cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The yeast DHHC cysteine-rich domain protein Akr1p is a palmitoyl transferase

Protein palmitoylation has been long appreciated for its role in tethering proteins to membranes, yet the enzymes responsible for this modification have eluded identification. Here, experiments in vivo and in vitro demonstrate that Akr1p, a polytopic membrane protein containing a DHHC cysteine-rich domain (CRD), is a palmitoyl transferase (PTase). In vivo, we find that the casein kinase Yck2p is palmitoylated and that Akr1p function is required for this modification. Akr1p, purified to near homogeneity from yeast membranes, catalyzes Yck2p palmitoylation in vitro, indicating that Akr1p is itself a PTase. Palmitoylation is stimulated by added ATP. Furthermore, during the reaction, Akr1p is itself palmitoylated, suggesting a role for a palmitoyl-Akr1p intermediate in the overall reaction mechanism. Mutations introduced into the Akr1p DHHC-CRD eliminate both the trans- and autopalmitoylation activities, indicating a central participation of this conserved sequence in the enzymatic reaction. Finally, our results indicate that palmitoylation within the yeast cell is controlled by multiple PTase specificities. The conserved DHHC-CRD sequence, we propose, is the signature feature of an evolutionarily widespread PTase family.
Ecological Systems Analysis and Fisheries Science

Abstract Fish population dynamics cannot be separated operationally from ecosystem dynamics. Modeling and computer simulation are needed to adapt this truism for use in fisheries management. To exemplify the relevance of ecosystems to problems in fish production, a model food web is explored in detail. Dynamic characteristics are described, and sensitivity analysis is used to quantify direct and indirect interactions between components, two of which are groups of fish populations. Application to optimal control of a fishery is then considered.
The Five Color Concurrency Control Protocol: Non-Two-Phase Locking in General Databases

Concurrency control protocols based on two-phase locking are a popular family of locking protocols that preserve serializability in general (unstructured) database systems. A concurrency control algorithm (for databases with no inherent structure) is presented that is practical, non two-phase, and allows varieties of serializable logs not possible with any commonly known locking schemes. All transactions are required to predeclare the data they intend to read or write. Using this information, the protocol anticipates the existence (or absence) of possible conflicts and hence can allow non-two-phase locking.It is well known that serializability is characterized by acyclicity of the conflict graph representation of interleaved executions. The two-phase locking protocols allow only forward growth of the paths in the graph. The Five Color protocol allows the conflict graph to grow in any direction (avoiding two-phase constraints) and prevents cycles in the graph by maintaining transaction access information in the form of data-item markers. The read and write set information can also be used to provide relative immunity from deadlocks.
Surgical Reconstruction of the Male Urethral Diverticulum

Objectives To describe the outcomes and reconstructive techniques used for men with symptomatic urethral diverticula in an attempt to standardize treatment based on the length of the urethral defect after diverticulum excision and the type of repair used. Urethral diverticula are rare in men and may be either congenital or acquired. Methods Between 2003 and 2008, 13 men were treated surgically for symptomatic urethral diverticula at a single institution by a single surgeon (C.M.G.). A total of 6 (46.2%) patients had urethral defects of Results The mean age of men at the time of surgery was 38.4 years (± 13.0; range, 20.4-63.7), with a median follow-up time of 21.7 (± 29.0; range, 0.9-84.0) months. Neither age at the time of surgery, length of follow-up, or diverticulum volume was significantly different between men who underwent primary repair vs substitution urethroplasty. The overall success rate was 92% (12/13) with an overall complication rate of 42% at intermediate follow-up. Conclusions Outcomes after excision and primary anastomosis for diverticula associated with defects of
Programmed Ascospore Death in the Homothallic Ascomycete Coniochaeta tetraspora

Immature asci of Coniochaeta tetraspora originally contain eight uninucleate ascospores. Two ascospore pairs in each ascus survive and mature, and two die and degenerate. Arrangement of the two ascospore types in individual linear asci is what would be expected if death is controlled by a chromosomal gene segregating at the second meiotic division in about 50% of asci. Cultures originating from single homokaryotic ascospores or from single uninucleate conidia are self-fertile, again producing eight-spored asci in which four spores disintegrate, generation after generation. These observations indicate that differentiation of two nuclear types occurs de novo in each sexual generation, that it involves alteration of a specific chromosome locus, and that the change occurs early in the sexual phase. One, and only one, of the two haploid nuclei entering each functional zygote must carry the altered element, which is segregated into two of the four meiotic products and is eliminated when ascospores that contain it disintegrate. Fusion of nuclei cannot be random-a recognition mechanism must exist. More study will be needed to determine whether the change that is responsible for ascospore death is genetic or epigenetic, whether it occurs just before the formation of each ascus or originates only once in the ascogonium prior to proliferation of ascogenous hyphae, and whether it reflects developmentally triggered alteration at a locus other than mating type or the activation of a silent mating-type gene that has pleiotropic effects. Similar considerations apply to species such as Sclerotinia trifoliorum and Chromocrea spinulosa, in which all ascospores survive but half the spores in each ascus are small and self-sterile. Unlike C. tetraspora, another four-spored species, Coniochaetidium savoryi, is pseudohomothallic, with ascus development resembling that of Podospora anserina.
A meta-analysis of the impact of the inclusion and realism of human-like faces on user experiences in interfaces

The use of embodied agents, defined as visual human-like representations accompanying a computer interface, is becoming prevalent in applications ranging from educational software to advertisements. In the current work, we assimilate previous empirical studies which compare interfaces with visually embodied agents to interfaces without agents, both using an informal, descriptive technique based on experimental results (46 studies) as well as a formal statistical meta-analysis (25 studies). Results revealed significantly larger effect sizes when analyzing subjective responses (i.e., questionnaire ratings, interviews) than when analyzing behavioral responses such as task performance and memory. Furthermore, the effects of adding an agent to an interface are larger than the effects of animating an agent to behave more realistically. However, the overall effect sizes were quite small (e.g., across studies, adding a face to an interface only explains approximately 2.5% of the variance in results). We discuss the implications for both designers building interfaces as well as social scientists designing experiments to evaluate those interfaces.
The Roles of Labor and Profitability in Choosing a Grazing Strategy for Beef Production in the U.S. Gulf Coast Region

Comparisons are made concerning labor required and profitability associated with continuous grazing at three stocking rates and rotational grazing at a high stocking rate in the U.S. Gulf Coast region. A unique data set was collected using a time and motion study method to determine labor requirements. Profits are lowest for low stocking rate–continuous grazing and high stocking rate–rotational grazing. Total labor and labor in three specific categories are greater on per acre and/or per cow bases with rotational-grazing than with continuous-grazing strategies. These results help to explain relatively low adoption rates of rotational grazing in the region.
Invited Commentary: Screening as a Nuisance Variable in Cancer Epidemiology: Methodological Considerations

A large literature has developed over the last two decades around methods for evaluating the effects and benefits of screening procedures for cancer. In contrast, the role of screening for cancer as a nuisance variable is one that has as yet received little attention. This is unfortunate, because, as Noel Weiss points out in the lead commentary in this issue of the Journal (1), screening procedures can induce distortions in associations between exposures of interest and cancer outcomes and can complicate interpretation of some of these associations. This invited commentary supplements Weiss’s treatment of the topic.
Clinical Immunology Studies in Individuals Exposed to Environmental Chemicals

With the recognition that chemicals can have direct effect on the immune system the relatively new field of immunotoxicology is gaining wide support and interest, Gibson, Hubbard and Parke (1983). The objective of this article is to review some of our work on the immunotoxicology of asbestos and polybrominated biphenyls (PBB).
Positive-Ion—Molecule Reaction Studies in a Single Electron-Impact Source

If a beam of electrons passing through the ion source of a mass spectrometer has sufficient energy, it will bring about the formation of positive ions along the path of the electron beam. A small, positive potential is normally applied to the repeller and causes the ions to drift toward the exit slit and into the ion gun and the analyzer. A typical source is shown in Fig. 1. Under ordinary operating conditions, the pressure in the ion source is of the order of 10-6 Torr and the voltage applied to the repeller is 1–10 V. At these conditions, the mean free path of the ions in the source is of the order of many meters and since the distance from the electron beam to the exit slit is usually between 0.2 and 0.5 cm, the probability that the ions will collide with a neutral molecule in passing out of the source is vanishingly small. If the pressure is increased to 10-3 Torr, however, the mean free path is greatly reduced and from 1 to 10% of the ions might be expected to undergo collision in passing out of the source. At 0.01 Torr, about one-half of the ions will undergo collision, and at 0.1 Torr, essentially all of them will do so. In fact, above 0.1 Torr, many can undergo several collisions before leaving the source. Thus, at pressures in the order of 10-3 Torr, collision reactions might begin to be observable. In fact, this is what has been experienced.
Influence of Carbon Black on Process-Ability of Rubber Stocks. I. Bound Rubber Formation

Abstract 1. A direct correlation between bound rubber content and molecular weight of soluble polymer was found for a wide range of carbon black samples and processing conditions in SBR. 2. No significant polymer degradation occurred during the ineorporation of carbon black into SBR rubber. 3. A theory was proposed to explain the observed changes in viscosity and extrusion shrinkage of rubber stocks. This theory is based on the concept of occluded rubber which is rich in high molecular weight polymer and behaves as a part of filler volume during viscous flow.
Political Courage in Action: An Interview with Representative Teresa Fedor

Teresa Fedor is in her 12 year in the Ohio Legislature and her second term as a representative to Ohio’s 47 th House District, a district that serves southern and eastern Toledo. According to her website, she spent 18 years in the classroom before pursuing public service. She was elected to the Senate in 2002, and prior to that, the citizens of Toledo elected her to serve the 52nd district of the Ohio House of Representatives in 2000. A proud veteran, she served in the United States Air Force and Ohio Air National Guard, after which she received a B.S. in Education from the University of Toledo. I had heard Teresa Fedor speak, advocating for teachers as uniquely suited for political life, and knowing she had been an urban elementary teacher, realized her story might be of interest to OSSR readers. She talked to me for 45 minutes about her career path, her experiences in the State House, and her perspectives on social studies education. What follows is a complete transcript of the interview.
Vibrational Spectroscopy of Gold Hydrogen Complexes in Silicon

Several vibrational bands have been observed in the region 1750–1900 cm-1 for n-type silicon into which gold and hydrogen had been introduced by high temperature diffusion. This paper focuses primarily on a defect which gives rise to bands at 1813.3 and 1827.1 cm-1. This center contains a single hydrogen atom and has two charge states in the gap with trigonal symmetry. We propose a tentative model in which this complex contains a substitutional Au atom and a single hydrogen atom at one of two possible antibonding sites, bonded either to Au or to Si. A defect observed previously in Si samples doped with Pt and H which gives rise to hydrogen stretching bands at 1880.7 and 1897.2 cm-1 has similar properties to the Au-H complex discussed here, suggesting that these defects have the same structure. Other hydrogenstretching modes observed in Si samples that contain Au and H are also discussed.
Volatility of Mixtures of JP-8 with Biomass Derived Hydroprocessed Renewable Jet Fuels by the Composition Explicit Distillation Curve Method

In this paper, we apply the composition explicit distillation curve method to mixtures of JP-8 with hydroprocessed aviation fuels made from camelina (a genus within the flowering plant family Brass...
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE SPACE INDUSTRY

The Astronautics and Space Technology Program (http://astronautics.usc.edu) of the University of South- ern California (USC) offers a full set of undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Aerospace Engineer- ing with emphasis in Astronautics. The program fo- cuses on the needs of the space industry and govern- ment research and development centers. The program classes cover practically all main areas of spacecraft technology and many graduate classes are taught by adjunct faculty who are leading specialists working in the space industry. The Master of Science degree is available through the USC Distance Education Network (DEN), reaching students anywhere in the world through webcasting. The majority of our graduate stu- dents work full time as engineers in the space industry and government research and development centers. We describe in detail the program's academic focus, student reach, enrollment dynamics, and structure of program components. The achievements, difficulties, and lessons learned are discussed. The development of the future workforce requires a concerted effort by all stake- holders, including the space industry and government. We outline the areas where such cooperation can make a difference in improving quality of space education.
COMBATING YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT: AN INDIAN PERSPECTIVE

There has been an unprecedented growth in the number of young people in the past two decades, and these youth face situations where the forces of economic globalization interact with historically determined national and regional economic structures and policies. Globally, the ILO estimates that the number of unemployed youth is on the rise again since 2011, after declining somewhat from the peak it reached at the height of the global financial crisis. It is expected to reach 73.4 million young people by 2013 (ILO 2012). The global youth unemployment rate has also been rising since 2011; it is currently estimated at 12.6 percent and is projected to increase to 12.8 percent by 2018. In contrast, the global adult unemployment rate, while also rising slightly, is much lower at 4.6 percent in 2013 (ILO 2012). This study discusses in depth the youth unemployment “problem” and examines the various policy responses to it, including education and training, and active labor market policy. This paper focuses on:  Effects of unemployment.  Steps to remove unemployment.  Highlights of 3 rd Annual employment and unemployment survey 2012-13  Highlights of 12 th five year plan.  Graphical presentation of past five year data of total population and youth unemployment rates in India.
Evaluation of the medial elbow in the throwing athlete

The valgus forces generated by throwing athletes can cause injuries and permanently damage the medial elbow structures. Clinicians must have a clear understanding of the ulnar collateral ligament complex and the associated medial elbow structures at risk in these athletes. Taking a detailed history, conducting a physical examination, and obtaining imaging studies will aid in making the correct diagnosis and giving these injuries the appropriate treatment. Pain around the medial elbow is of concern to throwing athletes, coaches, and medical staff. Valgus forces generated by the throwing motion add considerable stress to the medial elbow structures and thus potentially cause injury. Baseball players, particularly pitchers, are most often affected, but athletes participating in sports such as football, volleyball, water polo, tennis, and javelin throwing can also be affected.
Role of Coronary Angiography in the Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk in Kidney Transplant Candidates

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among those with renal insufficiency, those requiring dialysis, and in recipients of kidney transplants reflecting the greatly increased cardiovascular burden that these patients carry. The best method by which to assess cardiovascular risk in such patients is not well established. In the present study, 1,225 patients seeking a kidney transplant, over a 30-month period, underwent cardiovascular evaluation. Two hundred twenty-five patients, who met selected criteria, underwent coronary angiography that revealed significant coronary artery disease (CAD) in 47%. Those found to have significant disease underwent revascularization. Among the patients found to have significant CAD, 74% had undergone a nuclear stress test before angiography and 65% of these stress tests were negative for ischemia. The positive predictive value of a nuclear stress test in this patient population was 0.43 and the negative predictive value was 0.47. During a 30-month period, 28 patients who underwent coronary angiography received an allograft. None of these patients died, experienced a myocardial infarction, or lost their allograft. The annual mortality rate of those who remained on the waiting list was well below the national average. In conclusion, our results indicate that, in renal failure patients, noninvasive testing fails to detect the majority of significant CAD, that selected criteria may identify patients with a high likelihood of CAD, and that revascularization reduces mortality both for those on the waiting list and for those who receive an allograft.
On the Body in Medical Self-Care and Holistic Medicine

Though often used interchangeably, the terms, medical “self-care” and “holistic medicine” are not at all synonymous. Self-care is an attempt by ordinary people to learn and use medical techniques for themselves. It is a reaction to the systematic disempowerment of patients within contemporary medical institutions. But self-care does not necessarily involve a critique of contemporary medical science itself. Holistic medicine, by contrast, does begin with a critique of medical science, and proposes an alternative direction. Holistic medicine rejects not so much a certain social role, I will argue, as a certain metaphysics.
15th Annual International Astrophysics Conference: “The Science of Ed Stone: Celebrating his 80th Birthday”

The 15th Annual International Astrophysics Conference was held at the Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village, Cape Coral, Florida, during the week of 4-8 April 2016. This year the meeting was rather different from previous years in that it honoured the scientific achievements and recognized the extraordinary contribution of Ed Stone to space physics. Entitled "The Science of Ed Stone: Celebrating his 80th Birthday," the meeting drew some 85 participants from all over the world. The number of participants and the range of topics covered paid testament to the enormous range of the science that Ed influenced profoundly. Indeed, Ed Stone has made foundational contributions to our understanding of all facets of the physics of energetic particles in the solar wind and the interstellar medium. Much of our current understanding of the interaction of the solar wind with the local interstellar medium is derived from the Voyager Interstellar Mission, which has operated for 39 years under Ed's leadership. His remarkable career has spanned the space age, and he has contributed not only to science but to the leadership of our community. It is with great sadness that we note that one of the people greatly influenced by Ed Stone, Harm Moraal, died in the past year. A brief obituary of Prof. Harm Moraal is presented below. He will be missed greatly in our community. Finally, we thank Adele Corona and ICNS for her continued excellent organization of the AIAC meetings and her help in providing the logistical support for this volume of papers.
A Highly Sensitive Nonenzymatic Glucose Biosensor Based on the Regulatory Effect of Glucose on Electrochemical Behaviors of Colloidal Silver Nanoparticles on MoS2

A novel and highly sensitive nonenzymatic glucose biosensor was developed by nucleating colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on MoS2. The facile fabrication method, high reproducibility (97.5%) and stability indicates a promising capability for large-scale manufacturing. Additionally, the excellent sensitivity (9044.6 µA•mM−1•cm−2), low detection limit (0.03 μM), appropriate linear range of 0.1–1000 μM, and high selectivity suggests that this biosensor has a great potential to be applied for noninvasive glucose detection in human body fluids, such as sweat and saliva.
Total Hip Arthroplasty in Rheumatic Disease and Associated Inflammatory Arthropathies

Hip arthritis, whether from inflammatory etiology, general wear, or posttraumatic, has been successfully treated with total hip arthroplasty over the past four decades. The total hip arthroplasty (THA) is indicated primarily for pain relief from hip arthritis and secondarily for increased range of motion in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or other inflammatory arthropathies. Rheumatoid patients have 15% and 28% hip involvement at 1 and 5 years, respectively, after onset of disease as reported by Eberhardt et al. (Ann Rheum Dis 54:45-8, 1995). About 2.4-3.6% of all THA are performed in RA patients as reported by Havelin et al. (Acta Orthop 80:393-401, 2009).
The Allure of Antiquity

Between October 31, 2013 and July 27, 2014, the Art Institute of Chicago hosted When the Greeks Ruled Egypt, an exhibition of a broad range of objects predominantly from Egypt’s Ptolemaic Era (roug...
Towards a point-of-care strip test to diagnose sickle cell anemia.

A rapid test to identify patients with sickle cell disease could have important benefits in low-resource settings. Sickle cell anemia (SCA) affects about 300,000 newborns each year, the majority of whom are born in sub-Saharan Africa. Low-cost therapies are available to treat SCA, but most countries in sub-Saharan Africa lack robust neonatal screening programs needed to identify patients in need of treatment. To address this need, we developed and evaluated a competitive lateral flow assay that identifies patients with SCA (genotype HbSS) in 15 minutes using undiluted whole blood. A small volume of blood (0.5 μL– 3 μL) is mixed with antibody-coated blue latex beads in a tube and applied to the strip. Strips are then placed in a well of running buffer and allowed to run for 10 minutes. Laboratory evaluation with samples containing different proportions of hemoglobin A (HbA) and hemoglobin S (HbS) indicated that the test should enable identification of SCA patients but not persons with sickle cell trait (SCT). We evaluated the test using 41 samples from individuals with SCA, SCT, and normal blood. With visual inspection or quantitative analysis, we found a 98% accuracy when differentiating SCA from normal and SCT samples as a group (90% sensitivity and 100% specificity for identifying SCA). This work demonstrates important steps towards making a lateral flow test for hemoglobinopathies more appropriate for point-of-care use; further work is needed before the test is appropriate for clinical use.
Abstract 489: Mechanisms of Carbon Monoxide Attenuation of Tubuloglomerular Feedback

Tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) is an autoregulatory mechanism of the renal microcirculation in which the macula densa (MD) senses NaCl concentration in the lumen of the nephron and sends a signal that controls glomerular filtration rate by constricting the afferent arteriole (Af-Art). We have shown that MD depolarization is sufficient for inducing TGF. Carbon monoxide (CO), either endogenous or exogenous, is known to inhibit TGF, at least in part via cGMP. However, whether cGMP-independent mechanisms are involved, and where in the TGF cascade CO exerts its inhibitory effect, remain unknown. Thus we hypothesize that CO, acting via both cGMP-dependent and -independent mechanisms, attenuates TGF by acting downstream from MD cell depolarization. In vitro , microdissected rabbit Af-Arts and their attached MD were simultaneously perfused and TGF was measured as the decrease in Af-Art diameter. Depolarization of the MD was induced by switching luminal KCl from 4 to 50 mM in the presence of the potassium ionophore valinomycin, while adding the CO-releasing molecule CORM-3 to the MD perfusate at non-toxic concentrations. CORM-3 blunted depolarization-induced TGF at a concentration of 50 μM, from 3.6±0.4 to 2.5±0.4 μm (P P P =0.02, n=9). This suggests that CO acts via cGMP at low concentrations, but additional mechanisms of action may be involved at higher concentrations. Finally, we confirmed that cGMP inhibits TGF downstream from MD depolarization by adding the degradation-resistant cGMP analog dibutyryl-cGMP (500 μM), which attenuated depolarization-induced TGF (from 3.9±0.5 to 0.6±0.2 μm, P
Bounds on the Age of Information for Global Channel State Dissemination in Fully-Connected Networks

This paper studies an ``age of information" problem in fully-connected wireless networks with time-varying reciprocal channels and packetized transmissions. Specifically, a scenario where each node in the network wishes to maintain a table of global channel state information (CSI) is considered. Each node updates its global CSI table in two ways: (i) direct channel measurements through standard channel estimation techniques and (ii) indirect observations of channels through CSI dissemination from other nodes in the network. Information aging, i.e., CSI staleness, occurs due to timeslotting and contention for the common channel resources. This paper derives new lower bounds for the maximum and average CSI staleness of any protocol. These bounds generalize previously developed bounds by allowing for any number of CSI estimates to be disseminated in each packet. A simple one-step greedy protocol is also proposed for any network size and any number of CSI estimates disseminated per packet. Numerical results are provided to demonstrate the achieved staleness of the greedy protocol with respect to the bounds and to also quantify CSI staleness in terms of various network parameters.
Fuzzy logic energy management for a photovoltaic solar home

Abstract This paper presents a new energy management strategy for supplying a home with a grid-connected photovoltaic system with a backup. The proposed energy management algorithm is based on a fuzzy logic technique. A strategy has been elaborated in order to manage the home energy demand depending mainly on the energy available from the PV system and according to an established load priority, which is adjusted to satisfy the user’s energy needs and comfort. The case studied concerns a home installed in a coastal region of Bou-Ismail (Algeria). The efficiency level of the PV system has been shown through a favourable week in summer (August 2016) and an unfavourable week in winter (January 2016) using the real weather conditions of the site. The developed Fuzzy Home Energy Management has permitted to save 26.49% and 25.54% of energy respectively in winter and summer when compared to the consumption of the same home in the same conditions but without any energy management and or just using a basic load priority.
Epidemiology, treatment, and outcomes of acute limb ischemia in the pediatric population

Abstract Objective Acute limb ischemia (ALI) in a pediatric patient is a rare condition but may result in lifelong disability. A paucity of evidence exists to derive treatment guidelines; some surgeons advocate conservative management over invasive measures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of surgical revascularization in the pediatric population and outcomes of conservative vs surgical management. Methods The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Database (California, Iowa, and New York) between 2007 and 2013 was queried using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. Patients were stratified into two cohorts: conservative management and surgical management. Each group was further subdivided into three age groups: infant ( Results A total of 1576 pediatric patients with ALI were identified among 6,122,535 pediatric admissions (26 per 100,000 admissions). Average age was 9.9 ± 7.1 years. There were 263 patients who underwent surgical revascularization. The conservative management group was younger (5.8 ± 6.2 vs 9.2 ± 6.1 years; P Conclusions Pediatric ALI is a rare entity and is associated with low amputation and mortality rates. Among the pediatric age cohorts, infants with ALI are at higher risk of in-hospital mortality than older age groups are. Surgical intervention is not associated with improved limb salvage or mortality. Nonoperative management may be considered an initial treatment modality, but further research is needed to elucidate which important subset of pediatric patients benefit from open or endovascular operative intervention.
BIOMARKER PROFILES AS AN AIDE IN DIAGNOSING TAKOTSUBO CARDIOMYOPATHY

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is often a diagnosis of exclusion. Biomarker profiles, including BNP/Troponin ratio, may assist in diagnosis in cases precluding early coronary angiography. A 64 year-old female presented with 2 weeks of severe abdominal pain. Her medical history included chronic
Metasurfaces and their applications

Metasurfaces are a topic of significant research and are used in various applications due to their unique ability to manipulate electromagnetic waves in microwave and optical frequencies. These artificial sheet materials, which are usually composed of metallic patches or dielectric etchings in planar or multi-layer configurations with subwavelength thickness, have the advantages of light weight, ease of fabrication, and ability to control wave propagation both on the surface and in the surrounding free space. Recent progress in the field has been classified by application and reviewed in this article. Starting with the development of frequency-selective surfaces and metamaterials, the unique capabilities of different kinds of metasurfaces have been highlighted. Surface impedance can be varied and manipulated by patterning the metasurface unit cells, which has broad applications in surface wave absorbers and surface waveguides. They also enable beam shaping in both transmission and reflection. Another important application is to radiate in a leaky wave mode as an antenna. Other applications of metasurfaces include cloaking, polarizers, and modulators. The controllable surface refractive index provided by metasurfaces can also be applied to lenses. When active and non-linear components are added to traditional metasurfaces, exceptional tunability and switching ability are enabled. Finally, metasurfaces allow applications in new forms of imaging.
Computational Perspectives on Organolithium Carbenoids

Lithium carbenoids are extremely useful reagents in synthetic organic chemistry and have been widely used for generating various reactive intermediates needed for chemical synthesis with high yield under relatively mild conditions. The mechanisms of their reactions are typically quite complex and often strongly influenced by aggregation state, solvent effects, relative stabilities of diastereomers and constitutional isomers, formation of pre-reactive complexes, and Lewis acid catalysis, in addition to factors under the control of the experimentalist, such as reagent preparation, concentration, and temperature. Computational studies are indispensable for understanding the role played by the former factors in the reactions and to gain insights into the impact of the latter on the former. In this chapter, we discuss some themes that have emerged and the insights gained from more than a decade of computational investigations. We focus on two types of organolithium reagents: halomethyllithiums and oxiranyllithiums. They appear to represent contradictory paradigms in certain aspects. In the context of these molecules, we also report on recent studies of the performance of a collection of density functional approximations for reproducing the geometries and energetics predicted by correlated wave function methods.
Parkinson's Disease and Sleep

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common multisystem neurodegenerative disorder associated with aging. Neurodegeneration in PD occurs in multiple brain systems recognized as important in the control of sleep and wakefulness, including dopaminergic, cholinergic, serotonergic, noradrenergic, and orexinergic pathways. Sleep disorders are common in PD and a major source of morbidity. Sleep problems include insomnia due to disordered motor and bladder function, excessive daytime somnolence, restless legs syndrome, rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, sleep-disordered breathing, and sleep-related side effects of medication. Some of these sleep-related problems can be mitigated, though the pathophysiology of sleep disorders in PD is still poorly understood and therapies remain imperfect.
Cervical cancer educational pamphlets: Do they miss the mark for Mexican immigrant women's needs?

The rate of invasive cervical cancer in US Hispanic women is nearly doubled that of non-Hispanics. Using in-depth interviews and content/grade level analysis of educational materials, this study explores the relevance of cervical cancer education materials to the needs of Mexican immigrant women. It also addresses health literacy issues that create barriers to learning. Findings show aspects of language, content, reading level, structure, and visual images in 22 cervical cancer pamphlets from 11 health care sites in a Midwest city were not relevant to the learning needs or health literacy levels of local Mexican immigrant women. Further research is recommended to establish an evidence base regarding optimal presentation of key elements of the cervical cancer educational message for Mexican immierant women.
Tech startup learning activities: a formative evaluation

The Tech Startup model is an approach where students in Software Engineering and Entrepreneurship courses form interdisciplinary teams to create businesses based on software products. The model combines Agile software development with compatible practices from Lean Startup to foster collaboration on real technology startup businesses (tech startups). This paper introduces learning activities for use in the Tech Startup model intended to improve adherence to Agile and Lean Startup methodologies. This study describes a formative evaluation of the learning activities used for: project ideation, project planning, iterative delivery & feedback, and teamwork assessment. The study synthesizes responses to a questionnaire with feedback from three focus groups at the conclusion of an academic term. Based on our findings and observations, we report suggestions for encouraging innovative project ideas from Software Engineering students as well as approaches to holding students accountable for adhering to Agile practices.
FUNCTIONAL NEURAL COUPLING BETWEEN DIAPHRAGM AND PARASTERNAL INTERCOSTAL MUSCLES IN HUMANS

Publisher Summary This chapter explores functional neural coupling between diaphragm and parasternal intercostal muscles in humans. In a study described in the chapter, electrical activity of intercostal muscles was measured from pairs of fine silver wires, uninsulated over four to eight mm at each end, inserted directly into the muscle by means of a 26 gauge needle. The wires were bent back over the tip of the needle. After insertion into the appropriate muscle, the needle was withdrawn leaving the wires, with hooks at their ends, remaining in the muscle. In this way, the wire electrodes were in a stable position, and records could be obtained for a period of one to two hours without apparent charge because of electrode movement. Nine observations in six adult male subjects yielded acceptable records, apparently uncontaminated by adjacent musculature. It was found that in all subjects, the parasternal intercostal muscles were active during quiet inspiration and quiet during expiration. This activity was invariably seen clearly on the tracings from the wire electrodes inserted into the muscle, but only infrequently discernable from the parasternal surface EMG records. In contrast, no phasic activity was seen during quiet breathing from the wire electrodes in the seventh interspaces laterally or posteriorly.
Robotic Right Colectomy for Colon Cancer: Comparison of Outcomes from a Single Institution with the ACS-NSQIP Database.

Abstract Background: Robotic surgery has increased in recent years for the treatment of colorectal cancer; however, it is not yet the standard of care. This study aims to compare the 30-day outcome...
A Better Multicultural Society: Woke Citizenship and Multicultural Activism.

ABSTRACTThis article argues that citizens must be woke and engaged in multicultural activism in order to bring about social justice and equity in the Twenty-First Century.
Transgender Children, Puberty Blockers, and the Law: Solutions to the Problem of Dissenting Parents.

I am pleased to provide this commentary on Margaret Priest’s article, “Transgender Children and the Right to Transition” (2019). Priest is trained in and works at the intersection of philosophy and...
A Systematic Review of Physical Activity and Exercise on Physiological and Biochemical Outcomes in Children and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes

PURPOSE In this systematic review we aimed to evaluate the effects of physical activity (PA) and exercise on biochemical and physiological outcomes in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D). DESIGN The review was conducted and reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. METHODS The search of literature was performed using PubMed, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Embase, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, Medline, PsycINFO, the Nursing Reference Center, and Google Scholar. The search was limited to include peer-reviewed articles published in English from May 2012 to May 2018 and included adolescents <19 years of age with T1D. Twenty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria: 8 interventional and 19 observational studies. FINDINGS Both observational and interventional studies showed considerable agreement that supervised regular moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is more effective on adiposity and cardiorespiratory fitness than habitual PA. Further, it was reported that PA of different intensities improves insulin sensitivity and decreases daily insulin dosage. Results of glycemic control were equivocal. Although observational studies reported improvement in glycemic control with PA of different intensities, most of the experimental studies revealed no significant associations. A consistent agreement among the studies revealed a considerable benefit of regular habitual PA of light to moderate intensity on blood glucose regulation and lipid profile. CONCLUSIONS The reviewed studies showed that regular MVPA was associated with several health benefits in adolescents with T1D; however, additional studies are needed to fully understand the effect of PA on health outcomes. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Regular MVPA (at least 4 hr per week) with good glycemic control is a promising option for adolescents with T1D when risk management of hypoglycemia is appropriately taken.
Time for a makeover‐cosmetics regulation in the United States

Introduction Cosmetics and personal care products are ubiquitous. Consumer pressure arising from recent episodes of products found to be unsafe has led to new policy proposals to modernize cosmetics regulation in the United States. Methods We reviewed contemporary cosmetics regulation and collected major past and current policy proposals relating to cosmetics regulation with a focus on public health controversies. Results Under a structure originally established in 1938 that places regulation of cosmetics under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), cosmetics manufacturers in the United States are not required to register their products or forward consumer complaints to the FDA, leading to broad under-reporting of adverse events. The FDA has limited authority to mandate product recalls. The existing FDA database system that collects adverse events related to cosmetics has limited public health utility. Current proposals for new cosmetics regulations seek to establish better systems for data collection and mandatory manufacturer registrations funded by cosmetic manufacturers. Additional policy changes could include a premarket review process for cosmeceuticals (cosmetics that make drug-like claims) and more advanced real-world data safety monitoring tools. Conclusions With continued consumer concern and several recent cosmetic-related public health controversies, the FDA should be given more resources and broader authority to protect consumer safety.
Towards Fully Additively-Manufactured Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines: Opportunities and Challenges

With the growing interest in electrification and as hybrid and pure electric powertrains are adopted in more applications, electrical machine design is facing challenges in terms of meeting very demanding performance metrics for example high specific power, harsh environments, etc. This provides clear motivation to explore the impact of advanced materials and manufacturing on the performance of electrical machines. This paper provides an overview of additive manufacturing (AM) approaches that can be used for constructing permanent magnet (PM) machines, with a specific focus on additively-manufactured iron core, winding, insulation, PM as well as cooling systems. Since there has only been a few attempts so far to explore AM in electrical machines (especially when it comes to fully additively-manufactured machines), the benefits and challenges of AM have not been comprehensively understood. In this regard, this paper offers a detailed comparison of multiple multi-material AM methods, showing not only the possibility of fully additively-manufactured PM machines but also the potential significant improvements in their mechanical, electromagnetic and thermal properties. The paper will provide a comprehensive discussion of opportunities and challenges of AM in the context of electrical machines.
In Search of Self-Censorship

Item nonresponse rates across regime assessment questions and nonsensitive items are used to create a self-censorship index, which can be compared across countries, over time and across population subgroups. For many authoritarian systems, citizens do not display higher rates of item nonresponse on regime assessment questions than their counterparts in democracies. This result suggests such questions may not be that sensitive in many places, which in turn raises doubts that authoritarian citizens are widely feigning positive attitudes towards regimes they secretly despise. Higher levels of self-censorship are found under regimes without electoral competition for the executive.
Outdoor mmWave Channel Propagation Models using Clustering Algorithms

This paper concerns the task of generating simpler yet accurate mmWave channel models based on clustering all multipath components arriving at the receiver. Our work focuses on 28 GHz communications in urban outdoor scenarios simulated with a ray-tracer tool. We investigate the effectiveness of k-means and k-power-means clustering algorithms in predicting the optimal number of clusters by using cluster validity indices (CVIs) and score fusion techniques. Our results show how the joint use of these techniques generate accurate approximation of the mmWave large-scale and small-scale channel models, greatly simplifying the complexity of analyzing large amount of rays at any receiver location.
Patients with lupus are not protected from COVID-19.

The comment provided by Joob and Wiwanitkit contains serious factual errors that need to be urgently corrected to prevent harm to patients.1 Their claim that ‘there is no case of SLE with covid-19’ is false. It is puzzling how they can make such a claim without providing supporting evidence. An initial analysis of patients included in the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance registry shows that 19 (17%) of 110 patients with rheumatic diseases who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of 1 April 2020 were patients with lupus.2 The frequency of patients with lupus who have …
Characteristics of unclaimed prescriptions in a college-aged population.

Objective: Describe the frequency and characteristics of unclaimed prescriptions from a pharmacy embedded within a student health services clinic. Methods: Cross-sectional study of prescriptions received by an on-campus pharmacy between September 1-December 31, 2017 and September 1-December 31, 2018. Prescription data were extracted from the pharmacy administrative database and then categorized into medication classes and claimed versus unclaimed. Results: The pharmacy received 18,337 prescriptions during the study periods. Medications classified as central nervous system (n = 5101, 27.8%), hormones (n = 3976; 21.7%), and anti-infective (n = 3262, 17.8%) medications were most common. A total of 2,609 prescriptions (14.2%) were left unclaimed by patients. The frequency of unclaimed prescriptions varied across medication classes, ranging from 9.0% (anti-infective) to 34.1% (genitourinary). Conclusions: Approximately one in seven prescriptions went unclaimed at this on-campus pharmacy. Future research is needed to identify predictors for unclaimed prescriptions to develop effective interventions that improve medication adherence.
C–H Bond Activation via U(II) in the Reduction of Heteroleptic Bis(trimethylsilyl)amide U(III) Complexes

Reduction of (C5Me5)2UIII(NR2) and (C5Me5)UIII(NR2)2 (R = SiMe3) with potassium graphite in the presence of 2.2.2-cryptand (crypt) generates dark solutions that have UV–visible spectra consistent w...
Comparison of Electromagnetic Transient and Phasor-based Simulation for the Stability of Grid-Forming-Inverter-based Microgrids

The increasing interest in studying inverter-based microgrids requires appropriate simulation methods that can effectively simulate the dynamics of distribution feeders that typically have thousands of nodes. To examine the accuracy of phasor-based simulation for the stability of grid-forming-inverter-based microgrids, a comparative study between electromagnetic transient (EMT) and phasor-based simulation was conducted. Case studies of a two-inverter small microgrid and a modified version of the IEEE 34-Node Test System that has seven grid-forming inverters showthat phasor-based simulation agrees well with EMT simulation when the P-f droop gains of grid-forming inverter controllers are within normal ranges. However, under extremely high P-f droop gains, phasor-based simulation can result in over-optimistic stability results. This study provides insight into the applicability of phasor-based simulation for the stability of grid-forming-inverter-based microgrids.