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We use Rankin–Cohen brackets on O (n , 2) to prove that the Fourier coefficients of reflective Borcherds products often satisfy congruences modulo certain primes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study a ring of weak Jacobi forms indexed by integral lattices of rank two. We find an explicit finite set of generators of this ring and give a dimension formula for weak Jacobi forms of rank two lattice index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Diasporic Cold Warriors: Nationalist China, Anticommunism, and the Philippine Chinese, 1930s–1970s" by Chien-Wen Kung explores the relationship between Nationalist China, the Philippines, and the Chinese diaspora during the Cold War. The book argues that the Republic of China and the Kuomintang should be seen as a diasporic party-state, and that the Philippines and the ROC shared sovereignty over the Chinese ethnic community in the Philippines. Kung emphasizes the importance of understanding local culture in the context of superpower competition and highlights the role of performative anticommunism in the Philippines Chinese community. The book draws on extensive research in regional archives and offers a fresh perspective on the Cold War by decentering the United States. [Extracted from the article]

We obtain infinite product expansions in the sense of Borcherds for theta functions associated with certain positive-definite binary quadratic and binary hermitian forms. Among other things, we show that every weight 1 binary theta function is a Borcherds product. In particular, binary theta functions have zeros only at quadratic irrationals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We give a necessary and sufficient criterion for the existence of Borcherds products of half-integral weight associated to even lattices that split two hyperbolic planes. In particular we prove that half-integral weight Borcherds products exist for lattices of arbitrary rank. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prescribed burning can be an effective land management tool. Here, we study changes in plant diversity and composition following experimental fire disturbance in microcosm units extracted from a twenty-five-year-old historically reclaimed grassland located at Highland Valley Copper mine in British Columbia (B.C.), Canada. Experimental microcosm units were dominated by agronomic grass species Elymus lanceolatus, Thinopyrum intermedium and Bromus inermis. The disturbance treatment was fire intensity, represented by three levels (light, moderate, and heavy), replicated six times per treatment. Fire intensity was controlled by modifying the weight of dried litter applied to each microcosm unit (50 g,150 g, 200g), along with the time each grass turf was burned (10 s, 15 s, 20 s). One day after the fire treatment was applied, microcosm units were seeded with a native species mix consisting of six grassland species common to southern B.C. to examine effectiveness of plant establishment postburn. Disturbance treatments resulted in higher overall alpha diversity, richness, evenness, and beta diversity. Plant community changes included colonization of seeded native forbs, grasses, and legumes in response to disturbance. Aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) was net neutral within the light and moderate burning disturbance treatments but resulted in increased ANPP with heavy disturbance. Litter mass reduced plant diversity and ANPP, indicating that litter was a major factor in plant community dynamics. These results suggest disturbance by burning leads to short term positive plant community response towards increasing diversity of semi-arid grasslands, and aids in shifting plant communities to higher diversity composed of an increase in native plant species. Our results also suggest that without active management the gains observed in native species establishment might quickly be out shadowed and restricted by the previously dominant agronomic plant community. • Prescribed burning resulted in increased plant diversity. • Prescribed burning reduced litter mass, which enhanced conditions needed for seeded species to establish. • Agronomic-dominated grass communities can stall ecological succession. • Burning reduced competitive exclusion in the short term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We apply differential operators to modular forms on orthogonal groups O(2, ℓ) to construct infinite families of modular forms on special cycles. These operators generalize the quasi-pullback. The subspaces of theta lifts are preserved; in particular, the higher pullbacks of the lift of a (lattice-index) Jacobi form ϕ are theta lifts of partial development coefficients of ϕ. For certain lattices of signature (2, 2) and (2, 3), for which there are interpretations as Hilbert–Siegel modular forms, we observe that the higher pullbacks coincide with differential operators introduced by Cohen and Ibukiyama. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use Borcherds products and their restrictions to Hirzebruch-Zagier curves to determine generators and relations for the graded rings of Hilbert modular forms for the fields Q (29) and Q (37). These seem to be the first cases where the graded ring can be computed despite obstructions to the existence of Borcherds products with arbitrary divisors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compute generators and relations for the graded rings of paramodular forms of degree two and levels 5 and 7. The generators are expressed as quotients of Gritsenko lifts and Borcherds products. The computation is made possible by a characterization of modular forms on the Humbert surfaces of discriminant 4 that arise from paramodular forms by restriction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We study the theta decomposition of Jacobi forms of nonintegral lattice index for a representation that arises in the theory of Weil representations associated to even lattices, and suggest possible applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the (mock) Eisenstein series E k of weight k ∈ { 1 , 3 / 2 , 2 } for the Weil representation on an even lattice, defined as the result of Bruinier and Kuss's coefficient formula for the Eisenstein series naively evaluated at k. We describe the transformation law of E k in general. Most of this paper is dedicated to collecting examples where the coefficients of E k contain interesting arithmetic information. Finally, we make a few remarks about the case k = 1 / 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on musical "And They Lynched Him on a Tree" by William Grant Still and Katharine Garrison Chapin. Topics discussed include Still's symphony became the first symphonic work composed by black composer to be played by major orchestra; Still's oeuvre consist of over 150 compositions; and the musical "And They Lynched Him on a Tree" scored for a White Chorus, Black Chorus, Contralto Solo (Mother), Narrator, and orchestra.

We study the algebras of modular forms on type IV symmetric domains for simple lattices; that is, lattices for which every Heegner divisor occurs as the divisor of a Borcherds product. For every simple lattice L of signature (n , 2) with 3 ≤ n ≤ 10 , we prove that the graded algebra of modular forms for the maximal reflection subgroup of the orthogonal group of L is freely generated. We also show that, with five exceptions, the graded algebra of modular forms for the maximal reflection subgroup of the discriminant kernel of L is also freely generated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represent a major health burden in industrialized countries. Although alcohol abuse and nutrition play a central role in disease pathogenesis, preclinical models support a contribution of the gut microbiota to ALD and NAFLD. This review describes changes in the intestinal microbiota compositions related to ALD and NAFLD. Findings from in vitro, animal, and human studies are used to explain how intestinal pathology contributes to disease progression. This review summarizes the effects of untargeted microbiome modifications using antibiotics and probiotics on liver disease in animals and humans. While both affect humoral inflammation, regression of advanced liver disease or mortality has not been demonstrated. This review further describes products secreted by Lactobacillus- and microbiota-derived metabolites, such as fatty acids and antioxidants, that could be used for precision medicine in the treatment of liver disease. A better understanding of host-microbial interactions is allowing discovery of novel therapeutic targets in the gut microbiota, enabling new treatment options that restore the intestinal ecosystem precisely and influence liver disease. The modulation options of the gut microbiota and precision medicine employing the gut microbiota presented in this review have excellent prospects to improve treatment of liver disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proteolytic control of C aulobacter cell cycle proteins is primarily executed by ClpXP, a dynamically localized protease implicated in turnover of several factors critical for faithful cell cycle progression. Here, we show that the transient midcell localization of ClpXP that precedes cytokinesis requires the FtsZ component of the divisome. Although ClpAP does not exhibit subcellular localization, FtsZ is a substrate of both ClpXP and ClpAP in vivo and in vitro. A peptide containing the C-terminal portion of the FtsA divisome protein is a substrate of both ClpXP and ClpAP in vitro but is primarily degraded by ClpAP in vivo. C aulobacter carries out an asymmetric division in which FtsZ and FtsA are stable in stalked cells but degraded in the non-replicative swarmer cell where ClpAP alone degrades FtsA and both ClpAP and ClpXP degrade FtsZ. While asymmetric division in C aulobacter normally yields larger stalked and smaller swarmer daughters, we observe a loss of asymmetric size distribution among daughter cells when clpA is depleted from a strain in which FtsZ is constitutively produced. Taken together, these results suggest that the activity of both ClpXP and ClpAP on divisome substrates is differentially regulated in daughter cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Electrospun blends of polycaprolactone and polyglyconate were prepared for the first time to evaluate the synergistic properties. The morphology and thermal properties of the blends were used to determine the degree of miscibility. Dynamic mechanical analysis was used to evaluate the mechanical performance and viscoelastic properties of the blends. In vitro degradation studies in phosphate buffered saline (pH of 7.3) were carried out to investigate the hydrolytic degradation of the polymer system. FT-IR and SEM analysis, DSC, and mechanical testing were performed to evaluate the degradation profiles of the blends. A 3:1 ratio of polyglyconate to polycaprolactone was concluded to be a partially miscible blend with enhancements in tensile strength, flexibility, and percent elongation to failure over neat polyglyconate. In addition, the 3:1 ratio of polyglyconate to polycaprolactone scaffold exhibited a stable morphology, modulus of elasticity, and mass up to 6 weeks in vitro. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been proposed to play a role in the inhibition of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) responses to emotional stress via influences on neuroendocrine effector mechanisms housed in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVH). Previous work also suggests an involvement of the locus ceruleus (LC) in behavioral and neuroendocrine responses to a variety of acute stressors. The LC issues a widespread set of noradrenergic projections, and its innervation of the prefrontal cortex plays an important role in the modulation of working memory and attention. Because these operations are likely to be critical for stimulus selection, evaluation, and comparison with past experience in mounting adaptive responses to emotional stress, it follows that the LC-to-mPFC pathway might also be involved in regulating HPA activity under such conditions. Therefore, in the present study, we assessed the effects of selectively ablating noradrenergic inputs into the mPFC, using the axonally transported catecholamine immunotoxin, saporin-conjugated antiserum to dopamine-ß-hydroxylase, on acute restraint stress-induced activation of HPA output. Immunotoxin injections in the dorsal mPFC (centered in the prelimbic cortex) attenuated increments in restraint-induced Fos and corticotropinreleasing factor mRNA expression in the neurosecretory region of PVH, as well as HPA secretory responses. Stress-induced Fos expression in dorsal mPFC was enhanced after noradrenergic deafferentation and was negatively correlated with stress-induced PVH activation, independent of lesion status. These findings identify the LC as an upstream component of a circuitry providing for dorsal mPFC modulation of emotional stress-induced HPA activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the notion that interprofessional working is often hampered by the lack of a common language set and the variety of language sets used across the caring professions. The use of art as a common ground communication tool is presented with particular reference to the medium of magazine picture collage work. The paper describes how the use of this medium can enhance the understanding of individuals in interprofessional study days and workshops, where particular issues can be presented and explored by the participants, resulting in the increased awareness of the different perceptions of shared issues. In this way the use of magazine picture collage is advocated as a communication tool aimed to build bridges across the range of language sets used by different professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

R2890 --> There is an increasing prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's Disease (PD). According to the Parkinson's Foundation, more than 10 million people live with PD around the world with 60,000 Americans being diagnosed each year (Parkinson's Foundation; Marras et al., 2018). Alpha‐synuclein (α‐syn) is a membrane binding protein whose function is not completely understood but has been identified with an increased risk of developing PD. Intrinsically disordered in solution, membrane‐bound α‐syn has distinct pathological and physiological states. Pathologically, it has been observed to aggregate, leading to the formation of Lewy bodies, plaque build‐up, and eventually the development of PD (Spinelli et al., 2014) Physiologically, α‐syn is believed to be involved in the transport of neurotransmitters (Ramakrishnan et al., 2012). To better understand the pathological state of α‐syn, a deeper understanding of the physiological structure was needed. Previous studies had found two different conformations of α‐syn: a horseshoe and an extended helix (Ulmer et al., 2005; Trexler and Rhoades, 2009). In this proposal, distance measurements will be performed to distinguish between the two conformations using an electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy experiment known as double electron‐electron resonance (DEER). DEER measures the dipolar interaction between two unpaired electrons in a system. To accomplish this, α‐syn was mutated in order to introduce unpaired electrons. Site‐directed mutagenesis and site‐directed spin labeling were employed to prepare double spin‐labeled mutants of α‐syn for DEER experiments. The ultimate goal of this proposal is to model and generate double mutants of α‐syn to perform distance measurements on using DEER. With carefully designed placement of the spin labeled sites, the distance constraints should be able to be used to predict if the horseshoe or extended conformation is being sampled as α‐syn binds to lipid vesicles of different sizes. Marras, C.; Beck, J.C.; Bower, J.H.; Roberts, E.; Ritz, B.; Ross, G.W.; Abbott, R.D.; Savica, R.; Van Den Eeden, S.K.; Willis, A.W.; Tanner, C.M. Prevalence of Parkinson's Disease across North America. npj Parkinson's Disease 2018, 4(21). Parkinson's Foundation. "Statistics." Parkinson's Foundation. Ramakrishnan, N.A.; Drescher, M.J.; Drescher, D.G. The SNARE Complex in Neuronal and Sensory Cells. Mol Cell Neurosci. 2012, 50(1), 58‐69. Trexler, A.J. and Elizabeth Rhoades. &[alpha]‐Synuclein Binds Large Unilamellar Vesicles as an Extended Helix. Biochemistry 2009, 48, 2304‐2306. Ulmer, T.S.; Bax, A.; Cole, N.B.; Nussbaum, R.L. Structure and Dynamics of Micelle‐Bound Human Alpha‐Synuclein. J Biol Chem 2005, 280(10), 9595‐9603. Spinelli, K.J.; Taylor, J.K.; Osterberg, V.R.; Churchill, M.J.; Pollock, E.; Moore, C.; Meshul, C.K.; Unni, V.K. Presynaptic Alpha‐Synuclein Aggregation in a Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease. Journal of Neuroscience 2014, 34(6), 2037‐2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses how a music educator can show student progress to parents and can answer their queries related to perceptions of singing. It highlights connection between singing and emotion & expression and suggests teachers to covey to parents that singing is a skill that can be developed. Also it discusses several benefits that a student can gain by being a part of music ensemble, including music literacy, improved listening, and leadership skills.

Background: Perforated marginal ulcers (PMUs) are a rare but known complication of bariatric surgery. Management typically involves prompt surgical intervention, but limited data exists on non-operative approaches. This study reviews published data on non-operative management of PMUs and presents a case series of patients who were managed non-operatively. Our hypothesis is that certain patients with signs of perforation can be successfully managed non-operatively with close observation. Methods: We completed a systematic review searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, and clinicaltrials.gov. Ultimately 3 studies described the presentation and non-operative management of 5 patients. Additionally, we prospectively collected data from our institution on all patients who presented between Dec. 2022 and Dec. 2023 with PMUs confirmed on imaging and managed non-operatively. Results: In our literature review, three patients had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), while two had one anastomosis gastric bypass. One patient required surgery two days after admission. Another underwent elective conversion surgery weeks later for a non-healing ulcer. Two received endoscopic interventions. One patient recovered with nil-per-os (NPO) status, and intravenous proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment. The patients in our case series presented with normal vital signs, an average of 30 months after RYGB, and with CT scan signs of perforation. None of these patients required surgical or endoscopic intervention. Conclusion: In conclusion, while perforated marginal ulcers have traditionally been considered a surgical emergency, some patients can be successfully treated with non-operative management. More research is needed to identify the clinical presentation features, comorbidities, and imaging findings of this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grafting is an ancient technique that involves the physical joining of genotypically distinct shoot and root systems, in order to achieve a desirable compound plant. This practice is widely used in modern agriculture to improve biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, modify plant architecture, induce precocious flowering and rejuvenate old perennial varieties, boost yield, and more. Beneficial new rootstock-scion combinations are currently identified through an inefficient trial and error process, which presents a significant bottleneck for the application of grafting to combat new environmental challenges. Identifying the mechanisms that underlie beneficial grafting-induced traits will facilitate rapid breeding and genetic engineering of new rootstock x scion combinations that exhibit superior performance across varying agricultural environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For 25 orthogonal groups of signature (2 , n) related to the root lattices A 1 , 2 A 1 , 3 A 1 , 4 A 1 , A 2 , A 3 , A 4 , A 5 , A 6 , A 7 , D 4 , D 5 , D 6 , D 7 , D 8 , E 6 , E 7 , we prove that the algebras of modular forms on symmetric domains of type IV are freely generated by the additive lifts of some special Jacobi forms. The proof is universal and elementary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic nephropathy is a progressive condition which develops for many years. We analyzed expression of Snail and serum response factor (SRF), epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) regulatory transcription factors with a key role in renal fibrosis, in different renal areas of diabetic rats during ageing. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were treated with 55 mg/kg streptozotocin (model of type 1 diabetes mellitus; DM group) or citrate buffer (control). DM group received insulin weekly to prevent ketoacidosis. After 2 weeks, 2, 6 and 12 months kidney samples were collected and analysed in different renal areas. Snail expression was located within cortex in proximal convoluted tubules, in control and DM groups, in the cytoplasm. Percentage of Snail-positive cells in control groups was high and decreased with time, whereas in DM groups the highest percentage was after 2 weeks. In all time points, smaller percentage of Snail expression was seen in DM groups compared to controls. SRF expression was mostly located in the proximal convoluted tubules, always in the cytoplasm. In control groups SRF was expressed in all time periods in proximal convoluted tubules, with decrement after 12 months. Percentage of SRF-positive cells was higher in control groups compared to DM in all time points, with the exception of 12 months. To a smaller degree, SRF expression was seen in the glomeruli and distal convoluted tubules, with more SRF positive cells in DM compared to their control groups. While Snail expression remained lower in diabetic tissues, compared to controls, expression of SRF increased in diabetic tissues in the second part of the year. These changes may need long time to develop, and, in line with earlier reports, it is possible that insulin treatment of DM rats once a week reduces possibility of EMT and development of renal fibrosis even in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This note rederives a formula for r-color partitions, 1≤r≤24, including Rademacher's celebrated result for ordinary partitions, from the duality between modular forms of weights -r/2 and 2+r/2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We give expressions for the Serre derivatives of Eisenstein and Poincaré series as well as their Rankin-Cohen brackets with arbitrary modular forms in terms of the Poincaré averaging construction, and derive several identities for the Ramanujan tau function as applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design. Preclinical study. Objective. Develop and test a drug delivery system (DDS) composed of anti-inflammatories and growth factors in the rabbit disk injury model. Summary of Background Data. Biological therapies that inhibit inflammation or enhance cell proliferation can alter intervertebral disk (IVD) homeostasis to favor regeneration. As biological molecules have short half-lives and one molecule may not cover multiple disease pathways, effective treatments may require a combination of growth factors and anti-inflammatory agents delivered in a sustained manner. Materials and Methods. Biodegradable microspheres were generated separately to encapsulate tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFa) inhibitors [etanercept (ETN)] or growth differentiation factor 5 (GDF5) and were embedded into a thermoresponsive hydrogel. Release kinetics and activity of ETN and GDF5 were measured in vitro. For in vivo testing, New Zealand White rabbits (n=12) underwent surgery for disk puncture and treatment with blank-DDS, ETN-DDS, or ETN+GDF5-DDS at levels L34, L45, and L56. Radiographic and magnetic resonance images of the spines were obtained. The IVDs were isolated for histologic and gene expression analyses. Results. ETN and GDF5 were encapsulated into poly (L-lactideco-glycolide) microspheres and had average initial bursts of 2.4±0.1 and 11.2±0.7 µg from DDS, respectively. In vitro studies confirmed that ETN-DDS inhibited TNFa-induced cytokine release and GDF5-DDS induced protein phosphorylation. In vivo studies showed that rabbit IVDs treated with ETN+GDF5-DDS had better histologic outcomes, higher levels of extracellular, and lower levels of inflammatory gene expression than IVDs treated with blank-DDS or ETN-DDS. Conclusions. This pilot study demonstrated that DDS can be fabricated to deliver sustained and therapeutic dosages of ETN and GDF5. In addition, ETN+GDF5-DDS may have greater antiinflammatory and regenerative effects than ETN-DDS alone. Thus, intradiscal injection of controlled release TNF-a inhibitors and growth factors may be a promising treatment to reduce disk inflammation and back pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocoatings consisting of ammonium polyphosphate (APP), sodium montmorillonite (MMT), and vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) were prepared via self-assembly and in situ sol-gel techniques and applied onto cotton fabrics to achieve both flame retardancy and hydrophobicity. The impacts of APP concentration on the hydrophobicity and fire resistance of the coated fabrics were investigated. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) characterization results verified the hydrolysis-condensation reaction of VTMS and the formation of Si-O-Si network structure. X-ray diffraction (XRD) proved the formation of a layered structure based on MMT nanosheets in the coatings. Both vertical flame test (VFT), limiting oxygen index (LOI), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and microscale combustion calorimeter (MCC) characterization were conducted to evaluate the flame retardancy, thermostability and heat release behavior of the coated cotton fabrics, respectively. The results suggested that a higher concentration of APP is beneficial for both hydrophobicity and flame retardancy of the coated substrates. Overall, our research provides a facile and very effective approach to prepare flame retardant and hydrophobic multifunctional coating for cotton fabric and other substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NIOSH published a Federal Register Notice to explore the possibility of incorporating FDA required filtration tests for surgical masks (SMs) in the 42 CFR Part 84 respirator certification process. There have been no published studies comparing the filtration efficiency test methods used for NIOSH certification of N95 filtering facepiece respirators (N95 FFRs) with those used by the FDA for clearance of SMs. To address this issue, filtration efficiencies of “N95 FFRs” including six N95 FFR models and three surgical N95 FFR models, and three SM models were measured using the NIOSH NaCl aerosol test method, and FDA required particulate filtration efficiency (PFE) and bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE) methods, and viral filtration efficiency (VFE) method. Five samples of each model were tested using each method. Both PFE and BFE tests were done using unneutralized particles as per FDA guidance document. PFE was measured using 0.1 µm size polystyrene latex particles and BFE with ∼3.0 µm size particles containingStaphylococcus aureusbacteria. VFE was obtained using ∼3.0 µm size particles containing phiX 174 as the challenge virus andEscherichia colias the host. Results showed that the efficiencies measured by the NIOSH NaCl method for “N95 FFRs” were from 98.15–99.68% compared to 99.74–99.99% for PFE, 99.62–99.9% for BFE, and 99.8–99.9% for VFE methods. Efficiencies by the NIOSH NaCl method were significantly (p = <0.05) lower than the other methods. SMs showed lower efficiencies (54.72–88.40%) than “N95 FFRs” measured by the NIOSH NaCl method, while PFE, BFE, and VFE methods produced no significant difference. The above results show that the NIOSH NaCl method is relatively conservative and is able to identify poorly performing filtration devices. The higher efficiencies obtained using PFE, BFE and VFE methods show that adding these supplemental particle penetration methods will not improve respirator certification. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: The fluctuation of atoms around their average positions in protein structures provides important information regarding protein dynamics. This flexibility of protein structures is associated with various biological processes. Predicting flexibility of residues from protein sequences is significant for analyzing the dynamic properties of proteins which will be helpful in predicting their functions. Results: In this paper, an approach of improving the accuracy of protein flexibility prediction is introduced. A neural network method for predicting flexibility in 3 states is implemented. The method incorporates sequence and evolutionary information, context-based scores, predicted secondary structures and solvent accessibility, and amino acid properties. Context-based statistical scores are derived, using the mean-field potentials approach, for describing the different preferences of protein residues in flexibility states taking into consideration their amino acid context. The 7-fold cross validated accuracy reached 61 % when context-based scores and predicted structural states are incorporated in the training process of the flexibility predictor. Conclusions: Incorporating context-based statistical scores with predicted structural states are important features to improve the performance of predicting protein flexibility, as shown by our computational results. Our prediction method is implemented as web service called "FLEXc" and available online at: http://hpcr.cs.odu.edu/flexc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Community health worker (CHW) interventions are an evidence-based practice adopted by health care settings to increase retention in care and viral suppression for people living with HIV (PLWH) from racial/ethnic minority communities. However, disparate funding, unclear roles vis a vis other care team members, limited training and promotion opportunities, and a lack of standards for wages and tasks limit the ability to effectively use CHWs as part of the health care team. Guided by the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment and Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance frameworks, this study describes the key determinants for CHW integration and sustainability at 3 agencies in Shelby County, TN, to improve viral suppression and reduce disparities among rural and urban people living with HIV. Setting: Memphis Transitional Grant Area (TGA) which includes 8 rural and urban counties in west Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Methods: Seventeen key informants were identified using purposeful and snowball sampling techniques, including community and agency leadership staff, frontline staff, and faith leaders. Results: Key determinants of CHW integration include establishing clear and standardized CHW roles within and across organizations, facilitating interorganizational networks, and leveraging funds for livable CHW wages and sustainable positions. Training strategies that strengthen the CHW workforce include content related to trauma-informed care, managing stress, and cultural humility. Conclusion: Several inner and outer settings and innovation and bridging factors affect CHW positions. Data collected will inform the implementation and sustainment of future policies and interventions intended to improve HIV care continuum outcomes and reduce disparities for PLWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that is characterized by the progressive loss of oligodendrocytes and myelin and is associated with thalamic dysfunction. Cuprizone (CPZ)-induced general demyelination in rodents is a valuable model for studying different aspects of MS pathology. CPZ feeding is associated with the altered distribution and expression of different ion channels along neuronal somata and axons. However, it is largely unknown whether the copper chelator CPZ directly influences ion channels. Therefore, we assessed the effects of different divalent cations (copper; zinc) and trace metal chelators (EDTA; Tricine; the water-soluble derivative of CPZ, BiMPi) on hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels that are major mediators of thalamic function and pathology. In addition, alterations of HCN channels induced by CPZ treatment and MS-related proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β; IL-6; INF-α; INF-β) were characterized in C57Bl/6J mice. Thus, the hyperpolarization-activated inward current (Ih) was recorded in thalamocortical (TC) neurons and heterologous expression systems (mHCN2 expressing HEK cells; hHCN4 expressing oocytes). A number of electrophysiological characteristics of Ih (potential of half-maximal activation (V0.5); current density; activation kinetics) were unchanged following the extracellular application of trace metals and divalent cation chelators to native neurons, cell cultures or oocytes. Mice were fed a diet containing 0.2% CPZ for 35 days, resulting in general demyelination in the brain. Withdrawal of CPZ from the diet resulted in rapid remyelination, the effects of which were assessed at three time points after stopping CPZ feeding (Day1, Day7, Day25). In TC neurons, Ih was decreased on Day1 and Day25 and revealed a transient increased availability on Day7. In addition, we challenged naive TC neurons with INF-α and IL-1β. It was found that Ih parameters were differentially altered by the application of the two cytokines to thalamic cells, while IL-1β increased the availability of HCN channels (depolarized V0.5; increased current density) and the excitability of TC neurons (depolarized resting membrane potential (RMP); increased the number of action potentials (APs); produced a larger voltage sag; promoted higher input resistance; increased the number of burst spikes; hyperpolarized the AP threshold), INF-α mediated contrary effects. The effect of cytokine modulation on thalamic bursting was further assessed in horizontal slices and a computational model of slow thalamic oscillations. Here, IL-1β and INF-α increased and reduced oscillatory bursting, respectively. We conclude that HCN channels are not directly modulated by trace metals and divalent cation chelators but are subject to modulation by different MS-related cytokines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Community health worker (CHW) interventions are an evidence-based practice adopted by health care settings to increase retention in care and viral suppression for people living with HIV (PLWH) from racial/ethnic minority communities. However, disparate funding, unclear roles vis a vis other care team members, limited training and promotion opportunities, and a lack of standards for wages and tasks limit the ability to effectively use CHWs as part of the health care team. Guided by the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment and Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance frameworks, this study describes the key determinants for CHW integration and sustainability at 3 agencies in Shelby County, TN, to improve viral suppression and reduce disparities among rural and urban people living with HIV. Setting: Memphis Transitional Grant Area (TGA) which includes 8 rural and urban counties in west Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Methods: Seventeen key informants were identified using purposeful and snowball sampling techniques, including community and agency leadership staff, frontline staff, and faith leaders. Results: Key determinants of CHW integration include establishing clear and standardized CHW roles within and across organizations, facilitating interorganizational networks, and leveraging funds for livable CHW wages and sustainable positions. Training strategies that strengthen the CHW workforce include content related to trauma-informed care, managing stress, and cultural humility. Conclusion: Several inner and outer settings and innovation and bridging factors affect CHW positions. Data collected will inform the implementation and sustainment of future policies and interventions intended to improve HIV care continuum outcomes and reduce disparities for PLWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) require medical schools to teach their students how to recognize and work toward eliminating health disparities. However, time constraints and a dearth of guidance for educators in teaching pain disparities curricula pose significant challenges. Herein we describe successes and lessons learned after designing, implementing, and evaluating an innovative pain disparities curriculum that was embedded in a longitudinal health equity curriculum for third year medical school students at an academic institution. Although the curriculum was developed for medical school students, the concepts may be broadly applicable to other training settings such as residency and fellowship programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cuprizone (CPZ)-induced alterations in axonal myelination are associated with a period of neuronal hyperexcitability and increased activity of hyperpolarization-activated and cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels in the thalamocortical (TC) system. Substances used for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) have been shown to normalize neuronal excitability in CPZ-treated mice. Therefore, we aimed to examine the effects of diroximel fumarate (DRF) and the sphingosine 1-phospate receptor (S1PR) modulator siponimod on action potential firing and the inward current (I h) carried by HCN ion channels in naive conditions and during different stages of de- and remyelination. Here, DRF application reduced I h current density in ex vivo patch clamp recordings from TC neurons of the ventrobasal thalamic complex (VB), thereby counteracting the increase of I h during early remyelination. Siponimod reduced I h in VB neurons under control conditions but had no effect in neurons of the auditory cortex (AU). Furthermore, siponimod increased and decreased AP firing properties of neurons in VB and AU, respectively. Computational modeling revealed that both DRF and siponimod influenced thalamic bursting during early remyelination by delaying the onset and decreasing the interburst frequency. Thus, substances used in MS treatment normalize excitability in the TC system by influencing AP firing and I h. • Axonal de- and remyelination influence neuronal excitability and Ih currents. • The cuprizone model is a powerful tool to study the myelination process in vitro. • Drugs used in MS therapy normalize hyperexcitability in distinct brain regions. • Diroximel fumarate (DRF) impacts thalamic bursting only during early remyelination. • Siponimod acts opposingly on thalamic and cortical neurons in all conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing photochromic systems that exhibit tunable print/erase responses is seldom studied but critical to the implementation of rewritable paper. Previous systems printed information with photocatalysts limited to specific wavelengths and light sources and rarely considered how polymers used in film formation affect erasing of information. Herein, different visible/UV light responses are achieved by engineering the formation of oxygen vacancy defects in titanium dioxide/reduced graphene oxide composite photocatalysts. Defects are manipulated during synthesis by controlling the water concentration in a mixed solvent system, which leads to tunable photochromic response of redox dyes. Furthermore, because the accessibility of ambient oxygen directly impacts the kinetics of recoloration, tailoring the oxygen barrier properties of polyvinyl alcohol via modulating inherent polymer structure as well as the external environment, the recoloration can be further tuned to meet various application purposes. The resulting insight will assist fellow researchers in tailoring defects in photocatalyst systems for superior functional design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate changes in insulin sensitivity, hormone secretion, and hepatic steatosis immediately after caloric restriction, vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG), and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB).Research Design and Methods: Obese subjects were assessed for 1) insulin sensitivity with hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp with glucose tracer infusion, 2) adipokine concentrations with serum and subcutaneous adipose interstitial fluid sampling, and 3) hepatic fat content with MRI before and 7-10 days after VSG, RYGB, or supervised caloric restriction.Results: Each group exhibited an ∼5% total body weight loss, accompanied by similar improvements in hepatic glucose production and hepatic, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue insulin sensitivity. Leptin concentrations in plasma and adipose interstitial fluid were equally decreased, and reductions in hepatic fat were similar.Conclusions: The improvements in insulin sensitivity and adipokine secretion observed early after bariatric surgery are replicated by equivalent caloric restriction and weight loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Memphis, Tennessee and its surrounding counties have been profoundly affected by the HIV epidemic. Using a participatory research approach this study identified from a community perspective: 1) the barriers and facilitators for providing support to achieve viral suppression to the most at-risk groups living with HIV in the Memphis Transitional Grant Area and 2) opportunities to strengthen the health care system through the use of community health workers (CHWs) to do outreach and engage with people living with HIV. Themes of barriers include intersectional stigma, HIV criminal laws, abstinence-only sex education, housing, transportation, and limited access to HIV case management and mental health services. Strategies to address these barriers included HIV education to youth in schools and community-wide campaigns, more testing sites, involving faith leaders, funding for housing options, innovative transportation services, rapid start of culturally appropriate HIV medical treatment, intensive case management services, and mental health counseling. Two opportunities to utilize CHWs to address the barriers identified in this geographic area are as policy advocates and as an integrated member of the HIV primary care team. The findings of this study can inform a strategy to build the CHW workforce which may have widespread implications for ending the HIV epidemic in this geographic area and across the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma-based water purification uses energetic electrons to induce chemical reactions that break down harmful contaminants into benign components. The chemical reactions needed to decompose organic chemicals and bacteria in water are driven by the production of the hydroxyl radical, OH. In this article, an atmospheric pressure plasma jet was used to produce OH and decompose methylene blue (MB) dye in water samples. The behavior of the plasma and the emission of excited OH* near the plasma–liquid interface were analyzed. Nanosecond-resolved measurements near the plasma–water interface were obtained using ICCD imaging and emissions spectroscopy synchronized to the pulsed dc power that drives plasma formation in the plasma jet. The plasma was observed to form along the front of ionization waves as “bullets” that locally produce reactive species. When the bullet hits the water surface, it rebounds and creates a secondary excitation of species at the water surface. The bouncing phenomenon increases the plasma interactions above the water surface and increases OH* excitation up to 192%. However, this increase in excitation and emission does not necessarily mean increased total OH. Higher discharge frequencies produced more OH* emission but did not change the rate of MB dye removal. Higher voltages do increase dye removal rate but with decreasing effectiveness. The results indicate that in steady state, most of the water in the gas channel has been dissociated to form OH, and each bullet merely re-excites the ground state OH (X) into OH* (A) state. A minimum operational frequency of 1 kHz was thus found to provide the best efficiency while maintaining OH production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct synthesis of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from CO 2 and methanol is a green synthetic route owing to nontoxicity of starting materials and synthetic process. DMC is widely used as a nontoxic solvent, effective fuel additive, and synthetic intermediate in medicine, pharmaceutics, chemistry and other fields. The key challenge is to design efficient and stable catalysts, which mainly includes ionic liquids, alkali carbonates, transition metal oxides, heteropoly acids, supported catalysts. The problems of low yield and difficulties in experiments have not been fundamentally solved. Electro-assist synthesis that provides extra energy for CO 2 activation is tried and membranes reactor that separates products in time to increase DMC yield is also studied. Dehydrant catalysts with in-situ hydration for water removal can significantly improve DMC yield and catalysts stability because chemical equilibrium shifts substantially and the catalysts deactivation by produced water poisoning is avoided. This direction will have a considerable breakthrough when appropriate combination of catalysts and dehydrant is obtained. The direct synthesis of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from CO 2 and methanol is a green synthetic route owing to nontoxicity of starting materials and synthetic process. DMC is widely used as a nontoxic solvent, effective fuel additive, and synthetic intermediate in medicine, pharmaceutics, chemistry and other fields. The key challenge is to design efficient and stable catalysts, which mainly includes ionic liquids, alkali carbonates, transition metal oxides, heteropoly acids, supported catalysts. The problems of low yield and difficulties in experiments have not been fundamentally solved. Electro-assist synthesis that provides extra energy for CO 2 activation is tried and membranes reactor that separates products in time to increase DMC yield is also studied. Dehydrant catalysts with in-situ hydration for water removal can significantly improve DMC yield and catalysts stability because chemical equilibrium shifts substantially and the catalysts deactivation by produced water poisoning is avoided. This direction will have a considerable breakthrough when appropriate combination of catalysts and dehydrant is obtained. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcranial focal electrical stimulation (TFS) via tripolar concentric ring electrodes (TCRE), tripolar TFS, is proposed to treat pharmacoresistant epilepsy. We determined the effect of tripolar TFS on electrical amygdaloid kindling (AK) in freely moving cats. Fifteen cats were bilaterally implanted with electrodes in the amygdala (AM) and prefrontal cortex and assigned to three groups: the control group, which only received AK; the tripolar TFS before AK group, in which TCREs were placed over the vertex and tripolar TFS (300 Hz, 200 μs biphasic equal charge, square pulses) was delivered for 40 min just prior to AK; and the tripolar TFS after AK group, in which the TCREs were placed over the temporal bone ipsilateral to the kindled AM, while tripolar TFS was administered for 2 min just after AK onset for 40 days, and, thereafter, only AK was applied. AK was applied daily until all animals reached kindling stage VI. A three concentric spheres finite element cat head model was developed to analyze the electric fields caused by tripolar TFS. Tripolar TFS after AK inhibited kindling development. Animals with tripolar TFS after AK remained at the focal seizure stages for 20 days after tripolar TFS cessation and required 80.0 ± 15.42 AK stimulations to reach stage VI, significantly higher than TFS before AK, and control (P <.001). Tripolar TFS before AK did not show signs of protection against epileptogenesis. The finite modeling of tripolar TFS showed that the electric field is >0.3 mV/mm at depths less than approximately 12.6 mm in the cat brain, which should be strong enough to alter brain activity. In conclusion, tripolar TFS applied via a TCRE over the ipsilateral temporal area significantly delayed AK. This taken together with other reports of tripolar TFS aborting seizures in acute seizure models suggests that tripolar TFS is a promising new modality that should be considered for further testing. • Transcranial focal stimulation via tripolar ring electrodes delays amygdala kindling. • Effects were observed when transcranial focal stimulation was applied after kindling. • Transcranial focal stimulation after amygdala kindling had effects for over 20-days. • Modeling predicts electric fields from tripolar TFS can alter limbic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Molecular signaling events associated with the necroinflammatory changes in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are not well understood. Aims To understand the molecular basis of NASH, we evaluated reversible phosphorylation events in hepatic tissue derived from Class III obese subjects by phosphoproteomic means with the aim of highlighting key regulatory pathways that distinguish NASH from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (also known as simple steatosis; SS). Materials & Methods Class III obese subjects undergoing bariatric surgery underwent liver biopsy (eight normal patients, eight with simple steatosis, and eight NASH patients). Our strategy was unbiased, comparing global differences in liver protein reversible phosphorylation events across the 24 subjects. Results Of the 3078 phosphorylation sites assigned (2465 phosphoserine, 445 phosphothreonine, 165 phosphotyrosine), 53 were altered by a factor of 2 among cohorts, and of those, 12 were significantly increased or decreased by ANOVA ( P < 0.05). Discussion Statistical analyses of canonical signaling pathways identified carbohydrate metabolism and RNA post-transcriptional modification among the most over-represented networks. Conclusion Collectively, these results raise the possibility of abnormalities in carbohydrate metabolism as an important trigger for the development of NASH, in parallel with already established abnormalities in lipid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Ghrelin is a gastric-derived hormone that stimulates growth hormone ( GH) secretion and has a multi-faceted role in the regulation of energy homeostasis, including glucose metabolism. Circulating ghrelin concentrations are modulated in response to nutritional status, but responses to ghrelin in altered metabolic states are poorly understood. We investigated the metabolic effects of ghrelin in obesity and early after Roux-en- Y gastric bypass ( RYGB). Materials and methods We assessed central and peripheral metabolic responses to acyl ghrelin infusion (1 pmol kg−1 min−1) in healthy, lean subjects (n = 9) and non-diabetic, obese subjects (n = 9) before and 2 weeks after RYGB. Central responses were assessed by GH and pancreatic polypeptide (surrogate for vagal activity) secretion. Peripheral responses were assessed by hepatic and skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity during a hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp. Results Ghrelin-stimulated GH secretion was attenuated in obese subjects, but was restored by RYGB to a response similar to that of lean subjects. The heightened pancreatic polypeptide response to ghrelin infusion in the obese was attenuated after RYGB. Hepatic glucose production and hepatic insulin sensitivity were not altered by ghrelin infusion in RYGB subjects. Skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity was impaired to a similar degree in lean, obese and post- RYGB individuals in response to ghrelin infusion. Conclusions These data suggest that obesity is characterized by abnormal central, but not peripheral, responsiveness to ghrelin that can be restored early after RYGB before significant weight loss. Further work is necessary to fully elucidate the role of ghrelin in the metabolic changes that occur in obesity and following RYGB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The methionine sulfoxide reductase (Msr) family of enzymes has been shown to protect cells against oxidative damage. The two major Msr enzymes, MsrA and MsrB, can repair oxidative damage to proteins due to reactive oxygen species, by reducing the methionine sulfoxide in proteins back to methionine. A role of MsrA in animal aging was first demonstrated in Drosophila melanogaster where transgenic flies over-expressing recombinant bovine MsrA had a markedly extended life span. Subsequently, MsrA was also shown to be involved in the life span extension in Caenorhabditis elegans . These results supported other studies that indicated up-regulation, or activation, of the normal cellular protective mechanisms that cells use to defend against oxidative damage could be an approach to treat age related diseases and slow the aging process. In this study we have identified, for the first time, compounds structurally related to the natural products fusaricidins that markedly activate recombinant bovine and human MsrA and human MsrB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]