cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Seasonal Variation of Naringin and Certain Other Flavanone Glycosides in Juice Sacs of Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit

SUMMARY A recently developed chromatographic-fluorometric method was used for individual quantitative determination of naringin, neohesperidin, poncirin, naringeuin-7-β-rutinoside, hesperidin, and isosakuranetin-7-β-rutinoside in juice sacs of Texas Ruby Red grapefruit harvested in late July and late September, 1964, and monthly thereafter through late April, 1965. The concentrations of the six glycosides in these juice sacs were found to decrease rapidly and approximately porportionally during the period from late July through late November. In December–April, the concentrations of all six glycosides tended to decrease, although the monthly changes were slight. These results are compared with data obtained from the same samples by the Davis method for “naringin” determination and with taste-panel evaluations of grapefruit juice bitterness.
Genetic analysis of haptoglobin polymorphisms with cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in the diabetes heart study

Background: Haptoglobin (HP) is an acute phase protein that binds to freely circulating hemoglobin. HP exists as two distinct forms, HP1 and HP2. The longer HP2 form has been associated with cardiovascular (CVD) events and mortality in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods: This study examined the association of HP genotypes with subclinical CVD, T2DM risk, and associated risk factors in a T2DM-enriched sample. Haptoglobin genotypes were determined in 1208 European Americans (EA) from 473 Diabetes Heart Study (DHS) families via PCR. Three promoter SNPs (rs5467, rs5470, and rs5471) were also genotyped. Results: Analyses revealed association between HP2-2 duplication and increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT; p = 0.001). No association between HP and measures of calcified arterial plaque were observed, but the HP polymorphism was associated with triglyceride concentrations (p = 0.005) and CVD mortality (p = 0.04). We found that the HP2-2 genotype was associated with increased T2DM risk with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.49 (95% CI 1.18-1.86, p = 6.59x10 -4 ). Promoter SNPs were not associated with any traits. Conclusions: This study suggests association between the HP duplication and IMT, triglycerides, CVD mortality, and T2DM in an EA population enriched for T2DM. Lack of association with atherosclerotic calcified plaque likely reflect differences in the pathogenesis of these CVD phenotypes. HP variation may contribute to the heritable risk for CVD complications in T2DM.
Variable responsiveness of hormone-inducible hybrid genes in different cell lines.

Altered steroid responsiveness leads to various pathological conditions and is a particular problem for the treatment of cancers arising in steroid-sensitive cells. To develop cellular model systems for the analysis of the molecular mechanisms mediating altered steroid responses, we have analyzed the inducibility of a steroid-responsive promoter in different cell lines. In vitro constructs containing the mouse mammary tumor virus promoter fused to the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene or the bacterial neo gene were transfected into four different cell lines [Rat-2, CHO Chinese hamster ovary cells, F9, and T47D). Thymidine kinase+ clones and neo-resistant clones were selected in the presence of dexamethasone (dex) and/or other steroid hormones. We find that the mouse mammary tumor virus promoter activity is completely dependent on the presence of dex in Rat-2 cells but is constitutively active in CHO cells and is inactive in F9 teratocarcinoma cells in the presence and absence of dex. In the human...
Model for Predicting the Impact of Gadolinium on Plasma Calcium Measured by the o-Cresolphthalein Method

Background: Gadolinium formulations, which are administered as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging examinations, interfere with colorimetric serum calcium determinations. Methods: We performed an in vitro study to determine the extent to which three gadolinium formulations—gadodiamide (Omniscan), gadopentetate dimeglumine (Magnevist), and gadoversetamide (OptiMARK)—affect measurements by two methods that use o -cresolphthalein (Dade Behring, Inc. and Roche Diagnostics) and one that uses arsenazo dye (Equal Diagnostics). We also compared values from the o -cresolphthalein methods for 116 samples from patients administered gadodiamide. Results: Magnevist did not affect any of the methods evaluated, whereas Omniscan and OptiMARK were identical in their effects. For the Dade method, the differences from the control sample were ≤4.0 and 7.0 mg/L at 0.25 and 0.5 mmol/L gadolinium, respectively. For the Roche method, the differences were 19, 9.0, and 5.0 mg/L at 0.5, 0.25, and 0.125 mmol/L gadolinium, respectively. Falsely increased calcium values were seen when samples were measured by the arsenazo-based method: differences were 6.0 and 3.0 mg/L at 1.0 and 0.5 mmol/L gadolinium. Using patient data collected at our institution, we were able to generate a model for predicting, from a patient’s glomerular filtration rate and the time elapsed since administration, the impact of Omniscan on calcium measurements by the o -cresolphthalein method from Roche Diagnostics. Conclusions: The predictive model can be used to calculate, in patients who have received gadodiamide, the minimum length of time to wait before blood collection to avoid pseudohypocalcemia when the Roche o -cresolphthalein method is used.
A model of the bottom turbulent layer in the shallow-water region

We present a semiempirical model of the bottom turbulent boundary layer aimed at the application as one of the components of the procedure of evaluation of the vertical distribution of the concentration of suspensions in the coastal region of the sea. The model is based on data of laboratory experiments and is suitable for the sand bottom in a broad range of amplitudes of the bottom velocities of the wave origin.
Atypical presentation of takotsubo cardiomyopathy

Midventricular ballooning syndrome, an atypical variant of takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM), is characterized by transient wall motion abnormalities of the midsegment of the left ventricle with apical sparing. In contrast to the typical form of TCM, apical contractility is preserved and may even be hyperkinetic in midventricular TCM. We present a case of atypical TCM in an 86-year-old woman who had chest pain while accompanying her husband in the emergency department as he was evaluated for chest pain.
In Defense of Freak Show

(1993). In Defense of Freak Show. Disability, Handicap & Society: Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 91-94.
Shades of Chaos: Lessons Learned About Lessons Learned About Forecasting El Niño and Its Impacts

The troubled forecast of El Nino’s onset in 2014 requires an explanation as well as an open dialogue with the user community that depends on such an important forecast. A review of the forecasts on the Internet reflects two different perceptions about what transpired. The forecast community suggests they got it right, while the popular media suggests forecasters got it wrong. Why such a gap? The major El Nino that was alluded to by several organizations did not materialize when or even as expected. A science-fed media frenzy took place about an event considered in retrospect to have been an unusual borderline (weak) El Nino event, “trickiest ever to forecast.” That is understandable, as the science of El Nino is still on a learning curve. But it suggests that the forecasting of El Nino’s onset is still in an experimental phase and not yet operational. Forecasting its onset (as a specific event) should be separated from forecasting its behavior and impacts (as a process) once the onset has been assured. Whenever a forecast is made, someone is responding to it. Therefore, such a distinction is necessary for the benefit of those societies and economic sectors affected by El Nino.
Perspectives On The Pharmaceutical Industry

This paper seeks to provide an economic perspective on the pharmaceutical industry, which has come under increasing criticism on a number of issues. In the main, that criticism amounts to a rather ...
Discerning structure from freeform handwritten notes

This paper presents an integrated approach to parsing textual structure in freeform handwritten notes. Text-graphics classification and text layout analysis are classical problems in printed document analysis, but the irregularity in handwriting and content in freeform notes reveals limitations in existing approaches. We advocate an integrated technique that solves the layout analysis and classification problems simultaneously: the problems are so tightly coupled that it is not possible to solve one without the other for real user notes. We tune and evaluate our approach on a large corpus of unscripted user files and reflect on the difficult recognition scenarios that we have encountered in practice.
Black and White or Shades of Gray Are Gender Differences Categorical or Dimensional

Sex differences are a perpetually popular topic among scholars and lay audiences, but no research has addressed the underlying structure of these differences. Many people assume that sex differences in social behavior are categorical—that these differences represent fundamental distinctions between two distinct categories (taxa) of humans. Contrasted with this view is the idea that sex differences are dimensional—that differences between men and women indicate nothing more than relative positions along overlapping continuous dimensions. We used taxometric methods to examine whether a variety of well-established sex differences are indicative of taxa or dimensions. The evidence clearly supported the latter. Thus, for the psychological constructs that we examined, there is little support for believing that sex differences are anything more than individual differences that vary in magnitude from one attribute to another.
Inferring Copy Number Variation Networks From The Qatari Genome

Background: Thousands of Copy Number Variations (CNVs) obtained from Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies present a rich information for biologists. Such huge information is tempting for discovering the inherent characteristics for a population's genome. Copy Number Variations (CNVs) are deletions and duplications in the genome, that may associate with certain phenotypic characteristics as diseases or may be specific to populations. Objectives: Developing a method for identifying relations between CNVs in the Qatari population. This is used for detecting networks of CNVs that span several pathways, and which are enriched in deletions or duplications for this population. It is also used to investigate genes and pathways that are affected by multiple CNVRs in the same individual/population. Finding networks associated with each Qatari subpopulation (Bedouin, Persian and African) are also investigated. Materials & Methods: A set of 108 Qatari genomes was used in this study. A method for inferring Copy Number Variations Networks (CNVNs) using genes associated with CNVs is proposed. After reducing CNVs to Copy Number Variation Regions (CNVRs), the CNVRs are annotated with associated genes using biological databases. Biological pathways associated with those genes are then identified. For each individual, pairwise similarities between CNVRs are calculated based on the number of overlapping gene pathways. Similarity values are used to construct the edges of an individual-level CNVN. Aggregation of edges from all individuals' CNVNs is used to construct a population-lev el CNVN. Based on a specific edge weight threshold, sub-networks that connect groups of related CNVRs are found. Results: A set of 108 genomes was used to investigate CNVNs associated with the 3 subpopulations (Bedouin, Persian and African) in the Qatari cohort. More than 16,000 CNVRs were used to construct the network, based on around 3000 genes associated with the CNVRs, and around 200 pathways associated with those genes. Sub-networks connecting CNVRs from several chromosomes were identified. Health and Biomedical
Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis deoxyribonucleic acid in women with tubal infertility

Objective To determine the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis by in situ hybridization in fallopian tube tissues of women with distal tubal occlusion. Patients Subjects were selected from a Seattle-based study of infertility in women with distally occluded fallopian tubes undergoing reconstructive surgery. For comparison, six specimens were obtained from women undergoing surgery for noninfertility-related conditions who had normal appearing tubes. Methods Tissue specimens from 16 of these patients were selected for analysis by in situ hybridization and immunoperoxidase (IP) staining. Results C. trachomatis was detected in 9 of 16 women by either in situ hybridization or IP. Six of the nine were seropositive with titers ranging from 1:16 to 1:64. Tissue from 6 women with normal appearing fallopian tubes were negative by in situ hybridization. Conclusions The demonstration of C. trachomatis deoxyribonucleic acid and/or antigens in fallopian tube tissue from infertile women with distal tubal disease suggests that C. trachomatis can persist in these tissues in an uncultivable state.
Bone and calcium homeostasis.

The principal repository of calcium is bone. Calcium enters bone largely via the trabeculae, with the rate of calcium clearance by bone approximating 50 percent. Calcium enters bone as an ion in solution, but undergoes a phase change to a solid as soon as in contact with the bone surfaces. Calcium removal from and redistribution in bone is mediated by the bone cells, principally osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Calcium enters the body via intestinal absorption, a transport process that is the vectorial result of a saturable and an non-saturable step. Calcium leaves the body in the urine and stool, with a circulating calcium ion having one chance in about four of being lost via excretion. Ions like lead can compete with calcium at the sites of calcium deposition and transport
Protein-Based Hydrogels

Protein-based hydrogels are composed of isolated or enriched proteins from natural extracellular matrix. Inherent and controllable bioactivity makes these hydrogels promising candidates as smart biomaterials for drug delivery, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, and other applications. Desirable characteristics for these applications include natural cell binding, cell degradable, and growth factor-binding sequences. This chapter covers the unique properties of a variety of proteins (collagen, gelatin, fibrin, silk, elastin, keratin, and decellularized, tissue-specific extracellular matrix) as well as hydrogel synthesis, fabrication, modification, and established applications. Conditions of solubility and the mechanism of the sol–gel transition are discussed. Since each protein presented undergoes self-assembly to form a gel network, gelation parameters that affect this assembly and subsequently the gel ultrastructure are specifically presented. Emerging applications and technologies for protein-based hydrogels are also briefly mentioned.
Using Video-based Modeling to Promote Acquisition of Fundamental Motor Skills

Video-based modeling is becoming increasingly popular for teaching fundamental motor skills to children in physical education. Two frequently used video-based instructional strategies that incorporate modeling are video prompting (VP) and video modeling (VM). Both strategies have been used across multiple disciplines and populations to teach a wide range of skills, including motor skills. This article describes the benefits of VM and VP and presents eight basic steps to implementing them into physical education classes to promote the acquisition of fundamental motor skills in children. The eight steps are: (1) identifying the target skill(s), (2) selecting the learning cues, (3) selecting the video equipment, (4) selecting the video model, (5) creating the video, (6) selecting and arranging the setting, (7) monitoring progress, and (8) fading.
Vapor-Diffusion-Controlled Sol-Gel Synthesis of Flaky Lithium Vanadium Oxide and Its Electrochemical Behavior

Effectively modifying an existing synthesis method for materials can prove as useful as developing a new one. In this work, we revisited a conventional sol−gel synthesis of lithium vanadium oxide, a promising electrode material for rechargeable lithium batteries. Employing a kinetically controlled, vapor diffusion strategy (in which ammonia vapor was slowly diffused into the solution), we modified the conventional method to obtain a thin, flaky, lithium vanadium oxide with an average thickness of ∼120 nm. In comparison, material prepared by the conventional sol−gel route (in which aqueous ammonia was dropwise added to the solution) exhibited an agglomeration of irregular particles with a typical size of ∼10 μm. When evaluated as cathode material for rechargeable lithium batteries, this flaky material displayed a stable, reversible capacity of ∼250 and ∼115 mAh/g at discharge rates of 0.1 C and 2 C, respectively, considerably better than the agglomerated sample. The reasons for this improved performance we...
Theorist of Subaltern Subjectivity: Antonio Gramsci, Popular Beliefs, Political Passion, and Reciprocal Learning:

Some recent positions on Antonio Gramsci portray him as a vanguardist who outright rejects common sense and popular culture as playing a role in counter-hegemony or political resistance. This manus...
A Review of the North American Leafhopper Genus Laevicephalus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

Thirty-two species of Laevicephalus DeLong are described, illustrated and keyed; included are 2 species formerly placed in Orocastus, omani Knull and aurarius Knull (NEW COMBINATIONS), and 7 new species of Laevicephalus: colladonus, harrisi, mexicanus, opalinus, peronatus, ustulatus , and verberatus . L. concinnus (Sanders & DeLong) is removed from this genus to Cribrus (NEW COMBINATION). L. incisurus (DeLong) is synonymized with Latalus hultus Beirne (NEW SYNONYMY). The species of Laevicephalus are placed in 5 holophyletic species groups, and the phylogeny of the genus is inferred.
A new approach to reduce toxicities and to improve bioavailabilities of platinum-containing anti-cancer nanodrugs.

A New Approach to Reduce Toxicities and to Improve Bioavailabilities of Platinum-Containing Anti-Cancer Nanodrugs
Case 39: A Dataset

You are a new assistant professor in a medical department in a large university hospital. An associate professor is leaving the department the day you arrive. He hands you a dataset of 140 patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). The dataset contains variables which he has collected. They vary from sex, age, address, BMI, race, presence of hair, hair color, alcohol use, past surgical history, smoking history, drug treatments, family history of COPD, hypertension, etc. He asks you to analyze the data and submit the results as an abstract to the next annual meeting of respiratory diseases. He just wants to be second author. After that you don’t see him again.
Evaluation of Mare’s Milk Composition and Quality during Lactation

Our objective was to evaluate changes in the composition and quality of mare’s milk throughout lactation. Milk samples were obtained from fifteen mares immediately after foaling, and then once weekly from the first week of lactation up until the second through eighth week depending on the foaling date of each mare. Samples averaging 3 mL for colostrum samples, 3 mL for weekly sampling thereafter, and 2 oz. for DHI milk composition analysis, were collected after each teat was disinfected with a cotton ball that was moistened with 70% ethanol. Each 3 mL sample was examined for microbial growth via the application of approximately 0.1 mL milk sample on ¼ of a blood agar culture plate which was then incubated for 24 to 48 hours before being analyzed. Each 2 oz. sample was analyzed for fat, protein, lactose, milk urea nitrogen, and somatic cell count. The concentrations of fat, protein, and somatic cell counts decreased as a whole throughout lactation, while lactose and milk urea nitrogen concentrations increased. The averages for fat, protein, lactose, milk urea nitrogen, and somatic cell count were 1.73%, 2.08%, 6.62%, 25.77mg/dl, and 79,000 cells/ml (39,000 cells/ml without 1 outlier sample), respectively for the collection period. No bacterial infections were found on the culture plates. A California Mastitis Test (CMT) was also conducted, of which no inflammatory results were found. All mares maintained good condition throughout lactation, and foals grew well. Overall, composition was similar to other studies with horses showing excellent mammary health and milk quality.
Myelopathy due to Wasp Sting

The wasp is an insect of the hymenoptera order, which includes 100,000 species of insects, including bees, ants, and wasps. These are known to be well developed in social and colonial life. It is stated that four persons die every year in the UK due to anaphylactic reaction to wasp or bee stings. Myelopathies recorded are mostly due to Vaspa tropica stings.
Photonic and plasmonic surface field distributions characterized with normal- and oblique-incidence multi-photon PEEM.

Photonic and plasmonic fields at surfaces can have complicated spatial distributions, which are reflected in the corresponding photoelectron yields imaged in PEEM. These can include the intricate moire patterns on the surfaces of photonic and plasmonic structures and bright fringe field patterns at their edges. Understanding field distributions requires an understanding of how the guided modes develop, propagate, and interfere with each other and with the incident far-field light. Recent efforts in PEEM include the use of normal incidence excitation in addition to or in lieu of oblique incidence to alter the yield distributions. In this paper we present three cases of surface near-fields imaged in PEEM: an indium tin oxide photonic waveguide, a large gold plasmonic patch antenna, and a small gold plasmonic slot antenna. We show that the surface fields of the waveguide are those of a dual-mode waveguide and that the fields of the plasmonic antennas arise from the asymmetric surface plasmon mode excited at the perimeter of the antennas. We analyze the photoelectron yield distributions and compare and contrast the use of normal and oblique incidence for each case.
The clinical utility of immunoglobulin G4 in the evaluation of autoimmune pancreatitis and pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Abstract Background Elevation in the serum immunoglobulin-G4 (IgG4) level has been used as a diagnostic marker to distinguish autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), but its true utility is ill-defined. This study evaluates the clinical utility of IgG4 in differentiating AIP from PDAC. Methods All patients evaluated in the hepatopancreaticobiliary surgery clinics with measured serum IgG4 were included. Patients were divided into normal IgG4 ( Results Between 1997 and 2015, 298 patients were identified. Normal IgG4 levels were present in 85% of patients (254/298), while 15% (44/298) were elevated. The overall prevalence of AIP was 17% (52/298). The sensitivity and specificity of IgG4 for AIP was 67% and 96%, respectively; however, the PPV was only 80%, including a 9% occurrence of PDAC in patients with an elevated IgG4. Conclusion In this study of selected patients who underwent IgG4 testing, 9% of elevated IgG4 patients had PDAC. The overreliance on IgG4 as diagnostic for AIP may lead to mis-diagnosis and delayed treatment for PDAC.
GCRNN: Group-Constrained Convolutional Recurrent Neural Network

In this paper, we propose a new end-to-end deep neural network model for time-series classification (TSC) with emphasis on both the accuracy and the interpretation. The proposed model contains a convolutional network component to extract high-level features and a recurrent network component to enhance the modeling of the temporal characteristics of TS data. In addition, a feedforward fully connected network with the sparse group lasso (SGL) regularization is used to generate the final classification. The proposed architecture not only achieves satisfying classification accuracy, but also obtains good interpretability through the SGL regularization. All these networks are connected and jointly trained in an end-to-end framework, and it can be generally applied to TSC tasks across different domains without the efforts of feature engineering. Our experiments in various TS data sets show that the proposed model outperforms the traditional convolutional neural network model for the classification accuracy, and also demonstrate how the SGL contributes to a better model interpretation.
Prediction of industrial wastewater quality parameters based on wavelet de-noised ANFIS model

Industrial wastewater quality monitoring and prediction have a strong impact on the water resource planning and environmental protection. This study is focused on investigating wastewater quality of Las Vegas Wash. Many artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, including multivariate linear regression (MLR), artificial neural networks (ANNs), adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and ensemble of ANNs and ANFIS, have been proposed to solve the water quality prediction problem. ANFIS has been proven to achieve higher prediction accuracy. Since the water quality data is likely to be polluted by human errors or natural effects, we propose an improved wavelet de-noised technique combined with the ANFIS model to predict the wastewater quality parameters such as total dissolved solids (TDSs) and electrical conductivity (EC). The proposed model is calibrated, validated and tested using the data measured every two weeks since the year 2007 by Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA). To evaluate the performance of the proposed model, three statistical indices are used: mean average percentage error (MAPE), root mean square error (RMSE) and the coefficient of determination (R2). Compared with the experimental results of other wavelet de-noised AI models, the proposed wavelet-ANFIS model achieves the best prediction performance, with the RMSE, MAPE and R2 values equal to 16.06, 0.656, 0.987 and 20.95, 0.577, 0.985 for TDSs and EC prediction, respectively.
Social Change and Equality

In our hunger for progress, we tend to encourage media-propagated myths that shroud the reality of women’s lives and discourage efforts to improve that reality. One of the most fundamental—and misleading—of the current myths is that the seeds of equality sown over many generations have at last flowered in response to the collective efforts of 20th-century women. We argue that the facts do not provide support for the belief that women have played a causal role as agents of change, and that it is important to correctly identify the antecedents of social change. Our thesis is that the recent changes are rooted in the economic needs of the nation, not in the sociopolitical needs of its women. Because of the external genesis of this change, its consequences are less permanent, less significant, and less beneficial than commonly claimed.
Ideas of Combinatorial Geometry

In this section we discuss (without proof) some properties of convex figures in the plane. A figure M is called convex if, together with every two points a, b, it contains the whole segment [a, b], (Figure 13.1). Triangles, parallelograms, and trapezoids are convex (Figure 13.2). Disks, sectors with a central angle not exceeding 180°, and segments of disks are also convex (Figure 13.3); so is any segment and any single point. Some nonconvex figures are shown in Figure 13.4.
Non-opaque Calculus Demonstrated by Computerized Tomography

AbstractComputerized tomography demonstrated that a non-opaque filling defect within the ureter of a ureterostomy patient was a struvite calculus containing a minimal amount of calcium salts.
Addressing Lupus Health Disparities: The MONARCAS Community and Academic Collaborative Program.

Abstract Purpose: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Popular Opinion Leader (POL) model was implemented in a lupus education program (MONARCAS) for the Latino community. The program aim was to i...
Unconscious Bias in Action

Unconscious bias encompasses the attitudes or stereotypes that are outside of our awareness and affect our understanding, interactions, and decisions, projecting prejudices we do not realize we have, allowing us to react almost instantaneously and make fast decisions. Bias can also prompt us to jump to unwarranted conclusions about people. In the medical environment, this may have life-altering effects and is thought to play a major role in healthcare disparities. Unconscious bias affects how we interpret clues and how we provide care. It also affects the lives of those we work with (our coworkers) and sets the stage for the patient care environment. Patients and their families harbor their own unconscious biases as well, further complicating the provider-patient interaction. Clearly, consideration of the effect of bias is necessary to assure the best care. In this chapter, we examine unconscious bias in action in the clinical setting.
Sleep and Metabolism: Eaat-ing Your Way to ZZZs.

Summary A new study in fruit flies identifies a molecule, Eaat2, that regulates both sleep and metabolic rate. Surprisingly, Eaat2 acts in a specific glial subtype to modulate both processes, suggesting a cellular link in the brain between sleep and metabolism.
Phosphorylation Induces Conformational Rigidity at the C-Terminal Domain of AMPA Receptors

The intracellular C-terminal domain (CTD) of AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid) receptor undergoes phosphorylation at specific locations during long-term potentiation. This modification enhances conductance through the AMPA receptor ion channel and thus potentially plays a crucial role in modulating receptor trafficking and signaling. However, because the CTD structure is largely unresolved, it is difficult to establish if phosphorylation induces conformational changes that might play a role in enhancing channel conductance. Herein, we utilize single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) spectroscopy to probe the conformational changes of a section of the AMPA receptor CTD, under the conditions of point-mutated phosphomimicry. Multiple analysis algorithms fail to identify stable conformational states within the smFRET distributions, consistent with a lack of well-defined secondary structure. Instead, our results show that phosphomimicry induces conformational rigidity to the CTD, and such rigidity is electrostatically tunable.
Impact of Ondansetron Prescription on Return Emergency Department Visits Among Children with Acute Gastroenteritis.

Objectives The objective of this study was to determine if providing ondansetron prescription to children with acute gastroenteritis seen in the emergency department (ED) is associated with reduced unscheduled ED revisits. Methods This was a retrospective comparative cohort study conducted in a tertiary urban pediatric ED. We evaluated otherwise healthy children 6 months to 18 years old who presented to the ED between 2010 and 2015 and were discharged home with acute gastroenteritis diagnosis. Illness severity was determined using dehydration score, emergency severity index, and presenting symptoms. The incidence of unscheduled 72-hour ED revisit among patients discharged home with ondansetron prescription was compared with those without a prescription. Results Of the 11,785 eligible patients, 35.5% (N = 4,187) of patients were discharged home with ondansetron prescription. After adjustment for emergency severity index, age, insurance source, race, time of index visit registration, intravenous fluid use, and ED-administered ondansetron, there were no differences in the rates of ED revisit (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.12 [0.92, 1.33]) or admission after ED revisit (aOR = 0.81 [0.51, 1.27]) among children with versus without ondansetron prescription. No difference was found in the proportion of alternative diagnoses among returning patients with versus without ondansetron prescription (aOR = 0.56 [0.20, 1.59]). Conclusions There was no association between ondansetron prescription and ED revisit among children seen in the ED with suspected acute gastroenteritis. In the appropriate setting, however, physicians may consider prescribing ondansetron for symptom control in conjunction with careful discharge instructions.
Increasing incidence and changing epidemiology of babesiosis in the Hudson Valley region of New York State: 2009–2016

Abstract Babesiosis is an emerging infection in parts of New York State. From 2009 through 2016, there was a significant increase in the incidence rate of babesiosis in the Hudson Valley region of New York State (P = 0.002), an inland geographic location in which babesiosis only first emerged in 2001. A significant increase in cases was found for both the Upper Hudson Valley (UHV) region (P
Mobile Professionals and Metropolitan Models: The German Roots of Vocational Education in Latin America

The Latin American model of vocational education has been widely portrayed as a homegrown success story, particularly by scholars and stakeholders who are aware of the region’s skill deficits, wary of alien solutions, and suspicious of institutional transfers more generally. Is the Latin American model really homegrown? I use a combination of qualitative and quantitative data to trace the model’s mores and methods not to the New World but to Central Europe and go on to identify three different transmission paths in the 20th century: imitation by Latin Americans of German origin, descent, and/or training in the run-up to World War II; propagation by West German attaches and advisors in an effort to rehabilitate their country’s image in the wake of the war; and adaptation by local employers and policymakers—who received additional support from Germany—at the turn of the last century. The results suggest that institutional importation is less a discrete event or outcome to be avoided than an ongoing process that, first, entails translation, adaptation, and at times obfuscation by importers as well as exporters; and, second, is facilitated by immigrants, their descendants, and diplomats in transnational contact zones.
Two novel risk factors for postoperative venous thromboembolism: A reconsideration of standard risk assessment and prophylaxis.

Abstract Background Postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) is usually preventable with adequate prophylaxis. In an institutional study, patients with emergency operations (EO), multiple operations (MO), and perioperative sepsis (PS) were more likely to develop VTE despite standard prophylaxis. Methods General surgery patients in the NSQIP database from 2011 to 2014 were stratified into VTE and non-VTE groups, and statistical analyses were performed. Results Among 1,610,086 patients, 13,673 (0.8%) were diagnosed with VTE. The VTE odds ratios for patients with EO, MO and PS were 1.4 (95%CI:1.3–1.5), 1.9 (95%CI:1.7–2.0), and 2.4 (95%CI:2.2–2.5), respectively. VTE odds ratios increased with concurrence of two factors (EO+PS: 2.0 (95%CI:1.9–2.2)) (EO+MO: 2.3 (95%CI:1.9–2.7)) (MO+PS: 2.5 (95%CI:2.2–2.7)) and further still for patients with all three factors (2.7, 95%CI:2.4–3.0). Conclusion General surgery patients with EO, MO, or PS have a greater likelihood of developing postoperative VTE. These factors are not necessarily captured in contemporary risk assessment models that guide chemoprophylaxis, and so these high-risk patients may receive insufficient prophylaxis.
The GARP Domain of the Rod CNG Channel's β1-subunit Contains Distinct Sites for Outer Segment Targeting and Connecting to the Photoreceptor Disc Rim

Vision begins when light is captured by the outer segment organelle of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Outer segments are modified cilia filled with hundreds of flattened disc-shaped membranes. Disc membranes are separated from the surrounding plasma membrane and each membrane type has unique protein components. The mechanisms underlying this protein sorting remain entirely unknown. In this study, we investigated the outer segment delivery of the rod cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channel, which is located in the outer segment plasma membrane where it mediates the electrical response to light. We now show that the targeted delivery of the CNG channel to the outer segment requires pre-assembly of its constituent 1 and {beta}1 subunits and that CNG{beta}1 contains specific targeting information encoded within the glutamic acid-rich region of its N-terminal GARP domain. We also found that the GARP domain connects the CNG channel to photoreceptor disc rims likely through an interaction with peripherin-2 and demonstrated that this function is performed by a proline-enriched region adjacent to the GARP domain. Our data reveal fine functional specializations within the structural domains of the CNG channel and suggest that channel delivery to the outer segment is independent of peripherin-2 interactions. Significance StatementThe precise delivery and organization of signaling proteins in the ciliary outer segment organelle of photoreceptor cells is critical for light detection. We report that the CNG channel, mediating the electrical response to light in rods, contains a region within the N-terminus of its CNG{beta}1 subunit that encodes the outer segment targeting information for the entire channel. This targeting region is adjacent to a region that connects CNG{beta}1 to the rims of photoreceptor discs, likely determining the subcellular compartmentalization of the CNG channel into the outer segment plasma membrane.
Pharmacokinetics of alemtuzumab in pediatric patients undergoing ex vivo T-cell-depleted haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Alemtuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody against CD52 which is predominantly present on T and B lymphocytes. Alemtuzumab has been used as part of conditioning regimens for prophylaxis against rejection and GVHD. While the mechanism of action is well understood, the pharmacokinetics of this drug in children needed to be studied in more detail especially in the setting of ex vivo T-cell-depleted hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Serum alemtuzumab levels were measured at various time points in 13 patients who underwent haploidentical HCT utilizing ex vivo donor T-cell depletion. Alemtuzumab was administered subcutaneously at a cumulative dose of 45 mg/m2 from days − 13 to − 11. A one-compartmental model was used to fit the data using non-linear mixed effects modeling. We determined the median half-life to be 11 days. Alemtuzumab clearance increased with increasing baseline lymphocyte count (p = 0.008). Additionally, clearance increased with weight and age (p ≤ 0.035). AUC of alemtuzumab did not have any significant relationship with type of leukemia, overall survival, engraftment, immune reconstitution, mixed chimerism or GVHD, although the number of subjects in this pilot study was limited. Absolute lymphocyte count and body weight affect alemtuzumab clearance. We also demonstrate feasibility of body-surface area-based dosing of alemtuzumab in pediatric HCT patients. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of monitoring alemtuzumab serum concentrations to balance the prevention of graft rejection and GVHD with the promotion of rapid donor immune reconstitution.
miR-133a Replacement Attenuates Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm in Mice

Background Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) occur because of abnormal remodeling of aortic extracellular matrix and are accompanied by the emergence of proteolytically active myofibroblasts. The microRNA miR-133a regulates cellular phenotypes and is reduced in clinical TAA specimens. This study tested the hypothesis that miR-133a modulates aortic fibroblast phenotype, and overexpression by lentivirus attenuates the development of TAA in a murine model. Methods and Results TAA was induced in mice. Copy number of miR-133a was reduced in TAA tissue and linear regression analysis confirmed an inverse correlation between aortic diameter and miR-133a. Analyses of phenotypic markers revealed an mRNA expression profile consistent with myofibroblasts in TAA tissue. Fibroblasts were isolated from the thoracic aortae of mice with/without TAA. When compared with controls, miR-133a was reduced, migration was increased, adhesion was reduced, and the ability to contract a collagen disk was increased. Overexpression/knockdown of miR-133a controlled these phenotypes. After TAA induction in mice, a single tail-vein injection of either miR-133a overexpression or scrambled sequence (control) lentivirus was performed. Overexpression of miR-133a attenuated TAA development. The pro-protein convertase furin was confirmed to be a target of miR-133a by luciferase reporter assay. Furin was elevated in this murine model of TAA and repressed by miR-133a replacement in vivo resulting in reduced proteolytic activation. Conclusions miR-133a regulates aortic fibroblast phenotype and over-expression prevented the development of TAA in a murine model. These findings suggest that stable alterations in aortic fibroblasts are associated with development of TAA and regulation by miR-133a may lead to a novel therapeutic strategy.
Pilot Study of a Brief Behavioral Intervention for Dyspnea in Patients With Advanced Lung Cancer

Abstract Context Dyspnea is a common symptom in patients with advanced cancer that interferes with functional ability and quality of life (QOL). Although few evidence-based treatments for dyspnea exist, prior studies show support for nonpharmacological interventions that include elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Objectives To examine the feasibility and utility of delivering a brief behavioral intervention for dyspnea in patients with lung cancer. Methods For this single-group pilot study, eligible patients included those with advanced lung cancer (Stage III or IV non-small cell or extensive-stage small cell lung cancer) receiving outpatient cancer treatment who reported at least moderate breathlessness. The manualized intervention consisted of two sessions in which nurse practitioners taught participants breathing and relaxation techniques within the infusion clinic and encouraged home practice. Participants completed measures of breathlessness (Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale), QOL (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung Trial Outcome Index), and anxiety and depression symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) at baseline and within six weeks after enrollment. Results Of the 32 patients enrolled in the study (56.3% females; mean age 63.34 [SD] = 7.96 years), 84.4% (N = 27) completed all study procedures. Comparing the baseline to postassessments, we found significant improvements in Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (P Conclusion In this sample of patients with advanced lung cancer and dyspnea, we observed a high completion rate for the two-session behavioral intervention. Patients also reported improvements in dyspnea, QOL, and mood. Follow-up randomized controlled trials are needed to examine the efficacy of brief behavioral interventions for cancer-related dyspnea.
Race and the History of the Medical Profession

The modern concept of race was initially a classificatory concept introduced by the famous eighteenth-century Swedish classifier of flora and fauna, the physician and botanist Carl Linnaeus. He distinguished types of humans according to geography and skin color, using the sort of external markers that he used to differentiate between types of flowers and trees. Unlike these classifications, however, racial classifications soon became infused with ethnic biases. This entry examines the role of racial bias on the health professions, focusing in particular on the discriminatory exclusion of Jews from the medical professions in twentieth-century Germany and of African Americans in nineteenth- and twentieth-century United States. Contrasting the public and publicly proclaimed German policy of the exclusion of Jews with institutionalized racial exclusion in America, the entry probes the ironic fact that even as American medical societies officially condemned German racial exclusion of Jews they failed to recognize their own exclusionary practices with respect to African Americans. The entry concludes by noting another sad irony, that even though modern genetic science has disconfirmed Linnaeus's notion that skin color is a biologically significant marker, policies designed to rectify past racial discrimination have an unfortunate propensity to sustain the now discredited concept of “race.” Keywords: African American; anti-Semitism; ethics; race; racism
Exploring the Relationship between Video Game Ratings Implementation and Changes in Game Content as Represented by Game Magazines

Video game regulation is intended to lessen the potentially negative effects of games by limiting children's access to age-inappropriate games. Self-regulations, such as the current rating system, could also encourage manufacturers to reduce sexual and violent content in an attempt to avoid ratings that would limit their potential buyers. The purpose of this article was to determine if the implementation of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) was associated with changes in game content. A content analysis of video game magazine articles released before and after the establishment of the ESRB ratings determined that violent content and some sexual content increased nonsignificantly until 2004, when these elements became significantly more extreme. Other sexual content increased in early years but was stable after the adoption of the ratings system. Because manufacturers did not dramatically alter game content after the 1994 rating system came into effect, they may also be unlikely to change the content if the ratings system is modified in the future. Suele esperarse que, al restringir el acceso de los ninos a juegos inapropiados, la regulacion de videojuegos disminuya sus efectos potencialmente negativos. Autorregulaciones tales como el sistema de clasificacion actual podrian tambien animar a los fabricantes a reducir el contenido sexual y violento con el objetivo de evitar las clasificaciones que podrian limitar sus compradores potenciales. El proposito de este articulo es el de determinar si la puesta en marcha del Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) estuvo asociada con cambios en el contenido de los juegos. Un analisis de contenido de articulos de revistas de videojuegos publicados antes y despues del establecimiento de la clasificacion del ESRB determino que el contenido violento y un tipo de contenido sexual, no se incremento significativamente desde 2004, cuando estos elementos comenzaban a volverse significativamente mas extremos. El contenido sexual se incremento en los anos iniciales pero se estabilizo despues de la adopcion del sistema de clasificacion. Dado que los fabricantes no cambiaron dramaticamente el contenido de los juegos despues de que el sistema de clasificacion de 1994 entrara en vigor, es muy improbable que cambien el contenido si el sistema de clasificacion es modificado en el futuro.
Technical note: a histological technique for detecting the cryptic preservation of erythrocytes and soft tissue in ancient human skeletonized remains.

Bone samples from a Middle Bronze Age (ca., 1600-1300 BC) site were prepared for histological analy- sis. Preliminary results suggested that components of bone marrow remained preserved. To verify these findings and optimize the sample preparation procedure, we conducted experiments varying the type of acid used to decalcify the bones for histology preparation, as well as the exposure time to the demineralizing agents and thickness of sections taken from the samples for slide preparation. Subsequent examina- tion of the slides revealed the presence of well-preserved erythrocytes and other cellular structures consistent with bone marrow. Our results demonstrate that the traditional methods used to prepare bone samples for histology may be adjusted to improve the quality of the soft tissue architecture and cellular morphology for histological observation. Am J Phys Anthropol 152:566-568, 2013. V C 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.