cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of prone position ventilation in ARDS. An evidence-based review of the literature.

In the many studies done on prone position ventilation (PPV), the technique has been shown to improve oxygenation most of the time. The mechanisms behind this effect are probably numerous and have not been elucidated completely. In addition, PPV is a safe procedure that rarely worsens a patient's respiratory status or causes other complications; thus it is a welcome additional therapeutic option in the treatment of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Despite the recent large, randomized controlled trial showing no overall improvement in mortality rate or organ dysfunction, evidence exists that suggests that PPV may be most beneficial in more severely ill patients. Further studies of this technique will be useful.
Novel molecules that interact with microtubules and have functional activity similar to Taxol

Taxol is an antitumor drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of ovarian, breast and non-small-cell lung carcinomas. Originally isolated from the bark of the Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia, it was the first natural product described that stabilized microtubules. In the past five years, a group of novel natural products, including the epothilones, discodermolide, eleutherobin, sarcodictyins and the laulimalides, all of which have biological activities similar to those of Taxol, has been discovered. In this review, we discuss each of these novel microtubule-stabilizing agents and the search for a common pharmacophore among them, taking into consideration recent advances in our understanding of the taxanes and tubulin.
ENTEROHEPATIC CIRCULATION OF UROBILINOGEN.

THE bacteria of the large bowel reduce bile bilirubin to colourless, Ehrlich-positive chromogens, collectively termed urobilinogen1. It has been stated that urobilinogen is partly re-absorbed from the colon, and afterwards re-excreted in the bile, and, to a lesser degree, in the urine2. Earlier attempts to provide direct proof for this concept were marred by the limitations of conventional methods for identifying and estimating absorbed chromogen. In order to surmount these difficulties, a labelled urobilinogen, mesobilirubinogen-14C, was prepared from bilirubin-14C (ref. 3), and preliminary investigations of its intestinal absorption and re-excretion were performed in rats.
Induction of NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase and glutathione S-transferase activities in livers of female August-Copenhagen Irish rats treated chronically with estradiol: comparison with the Sprague-Dawley rat.

Abstract Estradiol (E2) has been linked to both, protection against damage associated with chronic diseases or exposure to chemicals, and to the incidence of cancer. In its protective role, E2 appears to attenuate oxidative stress while as a carcinogen, E2 damages macromolecules via formation of reactive catechol metabolites. Alterations in the expression of antioxidant and xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes upon administration of pharmacological doses of E2 have been previously identified, but the effect of chronic exposure to low concentrations of E2 on activities of those enzymes in liver is unclear. The August-Copenhagen Irish (ACI) rat is more sensitive to estrogen-induced carcinogenesis than the Sprague–Dawley rat. Accordingly, the effect of treatment of female ACI and Sprague–Dawley rats for 6 weeks with E2 on activities of NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase (GST), phenol sulfotransferase (SULT1A1), cytochrome P450 (CYP450) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) was studied. Basal expression of these enzymes was similar in livers from both strains prior to exposure to E2. However, only NQO1 and GST activity was increased (3- and 2.5-fold, respectively) in liver cytosol of ACI rats treated with E2. In contrast, only NQO1 activity was increased modestly in livers of Sprague–Dawley rats. Other enzymes were not significantly affected in the livers of ACI or Sprague–Dawley rats following chronic treatment with E2. The selective induction of NQO1 and GST activity suggests that under physiological conditions, E2 may protect against oxidative stress via elevation of these antioxidant enzymes. The marked induction of NQO1 and GST in the ACI rat indicates a potential for this strain to be used as a model to study the E2-mediated modulation of these enzymes in tissues that are either sensitive to E2 carcinogenesis or to its protective effects.
Sequences that Preserve the Homological Degree

The homological degree is a cohomological degree generalizing the classical degree function of a module. Given a finitely generated graded module M, over a standard graded ring A, this note is concerned with the question of when, for an element x in the augmentation ideal of A that is not in any associated prime of M other than the augmentation ideal itself, the homological degree of M is equal to the homological degree of M/xM. This question is answered when the dimension of M is one or two.
Identification of two types of specific endothelin receptors in rat mesangial cell.

Two types of receptors specific for endothelin were identified using cross-linking technique in cultured rat mesangial cells. The molecular weights of these receptors were approximately 58,000 and 34,000 by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The binding of radio-iodinated-endothelin to its receptors was inhibited by excess of unlabeled endothelin, but not by nifedipine, nicardipine, verapamil, diltiazem, angiotensin II or [Arg8]-vasopressin. The endothelin binding proteins were solubilized with 1% digitonin and fractionated under non-denaturing conditions by gel filtration. Two endothelin binding peaks eluted at the positions corresponding to the molecular weights of 65,000 and 43,000. These observations indicate that there are two types of specific endothelin receptors in rat mesangial cells which are distinct from voltage dependent L-type calcium channel.
The 10 keys to healthy aging: findings from an innovative prevention program in the community

Objective: To develop and evaluate a novel, comprehensive prevention program for older adults designed to assess and improve adherence to preventive health care goals. Method: In McKeesport, Pennsylvania, 389 men and women aged 65 and older were enrolled. We assessed adherence to 10 preventive health goals, provided education and counseling, and reevaluated after 12 months. Results: At baseline, adherence varied. After 12 months, proportions of participants meeting goals were improved for several areas. Overall, improvements were seen for the proportion of participants meeting goals for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (+43%), blood pressure control in hypertensives (+17%), blood glucose control in diabetics (+50%), and colon cancer screening (+13%). Among those without prior vaccination, influenza vaccine increased by 25% and pneumonia vaccine by 20%. Discussion: This comprehensive prevention program had short-term benefits for improving adherence to established prevention guidelines in older ad...
Building the Virtual Scriptorium

Manuscripts, archives, and early printed books contain a documentary record of the foundations of human knowledge. Many elements restrict access to this corpus, from preservation concerns to censorship. On the assumption that the widespread availability of knowledge benefits the human condition more than the restriction of knowledge, elements restrictive to the dissemination of manuscripts, archives, and early printed books should be overcome, and the intellectual content of such items should be available to as wide an audience as possible through the digital library equivalent of the medieval scriptorium, termed here the “virtual scriptorium.”
Alkali Strontium‐Barium‐Lead Niobate Systems with a Tungsten Bronze Structure: Crystallographic Properties and Curie Points

Crystallographic parameters, Curie points, and freezing temperatures are presented for a series of A+A22+Nb5O15 compositions with tungsten bronze-related structures, where A+=Na, K, or Rb, and A2+=Sr or Ba. Results are also reported for bronze solid solutions in the systems KNbO3-PbNb2O6, K(Sr-Ba)2Nb5O15, K(Ba-Pb)2Nb5O15, K(Sr-Pb)2Nb5O15, and (KSr2-K2La)Nb5O15. On the basis of these data, an empirical relation is shown between the ferroelectric transition temperature, Tc, and axial ratio °10 co/a0. The Tc vs °10 c0/a0 curve for compositions with polar axes perpendicular to [00l] has a negative slope, whereas that for compositions with polar axes parallel to [00l] has a positive slope of about the same magnitude. These results are compared with measurements of the temperature dependence of c0/a0 for KSrPbNb5O15, and KBa2Nb5O15; the latter is discussed in terms of the Devonshire free energy theory.
The In Vivo Digestive Fate of the Cry3Bb1 Protein in Laying Hens Fed Diets Containing MON 863 Corn

Two trials were conducted to assess the fate of the Cry3Bb1 protein from YieldGard rootworm corn (MON 863) when fed to laying hens. In the first trial, 2 diets, 1 formulated with MON 863 and 1 with conventional corn, were fed to laying hens (12 replicate cages with 4 hens/cage per treatment) for 8 wk. Daily feed intake (FI), egg production (EP), and BW were measured. Prestudy fecal samples, wk 4 and 8 egg and fecal samples, and hepatic and pectoralis tissue samples were collected from 12 killed hens and were tested for the Cry3Bb1 protein. Corn source had no significant effects on FI, EP, or BW. Feces from hens fed diets containing MON 863 were positive for the Cry3Bb1 protein or proteolytic fragments (1.5 to 4.0 ppm fecal dry matter). The Cry3Bb1 protein could not be determined in eggs due to the presence of an interfering substance in all test and control eggs. No Cry3Bb1 protein was detected in hepatic and pectoralis tissue. In the second trial, the same test and control diets were fed to 12 hens each. Six hens/treatment were sampled after 7 and 28 d. Samples included blood, feces, and digesta (crop, small and large intestine, and ceca). The Cry3Bb1 protein could not be determined in blood due to the presence of an interfering substance in all test and control blood samples. The Cry3Bb1 protein or partially digested fragments, or both, were found in the digesta sampled from all sections of the digestive tract. About 98 to >99% of the dietary Cry3Bb1 protein was digested. Overall, MON 863, when fed to laying hens, had no significant effects on FI, EP, or BW. The Cry3Bb1 protein was extensively digested, similar to that of other dietary proteins, and was not detected in hepatic or muscle tissue.
Reducing the Linear Perception of Nonlinearity: Use of a Physical Representation

Research shows that while judging accumulations of quantities over time (e.g., money in a bank account or CO2 in Earth’s atmosphere), people assume that the shape of the accumulation is similar to the shape of the inflow (i.e., people rely on a correlation heuristic). Relying on the correlation heuristic is particularly worrisome for Earth’s climate, as judging the CO2 accumulation according to its emissions (inflow) would underestimate the actual (nonlinear) increase. This misperception undermines the seriousness of climate problem and results in wait-and-see behavior. We report two experiments where the effectiveness of a physical representation is compared with graphical and text representations in reducing people’s underestimation of nonlinear accumulation in different contexts and problems. A physical representation presents an accumulation using a picture that works as a metaphor. In the first experiment, participants drew the shape of an accumulation over time relying on physical or graphical representations in one of two contexts: carbon dioxide and marbles. Although the participants underestimated the accumulation in both contexts, underestimations were reduced in the physical representation compared with the graphical representation. In the second experiment, we extended the evaluation of physical representations against both text and graphical representations in two different climate problems (with linearly increasing or decreasing inflow). Again, underestimations of the accumulation were reduced in the physical representation compared with the other two representations, regardless of the nature of the problem. We discuss implications of using the physical representation for improving people’s estimates of nonlinear CO2 accumulation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Neurosteroid inhibition of cell death

Diverse γ-aminobutyric acid (GABAA) receptor modulators exhibited novel cytoprotective effects and mechanisms of action in rabbit renal proximal tubules subjected to mitochondrial inhibition (antim...
The workspace manager: a change control system for APL

This paper describes the Workspace Manager (WSM), a tool that helps to support and add discipline to APL system development and maintenance efforts.The WSM acts as a repository of APL objects (variables, functions, and operators). Programmers use WSM tools to find where objects are used, edit objects, save changed objects, and request that objects be installed into (or erased from) production workspaces.Periodically, the WSM installs new releases of production workspaces by merging new and changed objects into existing workspaces.Audit trails are maintained for all of these activities, making it possible to review the change history of an object, compare different versions of an object, compare different releases of a workspace, revert to an old release of a workspace, and so on.
Appearance of ossification centers of the lower arm, wrist, lower leg, and ankle in immature orangutans and chimpanzees with an assessment of the relationship of ossification to dental development

This study examines the appearance of the secondary ossification centers in the lower arms, wrists, lower legs, and ankles of a cross-sectional sample of 20 infant orangutans and chimpanzees (15 of known age). The number of tarsal and carpal centers is analyzed relative to the degree of M1 development and the weight of individual animals. Variation in the appearance of these ossification centers is discussed relative to these variables and others. In addition, a sequence of appearance is established for the carpal and tarsal ossification centers in the orangutan and data is presented on the status of these centers in a fetal and newborn gorilla. Study results indicate that 1) there is variation in the number of secondary epiphyses present in animals of similar ages; 2) tarsal ossification is completed prior to carpal ossification in the orangutan; 3) there are indications of a relationship between weight and the number of ossification centers present in animals of similar age; and 4) there appears to be no evidence of specific relationships between carpal and tarsal development and M1 development. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Kinetic comparison of older men and women during walk-to-stair descent transition

Stair walking is one of the most challenging tasks for older adults, with women reporting higher incidence of falls. The purpose of this study was to investigate the gender differences in kinetics during stair descent transition. Twenty-eight participants (12 male and 16 female; 68.5 and 69.0 years of mean age, respectively) performed stair descent from level walking in a step-over-step manner at a self-selected speed over a custom-made three-step staircase with embedded force plates. Kinematic and force data were combined using inverse dynamics to generate kinetic data for gender comparison. The top and the first step on the staircase were chosen for analysis. Women showed a higher trail leg peak hip abductor moment (-1.0Nm/kg), lower trail leg peak knee extensor moment and eccentric power (0.74Nm/kg and 3.15W/kg), and lower peak concentric power at trail leg ankle joint (1.29W/kg) as compared to men (p Language: en
Membrane filtration of natural organic matter: factors and mechanisms affecting rejection and flux decline with charged ultrafiltration (UF) membrane

Abstract We studied natural organic matter (NOM) rejection and the membrane’s flux decline during natural water filtration using a charged ultrafiltration membrane based on thin-film-composite technology. NOM rejection mechanisms such as steric exclusion and aromatic/hydrophobic and charge interactions were considered. Water composition factors affecting NOM rejection and flux decline were investigated, including ionic strength, pH, and calcium ion concentration. The membrane’s effective relative molecular mass cutoff for the NOM in our study was between 1500 and 2300 (significantly lower than the manufacturer’s nominal value of 8000) and depended on the NOM characteristics in the source water. In particular the ratio of UV absorbance at 254 nm to dissolved organic carbon (related to the humic content) correlated with the rejection. Comparison of relative molecular mass distributions between fractionated NOM and recovered membrane foulants indicates that the foulants are the larger-sized neutral and/or basic NOM components, and not the humic substances that were efficiently rejected by this membrane.
Participatory technology, policy and institutional development to address soil fertility degradation in Africa

Abstract At global scale nutrient flows are unbalanced, resulting in huge surpluses in Western Europe versus negative balances in Africa. Existing policy and socio-economic environments in different parts of the world are the major cause of this situation. At lower spatial scales, a much more complex and diverse picture emerges. In Sub-Saharan Africa, different levels and causes of soil fertility decline are found among agro-ecological zones, soil types, farm systems, wealth groups, urban–rural households, cash and food crops, home fields and bush fields. Technology development has been the traditional response to address nutrient imbalances in general, and soil fertility decline in Africa in particular. Farm households have continued to develop and adapt existing technology to changing situations. National and international research institutions have followed a variety of changing approaches of which the recently developed participatory approaches have yielded some impressive results in isolated cases. These efforts have, however, not led to the necessary massive reversion of the trend in soil fertility decline. The Dutch policies on nutrient use and the Indonesian policy to adopt Integrated Pest Management are two examples, associated with such major trend reversions. This suggests that promoting and supporting participatory technologies have limited impact when no attention is paid to participatory policy development and implementation. In order to mobilise farm households in a trend reversion, a number of conditions should be met such as stable prices for agricultural outputs, better input/output prices ratios, influence of land users on the research agenda and private-public initiatives focused on smallholders. This observation calls for the establishment of interactive landusers-science-policy triangles at various scales (local, national and international) in which joint learning and mediating may lead to more informed decision making, more focused design of an agricultural sector policy, implementation of policies by effective institutions, and appropriate technology development and implementation. Interventions need to be reoriented: less technology development, more policy influence and institution building.
Scalable optoelectronic ATM networks: the iPOINT fully functional testbed

Our prototype of a fully-functional asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch validates the design of a 128 Gb/s optoelectronic ATM switch. Optoelectronics, rather than all optical components, are used to simultaneously address all of the specific requirements mandated by the ATM protocol. In this paper, we present the Illinois pulsar-based optical interconnect (iPOINT) testbed, and present our results obtained for the prototype switch in a working environment consisting of an optical network of Sun SPARC Stations and other local and wide-area ATM switches. >
Training Executive, Attention, and Motor Skills: A Proof-of-Concept Study in Preschool Children With ADHD

Objective: To examine whether cognitive enhancement can be delivered through play to preschoolers with ADHD and whether it would affect severity of ADHD symptoms. Method: Twenty-nine 4- and 5-year-old children and their parents participated in separate group sessions (3-5 children/group). Child groups were introduced games designed to enhance inhibitory control, working memory, attention, visuospatial abilities, planning, and motor skills. Parent groups were encouraged playing these games with their children at least 30 to 45 min/day and taught strategies for scaffolding difficulty levels and dealing with obstacles to daily playing. Results: Parent ratings and session attendance indicated considerable satisfaction with the program. Parent (p < .001) and teacher (p = .003) ratings on the ADHD-Rating Scale–IV (ADHD-RS-IV) indicated significant improvement in ADHD severity from pre- to post-treatment, which persisted 3 months later. Conclusion: This play-based intervention for preschoolers with ADHD is readi...
Resolving place names in Amdo and Kham: A gazetteer for the Hengduan Mountains region of Southwest China *

Perhaps no region on earth presents such a confusing array of place names as does the area made up of the former provinces of Kham and Amdo in historic Tibet (Xizang). Within these areas, cities, towns, villages, mountains, lakes and other geographic features have at least two names applied to them, one Tibetan, the other Chinese. Overlying this indigenous nomenclature are the names applied by outsiders, mostly Europeans, each of whom used their native language to transliterate the names they heard or read from Tibetan or Chinese script, and names in the languages of other ethnic minorities who live within the area. Adding to the confusion are the conflicting "standards" for transliterating Tibetan and Chinese names. To resolve the inconsistencies and uncertainties of place names in this region, a multilingual gazetteer and thesaurus was prepared. The gazetteer-thesaurus was compiled to be used as a tool for correlating the often radically different names assigned to a single place or feature and to provide the geographic coordinates for each. The impetus for this project was the need to assign geographic coordinates to plant specimens collected in the area since the latter part of the 19th century up until the advent and widespread use of Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers in the 1990s. Georeferencing specimens is necessary for plotting the historical distribution of species and for more completely understanding the information contained on specimen labels. Knowing the distribution of plants is important for answering phylogenetic questions, determining local and widespread biogeographical patterns, identifying areas of unusually high diversity or endemism, and determining areas in need of special protection. The value of such a gazetteer, however, extends well beyond the field of botany. It is intended to be of use to anyone with a desire to know the nomenclatural history of places in the area and for pinpointing with a fair degree of accuracy the location of each of those places.
God is Random: A Novel Argument for the Existence of God

Applying the concepts of Kolmogorov-Chaitin complexity and Turing‘s uncomputability from the computability and algorithmic information theories to the irreducible and incomputable randomness of Quantum mechanics, a novel argument for the existence of God is presented. Concepts of transintelligence‘ and transcausality‘ are introduced, and from them, it is posited that our Universe must be epistemologically and ontologically an open universe. The proposed idea also proffers a new perspective on the nonlocal nature and the infamous wavefunction collapse problem of Quantum mechanics.
Encephalitozoonosis: Evidence for Vertical Transmission

Encephalitozoonosis (nosematosis) caused by the microsporidium Encephalitozoon cuniculi (Nosema cuniculi) is an infectious disease that occurs frequently in laboratory rabbits and mice. The infection, which is usually latent or subclinical, is most often detected by the discovery of character
Theoretical photodetachment cross section for He - ( 4 P o )

We report the first calculation of the photodetachment cross section for the metastable, $1s2s2p^{4}P^{o}$ state of ${\mathrm{He}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$. Extensive configuration-interaction wave functions and the Stieltjes-moment-theory technique were used to determine the total cross section from threshold to 3.0 eV. The $1s2{p}^{2}^{4}P^{e}$ state of ${\mathrm{He}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ gives rise to a very large (\ensuremath{\sim} 24 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}16}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$) and narrow peak 10 meV above the ${2}^{3}{P}^{o}$ threshold.
Benchmark Structures and Harmonic Vibrational Frequencies Near the CCSD(T) Complete Basis Set Limit for Small Water Clusters: (H2O)n = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

A series of (H2O)n clusters ranging from the dimer to the hexamer have been characterized with the CCSD(T) and the 2-body:Many-body CCSD(T):MP2 methods near the complete basis set (CBS) limit to generate benchmark-quality optimized structures and harmonic vibrational frequencies for these important systems. Quadruple-ζ correlation-consistent basis sets that augment the O atoms with diffuse functions have been employed in the analytic computation of harmonic vibrational frequencies for the global minima of the dimer, trimer, tetramer, and pentamer as well as the ring, book, cage, and prism isomers of the hexamer. Prior calibration [J. Chem. Phys. 2013, 139, 184113 and J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2014, 10, 5426] suggests that harmonic frequencies computed with this approach will lie within a few cm(-1) of the canonical CCSD(T) CBS limit. These data are used as reference values to gauge the performance of harmonic frequencies obtained with other ab initio methods (e.g., LCCSD(T) and MP2) and water potentials (e.g., TTM3-F and WHBB). This comparison reveals that it is far more challenging to converge harmonic vibrational frequencies for the bound OH stretching modes in these (H2O)n clusters to the CCSD(T) CBS limit than the free OH stretches, the n intramonomer HOH bending modes and even the 6n - 6 intermonomer modes. Deviations associated with the bound OH stretching harmonic frequencies increase rapidly with the size of the cluster for all methods and potentials examined, as do the corresponding frequency shifts relative to the monomer OH stretches.
Two-step fourth orderP-stable methods for second order differential equations

A family of symmetric (hybrid) two-step fourth order methods is derived fory′'=f(x,y). We then show the existence of a sub-family of these methods which when applied toy′'=−λ2y,λ real, areP-stable. We also note that a general (order) symmetric two-step method isP-stable iff it is unconditionally stable.
Do “carrier” strains differ from strains isolated from ordinary typhoid cases?Experimental typhoid-parathyroid carriers. III

This question involves the consideration of several factors which may play a part in the successful production of a high percentage of experimental gallbladder or renal carriers. It should be emphasized that this study was primarily undertaken to elucidate certain facts recorded in the literature pertaining to animal carriers. It was not the intention to attempt to prove or to refute the conception that the typhoid strains isolated from human carriers may differ in their invasive or infective properties, a phase of the problem which is practically impossible when one considers that the experimental reproduction of typhoid fever in laboratory animals cannot be accomplished. The customary method of testing the virulence of typhoid strains by intraperitoneal injections into guinea-pigs does not reproduce the conditions as they operate in human infections and the data collected by this method cannot be used for comparison. Neither Lentz 1 nor Ledingham 2 noted by the use of this procedure differences between the virulence of the carrier strains and those isolated from ordinary typhoid cases. Some incomplete observations of Ledingham, however, suggest that the virulence of the typhoid strains isolated from one and the same carrier may vary for guinea-pigs at different times of the year. For example, a strain isolated from an intestinal carrier exhibited a reduced virulence during the winter months. Using a similar method of testing for virulence, Remlinger 3 noted that typhoid bacilli found in liver abscesses were avirulent, and Niepratschk4 isolated from a renal carrier a strain of low virulence. Furthermore, Levy and Gaehtgens 5 recorded by means of bacteriotropin tests the observations
Epidemiological Analysis on Rabies from 1980 to 2004 in Yangshan County

Objective The morbidity and epidemic regularity of rabies from 1980 to 2004 were analyzed to explore the effective measure for rabies control. Method The statistics data of reporting endemic diseases and individual survey of rabies were analyzed. Results There were 146 cases of rabies in total from 1980 to 2004 in Yangshan county, the average annual morbidity was 1.25 per hundred thousand. But in 1986, 30 cases suffering from rabies with the highest morbidity of 6.98 per hundred thousand. Since 1987, the control measures of management, immunization and vaccination were carried out and got a significant effect. There were 3 cases of rabies only from 1989 to 2004. Conclusion The rabies can be controlled if strengthen management and immunization of dogs, vaccination and bathe a wound in time once dog or relative animal bit any one and strengthen health education.
Public Health Preparedness

Public health preparedness can reduce vulnerability to some types of bioviolence. It would be the height of folly to not be as prepared as possible. Of course, better that an attack not happen at all, but it would be reckless to rely exclusively on complication and resistance measures. Mitigating harm to potential victims is mandatory. If all else fails, we should be able to contain bioviolence's consequences. Preparedness measures include pre-attack efforts to reduce vulnerability by distributing vaccines and hardening potential attack sites. A perpetrator is unlikely to inflict a disease against an effectively immunized population or try to spread it in a guarded site. Also, preparedness measures include rapid detection and post-attack commitment of public health resources to treat victims. An intentionally perpetrated disease will less catastrophically ruffle a community whose medical professionals can promptly apply counter-measures. Finally, preparedness measures include establishing quarantines to limit the spread of contagion. Preparedness measures have indisputable virtues, yet serious questions abound. Can they be sufficiently effective to reduce the need for the complication measures (discussed in Chapter 5)? How should vaccines be fairly stockpiled and distributed worldwide? Which targets should be hardened? Which persons should be vaccinated, perhaps without their consent? How can quarantines operate without trampling civil liberties? This chapter propounds a note of skepticism. Reliance on preparedness measures raises unhappy choices, and to ignore their implications by offering a false palliative for security is disingenuous.
Suggestions for success in an ACRL online seminar: Make the most of your e-learning experience

Pour tirer parti au mieux des seminaires de formation en ligne de l'ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries), il convient de se familiariser avec l'environnement en ligne, de pratiquer l'apprentissage independant et de collaborer avec les autres participants et les instructeurs.
Perception of Hair Transplant for Androgenetic Alopecia

ImportanceHair transplant is among the most common cosmetic services sought by men, with more than 11 000 procedures performed in 2014. Despite its growing popularity, the effect of hair transplant...
Deployed Large-Scale WSNs and Associated Design Steps

SNs and WSNs are being used for numerous civilian and defense areas and numerous applications have been covered in Chap. 2. In most of these presentations, few SNs have been deployed to show usefulness in different areas and very few projects deal with a large number of SNs for continuing monitoring over few months.
The transtensional offshore portion of the northern San Andreas fault: Fault zone geometry, late Pleistocene to Holocene sediment deposition, shallow deformation patterns, and asymmetric basin growth

We mapped an ~120 km offshore portion of the northern San Andreas fault (SAF) between Point Arena and Point Delgada using closely spaced seismic reflection profiles (1605 km), high-resolution multibeam bathymetry (~1600 km 2 ), and marine magnetic data. This new data set documents SAF location and continuity, associated tectonic geomorphology, shallow stratigraphy, and deformation. Variable deformation patterns in the generally narrow (∼1 km wide) fault zone are largely associated with fault trend and with transtensional and transpressional fault bends. We divide this unique transtensional portion of the offshore SAF into six sections along and adjacent to the SAF based on fault trend, deformation styles, seismic stratigraphy, and seafloor bathymetry. In the southern region of the study area, the SAF includes a 10-km-long zone characterized by two active parallel fault strands. Slip transfer and long-term straightening of the fault trace in this zone are likely leading to transfer of a slice of the Pacific plate to the North American plate. The SAF in the northern region of the survey area passes through two sharp fault bends (∼9°, right stepping, and ∼8°, left stepping), resulting in both an asymmetric lazy Z–shape sedimentary basin (Noyo basin) and an uplifted rocky shoal (Tolo Bank). Seismic stratigraphic sequences and unconformities within the Noyo basin correlate with the previous 4 major Quaternary sea-level lowstands and record basin tilting of ∼0.6°/100 k.y. Migration of the basin depocenter indicates a lateral slip rate on the SAF of 10–19 mm/yr for the past 350 k.y. Data collected west of the SAF on the south flank of Cape Mendocino are inconsistent with the presence of an offshore fault strand that connects the SAF with the Mendocino Triple Junction. Instead, we suggest that the SAF previously mapped onshore at Point Delgada continues onshore northward and transitions to the King Range thrust.
MOVEMENT AND EROSION OF ALBERTA BITUMEN ALONG THE BOTTTOM AS A FUNCTION OF TEMPERATURE, WATER VELOCITY AND SALINITY

Abstract While many trajectory models exist to predict the movement of oil floating in or on water, few are designed to address heavy oil on the bottom of water bodies. In addition, remobilization ...
Conformational changes in the di-domain structure of Arabidopsis phosphoethanolamine methyltransferase leads to active site formation

Phosphocholine (pCho) is a precursor for phosphatidylcholine and osmoprotectants in plants. In plants, de novo synthesis of pCho relies on the phosphobase methylation pathway. Phosphoethanolamine methyltransferase (PMT) catalyzes the triple methylation of phosphoethanolamine (pEA) to pCho. The plant PMTs are di-domain methyltransferases that divide the methylation of pEA in one domain from subsequent methylations in the second domain. To understand the molecular basis of this architecture, we examined the biochemical properties of three Arabidopsis thaliana PMTs (AtPMT1–3) and determined the X-ray crystal structures of AtPMT1 and AtPMT2. Although each isoform synthesizes pCho from pEA, their physiological roles differ with AtPMT1 essential for normal growth and salt tolerance, whereas AtPMT2 and AtPMT3 overlap functionally. The structures of AtPMT1 and AtPMT2 reveal unique features in each methyltransferase domain, including active sites that use different chemical mechanisms for phosphobase methylation. These structures also show how rearrangements in both the active sites and the di-domain linker form catalytically competent active sites and provide insight on the evolution of the PMTs in plants, nematodes, and apicomplexans. Connecting conformational changes with catalysis in modular enzymes, like the PMT, provides new insights on interdomain communication in biosynthetic systems.
Fatal Sunday: George Washington, the Monmouth Campaign, and the Politics of Battle. By Mark Edward Lender and Garry Wheeler Stone. (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 2016. Pp. xxi, 600. $34.95.)

Several books have been written on the Battle of Monmouth, the 28 June 1778 engagement between the American and British armies in New Jersey. However, none of these volumes provides such a thorough...
GlucoPush: A Do-It-Yourself Add-On for Online Tracking of Personal Glucometer Use

Current public health guidelines on diabetes management recommend frequent self-monitoring and physician tracking of blood glucose to reduce complications caused by this condition. While Internet-of-Things glucometers exist to aid in this goal, most commercial glucometers seen in wide-spread use worldwide do not provide these online tracking capabilities or allow for convenient data sharing with health care providers. This situation is caused, among several factors, due to premium pricing of IoT glucometers and resistance from older users to dispose of their previous glucometers. We propose an add-on strategy to enable IoT integration in glucometers to increase the use of wireless connectivity features in this sector. Here we describe and test a simple do-it-yourself system fabricated with low-cost commercially available wireless connectivity components that aim to demonstrate this IoT augmentation strategy to track glucose readings from previously unconnected standard glucometers.
Robotic Conversion and Revisional Surgery

The use of robotic surgical platforms continues to increase in the field of bariatric surgery. The advantages of robotic surgery may be particularly useful in conversion and revisional surgery. In this chapter, the authors review types and indications for conversion and revisional surgery, advantages and limitations of robotic surgical platforms, technical considerations and port placement, training and learning curve-related issues, as well as published data regarding outcomes with robotic revisional bariatric surgery. The role of robotics in revisional weight loss surgery will likely continue to evolve with further development of robotic surgical platforms and as more surgeons and institutions publish data regarding their experience.
Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding Enhances Stability and Reactivity of Mononuclear Cupric Superoxide Complexes

[(L)CuII(O2•–)]+ (i.e., cupric-superoxo) complexes, as the first and/or key reactive intermediates in (bio)chemical Cu-oxidative processes, including in the monooxygenases PHM and DβM, have been systematically stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonding within a TMPA ligand-based framework. Also, gradual strengthening of ligand-derived H-bonding dramatically enhances the [(L)CuII(O2•–)]+ reactivity toward hydrogen-atom abstraction (HAA) of phenolic O–H bonds. Spectroscopic properties of the superoxo complexes and their azido analogues, [(L)CuII(N3–)]+, also systematically change as a function of ligand H-bonding capability.
Quality of Life in Children Diagnosed with Specific Learning Disability or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Specific learning disability (SpLD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in children which impair their academic and social functioning. Almost 20% of children with SpLD have co-occurring ADHD and vice versa. Both SpLD and ADHD significantly affect the quality of life (QoL), especially the psychosocial domains, of an afflicted child’s life. Both disorders also impact the QoL of parents and siblings, causing disturbances to family functioning. SpLD even with optimum management often is a lifelong disorder. ADHD too may persist into adulthood causing disruptions to both professional and personal life. This chapter describes the QoL of Indian children with SpLD or ADHD, the factors which affect their QoL and steps that need to be taken to improve their QoL.
A Four Part Outcome Measurement System

It is suggested that health care outcome measurement systems can be usefully conceptualized in terms of four components. This approach is discussed and illustrated with references to PsychSentinel, a system for measuring psychiatric outcomes. The four components are generic in the sense that they could be used to guide the development of a system for measuring outcomes for any medical specialty. The development of the components are sequential and interdependent. For each component developmental issues and guiding principles are presented. The four components ares a patient classification system, a measure of clinical change (the outcome), a risk-adjustment methodology, and one or more sets of reference norms.
Long-term Quality of Life in Neonatal Surgical Disease.

Objective This prospective observational study was designed to assess Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL) after surgical treatment for congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF), Hirschsprung disease (HD), gastroschisis (GAS), omphalocele (OMP), and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Summary of background data Improvements in neonatal and surgical care have led to increased survival for many newborn conditions. Quality of life in these patients is seldom explored in a longitudinal manner. We hypothesized that age-adjusted physical and psychosocial scores would improve over time, but with diagnosis-dependent variation. Methods Data were collected from 241 patients (CDH = 52; EA/TEF = 62; HD = 46; GAS = 32; OMP = 26; NEC = 23) in an institutional Clinical Outcomes Registry (COR) from 2012 to 2017. Aggregate physical, psychosocial, and overall PedsQL scores were determined for each diagnosis. Spline regression models were created to model scores as a function of age. Results Physical scores trended up for all diagnoses except CDH and NEC beyond age 10. Psychosocial scores trended up for all diagnoses except NEC and EA/TEF beyond age 10. Beyond age 12, CDH, GAS, and HD patients had overall scores within the normal range, while NEC, OMP, and EA/TEF patients had scores similar to children with chronic medical illness. Conclusion Variation exists in long-term PedsQL scores after neonatal surgery for selected, complex disease. Beyond age 12, quality of life is significantly impaired in NEC, moderately impaired in OMP and EA/TEF, and within normal range for CDH, HD, and GAS patients at the population level. These data are relevant to prenatal and perioperative discussions with patients and families.
Plantarflexor fiber length and tendon slack length are the strongest determinates of simulated single-leg heel raise function

Achilles tendon ruptures lead to reduced ankle function and often limits recreational activity. Single-leg heel raises are often used clinically to characterize patient function. However, it is unclear how the structure of the Achilles tendon and plantarflexor muscles affects single-leg heel raise function. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop a musculoskeletal model in order to simulate the effects of muscle-tendon unit (MTU) parameters on peak plantarflexion during this clinically-relevant task. The ankle joint was plantarflexed by two MTUs that represented the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles. The optimal fiber length, maximal muscle force, muscle pennation, tendon stiffness, and resting ankle angle - a surrogate measure of tendon slack length - were iteratively adjusted to test the combined effects of each of these MTU parameters. Single-leg heel raises were simulated by maximally exciting the two plantarflexor MTUs for each model configuration (N = 161,051 simulations). Optimal muscle fiber and tendon slack lengths had the greatest effect on peak plantarflexion during simulated single-leg heel raises. Simulations that were unable to produce at least 30 degrees of plantarflexion had muscle fibers that were shorter than healthy muscle and longer tendon slack lengths. These findings highlight the importance of preserving muscle fascicle and tendon length following Achilles tendon injuries.
Impact of Interdisciplinary Outpatient Specialty Palliative Care on Survival and Quality of Life in Adults With Advanced Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND In advanced cancer, patients want to know how their care options may affect survival and quality of life, but the impact of outpatient specialty palliative care on these outcomes in cancer is uncertain. PURPOSE To estimate the impact of outpatient specialty palliative care programs on survival and quality of life in adults with advanced cancer. METHODS Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing outpatient specialty palliative care with usual care in adults with advanced cancer. Primary outcomes were 1 year survival and quality of life. Analyses were stratified to compare preliminary studies against higher-quality studies. Secondary outcomes were survival at other endpoints and physical and psychological quality-of-life measures. RESULTS From 2,307 records, we identified nine studies for review, including five high-quality studies. In the three high-quality studies with long-term survival data (n = 646), patients randomized to outpatient specialty palliative care had a 14% absolute increase in 1 year survival relative to controls (56% vs. 42%, p < .001). The survival advantage was also observed at 6, 9, 15, and 18 months, and median survival was 4.56 months longer (14.55 vs. 9.99 months). In the five high-quality studies with quality-of-life data (n = 1,398), outpatient specialty palliative care improved quality-of-life relative to controls (g = .18, p < .001), including for physical and psychological measures. CONCLUSIONS Patients with advanced cancer randomized to receive outpatient specialty palliative care lived longer and had better quality of life. Findings have implications for improving care in advanced cancer.
Evaluation of membrane potential changes induced by unipolar and bipolar nanosecond pulsed electric fields

Nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) exposure to cells causes a myriad of bioeffects with great potential to translate into beneficial technology. However, a general lack of fundamental knowledge of how the field is interacting with the cell limits the advancement of predictive models and maximal exploitation. Despite 30 years of research, this same dearth of mechanistic understanding remains for longer pulse exposures. Fundamental to determining what is occurring as these strong electric fields are applied to cells is measuring the induced change in membrane potential on the time scale of the exposure. Such measurements are critical to validating commonly used electric circuit-based continuum models for electroporation, but have remained elusive due to limits in signal-to-noise and fluorescent reporters. In a previous publication, we described a high-speed fluorescent imaging modality that combined a streak camera and a high power laser source termed a high speed streak camera microscope (SCM) to resolve membrane charging during a single nsPEF. In this paper, we use the SCM to quantify changes in membrane potential in CHO-K1 cells exposed to unipolar and bipolar 600ns PEF within the context of the recently discovered “bipolar cancellation” phenomenon. Immediately after a unipolar pulse exposure, we see a prolonged “depolarization” of the cell that is roughly 50-100mV in amplitude. Such a prolonged depolarization is not seen in bipolar exposures nor is it predicted by membrane charging models. We postulate that this lasting membrane depolarization, seen only in unipolar pulse exposure, is either the cause of later uptake of impermeable ions or signifies the acute (during the pulse) breakdown of the plasma membrane (nanoporation). The lack of lasting depolarization in bipolar pulse exposures may be fundamental to “bipolar cancellation” and explain why uptake of ions is substantially reduced as compared to unipolar pulse exposures.