cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of an Innovative Digital Assessment Tool in Dental Anatomy.

AIM The E4D Compare software is an innovative tool that provides immediate feedback to students' projects and competencies. It should provide consistent scores even when different scanners are used which may have inherent subtle differences in calibration. This study aimed to evaluate potential discrepancies in evaluation using the E4D Compare software based on four different NEVO scanners in dental anatomy projects. Additionally, correlation between digital and visual scores was evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty-five projects of maxillary left central incisors were evaluated. Among these, thirty wax-ups were performed by four operators and five consisted of standard dentoform teeth. Five scores were obtained for each project: one from an instructor that visually graded the project and from four different NEVO scanners. A faculty involved in teaching the dental anatomy course blindly scored the 35 projects. One operator scanned all projects to four NEVO scanners (D4D Technologies, Richardson, TX, USA). The images were aligned to the gold standard, and tolerance set at 0.3 mm to generate a score. The score reflected percentage match between the project and the gold standard. One-way ANOVA with repeated measures was used to determine whether there was a significant difference in scores among the four NEVO scanners. Paired-sample t-test was used to detect any difference between visual scores and the average scores of the four NEVO scanners. Pearson's correlation test was used to assess the relationship between visual and average scores of NEVO scanners. RESULTS There was no significant difference in mean scores among four different NEVO scanners [F(3, 102) = 2.27, p = 0.0852 one-way ANOVA with repeated measures]. Moreover, the data provided strong evidence that a significant difference existed between visual and digital scores (p = 0.0217; a paired - sample t-test). Mean visual scores were significantly lower than digital scores (72.4 vs 75.1). Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.85 indicated a strong correlation between visual and digital scores (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION The E4D Compare software provides consistent scores even when different scanners are used and correlates well with visual scores. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The use of innovative digital assessment tools in dental education is promising with the E4D Compare software correlating well with visual scores and providing consistent scores even when different scanners are used.
A Lithium Niobate High-Temperature Sensor for Energy System Applications

Temperature monitoring for energy generation systems plays an important role for the control of overall safety and efficiency. To run the energy system at optimum operating conditions, it is important to measure the real-time temperature. Furthermore, harsh environment temperature sensing is desired, since most sensors in energy systems are exposed to high temperature, high pressure, and corrosive environments. Lithium niobate (LiNbO3) has high Curie temperature (1210 °C), thus making it promising to be used as a sensor material for high-temperature applications. In this paper, a study has been conducted to actively measure the temperature up to 450 °C using a pyroelectric ceramic LiNbO3 as a sensor material. A 1 cm $\times \,\, 1$ cm sample of LiNbO3 ceramic with 0.2 cm thickness was prepared as a sensor. The LiNbO3 sensor and a K-type thermocouple were placed inside a tube furnace to sense the temperature. Different temperature setting conditions were applied to the sensor, including slow heating rate, high heating rate, and steady-state conditions for prolonged time period to validate readability and repeatability of the sensor. Temperatures were calculated using current generated from the sensor upon heating or cooling. The calculated temperature from the sensor was compared with the temperature measured by the K-type thermocouple. A range of deviation from 2% to 11% was found between the temperature measured by LiNbO3 and thermocouple.
Physicochemical properties in structure-activity analysis

Prominent among the methods of relating structure to biological activity, in order to rationalise drug activity and to predict novel analogues for synthesis, is the quantitative approach popularly known as Hansch Analysis (Hansch et al., 1963; Hansch, 1981). In Hansch Analysis, the biological activities of a parent molecule and a series of simple derivatives are subjected to regression analysis to find an equation relating activity to some combination of parameters representing changes in hydrophobic, electronic, and steric effects within the series. This enables conclusions to be drawn regarding the influence of physicochemical properties on drug transport or on drug binding.
A funnel plot to assess energy yield and oil quality for pyrolysis-based processes

Abstract The conversion of biomass to hydrocarbon transportation fuels presents unique challenges that generally focus on maintaining high mass and energy yields while removing oxygen from the biomass. Among the many processes proposed and demonstrated, processes that can achieve this efficiently and economically will have a clear advantage. Currently, there is no graphical method to analyze such conversion processes. In this work, we introduce a Funnel Plot to indicate both product quality, in terms of oxygen removal, and energy yield, the energy retained in the product oil from the original biomass. The Funnel Plot is applied to literature data for several processes and compared to an idealized chemical conversion of biomass revealing some of the current challenges associated with biofuel production.
Effects of Executive Migrations and Subsequent Restructuring Events

We consider whether the market conditions its reactions to an executive's move from an Origin Company to a Destination Company on the executive's past performance and any other information impounded in the market reaction to the executive's emigration from the Origin Company. We also examine whether the market perceives a benefit in the hiring of an executive with an industry-specific background. We find that, with regard to migration events, the performance of the Origin Company-accounting and stock-before the executive's migration and the market reaction to the emigration are positively associated with the market reaction to the immigration event only when the Origin Company and the Destination Company are members of the same industry. With respect to an Origin Company's contiguously subsequent write-off and restructuring events, we conjecture that subsequent restructuring events signal hitherto unrecognized shortcomings of the emigrating executive. We find that, ceteris paribus, the market reaction to the Destination Company's stock at the time of the Origin Company's announcement of a post-immigration restructuring is significantly negative, but again only when the Origin Company and the Destination Company are members of the same industry. Furthermore, contrary to previous studies, we find that Origin Companies' and Destination Companies' stocks exhibit negative reactions to their own restructuring events.
George Washington Crile: Internationally Known Surgeon, Founder of the Cleveland Clinic and Neuroscientist? (P2.398)

Objective: To review the basic, clinical, and theoretical neurosciences work of George Washington Crile (1864-1943), co-founder of the Cleveland Clinic and innovative surgeon. Background: George Washington Crile (1864-1943) was an innovative surgeon who performed the first direct blood transfusion in 1906. He made important contributions to the literature on shock, anesthesia, thyroid surgery, and the surgical treatment of hypertension. He served honorably in the First World War and brought back concepts of team medicine to cofound the Cleveland Clinic in 1921. Far less well known is Dr. Crile’s work in basic neurosciences, which in some form spanned his long career and writings. Methods: Personal review of writing and publications of George Washington Crile including materials from the Cleveland Clinic archives. Results: Through personal observation and laboratory experimentation, he developed an idiosyncratic theory of neural activity, the ‘bipolar theory’. He observed an activation of ‘the kinetic system’, i.e. adrenal activation, alteration of thyroid function, and increase in neural activity during war time. He developed a theory about the interaction of the brain, thyroid and adrenal glands, and based his theory on observations on membrane charges of single celled organisms. He extended his theories to ‘energy diseases’ of civilized man (sic) based on derangements in this system. In the field and in his laboratory at the Cleveland Clinic he and his colleagues dissected nearly 4000 species of animals, measuring the weights of the brain, thyroid and adrenal glands. He also documented sympathetic nervous system anatomy in species as varied as the marine crayfish, duck bill platypus, and polar bear. Conclusions: While Dr. Crile’s theories and observations appear to have left little trace on the understanding of the autonomic nervous system or concepts of overall neural organization, his work merits adding the title of neuroscientist to his long list of accomplishments. Disclosure: Dr. Rae-Grant has nothing to disclose.
Local Turgor Pressure Reduction via Channel Clustering

The primary drivers of yeast endocytosis are actin polymerization and curvature-generating proteins, such as clathrin and BAR domain proteins. Previous work has indicated that these factors may not be capable of generating the forces necessary to overcome turgor pressure. Thus local reduction of the turgor pressure, via localized accumulation or activation of solute channels, might facilitate endocytosis. The possible reduction in turgor pressure was calculated numerically, by solving the diffusion equation through a Legendre polynomial expansion. It was found that for a region of increased permeability having radius 45 nm, as few as 60 channels with a spacing of 10 nm could locally decrease the turgor pressure by 50%. We identified a key dimensionless parameter, p = P1a/D, where P1 is the increased permeability, a is the radius of the permeable region, and D is the solute diffusion coefficient. When p > 0.44, the turgor pressure is locally reduced by >50%. An approximate analytic theory was used to generate explicit formulas for the turgor pressure reduction in terms of key parameters. These findings may also be relevant to plants, where the mechanisms that allow endocytosis to proceed despite high turgor pressure are largely unknown.
Molecular Mechanisms of Cardiacvoltage-Gated Na+ Channel Regulation by Acidic pH

Background: During ischemic heart disease, pH drops from 7.4 to 6.0 within 10 minutes of onset, severely affecting ion channel gating. The cardiac sodium channel (Nav1.5) is particularly susceptible to this abrupt pH change, and its altered gating is thought to predispose patients suffering ischemia to arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. We observed the voltage-sensing domains (VSDs) of NaV1.5 to discover molecular mechanisms of its regulation by pH.Methods: A cysteine mutation was made in each of the four VSDs (DI-DIV) of Nav1.5. Synthesized RNA from these constructs was injected into Xenopus oocytes. Once channels were expressing, a fluorophore was tethered to the cysteine via a disulfide bond. By measuring the kinetics and change in magnitude of the fluorescence, we were able to track VSD conformational changes along with the current-voltage relationship.Results:Reducing the pH of the extracellular solution from 7.4 to 6.0 causes INa to decrease in magnitude by 50%, and shifts in both activation and fast inactivation rightward, consistent with previous results. At a pH of 6.0, time to peak was reduced by 300% while inactivation was only 10% slower. Observation of the VSDs showed that the DII-VSD is not affected by pH, and the DIII-VSD showed a small depolarizing activation shift ∼6.65 mV. The DIV-VSD displayed a complex phenotype, not shifting after short pulses, but shifting prominently (23.27 mV) after prolonged pulses. Its kinetics were also slowed by a factor of 2 at a pH of 6.0.Conclusions:These results suggest an important role for the DIV-VSD in determining regulation of NaV1.5 by pH.
Methodological considerations for detection of terrestrial small‐body salamander eDNA and implications for biodiversity conservation

Environmental DNA (eDNA) can be used as an assessment tool to detect populations of threatened species and provide fine-scale data required to make management decisions. The objectives of this project were to use quantitative PCR (qPCR) to: 1) detect spiked salamander DNA in soil, 2) quantify eDNA degradation over time, 3) determine detectability of salamander eDNA in a terrestrial environment using soil, feces, and skin swabs, 4) detect salamander eDNA in a mesocosm experiment. Salamander eDNA was positively detected in 100% of skin swabs and 66% of fecal samples and concentrations did not differ between the two sources. However, eDNA was not detected in soil samples collected from directly underneath wild-caught living salamanders. Salamander genomic DNA (gDNA) was detected in all qPCR reactions when spiked into soil at 10.0, 5.0, and 1.0 ng/g soil and spike concentration had a significant effect on detected concentrations. Only 33% of samples showed recoverable eDNA when spiked with 0.25 ng/g soil, which was the low end of eDNA detection. To determine the rate of eDNA degradation, gDNA (1 ng/g soil) was spiked into soil and quantified over seven days. Salamander eDNA concentrations decreased across days, but eDNA was still amplifiable at day 7. Salamander eDNA was detected in two of 182 mesocosm soil samples over 12 weeks (n=52 control samples; n=65 presence samples; n=65 eviction samples). The discrepancy in detection success between experiments indicates the potential challenges for this method to be used as a monitoring technique for small-bodied wild terrestrial salamander populations. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
An organization for a dictionary of senses

This paper describes a lexical organization in which "senses" are represented in their own right, along with "words" and "phrases", by distinct data items. The objective of the scheme is to facilitate recognition and employment of synonyms and stock phrases by programs which process natural language. Besides presenting the proposed organization, the paper characterizes the lexical "senses" which result.
The Cellular Basis of Cardiac Contractility

This chapter begins with the mechanism of force generation by cardiac muscle, describing the structure of the cardiomyocytes, their contractile filaments and the organelles that turn them on, and off, and supply them with energy. It distinguishes cardiac muscle from skeletal muscle in terms of its excitation–contraction coupling, long action potential duration that prohibits tetany, and maximal recruitment for every heart beat. Thus, contraction is regulated by recruitment of myofilaments either through the size of the Ca 2+ transient or through regulation of Ca 2+ sensitivity. The mechanism of sympathetic positive ionotropy is described in detail. The force–frequency relation is described. The lusitropic effect is introduced. The mechanism of action of cardiac glycosides is discussed. Finally, the modulation of cardiac force by stretch is described.
Multidose Preservative Free Eyedrops by Selective Removal of Benzalkonium Chloride from Ocular Formulations.

About 70% of eye drops contain benzalkonium chloride (BAK) to maintain sterility. BAK is an effective preservative but it can cause irritation and toxicity. We propose to mitigate ocular toxicity without compromising sterility by incorporating a filter into an eye drop bottle to selectively remove BAK during the process of drop instillation. The filter is a packed bed of particles made from poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA), which is a common ophthalmic material. We showed that pHEMA particle prepared by using ethoxylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate as crosslinker can be incorporated into a modified eyedrop bottle tip to selectively remove the preservative as the formulation is squeezed out of the bottle. Hydraulic permeability of the plug is measured to determine the resistance to eye drop squeezing, and % removal of BAK and drugs are determined. The modified tip has a hydraulic permeability of about 2 Darcy, which allows eyedrops formulations to flow through without excessive resistance. The tip is designed such that the patients can create an eyedrop of solution of 1–10 cP viscosity in 4 s with a nominal pressure. During this short contact time, the packed particles removed nearly 100% of benzalkonium chloride (BAK) from a 15 mL, 0.012% BAK solution but have only minimal impact on the concentration of contained active components. Our novel design can eliminate the preservative induced toxicity from eye drops thereby impacting hundreds of millions of patients with chronic ophthalmic diseases like glaucoma and dry eyes.
RASA1 and NF1 are Preferentially Co-Mutated and Define A Distinct Genetic Subset of Smoking-Associated Non–Small Cell Lung Carcinomas Sensitive to MEK Inhibition

Purpose: Ras-GTPase-activating proteins (RasGAP), notably NF1 and RASA1, mediate negative control of the RAS/MAPK pathway. We evaluated clinical and molecular characteristics of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) with RASA1 mutations in comparison with NF1-mutated cases.Experimental Design: Large genomic datasets of NSCLC [MSK-IMPACT dataset at MSKCC (n = 2,004), TCGA combined lung cancer dataset (n = 1,144)] were analyzed to define concurrent mutations and clinical features of RASA1-mutated NSCLCs. Functional studies were performed using immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC) and NSCLC lines with truncating mutations in RASA1, NF1, or both.Results: Overall, approximately 2% of NSCLCs had RASA1-truncating mutations, and this alteration was statistically, but not completely, mutually exclusive with known activating EGFR (P = 0.02) and KRAS (P = 0.02) mutations. Unexpectedly, RASA1-truncating mutations had a strong tendency to co-occur with NF1-truncating mutations (P < 0.001). Furthermore, all patients (16/16) with concurrent RASA1/NF1-truncating mutations lacked other known lung cancer drivers. Knockdown of RASA1 in HBECs activated signaling downstream of RAS and promoted cell growth. Conversely, restoration of RASA1 expression in RASA1-mutated cells reduced MAPK and PI3K signaling. Although growth of cell lines with inactivation of only one of these two RasGAPs showed moderate and variable sensitivity to inhibitors of MEK or PI3K, cells with concurrent RASA1/NF1 mutations were profoundly more sensitive (IC50: 0.040 μmol/L trametinib). Finally, simultaneous genetic silencing of RASA1 and NF1 sensitized both HBECs and NSCLC cells to MEK inhibition.Conclusions: Cancer genomic and functional data nominate concurrent RASA1/NF1 loss-of-function mutations as a strong mitogenic driver in NSCLC, which may sensitize to trametinib. Clin Cancer Res; 24(6); 1436-47. ©2017 AACRSee related commentary by Kitajima and Barbie, p. 1243.
Charity and Usury: Introduction

Since the onset of modernity, we seem to have gradually lost the primordial link between charity and usury, a connection that, to past traditions of thought, was considered usual and crucial. To these traditions, it was typical to contrast usury to charity, with the latter depicted as the superior alternative to the former. Usury was considered a system of oppression and exploitation, and charity one of mercy and justice. Part 3 attempts to recreate this state of mind that views usury in relation to charity, and vice versa. We provide an intellectual history of each concept, followed by an examination of their connection. We focus on the Christian and Islamic viewpoints, as well as the opinions of Greek philosophers and secular schools of socio-economic thought.
Winter 2015/16 Atmospheric and Precipitation Anomalies over North America: El Niño Response and the Role of Noise

AbstractThe possible causes for the observed winter 2015/16 precipitation anomalies, which were opposite to the mean El Nino signal over the U.S. Southwest, are analyzed based on the ensemble of forecasts from the NCEP Climate Forecast System, version 2 (CFSv2). The analysis focuses on the role of anomalous sea surface temperature (SST) forcing and the contributions of atmospheric internal variability. The model-predicted ensemble mean forecast for December–January–February 2015/16 (DJF 2015/16) North American atmospheric anomalies compared favorably with the El Nino composite, although some difference existed. The predicted pattern was also like that in the previous strong El Nino events of 1982/83 and 1997/98. Therefore, the model largely predicted the teleconnection and precipitation response pattern in DJF 2015/16 like the mean El Nino signal. The observed negative precipitation anomalies over the U.S. Southwest in DJF 2015/16 were not consistent either with the observed or with the model-predicted El...
A Personal Account of Herbert C. Quay, an Architect of the Science of Child and Adolescent Psychopathology

This book is a festschrift, a collection of scholarly essays by colleagues honoring Herbert C. Quay upon the occasion of his retirement. A related symposium was presented at the 1992 meeting of the Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology in Sarasota, Florida. Anyone who knows Herbert Quay knows his preference for a task-oriented, quantitative, empirical approach to his field. Thus he would doubtless prefer a volume such as this to focus upon research issues rather than upon his own accomplishments as such, or his professional biography. Yet, I believe it is essential in a volume such as this to convey some impression of the individual we are honoring and of his contributions. So I am going to go ahead and try to do so, even if it embarrasses him. In fact, it is my job here to embarrass him.
The DSM model of impairment

The primary purpose of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is to provide a consistent and evidence-based diagnostic system to guide clinicians in practice. An additional goal of the DSM is to facilitate research through delineation of objectively defined and measurable variables within mental health syndromes. This research has both national and international implications for identifying early risk factors, understanding prognosis, and validating the efficacy of treatments. The organizers of the DSM sought to achieve these purposes by providing clear and explicit criteria for diagnosis (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000). The arduous process of developing this classification system required consensus among a wide range of professional orientations within psychology, ranging from biological to psychodynamic perspectives. The manual has provided a nomenclature that is shared within the fields of psychology and medicine as well as across settings (e.g., hospitals, private practice, social service agencies). The utilization of a common taxonomy ensures more accurate identification of patient needs and can assist in documenting justification for prompt access to services. Finally, the manual is utilized to shape national policy issues through documentation of mental health statistics and as an educational tool to educate readers about psychopathology.
Stab Wounds of the Kidney: Conservative Management in Flank Penetration

AbstractBetween April 1976 and December 1980, 373 patients with stab wounds of the abdomen were seen in our emergency room. Of 47 cases (12.6 per cent) in which renal penetration was confirmed nonoperative management was selected in 34 (70.2 per cent), with no further sequelae in 28 (82 per cent).The site of abdominal penetration was posterior to the anterior axillary line in 30 successful conservatively managed patients (88 per cent). The site of abdominal wound penetration in conjunction with clinical stability may avoid unnecessary renal explorations.
Heterogeneous Integration of Memory Stacks

The first paper on stacking of memory chips in 3D by die-attach material and wire bonding was published by nCHIP (Tuckerman et al. in Laminated memory: a new three-dimensional packaging technology for mcms. IEEE Multi-Chip Module Conference, Santa Cruz, CA, pp 58–63, 1994 [1]) 25 years ago, Fig. 8.1. Since then, memory chips (especially the NAND Flash) stacking by wire bonding have been in high volume production for, e.g., the smartphones, tablets, and solid state drives as shown in Figs. 8.2 and 8.3 by Samsung. It can be seen that 16 48-layer V-NAND 3D flash memory chips are stacked by wirebonding technology. The thickness of each chip is only 40 µm. These are the homogeneous integration of memory stacks.
The Materiality of Fishing, Property, and Labor in Western Massachusetts

This article explores the complexities of property and competing regimes of value in the colonial and Federal periods. The end of the 18th century saw a growing privatization of previously common resources as part of the emergence of a broadly, if unevenly, constituted capitalist mode of production in western Massachusetts. Excavations at the Frary House/Barnard Tavern in rural Deerfield, Massachusetts, provide a seemingly mundane index of this broad social change in the differential presence of fish scales in trash pits at the site. Anadromous fish have been a means of subsistence for indigenous communities who lived along the Connecticut River valley for thousands of years, but following English colonization and conquest, they became caught up in broader anxieties and struggles over the nature of work, property, and social and material value. This article documents some of these struggles in the region, as a reminder that consumption and subsistence are never isolated from broader social and structural processes.
Antizyme inhibits N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine-induced mouse forestomach carcinogenesis in a p53-independent manner

3887 Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) can be modeled in mice using a zinc deficient (ZD) diet to induce hyperproliferation followed by a single dose of the carcinogen N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA). Zinc deficiency is prevalent in geographic regions with high incidence of ESCC and environmental exposure to N-nitrosamines such as NMBA is also associated with increased risk for the disease. In the mouse ZD/NMBA model the primary region of tumor development is the forestomach, a stratified epithelium considered a dilation of the lower esophagus. p53 mutations are common in human ESCC and p53+/− or p53-/- animals subjected to ZD/NMBA carcinogenesis exhibit a greatly enhanced tumor induction and progression compared to wild-type mice. Antizyme (AZ) is a negative regulator of cellular polyamine levels that inhibits ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity, stimulates ODC degradation and suppresses exogenous polyamine uptake into the cell. Transgenic AZ expression from the keratin 5 promoter directs expression to the forestomach epithelium and protects mice from NMBA-induced forestomach carcinogenesis by reducing cell proliferation and stimulating apoptosis. To examine the ability of AZ to suppress tumor induction in ZD/NMBA-treated p53 mutant mice, four experimental groups (p53+/−, AZ/p53+/−, p53-/- and AZ/p53-/-; n=17 to 37 mice/group) were placed on a ZD diet (1.5 ppm) at four weeks of age and treated with a single intra-gastric dose of NMBA (2 mg/kg body weight) 25 days later. Mice were maintained on the ZD diet for 44 days, then sacrificed. On the p53+/− background, tumor incidence was 21% for AZ/p53+/− mice compared to 70% for p53+/− in the forestomach, and 39% compared to 81% in the squamocolumnar junction (SCJ) between the forestomach and glandular stomach. AZ/p53+/− mice developed 0.4 tumors/forestomach and 0.6 tumors/SCJ compared to 3.3 and 2.5, respectively, for p53+/− mice, which represents an 87% and 76% reduction in tumor multiplicity. While AZ/p53+/− mice exhibited a thin epithelium or slight thickening, the forestomach and SCJ of p53+/− mice was dramatically thickened. On the p53-/- background, only 65% of AZ/p53-/- animals had forestomach tumors and 76% had SCJ tumors while 100% of p53-/- mice had tumors in both regions. AZ/p53-/- mice developed 3.1 tumors/forestomach and 3.1 tumors/SCJ compared to p53-/- mice with 11.7 and 6.3, respectively. AZ/p53-/- mice had a thickened epithelium with mainly solitary tumors, whereas both regions were very thick with multiple fused tumors in p53-/- mice. Forestomach samples from all groups are being analyzed for proliferation and apoptosis markers by immunohistochemistry. These studies demonstrate that the tumor suppressive effects of AZ are not dependent on wild-type p53 function and support the concept of chemoprevention of ESCC through modulation of cellular polyamine content.
National society-supplied patient materials on prostate cancer screening for the general public: A readability analysis.

e23188Background: Recent data suggest that prostate cancer mortality may be increasing for the first time in 20 years, possibly related to a decrease in PSA screening. Most professional societies r...
Manipulation of the dually thermoresponsive behavior of peptide-based vesicles through modification of collagen-like peptide domains.

Materials that respond to temporally defined exogenous cues continue to be an active pursuit of research toward on-demand nanoparticle drug delivery applications, and using one or more exogenous temperature stimuli could significantly expand the application of nanoparticle-based drug delivery formulations under both hyperthermal and hypothermal conditions. Previously we have reported the development of a biocompatible and thermoresponsive elastin-b-collagen-like polypeptide (ELP-CLP) conjugate that is capable of self-assembling into vesicles and encapsulating small molecule therapeutics that can be delivered at different rates via a single temperature stimulus. Herein we report the evaluation of multiple ELP-CLP conjugates, demonstrating that the inverse transition temperature (Tt) of the ELP-CLPs can be manipulated by modifying the melting temperature (Tm) of the CLP domain, and that the overall hydrophilicity of the ELP-CLP conjugate also may alter the Tt. Based on these design parameters, we demonstrate that the ELP-CLP sequence (VPGFG)6-(GPO)7GG can self-assemble into stable vesicles at 25°C and dissociate at elevated temperatures by means of the unfolding of the CLP domain above its Tm. We also demonstrate here for the first time the ability of this ELP-CLP vesicle to dissociate via a hypothermic temperature stimulus by means of exploiting the inverse transition temperature (Tt) phenomena found in ELPs. The development of design rules for manipulating the thermal properties of these bioconjugates will enable future modifications to either the ELP or CLP sequences to more finely tune the transitions of the conjugates for specific biomedical applications.
Functional Outcomes After Sauve-Kapandji Arthrodesis

Purpose The Sauve-Kapandji procedure (SK) combines a distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) arthrodesis with the creation of an ulnar pseudarthrosis for the salvage of DRUJ instability or arthritis. Despite several published case series, there are limited data on postoperative functional outcomes. This study evaluates patient-reported outcomes of SK using a validated functional outcomes scale. Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent SK in 2 health care systems over 10 years (2008–2018). Preoperative and postoperative range of motion, Quick–Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH) scores, and wrist plain film radiographic measurements were recorded. Preoperative and postoperative outcomes analyses and subgroup comparisons were performed. Results We included 57 patients in the study. Surgical indications included posttraumatic DRUJ arthritis (n = 35), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 10), degenerative DRUJ arthritis (n = 7), Madelung deformity (n = 3), psoriatic arthritis (n = 1), and giant cell tumor of bone (n = 1). During the first postoperative year, QuickDASH scores decreased from a mean of 52 before surgery to 28 at 12 months. The QuickDASH scores at final follow-up demonstrated significant improvement in patients with osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis. Supination significantly improved after surgery, from 48° to 74°, whereas wrist flexion, wrist extension, and pronation remained unchanged. Radiographically, significant postoperative decreases were seen in ulnar variance and McMurtry’s translation index. The postoperative complication rate was 21%, including revision osteotomy in 4 patients (7.0%) and hardware removal in 4 patients (7.0%). No DRUJ nonunions were seen. Conclusions The Sauve-Kapandji procedure for DRUJ salvage significantly improved patient-reported outcomes after 1 year and significantly improved supination. Similar functional improvements after SK were seen in both osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
Of Two Minds: Language and the Unconscious in Freud, Stern, and McGilchrist

Lacan claimed that the unconscious is “structured like a language,” but there are significant pre-linguistic dimensions of unconscious functioning folded into our conscious experience. Three neurologists who addressed this issue are Sigmund Freud, Karl Stern, and Iain McGilchrist. They posited two fundamental ways of knowing and engaging with the world: Freud’s primary and secondary processes, Stern’s poetic and the scientific modes of knowledge, and what McGilchrist describes as right- and left-hemispheric competences. Much as they converge on certain issues, they construe the relationship between the two modes of knowing and being and their impact on our mental health rather differently. Freud sought to strengthen secondary processes (the ego) at the expense of primary processes (the id). By contrast, Stern and McGilchrist attribute the malaise of modernity to the diminution of the poetic mode of knowledge, the increasing dominance of left-hemispheric attitudes and approaches to life.
Experimental comparison of biodiesel production performance of two different microalgae

Abstract In this study, the fresh water green microalga Scenedesmus dimorphus and the marine golden Isochrysis aff. galbana were compared at the laboratory scale for their potential in biodiesel production. For this purpose, the microalgal strains were grown over five days under the Bristol and Erdschreiber's media conditions. The cultures were supplied with 1.5% carbon dioxide (CO2) and 16:8 light to dark cycle at fixed temperature. The research performed contained the following stages: 1) Growth monitoring (analysis of growth rate), 2) Microalgae harvesting (lab-scale lipid extraction), 3) Biodiesel production and 4) Determination of biodiesel quantity and quality. The results show that the total lipids (% dry weight biomass) from Scenedesmus dimorphus and Isochrysis aff. galbana cultures were found to be 15.87 and 42.65%, respectively. The obtained yields of the transesterification reactions were 87.4% (Scenedesmus dimorphus) and 94.6% (Isochrysis aff galbana). The methyl esters of Isochrysis aff. galbana contained higher percentage of saturated fatty acids than Scenedesmus dimorphus and its fatty acid composition improved the basic fuel properties. The overall finding of the study suggested that Isochrysis aff. galbana can be considered as more viable source for biodiesel production, in part due to the relative ease in producing a high oil yield.
The collapse of the spindle following ablation in S. pombe is mediated by microtubules and the motor protein dynein

A microtubule-based machine called the mitotic spindle segregates chromosomes when eukaryotic cells divide. In the fission yeast S. pombe, which undergoes closed mitosis, the spindle forms a single bundle of microtubules inside the nucleus. During elongation, the spindle extends via antiparallel microtubule sliding by molecular motors. These extensile forces from the spindle are thought to resist compressive forces from the nucleus. We probe the mechanism and maintenance of this force balance via laser ablation of spindles at various stages of mitosis. We find that spindle pole bodies collapse toward each other following ablation, but spindle geometry is often rescued, allowing spindles to resume elongation and segregate chromosomes. While this basic behavior has been previously observed, many questions remain about this phenomenon9s dynamics, mechanics, and molecular requirements. In this work, we find that previously hypothesized viscoelastic relaxation of the nucleus cannot fully explain spindle shortening in response to laser ablation. Instead, spindle collapse requires microtubule dynamics and is powered at least partly by the minus-end directed motor protein dynein. These results suggest a role for dynein in redundantly supporting force balance and bipolarity in the S. pombe spindle.
Location Security and Privacy: An LTE Based Approach

Integrity of location data from smart-phones is essential in several location-dependent applications. Unfortunately it is quite easy to spoof location data on smart phones. Therefore, most mission critical services such as road-side assistance, use location aggregators to supply verified location with user permission. This verified location is purchased from cellular carriers and user permission is required to comply with governmental privacy laws. However, cellular carriers, not aggregators are bound by privacy regulation. Therefore, when there is a breach of confidentiality, as it happened recently in the US, it is the cellular carriers' who were held responsible and must take corrective actions. In this paper, we present a mechanism to obtain location certificates using LTE positioning protocols so that it is possible for cellular carriers to (a) obtain verifiable consent from the mobile user before their location is released, (b) be able to directly provide verified location as a service to businesses rather than selling customer data to third party location aggregators, and (c) enable mobile users to store self-certifiable proofs of their own location to reuse as needed. With this mechanism in place, people can have greater control over their privacy as location-dependent services are assured of integrity.
Outcomes in Orbital Floor Trauma: A Comparison of Isolated and Zygomaticomaxillary-Associated Fractures.

ABSTRACT Orbital floor fractures are common sequalae of trauma to the orbit. These fractures present as an isolated orbital floor (I-OF) fracture or with other midface fractures, typically the zygomaticomaxillary complex. The authors sought to better understand the differences in patient presentation, surgical decision-making, and outcomes in I-OF fractures compared with those associated with zygomaticomaxillary complex fractures (Z-OF). A retrospective review of patients with orbital floor fractures was conducted to generate an I-OF fracture group and a Z-OF fracture group. Demographics, preoperative symptoms, surgical choices, and postoperative complications were assessed. Complications were assessed individually and as 2 composite groups consisting of orbital complications and eyelid complications. There were 156 patients that met inclusion criteria with 75 I-OF fractures and 81 Z-OF fractures. The most common mechanism of injury for I-OF fractures was assault (34.7%) and motor vehicle accidents (39.5%) for Z-OF fractures. The I-OF group presented more often with diplopia (P = 0.01) whereas the Z-OF group had more trauma symptoms (P = 0.01), which included subconjunctival hemorrhages, retrobulbar hemorrhages, and relative afferent pupillary defects. I-OF fractures had longer preoperative observational periods (P < 0.001). Postoperatively, I-OF fractures had more motility restrictions (P = 0.002) but Z-OF fractures had higher risk for eyelid complications (P = 0.03). There was no significant difference in reoperation rates (P = 0.93). Multivariate analysis showed Z-OF fractures had reduced a rate of postoperative motility defects by 72% (P = 0.03) but had 2.6 times higher risk of eyelid complications (P = 0.04). Z-OF fractures present differently, vary in surgical management, and have complications that differ from an I-OF fracture.
Initiating protein synthesis with noncanonical monomers in vitro and in vivo.

Abstract With few exceptions, ribosomal protein synthesis begins with methionine (or its derivative N-formyl-methionine) across all domains of life. The role of methionine as the initiating amino acid is dictated by the unique structure of its cognate tRNA known as tRNAfMet. By mis-acylating tRNAfMet, we and others have shown that protein synthesis can be initiated with a variety of canonical and noncanonical amino acids both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, because the α-amine of the initiating amino acid is not required for peptide bond formation, translation can be initiated with a variety of structurally disparate carboxylic acids that bear little resemblance to traditional α-amino acids. Herein, we provide a detailed protocol to initiate in vitro protein synthesis with substituted benzoic acid and 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds. These moieties are introduced at the N-terminus of peptides by mis-acylated tRNAfMet, prepared by flexizyme-catalyzed tRNA acylation. In addition, we describe a protocol to initiate in vivo protein synthesis with aromatic noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs). This method relies on an engineered chimeric initiator tRNA that is acylated with ncAAs by an orthogonal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase. Together, these systems are useful platforms for producing N-terminally modified proteins and for engineering the protein synthesis machinery of Escherichia coli to accept additional nonproteinogenic carboxylic acid monomers.
Function and Emotion in Everyday Life With Type 1 Diabetes (FEEL-T1D): Protocol for a Fully Remote Intensive Longitudinal Study.

Background: Although short-term blood glucose levels and variability are thought to underlie diminished function and emotional well-being in people with type 1 diabetes (T1D), these relationships are poorly understood. The Function and Emotion in Everyday Life with T1D (FEEL-T1D) study focuses on investigating these short-term dynamic relationships among blood glucose levels, functional ability, and emotional well-being in adults with T1D. Objective: The aim of this study is to present the FEEL-T1D study design, methods, and study progress to date, including adaptations necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic to implement the study fully remotely. Methods: The FEEL-T1D study will recruit 200 adults with T1D in the age range of 18-75 years. Data collection includes a comprehensive survey battery, along with 14 days of intensive longitudinal data using blinded continuous glucose monitoring, ecological momentary assessments, ambulatory cognitive tasks, and accelerometers. All study procedures are conducted remotely by mailing the study equipment and by using videoconferencing for study visits. Results: The study received institutional review board approval in January 2019 and was funded in April 2019. Data collection began in June 2020 and is projected to end in December 2021. As of June 2021, after 12 months of recruitment, 124 participants have enrolled in the FEEL-T1D study. Approximately 87.6% (7082/8087) of ecological momentary assessment surveys have been completed with minimal missing data, and 82.0% (82/100) of the participants provided concurrent continuous glucose monitoring data, ecological momentary assessment data, and accelerometer data for at least 10 of the 14 days of data collection. Conclusions: Thus far, our reconfiguration of the FEEL-T1D protocol to be implemented remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a success. The FEEL-T1D study will elucidate the dynamic relationships among blood glucose levels, emotional well-being, cognitive function, and participation in daily activities. In doing so, it will pave the way for innovative just-in-time interventions and produce actionable insights to facilitate tailoring of diabetes treatments to optimize the function and well-being of individuals with T1D.
Vaccination strategies for beef cattle

Vaccines are used at various times during the beef production system with the goal of safe immunization and prevention of diseases caused by viral and bacterial pathogens. Immunization involves a complicated but coordinated network of innate and adaptive immune responses to antigen(s) over a period of days to weeks, ideally in an immunocompetent host in a state of homeostasis. However, bovine respiratory disease (BRD) involves stress and immune dysfunction in its pathogenesis, it usually occurs soon after arrival, and vaccination with modified-live virus (MLV) during stress and natural BRD challenge may be harmful in some animals. Complicated factors to consider regarding vaccination of beef cattle include timing, antigen inclusion, route of administration, and frequency of vaccination. Calves that are marketed to feedlots without previous vaccination are typically considered high-risk because they are likely to also lack weaning, deworming, and castration prior to marketing. Furthermore, high-risk cattle experience stress-induced immune dysfunction because multiple stressors occur simultaneously. Veterinary practitioners should consider new research on vaccination during physiological stress and natural pathogen exposure to better guide recommendations and expectations of their clients.
Investigation of bone quality of the first and second sacral segments amongst trauma patients: concerns about iliosacral screw fixation.

Background Iliosacral screw fixation has become a common method for surgical stabilization of acute disruptions of the pelvic ring. Placement of iliosacral screws into the first sacral (S1) body is the preferred method of fixation, but size limitations and sacral dysmorphism may preclude S1 fixation. In these clinical situations, fixation into the second sacral (S2) body has been recommended. The objective of this study was to evaluate the bone quality of the S1 compared to S2 in the described “safe zone” of iliosacral screw fixation in trauma patients.
Increasing the duration of dual amoxicillin plus omeprazole Helicobacter pylori eradication to 6 weeks: a pilot study.

Background and Aim: Helicobacter pylori infections have become increasingly difficult to treat as antimicrobial resistance has increased. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that a 6-week dual regimen of amoxicillin 1 gm and omeprazole 20 gm therapy b.i.d. would cure at least 90% of treatment-naive H. pylori infections. Methods: This was an open-label prospective pilot study in which treatment-naive subjects with active H. pylori infection (positive by two tests) received dual amoxicillin 1 g and omeprazole 20 mg, b.i.d. daily for 6 weeks. Success was accessed by urea breath test 4–6 weeks later. A tentatively effective therapy was defined as a per-protocol treatment success of 90% or greater; treatment success of 80% or less was prespecified as unacceptable. Results: Sixteen patients were included in the study (14 men, two women) with an average age of 49 years. At 16 patients, the prespecified stopping rule of six treatment failures was achieved (i.e. the 95% confidence interval excluded achieving the required 90% success rate even if 50 patients were entered). As per protocol, enrollment was stopped. Per-protocol and intention-to-treat treatment success were both 62.5% (95% confidence interval, 35–84%). Compliance was greater than 99%. Five patients (31%) reported side-effects, all of which were mild and none interrupted therapy. Conclusion: Despite the theory and pre-existing data from Japan, in the USA, prolonging the duration of dual amoxicillin-PPI therapy did not improve treatment outcome in 90% or more of our patients.