cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative applications of fluorescent antibody technique to influenza-virus-infected cell cultures.

Abstract Tissue cultures of chick embryo cells, the FL strain of human amnion cells, and calf kidney cells, all infected with two strains of influenza virus (Asian and PR8) were studied by the fluorescent antibody technique. A quantitative method was used employing a differential count of fluorescent cells. The maximum yield of fluorescent cells was obtained with an adsorption period of 1 hour. The number of fluorescent cells could be halved by addition of antiserum 30 minutes after exposure to virus, whereas after 4 hours antiserum had no effect. The chick embryo cultures showed the highest proportion of fluorescent cells. Ninety per cent of these cells could be made to fluoresce with an EID50: cell ratio of 20. Infective Asian influenza virus was released from infected calf kidney cells but not from infected chick and FL cells. Evidence is presented that this technique can be used for the rapid assay of viruses.
The Sac domain-containing phosphoinositide phosphatases: structure, function, and disease

Phosphoinositides (PIs) have long been known to have an essential role in cell physiology. Their intracellular localization and concentration must be tightly regulated for their proper function. This spatial and temporal regulation is achieved by a large number of PI kinases and phosphatases that are present throughout eukaryotic species. One family of these enzymes contains a conserved PI phosphatase domain termed Sac. Although the Sac domain is homologous among different Sac domain-containing proteins, all appear to exhibit varied substrate specificity and subcellular localization. Dysfunctions in several members of this family are implicated in a range of human diseases such as cardiac hypertrophy, bipolar disorder, Down’s syndrome, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). In plant, several Sac domain-containing proteins have been implicated in the stress response, chloroplast function and polarized secretion. In this review, we focus on recent findings in the family of Sac domain-containing PI phosphatases in yeast, mammal and plant, including the structural analysis into the mechanism of enzymatic activity, cellular functions, and their roles in disease pathophysiology.
Aortic valve surgery as an emergency procedure.

Twenty-three patients critically ill from aortic valvular disease underwent emergency aortic valve replacement as a life-saving measure. Sixteen patients (70%) survived hospitalization and 14 (61%) are presently living. Of eighteen patients who underwent solitary aortic valve replacement, there were four hospital deaths and two late deaths. Five patients required double valve surgery, with three hospital deaths and no late deaths. The survivors often had dramatic improvement and have done well during an average follow-up period of 9 months. The major factor contributing to mortality after surgery was irreversible myocardial damage particularly evident in patients with longstanding severe valvular disease. Valve replacement can be successfully accomplished in patients critically ill with aortic valve disease, especially if it occurs as an isolated lesion.
Computationally efficient bounds for the Catalan numbers

Easily computable lower and upper bounds are found for the Catalan numbers C n = 1 n + 1 ( 2 n n ) . Each represents a good approximation to Cn and their average improves the approximation appreciably.
Protein Phosphorylation and Signal Transduction in Cardiac Thin Filaments

Abstract Homeostasis of cardiac function requires significant adjustments in sarcomeric protein phosphorylation. The existence of unique peptides in cardiac sarcomeres, which are substrates for a multitude of kinases strongly supports this concept (1) We focus here on the troponin complex of the thin filaments, which contain two major proteins that participate in these phosphoryl group transfer reactions: the inhibitory protein (cTnI2), and the Tm-binding protein (cTnT). We describe relatively new understanding of the molecular mechanisms of thin filament based control of the heart beat and how these mechanisms are altered by phosphorylation. We also discuss new concepts regarding the relation between the beat of the heart and the location of thin filament proteins, and their long and short range interactions. One of the most intriguing ideas is that the troponin complex is not only active in driving a relaxed state, but also significantly involved in driving the active state of the thin filaments. This idea is quite different from the text book view of the role of Tn in switching thin filaments on and off. These new concepts affect our understanding of how phosphorylation may modify the intensity and the dynamics of the heart beat. We also discuss elucidation of mechanisms by with these phosphorylations exacerbate or ameliorate effects of mutations in the myofilament proteins that are linked to familial cardiomyopathies.
Women's Hostility Toward Women

Three studies investigating the self-report correlates of women's hostility toward other women were conducted among a total of 477 college women. In Study 1, hostility toward women was negatively associated with both personal and collective self-esteem and positively associated with hostility toward men, controlling for state anger. In Study 2, hostility toward women was negatively associated with self-efficacy and age and positively associated with emotional dependence on men, but not with self-identification as a feminist or support of the feminist movement. In Study 3, women's hostility toward women was negatively associated with measures of intimacy and life satisfaction and positively associated with acceptance of interpersonal violence. We suggest that women's hostility toward other women not only is an important aspect of women's personal satisfaction, happiness, intimacy, and self-esteem, but also may serve as a barrier to women's progress as a group.
Complex permittivity measurements of dielectrics and semiconductors at millimeter waves with high power sources

We present complex dielectric permittivity measurements of various semiconductor and dielectric materials, including highly absorbing substances, in Q-, V- and W-band frequencies. The measurements have been done using broadband quasioptical millimeter wave system with a backward-wave oscillator as a high power source of radiation. Frequency dependencies of real and imaginary parts of dielectric permittivity are calculated from the transmittance spectra. Complex dielectric permittivity data, obtained using both waveguide bridge technique and free space measurements have been compared with previously published results.
A feasibility study of 252Cf neutron brachytherapy, cisplatin + 5-FU chemo-adjuvant and accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy for advanced cervical cancer.

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and toxicity of 252Cf neutron brachytherapy combined with hyperaccelerated chemoradiotherapy for Stage III and IV cervical cancers. Methods and Materials: Eleven patients with advanced Stage IIIB-IVA cervical cancers were treated with 252 Cf neutron brachytherapy in an up-front schedule followed by cisplatin (CDDP; 50 mg/m 2 ) chemotherapy and hyperfractionated accelerated (1.2 Gy bid) radiotherapy given concurrently with intravenous infusion of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) (1000 mg/m 2 /day × 4 days) in weeks 1 and 4 with conventional radiation (weeks 2, 3, 5, and 6). Total dose at a paracervical point A isodose surface was 80–85 Gy-eq by external and intracavitary therapy and 60 Gy at the pelvic sidewalls. Results: Patients tolerated the protocol well. There was 91 % compliance with the chemotherapy and full compliance with the 252 Cf brachytherapy and the external beam radiotherapy. There were no problems with acute chemo or radiation toxicity. One patient developed a rectovaginal fistula (Grade 3–4 RTOG criteria) but no other patients developed significant late cystitis, proctitis or enteritis. There was complete response (CR) observed in all cases. With mean follow-up to 26 months, local control has been achieved with 90% actuarial 3-year survival with no evidence of disease (NED). Conclusion: 252 Cf neutrons can be combined with cisplatin and 5-FU infusion chemotherapy plus hyperaccelerated chemoradiotherapy without unusual side effects or toxicity and with a high local response and tumor control rate. Further study of 252 Cf neutron-chemoradiotherapy for advanced and bulky cervical cancer are indicated. We found chemotherapy was more effective with the improved local tumor control.
Planar, linear GaAs detector-amplifier array with an insulating AlGaAs spacing layer between the detector and transistor layers

Monolithic, high-speed planar, linear, parallel channel, ten-element GaAs detector-amplifier arrays with a 70- mu m detector center-to-center spacing have been fabricated using a GaAs-AlGaAs-GaAs epitaxial structure grown on semi-insulating GaAs. The AlGaAs layer provided excellent electrical isolation between the transistor and n-type photoconductor epitaxial layers. Rise and fall times of integrated detector-amplifier array channels of 650 ps and 1.1 ns, respectively, were measured at 0.84- mu m wavelength. The sensitivity of single, discrete, detector-amplifier channels was better than -34 dBm. >
Familial atrial fibrillation is a genetically heterogeneous disorder

Abstract Objectives The aims of this study were to identify and characterize familial cases of atrial fibrillation (AF) in our clinical practice and to determine whether AF is genetically heterogeneous. Background Atrial fibrillation is not generally regarded as a heritable disorder, yet a genetic locus for familial AF was previously mapped to chromosome 10. Methods Of 2,610 patients seen in our arrhythmia clinic during an 18-month study period, 914 (35%) were diagnosed with AF. Familial cases were identified by history and medical records review. Four multi-generation families with autosomal dominant AF (FAF 1 to 4) were tested for linkage to the chromosome 10 AF locus. Results Fifty probands (5% of all AF patients; 15% of lone AF patients) were identified with lone AF (age 41 ± 9 years) and a positive family history (1 to 9 additional relatives affected). In FAF 1 to 3, AF was associated with rapid ventricular response. In contrast, AF in FAF-4 was associated with a slow ventricular response and, with progression of the disease, junctional rhythm and cardiomyopathy. Genotyping of FAF 1 to 4 with deoxyribonucleic acid markers spanning the chromosome 10q22-q24 region excluded linkage of AF to this locus. In FAF-4, linkage was also excluded to the chromosome 3p22-p25 and lamin A/C loci associated with familial AF, conduction system disease, and dilated cardiomyopathy. Conclusions Familial AF is more common than previously recognized, highlighting the importance of genetics in disease pathogenesis. In four families with AF, we have excluded linkage to chromosome 10q22-q24, establishing that at least two disease genes are responsible for this disorder.
Determined to Succeed: Salient Factors That Foster Academic Success for Academically Unprepared Black Males at a Black College

Attrition for Black men is a serious problem in higher education. While researchers have explored factors of retention for Black men attending historically White institutions (HWIs), less research ...
Polymer diffusion at intermediate concentrations

Schlieren optics in conjunction with a modified Claesson cell allows free-diffusion experiments to be performed over a wide range of polymer concentrations. A data analysis procedure is presented for computation of the mutual diffusion coefficient using this technique. The dependence of the diffusion coefficient on concentration in polymer solutions is satisfactorily explained in terms of free volume, and a relation is proposed for correlating the mutual diffusion coefficient and zero-shear viscosity.
Some observations on the variation in height coefficients in prediction equations for forced vital capacity

Intercept and height coefficients in prediction equations for forced vital capacity (FVC) are highly correlated and highly variable, due in part to the small coefficient of variation of height (4%). This degree of imprecision and relationship was observed among the coefficients of a set of 26 unrelated published prediction equations, and appeared to dominate any systematic differences between them in methodology and technique. The findings indicate that care needs to be taken when using equations for predicting the FVC of people at the extremes of height. They also demonstrate the need for careful planning in the design of studies intended for the compilation of prediction equations, including provision for sufficient numbers of observations. Support is also given to the use of a composite formula based on the averaging of many individual prediction equations. The results are applicable to other similar and commonly used lung function equations (e.g. that for forced expiratory volume in 1 second, FEV1) that employ height as a predictor variable.
Distribution and Diversity of Archaeal and Bacterial Ammonia Oxidizers in Salt Marsh Sediments

Diversity and abundance of ammonia-oxidizing Betaproteobacteria (β-AOB) and archaea (AOA) were investigated in a New England salt marsh at sites dominated by short or tall Spartina alterniflora (SAS and SAT sites, respectively) or Spartina patens (SP site). AOA amoA gene richness was higher than β-AOB amoA richness at SAT and SP, but AOA and β-AOB richness were similar at SAS. β-AOB amoA clone libraries were composed exclusively of Nitrosospira-like amoA genes. AOA amoA genes at SAT and SP were equally distributed between the water column/sediment and soil/sediment clades, while AOA amoA sequences at SAS were primarily affiliated with the water column/sediment clade. At all three site types, AOA were always more abundant than β-AOB based on quantitative PCR of amoA genes. At some sites, we detected 109 AOA amoA gene copies g of sediment−1. Ratios of AOA to β-AOB varied over 2 orders of magnitude among sites and sampling dates. Nevertheless, abundances of AOA and β-AOB amoA genes were highly correlated. Abundance of 16S rRNA genes affiliated with Nitrosopumilus maritimus, Crenarchaeota group I.1b, and pSL12 were positively correlated with AOA amoA abundance, but ratios of amoA to 16S rRNA genes varied among sites. We also observed a significant effect of pH on AOA abundance and a significant salinity effect on both AOA and β-ΑΟΒ abundance. Our results expand the distribution of AOA to salt marshes, and the high numbers of AOA at some sites suggest that salt marsh sediments serve as an important habitat for AOA.
Both human ferredoxins equally efficiently rescue ferredoxin deficiency in Trypanosoma brucei.

Summary Ferredoxins are highly conserved proteins that func- tion universally as electron transporters. They not only require Fe-S clusters for their own activity, but are also involved in Fe-S formation itself. We identified two homologues of ferredoxin in the genome of the parasitic protist Trypanosoma brucei and named them TbFdxA and TbFdxB. TbFdxA protein, which is homologous to other eukaryotic mitochondrial ferre- doxins, is essential in both the procyclic (= insect- transmitted) and bloodstream (mammalian) stage, but is more abundant in the active mitochondrion of the former stage. Depletion of TbFdxA caused disruption of Fe-S cluster biogenesis and lowered the level of intracellular haem. However,TbFdxB, which is present exclusively within kinetoplastid flagellates, was non-essential for the procyclic stage, and double knock-down with TbFdxA showed this was not due to functional redundancy between the two homologues. Heterologous expressions of human orthologues HsFdx1 and HsFdx2 fully rescued the growth and Fe-S-dependent enzymatic activities of TbFdxA knock-down. In both cases, the genuine human import signals allowed efficient import into theT. brucei mito- chondrion. Given the huge evolutionary distance between trypanosomes and humans, ferredoxins clearly have ancestral and highly conserved function in eukaryotes and both human orthologues have retained the capacity to participate in Fe-S cluster assembly.
Shape Analysis and Spatio-Temporal Tracking of Mesoscale Eddies in Miami Isopycnic Coordinate Ocean Model

Detection and analysis of ocean surface phenomena have so far relied on manual analysis of long sequences of satellite images or images produced from the mathematical models. In this paper a technique for the three-dimensional shape analysis and spato-temporall tracking of mesoscale eddies from MICOM dataset is presented. Mesoscale eddies play a strong role in carrying heat poleward. The shape analysis of eddies provides a volumetric estimation which can be further used to determine the heat trapped in eddies. Eddies are detected and the region of swirling currents around the detected center is segmented. Segmented eddies are stacked to generate 3D visualization. A 3D skeleton is obtained with the centroids of all the layers in the segmented eddy and represented parametrically. Coefficients of the parametric representation are used for motion tracking of eddies.
Joining of nickel base superalloy single crystals

AbstractThe welding and weldability characteristics of single crystal nickel base superalloy PWA 1480 were investigated over a range of welding conditions and orientations using electron beam and laser welding processes. Using differential thermal analysis, the freezing range for this alloy was established and the formation of the γ/γ′ eutectic during the last stages of solidification was identified. Both electron beam and laser welds showed extensive fusion zone cracking, and the cracks were identified as solidification cracks, i.e. hot cracks. Crack free welds could be made over a very narrow range of welding conditions with preheat. Most of the microstructural features observed in the weld are similar to those previously observed in Fe–Ni–Cr alloy single crystal welds. The welds contain misoriented stray grains which playa critical role in the promotion of hot cracks in the welds. The origin of these grains is explained in terms of constitutional supercooling and the growth conditions. Detailed atom pr...
Biodiesel production: the potential of algal lipids extracted with supercritical carbon dioxide

Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) was used to extract components of interest from Scenedesmus dimorphus, a microalgae species, under varied algal harvesting and extraction conditions. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used to quantify the concentration of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) and the FAME profile of transesterified lipids, phospholipids and pigments extracted under varied supercritical temperatures and pressures. The scCO2 extraction results are compared with conventional solvent extraction to evaluate differences in the efficiency and nature of the extracted materials. Algae harvested by centrifugation (vs.lyophilization) demonstrated a similar extraction efficiency in scCO2, indicating potential energy benefits by avoiding conventional algal mass dehydration prior to extraction. Centrifuged algae and optimized extraction conditions (6000 psi; 100 °C) resulted in comparable FAME yields to conventional processes, as well as increased selectivity, reflected in the decreased pigment, nitrogen and phospholipid contamination of the FAME. Cell pre-treatments—sonication, microwave, bead beating and lyophilization—showed an enhancement in extraction yield in both conventional solvent and scCO2 extraction, allowing for improved extraction efficiencies. This study suggests that scCO2, a green solvent, shows great potential for algal lipid extraction for the sustainable production of biodiesel.
Pharmacokinetics of Vancomycin in Anuria

After a single 1-g intravenous dose of vancomycin, the mean peak concentration in the serum of 29 anephric patients was 48.3 micrograms/ml. An initial rapid decline to 15 micrograms/ml within 3-5 hr was followed by slow elimination, with 3.5 micrograms/ml present after 18 days. Intermittent dialysis had no appreciable effect on drug levels in serum. The biphasic decline in serum concentrations of vancomycin indicates at least two-compartment pharmacokinetics in both anephric and normal patients. In anephric patients the elimination half-life was 7.5 days and the elimination rate constant was 0.32; these values were 8 hr and 10.25, respectively, in normal patients. On the basis of these results, the vancomycin regimen recommended for anephric patients is an initial 1-g intravenous dose followed by 500 mg every eight days. With these dosages peak concentrations are 49 micrograms/ml (well below reported toxic levels) and trough concentrations are 7 micrograms/ml (well above the minimal inhibitory concentrations for susceptible pathogens causing shunt infections).
Application of Statistics in Establishing Diagnostic Certainty

The examination and assessment of injured and ill patients leads to the establishment of a diagnosis. However, the tests and procedures used in health care, including procedures performed by certif...
Proteomic Profiling of Hepatic Metastases: Paving the Way to Individualized Therapy

Cancer development, like most other human diseases, is the consequence of functional cellular alterations that drive to deregulation of tissue homeostasis. These modifications translate into stronger survival abilities and profound re-adjustments of the subtle balance between proliferative rates and regulated cell death programs. Moreover, further alterations in selected cell sub-clones allow specific cells not only to invade into the local surrounding tissue, but also to enter the systemic circulation – via lymphatic or blood vessels – and to establish new cancer colonies in a host organ. Because of the central role that the protein network plays in cellular function and in maintenance of normal cellular homeostasis, proteomics has become an intense focus of study in oncology today. In this context, technological approaches such as Reverse Phase Protein Microarray that utilize small input samples such as fine needle aspirants or tiny core biopsy samples, routinely used for analysis of metastatic lesions, could have a dramatic impact at the bedside as the gatekeeper for therapeutic selection for each patient. Several studies revealed discrepancies between pathway activation in the primary tumor and in the hepatic metastases, indicating an influence not only of the primary tumor but also of the host microenvironment in the development of metastases. These findings highlight the importance of metastatic lesion profile analysis and suggest its potential in selecting patients for therapy. The use of data derived not only from the primary tumor but also from tumors in secondary sites that ultimately drive the course of the disease is fundamental for clinical decision to increase therapeutic efficacy as well as in the development of new, more specific, compounds for the treatment of metastatic cancer.
Fermi-edge singularities and resonant magnetoexcitons in the optical spectra of GaAs/(Ga, AlAs) single quantum wells

A surge of interest in the study of a two-dimensional (2-D) electron gas in quantizing magnetic fields by optical methods has been motivated by attempts to develop spectroscopic probes of the quantum Hall effect (QHE).1-4 We have recently reported results in (In, Ga)As quantum wells3 in which the connection to the integer QHE was realized for a particular sample design in terms of its optical properties. This design calls for a one-sided modulation-doped quantum well in Which the Fermi level (EF) lies near a particular unoccupied conduction subband (typically n = 2).
Evaluation of USDA food programs.

USDA food assistance programs include the child nutrition programs, the Food Stamp Program, and the Food Distribution Programs. The objectives of these programs are to safeguard the health and well-being of the nation’s population and to raise the level of nutrition among children and low-income households generally. Judging from the standpoint of program participation, these programs must be considered relatively successful, as the author reports on their various ramifications.
The Sinicization of Brazil's Defense Industry

Latin American countries, including Brazil, have in the past two decades embarked on an aggressive defense diversification strategy, moving away from traditional defense suppliers such as the U.S. and Western Europe. China has become in a short period of time a major player in a number of Latin American markets, not only at the trade and investment levels, but increasingly at the defense level. This paper explores China- Latin America’s defense dynamic relationship, paying heed to Brazil’s recent China defense relations. China is increasingly using its trade and investment leverage with Brazil to unbalance Brazil’s defense choices.
The EPA – Policing or Protecting Polluters?

Before 1970, America's few environmental laws were hardly worth the trees sacrificed to write them, and no single agency was charged with their enforcement. Over the ensuing decade, this situation changed. Congress passed 27 major environmental laws, and President Nixon created a single federal agency – the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – whose sole mission was environmental protection. This dramatic government action was a direct response to widespread public concern and unrelenting, intrepid grassroots activism. Ignited by media coverage of several sensational environmental calamities and the obviously deteriorating condition of the country's land, air and water, public alarm was adeptly mobilized by a growing army of environmental activists schooled in the civil rights, women's liberation and anti-war movements. Groups such as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the Sierra Club channeled public concern into a powerful ecology movement that compelled politicians to elevate environmental protection to a front-burner issue for the first time in American history. The ecology movement insisted that the federal government must shoulder responsibility for defending the environment. Environmentalists argued that because pollution ignored state boundaries, and individual states lacked the resources and political will to confront powerful polluters, it was primarily Washington's job to police the polluters and set nationwide goals and standards for all states to follow. In addition, they believed that national standards would prevent a “race-to-the-bottom” between states hoping to attract business by offering the most lax environmental standards.
Comparison of baseline and post-concussion ImPACT test scores in young athletes with stimulant-treated and untreated ADHD.

ABSTRACTObjectives: Baseline and post-concussion neurocognitive testing is useful in managing concussed athletes. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and stimulant medications are recognized as potential modifiers of performance on neurocognitive testing by the Concussion in Sport Group. Our goal was to assess whether individuals with ADHD perform differently on post-concussion testing and if this difference is related to the use of stimulants.Methods: Retrospective case-control study in which 4373 athletes underwent baseline and post-concussion testing using the ImPACT battery. 277 athletes self-reported a history of ADHD, of which, 206 reported no stimulant treatment and 69 reported stimulant treatment. Each group was matched with participants reporting no history of ADHD or stimulant use on several biopsychosocial characteristics. Non-parametric tests were used to assess ImPACT composite score differences between groups.Results: Participants with ADHD had worse verbal memory, visual memory,...
Studying the Lysine Acetylation of Malate Dehydrogenase.

Protein acetylation plays important roles in many biological processes. Malate dehydrogenase (MDH), a key enzyme in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, has been identified to be acetylated in bacteria by proteomic studies, but no further characterization has been reported. One challenge for studying protein acetylation is to get purely acetylated proteins at specific positions. Here, we applied the genetic code expansion strategy to site-specifically incorporate Ne-acetyllysine into MDH. The acetylation of lysine residues in MDH could enhance its enzyme activity. The Escherichia coli deacetylase CobB could deacetylate acetylated MDH, while the E. coli acetyltransferase YfiQ cannot acetylate MDH efficiently. Our results also demonstrated that acetyl-CoA or acetyl-phosphate could acetylate MDH chemically in vitro. Furthermore, the acetylation level of MDH was shown to be affected by carbon sources in the growth medium.
Do Mothers Interact Differently with Children Who Are Visually Impaired

This study compared the interaction behaviors of mothers of young children with visual impairments to those of mothers of mildly delayed children with normal sight in a free-play setting using vide...
Diversity and Inclusion in the Academic Medicine Workforce: Encouraging Medical Students and Residents to Consider Academic Careers

Introduction The expansion of medical schools and increased faculty attrition call for heightened efforts to encourage medical students and residents to consider academic careers. As diversity serv...
Ceramide-Protein Interactions Modulate Ceramide-Associated Lipotoxic Cardiomyopathy

Lipotoxic cardiomyopathy (LCM) is characterized by abnormal myocardial accumulation of lipids, including ceramide; however, the contribution of ceramide to the etiology of LCM is unclear. Here, we investigated the association of ceramide metabolism and ceramide-interacting proteins (CIPs) in LCM in the Drosophila heart model. We find that ceramide feeding or ceramide-elevating genetic manipulations are strongly associated with cardiac dilation and defects in contractility. High ceramide-associated LCM is prevented by inhibiting ceramide synthesis, establishing a robust model of direct ceramide-associated LCM, corroborating previous indirect evidence in mammals. We identified several CIPs from mouse heart and Drosophila extracts, including caspase activator Annexin-X, myosin chaperone Unc-45, and lipogenic enzyme FASN1, and remarkably, their cardiac-specific manipulation can prevent LCM. Collectively, these data suggest that high ceramide-associated lipotoxicity is mediated, in part, through altering caspase activation, sarcomeric maintenance, and lipogenesis, thus providing evidence for conserved mechanisms in LCM pathogenesis in mammals.
Prüfer-like conditions on the set of overrings of an integral domain

This paper considers ten conditions on the set of overrings of an integral domain D with identity. Each of these conditions is satisfied if D is a Prufer domain. Relations among the conditions are discussed, and several related questions are mentioned.
Chronic insomnia and activity of the stress system: A preliminary study

The aim of this study was to assess whether there is an association between chronic insomnia and the activity of the stress system. Fifteen young adult insomniacs (<40 years) were studied. After an adaptation night, each subject was recorded in the sleep laboratory for three consecutive nights. During this period, 24-hour urine specimens were collected for measurements of urinary free cortisol (UFC), catecholamines, and growth hormone (GH). The 24-hour UFC levels were positively correlated with total wake time (p=0.05). In addition, 24-hour urinary levels of catecholamine metabolites, DHPG, and DOPAC were positively correlated with percent stage 1 sleep (p<0.05) and wake time after sleep onset (WTASO) (p<0.05). Norepinephrine tended to correlate positively with percent stage 1 sleep (p=0.063) and WTASO (p=0.074), and negatively with percent slow-wave sleep (p=0.059). Twenty-four-hour urinary GH excretion was detectable in only three insomniacs, two of whom had low indices of sleep disturbance. We conclude that, in chronic insomnia, the activity of both limbs of the stress system (i.e., the HPA axis and the sympathetic system) relates positively to the degree of objective sleep disturbance.
Constitutionalism as Discipline: Benegal Shiva Rao and the Forgotten Histories of the Indian Constitution

ABSTRACTIronically, despite being acclaimed as one of the foremost biographers of the Indian Constitution, little is known about Benegal Shiva Rao (1891–1975) or his ideas about constitutionalism. By delving into Rao's published writings and his incomplete, unpublished autobiography, this essay reconstructs his idea of constitutionalism as one that primarily sought to discipline politics. However, I argue that such a view also leads to erasing the accounts of political conflict that comprise the history of the Indian Constitution. By analytically bringing together this curious triadic relationship between politics, constitutionalism and history, this essay explores how an isolated focus on constitutionalism leads to troubling historical amnesia.
Pilot data supporting an attachment-based theory of adolescent social media use.

Background Adolescents have virtually universal access to social media. Despite ample research linking attachment to social functioning in youth, neither this empirical research nor related theory has been extended to the virtual social context. The broad aim of this study was to test an attachment-based model of social media use in adolescents in order to address a gap in the literature during this developmental stage and examine attachment and the related process of mentalizing as correlates of online behavior. Method Online social comparison/feedback-seeking was selected as an outcome variable due to its known negative effects on adolescents. Analyses were conducted in a sample of 68 adolescents ranging in age from 15 to 18. Results No evidence of a main effect of parent-child attachment on social comparison/feedback-seeking was found, but a significant mediational effect indicated that more insecure parent-child attachment is linked with hypermentalizing errors (i.e., overinterpretation of others' mental states) and that such errors explain increased social comparison/feedback-seeking. Conclusions The current study confirmed previously documented relations between parent-child attachment and hypermentalization as well as research demonstrating that parent-child attachment acts on an adolescent's social world - in this case their virtual social world - through anomalous mentalization.
Emergency department visits for electric scooter-related injuries after introduction of an urban rental program.

Abstract Background Providers in Salt Lake City emergency departments (EDs) anecdotally noted a significant number of electronic scooter (e-scooter)-related injuries since the launch of e-scooter rentals in the downtown area in June 2018. The aim of this study was to quantify and characterize these injuries. Methods We reviewed the electronic medical records of the University of Utah ED and the Salt Lake Regional Medical Center ED. Using a broad keyword search for “scooter,” we examined all notes for ED visits between June 15–November 15, 2017, and June 15–November 15, 2018, and identified e-scooter related injuries. The 2017 data pre-dated the launch of the e-scooter share programs in Salt Lake City and served as a control period. Results We noted 8 scooter-related injuries in 2017 and 50 in 2018. Injury types from the 2018 period included: major head injury (8%); major musculoskeletal injury (36%); minor head injury (12%); minor musculoskeletal injury (34%); and superficial soft tissue injury (40%). 24% of patients presented via ambulance and 6% presented as a trauma activation. 16% of patients required hospital admission and 14% had an injury requiring operative repair. 16% reported alcohol intoxication and none of the patients reported wearing a helmet at the time of the injury. Conclusion Since the launch of e-scooter share programs in Salt Lake City, we have seen a substantial increase in e-scooter related trauma in our EDs. Of particular note is the number of patients with major head injuries and major musculoskeletal injuries.
Integrating social and environmental justice into the chemistry classroom: a chemist’s toolbox

Although the chemical enterprise has provided numerous contributions to humanity, unintended consequences contribute to a disproportionate exposure of hazardous chemicals to certain populations bas...
Focusing through Random Media: Eigenchannel Participation Number and Intensity Correlation

Random matrix calculations confirmed by microwave measurements give the intensity profile for maximally focused radiation transmitted though a random medium in terms of the transmission eigenvalue participation number and the degree of intensity correlation.
Curriculum Development and Review in Sports Academy Setting: Proposing Models and Methodologies

In recent years, the curriculum has become a widely appealing construct within the global discourses of quality assessment and continual improvement. However, the literature in this field reveals a lack of clarity and consensus regarding its meaning and other technical issues related to its development and review, particularly in the sports academy setting. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of current knowledge in this area through broadly exploring a range of dimensions underpinning the concept of curriculum, including its definitions, elements, processes, and the resultant pedagogical implications. Besides, this review article proposes a model to facilitate the development and review of the curriculum in Ethiopian sports academy programs and provides designers, youth coaches, and administrators with a practical approach for designing and implementing the curriculum. This proposed model seeks to support the Ethiopian sports academies in systematically developing and reviewing curriculum, and using that assessment data to trigger further improvement of the program. Moreover, a systemic view of sports academy is suggested to create broader insights about key ingredients of quality, and identify issues that impinge on curriculum decision-making. The article concludes by summarizing the results of the analyses and offering implications for practices.
Discussion: Phenylalanine hydroxylase in human kidney; relevance to Phenylketonuria.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the comparison of human liver and kidney levels and highlights the attempts to differentiate between the two enzymes. Human phenylalanine hydroxylase is extremely labile, and tissues obtained under normal autopsy conditions retain very little, if any, phenylalanine hydroxylase activity. Therefore, levels of activity that have been measured in human kidney and liver are from biopsies from diseased organs taken at open surgery. In these cases, there appears to be no effect of the disease on the phenylalanine hydroxylase activity. Moreover, in one of the experiments described in the chapter, phenylalanine hydroxylase levels were measured in 15 surgically removed human kidneys. Kidneys were generally put straight onto ice, and extraction of the enzyme was begun within 20 minutes of removal. Activity is only present in the cortex of the kidney. There appears to be no correlation between the disease and the phenylalanine hydroxylase activity. Therefore, it is assumed that the disease does not affect the phenylalanine hydroxylase level and that these values represent normal levels. Additionally, in an attempt to determine if mammalian kidney enzyme is the same or different from that of the liver, the physical, catalytic, and immunological properties of the kidney enzyme were compared with the properties of the enzyme from liver.
What Factors Affect Patient Perceptions on Their Hospital Experience

Patient experience has been one of many significant drivers in determining hospitals' performance. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate the factors that impacted patients' likelihood to give top ratings for the overall hospital experience. Large hospitals with a lower percentage of Medicare/Medicaid patients and existing electronic health record system were more likely to receive top ratings. White, female patients with lower education levels were more likely to give top ratings for all quality domains (nurse, doctor, staff, and environment). All quality domains had positive impacts on patient experience, with the nursing domain being the most influential factor.
Capacity Prioritization Initiative Reduced the Wait Time for Port Placement and Facilitated Increased Volume of Port Placements at a Large County Health System.

Abstract Description of the problem Wait time from request to placement of ports in interventional radiology had increased from 14 to 27 days over a 4-month period. The goal of this project was to reduce the wait time by 15% within 4 months while accommodating additional volume. Instituional approach to address problem Capacity analysis revealed 2 bottlenecks: (1) inadequate provider capacity for preprocedural visits in interventional radiology clinic and (2) inadequate number of spots for port placement in the angiography schedule. The intervention consisted of: (1) 2 reserved slots in the attending physician's morning clinic schedule and (2) 3 daily guaranteed spots for port placement in the angiography suite. Both changes were integrated into the electronic medical record scheduling system. Description of outcomes After the intervention, per biweekly period, the number of port requests increased by 17% (Preintervention: 16.6 ± 3.1, Postintervention: 20.1 ± 4.1, P = 0.03), the number of completed clinic visits increased by 19% (Preintervention: 16.7 ± 5.1, Postintervention: 20.5 ± 3.6, P = 0.05), and the number of port placements increased by 19% (Preintervention: 16.9 ± 3.9, Postintervention: 21.0 ± 3.5, P = 0.02). The average wait time from request to placement decreased by 22% (Preintervention: 22.2 ± 4.4 days, Postintervention: 18.3 ± 3.4 days, P = 0.03), driven by a 49% decrease in wait time between request and clinic visit (Preintervention: 11.0 ± 2.3 days, Postintervention: 7.4 ± 1.0 days, P = 0.03). Conclusions Prioritization of clinic and angiography suite capacity, integrated into the electronic scheduling system, significantly reduced the wait time for port placement, even with significant increases in the volume of port requests.
Christian Parties: European

Christian (confessional or Christian Democratic parties) have, together with Social Democratic parties, dominated European politics. Yet, Christian Democracy remains as misunderstood as it is genuinely puzzling. Its distinctiveness has been routinely denied: it is either confused with Catholicism and the Catholic Church, or with conservatism and conservative parties. Its prewar past has been all but forgotten in light of its postwar success. How is it that the most secular part of the world is governed by parties that call themselves Christian? Where did these parties come from? What is the relationship between religious mobilization and democratic consolidation? How did these parties shape their social and political environment? The formation and evolution of Christian parties in Europe is surveyed; it is demonstrated that these parties were products of a particular environment which they also shaped decisively; finally, the challenges these parties presently face are analyzed.
Comment on ‘Assessing ExxonMobil’s climate change communications (1977–2014)’ Supran and Oreskes (2017 Environ. Res. Lett. 12 084019)

Supran and Oreskes (Environ. Res. Lett. 12 084019) employ a textual content analysis and comparison of 187 climate change communications from ExxonMobil (and its predecessor companies) to determine whether a discrepancy exists between published opinion pieces ('advertorials') and internal technical documents. Based on their analysis, the authors conclude that the company (ExxonMobil) misled the public. That conclusion is premised on at least two methodological flaws. First, the authors largely compared data from two different companies who were direct competitors to determine whether there was a discrepancy between them. Ignoring that before 1999 Exxon Corporation and Mobil Oil Corporation were two separate companies, the authors compare the internal documents of one company to the public statements of another in an effort to find discrepancies in the messages conveyed. Second, the publication assessed only a small subset of available advertorials. The authors note that 'the company [Mobil] took out an advertorial every Thursday between 1972 and 2001' or approximately 1560 times. Yet they chose to review only the 36 advertorials (or less than 3%) that were selected by another entity, Greenpeace, which has a well-documented history of animosity toward ExxonMobil. The authors' reliance on limited data sets and their comparison of two unlike data sets call into question the publication's conclusions.
Abstract 16667: Computed Tomography-Based Pulmonary Vascular Tortuosity as a Marker in Resting and Exercise Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Introduction: Increased vascular tortuosity has been proposed as a marker of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). In this analysis, we compared arterial and venous vascular tortuosity between con...
A Necessary Evil: Paradox II and Semi-Solution I

This chapter, entitled “A Necessary Evil: Paradox II and Semi-Solution I,” focuses on the difficulties the Framers faced when they turned from establishing to running the government. Very early in American history public officials recognized how difficult it would be to govern in the Madisonian system. As a result, they looked to parties for assistance, an institution largely ignored in the Constitution and much-maligned throughout early American history. This chapter explores the duality of the Framers views regarding political parties, beginning with the second great paradox of our Constitution: While those who framed the government were openly critical of parties, very shortly after the birth of the republic these same individuals realized the institution was essential to its existence. In addition, the chapter addresses the fact that as critical as they were (and are), parties are not a panacea. This is why they are labeled a semi- or partial solution to the challenge of Madisonian government.
Dynamic In Situ Nonlinear Inelastic Response of a Deep Medium Dense Sand Deposit

AbstractThis study presents the use of controlled blasting for the determination of the in situ dynamic response of a sand deposit at a depth of 25 m under effective overburden stresses of approxim...
SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern Substitutions Alter Spike Glycoprotein Receptor Binding Domain Structure and Stability

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the subsequent COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the world not just with disease and death but also economic turmoil. The rapid development and deployment of extremely effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 has made the end of the pandemic a reality within reach. However, as the virus spreads it has acquired mutations; and thus, variants of concern have emerged that are more infectious and reduce the efficacy of existing vaccines. While promising efforts are underway to combat these variants, the evolutionary pressures leading to these variants are poorly understood. To that end, here we have studied the effects of three amino-acid substitutions on the structure and function of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein receptor-binding domain found in several variants of concern such as B.1.1.7, B.1.351 and P.1 that are now circulating. We found that these substitutions alter the RBD structure and stability, as well as its ability to bind to ACE2, which may have opposing and compensatory effects. These findings provide new insights into how these Variants of Concern (VOC) may have been selected to optimize infectivity while maintaining the structure and stability of the receptor binding domain.