cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Through-bond communication between polymer-bound phosphinic acid ligands and trivalent metal ions probed with FTIR spectroscopy

Abstract The binding of trivalent metal ions to immobilized ligands is analyzed to determine the principal type of interaction, the extent of ion exchange, and changes due to through-bond communication. FTIR spectroscopy is found to be a readily accessible means of determining through-bond communication and spectra provide support for a molecular level interpretation of the interaction. The affinity of the phosphinic acid ligand for Al(III), La(III), Lu(III), Fe(III), and In(III) is quantified with distribution coefficients from 0.01–6 M nitric acid solutions. High affinities are evident with In(III) > Fe(III) > Lu(III) > La(III) > Al(III). The affinities correlate with the softness parameter and thus the polarizability of the metal ion. The FTIR spectrum of the phosphinic acid has two incompletely separated bands at 1168/1126 cm−1 associated with the P O bond and two similar bands at 967/951 cm−1 due to the P O(H) bond. The bands at 1168/951 and 1126/967 cm−1 are assigned to different hydrogen bonded conformers within the metal-free polymer. Through-bond communication is evident as the extent of metal ion binding increases: the P O and P O bands at 1168 and 951 cm−1, respectively, collapse into a single band between 1040 and 1080 cm−1 representative of PO2(M) while hydrogen bonding among unexchanged P(O)OH ligands gives the bands at 1133 and 981 cm−1.
Small molecule CXCR4 antagonists block the HIV-1 Nef/CXCR4 axis and selectively initiate the apoptotic program in breast cancer cells

The chemokine receptor CXCR4 plays an integral role in the development of highly metastatic breast cancer and in the pathogenesis of chronic HIV infection. In this study, we compared the effects of CXCR4 antagonists on apoptosis induction in hematopoietic cells and in tumor cells. We incubated cells expressing CXCR4 with a series of CXCR4 antagonists and subsequently exposed the cultures to a pro-apoptotic peptide derived from the HIV-1 Nef protein (NefM1). The NefM1 peptide contains residues 50-60 of Nef and was previously shown to be the sequence necessary for Nef to initiate the apoptotic program through CXCR4 signaling. We found that several of the compounds studied potently blocked Nef-induced apoptosis in Jurkat T-lymphocyte cells. Interestingly, many of the same compounds selectively triggered apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, in some cases at sub-nanomolar concentrations. None of the compounds were toxic to lymphocyte, monocyte or macrophage cells, suggesting that aggressive breast cancer carcinomas may be selectively targeted and eliminated using CXCR4-based therapies without additional cytotoxic agents. Our results also demonstrate that not all CXCR4 antagonists are alike and that the observed anti-Nef and pro-apoptotic effects are chemically tunable. Collectively, these findings suggest our CXCR4 antagonists have promising clinical utility for HIV or breast cancer therapies as well as being useful probes to examine the link between CXCR4 and apoptosis.
α7-nAChR Knockout Mice Decreases Biliary Hyperplasia and Liver Fibrosis in Cholestatic Bile Duct-Ligated Mice

α7-nAChR is a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor [specifically expressed on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), Kupffer cells, and cholangiocytes] that regulates inflammation and apoptosis in the liver. Thus, targeting α7-nAChR may be therapeutic in biliary diseases. Bile duct ligation (BDL) was performed on wild-type (WT) and α7-nAChR-/- mice. We first evaluated the expression of α7-nAChR by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in liver sections. IHC was also performed to assess intrahepatic bile duct mass (IBDM), and Sirius Red staining was performed to quantify the amount of collagen deposition. Immunofluorescence was performed to assess colocalization of α7-nAChR with bile ducts (costained with CK-19) and HSCs (costained with desmin). The mRNA expression of α7-nAChR, Ki-67/PCNA (proliferation), fibrosis genes (TGF-β1, fibronectin-1, Col1α1, and α-SMA), and inflammatory markers (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α) was measured by real-time PCR. Biliary TGF-β1 and hepatic CD68 (Kupffer cell marker) expression was assessed using IHC. α7-nAChR immunoreactivity was observed in both bile ducts and HSCs and increased following BDL. α7-nAChR-/- BDL mice exhibited decreased (i) bile duct mass, liver fibrosis, and inflammation, and (ii) immunoreactivity of TGF-β1 as well as expression of fibrosis genes compared to WT BDL mice. α7-nAChR activation triggers biliary proliferation and liver fibrosis and may be a therapeutic target in managing extrahepatic biliary obstruction.
Optimizing synchronization of cloud storage services: Combining benchmark monitoring and learning-based framework

With data storage moving further away from locally based storage and into an age of cloud storage, users are going to need their data on the go, and they're going to need it to be fast, and they're going to need it to be accurate. Eventual consistency is the theoretical guarantee that, provided no new updates to an entity are made, all reads of the entity return the last updated value. In this paper, a comparison is made on cloud-based studies to formulate an idea as to how to improve the synchronization of cloud storage systems by first benchmarking the eventual consistency and then utilizing a framework that dynamically learns the characteristics of a storage node so that eventually consistency is achieved quickly.
On the Biological Foundations of Language: Recent Advances in Language Acquisition, Deterioration, and Neuroscience Begin to Converge

In this paper, experimental results on the study of language loss in pro- dromal Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in the elderly are linked to experimen- tal results from the study of language acquisition in the child, via a tran- sitional stage of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Recent brain imag- ing results from a pilot study comparing prodromal AD and normal ag- ing are reported. Both, behavioral results and their underlying neural underpinnings, identify the source of language deficits in MCI as break- down in syntax–semantics integration. These results are linked to inde- pendent discoveries regarding the ontogeny of language in the child and their neural foundations. It is suggested that these convergent results ad- vance our understanding of the true nature of maturational processes in language, allowing us to reconsider a “regression hypothesis” (e.g., Ribot 1881), wherein later acquisition predicts earliest dissolution.
Comparison and Contrast Between XRF and NAA: Used for Characterization Of Obsidian Sources in Central Mexico

Chemical analysis of the trace elements in the natural volcanic glass obsidian is a proven analytical tool used around the world to conduct provenance investigations on obsidian artifacts. Studies of obsidian artifacts are used to investigate long-distance exchange, study prehistoric migration patterns, identify the preferred sources of raw materials, detect political boundaries, show differential access to raw material sources for elites vs. non-elites, etc. Two of the most successful methods used to analyze obsidian raw materials and artifacts are neutron activation analysis (NAA) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis. In this chapter, both methods are described and compared. An application of both NAA and XRF to conduct a comprehensive characterization of the obsidian sources in central Mexico is presented.
Low temperature cure of unsaturated polyester resins with thermoplastic additives: I. Dilatometry and morphology study

A dilatometry and morphological study of the effect of the various thermoplastic additives on shrinkage control of unsaturated polyester (UP) resins cured at low temperatures is presented in this article. It was found that shrinkage control is closely related to the morphological changes during curing. There are two major transitions in the relationship of shrinkage and additive concentration that can be explained by the sample morphology. The additive starts to be effective on shrinkage control at the first transition, when a co-continuous phase structure exists in the sample at a certain additive concentration. The shrinkage control effect vanishes at the second transition, when severe particle fusion is observed in the sample because of too high an additive concentration. The effective additive concentration range does not change much for various thermoplastics, but the two transitions occur at different concentrations for each thermoplastic.
SEQUENTIAL EXTRACTION: AN APPROACH TO CHARACTERIZING PESTICIDE-ORGANIC MATTER INTERACTIONS

Coarse (< 1.4 mm) and fine sieve fractions of organic soils from an intensive vegetable-producing area were extracted sequentially: (1) freeze-dried soil with hexane, (2) hexane-acetone (1:1) after deactivating the hexane-extracted residue with water, (3) hot water (80°C), and (4) hexane-acetone. Sequence totals for organochlorine compounds ranged from 5 to 28 ppm. DDT species comprised 67% to 99% of the total. Total recoveries were greater from fine than coarse fractions. Recoveries of individual chemicals in the second extract were 2- to 160-fold greater than in the first, the largest differences being for metabolites of DDT. Only traces of any chemical appeared in hot water, but additional chemicals were exposed for recovery in the final hexane-acetone extract. Percentage recoveries in extracts 2 and 4 were very much greater for metabolites (DDE and DDD) than for either parent isomer (o,p-DDT, p,p′-DDT). The results lend themselves to interpretation in the context of soil fabric distributions. In natural soil systems, significant quantities of persistent pesticides may be occluded in plasma coatings (cutans) on the walls of voids (pores) at sites of heightened metabolic activity.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: implications for public health policy and practice.

130  Public Health Reports / January–February 2011 / Volume 126 This installment of Law and the Public’s Health provides an overview of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law on March 23, 2010. The Act represents a watershed in U.S. public health policy. When fully implemented, its insurance reforms are expected to lead to coverage of 94% of the population, and its health-care provisions lay the groundwork for the fundamental transformation of the health-care system.
Evaluating a Federal Program

Evaluation of federal government programs is in a way a nonsubject because there hasn’t been a serious evaluation of a federal program for reasons I’ll go into a little later. My thought is to tell you how a particular federal program was “evaluated.” The Model Cities Program is one that I have had some hand in evaluating, so that in a way, this is a case history, and, unfortunately, partly an autobiographical one.
Exploring the characteristics and context that allow Master Adaptive Learners to thrive

Because change is ubiquitous in healthcare, clinicians must constantly make adaptations to their practice to provide the highest quality care to patients. In a previous article, Cutrer et al. descr...
Strategies and considerations in selecting between subpectoral and prepectoral breast reconstruction

Implant-based breast reconstruction has evolved through advances in mastectomy and reconstruction techniques to offer excellent outcomes with both prepectoral and subpectoral implant placement. Proper patient selection and surgical technique are key for optimizing outcomes and minimizing complications regardless of implant location. Therefore, familiarity with the benefits and limitations of each technique is vital. Several patient characteristics, such as history of significant comorbidities, radiation or active smoking, portend higher risk of complications with prepectoral reconstruction, in which case subpectoral implant placement may be a safer option. Oncologic consideration such as location and size of tumors also play an important role in determining the appropriate technique. The most critical factor in the success of prepectoral reconstruction is the quality of mastectomy flaps. Thorough intraoperative evaluation of mastectomy flap perfusion and viability will determine whether immediate prepectoral reconstruction is possible or other alternatives such as subpectoral or delayed prepectoral techniques should be considered. Discussing these factors with patients preemptively as well as developing a coordinated plan with the patient and oncologic surgeon will maximize success in both subpectoral and prepectoral implant-based reconstruction.
Inferences with generalized partially linear single-index models for longitudinal data

Abstract We study generalized partially linear single-index models for longitudinal data in this article. We propose a method to efficiently estimate both the parameters and the nonparametric single-index function in generalized partially linear single-index models when subjects are observed or measured over time. The proposed estimation approach is more flexible and more general in that we can model both categorical response and transformation-necessary response such as heavy-tailed variable with multiple covariates, especially when some covariates are parametrically correlated with the response and the others are nonparametrically correlated with the response. With minimal assumptions, we show that the semiparametric efficiency bound is reached for the parameter estimators. We also show that the asymptotic variance of the single-index function estimator is generally less than that of existing estimators. Furthermore, we provide Monte Carlo simulation results and an empirical data analysis that support our new method.
Oral Signs of Vesiculobullous and Autoimmune Disease

This chapter is focused on the oral manifestations of vesiculobullous and autoimmune diseases. These diseases often share similar oral presentations with subtle differences. Therefore, eliciting a detailed medical history and a thorough oral examination are necessary, while supporting tests including serologies, biopsies, as well as direct and indirect immunofluorescence are often valuable. Examination of cutaneous skin and non-oral mucosa may offer additional diagnostic and prognostic insights. Oral vesiculobullous and autoimmune diseases can lead to debilitating morbidities such as pain and poor oral intake. These diseases may also serve as windows to internal diseases such as infection and malignancy, which necessitates multidisciplinary care.
Next-Generation Cathode Materials for Non-aqueous Potassium-Ion Batteries

Potassium-ion batteries have recently attracted considerable attention as cost-effective alternatives to lithium-ion batteries for large-scale energy storage. However, a major obstacle to the practical application of this emerging technology is the lack of suitable cathode materials that are capable of delivering high gravimetric/volumetric energy, stable cycle life, and high rate capability. In this review article, we review the recent progress in cathodes development for potassium-ion batteries. These materials are categorized into four types: layered oxides, Prussian blue analogs, poly-anion, and organic compounds. Based on our critical review of the reported literature, we identify poly-anion compounds as a class of promising candidates among all types and provide suggestions for future optimization.
Customizable airway stents-personalized medicine reaches the airways.

Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) remains a difficult to manage complication following pulmonary resection with an incidence varying from 1.5% to 28% depending on etiology, surgical technique, and surgeon experiences (1). Previous publications have shown significant associated morbidity and mortality with post-surgical BPF; including intensive care unit (ICU) readmission, pneumonia, and prolonged hospital stays (2). The management of post-operative BPF has historically involved chest tube drainage of the pleural space followed by surgical closure of the fistula.
Long-term survival in patients with metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with metastasis-directed therapy.

Our objective was to evaluate the outcomes of metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) by disease burden with an emphasis on metastasis-directed therapy (MDT) in patients with limited metastatic disease burden. In total, 186 patients who developed metastatic disease after definitive therapy for HNSCC were included. Clinically and radiographically apparent metastases were enumerated. Kaplan–Meier methods were used to estimate survival. Cox regression was used to assess the association between clinical variables. Patients with a single metastasis had a 5-year overall survival (OS) of 35% (95% CI 16–54%) in contrast to patients with multiple metastases with a 5-year OS of 4% (95% CI 2–9%). Thirty patients (16.1%) underwent MDT. On multivariable analysis, oral cavity or sinonasal primary (HR 2.22 95% CI 1.16–4.25, p = 0.015; HR 4.88, 95% CI 1.10–21.70, p = 0.037, respectively) were associated with higher risk of death, whereas receipt of MDT (HR 0.36, 95% CI 0.17–0.74, p = 0.006) was associated with lower hazard of death. Median subsequent metastasis-free survival and 5-year survival after MDT (n = 30) were estimated at 26.4 months (95% CI: 9.8–54.0) and 31%, (95% CI: 15–48%). HNSCC patients with limited metastatic disease may derive significant benefit from MDT. Prospective trials evaluating MDT in HNSCC are warranted.
Using an Activity Based on Constructivism To Help Students Develop a More Integrated Understanding of Cell Signaling Pathways.

In subjects like cell biology, genetics, and immunology, a solid understanding of signal transduction is key to mastering new content. Often times students’ approach to learning signal transduction pathways relies heavily on memorization. In this paper, we describe a modular method to introduce students to signal transduction. In this method, students are first presented with the discreet building blocks or molecules that comprise signaling pathways (such as the vocabulary terms signal molecule, receptor, effector and target) and asked to integrate the knowledge by building (“do it yourself” or DIY) their own signaling pathway. Students are then given the opportunity to learn about each other’s pathways to identify ways in which they overlap and diverge. Ultimately, students are given the task to search the literature to identify a real-world example that mimics or is very similar to the pathway they came up with and note similarities and differences. We find this is a way to foster students integrating signal transduction knowledge.
From pancreatitis to Puestow: The winding path of cystic fibrosis

Abstract Individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) who possess milder and less common mutations can have preservation of exocrine pancreatic function (EPF) but are at risk for recurrent pancreatitis, chronic pancreatic damage, and loss of EPF. They may develop sequelae secondary to pancreatic disease including malabsorption, chronic pain, and disordered eating. In severe cases, endoscopic and surgical intervention is necessary. With advancement of CFTR modulators, individuals with more unique mutations are eligible for modulator therapy, leading to preservation of pancreatic function and elimination of further pancreatitis and co-morbidities. Our case illustrates an adolescent female with CF and chronic pancreatitis with associated malabsorption, loss of EPF, chronic pain and nausea. She underwent a Puestow procedure and subsequent initiation of ivacaftor/tezacaftor, which dramatically improved her medical course and quality of life. With earlier intervention, including modulator therapy, patients with CF and pancreatic disease can potentially preserve EPF and obtain an improved quality of life.
The molecular characteristics of Neisseria meningitidis isolated from epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis patients in Guangdong province in past years

Objective To study the molecular characters of porA and porB genes which encode outer membrane proteins (OMP), and predominated clonal complex of Neisseria meningitidis isolates from Guangdong province. Methods Eighteen Neisseria meningitidis isolates from Guangdong province during year 1967 to 2007 were recovered and reconfirmed by API NH biochemical system, and serogrouped by antiserum. The characters of porA and porB gene were analyzed by DNA sequencing. The allele profiles and the sequence types (ST) were determined by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Based on their allelic profiles, the evolution relationship was analyzed by PHYLIP software. The predominant clonal complex was determined through comparing with the information of reference strains from the PubMLST database. Results For porA gene, type 20 was more frequently in the variable region (VR) 1 and type 9 in VR2 before year 2004. However, for porB gene, type 4 was more frequently in VR Ⅰ, type7 in VR Ⅳ, type 11 in VR Ⅴ,and type 10 in VR Ⅵ, respectively. The multi-types character was presented in VR Ⅴ and VR Ⅵ after2004. VR Ⅶ and VR Ⅷ can not be found among all the isolates except for one W135 isolate in 2007. Among the seven housekeeping genes, the polymorphism of abcZ was the lowest one with 4 allele numbers, while pgm was the highest one with 13 allele numbers. The predominant clonal complex was ST-5 before 2004. The ST-4821 clone complex appeared in 2004 and caused cases every year since then. More important, highly invasive ST-11 clonal complex firstly appeared in Guangdong in 2007. Conclusion The molecular characteristic of OMP genes presents polymorphism for the Neisseria meningitidis isolates from patients in Guangdong province during 1967 to 2007. ST-5 is the predominant clonal complex before 2004 and the highly invasive clonal complex is circulating in recent 3 years. It suggests that the surveillance based on laboratory should be further enhanced. Key words: Neisseria meningitidis; Molecular character; Multilocus sequence typing; Outer membrane protein encoding genes
Pediatric Compliance of Lower Extremity Weight Bearing Restrictions Following Injury

Purpose Immobilization of certain lower extremity fractures requires weight bearing restriction sot minimize the potential for displacement. In the adult population, 29% of patients have been found to be non-compliant following weight bearing restrictions, however, no such study has evaluated the compliance of non-weightbearing restrictions in the pediatric population. The goal of this study was to determine the compliance rate of …
Racially Neutral Policing?: Puerto Rican and Mexican Young Adults’ Experiences with Order Maintenance Strategies

Despite the proliferation of seemingly racially neutral police strategies, Latinos continue to report unfavorable views toward police. Limited attention has been given to how urban strategies, such as order maintenance policing, are experienced by young Latino males. The present study uses data from in-depth interviews conducted with male Latino youth in two Chicago neighborhoods: one majority-Latino, predominantly Mexican; and one mixed-race, gentrifying Puerto Rican. Results show that youth in both neighborhoods report enhanced surveillance and aggressive stop-and-frisks. Additionally, neighborhood context shapes the dynamics between police and young Latinos. In the Puerto Rican neighborhood, policing is enmeshed in culture clashes. In the Mexican neighborhood, policing is structured by a battle against drugs and gangs. The implications for order maintenance policing are discussed.
Making the Most of Your Regret: A Behavioral Investigation of Workers’ Relocation in On-Demand Platforms

Problem Definition: We have witnessed a rapid rise of on-demand platforms, such as Uber, in the past few years. While these platforms allow workers to choose their own working hours, they have limited leverage in maintaining the availability of workers within a region. As such, platforms often implement various policies, including offering financial incentives and/or communicating customer demand to workers in order to direct more workers to regions with shortage in supply. This research examines how behavioral biases such as regret aversion may influence workers' relocation decisions and ultimately the system performance. Academic/Practical Relevance: Studies on on-demand platforms often assume that workers are rational agents who make optimal decisions. Our research investigates workers' relocation decisions from a behavioral perspective. A deeper understanding of workers' behavioral biases and their causes will help on-demand platforms design appropriate policies to increase their own profit, worker surplus, and the overall efficiency of matching supply with demand. \newline Methodology: We use a combination of behavioral modeling and controlled lab experiments. We develop analytical models that incorporate regret aversion to produce theoretical predictions, which are then tested and verified via a series of controlled lab experiments. Results: We find that regret aversion plays an important role in workers' relocation decisions. Regret averse workers are more willing to relocate to the supply-shortage zone than rational workers. This increased relocation behavior, however, is not sufficient to translate to a better system performance. Platform interventions, such as demand information sharing and dynamic wage bonus, can help further improve the system. We find that workers' regret-aversion behavior may lead to an increased profit for the platform, a higher surplus for the workers, and an improved demand-supply matching efficiency, thus benefiting the entire on-demand system. Managerial Implications: Our research emphasizes the importance and necessity of incorporating workers' behavioral biases such as regret aversion into the policy design of on-demand platforms. Policies without considering the behavioral aspect of workers' decisions may lead to lost profit for the platform and reduced welfare for workers and customers, which may ultimately hurt the on-demand business.
Use of low-cost air sensors to augment regulatory networks.

Dear Editor,The Western US recently had several large wildfires resulting in wide expanses of western states blanketed in smoke. One metric the public used to assess the quality of the air they bre...
Understanding Excellence: a Qualitative Analysis of High-Performing Learner Study Strategies.

Remediation in medical education tends to focus on the struggling learner. However, understanding successful learners may provide valuable insights to problematic academic behavior. This study explored core study strategies reported by high-performing medical school students. In the Fall of 2018 and 2019, high-performing first- and second-year medical students, defined as those who had performed over 90% on a national standardized assessment, were requested via e-mail to describe the study strategies that they believe contributed to their success. Student responses were analyzed using a template-driven approach, which drew upon common frameworks from cognitive learning theory. Thirty-seven high-performing students provided brief unstructured descriptions of their study strategies. Retrieval practice—the cognitive learning strategy of attempting to draw out information to active recall, typically through means of self-quizzing, practice questions, or flashcards—was the most commonly endorsed strategy, followed by spaced repetition. Use of outside commercial resources was commonly referenced, and approximately one-third endorsed a perception that some form of regularly practiced self-care contributed to their academic success. Retrieval practice, particularly combined with some form of spaced repetition, is often attributed as contributing to the success of high-performing learners. The use of commercial resources bears further exploration and consideration. Finally, the finding that self-care was identified as a contribution to academic performance goes beyond a focus on self-care solely for medical student well-being. This is an important distinction for both medical education and future research in this area.
A comparative approach to corporate social performance and corporate financial performance: Moderating effects of conformity tendency in the industry:

This article attempts to revisit the corporate social performance (CSP)-corporate financial performance (CFP) relationship using a comparative approach. Drawing insights from institutional theory a...
Random sub-diffusion and capture of genes by the nuclear pore reduces dynamics and coordinates interchromosomal movement

Hundreds of genes interact with the yeast nuclear pore complex (NPC), localizing at the nuclear periphery and clustering with co-regulated genes. Dynamic tracking of peripheral genes shows that they cycle on and off the NPC and that interaction with the NPC slows their sub-diffusive movement. Furthermore, NPC-dependent inter-chromosomal clustering leads to coordinated movement of pairs of loci separated by hundreds of nanometers. We developed Fractional Brownian Motion simulations for chromosomal loci in the nucleoplasm and interacting with NPCs. These simulations predict the rate and nature of random sub-diffusion during repositioning from nucleoplasm to periphery and match measurements from two different experimental models, arguing that recruitment to the nuclear periphery is due to random subdiffusion, collision, and capture by NPCs. Finally, the simulations do not lead to interchromosomal clustering or coordinated movement, suggesting that interaction with the NPC is necessary, but not sufficient, to cause clustering.
Colorado tick fever virus induces apoptosis in human endothelial cells to facilitate viral replication.

Abstract Colorado tick fever virus (CTFV) belongs to the genus Coltivirus of the Reoviridae family, and it is the causative agent of Colorado tick fever. Symptoms of the infection are characterized by sudden biphasic fever, headache, and petechial rash, while severe forms of the disease can include meningoencephalitis, hemorrhagic fever, and death in children. However, the mechanisms underlying CTFV induced pathology and severe complications remain unknown. As CTFV is spread by tick bites and disseminates systemically via hematogenous routes, we performed in vitro analysis examining the interactions between endothelial cells (ECs) and CTFV. Our findings indicate that dermal microvascular ECs, HMEC-1, are susceptible and permissive to CTFV infection. To investigate the role of CTFV infection on endothelial barrier function, we assessed transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) by xCELLigence and observed a dose-dependent decrease in cell index, indicating increased vascular permeability starting at approximately hour 18 (MOI=1) and hour 26 (MOI=0.1). Since CTFV induced cytopathic effect and increased vascular permeability in HMEC-1 cells, we hypothesized that CTFV causes apoptotic cell death. Our results showed that HMEC-1 cells infected with CTFV at 48 h caused a significant increase in Annexin V staining with reduced viability compared to uninfected cells suggesting CTFV induces apoptotic cell death in human ECs. Electron microscopy also was consistent with apoptotic features, including chromatin condensation and cell blebbing. Furthermore, CTFV induced caspase-3/7 activation at 24 and 48 h post-infection (hpi). The inhibition of caspase activity using Z-VAD-FMK reduced CTFV induced cell death and significantly reduced viral titer. These results indicated that CTFV can infect ECs, exerting direct adverse effects, leading to vascular permeability and cell death. Overall, our data suggest that caspase-mediated apoptosis is a critical mechanism by which CTFV induces disease in the host and enhances viral replication. Future studies will examine the viral and cellular determinants involved in CTFV induced apoptosis in human ECs.
Development of an online curriculum for California early care and education providers on healthy beverages.

Children’s consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with obesity, diabetes, and dental decay. California’s Healthy Beverages in Child Care Act (AB 2084) requires all licensed child care centers and family child care homes to comply with healthy beverages standards, however many licensed providers in California are unaware of the law and few are fully compliant with the law’s requirements. The aim of the current project is to describe the development of a self-paced online training on best practices and implementation of AB 2084 in English and Spanish for family child care home and child care center providers; and to evaluate the feasibility, defined as being accessible, acceptable, and satisfactory to providers, of this new online course. The project was broken into two main stages: (1) development of the online course; and (2) evaluation of the final online course. The first stage was completed in five phases: (1) identify relevant course content and develop narration script; (2) conduct in-person focus groups with child care providers to review and edit the content; (3) adapt course content and translate for Spanish-speaking providers; (4) build the online course and resources; and (5) pilot online course and evaluate accessibility. The second stage, evaluation of the acceptability and satisfaction of the final course was rated on a Likert scale from 1 to 4; the evaluation was completed as part of a larger randomized control trial with 43 child care providers. The course features four key requirements of AB 2084 as the main sections of the course (milk, sweetened beverages, juice, and water), plus background information about beverages and children’s health, special topics including caring for children with special needs, family engagement, written policies, and child engagement. The child care providers who completed the evaluation found the online training was easily understandable (median(Q1,Q3,IQR) = 4 (4,4,0)), included new information (3 (1, 3, 4)), provided useful resources (4(4,4,0)), and was rated with high overall satisfaction (3 (1, 3, 4)). Online training in English and Spanish designed for child care providers is a feasible medium to deliver important health messages to child care providers in an accessible, acceptable, and satisfactory manner.
Routine Diagnostic Arthroscopy with Elbow Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction Does Not Reduce the Need for Future Valgus Extension Overload Related Surgeries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

ABSTRACT Background Valgus extension overload syndrome (VEOS) most commonly affects overhead athletes and consists of a constellation of conditions involving the medial, posterior, and lateral elbow, with the most widely discussed being ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries. Many athletes with UCL tears also have findings consistent with other VEOS conditions, though these are not consistently symptomatic. Given the high rate of concomitant pathology, many authors have recommended performing arthroscopy at the time of UCL reconstruction (UCLR) to diagnose and address concomitant VEOS pathology; however, it is not known if this practice actually leads to a reduction in subsequent surgeries for VEOS conditions following index UCLR. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine if performing routine diagnostic arthroscopy in patients undergoing UCLR was associated with a lower incidence of future VEOS-related surgery. Methods This study was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines with the primary outcome of interest being the likelihood of needing future surgery to address VEOS conditions with or without routine diagnostic arthroscopy (RDA) at the time of index UCLR. The proportion and incidence rate of subsequent VEOS-related surgeries following UCLR with and without RDA were compared in mixed effects models. Results There were 25 eligible studies from an initial 1335 systematically identified articles, with results for 2118 UCLR cases. Among these, there were a total of 94 reported VEOS-related surgeries. The proportion of subsequent VEOS-related surgeries was lower when UCLR was performed with RDA (0.40%; 95% CI, 0.00% to 3.51%) than without (1.16%; 95% CI, 0.03% to 3.25%), but the difference was not significant (P = .584). The incidence rate of VEOS-related surgeries was 0.16 (95% CI, 0.00 to 0.95) per 100 person-years with RDA and 0.14 (95% CI, 0.00 to 0.55) per 100 person-years without RDA (P = .942). Conclusion RDA preceding UCLR does not significantly reduce the proportion or rate of subsequent surgery for other VEOS conditions. There has been a decrease in RDA utilization with UCLR over time for athletes with torn/incompetent UCLs but otherwise no known symptomatic VEOS conditions, and this trend appears to be justified based on these findings.
Neglect, Abuse, and Violence in Later Life: Intersectionality of Gender and Age

Research on older women and abuse is important for several reasons: Global trends demonstrate the aging of the world’s population; older women outnumber older men in every age cohort 60 years and older; the feminization of aging has important implications for policy and practice as the world ages; and neglect, abuse, and violence against older women remain largely invisible and must become visible to end. Differing theoretical perspectives can highlight different aspects of older women and abuse, but can also result in differing and conflicting prevalence data and profiles of abuse. This can in turn challenge policymakers and practitioners to develop effective policies and interventions to address this troubling social issue. Three differing theoretical perspectives, reflecting intimate partner violence, active aging, and vulnerable older adult frameworks are explored, with recommendations for merging into a holistic synthesis emphasizing a human rights approach.
Evolutionary Theory, Structure of

Charles Darwin proposed a general type of natural selection model that could explain a variety of particular cases of adaptation to local environments, once details of organismic traits and selection pressure were inserted. Much of evolutionary theory today, though not all, is represented through mathematical models, especially through the models of population genetics, of the evolution of states of a given system, both in isolation and interaction through time. This article discusses in detail various ways to describe the evolutionary models that make up evolutionary theory. The main items needed for this description are the model types of natural selection, drift, and so forth, most often described through the definition of a state space, state variables, parameters, and a set of laws of succession and coexistence for the system. Choosing a ‘state space’ (and, thereby, a set of state variables) for the representation of genetic states and changes in a population is a crucial part of population genetics theory. Claims about evolutionary models may be confirmed in three different ways: (1) through fit of the outcome of the model to a natural system; (2) through independent testing of assumptions of the model, including parameters and parameter ranges; and (3) through a range of instances of fit over a variety of the natural systems to be accounted for by the model, through a variety of assumptions tested, and including both instances of fit and some independent support for aspects of the model.
A Neurological Foundation for Freedom

¶1 Few people have read or watched the film adaptation of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly without proclaiming it a triumph of human will. Jean-Dominique Bauby authored the original memoir after suffering a major stroke that left him paralyzed from head to toe with minor exception, but with his mental capacities intact. He did so through a novel form of dictation. Slowly and repeatedly a transcriber recited a French language frequency-ordered alphabet, to which Bauby communicated his story through the blinks of his one working eye. When the transcriber reached the letter of the word Bauby wished transcribed, Bauby blinked once. He signaled the end of a word with two eye blinks, and used rapid eye blinks to communicate that the transcriber had guessed a letter or word ending incorrectly. Letter by letter, blink by blink, Bauby conveyed his thoughts to the transcriber. 200,000 blinks later, the story was done. His memoir provides in gripping detail the separability of the intention to act and the ability to effectuate intended actions. That Bauby could convey his thoughts through such extraordinary means is at once remarkable and tragic that anyone should suffer such a fate. Through the use of his one working eye, Bauby overcame, at least in a limited way, constraints on his freedom to act—by choosing to act, effectuating actions, and identifying with the actions he achieved. ¶2 Today, Bauby might have instead have used a revolutionary new technique from neuroscience to communicate his memoir. A technology known as brain-machine interface enables a computer to “read” brain activity and to decode it through pattern-recognition algorithms.1 Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems, Inc. has developed a brain-machine interface technology that connects the motor cortex of the brain to a computer, where the subject is able to move a cursor on the computer screen, check email, change the volume, and select or move anything on the screen that would be possible with cursor movements by simply thinking about hand movements.2 So by
Incorporating Financial Accounting Research Into The Accounting Curriculum

The purpose of this paper is to describe a process of integrating the use of accounting research into the existing financial accounting curriculum in an effort to meet CPA exam research requirements as well as to improve critical thinking, written and oral communication skills, documentation and support, and analysis.
Diversification by the Audit Office in the US and Its Impact on Audit Quality

In the past six years, the average number of industries (2-digit SIC) serviced by audit offices in the United States has grown by 20% and the number of industries where the office has specialization has fallen by 40% (Data Source: Audit Analytics). This suggests a trend away from specialization towards diversification. Strategic management theory suggests that diversification can affect the quality of output, depending on the nature and circumstances of diversification. This paper examines the effect of diversification at the audit office level on audit quality. Four proxies of audit quality are examined, mainly, discretionary accruals, propensity to meet-or-beat earnings expectations by a cent, propensity to restate financial statements, and propensity to receive a comment letter after an SEC review. Results suggest that, holding audit office and client attributes constant, diversification has detrimental effects on audit quality, possibly because such diverse audit engagements strain the resources of the audit office. On the other hand, when the diversification is part of the audit firm level strategy, the detrimental effects on audit quality are dampened, probably due to larger inter-office resources available to the audit team. Moreover, when the diversification at the office level is a part of a revenue expansion strategy, the audit quality is adversely affected; while under a portfolio rebalancing strategy, there is no detrimental effect on the audit quality, probably because under the expansion strategy, the office is more likely to face resource shortage. Also, unrelated diversification leads to more adverse effect on audit quality than related diversification.Results also suggest that when the audit office is located in a market with more (less) diversified client base, the adverse effects of diversification on audit quality are weaker (stronger). One reason for this effect could be that audit offices located in diversified markets are better adapted to deal with diversification. Finally, the offices of big-4 audit firms handle diversification better with less adverse effect on audit quality, possibly due to more resources at their disposal. These results are robust to various controls from extant research. The findings of this paper are important since they identify additional factors that explain audit quality at the audit office level.
A fatal case of JC virus meningitis presenting with hydrocephalus in a human immunodeficiency virus–seronegative patient

JC virus (JCV) is the etiologic agent of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, JCV granule cell neuronopathy, and JCV encephalopathy. Whether JCV can also cause meningitis has not yet been demonstrated. We report a case of aseptic meningitis resulting in symptomatic hydrocephalus in a human immunodeficiency virus-seronegative patient. Brain imaging showed enlargement of ventricles but no parenchymal lesion. She had a very high JC viral load in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and developed progressive cognitive dysfunction despite ventricular drainage. She was diagnosed with pancytopenia and passed away after 5.5 months. Postmortem examination revealed productive JCV infection of leptomeningeal and choroid plexus cells, and limited parenchymal involvement. Sequencing of JCV CSF strain showed an archetype-like regulatory region. Further studies of the role of JCV in aseptic meningitis and in idiopathic hydrocephalus are warranted.
The Structure of American Legal Institutions and the Diffusion of Wrongful-Discharge Laws, 1978-99

This article evaluates how the social structure of American legal institutions influenced the diffusion of wrongful-discharge laws over the period from 1978-1999 and assesses whether economic or political variables influenced the diffusion process. The results are surprising and quite striking. Precedents by other courts within the same federal circuit region were generally more influential in the diffusion process than precedents by courts in neighboring states or by courts within the same census or West legal reporting region, even though the precedents were on matters of state law rather than federal law and the decisions were usually made by state courts rather than federal courts. There is some evidence that political variables may also have been a factor, but economic variables did not appear to be particularly important, even though the new employment laws may have had important economic consequences.
535 GROWTH OF PRETERM INFANTS FED EITHER THEIR OWN MOTHER'S MILK (MHM) OR EXPERIMENTAL FORMULA(EF)

Can intrauterine growth rates be attained in premature infants with birthweights of less than 1500 grams? We compared growth of infants fed an EF designed for low birthweight infants with that of infants fed MHM. Since MHM may promote better growth of her premature infant than bank human milk, it was chosen for study. EF is a whey predominent formula which contains 50% lactose and 50% polycose with 50% of fats as MCT. It provides 1200 mg/1 of Ca and 600 mg/1 of P. Eleven infants were fed MHM; 13 were fed EF. Mean birthweights were similar: MHM 1189g (940-1440) vs. EF 1270g (980-1490). Mean gestational ages were 30 weeks. No differences in kcal/kg/day or fluids/kg/day were noted. Serum Ca, Alk P'tase, protein and PTH were similar. Growth was as follows: In spite of a growth rate of almost twice MHM, the EF group's bony mineralization appeared slightly improved. EF fed infants reached discharge weight 2 weeks earlier than MHM infants. Intrauterine growth rates were achieved in the EF fed infants.
Factors Influencing Pulmonary Hypertensive Response to 5-Hydroxytryptamine

The pulmonary hypertensive response to 5-HT in the dog heart-lung preparation is largely due to pulmonary vasoconstriction. There is an unexpected fall in aortic blood flow but no rise in left atrial pressure. In intact dogs the pulmonary hypertensive response is accompanied by an increase in pulmonary blood flow which is in turn partly reduced by upper thoracic sympathectomy. It is suggested that the rise in pulmonary blood flow is partly a sympathetic reflex initiated by pulmonary vasoconstriction by 5-HT.
Tripeptidyl pyridinium methyl ketones as potent active site inhibitors of thrombin

Abstract Several substituted methyl ketone derivatives of tripeptides with a C-terminal arginyl residue were synthesized as active site inhibitors of human α-thrombin. The most active compound among this series was the pyridinium methyl ketone D-Cha-Pro-Arg-PMK, which was characterized as a slow-binding inhibitor with a Ki of 0.19 nM.