cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dictionary of Transportation-Logistics

A1 In transportation, a first-class vessel. The letter “A” specifies the class in which the hull is scheduled, and the numeral “1” refers to the stores and equipment. In Lloyd’s Register, vessels are rated A1, A2, and so on down. In the American system, the registry descends from A by fractions—A1, A1 1/4, A1 1/2, and so forth.
Multilevel Models for the Distribution of Hosts and Symbionts

Symbiont occurrence is influenced by host occurrence and vice versa, which leads to correlations in host-symbiont distributions at multiple levels. Interactions between co-infecting symbionts within host individuals can cause correlations in the abundance of two symbiont species across individual hosts. Similarly, interactions between symbiont transmission and host population dynamics can drive correlations between symbiont and host abundance across habitat patches. If ignored, these interactions can confound estimated responses of hosts and symbionts to other factors. Here, we present a general hierarchical modeling framework for distributions of hosts and symbionts, estimating correlations in host-symbiont distributions at the among-site, within-site, among-species, and among-individual levels. We present an empirical example from a multi-host multi-parasite system involving amphibians and their micro- and macroparasites. Amphibian hosts and their parasites were correlated at multiple levels of organization. Macroparasites often co-infected individual hosts, but rarely co-infected with the amphibian chytrid fungus. Such correlations may result from interactions among parasites and hosts, joint responses to environmental factors, or sampling bias. Joint host-symbiont models account for environmental constraints and species interactions while partitioning variance and dependence in abundance at multiple levels. This framework can be adapted to a wide variety of study systems and sampling designs.
Evaluation of optical probe signals from nonequilibrium systems

We predict several effects associated with the optical response of systems prepared in a nonequilibrium state by impulsive optical excitations. The linear response depends on the phase of the electric field even if the initial nonequilibrium state has only populations, no coherences. Initial quantum coherences induce additional phase dependence, which also shows new resonances in nonlinear wave mixing. In systems strongly driven by an external optical field, the field frequency generates a phase-dependent probe absorption. This gives further control to manipulate the relative contribution to the linear signal due to initial populations and coherences.
Chromaticity Head-Tail Application for the Tevatron

Abstract The Chromaticity head-tail phase technique has been developed for use in the Tevatron. This method is based on the phase shift, which develops for particles of different energies within a single bunch. Since this phase shift is proportional to chromaticity, knowledge of the phase shift over a synchrotron period can allow extraction of the chromaticity. Currently the Tevatron uses a varying RF technique to measure chromaticity. So far the RF method cannot effectively measure chromaticity for coalesced proton bunches. The Head-Tail technique however seems to be capable of extracting chromaticity for coalesced protons even during acceleration . This application wilJ greatly speed up chromaticity measurements especially during ramp and squeeze which currently require three separate ramps using uncoalesced protons.
Siberian Snakes and Polarized Beams

Polarized proton beams have been accelerated up to 22 GeV in circular acceleratorsl, but the techniques used to overcome depolarizing resonances and preserve polarization during acceleration have been difficult and time consuming.2 A spin 1/2 proton precesses around the magnetic field in the accelerator by an angle θp = GγθD where θD is the deflection angle produced by the accelerator field and G is the anomalous magnetic moment of the proton. In a purely vertical magnetic field, the vertical polarization would remain vertical; but all practical accelerators have radial field components, which rotate the spin about a radial axis. When these radial fields occur at a frequency which is in resonance with the spin precession frequency, they add in phase and depolarize the beam. Note that the number of spin precessions in one turn around the accelerator is Gγ. There are two main sources of radial fields: (1) the focussing fields needed to keep the particles in the accelerator and (2) the imperfection fields which cause vertical closed-orbit errors due to the impracticability of having a mid-plane accurate to better than 0.01 mm.
Long-term Voice Outcomes of Early Thyroplasty for Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis Following Aortic Arch Surgery.

Objective:To describe this institution’s experience with and the long-term outcomes of early type 1 thyroplasty for unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) following surgery on the aortic arch.Study...
Ridaforolimus improves the anti-tumor activity of dual HER2 blockade in uterine serous carcinoma in vivo models with HER2 gene amplification and PIK3CA mutation.

Abstract Objective Uterine serous carcinomas (USC) harbor simultaneous HER2 (ERBB2) over-expression and gain of function mutations in PIK3CA . These concurrent alterations may uncouple single agent anti-HER2 therapeutic efficacy making inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) a promising option to heighten anti-tumor response. Methods Both in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to assess proliferation, cell death and anti-tumor activity of ridaforolimus, lapatinib and combination lapatinib, trastuzumab (L/T) and ridaforolimus. With institutional approval, NOD/SCID mice bearing xenografts of non-immortalized, HER2 gene amplified cell lines (ARK1, ARK2) with and without PIK3CA gene mutations were divided into four arm cohorts. Ridaforolimus was administered alone and in combination with L/T. Tumor volumes were assessed and posttreatment analysis was performed. Results We observed dose dependent in vitro abrogation of downstream target proteins including phospho-AKT and phospho-S6. In both in vivo models, single agent ridaforolimus impaired xenograft tumor growth. Combination ridaforolimus and L/T, however, further improved the observed anti-tumor activity only in the ARK1 model with the PIK3CA gene mutation (E542K). The addition of mTOR inhibition to dual HER2 blockade added no additional anti-tumor effects in the ARK2 xenografts. Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis of downstream pathway alterations following in vivo treatment revealed dual HER2 blockade with ridaforolimus was necessary to induce apoptosis, decrease proliferation and abrogate phospho-S6 protein expression in the PIK3CA mutated model. Conclusions These pilot data suggest that PIK3CA gene mutation may be an effective biomarker for selecting those HER2 over-expressing USC tumors most likely to benefit from mTOR inhibition.
Spiral CT of acute pulmonary thromboembolism: evaluation of pleuroparenchymal abnormalities.

Purpose: The goal of this work was to identify and categorize the spectrum of pulmonary parenchymal and pleural abnormalities identified by CT in patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PE). Method: A review of interpretations from 4,715 consecutive contrast-enhanced thoracic CT studies identified 41 examinations in which the diagnosis of PE was reported. Thirty-four studies were available for review, and two radiologists confirmed intraluminal defects in 31 patients. The number of emboli were counted and localized using bronchopulmonary nomenclature. Associated parenchymal and pleural abnormalities were tabulated. Results: Of the 31 patients, 13 underwent confirmatory or correlative studies including angiography, radionuclide study, or autopsy. In addition, deep venous thrombosis was confirmed by ultrasound or MRI in 13 patients. An average of 7.5 emboli per patient was detected. Pleuroparenchymal findings were as follows: Nine patients (29%) had no acute pulmonary parenchymal or pleural abnormality. In the remaining 22 patients, pleural effusion was the most common abnormality, found in 14 of 31 (45%). Ten patients (32%) had peripheral wedge-shaped parenchymal opacities suggestive of pulmonary infarction. Normally enhancing lobar atelectasis was seen in nine patients (29%). Six patients (19%) demonstrated heterogeneous parenchymal enhancement within nonaerated lung, two of whom had pathologically proven pulmonary infarct. Thirteen of 31 patients underwent high resolution CT; a typical mosaic perfusion pattern was seen in only I patient. Conclusion: Twenty-nine percent of patients with acute PE had no acute lung parenchymal abnormality on CT; thus, the absence of parenchymal abnormality on CT does not exclude PE. High resolution CT mosaic perfusion was not a common feature of acute pulmonary embolism. Regions of decreased enhancement within nonaerated lung, seen in 19%, may prove to be an indicator of pulmonary infarction; however, this is a nonspecific finding. Index Terms: Computed tomography, Spiral-Lungs, abnormalities-Pulmonary embolism.
Removable sets for homogeneous linear partial differential equations in Carnot groups

Let L be a homogeneous left-invariant differential operator on a Carnot group. Assume that both L and L t are hypoelliptic. We study the removable sets for L-solutions. We give precise conditions in terms of the Carnot- Caratheodory Hausdorff dimension for the removability for L-solutions under several auxiliary integrability or regularity hypotheses. In some cases, our criteria are sharp on the level of the relevant Hausdorff measure. One of the main ingredients in our proof is the use of novel local self-similar tilings in Carnot groups.
Bimodal molecular imaging with lanthanide chelates

The design, synthesis, characterization and utilization of a new class of molecular imaging agents will be presented. These MI's target the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR), an 18kD protein involved in steroidogenesis and other mitochondrial function. Visible fluorescence, NIR fluorescent and magnet-resonance active PBR-targeted agents have been studied in-vitro and in-vivo.
Localization of actin, beta-spectrin, 43 × 10(3) Mr and 58 × 10(3) Mr proteins to receptor-enriched domains of newly formed acetylcholine receptor aggregates in isolated myotube membranes

I have examined the possible involvement of specific cytoskeletal and peripheral membrane proteins in the early stages of acetylcholine receptor (AChR) aggregation in rat myotubes in culture by immunofluorescence localization of these proteins on the cytoplasmic face of isolated plasma membranes. A culture procedure utilizing selective replating of myoblasts and subsequent treatment with cytosine arabinoside was devised to obtain large, multipolar myotubes with extensive upper surfaces that are free of fibroblasts. These cultures were exposed for 4–6 h to embryonic pig brain extract (EBX) to induce AChR aggregate formation on the upper cell surface, and the AChRs were labeled with TRITC-conjugated alpha-bungarotoxin. Large sheets of plasma membranes from the upper cell surface were isolated by adhesion to a coverslip coated with a polypeptide adhesive (Cell-Tak) that was pressed on top of the culture. The membranes were labeled by indirect immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibodies against the 43 × 10(3) Mr and 58 × 10(3) Mr proteins, originally identified in the AChR-enriched membranes of Torpedo electroplaques, and with monoclonal antibodies against isoforms of actin and beta-spectrin. The labeling patterns showed that all four of these proteins are concentrated in the punctate AChR-enriched domains within the aggregates, suggesting that they may be involved in the early stages of AChR aggregation. Immunofluorescence labeling with monoclonal antibodies against vinculin and clathrin, and with an antiserum to talin, showed that these proteins are also associated with AChR aggregates; however, their labeling patterns did not correspond closely to the AChR-enriched domains. Furthermore, vinculin and talin dissociated from most of the membrane during isolation. The concentration of beta-spectrin and actin isoforms on the cytoplasmic fact of the AChR-enriched domains is consistent with the formation, early in the aggregation process, of a membrane-cytoskeleton association similar to that of erythrocytes.
CHAPTER 29 – Gonadotropes and Lactotropes

This chapter focuses on gonadotropes and lactotropes. Gonadotropes—cells in the anterior pituitary (pars distalis of the adenohypophysis)—produce gonadotropins to regulate the ovary and testes. Gonadotropins include luteinizing hormone (LH), which is important in regulating ovulation and luteinization of the ovarian follicles in the female. It regulates Leydig cells in the testes of the male. Another gonadotropin is follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which regulates the development of follicles in the female and sperm production in the male. The gonadotropins are glycoproteins made of two subunits, an α and a β subunit. LH, FSH, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) have nearly identical α subunits. On the other hand, lactotropes are also specialized cells in the anterior pituitary. They may have a number of functions in the body, including the development of the mammary gland and the regulation of milk production during lactation. Prolactin is a protein that shares amino acid sequences in common with growth hormone (GH).
Clip retention rates and rates of residual polyp at the base of retained clips on colorectal EMR sites

Background and Aims Prophylactic endoscopic clipping may be effective in preventing delayed post-polypectomy hemorrhage after EMR of large colorectal lesions. The rate of retention of hemoclips on EMR sites has not been fully described. The aim of this study was to evaluate the adherence rates of hemoclips placed after EMR of large colorectal lesions. Methods This was a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of large colorectal polyps (≥20 mm) referred to Indiana University Hospital between June 2006 and August 2015. Sites were closed with a mean of 4 clips. Patients were followed up for 3 to 6 months after EMR with a second follow-up 1 year later. Biopsy specimens of EMR scars were examined at follow-up, including the tissue at the base of retained clips. Results There were 479 EMR sites in 424 patients that had first follow-up at our center with high-quality photographs of the EMR sites taken immediately after clip placement and at follow-up. Of 1407 Boston Scientific Resolution clips placed, 59 (4.2%) were retained at follow-up. Of 532 Cook Instinct clips placed, 46 (8.6%) were retained at first follow-up ( P = .0001). There was no difference in the follow-up interval for the 2 clips. No patient had residual polyp by biopsy at the base of a retained clip. Conclusions Clip retention at first follow-up at 3 to 6 months after EMR was twice as high for the Cook Instinct clip compared with Boston Resolution clip but retention rates were low for both clips. Residual polyp at the base of retained clips was not a significant clinical problem.
One Strike and You're Out of Public Housing: How the Intersection of the War on Drugs and Federal Housing Policy Violates Due Process and Fair Housing Principles

The one strike eviction policy in public housing raises both substantive due process and fair housing concerns. Under this policy, tenants can be evicted from public housing as a consequence of the criminal activity of their guests, household members or others, whether or not the tenants knew about or participated in the criminal activity. This article describes how the one strike eviction policy in public housing differs from the federal government’s response to crime in other types of housing and shows how the differential treatment is linked to the idea that public housing residents are “undeserving poor.” The article then examines the one strike eviction policy through the lens of the public welfare offense model for strict liability and argues that the one strike eviction policy in public housing conflicts with substantive due process because it unnecessarily imposes a strict liability standard on an important property interest. This article concludes with disparate impact analysis, arguing that the improper application of the strict liability framework is even more troubling because women and African Americans are disproportionately impacted by public housing policies.
Neuroanatomy of Fragile X Syndrome

Posterior fossa abnormalities measured by magnetic resonance images of the brain were reported in a group of 14 males with fragile X syndrome from the Division of Child Psychiatry, and the Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and The Kennedy Institute, Baltimore, MD.
Long-Term Survivorship and Wear Analysis of Ceramic and Metal on Polyethylene in Young, Active Patients: A Matched Pair Analysis

Introduction Ceramic femoral heads have superior scratch resistant with better wettability and improved wear characteristics compared to metal heads in the laboratory setting. The objective of this study was to compare long-term in vivo wear rates of ceramic and metal femoral heads against conventional polyethylene articulation with cementless stems in young, active patients. Materials and Methods Thirty-one matched pair of alumina and metal (Cr-Co) femoral heads against conventional polyethylene in young patients (between 45 and 65 years old) were analyzed for wear and failures for mechanical reasons. The match was based on gender and age at the time of surgery. All procedures were performed between June 1989 and May 1992 by a single surgeon via posterolateral approach, using cementless RB (Ranawat-Bernstein) stems, HG II (Harris-Galante) cups, 4150 conventional polyethylene and 28 mm femoral heads. Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) hip score was used for clinical analysis. Wear measurements were performed between the initial anteroposterior standing pelvis radiographs, at a minimum of one year after the index procedure to eliminate the effect of bedding-in period, and the latest follow-up. Two independent observers analyzed polyethylene wear rates using the computer-assisted Roman 1.70 software. In revision cases, the wear rates were calculated from radiographs prior to revision surgery. A pair student t test was performed to analyze the statistical difference. Two-tailed ρ values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results The mean age was 54.5 ± 8.5 at the time of surgery (range 23.3–65). Average clinical and radiographic follow-up were 17 ± 2.1 (range 12.8–20) and 14.1±2.6 years (range 10–19.1) respectively. The mean HSS score in ceramic and metal groups were 30.4 ± 8 (range 24–56) and 36.6 ± 4.7 (range 20–40) respectively. The mean wear rate for the ceramic group and the metal group were 0.086 ± 0.046 mm/year and 0.137 ± 0.052 mm/year, respectively which was statistically significant (p Discussion and Conclusion The low mean wear rate of ceramic compared to metal in this study is consistent with previously published laboratory reports. There was no revision for loosening or osteolysis in the ceramic group, which demonstrates superior durability compared to metal femoral heads. The strength of this study is that this is the first long-term report comparing ceramic and metal femoral heads against conventional polyethylene with cementless stems using a matched pair analysis in young patients.
Approaching Venue Analysis

Many U.S. equity traders underestimate the value of venue analysis and assume that any issues will appear in their current TCA results. However, problems may not clearly bubble up in a post-trade report. This article provides an overview of some of the potential issues in broker venue strategy and suggests a general framework for beginning an effective analysis. The payoff from this effort can provide greater reassurance that traders are using effective algorithms or perhaps allow them to tweak their existing strategies to perform more effectively.
Voltage Dependence and Non-Sensor Residues

The gating charges in S4 segment are highly conserved in voltage-gated K+ channels. However, a broad range of voltage dependence for charge movement and K+ conductance activation are found, suggesting these features are determined by other motifs. The extracellular S3-S4 linker shows family-related conservation. We studied the influence of residues 353-361 of that region on the voltage dependence of both gating charges movement (Q-Vs) and K+-conductance activation (G-Vs) in Shaker K+-channel. Remarkably, hydrophilic mutations in L358 and L361 produce strong shifts of both Q-Vs and G-Vs to more negative voltages. The Q-V is shifted more than −80-mV inL361R. We scanned with mutagenesis L358 (L358X) and L361 (L361X) with different amino acids (AA) and measured the mid-points of Q-V curves (Vmed) and G-V curves (V0.5). We plotted those values with several AA scales and took their coefficient of determination from a linear regression (R2). For L358X, Vmed were correlated with the residue tendency to be in a transmembrane segment (R2=0.72) and V0.5 by the hydrophobic surface area of the residue (R2=0.66). For L361X, Vmed were correlated with the residue tendency to be buried in the protein (R2=0.86) and V0.5 by the hydration potential of the residue (R2=0.66). By fitting Q-Vs to a three-state sequential model we find V0 and V1 as the voltage dependence of two simplified steps during VSD activation. The voltage sensor (VS) coupling to the pore domain (PD) was accessed by plotting V1, the last step, with V0.5 for L358X (R2=0.68) and L361X (R2=0.91). V0.5 changes in both cases are not well correlated with V0 (R2<0.45). Our data show that voltage dependence and VS-to-PD coupling can be dramatically changed by single mutations in the S3-S4 linker, and these changes cannot be explained by using well known AA hydrophobicity scales. Support:NIH-GM030376.
The mechanisms shaping the repertoire of CD4+ Foxp3+ regulatory T cells

Regulatory T (Treg) cells expressing Foxp3 transcription factor control homeostasis of the immune system, antigenic responses to commensal and pathogenic microbiota, and immune responses to self and tumour antigens. The Treg cells differentiate in the thymus, along with conventional CD4+ T cells, in processes of positive and negative selection. Another class of Treg cells is generated in peripheral tissues by inducing Foxp3 expression in conventional CD4+ T cells in response to antigenic stimulation. Both thymic and peripheral generation of Treg cells depends on recognition of peptide/MHC ligands by the T-cell receptors (TCR) expressed on thymic Treg precursors or peripheral conventional CD4+ T cells. This review surveys reports describing how thymus Treg cell generation depends on the selecting peptide/MHC ligands and how this process impacts the TCR repertoire expressed by Treg cells. We also describe how Treg cells depend on sustained signalling through the TCR and how they are further regulated by Foxp3 enhancer sequences. Finally, we review the impact of microbiota-derived antigens on the maintenance and functionality of the peripheral pool of Treg cells.
The Role of Honor as a Key Global Marketing Dimension for Business and Academia

The history of international honor in business is presented together with its relevance to business today. Trust bridges are suggested based on commonalities between parties and to strengthen their network and relationships with one another. These postulates were investigated with a group of international marketing experts. A three-round Delphi study was conducted using the triple helix research approach. An analysis of the global perspectives focused on honorable practices is presented.
Asking the Really Tough Questions: Policy Issues for Distance Learning

Dr. Barbara Gellman-Danley is Vice President, Educational Technology Services at Monroe Community College, with twenty years experience in distance learning. She is the former Vice Chancellor for Educational Outreach for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. (bdanley@monroecc.edu) Marie J. Fetzner is Assistant to the Vice President, Educational Technology Services at Monroe Community College. She is matriculated in the Ph.D. program at the Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development at the University of Rochester, focusing her research on distance learning. (mfetzner@monroecc.edu) The authors co-chaired the committee that produced "Outpacing Obsolescence: the Monroe Community College Technology Plan, 1997-2001." (September, 1997)
Sepsis in the Obstetric Client

Maternal sepsis is the third most common direct cause of maternal mortality following maternal hemorrhage and maternal hypertension. Undetected and poorly managed maternal infections can lead to sepsis, death, or disability for the mother and an increased likelihood of early neonatal infection and other adverse outcomes. When caring for obstetric patients, it is important to identify the stages of antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum care. Sepsis occurs at any stage of obstetric care.
Low-Cost Getters for Gaseous Chromium Removal in High-Temperature Electrochemical Systems

Electrochemical performance degradation of the air electrode due to the presence of trace levels of gaseous chromium impurities, a critical issue in high-temperature electrochemical systems, contributes to long-term irreversible performance instabilities. We report a low-cost getter comprised of SrO and NiO to capture extrinsic chromium impurities present in ambient air. Ceramic honeycomb-supported getters have been tested for 500 h under SOFC cathode exposure conditions and characterized by scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry and focused ion beam–transmission electron microscopy. Chemical and structural analyses show that gaseous chromium predominantly concentrates within ~ 4–5 mm at the air inlet, leaving only the remainder of the getter free of chromium. Chromium capture mechanisms are proposed and discussed based on experimental findings and thermodynamic calculations.
The Maternal-Infant Bond: Clarifying the Concept

The purpose of this paper is to provide a description of bonding as a concept using Walker and Avant's (2005) concept analysis guidelines. Data sources include dictionaries and online health databases. Data synthesis revealed frequent misuse of the term attachment to represent the concept of bonding. There are distinct differences between attachment and bonding and the current nursing diagnosis Risk for impaired attachment more accurately represents the concept of bonding. Revision of this NANDA-I diagnosis may improve diagnosis identification, interventions, and nursing care for mothers and children.
Effects of Attitude on HIFiRE-5b Boundary-Layer Transition

HIFiRE-5 is a hypersonic flight-test experiment designed to investigate the aerothermodynamics of a three-dimensional geometry. The vehicle is an elliptic cone with a 2:1 aspect ratio and 2.5 mm no...
Teaching Without a Net: Mindful Design Education

Teaching engineering design can be an inexact art. Textbooks, tools, and methods do exist, but translation of this knowledge to design practice in the classroom setting may flounder for many reasons. There is often no script for the instructor to follow because design itself is a process that is amorphous, iterative, and coevolutionary. In this chapter, we seek to inform design instruction for engineering students that also can be generalized to many design-infused disciplines. A significant feature of teaching design involves practiced anticipation and listening to students’ doing and learning to design. Sometimes, students confront unfamiliar concepts and need to be guided toward a new approach that may conflict with their prior educational experiences. For instance, students experience “threshold concepts” requiring a shift in thinking from one of engineering problem-solving to design problem-finding. Additionally, ambiguity in design can create discomfort and uncertainty, slowing students from moving forward. This chapter draws on the experiences of three reflective design educators (also design researchers) resulting in a multiple perspective approach capturing insights into how teachers teach design. Using collaborative inquiry and reflective practice, we look for patterns as a way of making visible the instructional moves of design educators. We examine design instructional experiences through three theoretical and empirically grounded lenses: (1) Cognitive apprenticeship: mastering requisite skills through mindful and practiced expertise, (2) Teaching as improvisation: understanding teachers as adaptive and skilled improvisers responding to unpredictable demands in the moment (“prepared not planned”), and (3) Pedagogical content knowledge: means for capturing and reflecting on what we know about design in the classroom. The resulting framework offers an integrative perspective on understanding: design students as learners, effective approaches for their needs, and principles of design thinking. We present suggestions for developing instructional moves to engage with your own learners at various points throughout a design project through a “playbook” for design educators.
The New Synthesis of Rural and Urban Society in the United States

Changes in United States agriculture during the past quarter of a century have been so thoroughly documented that at first glance it seems difficult to illuminate them further. However, I believe I have found a new way of looking at these changes which has far-reaching implications.
Buprenorphine Metabolism in Human Liver, Human Placenta, and Recombinant Cyp19 Microsomes

Background and Hypothesis: Buprenorphine (BUP), a partial opioid agonist, is commonly used to treat opioid use disorder in pregnant women. BUP is metabolized in the liver by cytochrome P450s (CYP) and UDPGlucuronosyltransferases (UGT). Compared to non-pregnant women, higher doses of BUP are needed during pregnancy to maintain therapeutic concentrations. We hypothesize that the placenta has a role in the metabolism of BUP, thus contributing to the need for higher doses during pregnancy. Experimental Design or Project Methods: : BUP was incubated with human liver microsome (HLM), human placenta microsome (HPM) or recombinant CYP19 microsome (rCYP19). Norbuprenorphine (Nor-BUP) formation was measured by HPLC/MS/MS (Thermo TSQ Quantum Ultra). Positive controls included midazolam for HLMs and testosterone for HPMs and rCYP19, and negative controls were without NADPH. Initial experiments assessed linearity with time and protein concentration. Subsequently, BUP concentrations were varied and Nor-BUP formation vs. BUP concentration was fitted to the Michaelis–Menten equation (GraphPad Prism) to calculate Km and Vmax. Results: The Km was 11.89 μM and Vmax was 0.4627 μmol/min/mg for Nor-BUP formation following incubation of BUP (0-20 µM) with HLM. Higher concentrations of BUP indicated non-typical Michaelis–Menten kinetics. Results from the HPM show metabolism of BUP to Nor-BUP is present in the placenta. Incubation of BUP in rCYP19, an enzyme known to be in human placenta, resulted in Nor-BUP formation, indicating its role in BUP metabolism. Conclusions and Potential Impact: : The Km and Vmax values generated from concentrations of 5-20 μM in HLM is comparable with existing data. Because multiple enzymes breakdown BUP with different Km and Vmax values, a curve not adhering to the normal Michaelis–Menten shape over 20 μM BUP is reasonable in HLMs. Formation of Nor-BUP following incubation of BUP in rCYP19 and HPMs suggest their role in the metabolism of BUP in pregnant women. Understanding the role of placenta in metabolizing BUP will provide insight to fetal drug exposure. Placental metabolism of BUP would possibly indicate lower exposure to BUP but higher exposure to nor-BUP to the fetus. Future directions of this study will quantify placental metabolism of BUP, investigate other pathways of BUP metabolism in the placenta, and determine drug interactions that may exacerbate Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome when coadministered with BUP.
Optimizing green infrastructure placement under precipitation uncertainty

Abstract Increased urbanization, infrastructure degradation, and climate change threaten to overwhelm stormwater systems across the nation, rendering them ineffective. Green Infrastructure (GI) practices are low cost, low regret strategies that can contribute to urban runoff management. However, questions remain as to how to best distribute GI practices through urban watersheds given precipitation uncertainty and the variable hydrological responses to them. We develop stochastic programming models to determine the optimal placement of GI practices across a set of candidate locations in a watershed to minimize the total expected runoff under medium-term precipitation uncertainties. Specifically, we first develop a two-stage stochastic programming model. Next, we reformulate this model using perturbed parameters to reduce the requisite computational time and extend it to multi-stage. In addition, we introduce constraints that allow for incorporating sub-catchment-level runoff reduction considerations. We account for hydrological connectivity in the watershed using an underlying acyclic connectivity graph of sub-catchments and incorporate various practical considerations into the models. In addition, we develop a systemic approach to downscale the existing daily precipitation projections into hourly units and efficiently estimate the corresponding hydrological responses. These advancements are brought together in a case study for an urban watershed in a mid-sized city in the U.S., where we perform sensitivity analyses, evaluate the importance of the considered constraints, and provide insights.
A Reflection Formula for the Gaussian Hypergeometric Function of Matrix Argument

We obtain a reflection formula for the Gaussian hypergeometric function of real symmetric matrix argument. We also show that this result extends to the Gaussian hypergeometric function defined over the symmetric cones, and even to generalizations of the Gaussian hypergeometric function defined in terms of series of Jack polynomials. We also obtain a quadratic transformation formula for the 2x2 Gaussian hypergeometric function of Hermitian matrix argument.
VcfR: a package to manipulate and visualize VCF format data in R

Abstract Software to call single nucleotide polymorphisms or related genetic variants has converged on the variant call format (VCF) as the output format of choice. This has created a need for tools to work with VCF files. While an increasing number of software exists to read VCF data, many only extract the genotypes without including the data associated with each genotype that describes its quality. We created the R package vcfR to address this issue. We developed a VCF file exploration tool implemented in the R language because R provides an interactive experience and an environment that is commonly used for genetic data analysis. Functions to read and write VCF files into R as well as functions to extract portions of the data and to plot summary statistics of the data are implemented. VcfR further provides the ability to visualize how various parameterizations of the data affect the results. Additional tools are included to integrate sequence (FASTA) and annotation data (GFF) for visualization of genomic regions such as chromosomes. Conversion functions translate data from the vcfR data structure to formats used by other R genetics packages. Computationally intensive functions are implemented in C++ to improve performance. Use of these tools is intended to facilitate VCF data exploration, including intuitive methods for data quality control and easy export to other R packages for further analysis. VcfR thus provides essential, novel tools currently not available in R.
Managing Chronic Pain in the Pseudoaddict

A patient who had intractable pain and who was engaged in illegal activity to obtain opioids at the time of first evaluation is presented. She had failed numerous non opioid therapies and her respo...
Effects of methylmercury on the early life stages of an estuarine forage fish using two different dietary sources

Abstract Marine fish accumulate methylmercury (MeHg) to elevated concentrations, often higher than in freshwater systems. As a neurotoxic compound, high MeHg tissue concentrations could affect fish behavior which in turn could affect their populations. We examined the sublethal effects of MeHg on larvae of the Sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus), an estuarine fish, using artificial or natural diets with varying MeHg concentrations (0–4.8 ppm). Larvae were fed control and MeHg-contaminated diets at low or normal (10% of their body mass) daily food rations from 7 to 29 days when they reached juvenile stage. Growth, respiration, swimming activity and prey capture ability were assessed. Food ration affected Hg toxicity in our study. Natural diets containing 3.2 ppm MeHg had no impacts on growth and swimming in fish that were fed normal food rations but depressed growth and swimming at low food rations. MeHg toxicity did not differ between artificial and natural foods, however fish accumulated more MeHg from the former. Artificial food containing 4.8 ppm MeHg only affected prey capture after 21 days of exposure. Sheepshead minnows, a forage fish species occupying a low trophic level in coastal waters, can be MeHg tolerant, especially when food is abundant, and can serve as an enriched Hg source for higher trophic level predators.
Fiber-poor Western diets fuel inflammation.

The transition of Sub-Saharan Africans from rural settings and traditional plant-rich diets to urban settings and calorie-dense Westernized diets has led to specific shifts in serum metabolites and activates a heightened proinflammatory state in immune cells.
The PACT Model: Improving Outcomes in the Treatment of PTSD:

This article introduces a new model for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder that has the potential to provide clinicians with information that may facilitate improved outcomes. The PACT ...
How Accurate Are Approximate Density Functionals for Noncovalent Interaction of Very Large Molecular Systems

Noncovalent intermolecular interactions are very important in many research areas. Therefore, it is vital to understand the extent to which approximate density functionals give a proper description of noncovalent interactions. Previous research has demonstrated that some approximate density functionals can predict usefully accurate interaction energies for many noncovalent systems; however, most of that work is limited to small and moderate-sized molecules. Very recently though, accurate benchmarks have become available for some very large molecules. The present work applies 21 approximate density functionals to compute the binding energies of seven large molecular systems that have a number of atoms ranging from 200 to 910. The results are judged by comparison to the recently published CIM-DLPNO-CCSD(T) results, which are assumed to provide a reliable benchmark. The five most accurate methods among those tested are found to be PW6B95-D4, PW6B95-D3(BJ), revM11, M06-L, and MN15.
Fishy Business: Assessing Egypt's Growing Aquaculture Sector

This paper examines the long-term trajectory of the Egyptian fish farming industry. It examines international aquaculture production time series data and utilizes historical, ecological, political, and economic lenses to assess growth opportunities for the sector and obstacles that must be dealt with.
Changes in COVID-19-related outcomes, potential risk factors and disparities over time

To investigate temporal trends in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related outcomes and to evaluate whether the impacts of potential risk factors and disparities changed over time, we conducted a retrospective cohort study with 249 075 patients tested or treated for COVID-19 at Michigan Medicine (MM), from 10 March 2020 to 3 May 2021. Among these patients, 26 289 were diagnosed with COVID-19. According to the calendar time in which they first tested positive, the COVID-19-positive cohort were stratified into three-time segments (T1: March–June, 2020; T2: July–December, 2020; T3: January–May, 2021). Potential risk factors that we examined included demographics, residential-level socioeconomic characteristics and preexisting comorbidities. The main outcomes included COVID-19-related hospitalisation and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The hospitalisation rate for COVID-positive patients decreased from 36.2% in T1 to 14.2% in T3, and the ICU admission rate decreased from 16.9% to 2.9% from T1 to T3. These findings confirm that COVID-19-related hospitalisation and ICU admission rates were decreasing throughout the pandemic from March 2020 to May 2021. Black patients had significantly higher (compared to White patients) hospitalisation rates (19.6% vs. 11.0%) and ICU admission rates (6.3% vs. 2.8%) in the full COVID-19-positive cohort. A time-stratified analysis showed that racial disparities in hospitalisation rates persisted over time and the estimates of the odds ratios (ORs) stayed above unity in both unadjusted [full cohort: OR = 1.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.79, 2.19); T1: OR = 1.70, 95% CI (1.36, 2.12); T2: OR = 1.40, 95% CI (1.17, 1.68); T3: OR = 1.55, 95% CI (1.29, 1.86)] and adjusted analysis, accounting for differences in demographics, socioeconomic status, and preexisting comorbid conditions (full cohort: OR = 1.45, 95% CI (1.25, 1.68); T1: OR = 1.26, 95% CI (0.90, 1.76); T2: OR = 1.29, 95% CI (1.01, 1.64); T3: OR = 1.29, 95% CI (1.00, 1.67)).
“School’s a Lie”: Toward Critical Race Intersectional Pedagogy for Youth Intellectual Activism in Policy Partnerships

Equity-oriented school improvement driven by neoliberal policies focuses attention on a narrow range of inequities. Such policies fail to achieve substantive transformations that address educationa...
Optimal Configuration of a Service Delivery Network: An Application to a Financial Services Provider

Driven by market pressures, financial service firms are increasingly partnering with independent vendors to create service networks that deliver greater profits while ensuring high service quality. In the management of call center networks, these partnerships are common and form an integral part of the customer care and marketing strategies in the financial services industry. For a financial services firm, configuring such a call center service network entails determining which partners to select and how to distribute service requests among vendors, while incorporating their capabilities, costs, and revenue-generating abilities. Motivated by a problem facing a Fortune 500 financial services provider, we develop and apply a novel mixed integer programming model for the service network configuration problem. Our tactical decision support model effectively accounts for the firm's costs by capturing the impact of service requirements on vendor staffing levels and seat requirements, and permits imposing call routing preferences and auxiliary service costs. We implemented the model and applied it to data from an industry partner. Results suggest that our approach can generate considerable cost savings and substantial additional revenues, while ensuring high service quality. Results based on test instances demonstrate similar savings and outperform two rule-based methods for vendor assignment.
Frequent mental distress status among adults with arthritis age 45 years and older, 2001.

Objective To identify characteristics and behaviors among persons with arthritis through evaluation of self-perceived mental health status. Methods Data were analyzed for adults with arthritis age 45 years or older from the 2001 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an ongoing, state-based, random-digit-dialed telephone survey of noninstitutionalized adults living in the United States. Results The prevalence of frequent mental distress (FMD; ≥14 self-reported mentally unhealthy days in the past 30 days) among persons with arthritis was 13.4%. Among persons with arthritis, those with FMD as compared with those without FMD were more likely to be underweight and obese than normal weight; they also were more likely to be insufficiently active or inactive than following recommended physical activity guidelines. In addition, those with arthritis and FMD were more likely to report disability and impaired physical and general health than were those with arthritis but without FMD. Conclusion Physicians should encourage their patients with arthritis and mental distress to participate in educational and behavioral interventions shown to have both physical and psychological benefits.
Structural Design of Pipeline Casing Pipes

The ASCE Committee on Pipeline Crossings of Railroads and Highways conducted a field performance study on five experimental casing pipes under mainline railroads at various locations. Also, the measured deflections of several abandoned casings were obtained. A method of design for bored-in-place casing pipes under railroads and highways, based upon facts obtained in the experimental research has been developed and is presented. Earth loads are calculated by the Marston Theory of loads on ditch conduits. Rail traffic loads are estimated by the Newmark integration of the Boussine sq equation and highway traffic loads by the Holl integration. Using conservative systems of locomotive and truck wheel loadings, casing pipe thicknesses for a range of pipe sizes and depths of cover have been calculated. The results are consistent with the observed performance of the experimental casings. They are presented in both tabular and graphical form in the paper.
Mitochondrial RNA in Xenopus laevis. II. Molecular weights and other physical properties of mitochondrial ribosomal and 4 s RNA.

The nucleotide composition and physical properties of the large and small mitochondrial ribosomal RNA's and of mitochondrial 4 s RNA from ovaries and eggs of Xenopus laevis are described. The G + C content of the mitochondrial RNA's is between 40 and 44%. The secondary structure of these RNA's, investigated in optical melting experiments, is much less stable than the structure of bacterial and cytoplasmic RNA's. Probably as a result of the structural peculiarities of the mitochondrial ribosomal RNA's, the electrophoretic mobilities of these RNA's depend greatly on the conditions of electrophoresis. Therefore, gel electrophoresis is not an applicable method for the determination of the molecular weights of the mitochondrial ribosomal RNA's. At cation concentrations from 0.07 to 2.5 m the sedimentation coefficient of the large mitochondrial ribosomal RNA is between 0.91 and 1.0 that of the cytoplasmic 18 s ribosomal RNA; for the small mitochondrial ribosomal RNA this ratio is between 0.66 and 0.77. To study the sedimentation properties of the denatured molecules the mitochondrial RNA's were compared to cytoplasmic and bacterial RNA's by sedimentation in dimethylsulfoxide, and after treatment with formaldehyde. These experiments led to the following molecular weight estimates for the mitochondrial RNA's: large ribosomal RNA, 5.3 × 105; small ribosomal RNA, 3.0 × 105; 4 s RNA (average), 28,000.
Non-existence of a curve over ₃ of genus 5 with 14 rational points

We show that an absolutely irreducible, smooth, projective curve of genus 5 over F3 with 14 rational points cannot exist.
The Effects of Rotation on the Global Dynamics of Turbulent Convection

3D numerical simulations of incompressible thermal convection in the presence of rotation have shown both a marked difference from (vortical plume interactions, mean thermal gradients, Ekman pumping, etc) and similarity to (boundary dependent hard- and soft-turbulent heat-transport scalings) its non-rotating counterpart. An understanding of these results should aid the development of proper parameterizations for solar structure and stellar evolution models.