to the administration of the LA. After a total of 19 pulses of the LA, the Nal-Lys-treated animals had an increased FSH response in comparison to the untreated controls. This indicates that the extent of gonadotrope desensitization was reduced in the presence of the GnRH antagonist. Conclusions The presence of GnRH antagonist reduces the extent of gonadotrope desensitization in response to the administration of repetitive pulses of GnRH agonist.
Analysis on lead and cadmium contamination in foods in Jilin province during 2001-2008

Objective:Through data analysis on concentration of lead and cadmium in foods of nine cities in Jilin province,contamination situation of lead and cadmium and their possible resources was analyzed.Methods:Pb and Cd concentration were detected by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry after pre-treatment according to national standard method(GB/T5009).Results:The content of Pb in 2766 foodstuff and Cd in 2733 foodstuff,and 2733 foodstuff,about 16 kinds,were monitored from 2001 to 2008.It was found that 5.42% of lead,5.74% of cadmium were over standard.Conclusion:Result shows that pollution on lead and cadmium is not very serious.However,lead and cadmium was detected in all kinds of foodstuff.It means accumulation occurred.The concentration of lead was high in teas,preserved eggs and fishes.The concentration of cadmium was high in pig kidneys,fishes and mushroom.Potential harmful impact on human health may happen.
Challenges and Supports During the Transition from High School to College for Students with Traumatic Brain Injuries

Students who have sustained traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) may experience a number of consequences, all of which can impede the transition from high school to postsecondary educational settings. This study, which relied on interviews with students who had sustained TBIs and who had persistent problems related to their traumas, helped gain an understanding of their postsecondary transition experiences. Students’ parents were also interviewed to provide a point of comparison. The reports of these students—all of whom were enrolled in college at the time of the study—revealed significant challenges with attention and focus, fatigue, short-term memory, and social situations. Comments from the parents offered corroboration. This report concludes with suggestions for school-based practice to promote strategies and services supporting this population of students in their transition to postsecondary educational settings.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (But Still So Far): Assessing Liberland’s Claim of Statehood

Table of ContentsI. Introduction 308II. A Brief History of Uberland 309A. The Serbian-Croatian Border Dispute 3121. International principles of border disputes involving rivers 314III. Self-Determination: Customary International Law? 316IV. Recognition Theory: Is Statehood a Declaratory or Constitutive Act?.......318A. The Declaratory Approach 318B. The Constitutive Approach 320V. Competing Claims and Territorial Integrity: Defining Characteristics of the Post-Colonial World? 323VI. Analyzing Liberland's Claim of Statehood Under the Montevideo Criteria 326A. Permanent Population 327B. Defined Territory 3291. Application of the border dispute to Liberland's statehood claim........330C. Effective Government 331D. Capacity to Enter into Relations with Foreign States 333E. Liberland Likely Does Not Satisfy a Strict Application of the MontevideoCriteria for Statehood 334VII. Criticisms of The Montevideo Criteria 335A. Additional Requirements for Statehood 335B. Subjectivity and Conflating Statehood with Recognition 336VIII. Conclusion 338I. INTRODUCTIONOn April 13, 2015, Vit Jedlicka, a Czech politician, announced the creation of Liberland, an autonomous micronation located on the Western bank of the Danube River.1 Liberland is located on the Croatian side of the Danube, the natural boundary between Croatia and Serbia, on three square miles of uninhabited and disputed land that has been left unclaimed by both nations throughout a drawn-out border dispute.2 Jedlicka founded Liberland with the intent of developing the uninhabited land into a libertarian utopia and international tax haven.3 Despite Jedlicka's efforts, no United Nations member country has recognized Liberland as a state.4Liberland may be nothing more than a provocative experiment undertaken by a libertarian iconoclast in an attempt to antagonize Serbia, Croatia, and the rest of the international community. But there is every reason to think that Jedlicka seriously wants to found a microstate. Moreover, regardless of Jedlicka's true motives, Liberland's aspirations to attain statehood present interesting and important legal questions about self-determination, how states are created, and the role that international recognition has in the emergence of a new state as a legal entity. This Comment will explore these questions.I have structured this Comment as follows. First, I provide a brief history of Liberland, including a discussion of the unique history that precipitated the current territorial dispute between Serbia and Croatia. …
Performing the ‘Two-Body Problem’: An Analysis of Academic Couples’ Career Sensemaking as Revealed Through Joint Storytelling

ABSTRACTIncreasingly competitive labor markets have created new challenges for academic partners who are seeking faculty positions in the same location. Mismatches between career aspirations and available opportunities can precipitate struggles over the meaning and desirability of an academic career, triggering a need for sensemaking. This article offers an analysis of academic couples’ job search stories, focusing on how they jointly make sense of career events through narrative performances. Using dialogic/performance analysis, the article identifies several specific strategies by which participants collaboratively manage tensions between “self” and “other” and sustain positive identities. These strategies include bolstering the partner’s image through protective teamwork, minimizing status differences, and re-storying professional setbacks. Together, these strategies show how couples strive to make their experiences sensible to themselves and others and to forge new meanings of career passages that, in...
Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), p53 in Molecular breast cancer subtypes of pre-menopausal African-American women

21084 Background: Tumor growth and metastasis have been shown to be dependent on angiogenesis. With the current classification of breast tumors into molecular subtypes with distinct prognosis and r...
Mapping supply chain risk by network analysis of product platforms

Abstract Modern technology makes use of a variety of materials to allow for its proper functioning. To explore in detail the relationships connecting materials to the products that require them, we map supply chains for five product platforms (a cadmium telluride solar cell, a germanium solar cell, a turbine blade, a lead acid battery, and a hard drive (HD) magnet) using a data ontology that specifies the supply chain actors (nodes) and linkages (e.g., material exchange and contractual relationships) among them. We then propose a set of network indicators (product complexity, producer diversity, supply chain length, and potential bottlenecks) to assess the situation for each platform in the overall supply chain networks. Among the results of interest are the following: (1) the turbine blade displays a high product complexity, defined by the material linkages to the platform; (2) the germanium solar cell is produced by only a few manufacturers globally and requires more physical transformation steps than do the other project platforms; (3) including production quantity and sourcing countries in the assessment shows that a large portion of nodes of the supply chain of the hard-drive magnet are located in potentially unreliable countries. We conclude by discussing how the network analysis of supply chains could be combined with criticality and scenario analyses of abiotic raw materials to comprise a comprehensive picture of product platform risk.
A new species of Tridax (Asteraceae-Heliantheae) from Oaxaca, Mexico

A new species, Tridax serboana B.L. Turner, is described from Oaxaca (Mpio. Santiago Yosondua), Mexico. The taxon is compared to T. dubia Rose, but is sufficiently different so as to be considered as possibly generically distinct. Most noteworthy is its annual habit, elongate peduncles bearing but single heads, and markedly conical receptcales. A figure of the holotype is provided.
Images from Bits: Non-Iterative Image Reconstruction for Quanta Image Sensors

A quanta image sensor (QIS) is a class of single-photon imaging devices that measure light intensity using oversampled binary observations. Because of the stochastic nature of the photon arrivals, data acquired by QIS is a massive stream of random binary bits. The goal of image reconstruction is to recover the underlying image from these bits. In this paper, we present a non-iterative image reconstruction algorithm for QIS. Unlike existing reconstruction methods that formulate the problem from an optimization perspective, the new algorithm directly recovers the images through a pair of nonlinear transformations and an off-the-shelf image denoising algorithm. By skipping the usual optimization procedure, we achieve orders of magnitude improvement in speed and even better image reconstruction quality. We validate the new algorithm on synthetic datasets, as well as real videos collected by one-bit single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) cameras.
Liberty and Republicanism within the North American Context: A Study of the American Revolution and the Canadian Rebellions

The Atlantic Revolutions of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries were prosecuted on the advancement of liberty and republicanism. Within the North American context, these broad tenets articulated the importance of a sovereign, educated and virtuous citizenry as well as the standards of an effective government constitutionally constrained in its authority. The American Revolution and the Canadian Rebellions stand as specific affirmations of these principles. Liberty and Republicanism within the North American Context: A Study of the American Revolution and the Canadian Rebellions by Michael A. Wallace is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Abstract A10: The impact of cancer-associated RAD51C mutations in homologous recombination

Homologous recombination (HR) is a major pathway for the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Loss of function of key HR repair proteins have been linked to diseases characterized by genomic instability including cancers and Fanconi anemia. Regulation of RAD51 filaments is critical during HR repair and is mediated by several factors including the RAD51 paralogs, a group of proteins that share sequence homology with RAD51. The RAD51 paralog family consists of five proteins in humans, RAD51B, RAD51C, RAD51D, XRCC2, and XRCC3. The RAD51 paralog, RAD51C, has recently become a key protein of interest as RAD51C mutations have been linked to familial breast and ovarian cancers. However, the specific functions of RAD51C have remained enigmatic as mouse and non-tumorigenic knockout models are inviable. Given these limitations, we have identified RAD51C point mutations from breast and ovarian cancer patients to study the phenotypes of these RAD51C mutants and how they impair homologous recombination. We have found that RAD51C mutations can disrupt interactions with RAD51 paralog binding partners, RAD51B and XRCC3, required for RAD51C stability. Through yeast-two/three-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation experiments, we isolated RAD51C mutations that disrupt interactions within RAD51 paralog complexes. These complexes have important roles in the repair of classical DSBs induced by ionizing radiation or chemotherapeutic reagents as well as in replication fork protection such as after replication stress induced by hydroxyurea. Using RAD51C mutants to complement a conditional knockout model, we investigated how the roles of RAD51C were impacted by point mutations in response to these diverse substrates to ultimately understand how tumors with RAD51C mutations can be best targeted for treatment. Citation Format: Meghan R. Sullivan, Rohit Prakash, Maria Jasin, Kara A. Bernstein. The impact of cancer-associated RAD51C mutations in homologous recombination [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on DNA Repair: Tumor Development and Therapeutic Response; 2016 Nov 2-5; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2017;15(4_Suppl):Abstract nr A10.
Indications for a critical end point in the phase diagram for hot and dense nuclear matter.

A finite size scaling analysis of heavy-ion collisions points to the location of the critical end point -- the termination of the first order phase transition line -- in the QCD phase diagram.
Identifying the phenotypic effect of rare variants by including between-pedigree coancestry in variance components linkage analysis

The contribution of rare variants to disease burden has become an important focus in genetic epidemiology. These effects are difficult to detect in population-based datasets, and as a result, interest in family-based study designs has resurfaced. Linkage analysis tools will need to be updated to accommodate the scale of data generated by modern genotyping and sequencing technologies. In conventional linkage analysis individuals in different pedigrees are assumed to be independent of each other. However, cryptic relatedness is often present in populations and haplotypes that harbor rare variants may be shared between pedigrees as well as within them. With millions of polymorphisms, Identity-by-descent (IBD) states across the genome can now be inferred without use of pedigree information. This is done by identifying long runs of identical-by-state genotypes which are unlikely to arise without IBD. Previously, IBD had to be estimated in pedigrees from recombinations in a sparse set of markers. We present a method for variance-components linkage that can incorporate large number of markers and allows for between-pedigree relatedness. We replace the IBD matrix generated from pedigree-based analysis with one generated from a genotype-based method. All pedigrees in a dataset are considered jointly, allowing between-pedigree IBD to be included in the model. In simulated data, we show that power is increased in the scenario when there is a haplotype shared IBD between members of different pedigrees. If there is no between-pedigree IBD, the analysis reduces to conventional variance-components analysis. By determining IBD states by long runs of dense IBS genotypes, linkage signals can be determined from their physical position, allowing more precise localization.
On the Impacts of Noise from Group-Based Label Collection for Visual Classification

State of the art visual classification continues to improve, particularly with the use of deep learning and millions of labeled images. However, the effort required to label training sets of this size has led to semi-supervised approaches that collect partially noisy labeled data with less effort. Label noise has been shown to degrade supervised learning, but these analyses focus on noise from erroneous label assignment of data instances. Group-based labeling reduces workload by assigning a single label to a group of images simultaneously, which introduces label noise with structure dependent on all training instances. This work investigates the impact of group-based label noise on classifier learning, and discusses how and why this differs from instance-based label noise. We also discuss label noise modeling designed to provide more robust classification given noisy training instances, and evaluate the generalization of these techniques to group-based noise.
Facts & Comparisons® eAnswers: A Review

ABSTRACTFacts & Comparisons® eAnswers, which features a newly redesigned user interface, provides access to multiple databases, drug reference tools, and modules for pharmacists and other health ca...
Noninfectious Hospital Adverse Events Decline After Elimination of Contact Precautions for MRSA and VRE

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the impact of discontinuing routine contact precautions (CP) for endemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) on hospital adverse events.DESIGNRetrospective, nonrandomized, observational, quasi-experimental study.SETTINGAcademic medical center with single-occupancy rooms.PARTICIPANTSInpatients.METHODSWe compared hospital reportable adverse events 1 year before and 1 year after discontinuation of routine CP for endemic MRSA and VRE (preintervention and postintervention periods, respectively). Throughout the preintervention period, daily chlorhexidine gluconate bathing was expanded to nearly all inpatients. Chart reviews were performed to identify which patients and events were associated with CP for MRSA/VRE in the preintervention period as well as the patients that would have met prior criteria for MRSA/VRE CP but were not isolated in the postintervention period. Adverse events during the 2 periods were compared using segmented and mixed-effects Poisson regression models.RESULTSThere were 24,732 admissions in the preintervention period and 25,536 in the postintervention period. Noninfectious adverse events (ie, postoperative respiratory failure, hemorrhage/hematoma, thrombosis, wound dehiscence, pressure ulcers, and falls or trauma) decreased by 19% (12.3 to 10.0 per 1,000 admissions, P=.022) from the preintervention to the postintervention period. There was no significant difference in the rate of infectious adverse events after CP discontinuation (20.7 to 19.4 per 1,000 admissions, P=.33). Patients with MRSA/VRE showed the largest reduction in noninfectious adverse events after CP discontinuation, with a 72% reduction (21.4 to 6.08 per 1,000 MRSA/VRE admissions; P<.001).CONCLUSIONAfter discontinuing routine CP for endemic MRSA/VRE, the rate of noninfectious adverse events declined, especially in patients who no longer required isolation. This suggests that elimination of CP may substantially reduce noninfectious adverse events.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;788-796.
Structural visualization of RNA polymerase III transcription machineries

RNA polymerase III (Pol III) transcription initiation requires the action of the transcription factor IIIB (TFIIIB) and is highly regulated. Here, we determine the structures of Pol III pre-initiation complexes (PICs) using single particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). We observe stable Pol III–TFIIIB complexes using nucleic acid scaffolds mimicking various functional states, in which TFIIIB tightly encircles the upstream promoter DNA. There is an intricate interaction between TFIIIB and Pol III, which stabilizes the winged-helix domains of the C34 subunit of Pol III over the active site cleft. The architecture of Pol III PIC more resembles that of the Pol II PIC than the Pol I PIC. In addition, we also obtain a 3D reconstruction of Pol III in complex with TFIIIB using the elongation complex (EC) scaffold, shedding light on the mechanism of facilitated recycling of Pol III prior to transcription re-initiation.
Linear-Theory-Based Shape Optimization for Sonic Boom Minimization

An overpressure ground signature with more than two shocks is proposed for sonic boom minimization. A procedure coupling linear-theory-based sonic boom theory with a state-of-the-art optimization tool is presented. The method is used to reshape a candidate supersonic aircraft for a reduced initial shock pressure rise.
Computational complexity of complementary pivot methods

The class of orthants in R n contains 2n orthants. A straight line L in R n is said to cut across an orthant C of R n if L has a nonempty intersection with the interior of C. It is well known that the maximum number of orthants of R n that a straight line in R n can cut across is n+1.
Ruler-Search Technique (RST) Algorithm to Locate Charging Infrastructure on a Particular Interstate or US-Highway

A key factor for the successful deployment of electrified transportation is determining locations for the electric vehicle charging infrastructures and develop a proper charging infrastructure network. In this paper, an algorithm has been developed to identify locations of charging infrastructures when driving a particular Electric Vehicle (EV) on a particular Interstate or US-Highway in a given state. The algorithm utilizes the concept of a ruler whose length is determined using constraints that include: range anxiety, driver’s driving habits and EV battery’s State of Health (SoH), State of Charge (SoC), and Depth of Discharge (DoD). A case study is presented to demonstrate the application of this algorithm.
Ciliopathy: Alström Syndrome

Alstrom syndrome is an autosomal recessive disease with multisystem involvement, including cone-rod dystrophy, hearing loss, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance with hyperinsulinemia, dilated cardiomyopathy, and progressive hepatic and renal failure. Patients present in childhood with photophobia and nystagmus, and mimic Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). The fundus shows pigmentary retinopathy with peau d'orange appearance and some fine white dots like drusen around the macula; the disc is pale, with attenuated retinal vessels (Fig. 35.1). Patients have short stature; boys have hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and girls have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Obesity is always present, with markedly increased triglyceride and VLDL-C levels; arterial hypertension is diagnosed as early as 2 years of age. There is no polydactyly or syndactyly. About half have developmental delay, but intelligence is usually normal.
Design and construction of lightweight EPS geofoam embedded geomaterial embankment system for control of settlements

Abstract This paper presents a research study on a bridge site located along US highway 67 over SH 174 in Cleburne, Texas, where bridge approach slabs have experienced more than 0.4 m (17 in.) of settlement within a span of 16 years after construction. Many treatment methods attempted to mitigate this problem had proven to be ineffective. As part of novel rehabilitation works, the top of existing fill soil on the embankment was replaced with lightweight expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam blocks to alleviate the approach slab settlements. This paper describes initial design and construction details of the rehabilitation works performed on the embankment system along with a focus on the early performance details. Field monitoring studies were conducted for almost three years to study the bump/settlements under the EPS geofoam embankment system. Short term measured settlement data was analyzed with hyperbolic model to predict the long term settlements. Numerical finite element studies attempted in this study showed that settlements could be reasonably predicted by modeling these geofoam embankments. Based on the monitoring and modeling studies, the effectiveness of utilizing EPS geofoam as an embankment fill material was addressed to mitigate the differential settlements under a bridge approach slab.
What kills us and what moves us: A comparative discourse analysis of heart disease and breast cancer.

IntroductionHeart disease kills nearly 300,000 US women annually, while approximately 40,000 US women die of breast cancer. Breast cancer online patient communities are well known for their high en...
Immersive Surgical Anatomy of the Pterional Approach.

The pterional approach (PA) is a versatile anterolateral neurosurgical technique that enables access to reach different structures contained in the cranial fossae. It is essential for neurosurgical practice to dominate and be familiarized with its multilayer anatomy. Recent advances in three-dimensional (3D) technology can be combined with dissections to better understand the spatial relationships between anatomical landmarks and neurovascular structures that are encountered during the surgical procedure. The present study aims to create a stereoscopic collection of volumetric models (VM) obtained from cadaveric dissections that depict the relevant anatomy and surgical techniques of the PA. Five embalmed heads and two dry skulls were used to record and simulate the PA. Relevant steps and anatomy of the PA were recorded using 3D scanning technology (e.g. photogrammetry, structured light scanner) to construct high-resolution VM. Stereoscopic images, videos, and VM were generated to demonstrate major anatomical landmarks for PA. Modifications of the standard PA, including the mini-pterional and two-part pterional approaches, were also described. The PA was divided into seven major steps: positioning, incision of the skin, dissection of skin flap, dissection of temporal fascia, craniotomy, drilling of basal structures, and dural opening. Emphasis was placed on preserving the temporal branches of the facial nerve and carefully dissecting the temporalis muscle. The interactive models presented in this article allow for clear visualization of the surgical anatomy and windows in 360-degrees and VR. This new modality of recording neuroanatomical dissections renders a closer look at every nuance of the topography experienced by our team in the laboratory. By accurately depicting essential landmarks, stereoscopy and VM can be valuable resources for anatomical education and surgical planning.
Total Synthesis and Structure Revision of (-)-Illisimonin A, a Neuroprotective Sesquiterpenoid from the Fruits of Illicium simonsii.

Illisimonin A was isolated from Illicium simonsii and has a previously unreported tricyclic carbon framework. It displayed neuroprotective effects against oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced cell injury in SH-SY5Y cells. It incorporates a highly strained trans-pentalene ring system. We report the first synthesis of (±)-illisimonin A. Notable steps in the route include a 1,3-dioxa-2-silacyclohexene templated Diels–Alder cycloaddition and type-3 semipinacol rearrangement to generate the trans-pentalene. The final step is an iron-catalyzed C–H oxidation. The synthetic route is robust, with 94 mg of racemic material prepared in a single pass. Resolving an intermediate enabled the synthesis of natural (−)-illisimonin A. The absolute configuration of (−)-illisimonin A was revised to 1S,4S,5S,6S,7R,9R,10R based on the X-ray structure of a heavy-atom analogue.
Materialism and purchase-evoked happiness: A moderated mediation model of purchase type and purchase’s impact on self

Although it is suggested that materialism value leads to more purchase-evoked happiness, limited research has investigated the underlying mechanism of the relationship. The purpose of the paper is ...
Clinical Impact of a Radiologic Quality Initiative Promoting More Timely Communication of Critical Pulmonary Embolus Results.

Background A section quality initiative was implemented beginning 2013 requiring positive pulmonary embolism (PE) results to be documented and communicated within 90 minutes of exam completion. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of this quality initiative on different intervals comprising the total patient processing time, namely the time from when the imaging exam was ordered to study completion interval, the time from study completion to positive PE result communication (TAT interval) or treatment initiation (TTT interval), the time from result communication to treatment initiation (TRCTI interval), and the total patient processing time (TPT interval). Methods This was a retrospective, single-institution, IRB-approved cohort study that included 830 patients with the diagnosis of acute PE confirmed by CT pulmonary angiography. A maximum of 10 positive exams per month were identified and analyzed over an 84-month period from January 2010 to December 2016. The following data were obtained: time when exam ordered, time of imaging study completion, time of report completion, time of result communication, time of treatment, type of treatment, and reasons for any treatment delay. Analysis was done by determining the mean time spent in various intervals, the cumulative relative frequency of interval completion, and the fraction of the entire patient processing time spent in each interval. Results Mean analysis demonstrated a decrease in all time intervals in the postpolicy period (ordered to study completion: Δ24.50%, p = 0.004; TAT: Δ23.91%, p Conclusion Total patient processing time decreased after the policy implementation with a more significant decrease in TAT compared to other intervals. Radiologic processing time does not appear to be the rate-limiting step in total patient processing time.
A vague memory can affect first-return time

First-return time is an important property for the return of particles or walkers to a start point. Recursive walks, which may be related to first-return time, are found in both random walk models and memory-based walk models. Achieving a balance between recursive walks and diffusive movements is a crucial but difficult modeling problem. Here, starting with a simple Brownian-walk model, I investigated how vague memorized information influences the first-return times of a walker. In the proposed model, the walker memorizes recently visited positions and recalls the direction in which it previously moved when returning to those positions. Using the recalled information, the walker then moves in the opposite direction to that previously traveled. In addition, the walker considers its recent experience and modifies its directional rules, i.e., memorized information, when the rule disturbs the recent flow of its movement. Thus, the proposed model effectively produces recursive walks in which a walker returns to a start point while demonstrating diffusive movements.
Awareness and Acceptability of Undetectable = Untransmittable Among a U.S. National Sample of HIV-Negative Sexual and Gender Minorities.

While the “Undetectable = Untransmittable” (U=U) message is widely endorsed, little is known about its breadth and reach. Our study describes socio-demographic characteristics and sexual behaviors associated with having heard of and trusting in U =U in a U.S. national sample of HIV-negative participants. Data were derived from the Together 5,000 cohort study, an internet-based U.S. national cohort of cis men, trans men and trans women who have sex with men. Approximately 6 months after enrollment, participants completed an optional survey included in the present cross-sectional analysis (n = 3286). Measures included socio-demographic and healthcare-related characteristics; questions pertaining to knowledge of and trust in U=U (dependable variable). We used descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic models to identify characteristics associated with these variables and explored patterns in willingness to engage in condomless anal sex (CAS) with regard to trust in U=U. In total, 85.5% of participants reported having heard of U=U. Among those aware of U=U, 42.3% indicated they trusted it, 19.8% did not, and 38.0% were unsure about it. Latinx, Asian, lower income, and Southern participants were less likely to have heard of U=U. Having had a recent clinical discussion about PrEP or being a former-PrEP user were associated with trust in U=U. Willingness to engage in CAS was positively associated with trust in U=U, and varied based on the partner’s serostatus, PrEP use and viral load. Although we found high rates of awareness and low levels of distrust, our study indicated that key communities remain unaware and/or skeptical of U=U.
Helicobacter pylori colonisation of duodenal foveolar metaplasia requires concurrent gastric infection

Aims Evaluate the rate and significance of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) involving duodenal foveolar metaplasia of chronic peptic duodenitis (CPD). Methods We identified 100 biopsy cases of CPD with synchronous stomach biopsies. All 200 were reviewed for histological changes (eg, chronic gastritis, acute inflammation) and underwent immunohistochemical staining for H. pylori. Results were correlated with patient age, sex, endoscopy indication and findings on stomach biopsy. Results Cases included 49 men and 51 women, with a median age of 56 years. Reflux or dysphagia was the most common symptom. Chronic gastritis was present in 46 stomach biopsies, with 54 within normal limits. Twelve stomach biopsies showed H. pylori, all of which showed gastritis. Two duodenal biopsies (2%) demonstrated H. pylori organisms on immunohistochemistry, both from patients with H. pylori gastritis. Conclusions Routine examination of CPD samples for H. pylori appears unnecessary if a stomach biopsy is available for review.
Randomized Controlled Trial of Personalized Colorectal Cancer Risk Assessment vs Education to Promote Screening Uptake.

INTRODUCTION Risk stratification has been proposed as a strategy to improve participation in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, but evidence is lacking. We performed a randomized controlled trial of risk stratification using the National Cancer Institute's Colorectal Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (CCRAT) on screening intent and completion. METHODS A total of 230 primary care patients eligible for first-time CRC screening were randomized to risk assessment via CCRAT or education control. Follow-up of screening intent and completion was performed by record review and phone at 6 and 12 months. We analyzed change in intent after intervention, time to screening, overall screening completion rates, and screening completion by CCRAT risk score tertile. RESULTS Of the patients, 61.7% of patients were aged <60 years, 58.7% female, and 94.3% with college or higher education. Time to screening did not differ between arms (hazard ratio 0.78 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.52-1.18], P = 0.24). At 12 months, screening completion was 38.6% with CCRAT vs 44.0% with education (odds ratio [OR] 0.80 [95% CI 0.47-1.37], P = 0.41). Changes in screening intent did not differ between the risk assessment and education arms (precontemplation to contemplation: OR 1.52 [95% CI 0.81-2.86], P = 0.19; contemplation to precontemplation: OR 1.93 [95% CI 0.45-8.34], P = 0.38). There were higher screening completion rates at 12 months in the top CCRAT risk tertile (52.6%) vs the bottom (32.4%) and middle (31.6%) tertiles (P = 0.10). DISCUSSION CCRAT risk assessment did not increase screening participation or intent. Risk stratification might motivate persons classified as higher CRC risk to complete screening, but unintentionally discourage screening among persons not identified as higher risk.