cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Daptomycin in Experimental Endocarditis Due to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is becoming increasingly prevalent as both a nosocomial and a community-acquired pathogen. Daptomycin, a lipopeptide antibiotic now in phase III clinical trials, is rapidly bactericidal in vitro against a range of gram-positive organisms, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). In this study, we compared the efficacy of daptomycin with that of vancomycin, each with or without rifampin, in a model of experimental aortic valve endocarditis due to MRSA. The infecting strain (MRSA strain 32) was susceptible to daptomycin (MIC = 1 μg/ml), vancomycin (MIC = 0.5 μg/ml), and rifampin (MIC = 0.5 μg/ml). Daptomycin was administered at 25 or 40 mg/kg q24h (q24h) by subcutaneous injection in an attempt to simulate human doses of 4 and 6 mg/kg q24h, respectively. Vancomycin was given at 150 mg/kg q24h by continuous intravenous infusion. Rifampin was given at 25 mg/kg by intramuscular injection q24h. Treatment was started 6 h postinoculation and continued for 4.5 days. Outcome was assessed by counting the residual viable bacteria in vegetations. The mean peak daptomycin levels in serum at 2 h after subcutaneous administration of 25 and 40 mg/kg were 64 and 91 μg/ml, respectively. Daptomycin was undetectable in serum at 24 h. The total exposure was comparable to that achieved clinically in humans receiving the drug. Bacterial counts (mean log10 number of CFU per gram ± the standard deviation) in untreated controls reached 10.6 ± 0.8. In treated rats, bacterial counts were as follows: vancomycin, 7.1 ± 2.5; daptomycin at 25 mg/kg, 5.5 ± 1.7; daptomycin at 40 mg/kg, 4.2 ± 1.5. The difference between daptomycin at 40 mg/kg and vancomycin at 150 mg/kg was statistically significant (P = 0.004). In the study of combination therapy, vegetation bacterial counts were as follows: daptomycin at 40 mg/kg, 4.6 ± 1.6; rifampin, 3.6 ± 1.3; vancomycin plus rifampin, 3.3 ± 1.1; daptomycin plus rifampin, 2.9 ± 0.8. The difference between daptomycin and daptomycin plus rifampin was statistically significant (P = 0.006). These results support the continued evaluation of daptomycin for serious MRSA infections, including infective endocarditis.
Distributed Processing of a Regional Prediction Model

Abstract This paper describes the parallelization of a mesoscale-cloud-scale numerical weather prediction model and experiments conducted to assess its performance. The model used is the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS), a limited-area nonhydrostatic model suitable for cloud-scale and mesoscale studies. Because models such as ARPS are usually memory and CPU bound, the motivation here is to decrease the computer time required for running the model and/or increase the size of the problem that can be run. A domain decomposition strategy using a network of workstations produced a significant decrease in elapsed time and increase in problem size relative to a single-workstation run. The performance of the resulting program is described by deprived formulas (collectively known as a performance model), which predict the execution time and speedup for different numbers of processors and problem sizes. The interprocessor communication speeds are shown to be the major obstacle to achieving full processor ...
Abstract WMP61: TWOACES: TIA Work-up As Outpatient, Assessment Of Clinical Efficacy And Safety

Background: Much controversy exists as to the appropriate triage of acute TIA patients. One commonly used tool is the ABCD 2 score. This tool is helpful for patients at low risk (score of 0-3) or high risk (score of 6-7) of stroke, but leaves a large moderate risk population (score of 4-5) for whom no clear guidance can be given. As previous studies have found large artery atherosclerosis to be a potent risk factor for stroke after TIA, we attempted to further delineate low and high risk TIA populations with the addition of non-invasive arterial imaging. Methods: All patients referred to the Stanford Stroke Service for possible TIA within 72 hours of symptom onset between July 2007 and February 2010, and all patients referred to the Highland Park Stroke Service for possible TIA within 72 hours of symptom onset after October 2009 were screened for enrollment in this observational study. 406 patients were invited to enroll, 5 refused. Of the 401 enrolled, follow-up was obtained in 398 patients. Patients were placed into two groups: 1) ABCD 2 scores of 0-3 or 4-5 AND no sign of hemodynamically significant stenosis ( 2 scores of 6-7 or 4-5 AND hemodynamically significant stenosis (≥50%) "High Risk Group". Non-invasive arterial imaging included CTA, MRA, and Carotid US - all chosen by the treating physician. 30 day stroke rates with 95% CIs were recorded. Results: Of the 398 patients in whom follow-up data was obtained, 340 (85.4%) fell into the “Low Risk Group”. Within that group, the stroke rate at 30 days was 1.76% (6 strokes, 95% CI 0.72-3.89%). Within the “High Risk Group”, the stroke rate at 30 days was 5.17% (3 strokes, 95% CI 1.21-14.7%). The overall stroke rate was 9/398 (2.26%, 95% CI 1.13-4.31%). Conclusions: In our observational study we continue to find that the overall 30 day stroke rate after TIA was quite low (2.26%). The percentage of all TIA patients falling into the “Low Risk Group” was quite high (85.4%), and these patients had a particularly low rate of stroke at 30 days. Given the high number of “Low Risk” patients and the low rate of stroke in that group at 30 days, the vast majority of TIA patients could likely be safely evaluated in a rapid outpatient setting provided that the treating physician is confident of the diagnosis.
Sequential Art & Academic Library Instruction: Crafting a Toolbox of Multiple Literacies for Credit Courses

ABSTRACTSequential art is a unique storytelling medium that combines visuals and content in a deliberate, specific delivery in order to engage audiences on emotional and cognitive levels. Consequently, graphic novels, comics, and comix are a rich educational medium for undergraduate credit instruction in academic libraries, precisely because this alternative delivery of content can effectively educate many learning styles. This article documents the development and implementation of an undergraduate, upper division credit-bearing course in an academic library that examined multiple types of literacy through the medium, with commentary on instructional strategies for other academic librarians and professors.
Bioenergetic Metabolites in the Diabetic Peripheral Nervous System (P03.193)

Objective: To quantify changes in steady-state intermediary metabolites of glycolysis, TCA cycle and fatty acid beta-oxidation in sciatic nerve (SCN) from type 2 diabetic mice, providing a link between peripheral nerve-specific metabolic abnormalities and the development of diabetic neuropathy (DN). Background DN affects approximately 60% of diabetic patients and is characterized by the progressive loss of peripheral axons, resulting in pain and eventual loss of sensation. DN is the leading cause of diabetes-related hospital admissions and nontraumatic amputations in the US. Despite the morbidity associated with DN, the fundamental biological abnormalities that are most critical to DN progression remain unclear. There is a prevailing view that hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia are associated with increased flux through these respective pathways in the diabetic peripheral nerve, but no definitive evidence exists to support this hypothesis. An understanding of diabetic metabolic abnormalities distinct to the peripheral nerve may be crucial to developing effective treatments for DN. Design/Methods: The BLKS-db/db murine model of type 2 diabetes develops severe DN, with dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia. Targeted mass-spectrometry was used to quantify alterations in glycolytic, TCA cycle and beta-oxidation intermediates in BLKS-db/db mouse SCN. Results: Metabolic profiling demonstrated reduced long-chain acyl-CoAs, carnitine and short-chain acyl-carnitine species, along with decreases in glycolytic, TCA cycle and adenosine phosphate energy intermediates, in 24-week db/db (diabetic) compared with db/+ (control) SCN. Conclusions: Our data reveal a novel metabolic profile in diabetic SCN. These data challenge the theory that excessive metabolism through glycolysis and beta-oxidation is implicit in the development of diabetic complications, including DN. Further identification of this diabetic metabolic signature critical for DN progression will be useful in the diagnosis and therapeutic management of patients. Supported by: NIH 1 R24 DK082841-01, NIH 1 UO1 DK076160, NIH 1RC 1NS068182, NIH DK089503, The A. Alfred Taubman Institute and The Program for Neurology Research and Discovery. Disclosure: Dr. Hinder has nothing to disclose. Dr. Buller has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pennathur has nothing to disclose. Dr. Feldman has received personal compensation for activities with Novartis.
Local Government, Social Programs, and Political Participation: A Test of Policy-Centered Theory:

For scholars of urban politics, the study of political participation has introduced an emphasis on a range of forms of civic engagement beyond vot ing. This research includes a substantial line of work on involvement in neighborhood organizations (Berry, Portney, and Thomson 1993; Goetz and Sidney 2008) and contact ing of city officials (Traut and Emmert 1993; Thomas and Melkers 1999) as well as copro duction of public services, collaboration on community projects more generally, and a variety of other distinctively local forms of civic engagement (Percy 1984; Marschall 2004; Putnam 2000). As with studies of political participation at the national level, much of this research on local forms of civic
On the Trail of the Lonesome Pine: Archaeological Paradigms and the Chaco “Tree of Life“

The great houses of Chaco Canyon (ca. A.D. 850–1150) are widely assumed to represent cosmological meaning through the orientation of walls and other features to celestial events. Archaeological models of such relationships are considered cosmographic. A prominent feature of these models is a lone pine tree at Pueblo Bonito that has been interpreted as a “tree of life” symbolically connecting the physical and heavenly worlds. This study suggests that this interpretation is inconsistent with contextual data and should be dismissed. Future cosmographic research in Chaco should endeavor to develop methods of independent verification that will strengthen inferences about cosmological symbolism in architecture.
Flight Technology Demonstrator Launch Vehicle

Nomenclature BAA = Baseline Avionics Architecture COTS = Commercial Orbital Transportation Services DRM = Design Reference Mission FTD = Flight Technology Demonstrator GNC = Guidance Navigation & Control IVHM = Integrated Vehicle Health Management LV = Launch Vehicle(s) MEMS = Micro-electromechanical System MSFC = Marshall Space Flight Center PnP = Plug-n-Play RLV = Reusable Launch Vehicle RTLS = Return to Launch Site SOA = State of the Art TA = Technology Area TAA = Technology-accommodating Avionics Architecture TPS = Thermal Protection System TRL = Technology Readiness Level UAH = University of Alabama in Huntsville URAD = University Research and Development
Disabling Positional Vertigo

We have identified a group of patients with vestibular disorders whose symptoms are not consistent with the commonly recognized syndromes such as Meniere's disease, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, and vestibular neuronitis. These patients have a constant positional vertigo and are often nauseated to an extent that makes them disabled. Their symptoms do not respond to conventional medical treatment or habituating therapy. We have found specific clinical-pathological signs in these patients that indicate that the vestibular nerve is compressed intracranially by blood vessels. Treatment of nine such patients by microvascular decompression of the eighth nerve brought total relief of symptoms in eight patients and improvement in one. We suggest that this syndrome be named disabling positional vertigo.
Role of kidney in pathogenesis of experimental nephrotic hyperlipemia in rats.

Summary1. Bilateral nephrectomy prevented the development of hyperlipemia in rats injected with NTS. 2. The degree of hyperlipemia in rats with chronic nephrotoxic renal disease was decreased progressively with the removal of each kidney. 3. Production of unilateral renal disease in the presence of one normal kidney did not prevent the development of hyperlipemia. The lipemia was less, however, than in rats with bilateral disease. 4. When the right nephrotic kidney was removed from rats with unilateral renal involvement, the serum cholesterol and total lipid values and the urinary protein content decreased to normal. Right nephrectomy in rats with bilateral renal disease, however, resulted in only slight dcreases in these values which remained above the normal range. 5. It is suggested that a “hyperlipemia-inducing” agent may be secreted by the nephrotic kidney.
Streptococcal Complications: The Outlook for Prevention

Theoretically, rheumatic fever and acute glomerulonephritis can be prevented; perhaps enough attention has not been paid to the latter as a complication of streptococcal pyoderma. In warm climates particularly, streptococcal impetigo may sometimes reach epidemic proportions. Alertness to the appearance of specific nephritogenic serotypes and adequate treatment of sibling contacts as well as index cases can do much to reduce the incidence of AGN.
Acceptance of a Potential HIV/AIDS Vaccine among Minority Women

Abstracts Purpose To explore the attitudes, opinions and concerns of minority women regarding acceptance of a potential HIV/ AIDS vaccine. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted with high-risk minority women (≥18 years of age) attending an urban Atlanta health clinic specializing in sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. Interviews were transcribed and content analyzed to identify common factors related to acceptance of an HIV/AIDS vaccine. Results Nine major themes were identified. These were general acceptance of an HIV/AIDS vaccine, concerns about the vaccine, vaccine knowledge, testing and research, provider recommendation, mistrust, alternative medicine, misperceptions and vaccine accessibility/availability. A strong theme emerged about the need for information from HIV/AIDS vaccine clinical trials, including the demographics of the studies’ volunteer base, to inform decision-making about taking an HIV/AIDS vaccine in the future. Conclusions Although fewer than half of the women indicated they would receive or recommend the vaccine, most agreed that development of a vaccine was an important endeavor. The findings of this study may assist in future efforts to determine how best to promote acceptance of an HIV/AIDS vaccine to minority women should one become available.
Ca2+ release mechanism of primate drug-induced coronary vasospasm

Cellular mechanisms of protection against drug-stimulated coronary vasospasm were studied by multiweek estrogen plus progesterone (P) vs. medroxy-progesterone acetate (MPA) treatments by measuring ...
Abstract B010: Pharmacodynamics and mechanisms of drug action for bispecific redirected T cell immunotherapy against P-cadherin

Utilizing pharmacodynamic immunohistochemistry (PD-IHC) for in situ & quantitative measures, we explored the mechanism of action of a Dual-Affinity Re-Targeting (DART®) bispecific recombinant antibody engineered with enhanced pharmacokinetic properties to extend in vivo half-life. This bispecific, designated P-cadherin LP-DART, is designed to engage and activate polyclonal T cell populations via the CD3 complex in the presence of P-cadherin expressing tumors. Following administration in mice bearing established human tumors and implanted with human T-cells we examined the localization of P-cadherin LP-DART within the tumor xenografts, P-cadherin expression, quantitation and immunophenotyping of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), downstream biomarkers of T-cell effector function and immunoregulatory mechanisms. Cell surface P-cadherin expression was maintained on the established tumor xenografts after the administration of single and multiple doses of the bispecific molecule. Furthermore, we detected P-cadherin LP-DART in the tumors more than one week after administration. Pan lymphocyte IHC and digital image analysis demonstrated P-cadherin LP-DART mediated CD3+ T-cell infiltration, resulting in nearly half of the viable cells in the tumor being TILs. Conversely, we did not detect infiltrating CD3+ human T-cells in normal organs, confirming a specific target mediated T-cell response at the tumor site. Elevated proximal and downstream mediators of drug action (granzyme B and cleaved caspase 3) further support that P-cadherin LP-DART localized within the tumor induces T-cell mediated growth inhibition and sustained regression. Additionally, to study the the tumor response to redirected T-cell mediated killing we measured the up-regulation of critical immune check point pathways after treatment P-cadherin LP-DART. In the in vivo tumor models examined, tumor cells acutely and robustly induced expression of immunoregulatory pathways in response to effector T-cell activity. Taken together, we demonstrate the utility of in situ kinetic PD-IHC methodologies to demonstrate target expression, drug localization, downstream biomarkers of drug action, and provide insights into potential immunoregulatory mechanisms in response to T-cell mediated bispecific immunotherapy. Citation Format: Justin Lucas, Andrea T. Hooper, Jonathon Golas, Bryan Peano, Alan Opsahl, Leslie Obert, Maria Gavriil, Timothy Fisher, Anton Xavier, Michael Cinque, Roger Conant, Judy Lucas, Adam Root, Lioudmila Tchistiakova, Hans Peter Gerber, Chad May. Pharmacodynamics and mechanisms of drug action for bispecific redirected T cell immunotherapy against P-cadherin. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR Inaugural International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; September 16-19, 2015; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B010.
Experimental streptomycin therapy in mice.

Summary1. The therapeutic effect of streptomycin was evaluated in mice infected with a pneumotropic pasteurella either by the respiratory or by the intracerebral route.2. When treatment was started within 4 hours after infection intracerebrally mice could be saved by streptomycin injected subcutaneously. With a total dose of 0.3 g/kg streptomycin the main factor determining success of therapy was the time interval between infection and first administration of antibiotic.3. With comparable dosage regimens larger amounts of streptomycin were necessary to cure the intracerebral than the respiratory infection.4. When treatment of the pulmonary infection was delayed for 18 hours, until symptoms and lesions were present, marked differences appeared in the effectiveness of dosage schedules similar in their effects when treatment was started soon after infection.5. The possible usefulness of “natural” type infections in chemotherapeutic experiments is discussed and compared to the “test-tube” type of experimental...
Communicating Gender in Microenterprise Development

Microenterprise is hailed as the solution to women’s poverty, applauded by agents of the development industry, financial institutions, and public reviews. But what are the consequences of this strategy for the ways in which we understand development itself, for our projections of women’s roles in development, and for the consideration of gender dynamics; and how does communication figure in this narrative? This chapter explores these questions through a study of microenterprise programs explicitly focusing on women in the South Asian region, with special attention to known interventions and conditions in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. I consider the narrative of microenterprise interventions that employ communications as tools to resolve problematic conditions women face as “victims” of poverty, enabled through the “heroic” actions of men administrating formal finance institutions. This analysis is not meant to suggest that women are indeed victims or that men are necessarily heroes, but to consider how gender differentiates roles for women and men in the construction of social change.
Thorax, Abdomen, and Soft Tissues

Fractures of ribs and other bones of the thoracic cage may be manifestations of child abuse. Abdominal abusive organ damage includes traumatic pancreatitis, duodenal hematoma, and, occasionally, bladder rupture. Abusive skin lesions may be simulated by several conditions including leukemia. Unusual foreign bodies may be the result of abuse.
Surface-based morphometry reveals caudate subnuclear structural damage in patients with premotor Huntington disease

In patients with premotor Huntington’s disease (pmHD), literature has reported decreases in caudate volume. However, the regional vulnerability of the caudate nucleus to pmHD remains to be clarified. We aimed to determine whether regional structural damage of the caudate nucleus was present in pmHD and was correlated with clinical profile using a surface-based morphometric technique applied to T1-weighted MRI. The study cohort consisted of 14 volunteers with genetically confirmed pmHD (6 males; 41.8 ± 13.2 years) and 11 age- and sex-matched controls (5 males; 46.2 ± 11.9 years, p > 0.3). On 3-T T1-weighted images, bilateral caudate volumes were manually delineated. The resulting labels were converted to a surface, triangulated with 1002 points equally distributed across subjects using SPHARM-PDM. Displacement vectors were then computed between each individual and a template surface representing the whole cohort. Computing point-wise Jacobian determinants (JD) from these vectors quantified local volumes. We found decreases in bilateral global caudate volumes in the pmHD group compared to controls (t = 3.4; p = 0.002). Point-wise analysis of local volumes mapped caudate atrophy in pmHD primarily onto medial surface (t > 2.7; FDR < 0.05), with most pronounced changes in anteromedial subdivision. In a combined group of patients and controls, volume within the area presenting significant group difference was positively correlated with scores of executive function (r = 0.7; p < 0.001) and working memory (r = 0.6; p = 0.002). In patients, the caudate atrophy was associated with increase in disease burden (r = 0.7; p = 0.005). Caudate subnuclear atrophy measured using our surface-based morphometric technique is evident in pmHD, correlates with clinical variables, and may provide a more sensitive biomarker than global volumes.
Correlation of Through-silicon Via (TSV) Dimension Scaling to TSV Stress and Reliability for 3D Interconnects

Abstract Through-silicon vias (TSVs) are a crucial technology for enabling full three dimensional integration, yet they pose unique reliability risks, including thermal stress buildup due to the mismatch in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the silicon and the copper and the via extrusion phenomena. These effects can degrade device performance and it has been proposed that smaller TSV dimensions will reduce these reliability risks. In this paper, the correlation of shrinking dimensions to TSV stress and reliability is investigated, focusing on the effect of the microstructure on the plasticity and extrusion for 10, 5, and 2 μm diameter copper vias. Synchrotron x-ray microdiffraction revealed local plasticity concentrated in the tops of the vias of all diameters, and showed that the TSV stress behavior seemed to depend on the variations in the grain structure. Electron backscatter diffraction quantified the microstructure to show a tight distribution of grain sizes after the post-plating anneal,...
Sleep and Neurodegeneration: A Critical Appraisal

Sleep abnormalities are clearly recognized as a distinct clinical symptom of concern in neurodegenerative disorders. Appropriate management of sleep-related symptoms has a positive impact on quality of life in patients with neurodegenerative disorders. This review provides an overview of mechanisms that are currently being considered that tie sleep with neurodegeneration. It appraises the literature regarding specific sleep changes seen in common neurodegenerative diseases, with a focus on Alzheimer disease and synucleinopathies (ie, Parkinson disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, multiple system atrophy), that have been better studied. Sleep changes may also serve as markers to identify patients in the preclinical stage of some neurodegenerative disorders. A hypothetical model is postulated founded on the conjecture that specific sleep abnormalities, when noted to increase in severity beyond that expected for age, could be a surrogate marker reflecting pathophysiological processes related to neurodegenerative disorders. This provides a clinical strategy for screening patients in the preclinical stages of neurodegenerative disorders to enable therapeutic trials to establish the efficacy of neuroprotective agents to prevent or delay the development of symptoms and functional decline. It is unclear if sleep disturbance directly impacts neurodegenerative processes or is a secondary outcome of neurodegeneration; this is an active area of research. The clinical importance of recognizing and managing sleep changes in neurodegenerative disorders is beyond doubt.
Evaluation of the Effects of Quetiapine on QTc Prolongation in Critically Ill Patients

Quetiapine, an atypical antipsychotic used in the intensive care unit (ICU) to manage delirium, has a possible adverse effect of corrected QT (QTc) interval prolongation. The objective of this analysis was to describe the impact of quetiapine on QTc interval prolongation in critically ill patients. This was a single-center, prospective cohort analysis of ICU patients who received quetiapine between October 2015 and February 2016. The major end point was the incidence of QTc prolongation greater than 60 milliseconds above baseline during therapy. Minor end points included median change in QTc interval and incidence of Torsades de Pointes (TdP). Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to determine variables associated with higher risk of QTc prolongation. During the study period, 103 patients were enrolled in the analysis. QTc interval prolongation greater than 60 milliseconds occurred in 14 (13.6%) patients. The median change in QTc interval was 20 milliseconds. There were no cases of TdP. On multivariable analysis, the only variable associated with higher incidence of QTc prolongation was administration of a concomitant medication known to prolong the QTc interval ( P = .046). QTc prolongation was relatively uncommon among critically ill patients utilizing quetiapine. Patients receiving concomitant medications known to prolong the QTc interval may be at an increased risk.
Active and Semisupervised Learning With Morphological Component Analysis for Hyperspectral Image Classification

Classification of hyperspectral images has recently gained significant popularity due to both the development of remote sensing technologies and the advances in image analysis approaches. One crucial step to achieve accurate classification is to acquire sufficient high-quality training data, which is often a time-consuming and expensive process. To alleviate this burden, in this letter, we propose an active and semisupervised learning (SSL) approach that utilizes morphological component analysis (MCA) for classification of hyperspectral images. First, the original hyperspectral data are decomposed into its morphological components via MCA. In each feature domain, the active learning (AL) and SSL are combined to enlarge the training data set based on superpixels. Finally, decision fusion is carried out to integrate the predictions from the two components. The proposed method is tested on both benchmark and real world application hyperspectral data sets. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method can lead to a better classification with respect to the conventional AL approaches.
How the Criteria for Joining the European Union Affect Public Opinion: The Case of Equal Pay between Women and Men in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Existing studies suggest that normative commitments to the European Union's gender equality standards remain weak in states applying for EU membership, and that citizens are unresponsive to information the EU provides. However, these studies do not gauge public support for women's rights when they are addressed as an EU issue (an EU frame). In an original experimental survey of Bosnia and Herzegovina, I examine the effect of EU framing on support for equal pay between women and men, and the responsibility assigned to the government for unequal pay. I find that EU frames affect the responsibility assigned to the government. Supporters of independence from the EU assign less responsibility to their government for unequal pay, when equal pay is addressed as an EU issue.
Metaplasia: tissue injury adaptation and a precursor to the dysplasia–cancer sequence

Metaplasia is the replacement of one differentiated somatic cell type with another differentiated somatic cell type in the same tissue. Typically, metaplasia is triggered by environmental stimuli, which may act in concert with the deleterious effects of microorganisms and inflammation. The cell of origin for intestinal metaplasia in the oesophagus and stomach and for pancreatic acinar-ductal metaplasia has been posited through genetic mouse models and lineage tracing but has not been identified in other types of metaplasia, such as squamous metaplasia. A hallmark of metaplasia is a change in cellular identity, and this process can be regulated by transcription factors that initiate and/or maintain cellular identity, perhaps in concert with epigenetic reprogramming. Universally, metaplasia is a precursor to low-grade dysplasia, which can culminate in high-grade dysplasia and carcinoma. Improved clinical screening for and surveillance of metaplasia might lead to better prevention or early detection of dysplasia and cancer.
A relative L-arginine deficiency contributes to endothelial dysfunction across the stages of the menopausal transition.

Abstract Vascular endothelial function declines across the menopause transition in women. We tested the hypothesis that reduced availability of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase [eNOS] substrate L‐arginine is an underlying mechanism to vascular endothelial dysfunction across menopause stages. Endothelial function (brachial artery flow‐mediated dilation [FMD]) and plasma markers of L‐arginine metabolism (citrulline, N G ‐mono‐methyl‐ւ‐arginine [L‐NMMA] asymmetric dimethylarginine [ADMA] and N G ‐N ′G ‐dimethyl‐l‐arginine [SDMA]), were measured in 129 women: 36 premenopausal (33 ± 7 years), 16 early‐ (49 ± 3 years) or 21 late‐ (50 ± 4 years) perimenopausal, and 21 early‐ (55 ± 3 years) or 35 late‐ (61 ± 4 years) postmenopausal. FMD was progressively reduced across menopause stages ( P P = 0.012), with higher levels in early postmenopausal compared to early and late perimenopausal women ( P P r = −0.30, P = 0.001). The L‐arginine/L‐NMMA ratio, a potential biomarker of relative L‐arginine levels, was lower in postmenopausal compared to either premenopausal or perimenopausal women (both P r = 0.33, P
Tuning the ferroelectric-to-paraelectric transition temperature and dipole orientation of group-IV monochalcogenide monolayers

Coordination-related, two-dimensional (2D) structural phase transitions are a fascinating facet of two-dimensional materials with structural degeneracies. Nevertheless, a unified theoretical account of these transitions remains absent, and the following points are established through ab initio molecular dynamics and 2D discrete clock models here: Group-IV monochalcogenide (GeSe, SnSe, SnTe,...) monolayers have four degenerate structural ground states, and a phase transition from a threefold coordinated onto a fivefold coordinated structure takes place at finite temperature. On unstrained samples, this phase transition requires lattice parameters to evolve freely. A fundamental energy scale $J$ permits understanding this transition, and numerical results indicate a transition temperature ${T}_{c}$ of about $1.41J$. Numerical data provides a relation among the experimental (rhombic) parameter $\ensuremath{\langle}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\rangle}$ [Chang et al., Science 353, 274 (2016)] and $T$ of the form $\ensuremath{\langle}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\rangle}=\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}\ensuremath{\alpha}(T=0){\left(1\ensuremath{-}T/{T}_{c}\right)}^{\ensuremath{\beta}}$, with a critical exponent $\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\simeq}1/3$ that coincides with experiment. It is also shown that $\ensuremath{\langle}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\rangle}$ is temperature independent in another theoretical work [Fei et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 097601 (2016)], and thus incompatible with experiment. ${T}_{c}$ and the orientation of the in-plane intrinsic electric dipole can be controlled by moderate uniaxial tensile strain, and a modified discrete clock model describes the transition on strained samples qualitatively. An analysis of out-of-plane fluctuations and a discussion of the need for van der Waals corrections to describe these materials are given too. These results provide an experimentally compatible framework to understand structural phase transitions in 2D materials and their effects on material properties.
Mammalian herbivory exacerbates plant community responses to long-term increased soil nutrients in two Alaskan tundra plant communities

The interaction between bottom-up and top-down forces in regulating plant communities is a long-standing topic of interest in ecology. Factorial field experiments examining these factors have been relatively few, but recent meta-analyses provide predictions that can be tested in a range of ecosystems. We tested the prediction that added nutrients would reduce species richness and evenness, while herbivore activity would offset those changes in two tundra plant communities after 11 years. In moist acidic tundra (MAT), herbivores reduced richness more in fertilized plots when mammals were present compared with fertilized plots without herbivores. In dry heath (DH), evenness was significantly reduced in fertilized plots only when herbivores were present, also providing evidence that herbivores enhanced community changes caused by greater nutrient availability. The difference in response between MAT and the meta-analysis predictions appears to be driven by Betula nana, the species that dramatically increased ...
Studies on the Sources of the Oxygen of Proteins

Escherichiu coli, when grown on a minimal medium, produces all of its cellular constituents from glucose, water, phosphate, and other inorganic compounds. The use of the isotopes of C, H, and N have revealed many of the chemical pathways used in the biosynthesis and degradation of the constituents of this cell. Taking advantage of the availability of high concentrations of Hz018 which have resulted from the work of Dostrovsky (l), we have investigated the contributions of H2018, H,POJ*, glucose1-018, and glucose-6018 to the oxygen atoms of the proteins of E. coli.
Seasonally acclimated metabolic Q10 of the California horn shark, Heterodontus francisci

Abstract Dynamic environmental thermal conditions are known to affect physiological processes in ectothermic organisms that may influence movement, distribution and energetic costs. A better understanding of their metabolic Q 10 , temperature sensitivity, is needed in order to make realistic predictions about how some nearshore populations may respond to changing oceanographic conditions. Oxygen consumption was used as a proxy to measure acclimated standard metabolic rates (SMR) of the California horn shark ( Heterodontus francisci ) at four temperatures (14°, 16°, 20° and 22 °C) typically experienced throughout an annual cycle. Sharks were acclimated in a large holding tank at each of the desired temperatures for at least two weeks prior to the trial. All individuals tested were juveniles, ranging in size from 37 to 48 cm TL and weights of 0.41–0.94 kg. Respirometry trials ranged in length from 6 to 14 h. The estimated (±SE) resting Ṁ O 2 (mg O 2 kg −1 h −1 ) of the CA horn shark at each temperature treatment was 30.6 ± 3.4 (14°, n = 4), 33.9 ± 2.3 (16°, n = 10), 44.9 ± 2.4 (20°; n = 9) and 57.9 ± 2.7 (22 °C; n = 3). The metabolic Q 10 of the CA horn shark from 14° to 22 °C is 2.01, providing a metric to generate predictive models to estimate minimum metabolic costs associated with changing thermal regimes and global sea temperature rise. Predictions from our model indicate during years 2012 to 2016, rising sea surface temperature associated with a strong El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event resulted in a 23% increase in minimum metabolic costs for the CA horn shark. The results from our model suggest the CA horn shark may need to adapt compensatory behaviors (e.g., behavioral thermoregulation) to cope with ENSO events and climate change.
Electronic Packaging Structures

In conjunction with the advancement of microelectronics, the art and technology of electronic packaging have progressed rapidly over the last several decades. Packaging protects the semiconductor or other electronic systems from external environment during manufacturing, assembly, shipping, handling and normal operation. It also serves to facilitate power delivery and thermal management (to maintain the device temperature below certain limits). A package is thus a combination of dissimilar materials in close contact, leading to deformation mismatches and internal stress buildup as a result of thermal and mechanical loads [1–7].
Differences in Time Perspective Predict Differences in Future Simulations

Future time perspective is a highly adaptive individual difference characteristic, but little is known about the cognitive mechanisms that facilitate these benefits. In this chapter, we discuss the relation between future time perspective and episodic future thinking, the capacity to simulate future events that may one day come to pass. Variation in one’s ability to simulate future events may underlie the degree to which one has a future time perspective. In particular, one’s capacity for autonoetic consciousness, or the sense that one is actually pre-living future events when undergoing mental simulation, may facilitate a future time perspective. The possible relation between future time perspective and episodic future thought and the potential implications of such a relation are discussed.
The purification and properties of a thyroid-stimulating factor isolated from Clostridium perfringens.

Abstract Cultures of Clostridium perfringens produce a factor that stimulates the thyroid. The stimulating factor has been purified 300-fold by fractionation of the growth medium with ammonium sulfate, filtration on Sephadex G-100, and chromatography on diethylaminoethyl cellulose. The purified factor contains no proteolytic activity, and has been separated from neuraminidase and lecithinase C. When incubated with thyroid slices the purified factor, like thyroid-stimulating hormone stimulates glucose-1-14C oxidation, phospholipid synthesis, and the formation of intracellular colloid droplets. When injected into chicks, the factor causes the depletion of radioiodine. The factor is thought to be a protein since its activity is destroyed by treatment with Pronase. Its behavior on Sephadex G-100 suggests a molecular weight of about 30,000.
Current Understanding of the Biosynthesis of the Unique Nitrogenase Cofactor Core

Nitrogenase catalyzes the remarkable chemical transformations of N2 to NH3, and C1 substrates to hydrocarbons, under ambient conditions. The best-studied Mo-nitrogenase utilizes a complex metallocofactor ([MoFe7S9C(R-homocitrate)]) for substrate binding and reduction; however, the complexity of this cofactor has hindered a better understanding of its mechanistic details and chemical synthesis so far. Driven by the pressing questions related to the structure and function of the nitrogenase cofactor, research in the past decades has been focused on unraveling the biosynthetic mechanism of this metallocluster in order to cultivate knowledge of how the cofactor is functionalized in this process. In this review, we summarize the recent advances toward a better understanding of the biosynthesis of the nitrogenase cofactor, with a particular focus on the biosynthetic events related to the generation of its unique core structure. Information derived from these studies has unveiled a novel, radical SAM-dependent mechanism of carbide insertion that orchestrates the coupling and rearrangement of two 4Fe cluster modules into a unique 8Fe cofactor core, as well as a sulfite-based route that incorporates a ‘9th sulfur’ at the catalytically important “belt” region of the cofactor. Continued efforts along this line of investigation will further unravel the biosynthetic mechanism of the nitrogenase cofactor while facilitating investigations into the elusive catalytic mechanism of nitrogenase.
Coherent Ising Machine - Optical Neural Network Operating at the Quantum Limit -

We will present the basic concept, operational principle and experimental performance of a novel computing machine with the network of degenerate optical parametric oscillators. The developed machine has 2048 qubits with all-to-all connections.
Variational Discretizations of Gauge Field Theories Using Group-Equivariant Interpolation

We describe a systematic mathematical approach to the geometric discretization of gauge field theories that is based on Dirac and multi-Dirac mechanics and geometry, which provide a unified mathematical framework for describing Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics and field theories, as well as degenerate, interconnected, and nonholonomic systems. Variational integrators yield geometric structure-preserving numerical methods that automatically preserve the symplectic form and momentum maps, and exhibit excellent long-time energy stability. The construction of momentum-preserving variational integrators relies on the use of group-equivariant function spaces, and we describe a general construction for functions taking values in symmetric spaces. This is motivated by the geometric discretization of general relativity, which is a second-order covariant gauge field theory on the symmetric space of Lorentzian metrics.
Evaluating and Choosing Patient Simulators and Equipment

Abstract The process of evaluating, and ultimately purchasing, simulation equipment can be intimidating. It is hard not to be impressed with the quality of current devices and the incredible graphics of screen-based interactive programs that are currently available. With the announcement of your simulation center being approved or opening, you will be confronted by numerous vendors explaining why you cannot succeed without their company’s devices. They will show you all the bells and whistles of their devices. Or, you can go to simulation equipment fairs and not know quite where to start. The desire is to not miss out on a crucial capability; therefore in your anxious ignorance you want to stock your unit with “everything an educator could desire.” By building the world’s most expansive and expensive simulation center, why wouldn’t everyone want to come to the world’s best simulation center? We would suggest that the best way to ensure the effective and regular use of purchased equipment occurs when requests are brought forward from the actual educators who intend to use the equipment, not the owners or the managers of the simulation center, and not the vendors of simulation equipment.
Connecting optical morphology, environment, and HI mass fraction for low-redshift galaxies using deep learning

A galaxy's morphological features encode details about its gas content, star formation history, and feedback processes, which play important roles in regulating its growth and evolution. We use deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to learn a galaxy's optical morphological information in order to estimate its neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) content directly from SDSS $gri$ image cutouts. We are able to accurately predict a galaxy's logarithmic HI mass fraction, $\mathcal{M} \equiv \log(M_{\rm HI}/M_\star)$, by training a CNN on galaxies in the ALFALFA 40% sample. Using pattern recognition (PR), we remove galaxies with unreliable $\mathcal{M}$ estimates. We test CNN predictions on the ALFALFA 100%, xGASS, and NIBLES catalogs, and find that the CNN consistently outperforms previous estimators. The HI-morphology connection learned by the CNN appears to be constant in low- to intermediate-density galaxy environments, but it breaks down in the highest-density environments. We also use a visualization algorithm, Gradient-weighted Class Activation Maps (Grad-CAM), to determine which morphological features are associated with low or high gas content. These results demonstrate that CNNs are powerful tools for understanding the connections between optical morphology and other properties, as well as for probing other variables, in a quantitative and interpretable manner.
Predicting Complete Response to Itacitinib and Corticosteroids in Acute Graft Versus Host Disease

Background Acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) represents a serious and potentially life threatening condition in patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). aGVHD is characterized by increased levels of inflammatory mediators and activated T cells in circulation leading to tissue and organ damage. In a parallel-cohort phase 1 trial (NCT02614612) that evaluated the combination of corticosteroids and itacitinib, a potent and highly selective JAK1 inhibitor, we utilized broad proteomic analysis to identify potentially predictive biomarkers of therapeutic response to the combination treatment. Methods Plasma was collected from 25 patients enrolled in the clinical trial prior to and at designated times following treatment. Proteomic analysis on plasma was conducted by OLINK Proteomics using a proximity extension assay. Statistical differences were identified using unpaired T tests and one-way ANOVA. Significance was conferred when p Results Patients were stratified based on their overall response to treatment with itacitinib and corticosteroid at day 28 (based on CIBMTR). Patients included 10 complete responders (CR), 1 very good partial responder (VGPR), 8 partial responders (PR) and 6 patients with progressive disease and/or death (PD/death) prior to day 28. Biomarkers were identified and associated with therapeutic response by comparing the levels of approximately 1000 proteins in the CR (N=10) and PD/Death (N=6) cohorts specifically. Initial analysis identified 55 proteins significantly upregulated (P Novel biomarkers identified include macrophage chemotactic protein 3 (MCP3/CCL7), stem cell factor (SCF/KIT-L), interleukin 8 (IL8), paraoxonase 3 (PON3), calcitonin (CALCA), and tumor necrosis factor receptor super family 6B (TNFRSF6B). (Table 1). Each of these biomarkers demonstrated a significant (P Conclusion Biomarkers identified in this study may be useful in predicting complete responses to treatment with a combination of corticosteroids and itacitinib in patients with aGVHD post HSCT.
Utility of Doppler ultrasound derived hepatic and portal venous waveforms in the management of heart failure exacerbation

Doppler ultrasound assessment of hepatic and portal vein waveforms aids in the management of patients with heart failure by noninvasively monitoring the efficacy of decongestive therapy. In the right clinical context, these waveforms can be used as an adjunct to physical examination and inferior vena cava ultrasound.
Evaluating Impact in the Forgotten Field of Prison Librarianship

For decades, a number of prison librarians and researchers have decried the near-total lack of data in their field regarding the impact of prison libraries on incarcerated individuals. In spite of ...