cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contradictory Dual Effects: Organothiols Can Induce Both Silver Nanoparticle Disintegration and Formation under Ambient Conditions

Using propanethiol (PrT), 2-mercaptoethanol (ME), glutathione (GSH), and cysteine (Cys) as model thiols, we demonstrated herein that organothiols can induce both silver nanoparticle (AgNP) disintegration and formation under ambient conditions by simply mixing organothiols with AgNPs and AgNO3, respectively. Mechanistically, organothiols induce AgNP disintegration by chelating silver ions produced by ambient oxygen oxidizing the AgNPs, while AgNP formation in AgNO3/organothiol mixtures is the result of organothiols serving as the reducing agent. Furthermore, surface-plasmon- and fluorescent-active AgNPs can be interconverted by adding excess Ag+ or ME into the AgNP-containing solutions. Organothiols can also reduce gold ion in HAuCl4/organothiol solutions into fluorescence- and surface-plasmon-active gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), but no AuNP disintegration occurs in the AuNP/organothiol solutions. This work highlights the extraordinary complexity of organothiol interactions with gold and silver nanoparticles...
Transitioning from Traditional: Pollution, Diet and the Development of Children

Indigenous people in virtually all parts of the world have transitioned from a traditional way of life to incorporate western culture to some degree. The forces driving these transitions are varied although there are some common features. Today, some traditional communities are exposed to pollution from nearby industries that have been located in undeveloped areas to take advantage of natural resources, inexpensive labor, lax regulations, or other features. Avoiding sources of pollution can safeguard health, but may have untoward consequences. When exposure to pollutants is through components of the traditional diet, people must alter their diet to avoid the pollutants, and in so doing, they transition away from traditional culture. Further, avoiding local, contaminated food involves eating commercial, mass produced foods that can contribute to obesity which is a growing problem worldwide. The choice between eating uncontaminated food from stores or maintaining traditional ways including a traditional diet, is a stressful one adding to the overwhelming stress of acculturation.
Repeat-Swap Homology Modeling of the Anion Exchanger AE1 Reveals an Elevator-Like Antiport Mechanism

Anion Exchanger 1 (AE1), or band 3, is a membrane transporter found in erythrocytes and the kidney collecting duct. As part of the process of carbon dioxide clearance from these tissues, AE1 exchanges the accumulated bicarbonate for chloride in the blood plasma. After years of extensive biochemical and functional studies, the structure of the AE1 C-terminal domain (ACTD), which is the integral membrane domain catalyzing the anion exchange, has been finally solved at a resolution of 3.5 A. The structure comprises two structural repeats of inverted transmembrane topology, organized into what has been referred as ‘core’ and ‘gate’ domains. The two repeats are, however, structurally asymmetric and the protein adopts an outward-facing conformation. Here, we gain insights into the nature of the alternating-access mechanism of this transporter, by constructing a model of the inward-facing state using the so-called repeat-swap homology modeling method. Comparison of the resulting model of the inward-facing state with the outward-facing crystal structure reveals that anion translocation takes place by way of an elevator-type mechanism in which the core domain moves vertically relative to the gate domain, which forms the dimerization interface. Taken together, the structures can account qualitatively for a wide range of biochemical and functional data, and suggest new avenues of experimentation.
FDA analysis of treatment beyond disease progression disease (PD) in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treated with nivolumab vs. everolimus.

4508Background: Traditional measurement of disease progression by RECIST v1.1 criteria may not fully capture patient benefit from PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors. Contemporary immunotherapy protocols gen...
Facilitating continuity of care : the role of the patient care coordinator

Continuity of care is essential for children with cardiac disease. The PCC works to ensure that these children continue to receive necessary care postdischarge. By collaborating with members of the health-care team, the PCC is able to coordinate appropriate services for patients in the Cardiovascular Program. The PCC acts as a resource for the interdisciplinary team by identifying postdischarge care options within the community. The PCC also furnishes information to community providers about individual patient care needs. Educating payers in regard to assessed postdischarge needs is another facet of the PCC role. In essence, the PCC provides a link among patients, families, interdisciplinary team members, community providers, and payers. This link facilitates continuity of care for patients in the Cardiovascular Program.
Glomerular disease in 2011: New clues to environmental influences in glomerular disease

Research into genetic susceptibilities for proteinuric glomerular diseases has uncovered key pathogenic contributions from inheritable defects in podocytes. However, much less is known about environmental factors that may initiate or propagate podocyte injury. Seminal reports in 2011 provided new mechanistic insights into how this may occur.
Social, Ethical, and Economic Problems in Medicine

The methods and approaches physicians use to learn from their clinical experiences not only perfect their skills, but heighten their personal satisfaction and passion for practice. Such activities can no longer be limited to the study of clinical findings, diagnosis, and therapy, for extraordinary medical innovations have raised a rash of problems— economic, social, legal, moral, and ethical. Can we afford the advances? How do we control the escalating costs? How do we provide the new services for the economically deprived? How do we reconcile society’s ever-increasing demands and expectations of medicine with its increasing criticism of rising costs? What role should medical and professional judgment play in ethical quandaries? How do we define the difference between prolonging living and prolonging dying? All segments of society have become interested in these questions and problems.
A novel unsupervised deep learning model for global and local health condition assessment of structures

Abstract A methodology is described for global and local health condition assessment of structural systems using ambient vibration response of the structure collected by sensors. The model incorporates synchrosqueezed wavelet transform, Fast Fourier Transform, and unsupervised deep Boltzmann machine to extract features from the frequency domain of the recorded signals. A probability density function is used to create a structural health index (SHI). This index can be used to assess both the global and local health conditions of the structure. A beauty of the proposed model is that it does not require costly experimental results to be obtained from a scaled version of the structure to simulate different damage states of the structure. Only ambient vibrations of the healthy structure are needed. In the absence of ambient vibrations, they can be simulated stochastically using structural properties and the probability theory. The effectiveness of the proposed model is illustrated employing experimental data obtained on a shake table in Hong Kong.
Improving Performance of Mammographic Breast Positioning in an Academic Radiology Practice.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this project was to achieve sustained improvement in mammographic breast positioning in our department. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Between June 2013 and December 2016, we conducted a team-based performance improvement initiative with the goal of improving mammographic positioning. The team of technologists and radiologists established quantitative measures of positioning performance based on American College of Radiology (ACR) criteria, audited at least 35 mammograms per week for positioning quality, displayed performance in dashboards, provided technologists with positioning training, developed a supportive environment fostering technologist and radiologist communication surrounding mammographic positioning, and employed a mammography positioning coach to develop, improve, and maintain technologist positioning performance. Statistical significance in changes in the percentage of mammograms passing the ACR criteria were evaluated using a two-proportion z test. RESULTS. A baseline mam...
Characterization of MCF-12A cell phenotype, response to estrogens, and growth in 3D

Three-dimensional cultures of mammary epithelial cells allow for biologically-relevant studies of the development of the mammary gland in rodents and humans under normal and pathological conditions, like carcinogenesis. Under these conditions, mammotropic hormones play significant roles in tissue morphogenesis. Therefore, a system that recreates the normal, hormonally responsive epithelium would be a valuable tool to study the normal state and its transition to carcinogenesis. MCF-12A cells have been claimed to be non-tumorigenic mammary epithelial cells with reported sensitivity to estrogens. In this study, we aimed at characterizing MCF-12A cells for use in a hormone-responsive 3D culture system to determine their usefulness as a tool to identify normal and abnormal microenvironmental cues. MCF-12A cells were single-cell cloned in order to investigate their heterogeneous makeup. The parental cells were then treated with estradiol to investigate proliferative and transcriptional responses through the estrogen receptor alpha. Finally, parental cells and epithelial-like cell-derived clones were seeded in rat-tail collagen I to profile the morphogenesis of multicellular 3D structures. The resultant structures were then analyzed using unsupervised morphometric analysis. MCF-12A cells consist of epithelial-like colonies which shed elongated, freely growing cells on the colony’s edges. The cells express E-cadherin as well as mesenchymal vimentin but do not express markers associated with myoepithelial cells or fibroblasts. Treatment with estradiol does not affect either the proliferation rate or the induction of gene expression in MCF-12A cells. Parental MCF-12A cells form acini, solid spheres and elongated branching ducts when grown in rat-tail collagen type I matrix, the geometries and distribution of which are altered following the removal of fibroblast-like cells. MCF-12A cells are a heterogeneous pseudo-epithelial cell line capable of forming a variety of multicellular structures in 3D culture. We found no indication that the cells display estrogen-responsive characteristics, thus refuting previous studies which reported estrogen responsiveness. We report that MCF-12A cells are not suited for use in studies in which differential behaviors of “normal” and “cancerous” estrogen-responsive cells are to be compared.
Representativeness of European clinical trial populations in mild Alzheimer's disease dementia: a comparison of 18-month outcomes with real-world data from the GERAS observational study.

Comparison of disease progression between placebo-group patients from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and real-world patients can aid in assessing the generalisability of RCT outcomes. This analysis compared outcomes between community-dwelling patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia from two RCTs (pooled European (EU) data from EXPEDITION and EXPEDITION 2) and similar patients from the EU GERAS observational study. Data from placebo-group patients with mild AD dementia from the RCTs (EU countries only) were compared with data from GERAS patients with mild AD dementia. Between-group differences for changes over 18 months were analysed for cognition, functioning, neuropsychiatric symptoms, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and caregiver time using propensity score-adjusted models. A sensitivity analysis compared EU/North American (EU/NA) EXPEDITION patients with GERAS patients. EU EXPEDITION patients (n = 168) were younger than GERAS patients (n = 566) (mean (standard deviation, SD) age 71.9 (7.4) versus 77.3 (6.9) years; p < 0.001) and were more likely to use AD treatment (95% versus 84%; p < 0.001). Cognitive performance was similar at baseline in both populations, although GERAS patients showed greater functional impairment (p = 0.005) and lower HRQoL (p < 0.05). At 18 months, no statistically significant differences between EXPEDITION (n = 133) and GERAS (n = 417) patients were observed for changes in cognitive, functional, neuropsychiatric and HRQoL outcomes. Least squares mean (95% confidence interval) change in caregiver time (hours/month) spent on instrumental activities of daily living (iADL; 29.22 (19.16, 39.27) versus 3.20 (−11.89, 18.28), p = 0.001) and supervision (66.59 (47.49, 85.69) versus 3.04 (−25.39, 31.48), p < 0.001) showed greater increases in GERAS than EXPEDITION. In the sensitivity analysis, changes in neuropsychiatric and HRQoL scores and caregiver time spent on basic ADL were also significantly greater in GERAS than in EU/NA EXPEDITION patients. Patients with mild AD dementia participating in the EU EXPEDITION RCTs and the GERAS observational study showed a similar decline in cognitive, functional and neuropsychiatric symptoms over 18 months, whereas changes in caregiver time measures were significantly greater in GERAS. Results indicate the importance of using similar regions when comparing real-world and RCT data. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00905372 EXPEDITION. Registered 18 May 2009. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00904683 EXPEDITION 2. Registered 18 May 2009.
Trends in Maternity Care Practice Skin-to-Skin Contact Indicators: United States, 2007-2015

Abstract Background: Mother-infant skin-to-skin contact (SSC) immediately after birth helps transition infants to the post-uterine environment and increases the likelihood of breastfeeding initiati...
Preliminary Experience with Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty in Patients with Coronary Spasm

The existence of coronary spasm and spasm-induced angina pectoris are well established facts. Coronary spasm may occur at a coronary site with no detectable fixed stenosis or contribute a time-varying component to an organic obstruction.
Experimental adaptation, technology, and performance in Vanya on the Plains

ABSTRACTElijah has a hard job. He’s a Content Moderator, coping with the technological divide that separates him from his family. To bridge the gap, he casts them in a production of Chekhov’s Uncle...
Identifying key barriers in cationic polymer gene delivery to human T cells

T cells have emerged as a therapeutically-relevant target for ex vivo gene delivery and editing. However, most commercially available reagents cannot transfect T cells and designing cationic polymers for non-viral gene delivery to T cells has resulted in moderate success. Here, we assess various barriers to successful gene transfer in the Jurkat human T cell line and primary human T cells. Using two polymers previously developed by our group, we show that uptake is one barrier to gene delivery in primary human T cells but is not predictive of successful gene delivery. We then probe intracellular pathways for barriers to gene transfer including endosomal acidification, autophagy, and immune sensing pathways. We find that endosomal acidification is slower and not as robust in human T cells compared to the model HeLa human cell line commonly used to evaluate cationic polymers for gene delivery. These studies inform the future design of cationic polymers for non-viral gene delivery to T cells, specifically, to rely on alternative endosomal release mechanisms rather than on pH-triggered release.
Validation of two biologically distinct HPV-associated head and neck cancer subtypes and correlation with E5 expression.

6031 Background: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is involved in the etiology of 60-80% of oropharyngeal head and neck cancers (HNC) in the US. HPV16 is the dominant HPV type present in 90% of HPV-posit...
De-excitation of Metastable Atoms and Ions on Metal Surfaces

The de-excitation of a metastable atom follows either a collision of the first kind (in which the metastable atom undergoes a transition into a higher energy level, after which it goes to the ground state by emission of radiation) or collisions of the second kind (in which the excitation energy is transmitted to the particle with which it collides and may cause the ejection of secondary electrons). The secondary electrons emitted in collision processes of the second kind may in turn result from two different processes. In one process the metastable atom will be converted into an ion (resonance ionization, Section 12.1) and then undergo Auger neutralization with electron emission (Section 12.1, Fig. 12.1.a, curve γ). In another process the metastable atom will undergo Auger de-excitation—also with electron emission (Section 12.1, Fig. 12.1.a, curve β).
VALUES AND CHOICE

This chapter discusses the welfare economics and value judgments. Welfare economics is concerned with policy recommendations. It explores the ways of arriving at such conclusions as given the choice between social states x and y, x should be chosen. It is obvious that welfare economics cannot be value-free, for the recommendations it aims to arrive at are themselves value judgments. In view of this it must be regarded as somewhat of a mystery that so many notable economists have been involved in debating the prospects of finding value-free welfare economics. The New Welfare Economics was much concerned with deriving policy judgments from purely factual premises. The Pareto principle has been often taken to be free from value judgments. On the negative side, Robbins celebrated attack on the use of value judgments in economics concentrated exclusively on the difficulties of interpersonal comparison. The Hicksian comment on the objectivity of the compensation test is also based on the idea that if compensations are paid, everyone is better off, and there is no interpersonal conflict.
Synthesis of Triborylalkenes from Terminal Alkynes by Iridium-Catalyzed Tandem C—H Borylation and Diboration.

The two-step approach for the synthesis of triborylalkenes starts with the conversion of terminal alkynes and pinacolborane (HBpin) into alkynylboronate catalyzed by a SiNN pincer ligand supported iridium complex, followed by treatment of the reaction mixture with CO for the generation of a new catalyst.
Four Crises of Democracy: Representation, Mastery, Discipline, Anticipation

Prepared for the Lee Lecture in Political Science and Government, All Souls College, University of Oxford, 26 February 2015. Around the world, there is concern about the performance of democratic institutions. There have been similar "crises of democracy" in the past. But not all crises are alike. This is illustrated by American experience. Over the twentieth century, the United States suffered three distinct "crises of democracy" -- one concerned with representation within a supposedly democratic system, one with mastery of social and economic forces, and one with discipline of the state itself. Today, many Americans are debating about which of these three crises they currently confront. But the present American crisis may be a new type: a crisis of anticipation, concerned with large problems whose effects will not be fully realized for decades. Like its predecessors, this fourth crisis will generate significant changes in American political institutions and culture. Such crises show that governing institutions are more adaptable than scholarship has suggested.
Descriptive Analysis of an Interdisciplinary Musculoskeletal Program.

Background Interdisciplinary musculoskeletal programs address comorbidities confounding musculoskeletal conditions and serve as an alternative to the single provider model. Objective Descriptive analysis of an interdisciplinary musculoskeletal program. Design Retrospective descriptive analysis of patients enrolled in an interdisciplinary musculoskeletal program. Retrospective subanalysis: cohort of patients enrolled in interdisciplinary program with low back pain compared to historical cohort of patients in a single provider clinic. Setting Academic interdisciplinary musculoskeletal health program. Patients Patients referred to program with at least one follow-up visit over a 2-year period. Interventions Interdisciplinary musculoskeletal program involving physiatry, pain anesthesia, nutrition, psychology, rheumatology, sleep medicine, nursing, and physical therapy. Main outcome measurements Patient Specific Functional Scale (PSFS), Oswestry Low Back Disability Index (ODI), number of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, computed tomography (CT) scans, opioid prescriptions; Press Ganey scores. Results One hundred and seventy-three patients were enrolled and had at least one follow-up visit. Twenty-four percent of patients with any musculoskeletal complaint demonstrated clinically significant improvements in total PSFS. Mean improvement in PSFS was + 0.864 (SD 1.94), which was a statistically significant improvement (P = .0005), but not clinically significant. Magnetic resonance imaging was ordered for 5% of patients, and no computed tomography scans were ordered. Six percent of patients received opioid prescriptions. Press Ganey scores: 96% responded favorably in regard to physician communication quality, 86% of patients responded favorably for access to care, and 78% responded favorably for care coordination. 27.8% of patients with low back pain in the interdisciplinary program achieved a significant decrease in their ODI, compared to 26.6% in the single provider clinic (P = .87). Conclusions Interdisciplinary musculoskeletal programs are a promising model to improve the functioning of patients with musculoskeletal pain and decrease downstream utilization. These programs may be more appropriate for patients at higher risk of developing chronic pain.
Outcomes With the Use of Bag-Valve-Mask Ventilation During Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest in the Pragmatic Airway Resuscitation Trial.

Background While emergency medical services (EMS) often use endotracheal intubation (ETI) or supraglottic airways (SGA), some patients receive only bag-valve-mask (BVM) ventilation during out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA). Our objective was to compare patient characteristics and outcomes for BVM ventilation to advanced airway management (AAM) in adults with OHCA. Methods Using data from the Pragmatic Airway Resuscitation Trial, we identified patients receiving AAM (ETI or a SGA), BVM ventilation only (BVM-only), and BVM ventilation as a rescue after at least one failed attempt at advanced airway placement (BVM-rescue). The outcomes were return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), 72-hour survival, survival to hospital discharge, neurologically intact survival (Modified Rankin Scale ≤ 3), and the presence of aspiration on a chest radiograph. Comparisons were made using generalized mixed-effects models while adjusting for age, sex, initial rhythm, EMS-witnessed status, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, response time, study cluster, and advanced life support first on scene. Results Of 3,004 patients enrolled, there were 282 BVM-only, 2,129 AAM, and 156 BVM-rescue patients with complete covariates. Shockable initial rhythms (34% vs. 18.6%) and EMS-witnessed arrests (21.6% vs. 11.3%) were more likely in BVM-only than AAM but similar between BVM-rescue and AAM. Compared to AAM, BVM-only patients had similar ROSC (odds ratio [OR] = 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.96 to 1.73), but higher 72-hour survival (OR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.42 to 2.69), survival to discharge (OR = 4.47, 95% CI = 3.03 to 6.59), and neurologically intact survival (OR = 7.05, 95% CI = 4.40 to 11.3). Compared to AAM, BVM-rescue patients had similar ROSC (OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.47 to 1.12) and 72-hour survival (OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 0.66 to 1.77) but higher survival to discharge (OR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.17 to 3.95) and neurologically intact survival (OR = 2.64, 95% CI = 1.20 to 5.81). Aspiration incidence was similar. Conclusions Bag-valve-mask-only ventilation is associated with improved OHCA outcomes. Despite similar rates of ROSC and 72-hour survival, BVM-rescue ventilation was associated with improved survival to discharge and neurologically intact survival compared to successful AAM.
Science teachers’ use of argumentation instructional model: linking PCK of argumentation, epistemological beliefs, and practice

This study aimed to explore the relationship between science teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of argumentation, epistemological beliefs, and classroom practices. Participants were thre...
A pilot study of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in automotive lubricant oils from the United States

Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were reported to be used as additives in automotive lubricant oils and hydraulic fluids, to reduce surface tension, prevent fires and evaporation. Little is known, however, with regard to the occurrence of PFASs in automotive lubricants. In this study, concentrations and profiles of 13 perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), encompassing nine perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs; C4–C12) and four perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs; C4–C10), were determined in 18 automotive lubricants purchased in the United States. The lubricant extracts were analyzed before and after oxidization, to measure PFAAs and their precursors, using the total oxidizable precursor (TOP) assay. Following oxidation, lubricant extracts yielded ∑ PFAA concentrations up to two orders of magnitude higher (range: 196–8300 ng/g; mean: 1840 ng/g) than those measured prior to oxidation (5.96–344 ng/g; 71.6 ng/g), which suggested the presence of notable amounts of PFAA precursors. Long-chain PFCAs (C8–C12;​ ∼ 70% of total) were the major PFASs detected (prior to oxidation). The mean molar increase in the concentration (pM/g) upon oxidation of lubricant extracts varied among the nine PFCAs in the following decreasing order: C4 (1350) > C12 (670) > C11 (570) = C5 (570) > C10 (460) > C9 (300) > C7 (140) = C6 (140) > C8 (110). Principal component analysis of PFCA profiles revealed that PFAAs originate from their respective precursors.
Read-Out Architecture of CRYO System-on-Chip ASIC for Noble Liquid TPC Detectors

This work presents the implementation of the digital read-out architecture of a System-On-Chip (SoC) optimized for Time Projection Chamber (TPC) detectors used in neutrino science. The CRYO ASIC works at cryogenic temperatures and performs signal pre-amplification, waveform digitization and channel multiplexing with minimum number of I/Os. The digital back-end is optimized to work with cryogenic liquids (LXe, 160 K and LAr, 87 K) providing data throughput up to 1 Gbps and can be programmed to maintain signal integrity up to 25 m cable length. Implemented in 130 nm CMOS process, the back-end architecture consists of a digital multiplexer, a custom 12b/14b encoder, a data serializer, and LVDS (Low-Voltage Differential Signaling) drivers with pre-emphasis enhancing techniques. The simulated output jitter of transmitter is 29.3 ps, peak-to-peak (0.15 UI) driving a 25 m cable at 1 Gbps data rate.
Effective and Efficient Fleet Dispatching Strategies for Dynamically Matching AVs to Travelers in Large-scale Transportation Systems

This paper addresses the problem of dynamically matching automated vehicles (AVs) to open traveler requests in a large-scale automated-mobility-on-demand (AMOD) simulation framework. While optimization-based matching strategies based on the linear assignment problem formulation significantly outperform simple heuristic strategies (e.g. nearest neighbor), the scalability of the assignment problem limits its applicability to large problem instances. This study proposes a fleet dispatching strategy to dynamically assign AVs to travelers that involves the assignment problem formulation but restricts the decision space to reduce computational time. First, we significantly trim the decision space via only considering the k-closest open requests around each idle vehicle or k-closest idle vehicles around each open request. Second, we only calculate point-to-point shortest paths for vehicles and travelers that are close in spatial proximity. For vehicles and travelers that are not close in proximity, we use zone-to-zone travel time estimates. This study embeds the proposed AV fleet dispatching strategy within Polaris–an agent-based transportation simulation modeling framework. Within Polaris, the restricted fleet dispatching strategy proposed in this significantly outperforms (i) existing large-scale strategies in terms of fleet performance and (ii) the unrestricted assignment problem strategy in terms of computational performance.
Dominance Hierarchies in Marine Invertebrates

AbstractDominance hierarchies have been well studied in myriad terrestrial animals, but surprisingly little is known about hierarchies in marine invertebrates; examples are limited to a few species...
Clinical challenge - scratching the surface of the sheath.

A 63-year-old white man with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, adrenal insufficiency, and history of metastatic spindle cell melanoma previously treated with ipilimumab, presented with unilateral papillitis in the left eye. The disc edema evolved to neuroretinitis with additional MRI findings of perineuritis. Broad laboratory evaluation confirmed active B. henselae infection, and he confirmed exposure to a newly adopted kitten. His vision improved following a course of antibiotics and oral steroids with resolution of clinical findings. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of cat-scratch neuroretinitis with MRI findings of optic nerve and optic nerve sheath enhancement.
Fate and transport of unruptured tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel particles in the event of environmental release for advanced and micro reactor applications

Abstract Advanced nuclear reactor designs and advanced fuel types offer safety features that may reduce environmental consequences in an accident scenario when compared to conventional reactors and fuels. One advanced reactor fuel is tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel particles which are approximately 0.9 mm in diameter. TRISO particle mobility, assuming the particle is unruptured and the encapsulated radionuclides are contained, was explored by a theoretical examination of transport through atmosphere, soil and groundwater, surface water, and non-human biota pathways. TRISO particles are too large and dense to travel in the atmosphere except under extreme conditions. TRISO particles are also too large to penetrate most soil profiles and so cannot be transported to or by groundwater. TRISO particles will settle out of the water column in surface waters and thus the transport will depend on the energy of the water body (e.g., waves or floods). TRISO particles could be transported by non-human biota. The size of TRISO particles could allow them to be intentionally ingested by non-human biota as a gastrolith or mimic something typical in an organism's diet. Generally, TRISO particles will have reduced environmental mobility compared to releases of radionuclides in the event of a conventional nuclear reactor accident. The extent of transport has implications in emergency planning zone designations and other considerations for licensing and deploying TRISO-fueled reactors. Further research and experimental work exploring TRISO particle mobility is required to understand the full environmental mobility of TRISO particles in the environment.
Anti-Resonant Hollow Core Fiber for High Power Laser Delivery

Anti-resonant hollow core fiber (ARHCF) has the potential to guide high power laser light in a single mode without fiber damage or unwanted nonlinearities. Here, fabricated ARHCF is explored for the delivery of hundred-Watt level 1064 nm light for directed energy applications.
Profilin is required for viral morphogenesis, syncytium formation, and cell-specific stress fiber induction by respiratory syncytial virus

Actin is required for the gene expression and morphogenesis of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a clinically important Pneumovirus of the Paramyxoviridae family. In HEp-2 cells, RSV infection also induces actin stress fibers, which may be important in the immunopathology of the RSV disease. Profilin, a major regulator of actin polymerization, stimulates viral transcription in vitro. Thus, we tested the role of profilin in RSV growth and RSV-actin interactions in cultured cells (ex vivo). We tested three cell lines: HEp-2 (human), A549 (human), and L2 (rat). In all three, RSV grew well and produced fused cells (syncytium), and two RSV proteins, namely, the phosphoprotein P and the nucleocapsid protein N, associated with profilin. In contrast, induction of actin stress fibers by RSV occurred in HEp-2 and L2 cells, but not in A549. Knockdown of profilin by RNA interference had a small effect on viral macromolecule synthesis but strongly inhibited maturation of progeny virions, cell fusion, and induction of stress fibers. Profilin plays a cardinal role in RSV-mediated cell fusion and viral maturation. In contrast, interaction of profilin with the viral transcriptional proteins P and N may only nominally activate viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Stress fiber formation is a cell-specific response to infection, requiring profilin and perhaps other signaling molecules that are absent in certain cell lines. Stress fibers per se play no role in RSV replication in cell culture. Clearly, the cellular architecture controls multiple steps of host-RSV interaction, some of which are regulated by profilin.
Requirements for Integrity in an Era of Accountability

In his provocative essay, Peter Nelsen addresses a central question critical to our times: Can educators working within the currently dominant educational paradigm of the accountability movement maintain integrity? Nelsen and I both find this question critical. Nelsen suggests that the notion of students seen as a means to external ends is a critical part of what he calls “instrumental rationality” — a form of thinking dominant in accountability policy. I agree completely. Viewing students merely as people whose test scores need to be improved on a yearly basis does significant violence to one’s moral commitments to educate them fully. Having a duty merely to raise one’s students’ test scores without honoring one’s personal commitment to developing these students as critical thinkers, caring persons, and democratic citizens confronts creates what Nelson describes as a “tension that can pull at teachers’ senses of moral integrity.”
Genetic Diseases of Hypotension

Publisher Summary Norepinephrine and epinephrine thus seem so important to human beings that it seemed unlikely for many years that subjects without these catecholamines would survive the perinatal period and develop to adulthood. The view has changed with recognition of a congenital syndrome of severe orthostatic hypotension, noradrenergic failure, and ptosis of the eyelids in two young adults. The syndrome differs from familial dysautonornia and various other autonomic disorders seen in adults in that the defect can be localized to the noradrenergic and adrenergic tissues. As children, DBH-deficient patients have had a markedly reduced ability to exercise, perhaps because of hypotension engendered by the physical exertion. Because of occasional syncope, anticonvulsive medications have been given in some patients, even though no abnormality was seen on the electroencephalogram. Efforts to treat DBH deficiency have also led to surprising observations. Fludrocortisone at relatively high doses has successfully raised blood pressure with some benefit. Indomethacin also has been of modest benefit in raising blood pressure, but one patient had aggressive ideation while receiving this drug. The monoamine oxidase inhibitor tranylcypromine also produced paranoid thinking in one patient. There has been a reasonable pressor response to phenylpropanolamine, perhaps because of the hypersensitive 1-adreno-receptors in these patients.
Neural Network Fundamentals with Graphs, Algorithms and Applications

Part 1 Fundamentals: basics of neuroscience and artificial neuron models graphs algorithms. Part 2 Feedforward networks: perceptrons and LMS algorithm complexity of learning using feedforward networks adaptive structure networks. Part 3 Recurrent networks: symmetric and asymmetric recurrent network competitive learning and self-organizing networks. Part 4 Applications of neural networks: neural networks approach to solving hard problems.
Phytoecdysteroid Turnover in Spinach: Long-term Stability Supports a Plant Defense Hypothesis

Using short (8-day) and long-term (28-day) experiments, we examined the stability of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and the dominant phytosterols synthesized from a pulse of [2-14C]mevalonic acid ([14C]MVA) in hydroponically grown spinach (Spinacia oleracea). In the short-term experiment, plant dry mass and shoot 20E pools steadily increased. Root uptake of [14C]MVA resulted in the stable incorporation of 14C radiolabel into whole plant 20E pools, with no significant changes over time. Levels of free and saponifiable phytosterols increased in the shoots while 14C-labeled shoot phytosterols remained constant. Unexpectedly, both 14C-labeled and unlabeled pools of root phytosterols decreased over time. In the long-term experiment, plant dry mass and shoot 20E levels increased over time, while total 14C-labeled 20E pools remained constant. Both root and shoot phytosterol pools increased over time while the 14C incorporation in these pools remained constant. Together these experiments indicate that 20E in spinach is metabolically stabile and thus shares this characteristic with plant terpenoids of known defensive function. While little is known about phytosterol turnover in plants, our results suggest that phytosterols can indeed exist in a very dynamic state but may also be stable over time.
Introduction to String Field Theory

We propose an action for an interacting closed bosonic string. Our formalism relies heavily on ideas discussed by Witten for the open bosonic string. We also obtain the gauge fixed quantum action for the fully interacting open bosonic string.
Characterization of the optical properties of GaN:Fe for high voltage photoconductive switch applications

The optical properties of bulk semi-insulating GaN:Fe are obtained to assess its future suitability as a high voltage photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS). The material properties of GaN:Fe hold significant promise to improve devices for pulsed power and other applications. Growth techniques of bulk GaN:Fe, which have hitherto been largely insufficient for commercial applications, are nearing the point that anticipatory characterization research is warranted. In this paper, the optical constants of bulk GaN:Fe (refractive index, absorption coefficient, and off-state dielectric function) were determined by optical reflection/transmission analysis. The results of this analysis are compared with a similar treatment of bulk 4H-SiC as well as possible elements of PCSS housing: Sylgard 184 elastomer, and EFI 20003/50013 electrical potting epoxy. The data presented provide foundational material characterization to enable assessment of the feasibility of GaN:Fe as a practical high voltage PCSS material. Beyond basic materials research, these properties inform design optimization in PCSS construction and implementation.
Federalism and the New Rights

"It is indeed a constitutional moment."1 Thus spoke Senator Moynihan in his stinging critique of the first version of that was to become the welfare reform act of 1996. Certainly enactment of welfare reform by the 104th Congress and President Clinton was a highly significant political event. The legislation not only gave more control to the states, but demonstrated that cutting entitlements is not politically infeasible. But does this policy shift rise to the level of constitutional change? Does Senator Moynihan's statement
Partial suppression of tumour production by dibutyryl cyclic AMP and theophylline.

ADENOSINE 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) is the common intracellular mediator of a number of hormones and biogenic amines1,2, and cyclic AMP or dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbc-AMP) also inhibits the growth of various lines of transformed fibroblasts and reverses their abnormal morphological characteristics toward normal without affecting the viability of the cells5. But, the effect of cAMP or dbcAMP treatment on the tumorigenicity of the transformed cells is not known. Here we describe an examination of the effect of dbcAMP treatment on the tumour-producing ability in hamsters by chicken–embryo–lethal orphan (CELO) virus-transformed hamster skin cells. The CELO virus is an endogenous adenovirus of chicken eggs, and is oncogenic when inoculated subcutaneously6 or intracerebrally7 in hamsters. It is also known to transform hamster embryo fibroblastic cultures8, hamster kidney cell cultures9 and hamster embryo skin cells in vitro (Pendola, R., Yates, V. J., Jasty, V., manuscript in preparation).
How organisational culture influences teachers' support of openly gay, lesbian and bisexual students

In this paper, I analyse the relationship between US high schools' organisational cultures and student perceptions of responses to anti-gay language in their school. Using data from 67 interviews with young people who identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual, I compare teachers' responses to anti-gay language in schools that do and schools that do not sponsor or promote pro-gay events. I categorise schools that do promote such events as inclusive schools and schools that do not promote such events as non-inclusive. The analysis shows that both inclusive and non-inclusive schools are likely to have students who only use anti-gay rhetoric out of earshot from teachers and staff (e.g. in the cafeteria or locker room). Second, schools without pro-gay events are less likely to have teachers that respond to anti-gay rhetoric. Third, findings show that interference with anti-gay rhetoric depends on the teacher in both types of academic environments. The paper concludes with a discussion of these findings and implic...
Latent common genetic components of obesity traits

Obesity is rapidly becoming a global epidemic. Unlike many complex human diseases, obesity is defined not just by a single trait or phenotype, but jointly by measures of anthropometry and metabolic status. We applied maximum likelihood factor analysis to identify common latent factors underlying observed covariance in multiple obesity-related measures. Both the genetic components and the mode of inheritance of the common factors were evaluated. A total of 1775 participants from 590 families for whom measures on obesity-related traits were available were included in this study. The average age of participants was 37 years, 39% of the participants were obese (body mass index ⩾30.0 kg/m2) and 26% were overweight (body mass index 25.0–29.9 kg/m2). Two latent common factors jointly accounting for over 99% of the correlations among obesity-related traits were identified. Complex segregation analysis of the age- and sex-adjusted latent factors provide evidence for a Mendelian mode of inheritance of major genetic effect with heritability estimates of 40.4 and 47.5% for the first and second factors, respectively. These findings provide a support for multivariate-based approach for investigating pleiotropic effects on obesity-related traits, which can be applied in both genetic linkage and association mapping.
Initial Development of Optimum Biomass Pellets

Renewable energy has become a major focus in today’s world of depleting energy resources. Biomass is starting to be utilized because it can be continually created within a reasonable period of time. Biomass particles are pressurized together in a pellet shape. The pellets are fed into a combustion chamber (stove) and burnt to create energy. The objective of this research is to test a range of pellet compositions and investigate their corresponding characteristics in the combustion process in order to maximize their energy output. The pellets investigated include single materials such as wood or various mixtures such as wood and grass. The pellets were tested to check the various criteria including the moisture content, density and energy content. Moisture content was found using a scale and desiccators. A thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) was used to determine the burning temperature of biomass, its weight composition and ash content. A calorimeter was used to find energy content. The Coats-Redfern Method along with a TGA was chosen for the analysis of the activation energy of biomass pellets. Among four types of pellets tested, the hardwood premium pellets has the lowest ash content of .66%. Premium Pellets also had the best energy content of 19.16 MJ/kg. Beet Pulp Pellets had the lowest activation energy of all the materials with 99.92 kJ/mol activation energy. Overall the hardwood pellets performed the best but could be improved with the addition of other biomasses. An optimum pellet may be created with a mixture of multiple materials.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Laminar flow in rectangular channels. Part I: Entry analysis. Part II: Numerical solution for a square channel?

Abstract Laminar incompressible flow in rectangular channels is considered. In Part I, the entry region is evaluated by a boundary layer/potential core analysis. It is shown that the three-dimensional displacement induced potential flow can be described with a pair of two-dimensional potential functions. Second-order boundary layer solutions, with and without surface mass transfer, are determined; an interesting secondary flow reversal is predicted. In Part II, numerical solutions are obtained for the viscous channel equations, which are derived from the asymptotic theory of Part I. A two stream function, velocity, vorticity system, independent of the Reynolds Number, is solved with a combined iterative ADI/point-relaxation numerical procedure. A single calculation applied for all Reynolds numbers, which appears only in the coordinate scaling. The axial flow behavior of Parts I and II are in good agreement in the asymptotic entry region where both analysis apply. Secondary flow reversal is calculated; however, the grid is too crude for quantitative comparisons. Numerical solutions are obtained until fully developed conditions are achieved. Agreement with experimental data is good.
The routine use of Cedilanid in clinical practice

Abstract 1.1. The pharmacology and chemistry of Cedilanid (Lanatoside C) are reviewed briefly. 2.2. The oral preparation was found to be constant in its action in clinical practice. 3.3. It was effective in ninety-eight of one hundred cases in which it was tried. No apparent cause for its failure could be found. 4.4. In those cases in which Cedilanid was effective, its toxic action was similar to that of Digitalis purpurea, but passed off more quickly. 5.5. Cedilanid is an efficient glycoside of Digitalis lanata, and has a definite place in cardiac therapy.
An experimental investigation of oscillating flow in a tapered channel

Oscillating flow in a tapered channel was studied experimentally by observing the deformation of a dye streak within a Plexiglas channel during piston induced, volume-cycled oscillations. The observed steady streaming was compared to theoretical calculations. Both the theoretical and experimental results show bi-directional drift for all frequencies, with characteristics dependent upon the value of the Womersley parameter, α = b(ω/ν)½. For large values of α, e.g. α > 10, the fluid near the walls and along the centreline drifted towards the narrow end of the channel, while fluid in an intermediate region drifted towards the wide end of the channel. For small values of α, e.g. α < 5, the fluid drifted towards the narrow end at the wall and the wide end of the channel along the centreline. Applications to mass transport in the lung are discussed.