cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mass spectrometric based analysis, characterization and applications of circulating cell free DNA isolated from human body fluids

Abstract In the past decade, cell free DNA, or circulating cell free DNA, or cell free circulating DNA, isolated from body fluids such as plasma/serum/urine has emerged as an important tool for clinical diagnostics. The molecular biology of circulating cell free DNA is poorly understood but there is currently an increased effort to understand the origin, mechanism of its circulation, and sensitive characterization for the development of diagnostic applications. There has been considerable progress towards these goals using real-time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR) technique. More recently, new attempts to incorporate mass spectrometric techniques to develop accurate and highly sensitive high-throughput clinical diagnostic tests have been reported. This review focuses on the methods to isolate circulating cell free DNA from body fluids, their quantitative analysis and mass spectrometry based characterization in evolving applications as prenatal and cancer diagnostic tools.
The Role of Stems and Augments for Bone Loss in Revision Knee Arthroplasty

The treatment of bone deficiencies during revision knee arthroplasty remains a challenging problem. The primary treatment options for these bone deficiencies include the use of structural allografts, impaction bone grafting, and the use of prosthetic augments. There have been no comparative series demonstrating the superiority of any of these techniques. Supplemental stem fixation should be used when using one of these treatment approaches. Although the use of cementless stems is currently more popular, the available literature suggests that cemented stem fixation provides a more reliable and durable construct for revision knee arthroplasty associated with severe bone deficiency.
Laser-assisted spray pyrolysis process for the growth of TiO 2 and Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticle coatings

We present a laser-assisted spray pyrolysis method to fabricate nanoparticle coatings of metal oxides. In this process, 1.5-μm size droplets of a titanium- or iron-containing organometallic precursor were injected into a vacuum chamber with SF6 carrier gas. The strong absorption of a 3W CO2 laser beam focused onto the injector tip in the presence of SF6 increased the temperature of the gas and the droplets to about 300 °C. Films deposited on heated substrates with and without the CO2 laser heating were studied by atomic force microscopy. The laser heating of the droplets caused the solvent to evaporate before depositing on the substrate, leading to grain sizes that are about a factor of 3 smaller than those deposited without laser heating. By controlling the concentration of the precursor in the solvent, the average particle sizes have been tuned from 80 to 50 nm.
Mental State Estimation for Brain--Computer Interfaces

Mental state estimation is potentially useful for the development of asynchronous brain-computer interfaces. In this study, four mental states have been identified and decoded from the electrocorticograms (ECoGs) of six epileptic patients, engaged in a memory reach task. A novel signal analysis technique has been applied to high-dimensional, statistically sparse ECoGs recorded by a large number of electrodes. The strength of the proposed technique lies in its ability to jointly extract spatial and temporal patterns, responsible for encoding mental state differences. As such, the technique offers a systematic way of analyzing the spatiotemporal aspects of brain information processing and may be applicable to a wide range of spatiotemporal neurophysiological signals.
Bladder Stimulation Therapy Improves Bladder Compliance: Results from a Multi-Institutional Trial

AbstractPurpose: We examined data from multiple institutions to determine whether intravesical bladder stimulation therapy is effective in improving bladder compliance by increasing bladder capacity and lowering bladder storage pressures.Materials and Methods: The charts of 568 patients from 11 institutions were evaluated. Of the 568 patients 335 had adequate and accurate pretreatment and posttreatment urodynamic studies, and were included in this study. A total of 155 patients was from Children's Memorial Hospital, while the remaining 180 were from 10 other institutions. Bladder capacity and bladder capacity pressure were determined for each patient before and after therapy.Results: Overall, 53 percent of patients had increased bladder capacity of 20 percent or greater after treatment (average increase 105 cc), which represents a 63 percent increase from pretreatment values. This increase occurred in an average of 1.9 years. Further analysis of this subset of patients revealed that in 90 percent intraves...
Reduced Expression of Focal Adhesion Kinase Disrupts Insulin Action in Skeletal Muscle Cells

Integrins mediate interactions between cells and extracellular matrix proteins that modulate growth factor signaling. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a key multifunctional integrin pathway protein. We recently reported that disruption of FAK impairs insulin-mediated glycogen synthesis in hepatocytes. To test the hypothesis that FAK regulates skeletal muscle insulin action, we reduced FAK expression in L6 myotubes using FAK antisense. In untransfected myotubes, insulin stimulated both FAK tyrosine phosphorylation and kinase activity. Cells treated with antisense FAK showed 78 and 53% reductions in FAK mRNA and FAK protein, respectively, whereas insulin receptor substrate 1/2 and paxillin abundance were unaffected. Insulin-stimulated U-(14)C-glucose incorporation into glycogen was abolished by FAK antisense, and 2-deoxy-glucose uptake and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) translocation were both markedly attenuated. Antisense FAK did not alter GLUT1 or GLUT3 protein abundance. Immunofluorescence staining showed decreased FAK Tyr(397) phosphorylation and reduced actin stress fibers. Thus, in skeletal myotubes, FAK regulates the insulin-mediated cytoskeletal rearrangement essential for normal glucose transport and glycogen synthesis. Integrin signaling may play an important regulatory role in muscle insulin action.
Leximetrics: Why the Same Laws are Longer in Some Countries than Others

When do drafters of legal instruments specify details and when do they not? To explore this question, we develop a method called leximetrics that involves comparative quantitative analysis of legal instruments. Using data from the directive process in the European Union, we show: (i) that statute length varies systematically across countries, partially controlling for substance; (ii) that other legal instruments, such as judicial opinions and contracts, are longer in countries with long statutes; and (iii) that both of the above are correlated with a large lawyer population. This paper uses a simple agency model to explain these facts, and offers an agenda for leximetric research.
PCA-SIFT: a more distinctive representation for local image descriptors

Stable local feature detection and representation is a fundamental component of many image registration and object recognition algorithms. Mikolajczyk and Schmid (June 2003) recently evaluated a variety of approaches and identified the SIFT [D. G. Lowe, 1999] algorithm as being the most resistant to common image deformations. This paper examines (and improves upon) the local image descriptor used by SIFT. Like SIFT, our descriptors encode the salient aspects of the image gradient in the feature point's neighborhood; however, instead of using SIFT's smoothed weighted histograms, we apply principal components analysis (PCA) to the normalized gradient patch. Our experiments demonstrate that the PCA-based local descriptors are more distinctive, more robust to image deformations, and more compact than the standard SIFT representation. We also present results showing that using these descriptors in an image retrieval application results in increased accuracy and faster matching.
A quick guide to large-scale genomic data mining.

For the first several hundred years of research in cellular biology, the main bottleneck to scientific progress was data collection. Our newfound data-richness, however, has shifted this bottleneck from collection to analysis [1]. While a variety of options exists for examining any one experimental dataset, we are still discovering what new biological questions can be answered by mining thousands of genomic datasets in tandem, potentially spanning different molecular activities, technological platforms, and model organisms. As an analogy, consider the difference between searching one document for a keyword and executing an online search. While the tasks are conceptually similar, they require vastly different underlying methodologies, and they have correspondingly large differences in their potentials for knowledge discovery. Large-scale genomic data mining is thus the process of using many (potentially diverse) datasets, often from public repositories, to address a specific biological question. Statistical meta-analyses are an excellent example, in which many experimental results are examined in order to lend statistical power to a hypothesis test (e.g., for differential expression) [2], [3]. As the amount of available genomic data grows, however, exploratory methods allowing hypothesis generation are also becoming more prevalent. The ArrayExpress Gene Expression Atlas, for example, allows users to examine hundreds of experimental factors across thousands of independent experimental results [4]. In most cases, though, an investigator with a specific question in mind must collect relevant data to bring to bear on a question of interest. Some examples might be: If you've obtained a gene set of interest, in which tissues or cell lines are they coexpressed? If you assay a particular cellular environment, are there other experimental conditions that incur a similar genomic response? If you have high-specificity, low-throughput data for a few genes, with what other genes do they interact or coexpress in high-throughput data repositories? Under what experimental conditions, or in which tissues? Bringing large quantities of genomic data to bear on such questions involves three main tasks: establishing methodology for efficiently querying large data collections; assembling data from appropriate repositories; and integrating information from a variety of experimental data types. Since the technical [5]–[7] and methodological [8]–[10] challenges in heterogeneous data integration have been discussed elsewhere, this introduction will focus mainly on the first two points. As discussed below, the computational requirements for processing thousands of whole-genome datasets in a reasonable amount of time must be addressed, either algorithmically or using cloud or distributed computing [11], [12]. Subsequently, data collection is sometimes easy—as is increasingly the case for high-throughput sequencing, individual experiments can themselves be the sources of large data repositories. In other cases, a biological investigation might benefit from the inclusion of substantial external or public data.
Residential Demand for Water in the Chicago Metropolitan Area

Mieno, Taro and John B. Braden, 2011. Residential Demand for Water in the Chicago Metropolitan Area. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(4):713-723. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2011.00536.x Abstract: This paper provides the first contemporary analysis of residential water demand in humid Northeastern Illinois, in the vicinity of Chicago, and explores seasonal and income-based differentials in the responsiveness of water use to water prices. Using a panel of system-level data for eight water systems and controlling for seasons, weather, incomes, and community characteristics, the analysis yields low estimates of price elasticity of demand for water in line with other studies. Furthermore, price response is greater in summer and less in higher income communities. We suggest that use of seasonal pricing can help mitigate equity issues arising from differential income elasticities while taking advantage of the greater price responsiveness of summertime water use.
Transcriptional regulation of human placental corticotropin-releasing factor by prostaglandins and estradiol.

The mechanism of labor initiation in humans has not been completely elucidated. Prostaglandins, estrogens, and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) have all been shown to affect uterine myocytes and enhance uterine contractility. There are also indications that these uterine regulators have additional effects on other sites involved in labor and that they may act in concert or, perhaps, by regulating each other. Therefore, we evaluated the CRF promoter for transcriptional regulation by prostaglandins and estrogens. Human placental choriocarcinoma cell lines were transfected with CRF-luciferase reporter genes and treated with prostaglandins. Prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ), but not prostaglandin F 2α (PGF 2α ), stimulated CRF-luciferase expression in choriocarcinoma cell lines via a cAMP-dependent pathway. A combination of transfections and in vitro binding studies tested for potential regulation of CRF by estrogen receptor (ER). ER neither regulated the CRF promoter nor interacted with steroid response half-sites from the CRF promoter. Our results provide a molecular regulatory link between PGE 2 and CRF, two compounds that enhance uterine contractile function. Combined with the stimulation of prostaglandin release by CRF, these data support a potentially important feed-forward regulatory loop involving CRF and PGE 2 in parturition. In contrast, we found no evidence for direct effects of estrogens or PGF 2α on CRF transcription.
Reversal of Endothelin-1 Release by Stimulation of Endothelial α2-Adrenoceptor Contributes to Cerebral Vasorelaxation

Abstract Agonists acting on the vascular endothelium can modulate the release of a number of factors that interact with the surrounding smooth muscle cells and influence their tone. One such factor is the vasoconstricting agent endothelin-1 (ET-1), which has been implicated in several disease states, including stroke. However, very little is known about the physiological role of ET-1 in the cerebral circulation. We demonstrate that activation of α 2 -adrenoceptors in human pial artery endothelial cells reduces both constitutive and agonist-stimulated release of immunoreactive ET-1. That this has physiological relevance is supported by our demonstration that in segments of rabbit middle cerebral arteries, α 2 -adrenoceptor activation reduces the release of endothelium-derived ET-1 and causes an endothelium-dependent relaxation. The adrenoceptor-dependent relaxation was not blocked by combined addition of indomethacin and N ω -nitro-l-arginine in 25 mmol/L KCl-depolarizing physiological solution but was selectively antagonized by a subthreshold concentration of exogenous ET-1. Our data suggest that activation of endothelial α 2 -adrenoceptor would favor a decrease in ET-1 production and possibly promote vascular relaxation.
Biomass supply, demand, and markets

Utilization of biomass as a source of fuels and chemicals is a critical challenge facing the world. However, the decisions facing stakeholders such as producers, growers, regulators and investors are complex. For example, due to its low energy density, the cost of transportation has been a major obstacle for the development of a nationwide network of integrated biorefineries. Additionally, the supply of biomass suitable for conversion to energy, fuels and chemical products varies from region to region. This chapter specifically addresses the key drivers for biomass supply, demand and markets, including future trends. Integrated decision support tools such as discrete event simulation and mix integer non-linear programming are also addressed. Sources for further information are also included with this chapter.
Inversion Symmetry of M and R Centers

The energy states of color centers lacking inversion symmetry will generally possess permanent dipole moments. Consequently the optical absorption bands of such centers will exhibit linear stark effects and should become dichroic in large electric fields. No dichroism for the $M$ or $R$ bands in NaCl or KCl was observed at 78\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K as a result of applied fields of 3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{5}$ v/cm. Since the sensitivity of the measurement was several hundred times greater than that required to detect the field-induced dichroism calculated for a model lacking inversion symmetry, it is tentatively concluded that $M$ and $R$ centers possess inversion symmetry.
Overview of optimal trajectories for flight in a windshear

Optimal flight trajectories for the B-727, B-737, and B-747 aircraft in the presence of wind shear are studied. The takeoff problem and the abort landing problem are considered with reference to flight in a vertical plane. In the former, optimal trajectories are computed by minimizing the peak deviation of the absolute path inclination from a reference value; in the latter, optimal trajectories are computed by minimizing the peak value of the altitude drop. Numerical computations show that, for both the problems under consideration, the optimal trajectories of the three aircraft show the same qualitative behavior. Hence, it appears that the near-optimal guidance schemes developed for the B-727 can be extended to the other two aircraft, albeit with some quantitative modification.
Research and Development of Stability Analysis,Early-Warning and Control System for Huge Power Grids

On the basis of systemic sorting out and synthetical research on security and stability of interconnected power grid,a synthetical method to analyze security and stability,early warning and control of huge power grid is proposed,and the research and development of advanced technologies,including full process dynamic security assessment system,operation mode gaming system,wide area analysis and control system and expert system,is completed.The system integration of the developed system is accomplished on dispatching automation platform and the developed system is tested by digital power system in simulation centre of China State Grid Corporation.
Taurine transport in skate hepatocytes. II. Volume activation, energy, and sulfhydryl dependence.

Isolated skate (Raja erinacea) hepatocytes swollen in hypotonic media exhibited a regulatory volume decrease (RVD) that was associated with only a small increase in K+ or 86Rb+ efflux but a substantial increase in the release of taurine, an amino acid found in high concentrations in skate hepatocytes. Taurine efflux was stimulated in media made hypotonic by addition of H2O or removal of NaCl, as well as in cells swollen in isotonic media containing rapidly penetrating solutes (202 mM ethylene glycol or 202 mM additional urea substituted for 101 mM NaCl), suggesting that cell swelling rather than hyposmolarity is the stimulus for the activation of taurine release. In contrast, release of glutathione, L-[14C]alanine and other alpha-amino acids (e.g., threonine, serine, glutamate, glutamine, glycine, or valine) was unaffected by dilution with 40% H2O. Taurine efflux was not altered by replacement of extracellular Na+ with choline+ or K+ and was only slightly diminished by replacing Cl- with NO3-. Addition of 50 mM taurine or hypotaurine to the incubation media also had no effect on volume-stimulated [14C]taurine efflux, suggesting that the taurine concentration gradient across the plasma membrane is not the driving force. Volume-stimulated taurine transport was temperature sensitive, 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid inhibitable (0.5 mM), and nearly completely blocked by metabolic inhibitors (2,4-dinitrophenol, KCN, sodium azide, oligomycin, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, and antimycin A), suggesting an active energy-dependent process. Sulfhydryl-reactive reagents (N-ethylmaleimide, diamide, iodoacetate, tert-butyl hydroperoxide, and mercury) also blocked volume-stimulated taurine efflux, whereas efflux was unaffected by Ca2+ ionophore, phorbol ester, dibutyryl-adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate, vasopressin, or pretreatment with ouabain or furosemide. N-ethylmaleimide, diamide, 2,4-dinitrophenol, and iodoacetate plus KCN also inhibited the RVD. These findings suggest that, in contrast to hepatocytes from most vertebrate species, RVD in skate hepatocytes is associated with the release of only a small fraction of intracellular K+ but a substantial fraction of intracellular taurine and perhaps other organic osmolytes. This volume-activated taurine transport mechanism is energy and sulfhydryl group dependent and is not related to the taurine concentration gradient across the skate hepatocyte plasma membrane.
The Diffusion of State Tax Incentives for Business

Tax competition scholars are increasingly recognizing that states compete with each other not only by manipulating tax rates but also by adopting tax incentives. However, there is a comparative lack of empirical literature exploring why states adopt different types of tax incentives. This article draws on the literatures on tax competition and policy diffusion to develop hypotheses about what factors motivate states to adopt business tax incentives, paying particular attention to the influence of other adopting states. It uses event history analysis methods to test hypotheses regarding the adoption of four state tax incentive policies: investment tax credits, apportionment formula changes, research and development tax credits, and job creation tax credits. Regression results show that factors that influence adoption decisions are largely inconsistent across the four incentive types. However, analyses of duration dependence find evidence consistent with the idea that states are “racing to the bottom.”
Recent advances in stable isotope-enabled mass spectrometry-based plant metabolomics.

Methods employing isotope labeled compounds have been an important part of the bioanalytical canon for many decades. The past fifteen years have seen the development of many new approaches using stable (non-radioactive) isotopes as labels for high-throughput bioanalytical, ‘omics-scale’ measurements of metabolites (metabolomics) and proteins (proteomics). This review examines stable isotopic labeling approaches that have been developed for labeling whole intact plants, plant tissues, or crude extracts of plant materials with stable isotopes (mainly using 2H, 13C, 15N, 18O or 34S). The application of metabolome-scale labeling for improving metabolite annotation, metabolic pathway elucidation, and relative quantification in mass spectrometry-based metabolomics of plants is also reviewed.
The future is not what it used to be: Changing views on contemporary color photography

Attitudes and approaches toward the collection, use, and care of color photographs have evolved enormously since the official arrival of commercially viable color photographic processes in the earl...
Memorized Linear Discrete Systems

In this chapter, the basic iterative solutions for memorized linear discrete systems will be presented. The iterative solutions of the memorized linear discrete systems with distinct and repeated eigenvalues will be discussed. The stability of memorized linear discrete systems will be discussed from the oscillatory, monotonic, and spiral convergence and divergence. The invariant, flip, and circular critical boundaries of the stability on the direction of the specific eigenvector will be classified. The 1-dimensional, memorized, linear discrete systems will be discussed.
Bias in ROI estimators and an unbiased solution

Signal activity is typically estimated by summing voxels from a reconstructed image. We introduce an alternative estimation scheme that operates on the raw projection data and offers a substantial improvement, as measured by the ensemble-mean squared error (EMSE), when compared to using voxel values from a maximum-likelihood expectation-maximization (MLEM) reconstructed ROI. The scanning-linear estimator is derived as a special case of maximum-likelihood (ML) techniques with a series of approximations to make the calculation tractable. The approximated likelihood accounts for background randomness, measurement noise, and variability in the signal’s activity. The resulting estimate of the signal activity is an unbiased estimator: the average estimate equals the true value. By contrast, algorithms that operate on reconstructed data are subject to unpredictable bias arising from the null functions of the imaging system and the object. Using visual inspection of reconstructed data to select an ROI is tantamount to estimating a location and size of the signal. In general, this procedure would be less than ideal, but we remove this source of error by estimating the activity of a spherical signal whose radius and centroid are known. The signal shape and location fully specify a binary ROI template in object space. Although the scanning-linear method can be generalized to more complicated estimation tasks, we will demonstrate its use for estimating only signal amplitude. Noisy projection data are realistically emulated using measured calibration data from the multi-module multi-resolution (M3R) small-animal SPECT imaging system. The scanning-linear estimate of signal activity is computed for 800 image samples. The same set of images are reconstructed using the MLEM algorithm (80 iterations), and the mean as well as the maximum value within the ROI is calculated.
Revolving around Léon Foucault

William Tobin has written a biography of Leon Foucault, whom time and science forgot. The fact that Foucault has been overlooked is obvious from the book's subtitle and the defensive preface. Clearly Tobin thought it necessary to inform the reader of Foucault's major scientific accomplishment, namely his proof that the Earth rotates. He also makes a convincing case that Foucault and the scientific world in which he worked mattered. However, the book is far less satisfactory or convincing as a biography.
Evaluating Community-Based Health Improvement Programs.

Increasingly, public and private resources are being dedicated to community-based health improvement programs. But evaluations of these programs typically rely on data about process and a pre-post ...
Faulty construction: Earthquakes and the culture of prevention in California

In the last half of the twentieth century, urban Californians came to expect that engineering solutions would overcome the threat of natural seismic activities. This sanguine attitude is rooted in the rise of urban/industrial society, which resulted in huge capital investments in modern cities, complex infrastructures, and made residents increasingly dependent on centralized services for water, fuel, food, transportation, communication, and shelter. While peril from earthquakes seldom concerned people in the rural/agrarian world, the nature of the modern city enormously heightened the risk of ruinous loss to human life and property from natural disasters. The cataclysmic earthquake that wreaked havoc on San Francisco in 1906 plainly illustrated this, and in its wake engineers and geologists developed a sustained interest in understanding seismic activity and constructing earthquake-safe buildings.
Calcifying Aponeurotic Fibroma of the Hallux

Calcifying aponeurotic fibroma is a rare benign fibrous tumor predominantly seen in children and adolescents younger than 20 years. This tumor is often treated with complete surgical excision, although the recurrence rate is approximately 50%. The distal upper and distal lower extremities are most commonly involved, with only three cases published to date involving pedal digits. We discuss a case of calcifying aponeurotic fibroma in a 25-year-old woman localized to the medial aspect of the distal hallux. Clinical, radiographic, and magnetic resonance imaging findings are described. After an incisional biopsy and histopathologic findings confirmed that the lesion was benign, a complete excision was performed, and diagnosis was established for calcifying aponeurotic fibroma. At 6 months, the patient had healed uneventfully, and no recurrence has been noted. Malignant transformation is rare but has been documented, warranting concern for clinicians and patients.
Biceps Tendon Ruptures

Biceps tendon rupture can occur proximally at the attachment of the long head of the biceps on the superior glenoid or the short head of the biceps on the coracoid process. The tendon may also rupture distally at its insertion on the radial tuberosity. Nonoperative management is typically reserved for partial tears and patients who are unable to undergo surgical intervention. Operative management has predicable and successful outcomes in restoring elbow flexion and forearm supination strength.
SNA Enhancements for Distributed Data Processing

Systems Network Architecture (SNA) defines the behavior of networks of heterogeneous, loosely coupled processors. After a brief introduction of SNA, this paper describes three recent enhancements to SNA which will further increase the capabilities of SNA products and users to interact in distributed data processing system environments.
Observation of Lg and S Wave Propagation along the Ultra-Long Range Profile “Quartz”, Russia

Seismic records from nuclear explosions recorded by Deep Seismic Sounding profiles provide valuable information about the propagation of regional and teleseismic S waves and L g phases across a variety of tectonic structures of Northern Eurasia. Using the data from profile “Quartz”, we demonstrate that the short-period L g propagates effectively within the Baltic Shield and is strongly attenuated under the West Siberian Basin. We present an evidence for L g leakage into the uppermost mantle and also propose multicomponent amplitude measurement and noise correction techniques that facilitate and improve the analysis of secondary phases.
Analysis of Categorical Variables

This chapter is devoted to analysis of categorical variables. We start by discussing the application of Pearson’s χ 2 test for evaluating a hypothesis regarding the distribution of a single categorical variable. Next, we discuss Pearson’s χ 2 test of independence for examining the relationship between two categorical variables. For such problems, we typically start by creating a contingency table to summarize the data. Here, we show how contingency tables can be created for two categorical variables in a data set. We also show how a contingency table can be entered in R-Commander without providing the underlying raw data. After creating or entering contingency tables, we use Pearson’s χ 2 test of independence to measure the strength of the relationship between the two categorical variables and obtain the observed significance level (i.e., p-value) for hypothesis testing.
Coda: Unwrapping the Cube: A Photographic Essay (With technical assistance of C. Todd Stuart and photography by Bruce Anderson)

In Synergetics (R. Buckminster Fuller, E. J. Applewhite, and A. L. Loeb, op. cit.) and in Chapter 6 of this volume we discussed the instability of the cube, and the stability of triangulated solids such as the octahedron and the tetrahedron. The importance of the rhombohedral dodecahedron was stressed in Chapters 16 and 17.
Inhibition of HIV-1 infectivity by low molecular weight heparin. Results of in vitro studies and a pilot clinical trial in patients with advanced AIDS.

Several sulfated polysaccharides have been shown to have anti-HIV activity in vitro. However, many of these compounds are not suited for use in vivo because they present an increased risk of bleeding or cannot be administered chronically. We tested the anti-HIV effects of low molecular weight heparin (LMW-heparin) (Enoxaparin) in vitro using a model system of HIV infectivity because LMW-heparin can be given to patients on a longterm basis with little risk. In vitro, LMW-heparin was shown to inhibit HIV-1 production from a T cell lymphoma line (H9) and phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphoblasts. Inhibition of infectivity was dose dependent at concentrations achievable in vivo. We then performed a pilot clinical trial in 13 patients with advanced AIDS of 6 months of chronic, self-administered Enoxaparin given in standard prophylactic doses. CD4 counts appeared to stabilize or increase in most patients during the first 3 months of treatment, then remained stable or declined after 6 months. There was no appreciable change in serum p24 levels. There was no evidence of drug toxicity and no bleeding episodes. These findings demonstrate that a commercially available, relatively non-toxic form of LMW-heparin is a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 production in cultured cells and that it is feasible to treat patients with AIDS with LMW-heparin on a long-term basis. Definitive clinical trials of LMW-heparins and related compounds as experimental anti-viral agents in patients with HIV infection are indicated.
Impacts of air pollution, temperature, and relative humidity on leukocyte distribution: An epigenetic perspective.

Abstract Background Exploring the associations of air pollution and weather variables with blood leukocyte distribution is critical to understand the impacts of environmental exposures on the human immune system. Objectives As previous analyses have been mainly based on data from cell counters, which might not be feasible in epidemiologic studies including large populations of long-stored blood samples, we aimed to expand the understanding of this topic by employing the leukocyte distribution estimated by DNA methylation profiles. Methods We measured DNA methylation profiles in blood samples using Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip from 1519 visits of 774 Caucasian males participating in the Normative Aging Study. Leukocyte distribution was estimated using Houseman's and Horvath's algorithms. Data on air pollution exposure, temperature, and relative humidity within 28 days before each blood draw was obtained. Results After fully adjusting for potential covariates, PM2.5, black carbon, particle number, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, temperature, and relative humidity were associated with the proportions of at least one subtype of leukocytes. Particularly, an interquartile range-higher 28-day average exposure of PM2.5 was associated with 0.147-, 0.054- and 0.101-unit lower proportions (z-scored) of plasma cells, naive CD8+ T cells, and natural killers, respectively, and 0.059- and 0.161-unit higher proportions (z-scored) of naive CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells, respectively. Conclusions Our study suggests that short-term air pollution exposure, temperature, and relative humidity are associated with leukocyte distribution. Our study further provides a successful attempt to use epigenetic patterns to assess the influences of environmental exposures on human immune profiles.
Efficiency and THD Optimization Based on an Interleaved PFC Converter Using Digital Controller with Integrated Valley Switching Control Feature

In this paper, a digital control optimization solution is presented to increase interleaved PFC converter performance especially the light load efficiency and THD for an interleaved PFC converter. This does not require any complex external logic. When a PFC converter is under discontinuous conduction mode (DCM), the resonation can happen between the parasitic capacitance and the PFC inductor. This usually occurs under light load condition. Depending on the instantaneous input voltage, the MOSFET needs to be turned on at the valley point or zero voltage crossing point of the Vds in order to get higher efficiency and lower THD. The proposed optimization method utilizes the both feature of integrated programmable valley of the digital controller and mathematical model of PFC converter to easily implement the valley switching and ZVS. The valley skipping is selected to maintain a relatively low switching frequency by the presented integrated programmable valley switching technique to get better light load efficiency. When the instantaneous voltage is very low, an enhanced control method which uses fixed frequency control is adopted to avoid the current distortion. The hardware test is based on a Texas Instruments microcontroller which contains integrated programmable valley switching feature. A 750W interleaved PFC converter is used in the experiment.
Defining the Minimal Clinically Important Difference and Patient Acceptable Symptom State for Microfracture of the Knee: A Psychometric Analysis at Short-term Follow-up

Background:Several studies have investigated failure rates and magnitude of improvement in patient-reported outcome measures after microfracture surgery for focal chondral defects of the knee; howe...
Stability of Ampicillin in Normal Saline Following Refrigerated Storage and 24-Hour Pump Recirculation:

Objective: Use of ampicillin in outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) has historically been complicated by frequent dosing and limited stability. The purpose of this study was to evalu...
A cadaveric comparison of two methods for isolated talonavicular arthrodesis: Two-screws versus plate with integrated compression screw.

Abstract Background This study compared stiffness between two constructs for talonavicular arthrodesis: a dorsomedial plating system and two partially threaded cannulated cancellous screws. We hypothesized that the plate would exhibit greater stiffness and resistance to deformation during cyclic loading. Methods The constructs were implanted in eight matched pairs of cadaveric feet and subjected to axial torsion, cantilever bending in two directions, and cyclic loading to failure. Results The two-screw constructs were significantly stiffer in plantar-dorsal bending (p = .025) and trended towards a higher number of cycles before failure than the plate group (p = .087). No significant differences were observed in internal torsion (p = .620), external torsion (p = .165), or medial-lateral bending (p = .686). Conclusions This study provided the first biomechanical assessment of a plating system with an integrated compression screw, which was significantly less stiff than a two-screw construct when loaded from plantar to dorsal.
Course Content and Assignments of Teacher Preparation Programs in Vision

While the future of many teacher preparation programs in vision remains unclear, the national demand for teachers who are trained in blindness and visual impairment continues to soar. Course syllab...
α-U and ω-UZr2 in neutron irradiated U-10Zr annular metallic fuel

Abstract To develop metallic fuel with ultra-high burnup of 30%-40%, an annular U-10Zr fuel with 55% smear density was fabricated through a casting route and irradiated at the Advanced Test Reactor at Idaho National Laboratory. The annular fuel design also serves as a demonstration of the feasibility to replace the sodium bond with a helium bond to benefit the geological disposal of irradiated fuel, cut the cost of fuel fabrication, and boosts the overall metallic fuel economy. This paper reports the results from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) based post-irradiation examination of this fuel type irradiated to a burnup of 3.3% fissions per initial heavy metal atoms. The low burnup was planned for initial screening of this fuel design. After irradiation, the initial U-10Zr microstructure separated into an α-U annular region and an UZr2+x center region with a nanoscale spinodal decomposed microstructure. Because of the large amount of interface areas created in this microstructure, the fission gas atoms and vacancies generated in the UZr2+x phase are possibly pinned at the interface areas, leading to ~20 times smaller fission gas bubbles than those in the neighboring α-U. The large bubbles in α-U become connected and merged into large pores that provide fast paths for fission gas release into capsule plenum which prevents further swelling of fuel slug. The fuel slug center still has open space to accommodate further fuel swelling from solid fission products at higher burnup. Other neutron irradiation induced phase and microstructure change are also characterized and compared with traditional solid fuel designs.
Immunotherapy and Novel Agents on the Horizon for the Treatment of Prostate Cancer

Novel treatment agents for prostate cancer are now giving clinicians the resources to individualize patient-specific care in the hopes of increasing survival rates. The availability of genetic sequencing will help differentiate optimal treatments. Immunotherapy includes treatments which stimulate the patient’s own immune system to recognize and attack growing cancer cells. It has been proven to be an effective treatment for various types of cancers, and research has expanded its use in the treatment of prostate cancer. Immune checkpoint inhibitors reactivate pathways so the body can again kill invading cancer cells. Finally, PARP inhibitors block an enzyme used by cancer cells to repair DNA. When used alone, these treatments may not be broadly overly beneficial; however, researchers are using different combinations of the agents to help offer better outcomes in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.
Long-term neurologically intact survival after extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation for in-hospital or out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) has been used as extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) to support further resuscitation efforts in patients with cardiac arrest, yet its clinical effectiveness remains uncertain. Objectives This study reviews the role of ECPR in contemporary resuscitation care compared to no ECPR and/or standard care, e.g. conventional CPR, and quantitatively summarize the rates of long-term neurologically intact survival after adult in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) or out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Methods We searched the following databases on January 31 st, 2020: CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science. We followed PRISMA guidelines and used PICO format to summarize the research questions. Risk of bias was assessed using the ROBINS-I tool. Pooled risk ratios (RRs) for each outcome of interest were calculated. Quality of evidence was evaluated according to GRADE guidelines. Results Six cohort studies were included, totaling 1750 patients. Of these, 530 (30.3%) received the intervention, and 91 (17.2%) survived with long-term neurologically intact survival. ECPR compared to no ECPR is likely associated with improved long-term neurologically intact survival after cardiac arrest in any setting (risk ratio [RR] 3.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.06-4.69; p < 0.00001) (GRADE: Very low quality). Similar results were found for long-term neurologically intact survival after IHCA (RR 3.21, 95% CI 1.74-5.94; p < 0.0002) (GRADE: Very low quality) and OHCA (RR 3.11, 95% CI 1.50-6.47; p < 0.002) (GRADE: Very low quality). Long-term time frames for neurologically intact survival (three months to two years) were combined into a single category, defined a priori as a Glasgow-Pittsburgh cerebral performance category (CPC) of 1 or 2. Conclusions VA-ECMO used as ECPR is likely associated with improved long-term neurologically intact survival after cardiac arrest. Future evidence from randomized trials is very likely to have an important impact on the estimated effect of this intervention and will further define optimal clinical practice. Review registration: PROSPERO CRD42020171945.
Bipolar membrane polarization behavior with systematically varied interfacial areas in the junction region

The palette of applications for bipolar membranes (BPMs) has expanded recently beyond electrodialysis as they are now being considered for fuel cell and electrolysis applications. Their deployment in emerging electrochemical technologies arises from the need to have a membrane separator that provides disparate pH environments and to prevent species crossover. Most materials research for BPMs has focused on water dissociation catalysts and less emphasis has been given to the design of the polycation–polyanion interface for improving BPM performance. Here, soft lithography fabricated a series of micropatterned BPMs with precise control over the interfacial area in the bipolar junction. Polarization experiments showed that a 2.28× increase in interfacial area led to a 250 mV reduction in the onset potential. Additionally, the same increase in interfacial area yielded marginal improvements in current density due to the junction region being under kinetics-diffusion control. A simple physics model based on the electric field of the junction region rationalized the reduction in the overpotential for water dissociation as a function of interfacial area. Finally, the soft lithography approach was also conducive for fabricating BPMs with different chemistries ranging from perfluorinated polymer backbones to alkaline stable poly(arylene) hydrocarbon polymers. These polymer chemistries are better suited for fuel cell and electrolysis applications. The BPM featuring the alkaline stable poly(terphenyl) anion exchange membrane had an onset potential of 0.84 V, which was near the thermodynamic limit, and was about 150 mV lower than a commercially available variant.
Approximation by multivariate generalized Poisson–Cauchy type singular integral operators

This research and survey work deals exclusively with the study of the approximation of generalized multivariate Poisson–Cauchy type singular integrals to the identity-unit operator. Here we study quantitatively most of their approximation properties. These operators are not in general positive linear operators. In particular we study the rate of convergence of these integral operators to the unit operator, as well as the related simultaneous approximation. These are given via Jackson type inequalities and by the use of multivariate high order modulus of smoothness of the high order partial derivatives of the involved function. Also we study the global smoothness preservation properties of these integral operators. These multivariate inequalities are nearly sharp and in one case the inequality is attained, that is sharp. Furthermore we give asymptotic expansions of Voronovskaya type for the error of approximation. The above properties are studied with respect to $$L_{p}$$ norm, $$1\le p\le \infty $$ .
Isolated Gastrointestinal Vasculitis

Gastrointestinal single-organ vasculitis is a vasculitis restricted to one organ in the gastrointestinal system and without systemic manifestations. These diseases are rare and true incidence and prevalence are difficult to determine. Most patients will have predominantly gastrointestinal symptoms although some will be asymptomatic, and in these cases the diagnosis is incidental. The diagnosis typically relies on pathology and/or imaging studies. Systemic vasculitis must be excluded in all cases. Cases of limited single-organ vasculitis can sometimes be managed with surgery alone whereas cases of diffuse disease often require immunosuppressive therapy. The disease has been associated with significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in the first year after diagnosis. All cases should be monitored closely for the possible evolution to systemic vasculitis.
Violence Exposure, Aggressive Cognitions & Externalizing Behaviors among Colombian Youth: The Moderating Role of Community Belongingness

Limited work has focused on understanding mechanisms through which violence negatively impacts youth outcomes. The present study investigates how three different facets of violence exposure (witnes...
Why Fuzzy Techniques in Explainable AI? Which Fuzzy Techniques in Explainable AI?

One of big challenges of many state-of-the-art AI techniques such as deep learning is that their results do not come with any explanations – and, taking into account that some of the resulting conclusions and recommendations are far from optimal, it is difficult to distinguish good advice from bad one. It is therefore desirable to come up with explainable AI. In this paper, we argue that fuzzy techniques are a proper way to this explainability, and we also analyze which fuzzy techniques are most appropriate for this purpose. Interestingly, it turns out that the answer depends on what problem we are solving: e.g., different “and”- and “or”-operations are preferable when we are controlling a single object and when we are controlling a group of objects.