cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using Eye-Movement Trackings to Investigate Mechanisms of Word-Object Associations in Primary Progressive Aphasia (P2.165)

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that eye-movement trackings provide a sensitive measurement for different levels of word-object linkage deficits during object naming. BACKGROUND: An inability to name objects, known as anomia, is one of the most common symptoms in Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA). We developed a new method based on eye movements to investigate mechanisms of object naming and anomia. DESIGN/METHODS: An eye-tracker was used to measure viewing behavior during a word-picture matching paradigm. Participants (1 PPA and 4 controls) saw a single word cue followed by an array of 8 equidistantly displayed objects, and were asked to touch the corresponding object. Afterwards, participants were asked to name aloud each previously seen object. RESULTS: When the PPA patient demonstrated correct pointing to and naming of the target object (33.3% of trials), reaction times (RTs) and patterns of viewing behavior were similar to controls. When the patient pointed to the object but failed to name it (29.16% of trials), RTs were slower, and the patient viewed the target less (and distractors more) than for correct pointing and naming responses. Finally, when the patient could neither point to nor name the target object (37.5% of trials), RTs were even slower, and viewing was randomly distributed across objects with no preference for the target. CONCLUSIONS: Anomia was associated with significant difficulty in searching for visual objects, even on trials where the patient eventually pointed to the correct object, a situation often referred to as a “one-way” or retrieval based naming deficit. This eye-tracking paradigm offers a new approach for probing the mechanisms of object-word linkage impairments in anomic PPA patients. Study Supported by: NIH/NIA P30 AG13854, NIH/NINDS R01 NS075075 and NIH/NIDCD R01 DC008552. Additional support was provided by the Turkish Education Foundation and NIH/NIA T32 AG20506. Disclosure: Dr. Seckin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Voss has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rogalski has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hurley has nothing to disclose.
Labelling of Grain-Based Foods

Labeling of grain-based foods allows consumers to make informed purchases and to meet individualized nutritional needs. However, marketing statements, nutrition claims, and grain terminology associated with milling and processing of whole and refined grain fractions are understood by industry but are poorly understood by consumers. Nonstandardized terminology among grains and across jurisdictions together with varying nutritional requirements and differing regulations by food authorities regarding what can be communicated on a label adds to consumer confusion. Clear labels that communicate the product contents and fairly tout the benefits and nutritional values are needed for grain-based foods.
Caffeine-induced catecholamine secretion: similarity to caffeine-induced muscle contraction.

SummaryCaffeine directly stimulates catecholamine release from adrenal glands perfused with calcium–free medium. The stimulant effect of caffeine is potentiated by preloading the gland with calcium and also by exposure to thiocyanate. These effects parallel the actions of caffeine on muscle contraction and suggest that catecholamine release can be evoked by mobilization of intracellular calcium.I acknowledge the valuable technical assistance of Mr. James Edwards.
Developments in accounting regulation: A synthesis and annotated bibliography of evidence and commentary in the 2012 academic literature

Abstract In this article, we synthesize in annotated bibliography form, recent regulation-related findings and commentaries in the academic literature. This annotated bibliography is one in a series of bibliographies that summarize regulation-related academic research. We reviewed academic outlets such as The Accounting Review , Journal of Accounting Research , Journal of Accounting and Economics , Contemporary Accounting Research , Accounting Horizons , The Journal of Accounting, Auditing & Finance , Journal of Accounting and Public Policy , Journal of Business, Finance & Accounting , Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory , and Research in Accounting Regulation . We annotate results of regulation-related research studies and key points from regulation-related commentaries. The literature featured some strong regulation-related threads in 2012 including the foundations of financial reporting, the role of financial reporting in the financial crisis, accounting disclosure, financial reporting choices, international financial reporting standards, and Sarbanes–Oxley and its impact on accounting and auditing quality.
Epimerization of cyclic vinlphosphirane complexes: the intermediacy of biradicals.

The phosphinidene complex Ph−P−W(CO)5 reacts with cyclopentadiene, 1,3-cyclohexadiene, 1,3-cycloheptadiene, and 1,3-cyclooctadiene to give in each case isomeric mixtures of syn- and anti-vinylphosphiranes. With longer reaction times and/or higher reaction temperatures, the anti adducts isomerize to the syn adducts. These epimerizations are likely to proceed via biradical intermediates. Only the syn-vinylphosphirane of 1,3-cyclohexadiene undergoes a [1,3]-sigmatropic shift to yield a syn-phopholene. The dichotomy of biradical and concerted mechanisms is discussed in relationship with the analogous mechanism for the vinylcyclopropane → cyclopentene rearrangement.
Nucleosomes Find Their Place in Life

To carry epigenetic information, the chromatin structure must be accurately rebuilt after its deconstruction during genomic replication. Using an elegant, novel approach, Vasseur et al. [1] reveal that transcription plays a key role in sculpting the chromatin after DNA replication.
Secondary circuit model generation using limited PV measurements and parameter estimation

This paper presents an approach for generating simplified secondary circuit models with limited SCADA and PV micro-inverter measurement data. The proposed method is computationally efficient and can be utilized with typically available measurement data. The method is applied to models of three real U.S. utility feeders with PV micro-inverter measurements. The proposed simplified secondary circuit modeling approach decreases the PV voltage simulation errors in all the three feeders compared to using generic secondary circuit models. This paper also presents approaches for improving the feeder voltage regulating device model set points by utilizing the PV voltage measurements.
MDM2 Inhibitor Nutlin-3a Induces p53-Dependent Apoptosis Via Transcription-Dependent and -Independent Pathways and Overcomes Fludarabine-Resistance in CLL.

Fludarabine containing combination therapies are the current standard for CLL therapy, in which p53-mediated induction of apoptosis contributes to leukemia cell killing. Although TP53 mutations occur in only 5–10% of patients with CLL, inactivation of the p53 pathway also occurs through Mdm2 overexpression or Atm deficiency. We investigate if recently developed potent and selective small-molecule antagonists of Mdm2, Nutlins, can overcome functional p53 inactivation associated with Mdm2 overexpression or Atm deficiency in CLL. Nutlin-3a caused a dose- and time-dependent increase in the percentage of Annexin V-positive cells in 20 primary CLL samples, irrespective of Mdm2 or Atm status. Samples with low Atm levels (n=3) were resistant to fludarabine. In addition to the transcriptional activation of target genes in the nucleus, cytoplasmic p53 can trigger transcription-independent apoptosis at the mitochondria. Samples with a cytoplasmic p53 localization pattern (n=7) showed a higher percentage of Nutlin-induced apoptosis than those with a nuclear pattern (n=8; P r = - 0.617, P in vitro , and (4) Mdm2 inhibition and fludarabine synergistically induce apoptosis, which may overcome fludarabine-resistance in CLL.
Comparison of the efficacy and safety of Glimepiride and Glipizide as add-on therapy with metformin in patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder carrying an enormous burden of morbidity and mortality because of its characteristic complications, many of which are preventable with strict glycaemic control. Initial management of T2DM consists of non-pharmacological interventions; it those fail, an oral anti-diabetic drug, most typically metformin, is started. Combination therapy is initiated only when monotherapy fails to achieve glycaemic control. Glipizide and glimepiride, a second and a third generation sulphonylurea respectively, are the commonest drugs added to metformin when the latter fails to achieve euglycaemia on its own. Aims and Objectives of the study were to compare the efficacy and safety of glimepiride and glipizide as add-on therapy to metformin in patients of uncontrolled T2DM. Methods: This prospective, observational and analytical study was conducted by the Department of Pharmacology among patients attending the Internal Medicine OPD of a tertiary-care hospital. Fifty patients were assigned to two groups of 25 patients each: Group A - Glimepiride + Metformin and Group B - Glipizide + Metformin. Patients were followed up for three months. Data were analysed by Student's t-test. Results: There was a significant decrease in the HbA1c, FBS and 2h-PPBS in both groups. However there was no significant difference between the two groups during the three-month period of follow-up. Conclusions: The combination of glimepiride and metformin is just as effective and safe as the combination of glipizide and metformin in patients not controlled on monotherapy with metformin.
Impact of Shoulder Sonography on Clinical Decision Making

Objectives To assess the impact of musculoskeletal shoulder sonography (US) on clinical decision making. Methods This Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act–compliant retrospective study received Institutional Review Board approval with a waiver of informed consent. Consecutive musculoskeletal shoulder US examinations ordered over a 12-month period were retrospectively reviewed. The medical records of each patient were analyzed, recording immediate pre- and post-US treatment plans. Treatment plans were categorized as follows: 1, no further treatment; 2, conservative management/physical therapy; 3, therapeutic injection; 4, surgical intervention; 5, change in diagnosis; and 6, need additional imaging. Data were analyzed by nonparametric statistical methods. Results A total of 935 patient examinations met inclusion criteria. Of 935 patients, 591 (63.2%) had a post-US treatment plan that differed from pre-US treatment, showing a statistically significant impact on patient treatment (P < .001). In 744 of the 935 examinations (79.6%), the treating physician initially prescribed conservative therapy as a treatment plan; 423 of those 744 patients (56.9%) were subsequently prescribed a more invasive form of treatment. Of the remaining 191 of 935 patients (20.4%) initially treated with invasive treatment, 101 (52.9%) received a change in the treatment plan after the US examinations, with 46 patients (24.1%) relegated to noninvasive treatment. Sonography also played a role in surgical planning, with 25 studies (2.7%) specifically performed to evaluate rotator cuff integrity when deciding between conventional and reverse shoulder arthroplasty. Conclusions Musculoskeletal shoulder US has a substantial impact on clinical decision making and patient treatment.
Naert, Pierre (1916–1971)

Pierre Naert was convinced that the Ainu language was distantly related to the Indo–European group and spent most of his academic career attempting to prove it. Naert's sources were often inaccurate and his lack of Japanese knowledge made it difficult for him to reconstruct older stages of the Ainu language. He met with great opposition by many in the academic community and was never able to convince his critics of his theory.
The Relationship Between Facial Nerve Palsy and Vaccination (P1.134)

Objective: To assess the relationship between vaccines and developing FNP. Background: The pathology of facial nerve palsy (FNP) is not fully understood, and thought to be due to demyelination and degeneration of the facial nerve. There are reported cases of developing FNP after vaccination, implying that there may be a relationship between the immune system and FNP. Design/Methods: Data search of the national vaccine information center’s vaccine adverse events reporting system (VAERS) database for reports of FNP after vaccination from 1/1/1990 to 12/31/2010. Cases were identified by search terms “facial palsy” and “facial paralysis.” Results: A total of 1337 cases of FNP were reported after vaccination. We found that 455 cases (34%) were reported after flu vaccination, 323 (24%) of which occurred in the 2009–2010 vaccination year. All cases reported after H1N1 vaccination occurred in the 2009–2010 vaccination year [162 cases (12%)]. And 173 cases (13%) after hepatitis B (hep B) vaccine. The remaining 1% (547 cases) of FNP were reported after a variety of vaccines. No reports of FNP were associated with DPT, DPTIHI, TBE, MNC, MU, CHOL, or 6-VAX-F. FNP was most often reported within the first 90 days post vaccination, with the majority of cases reported in the first week post vaccination. Most cases were reported in October [316 (34%)], 252 (80%) of which were reported after flu vaccine. Conclusions: The most common culprit of FNP in our study was flu vaccine. We postulate that the high incidence of FNP after vaccination in the 2009–2010 year was due to increased vaccination rate because of the H1N1 pandemic. We theorize that the increase in rate of FNP reports in October is due to increased vaccination in October because of the CDC recommendations for flu vaccination before the end of October. Disclosure: Dr. Thulasi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Savage has nothing to disclose. Dr. Souayah has nothing to disclose. Dr. Feinstein has nothing to disclose.
Competition and Coexistence in Plant Communities: Intraspecific Competition is Stronger Than Interspecific Competition

Theory predicts that intraspecific competition should be stronger than interspecific competition for any pair of stably coexisting species, yet previous literature reviews found little support for this pattern. We screened over 5400 publications and identified 39 studies that quantified phenomenological intraspecific and interspecific interactions in terrestrial plant communities. Of the 67% of species pairs in which both intra- and interspecific effects were negative (competitive), intraspecific competition was, on average, four to five-fold stronger than interspecific competition. Of the remaining pairs, 93% featured intraspecific competition and interspecific facilitation, a situation that stabilises coexistence. The difference between intra- and interspecific effects tended to be larger in observational than experimental data sets, in field than greenhouse studies, and in studies that quantified population growth over the full life cycle rather than single fitness components. Our results imply that processes promoting stable coexistence at local scales are common and consequential across terrestrial plant communities.
The Family Economic Strain Scale: Development and Evaluation of the Instrument with Single- and Two-Parent Families

The purpose of this study is to develop an instrument to measure economic strain in single-parent and two-parent families. The Family Economic Strain Scale (FESS) originally contains 25 items. Thirteen items is adapted from previous research and 12 are developed for the study. The FESS is pilot tested using data from a sample of 59 single-mother, 12 single-father, and 164 two-parent families. Factor analysis reveals that the instrument contained one 13-itein dimension that is highly reliable (.92). The construct validity of the measure is evaluated using three hypotheses and data from a second study involving 30 single-mother, 30 single-father, and 30 two-parent families. ANOVA and standard multiple regression are used for the analyses. All three hypotheses are supported and variance accounted for is substantial. The FESS is a highly reliable and valid instrument that will be of value to researchers examining perceived economic strain in single-parent and two-parent families.
EFFECT OF METOCLOPRAMIDE IN CHRONIC GASTRIC RETENTION AFTER GASTRIC SURGERY

The effect of metoclopramide, a stimulant of gastric motility, on gastric emptying was tested in 6 patients with chronic gastric retention after vagotomy and gastric resection, unexplained by mechanical obstruction or stomal ulceration. Gastric emptying was measured using a gamma camera technique and a solid meal labeled with 99mtechnetium-labeled diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid. Metoclopramide produced a 2.6-fold increase in gastric emptying in the first 90 min after eating the meal, compared to placebo (P
Pathology and Pathogenesis

Detailed and specific descriptions of gross pathology have been relatively rare. Much of the available material has consisted of resected pulmonary tissue, and post mortem examinations have most often dealt with severe disseminated disease in compromised hosts. In consequence, detailed description of the gross appearance of unmodified disease is lacking.
A detailed investigation of pretreatment protocols for high precision radiocarbon measurements of annual tree-rings

Abstract Much discussion has revolved around proper sample types and pretreatment methods to generate a calibration dataset that would allow for the most accurate representation of an unknown sample’s calendar age. Since the development of radiocarbon dating, tree-rings have played a vital role in the creation of global calibration datasets, with these samples being subjected to varying degrees of both physical and chemical pretreatments. With an international move away from multi-ring composite measurements and toward higher resolution annual and/or sub-annual measurement of radiocarbon content, and with the on-set of a major new research project using, primarily the highly resinous North American Bristlecone Pine, we set out to review sample preparation procedures. The question became; which fraction, and therefore how much pretreatment is really necessary in order to extract the most representative and replicable C14 determination in a tree-ring for any given growth year, and could it be both specimen as well as species dependent? For this study, a total of four samples were chosen. These samples consisted of two rings from two different years from Bristlecone Pine and two rings from these same years from Irish Oak. These rings were each treated with a series of progressively more aggressive chemical treatments allowing for the extraction of different fractions from each ring. An analysis of the different pretreatment methods, as well as interspecies variance, is discussed.
Simple Formal Logic: With Common-Sense Symbolic Techniques

Perfect for students with no background in logic or philosophy, Simple Formal Logic provides a full system of logic adequate to handle everyday and philosophical reasoning. By keeping out artificial techniques that aren’t natural to our everyday thinking process, Simple Formal Logic trains students to think through formal logical arguments for themselves, ingraining in them the habits of sound reasoning. Simple Formal Logic features: a companion website with abundant exercise worksheets, study supplements (including flashcards for symbolizations and for deduction rules), and instructor’s manual two levels of exercises for beginning and more advanced students a glossary of terms, abbreviations and symbols. This book arose out of a popular course that the author has taught to all types of undergraduate students at Loyola University Chicago. He teaches formal logic without the artificial methods–methods that often seek to solve farfetched logical problems without any connection to everyday and philosophical argumentation. The result is a book that teaches easy and more intuitive ways of grappling with formal logic–and is intended as a rigorous yet easy-to-follow first course in logical thinking for philosophy majors and non-philosophy majors alike.
Experimental investigation on very-high-Rayleigh-number thermal convection in tilted rectangular enclosures

Abstract High Rayleigh number thermal convection in tilted rectangular enclosures of different aspect ratios ( 1 , 3 , 6 , and 10) and angles of inclination ( 0 ° , 30 ° , 60 ° , 90 ° , 120 ° , and 150 ° ) is experimentally studied for 1.85 × 10 6 ⩽ Ra ⩽ 1.04 × 10 11 employing compressed gases. For a fixed Rayleigh number, aspect ratio is found to have a discernible effect on Nusselt number for all the cases, except for the horizontal enclosure case ( 0 ° ), and this decreasing effect becomes stronger as the angle of inclination increases. Nusselt number is observed to monotonously decrease as the angle of inclination is increased, for any given Rayleigh number. A new set of correlations for Nusselt number, valid for the investigated range of studied variables, is proposed. An Ra cos θ scaling is also found to work reasonably well for angles of inclination less than 60 ° .
LOWER QUARTER- AND UPPER QUARTER Y BALANCE TESTS AS PREDICTORS OF RUNNING-RELATED INJURIES IN HIGH SCHOOL CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNERS.

Background While cross-country running is a popular interscholastic sport, it also has a high incidence of running-related injuries (RRIs). Recent literature suggests that functional tests may identify athletes at increased risk of injury. The Y-Balance Test (YBT) is an objective measure used to assess functional muscle strength, balance, and expose asymmetries between tested limbs. Purpose/Hypothesis The purpose of this study was to determine if the YBT could predict RRI in high school cross-country runners. It was hypothesized that an asymmetric right (R)/left (L) YBT reach distance for the lower or upper extremities would be associated with an increased risk of RRI. Study Design Prospective observational cohort. Methods One hundred forty-eight athletes (80 girls, 68 boys) who competed in interscholastic cross-country in Southern California during the 2015 season participated in the study. Prior to the cross-country season, the runners completed Lower-Quarter YBT (LQ-YBT) and Upper-Quarter YBT (UQ-YBT) testing to assess lower and upper extremity asymmetry, respectively. The runners were prospectively monitored for RRI occurrence throughout the season using the Daily Injury Report form. Results Forty-nine runners (33.1%) incurred a RRI during the 2015 season, with the lower leg (shin/calf) and knee the most common RRI sites. Girls had a higher RRI occurrence (38.8%) than boys (26.5%) (p = 0.12). Boys had greater raw scores for LQ-YBT R and L anterior (ANT), posteromedial (PM), posterolateral (PM) and composite reach distances than girls (p<0.05). With the exception of normalized superolateral reach distance, boys had significantly greater scores for raw and normalized R and L UQ-YBT reach distances and raw composite scores than girls (p<0.05). After adjusting for prior RRI, while boy runners with a LQ-YBT PM reach difference ≥4.0 cm were five times more likely to incur a RRI (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 5.05, 95% CI: 1.3-19.8; p = 0.02), girl runners with a UQ-YBT inferolateral (IL) reach difference ≥ 4.0 cm were 75% less likely to incur a RRI (AOR = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.1-0.7; p = 0.005). By lower extremity body region, boy runners with a UQ-YBT superolateral (SL) reach difference ≥ 4.0 cm were seven times more likely to incur a hip/thigh/knee RRI [AOR] = 7.20, 95% CI: 1.1-45.6; p = 0.002). Conclusion Greater lower extremity (PM) or upper extremity (SL) reach distance asymmetry, as measured by the LQ-YBT or UQ-YBT, respectively, were associated with RRI in boy high school cross-country runners. Level of Evidence 2b.
Entrepreneurial apologies: The mediating role of forgiveness on future cooperation

Abstract Entrepreneurs are expected to seek forgiveness from stakeholders for a transgression. While research has shown that apologies issued by entrepreneurs can be an effective tool for obtaining forgiveness, there is no assurance that an apology leading to stakeholder forgiveness will also necessarily restore future cooperation. We contend that entrepreneurial apologies are an effective mechanism for entrepreneurs to receive forgiveness and that forgiveness mediates the relationship between the apology and the restoration of future cooperation by reducing the amount of retributive justice sought by stakeholders. Quantitative analysis of data from a questionnaire administered to 268 U.S. university students and 120 U.S. participants on Mechanical Turk supports our contention, with participants found to be significantly more forgiving of an entrepreneurial transgression after receiving an apology and also more willing to engage in future cooperation with the new venture if forgiveness was restored. We also demonstrate the mediating effects of forgiveness on an apology, suggesting that restorative and retributive justice elements inherent in an apology interact to increase the overall effectiveness. Finally, it was also uncovered that compensation offers were significantly more restorative than non-explicit statements of contrition, explicit statements of contrition, empathy, and responsibility acknowledgements.
States Divided: The Implications of American Federalism for Covid-19.

The explosion of the coronavirus onto the global stage has posed unprecedented challenges for governance. In the United States, the question of how best to respond to these challenges has fractured along intergovernmental lines. The federal government left most of the decisions to the states, and the states went in very different directions. Some of those decisions naturally flowed from the disease's emerging patterns. But to a surprising degree, there were systematic variations in the governors' decisions, and these variations were embedded in a subtle but growing pattern of differences among the states in a host of policy areas, ranging from decisions about embracing the Affordable Care Act to improving their infrastructure. These patterns raise fundamental questions about the role of the federal government's leadership in an issue that was truly national in scope, and whether such varied state reactions were in the public interest. The debate reinforces the emerging reality of an increasingly divided states of America. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Effectual thinking and music education: One view of creative adaptation in an underserved urban middle school:

This descriptive case study superimposed Effectuation Theory onto the experiences of an American music educator and the challenges and opportunities facing him in an economically disadvantaged teac...
Surgical trends in the management of acute cholecystitis during pregnancy.

Since 2007, clinical practice guidelines by the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) recommend early surgical management with laparoscopic cholecystectomy for pregnant women with symptomatic gallbladder disease regardless of trimester. However, little is known about practice patterns in the management of pregnant patients with acute cholecystitis. This study aims to examine nationwide trends in the surgical management of acute cholecystitis, as well as their impact on clinical outcomes during pregnancy. The National Inpatient Sample was queried for all pregnant women diagnosed with acute cholecystitis between January 2003 and September 2015. After applying appropriate weights, multivariate regression analysis adjusted for patient- and hospital-level characteristics and quantified the impact of discharge year (2003–2007 versus 2008–2015) on cholecystectomy rates and timing of surgery. Multivariate regression analysis was also used to examine the impact of same admission cholecystectomy and its timing on maternal and fetal outcomes. A total of 23,939 pregnant women with acute cholecystitis satisfied our inclusion criteria. The median age was 26 years (interquartile range: 22–30). During the study period, 36.3% were managed non-operatively while 59.6% and 4.1% underwent laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy, respectively. After adjusting for covariates, laparoscopic cholecystectomy was more commonly performed after 2007 (odds ratio [OR] 1.333, p < 0.001). Furthermore, time from admission to surgery was significantly shorter in the latter study period (regression coefficient -0.013, p < 0.001). Compared to non-operative management, laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis was significantly associated with lower rates of preterm delivery, labor, or abortion (OR 0.410, p < 0.001). Each day that laparoscopic cholecystectomy was delayed significantly associated with an increased risk of fetal complications (OR 1.173, p < 0.001). This nationwide study exhibits significant trends favoring surgical management of acute cholecystitis during pregnancy. Although further studies are still warranted, early laparoscopic cholecystectomy should be considered in pregnant patients with acute cholecystitis.
ClpX Is Essential and Activated by Single-Strand DNA Binding Protein in Mycobacteria.

ABSTRACT The ClpP1P2 proteolytic complex is essential in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Proteolysis by ClpP1P2 requires an associated ATPase, either ClpX or ClpC1. Here, we sought to define the unique contributions of the ClpX ATPase to mycobacterial growth. We formally demonstrated that ClpX is essential for mycobacterial growth, and to understand its essential functions, we identified ClpX-His-interacting proteins by pulldown and tandem mass spectrometry. We found an unexpected association between ClpX and proteins involved in DNA replication, and we confirm a physical association between ClpX and the essential DNA maintenance protein single-stranded-DNA binding protein (SSB). Purified SSB is not degraded by ClpXP1P2; instead, SSB enhances ATP hydrolysis by ClpX and degradation of the model substrate GFP-SsrA by ClpXP1P2. This activation of ClpX is mediated by the C-terminal tail of SSB, which had been implicated in the activation of other ATPases associated with DNA replication. Consistent with the predicted interactions, depletion of clpX transcript perturbs DNA replication. These data reveal that ClpX participates in DNA replication and identify the first activator of ClpX in mycobacteria. IMPORTANCE Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, imposes a major global health burden, surpassing HIV and malaria in annual deaths. The ClpP1P2 proteolytic complex and its cofactor ClpX are attractive drug targets, but their precise cellular functions are unclear. This work confirms ClpX’s essentiality and describes a novel interaction between ClpX and SSB, a component of the DNA replication machinery. Further, we demonstrate that a loss of ClpX is sufficient to interrupt DNA replication, suggesting that the ClpX-SSB complex may play a role in DNA replication in mycobacteria.
Snoring severity is associated with carotid vascular remodeling in young adults with overweight and obesity.

Abstract Background Snoring is often used as a surrogate measure for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Whether snoring is linked to CVD independent of OSA remains unclear. We aimed to explore the snoring and subclinical CVD association in adults with and without OSA. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study in 122 overweight/obese participants (24% male; mean age 40.1 years) attending the 24-month follow-up visit of a lifestyle intervention. Using home-based objective measures of sleep-disordered breathing, we stratified participants into 3 snoring/OSA categories using the snoring index (SI), a measure of snoring vibration, and oxygen desaturation index (ODI): (1) OSA (ODI ≥ 5), (2) non-OSA heavy snorer (ODI Results Compared to non-OSA low snorers, common carotid IMT and IAD were higher in non-OSA heavy snorers, and faPWV, IMT, and IAD were higher among those with OSA. The difference between non-OSA heavy snorers and low snorers persisted after adjusting for age, race, sex, blood pressure, body mass index, lipids, and insulin resistance (P Conclusions In overweight/obese young to middle-aged adults, objectively measured snoring was related to vascular remodeling in those without OSA. Snoring may contribute to CVD risk but warrants further examination in larger prospective cohorts.
Differences in dietary composition and preference maintained despite gene flow across a woodrat hybrid zone.

Ecotones, characterized by adjacent yet distinct biotic communities, provide natural laboratories in which to investigate how environmental selection influences the ecology and evolution of organisms. For wild herbivores, differential plant availability across sharp ecotones may be an important source of dietary-based selection.We studied small herbivore diet composition across a sharp ecotone where two species of woodrat, Neotoma bryanti and N. lepida, come into secondary contact with one another and hybridize. We quantified woodrat dietary preference through trnL metabarcoding of field-collected fecal pellets and experimental choice trials. Despite gene flow, parental N. bryanti and N. lepida maintain distinct diets across this fine spatial scale, and across temporal scales that span both wet and dry conditions. Neotoma bryanti maintained a more diverse diet, with Frangula californica (California coffeeberry) making up a large portion of its diet. Neotoma lepida maintains a less diverse diet, with Prunus fasciculata (desert almond) comprising more than half of its diet. Both F. californica and P. fasciculata are known to produce potentially toxic plant secondary compounds (PSCs), which should deter herbivory, yet these plants have relatively high nutritional value as measured by crude protein content. Neotoma bryanti and N. lepida consumed F. californica and P. fasciculata, respectively, in greater abundance than these plants are available on the landscape-indicating dietary selection. Finally, experimental preference trials revealed that N. bryanti exhibited a preference for F. californica, while N. lepida exhibited a relatively stronger preference for P. fasciculata. We find that N. bryanti exhibit a generalist herbivore strategy relative to N. lepida, which exhibit a more specialized feeding strategy in this study system.Our results suggest that woodrats respond to fine-scale environmental differences in plant availability that may require different metabolic strategies in order to balance nutrient acquisition while minimizing exposure to potentially toxic PSCs.
A large-scale knowledge management method based on the analysis of the use of online knowledge resources.

Online health knowledge resources can be integrated into electronic health record systems using decision support tools known as “infobuttons.” In this study we describe a knowledge management method based on the analysis of knowledge resource use via infobuttons in multiple institutions. Methods: We conducted a two-phase analysis of laboratory test infobutton sessions at three healthcare institutions accessing two knowledge resources. The primary study measure was session coverage, i.e. the rate of infobutton sessions in which resources retrieved relevant content. Results: In Phase One, resources covered 78.5% of the study sessions. In addition, a subset of 38 noncovered tests that most frequently raised questions was identified. In Phase Two, content development guided by the outcomes of Phase One resulted in a 4% average coverage increase. Conclusion: The described method is a valuable approach to large-scale knowledge management in rapidly changing domains.
Inhibition of Ribonuclease II of Escherichia coli by Sodium Ions, Adenosine-5′-Triphosphate, and Transfer Ribonucleic Acid

Ribonuclease II action on polyuridylate is competitively inhibited by transfer ribonucleic acid and noncompetitively inhibited by sodium ions. At low substrate levels, adenosine-5'-triphosphate is also inhibitory.
Properties of Concrete with Tire Derived Aggregate Partially Replacing Coarse Aggregates

Tire derived aggregate (TDA) has been proposed as a possible lightweight replacement for mineral aggregate in concrete. The role played by the amount of TDA replacing coarse aggregate as well as different treatment and additives in concrete on its properties is examined. Conventional concrete (without TDA) and concrete containing TDA are compared by examining their compressive strength based on ASTM C39, workability based on ASTM C143, splitting tensile strength based on ASTM C496, modulus of rupture (flexural strength) based on ASTM C78, and bond stress based on ASTM C234. Results indicate that while replacement of coarse aggregates with TDA results in reduction in strength, it may be mitigated with addition of silica fume to obtain the desired strength. The greatest benefit of using TDA is in the development of a higher ductile product while utilizing recycled TDA.
Huntington's disease - neuropathology.

Abstract An expansion of a trinucleotide CAG repeat on chromosome 4 causes Huntington disease. The abnormal elongation of the CAG increases the polyglutamine stretch of huntingtin, which becomes proportionally toxic. The mutated huntingtin is ubiquitous in somatic tissues, yet the pathologic changes are apparently restricted to the brain. The degree of the abnormal expansion of the CAG repeats governs the gradually diffuse atrophy of the brain. However, the brunt of the degenerative process involves the striatum. The onset of symptoms is insidious, but the longer the CAG expansion, the earlier their occurrence. They include psychiatric, motor, and cognitive disorders. Patients with adult onset of symptoms are more prone to exhibit choreic movements whereas those with juvenile onset tend to develop parkinsonism or rigidity. Brains from patients with juvenile onset are usually more atrophic than those with adult onset. Brains from patients with late onset of symptoms might show changes occurring in usual aging in addition to those characteristically observed in Huntington disease. Despite recent important discoveries, the pathogenesis of Huntington disease is still not elucidated. Many possible mechanisms underlying the relative selective vulnerability of neurons are being explored. In particular, factors promoting apoptosis, and phenomena causing the toxic aggregation of proteins, or the blockage of trophic factors, or mitochondria dysfunction, and excitoxicity have been studied.
Friendships Between Former Spouses

Abstract This article considers friendships between fonner spouses on two levcls: research content and process. The content consists of three case studies: (1) a test case in which each fonner spouse confirms the other's personal growth, (2) a negative case in which the former spouses disagree about whether they are friends, and (3) a third case in which the fonner spouses agree that they are friends but describe their friendship diffcrcntly. In a three-stage research process, these case studies explore the variability of friendships between fornier spouses. Using features of reflexivity, or the researcher's scrutiny of her or his own research assumptions and process, this article describes: (I) choice of research topic, (2) serendipity, (3) procedural decisions, (4) pcrsonal observations and reactions, and (5) exploratoty qualitative research as a dynamic three-stage process. The purpose of describing these features of the research process is to help other investigators leam how to do exploratoly qualita...
Predicting the Weather and Building the Boats: Full Service Schools as One Avenue to School Success for All of America's Children

Abstract This article describes the evolution of full service schools. Full service schools stress prevention, collaboration and systems change. Prevention is geared toward corrections, mental health and welfare, all topics of keen interest to people working in and studying criminal justice. By providing mental health services at the school for both children and families, interventions for families may be done and prevention for children accomplished. This is especially important because so many parents of the children we work with in these schools are incarcerated either in prisons or psychiatric hospitals. With early intervention, the hope is to keep the children from continuing this heinous process of hospitalization or prisonization. At the same time that this occurs, we should be able to keep many of their families off welfare since their parents are not incarcerated and are bringing in a paycheck.
Social support and loss during adolescence: How different are teen girls from boys?

This article describes perceived differences in social support between adolescent boys and girls who have experienced the death of a friend or relative in the last year. The article also evaluates the relative contribution of five sources of social support on adolescent girls' and boys' reports of their self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and disruptive school behavior. Boys and girls do report different levels of social support from different sources. However, the results suggest that the sources of support needed to maintain mental health and school functioning in the face of a loss are the same for boys and girls.
Parity and other reproductive factors and risk of adenomatous polyps of the distal colorectum (United States)

Evidence for an effect of reproductive factors on colorectal carcinogenesis is inconsistent and little is known about their role in development of precursor adenomatous polyps. We evaluated the relation between reproductive factors and distal colorectal adenomas (n = 982) during14 years of follow up of 26,983 participants in the Nurses' Health Study(United States). The women were free of diagnosed cancer or polyps in 1980,underwent endoscopy 1980-94, and had reported on their parity, oral contraceptive (OC) use, and ages at menarche, first term-pregnancy, and menopause. We calculated relative risks (RR) and 95 percent confidence intervals (CI) using multiple logistic regression. Women with higher parity had an increased risk of adenomas of the distal colorectum (P trend = 0.004;6+ cf 0 parity: RR = 1.3, CI = 0.9-1.8) or distal colon (P trend = 0.002, RR= 1.7, CI = 1.2-2.6). This association was significantly stronger among women with a family history of colorectal cancer ( P interaction = 0.03); comparing6+ term-pregnancies with nulliparity, among those with a family history, the RR for distal colon adenoma was 3.2 (CI = 1.4-7.2), while among those without a family history, the RR was 1.3 (CI = 0.8-2.2). We observed no association for distal colorectal adenoma and age at menarche, age at first term-pregnancy, ever use of OCs, or menopausal status. Further work is needed to clarify the relation of parity with colon adenoma risk.
Results of a 12-year randomized trial of portacaval shunt in patients with alcoholic liver disease and bleeding varices.

Abstract During a 7-yr period (1967–1974), 89 patients with alcoholic liver disease and at least one severe upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage thought to be from esophageal varices entered a randomized, controlled trial of medical therapy vs. end-to-side portacaval shunt. Follow-up continued to September, 1979, so that all surviving patients had at least 5 yr of observation after randomization. Among 45 patients randomized to surgical therapy, 4 did not receive portacaval shunt, for various reasons. Among shunted patients there were 11 episodes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, none fatal and none thought to be from esophageal varices. Thirty-seven percent of eligible patients have had moderate or severe hepatic encephalopathy ascribed to the shunt. Of 44 patients randomized to medical therapy, 7 eventually received portacaval shunt after multiple bleeding episodes. Since randomization there have been 190 episodes of bleeding requiring 589 transfusions and resulting in 23 deaths from bleeding or hepatic failure precipitated by bleeding. There are 12 survivors in the surgically treated group and 8 in the group treated medically. Life-table analysis shows a small increase in survival in the surgically treated group throughout the study, which is not statistically significant. From our data, we could not identify risk factors that would improve the selection of patients for medical or surgical therapy.
Climate-driven diversity loss in a grassland community

Local ecological communities represent the scale at which species coexist and share resources, and at which diversity has been experimentally shown to underlie stability, productivity, invasion resistance, and other desirable community properties. Globally, community diversity shows a mixture of increases and decreases over recent decades, and these changes have relatively seldom been linked to climatic trends. In a heterogeneous California grassland, we documented declining plant diversity from 2000 to 2014 at both the local community (5 m2) and landscape (27 km2) scales, across multiple functional groups and soil environments. Communities became particularly poorer in native annual forbs, which are present as small seedlings in midwinter; within native annual forbs, community composition changed toward lower representation of species with a trait indicating drought intolerance (high specific leaf area). Time series models linked diversity decline to the significant decrease in midwinter precipitation. Livestock grazing history, fire, succession, N deposition, and increases in exotic species could be ruled out as contributing causes. This finding is among the first demonstrations to our knowledge of climate-driven directional loss of species diversity in ecological communities in a natural (nonexperimental) setting. Such diversity losses, which may also foreshadow larger-scale extinctions, may be especially likely in semiarid regions that are undergoing climatic trends toward higher aridity and lower productivity.
Functional Aspects of Anuran Middle Ear Structures

1. The opercular complex of amphibians functions to enhance perception of airborne environmental sounds below 1 KHz. 2. The columella and tympanum of frogs function in the perception of acoustic information above 1 KHz. 3. The opercular complex and amphibian papilla comprise the general hearing mechanism in amphibians. 4. The tympanum, columella and basilar papilla, present in totality only in frogs, are concerned with reproductive communication. 5. Interaction of the two systems in frogs provides a mechanism for enhancing input signal to noise ratio during chorusing. 6. Experimental determinations of acoustic perception in amphibians must be controlled for anaesthesia and forelimb disposition. The presence of anaesthesia or unnatural limb position can affect the animal's ability to perceive low frequency sounds by preventing normal opercularis function. The authors names are in alphabetical order. The sequence does not imply seniority.