cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human cytomegalovirus stimulates the synthesis of select Akt-dependent antiapoptotic proteins during viral entry to promote survival of infected monocytes

UNLABELLED Primary peripheral blood monocytes are responsible for the hematogenous dissemination of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) following a primary infection. To facilitate viral spread, we have previously shown HCMV to extend the short 48-h life span of monocytes. Mechanistically, HCMV upregulated two specific cellular antiapoptotic proteins, myeloid leukemia sequence 1 (Mcl-1) and heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), to block the two proteolytic cleavages necessary for the formation of fully active caspase 3 and the subsequent initiation of apoptosis. We now show that HCMV more robustly upregulated Mcl-1 than normal myeloid growth factors and that Mcl-1 was the only myeloid survival factor to rapidly induce HSP27 prior to the 48-h cell fate checkpoint. We determined that HCMV glycoproteins gB and gH signal through the cellular epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and αvβ3 integrin, respectively, during viral entry in order to drive the increase of Mcl-1 and HSP27 in an Akt-dependent manner. Although Akt is known to regulate protein stability and transcription, we found that gB- and gH-initiated signaling preferentially and cooperatively stimulated the synthesis of Mcl-1 and HSP27 through mTOR-mediated translation. Overall, these data suggest that the unique signaling network generated during the viral entry process stimulates the upregulation of select antiapoptotic proteins allowing for the differentiation of short-lived monocytes into long-lived macrophages, a key step in the viral dissemination strategy. IMPORTANCE Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is endemic within the human population. Although primary infection is generally asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, HCMV is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the immunocompromised. The multiorgan inflammatory diseases associated with symptomatic HCMV infection are a direct consequence of the monocyte-mediated systemic spread of the virus. In order for peripheral blood monocytes to facilitate viral dissemination, HCMV subverts the short 48-h life span of monocytes by inducing the expression of cellular antiapoptotic proteins Mcl-1 and HSP27. Here, we demonstrate that the rapid and simultaneous upregulation of Mcl-1 and HSP27 is a distinctive feature of HCMV-induced monocyte survival. Moreover, we decipher the signaling pathways activated during viral entry needed for the robust synthesis of Mcl-1 and HSP27. Identifying the virus-specific mechanisms used to upregulate select cellular factors required for the survival of HCMV-infected monocytes is important to the development of new classes of anti-HCMV drugs.
Influence of chloride ions on the toxicity of cadmium to fungi

Summary The toxicity of cadmium (Cd) to fungi decreased as the concentration of chloride (Cl − ) or of seawater was increased, indicating the lower toxicity of Cd-Cl complexes than of Cd 2+ . As chlorinity affects the speciation of Cd and its toxicity, the toxicity of Cd can be expected to differ in freshwaters, estuaries, and seawaters. Thus, abiotic factors, such as chlorinity, must be considered when establishing water quality criteria and standards for Cd.
Epistemology and the Financial Crisis

Reputable contemporary economic theory assumes that agents are endowed with a fully predetermined model that is baked into the foundation of the world, existing before people come to carry out its destiny. In this narrative, agents are either rational or, if they cannot correctly perform the calculations to optimize their preferences, they must be irrational. In the grip of this analytical vise, the neoclassical model permits two explanations for the financial crisis: poor incentives or the mania of crowds. Neither of these explanations holds up in light of the evidence. But if we accept that bankers, investors, regulators, and ratings agencies lacked a fully predetermined model, we can arrive at a more nuanced understanding of how financial institutions ended up in such bedlam, why credit markets collapsed, and why they took so long to recover.
Haptics in the United States before 1940

In the United States, the history of research in the skin senses begins not in a research laboratory but in an asylum. It was only in the late 19th century that research universities based on the German model were established and departments of psychology emerged.
Sintering Simplified: Surface Area, Density, and Grain Size Relations

Sintering involves several interactions as particles bond and enable microstructure evolution toward a minimized energy condition, resulting in a complex interplay of measurement parameters. Overriding the evolution is energy minimization, and from that perspective some simple relations emerge. The natural progression is determined by energy reduction, measured by surface area, density, and grain boundary area (grain size). Contrary to the usual sintering analysis that starts with atomic level mass transport mechanisms, presented here is an approach that links to global energy reduction during sintering to simple monitors. Initially sintering converts surface area into lower energy grain boundary area. Subsequently grain growth annihilates grain boundary area. Thus, grain boundary area peaks at intermediate sintered densities, while surface area continuously declines. The trajectory follows a straightforward dependence on density as illustrated using data for a wide variety of materials and consolidation conditions.
Professional: Practice: How to Handle Blood & Body Fluid Spills

(1994). Professional: Practice: How to Handle Blood & Body Fluid Spills. Strategies: Vol. 7, No. 7, pp. 23-25.
Microstructure of Ultrasonic Plasma Sprayed WC/Co Coating on Aluminum Alloy

Ultrasonic plasma spray was used to produce WC/Co coating.Scanning electron microscopy,X-ray diffractometer and microhardness tester were used to characterize the microstructure and hardness of the coating.Results show that coating consists of polygonal WC hard phase distributed in the Co matrix,and decomposition of WC was not found.Besides,in the interfacial area between coating and substrate spray particles embedding in the Al alloy substrate was observed.Compared with the Al alloy substrate,hardness of the plasma sprayed coating improved significantly to 876HV0.2.
DOPPLER ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY INACCURATELY ESTIMATES RIGHT VENTRICULAR PRESSURE IN CHILDREN WITH ELEVATED RIGHT HEART PRESSURE

Doppler echocardiography (DE) is widely used as a surrogate for right heart catheterization (RHC), the gold standard, to assess and monitor elevated right heart pressure in children. However, its accuracy has not been validated in children. Simultaneous pressure gradients between right ventricle
Characteristic methods in thick diffusive problems

The performance of characteristic methods (CMs) on problems that contain optically thick diffusive regions is analyzed and tested. The asymptotic analysis holds for moment-based characteristics met...
Axon Maintenance and Degeneration

This chapter discusses molecular and cellular processes related to axon maintenance and axon degeneration. It begins with a brief overview of axonal transport, followed by a summary of the functions of microtubules and their organizations, motor proteins, mitochondria and membrane transport in maintaining the axonal structures and connections. It also considers the roles of proteosome and autophagy pathways, and of glial cells in axon maintenance. It then describes current understandings of the developmentally regulated axon pruning, as well as both acute and slow-evolving axon degeneration processes. Finally, it discusses molecular pathways that interfere with axonal degeneration.
Techniques for ocular biometric recognition under non-ideal conditions

The use of the ocular region as a biometric cue has gained considerable traction due to recent advances in automated iris recognition. However, a multitude of factors can negatively impact ocular recognition performance under unconstrained conditions (e.g., non-uniform illumination, occlusions, motion blur, image resolution, etc.). This dissertation develops techniques to perform iris and ocular recognition under challenging conditions. The first contribution is an image-level fusion scheme to improve iris recognition performance in low-resolution videos. Information fusion is facilitated by the use of Principal Components Transform (PCT), thereby requiring modest computational efforts. The proposed approach provides improved recognition accuracy when low-resolution iris images are compared against high-resolution iris images. The second contribution is a study demonstrating the effectiveness of the ocular region in improving face recognition under plastic surgery. A score-level fusion approach that combines information from the face and ocular regions is proposed. The proposed approach, unlike other previous methods in this application, is not learning-based, and has modest computational requirements while resulting in better recognition performance. The third contribution is a study on matching ocular regions extracted from RGB face images against that of near-infrared iris images. Face and iris images are typically acquired using sensors operating in visible and near-infrared wavelengths of light, respectively. To this end, a sparse representation approach which generates a joint dictionary from corresponding pairs of face and iris images is designed. The proposed joint dictionary approach is observed to outperform classical ocular recognition techniques. In summary, the techniques presented in this dissertation can be used to improve iris and ocular recognition in practical, unconstrained environments.
Higher order sliding mode based control scheme for air path of diesel engine

This paper proposes a Higher Order Sliding Mode (HOSM) based control algorithm for air intake circuit of diesel engine. The current diesel engine is a complex system that has mechanisms like Variable Geometry Turbo charger (VGT), Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) to limit the amount of exhaust emissions. Since both VGT and EGR flows are driven by the exhaust gases, there is a strong coupling between them. A nonlinear reduced order model is used for coordinated control development for VGT and EGR actuators. The proposed scheme uses Supertwisting algorithm which ensures robustness against the modeling errors and parameteric uncertainities and at the same time reducing the high frequency chattering. Simulation results have been shown on a validated full order diesel engine model to illustrate the efficacy of the scheme.
Peri-Implantitis Associated With a Pre-Existing Pathology

This case report presents a treatment of peri-implantitis associated with a pre-existing pathology. Peri-implantitis around implant #19 was detected from pus discharge upon probing. Guided bone regeneration was performed to treat the peri-implantitis with the administration of antibiotics. The histopathologic evaluation of soft tissue taken from the circumferential defect around the implant exhibited a cyst. The postsurgical CBCT and the follow-up radiograph confirmed the maturing bone graft and a reduced size of the defect around the implant.
Repeatability of a terminal restriction fragment telomere length assay on red drum fin tissue

Telomere length measurements are becoming increasingly popular in biology as a non-lethal tool for estimating organisms’ biological conditions. One particularly appealing application of telomere length measurements for conservation biologists is genetic age estimation. Most age estimation methods require animals to be sacrificed followed by the dissection and sectioning of calcified structures. Because telomeres degrade over time, telomere lengths may provide non-lethal and minimally invasive tool for estimating age. Furthermore, telomere length may also be useful for predicting longevity and fitness. Traditionally, telomere lengths have been measured using terminal restriction fragment (TRF) methodology; however, there is no one standard laboratory procedure to estimate the size of these fragments, and few studies supply repeatability data for the respective methods. While TRF telomere length assays are applicable to all organisms with known telomere repeat motif sequences, inconsistencies in TRF methodology include template DNA treatment, restriction enzymes used, gel electrophoresis methods, and probe/detection methods. Here we present a study documenting repeatability data for a specific laboratory procedure for estimating telomere length using two common restriction enzymes, denaturing pulsed field gel electrophoresis, and a chemiluminescent detection system for three replicates of 16 individual red drum collected in South Carolina. The data were analyzed following traditional methods using an average across the entire TRF distribution, which represents all TRF lengths found in the sample; and following non-traditional methods, where only a subsample of the TRF distributions are analyzed. Our results demonstrate a strong correlation among average TRF lengths between replicates while analyzing the entire TRF distribution; however, our results show a decreasing trend of consistency between replicates as smaller portions of the TRF distribution were analyzed. These results suggest our method provides a repeatable estimate of average TRF length in a sample, and we urge that caution should be exercised when subsampling TRF distributions for telomere length analysis. Repeatability data not only validate the assay producing the data, but also may allow researchers to develop standard optimal criteria to balance cost and extent of their study design.
STUDENTS VS. LANGUAGE: CHALLENGES FACED BY THE UNDERGRADUATES OFFERING ENGLISH MEDIUM INSTRUCTION IN SRI LANKA

This study verifies the challenges faced by the undergraduate students who offer English Medium Instruction (EMI) whose mother tongue is other than English where the English language is taught as second language. After the independence, Sri Lanka continued with the same system to its educational sector until the late 1950’s in the school level. But in the tertiary level, the natural science based subjects continued to confine to the English Medium Instruction. This trend has been expanded to other field of studies in the tertiary level such as social sciences and humanities. Currently, as in the case of other countries – especially the Asian countries, Sri Lanka also switched to EMI not only in the tertiary level but also in the secondary level of education as well. Concerning the tertiary level of education, a higher level of language proficiency is expected for a successful academic study in the EMI where this would be a platform for the language development. This study was conducted among a group of weaker students in English language skills those who failed in the General English courses in the first year of study in their under graduation who are at present in their second year of study. This study reveals that more than 70% of the students would like to switch on again to have their course of study to L1 though they realize the importance of the English language. Keywords: English Medium Instruction, Proficiency, Language Learning, Tertiary Level, Language Development.
Building a Winning Team

Like any new business venture, IoT domain also requires you to bring together an awesomely talented high performing team to be successful and win decisively. As we have discussed several times in this book, there are disruptive and transformative elements of IoT. So the criticality of having the right team is as critical as having the right offerings, platform, and business model. In this chapter, we shall discuss the human aspects of building a winning IoT business. While each IoT initiative is different, there are some common elements and best practices that you can benefit from. You will find some similar concepts and descriptions in Chap. 5 of our book “Making Big Data Work for Your Business”.
Transport-Relevant Protein Conformational Dynamics and Water Dynamics on Multiple Time Scales in an Archetypal Proton Channel: Insights from Solid-State NMR

The influenza M2 protein forms a tetrameric proton channel that conducts protons from the acidic endosome into the virion by shuttling protons between water and a transmembrane histidine. Previous NMR studies have shown that this histidine protonates and deprotonates on the microsecond time scale. However, M2’s proton conduction rate is 10–1000 s–1, more than 2 orders of magnitude slower than the histidine-water proton-exchange rate. M2 is also known to be conformationally plastic. To address the disparity between the functional time scale and the time scales of protein conformational dynamics and water dynamics, we have now investigated a W41F mutant of the M2 transmembrane domain using solid-state NMR. 13C chemical shifts of the membrane-bound peptide indicate the presence of two distinct tetramer conformations, whose concentrations depend exclusively on pH and hence the charge-state distribution of the tetramers. High-temperature 2D correlation spectra indicate that these two conformations interconvert...
Quantum Dynamics of H 2 Trapped within Organic Clathrate Cages

The rotational and translational dynamics of molecular hydrogen trapped within $\ensuremath{\beta}$-hydroquinone clathrate (${\mathrm{H}}_{2}@\ensuremath{\beta}$-HQ)---a practical example of a quantum particle trapped within an anisotropic confining potential---were investigated using inelastic neutron scattering and Raman spectroscopy. High-resolution vibrational spectra, including those collected from the VISION spectrometer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, indicate relatively strong attractive interaction between guest and host with a strikingly large splitting of rotational energy levels compared with similar guest-host systems. Unlike related molecular systems in which confined ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ exhibits nearly free rotation, the behavior of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}@\ensuremath{\beta}$-HQ is explained using a two-dimensional (2D) hindered rotor model with barrier height more than 2 times the rotational constant ($\ensuremath{-}16.2\text{ }\mathrm{meV}$).
Comparative Effects of Nω-Nitro-L-Arginine, Nω-Nitro-L-Arginine Methyl Ester, and Nω-Nitro-L-Arginine Benzyl Ester on Vasodilator Responses to Acetylcholine and Substance P

Recent evidence suggests that the endothelium-derived relaxing factor first described by Furchgott and Zawadski (1980) is nitric oxide or a labile nitroso derivative. Nitric oxide is formed from L-arginine in cultured endothelial cells, and NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) was the first L-arginine analog shown to inhibit nitric oxide formation (Moncada et al., 1989). Since the discovery that L-NMMA inhibits nitric oxide synthase, a number of L-arginine analogs that block nitric oxide release have been developed (Ishii et al., 1990; Moore et al., 1990). The use of these compounds has provided important information on the role of nitric oxide in the regulation of cardiovascular function in in vivo experiments (Bellan et al., 1991;1993; McMahon et al, 1991; McMahon and Kadowitz, 1992,1993). Experiments with nitric oxide synthase inhibitors, including Nω-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA) and Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), have provided evidence that nitric oxide is involved in maintaining the pulmonary and peripheral vascular bed in a dilated state and in mediating vasodilator responses to acetylcholine, bradykinin, substance P, and other nitric oxide releasing agents (Bellan et al., 1991,1993; McMahon et al., 1991; McMahon and Kadowitz, 1993). However, recent studies have shown that L-NAME and other alkyl esters of L-NA are muscarinic receptor antagonists and suggest that these compounds are poor choices as nitric oxide synthase inhibitors in studies in which muscarinic receptors are not blocked (Buxton et al., 1992). Although L-NAME has been reported to inhibit responses to acetylcholine, bradykinin, and substance P in the pulmonary vascular bed of the cat, other studies show that L-NAME does not inhibit responses to endothelium-dependent vasodilator agents (Lippton et al., 1992).
"What Is 'Enough,' and How Do I Make It?": A Qualitative Examination of Questions Mothers Ask on Social Media About Pumping and Providing an Adequate Amount of Milk for Their Infants.

Abstract Background: Mothers commonly cite an inadequate milk “supply” as a reason for stopping human milk feeding. Further, pumping may affect mothers' understanding of their milk production. We a...
Improving nonattendance rates among pediatric patients with Medicaid or private insurance

Background Access to dermatologists is low among Medicaid-insured patients. Higher clinic nonattendance among Medicaid-insured patients might affect provider decisions to accept these patients. Objective To determine the effect of different scheduling policies on the attendance among children seen at a pediatric dermatology clinic. Methods In this retrospective review, we compared nonattendance among children for 3 different scheduling policies implemented over 3 consecutive years. The scheduling policies used were a first-available open scheduling policy, a 2-week in advance scheduling policy, and a 4-week in advance scheduling policy. Subset analyses were performed by clinic location and insurance type. Results The interval between scheduling and appointment date was directly related to nonattendance rates; rates were higher for Medicaid-insured than privately insured patients. Open scheduling was associated with a 37% nonattendance rate for Medicaid-insured patients and 18% nonattendance rate for privately insured patients. A 4-week in advance scheduling policy significantly decreased the nonattendance rate to 19% among Medicaid-insured and 7% among privately insured patients. A 2-week in advance policy further decreased the nonattendance rate to 11% among Medicaid-insured patients and 4% among privately insured patients. Limitations This is a retrospective study, and same-day cancellations were not tracked. Conclusion Decreasing the time interval between scheduling and appointment dates can significantly decrease nonattendance. This strategy might help dermatologists incorporate more Medicaid-insured patients into their practices.
Abstract TP153: Cognitive Profile in Patients With Hemodynamic Failure Due to Severe Carotid Stenosis

Background: Severe carotid stenosis can reduce cognition due to hypoperfusion. Published cognitive profiles for vascular disease are variable, however, precluding identification of hemodynamic fail...
Great Expectations but Politics as Usual: The Rise and Fall of a State-Level Teacher Evaluation Initiative.

Using frameworks from the policy implementation literature and a qualitative methodology, this study examines the political rise and fall of the Louisiana Teacher Evaluation Program (LATEP). As the centerpiece of reform efforts, LATEP highlights the political difficulties amd complexities associated with attempts to implement a standardized evaluation program at the state level. Study data suggest that the political problems encountered by LATEP arose from two distinct, yet related sources: from competing program theories, that is, disagreements among stakeholders regarding the purposes and substance of the evaluation program; and from competing implementation theories, disagreements and confusion among stakeholders as to how the program should be implemented. The failure of LATEP underscores the potential pitfalls associated with attempts to implement an excessively prescribed evaluation program on such a large scale.
Common genetic variants have associations with human cortical brain regions and risk of schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a highly heritable mental disorder and is reported to be associated with measurements in cortical regions of the human brain. In this study, we considered genome-wide association studies to uncover genetic effects on cortical regions and prodromal symptoms of schizophrenia. Specifically, area, thickness, and volume of 66 cortical regions derived from magnetic resonance imaging scans of 1,445 children and adolescents from the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort were studied. Two common variants were identified as being associated with two prefrontal cortical regions (one significant variant rs11601331 on chromosome 11p11 for right rostral middle frontal gyral area, p = 1.97 × 10 -8 ; one suggestive variant rs2345981 on chromosome 6q11 for left frontal pole gyral volume, p = 2.07 × 10 -7 ), where the significance of rs11601331 was independently replicated on the Pediatric Imaging, Neurocognition, and Genetics study of size 1,239 (p = 9.19 × 10 -3 ). Moreover, genetic effects on schizophrenia were investigated based on a sample of 8,719 subjects. The two identified variants rs11601331 and rs2345981 showed significant association with the longest prodromal symptoms duration (p = 0.048 and p = 0.027, respectively).
Infrastructure vs. Multi-Hop D2D Networks: Availability and Performance Analysis

With the increasing number of wireless networks available, and mobile devices with access to the Internet, it is essential to obtain the best connection, whether this is a direct path through Wi-Fi or cellular or an indirect path via one or multiple peer to peer devices. As an example, multi-hop ad hoc networks are essential in areas where infrastructure networks are unavailable or sparsely available due to natural disasters such as earthquakes, or in conflict or war zone areas. In this paper, we present and analyze the accessibility of WiFi and cellular networks in Rochester, NY, and compare the performance in terms of the upload and download speeds of direct Wi-Fi and cellular connections with 1-hop, 2-hop and a 3hop ad hoc networks based on Wi-Fi Direct. Experimental results show that although Wi-Fi access points are widely available, in more than 20% of locations all of the available access points are inaccessible due to security restrictions. Moreover, the LTE cellular networks provides the highest download speed compared to Wi-Fi and multi-hop Device-to-Device (D2D) networks, while the upload speeds of Wi-Fi and cellular are comparable. Finally, our experimental results show that extending access to the Internet to devices that might not otherwise have a direct connection through multi-hop D2D connections is feasible at the expense of a 62% reduction in upload and 64% reduction in download speed, in the worst case.
Eukaryotic organisms of continental hydrothermal systems

Continental hydrothermal systems are a dynamic component of global thermal and geochemical cycles, exerting a pronounced impact on water chemistry and heat storage. As such, these environments are commonly classified by temperature, thermal fluid ionic concentration, and pH. Terrestrial hydrothermal systems are a refuge for extremophilic organisms, as extremes in temperature, metal concentration, and pH profoundly impact microorganism assemblage composition. While numerous studies focus on Bacteria and Archaea in these environments, few focus on Eukarya-likely due to lower temperature tolerances and because they are not model organisms for understanding the evolution of early life. However, where present, eukaryotic organisms are significant members of continental hydrothermal microorganism communities. Thus, this manuscript focuses on the eukaryotic occupants of terrestrial hydrothermal systems and provides a review of the current status of research, including microbe-eukaryote interactions and suggestions for future directions.
Cumulative ROC curves for discriminating three or more ordinal outcomes with cutpoints on a shared continuous measurement scale.

Cumulative receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis extends classic ROC curve analysis to discriminate three or more ordinal outcome levels on a shared continuous scale. The procedure combines cumulative logit regression with a cumulative extension to the ROC curve and performs as expected with ternary (three-level) ordinal outcomes under a variety of simulated conditions (unbalanced data, proportional and non-proportional odds, areas under the ROC curve [AUCs] from 0.70 to 0.95). Simulations also compared several criteria for selecting cutpoints to discriminate outcome levels: the Youden Index, Matthews Correlation Coefficient, Total Accuracy, and Markedness. Total Accuracy demonstrated the least absolute percent-bias. Cutpoints computed from maximum likelihood regression parameters demonstrated bias that was often negligible. The procedure was also applied to publicly available data related to computer imaging and biomarker exposure science, yielding good to excellent AUCs, as well as cutpoints with sensitivities and specificities of commensurate quality. Implementation of cumulative ROC curve analysis and extension to more than three outcome levels are straightforward. The author’s programs for ternary ordinal outcomes are publicly available.
Impact of COVID-19 on Nurses' Mental Health.

January 2020 ushered in the Year of the Nurse with pomp, circumstance and celebration in our profession. Rumors of a novel respiratory virus were in the news, but for most of us, the virus was a di...
Leukemoid Reaction in a Patient With Severe COVID-19 Infection

Leukemoid reaction is a rare clinical condition defined by marked leukocytosis with predominantly mature neutrophils. It is an uncommon condition with reported incidence of less than 1% in hospitalized patients. The major causes of leukemoid reaction are severe infection (clostridium difficile colitis, tuberculosis, or severe shigellosis), malignancies, intoxication, and severe hemorrhage. This article presents a case report of a 64-year-old female with severe COVID-19 infection who presented with marked leukocytosis. After extensive workup to exclude hematologic malignancy, the patient was diagnosed to have a leukemoid reaction.
Clinicians' experiences and reflections from a health system cyberattack

Universal Health Services experienced a cyberattack in September 2020 that impacted all hospitals in their system Nearly all computer systems that store and communicate patient care information were shut down to prevent malware propagation The impact of this attack was magnified by the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic The objective of this paper is to describe the response of our intensive care unit (ICU) rounding team to the loss of all electronic health record (EHR) systems within our institution and to share lessons learned through the experience Guidance is available on prevention of cyberattacks but does not effectively address the need to establish and train providers for alternative care mechanisms at the local level Many providers and trainees have limited or no experience with manual patient care systems and had difficulty in transitioning to paper records, notes, and order writing The transition also highlighted a number of unintended consequences that have occurred secondary to implementation and adaptation of EHRs over time Institutional memory played a major role in addressing the crisis as providers who had utilized paper charting systems were more adaptive Critical care pharmacists practicing as members of an integrated ICU health care team were an essential resource during the crisis, maintaining patient safety, assisting with order writing, troubleshooting medication issues, and providing education The cyberattack provided an opportunity to re-evaluate processes and procedures that have developed over time through the use of EHRs The crisis magnified the importance of team-based care and the integral role of the acute care clinical pharmacist
Measuring health professionals' beliefs about skin-to-skin care during a cesarean

Women and their newborns are at risk of delayed or withheld skin-to-skin care (SSC) during a caesarean, which is about one-third of births, worldwide. To date, no instrument exists to assess health professionals' (HPs) beliefs, and potential barriers and strategies for implementing SSC during a cesarean. The study aims were to (1) develop an instrument, Health Professionals' Beliefs about Skin-to-Skin Care During a Cesarean (SSCB ), (2) establish its validity and reliability and (3) describe HPs' beliefs about SSC during a caesarean. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were used to test the SSCB and describe HPs' beliefs. SSCB analysis yielded a content validity of 0.83 and reliability of α = 0.9. We grouped all practice roles as either nurses or physicians. The mean rank score for nurses (n = 120, M = 90) was significantly higher (p = 0.001) than physicians (n = 46, M = 79). Despite this difference, scores for both roles reflected support for SSC. Participants identified hospital readiness to implement SSC and maintaining maternal and newborn safety as major issues. SSCB is a valid, reliable instrument to measure HPs' beliefs about SSC during a caesarean birth. HPs can use the SSCB during quality improvement initiatives to improve access to immediate SSC for women who have a caesarean birth. Improved access can enhance breastfeeding outcomes and promote optimal maternal and child health.
Transition to a Quasi-Fully Developed MHD Flow in an Electrically Conducting Pipe Under a Transverse Non-Uniform Magnetic Field

Interaction between liquid metal flows and non-uniform magnetic fields occurs in certain regions of fusion power reactors such as the breeding blanket access pipes. Here, the resulting high MHD pre...
Taxable and tax-exempt interest rates: The link with inflation

Abstract A single-equation model utilizing taxable/tax-exempt yield spreads is developed to test restrictions required by the Darby–Feldstein inflation/tax hypothesis. Evidence indicates these restrictions generally can be rejected for post-Accord data and that there is important information in both yields linking them to inflation.
Introducing application design and software engineering principles in introductory CS courses: model-view-controller Java application framework

This paper presents an approach for introducing application design and software engineering principles early in the CS curriculum. When courses are taught in a language such as Java, programming labs may involve writing a complete application or applet. In these cases it is possible to introduce notions of software engineering principles alongside a topic such as object-oriented design. This paper presents a simple application framework in Java that follows a Model-View-Controller design and that can be used in introductory and core courses to introduce elements of software engineering. Although it is focused on applications having a graphical interface, it may be modified to support command-line programs. The application framework is presented in the context of development tools Apache Ant and JUnit.
Pleiotropic effects of localized Rhodobacter capsulatus puf operon deletions on production of light-absorbing pigment-protein complexes.

Abstract The polycistronic puf operon of Rhodobacter capsulatus encodes protein components for the photosynthetic reaction center and one of the two antenna complexes involved in the capture of light energy. We report here that deletions within specific puf genes alter the synthesis and/or assembly in the photosynthetic membranes of pigment-protein complexes not affected genetically by the deletion. The pufX gene is required for normal ratios of antenna complexes, and its deletion results in an increase of membrane-bound light-harvesting I (LHI) complex-specific proteins. Expression of pufQ in strains deleted for the genes encoding the LHI and the photosynthetic reaction center (RC) yields a novel A868 peak that has not been associated with any of the pigment-protein complexes described previously. While deletions in the RC-coding region resulted in decreased LHI absorbance, no quantitative alteration in membrane-bound LHI protein was observed, suggesting that an intact RC complex is required for correct assembly of LHI in the membrane.
Higher order programming for unordered minds

In this paper we describe our experience with how Mozart-Oz facilitates the introduction of distributed computing to students of limited programming background and how the application of a few basic programming concepts can increase the students' comprehension of how distributed computations actually happen.
Incidence of loss of ability to walk 400 meters in a functionally limited older population.

Objectives: To assess the incidence of and factors related to nondisabled but functionally limited older adults aged 75 to 85 years losing the ability to walk 400 m. Design: Observational study with average follow-up of 21 months. Setting: Community. Participants: At baseline, 101 persons with objective signs of functional limitations and intact cognitive function agreed to participate in the study. Of these, 81 were able to walk 400 m at baseline, and 62 participated in the follow-up examination. Measurements: Mobility disability was defined as an inability to complete a 400-m walk test. At baseline, eligible participants (n=81) had the ability to walk 400 m, scored between 4 and 9 on the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB; range 0–12), and scored 18 or more on the Mini-Mental State Examination. Demographics, difficulty in daily activities, disease status, behavioral risk factors, and muscle strength were assessed at baseline and follow-up. Results: Of 62 persons at follow-up, 21 (33.9%) developed incident mobility disability. The strongest predictors of loss of mobility were the time to complete the 400-m walk at baseline (odds ratio (OR)=1.6 per 1-minute difference, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.04–2.45), and decline in SPPB score over the follow-up (OR=1.4 per 1-point difference, 95% CI=1.01–1.92). Conclusion: Older persons with functional limitations have a high rate of loss of ability to walk 400 m. The 400-m walk test is a highly relevant, discrete outcome that is an ideal target for testing preventive interventions in vulnerable older populations.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in a Woman with Left Basal Ganglia Infarct: A Case Report

This report presents a syndrome resembling obsessive convulsive disorder (OCD) secondary to a stroke in the left basal ganglia. The patient's syndrome is virtually identical to those that have been described in bilateral damage of the basal ganglia. However, the stroke described in this case report is located unilaterally in the left basal ganglia. In addition, experience in treating a patient with OCD induced by structural damage of basal ganglia is presented.
Molecular Evidence of Long Wavelength Spectral Sensitivity in the Reverse Sexually Dichromatic Convict Cichlid (Amatitlania nigrofasciata)

The Convict Cichlid, Amatitlania nigrofasciata, is a popular model organism for behavioral ecologists to study mate choice, monogamy, and parental care. This freshwater Central American fish displays the rare phenotype of reverse sexual dichromatism, and despite the species’ pervasiveness in behavioral laboratories, the role of female ornamentation in this system is uncertain. To better understand the function of female ornamentation, this study characterizes the visual sensitivity of A. nigrofasciata with particular attention to the long wavelength spectral sensitivity needed to perceive female coloration. We find Convict Cichlids to express a trichromatic complement of opsin proteins: SWS2A, SWS2B, and LWS. After confirming the expression of a LWS opsin gene, we inspected the LWS gene in order to speculate on directional selection potentially resulting in heightened sensitivity to female ornamentation. We examined seven tuning residues in the coding sequence of the LWS opsin gene of A. nigrofasciata and...
Cancer risk and risk communication in urban, lower-income neighborhoods

Abstract Objectives Family history of cancer is an important risk factor for the disease, and communicating with family and physicians about family history is critical to cancer risk assessment. This study examined cancer risk communication with family and physicians. Methods A telephone interview was administered to randomly selected participants ( n = 217) from 5 urban, lower-income communities in 2006 and 2007. A large proportion of the population were minorities and of lower socio-economic status (47% African American, 43% incomes Results Respondents were equally likely as family members to initiate discussions about cancer risk, but respondents were more likely to initiate discussions with physicians. Logistic regression models were fit to talk to family, talk to physician, and perceived risk. In multivariable analysis, higher income and greater worry were associated with talking to family about risk, and higher income was associated with talking to physician about risk. Gender, family history and worry were associated with greater perceived risk. Conclusion Efforts to decrease income barriers to cancer risk communication are needed.
Incorporating a Mastery Climate into Physical Education: It's Developmentally Appropriate!

(1999). Incorporating a Mastery Climate into Physical Education: It's Developmentally Appropriate! Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 70, No. 7, pp. 28-32.
A strategy for theoretical binding constant, Ki, calculations for neuraminidase aromatic inhibitors designed on the basis of the active site structure of influenza virus neuraminidase

Neuraminidase (NA) is one of the two major surface antigens of influenza virus. It plays an indispensable role in the release and spread of progeny virus particles during infection. NA inhibitors reduce virus infection in animals. To improve the clinical efficacy of NA inhibitors, we have begun the design of non-carbohydrate inhibitors based on the active site structure of NA. The approach is an iterative process of ligand modeling and electrostatic calculations followed by chemical synthesis of compounds, biological testing, and NA-inhibitor complex structure determination by X-ray crystallography. A strategy has been developed to calculate Ki for newly designed inhibitors. The calculations using the DelPhi program were performed for carbohydrate inhibitors and three preliminary benzoic acid inhibitors of neuraminidase (BANA) that have been synthesized and shown to bind to the active site of NA in the crystal structure. The calculated Kis of these inhibitors have an enlightening agreement with their in vitro biological activities. This demonstrates that the calculations produce informative results on the affinity of modeled inhibitors. GRID maps were also calculated and several pockets were identified for accepting possible new ligands. The calculated Kis for newly designed ligands suggest that these potential compounds will have high inhibitory activities.
The effect of cholinergic agonists and antagonists on ganglion cells in the mudpuppy retina

The role of acetylcholine in the retina has recently been reviewed by Neal (i) and Puro (2). Although histochemical and immunocytochemical studies indicate the presence of acetylcholine in the retina in many species, physiological evidence for its action as a neurotransmitter has been obtained in only a few of these, including rabbit (3-8), cat (9-11) and carp (12,13). These studies suggest that acetylcholine is used as a transmitter by certain types of amacrine cells and mediates some of the synaptic input to ganglion cells. Therefore it was of interest to investigate the effects of cholinergic agonists and antagonists on ganglion cells in mudpuppy, where other aspects of the physiology of the inner retina have been extensively studied. The results reported here suggest that mudpuppy ganglion cells have nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and that they receive tonic, depolarizing, cholinergic input in darkness. However, neither transient nor sustained responses to stationary light stimuli appear to be mediated by this input.
A modified system of temperature control for the varian HA-100 NMR spectrometer

Abstract A modification providing continuous monitoring of sample temperatures for the Varian HA-100 NMR spectrometer is reported. The modification is readily applicable to similar systems of temperature control commonly supplied with a variety of commercial instruments.
The optimal projection approach to designing optimal finite-dimensional controllers for distributed-parameter systems

One of the major difficulties in designing implementable active controllers for distributed parameter systems such as flexible space structures is that such systems are inherently infinite dimensional while controller dimension is severely constrained by on-line computing capability. Suboptimal approaches to this problem usually either seek a nonrealizable distributed parameter control law or a low-order dynamic controller based upon a discretized model. This paper presents a more direct approach based upon explicit optimality conditions for finite-dimensional steady-state fixed-order dynamic compensation of infinite-dimensional systems. In contrast to the pair of operator Riccati equations for the "full-order" LQG case, the optimal fixed-order dynamic compensator is characterized by four operator equations (two modified Riccati equations and two modified Lyapunov equations) coupled by a projection whose rank is precisely equal to the order of the compensator and which determines the optimal compensator gains. The coupling represents a graphic portrayal of the demise of the classical separation principle for the finite-dimensional reduced-order controller case. The results obtained apply to a semigroup formulation in Hilbert space and thus are applicable to control problems involving a broad range of specific partial and hereditary differential equations.
New insights into lipid metabolism in chronic kidney disease: what are the practical implications?

The risk of cardiovascular disease increases with declining glomerular filtration rate. Hyperlipidemia and dyslipidemia, characterized by increased triglycerides and low levels of high-density lipopro
Nullity and Sanction

In The Concept of Law (pp. 33-35), Professor H. L. A. Hart attacks the view that by treating nullity as a sanction, secondary (power-conferring) rules can be reduced to primary (duty-imposing) rules. Nullity is not, Hart argues, analogous to the sanction 'attached' to a primary rule because whereas the possible existence of a sanction is not a logically necessary condition for the existence of a primary rule, the possible existence of nullity is a logically necessary feature of a secondary rule. If we take, as an example, the secondary rule requiring a testator to sign his will, then nullity could mean either
Evaluation: future tense

Articles should deal with topics applicable to the broad field of program evaluation. Articles may focus on evaluation methods, theory, practice, or findings. In all cases, implications for practicing evaluators should be clearly identified. Examples of contributions include, but are not limited to, reviews of new developments in evaluation, descriptions of a current evaluation study, critical reviews of some area of evaluation practice, and presentations of important new techniques. Manuscripts should follow APA format for references and style. Most submissions are 20 -30 double-spaced typewritten pages in length; longer articles will also be published if their importance to AJE readers is judged to be high.
Interior symmetries of hadrons:SO(3,2) as a spectrum-generating group

In this work, we study some applications of the spectrum-generating group (SGG) formalism to obtain the mass-spin spectra of hadrons. The possibility of classifying (medium-energy) hadrons in terms of a symmetry group defining the center-of-mass motion and an SGG defining the interior motion is discussed. After considering the defining commutation relations and equations of motion of the generators of the SGG, it is shown how the hadronic spectral information is obtained through a Hamiltonian that is a constraint relation between the generators of the symmetry group and those of the SGG.