cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Negotiating the Middle Ground: Thomas Moore on Religion and Irish Nationalism

Moore was a young man during the Napoleonic era in European history. This was a period when the papacy suffered serious setbacks, beginning with the French Revolution and culminating in the humiliation and effective imprisonment of Pope Pius VII by Napoleon between 1804 and 1814. John Roney’s study of Moore is thus set at a time when the very future of the Vatican and of Catholicism still seemed uncertain, though by Moore’s later years the future had become much more assured. Roney argues that although Moore is often depicted as a nominal Catholic (as an adult he wasn’t a church-goer), an examination of his religious thought reveals an ecumenical dimension. As a student in the 1790s he attended Trinity College, Dublin (with its strong Protestant ethos) and studied the history of theology. He married a Protestant, and his children were raised as Protestants. Roney contends that Moore had hopes of presenting Irish Catholicism as a respectable faith in Protestant eyes; for instance, he expressed the common (Protestant) view that papal authority tended to render Catholics slavish in their outlook, and his view of the historical and contemporary Catholic church was very much a Gallican one.
Dynamic programming-based approximate real-time control policies for plug in hybrid electric vehicles

This paper examines the application of dynamic programming (DP) to the development of parametric real-time power management policies for the plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). First, a representative power-split PHEV powertrain model is introduced, followed by a DP formulation for obtaining the cost-optimal powertrain trajectories. The obtained optimal trajectories are then used to train a set of control policies for the powertrain control inputs through a least-squares linear regression process. The proposed controller receives the demanded propulsion force and the powertrain variables as inputs, and generates the torque commands for the engine and the electric drivetrain system. Numerical simulations indicate that the proposed control policy is able to approximate the optimal trajectories closely, using the real-time powertrain system information for the training drive cycle data. To maintain the battery state-of-charge (SOC) above a certain lower bound for arbitrary test data, a switching logic is implemented to transition to a conservative control policy when the battery SOC drops below a certain threshold. Simulation results indicate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in achieving near-optimal performance while maintaining the SOC within the desired range.
Serious unintended outcomes associated with cesarean section.

Background Serious unintended outcomes (SUOs) associated with cesarean section (CS), defined in this study as sepsis, endometritis, or wound disruption, occurring during the admission to deliver an infant by CS, or on readmission for wound disruption, are not routinely measured in a manner that continuously evaluates their impact on women's health. Methods The Texas Healthcare Information Collection Public Use Data File was used to investigate trends in the diagnosis of SUOs over a 5-year period from January 1, 2010-December 31, 2014. Results CS-associated SUOs affected 9.24 women for every 1,000 CSs. During the study period, a large decrease in the rate of SUOs occurred ( R 2 = 0.60). This was potentially influenced by a large decrease in the rate of endometritis ( R 2 = 0.41). Decreases in the diagnosis of and readmission for CS wound disruption were not as large ( R 2 = 0.06 and R 2 = 0.03, respectively). A large increase in CS-associated sepsis ( R 2 = .32) was identified. Administrative coded data used to identify SUOs in this study may have utility for the identification of serious unintended outcomes associated with CS at the population level. Conclusions Increases in length of stay and utilization of critical care were noted among women affected by CS-associated SUOs. Additional study is needed to determine factors that increase the likelihood of the development of SUO and to evaluate the preventability of these events.
Integrating data information literacy into a service-learning engineering design course

Over the past several years increasing emphasis has been placed on the development of data information literacy (DIL) skills for engineering researchers to comply with funding requirements and to facilitate data sharing, reuse, and preservation. These efforts have been largely aimed at faculty members and graduate students, and to some extent undergraduate students in preparation for their roles as future researchers. However, little attention has been directed at developing DIL skills in undergraduate engineering students engaged in non-research activities, such as service-learning design projects that integrate instruction and community service. This work-in-progress paper reports on using service-learning pedagogy to integrate DIL into engineering design education. Preliminary analysis of student journal entries and instructor observations are discussed.
Relation Between Stream Temperature and Landscape Characteristics Using Distance Weighted Metrics

Stream ecosystems have experienced significant negative impacts from land use, resource exploitation, and urban development. Statistical models allow researchers to explore the relations between these landscape variables and stream conditions. Weighting the relevant landscape variables based on hydrologically defined distances offers a potential method of increasing the predictive capacity of statistical models. Using observations from three grouped watersheds in the Portland-Vancouver Metro Area (n = 66), we explored the use of three different weighting schemes against the standard method of weighted areal average. These four different model groups were applied to four stream temperature metrics: mean seven-day moving average maximum daily temperature (Mean7dTmax), number of days exceeding 17.8 °C (Tmax7d >17.8), mean daily range in stream temperature (Mean_DTR), and the coefficient of variation in maximum daily temperature (CV_Tmax) for each month in the 2011 dry season. The results demonstrate mixed effectiveness of the weighting schemes, dependent on both the stream temperature metric being predicted as well as the time scale under investigation. Models for Mean7dTmax showed no benefit from the inclusion of distance weighted metrics, while models for Mean_DTR consistently improved using distance weighted explanatory variables. Trends in the models for Tmax7d > 17.8 and CV_Tmax varied based on temporal scale. Additionally, all model groups demonstrated greater explanatory power in early summer months than in late summer months.
Trends in botanical dietary supplement use among US adults by cancer status: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999 to 2014.

BACKGROUND Patients with cancer may use botanical dietary supplements (BDS) in an attempt to manage the side effects of chemotherapy, yet evidence about BDS use among patients with cancer is limited. The authors examined trends in BDS use among US adults according to cancer status and patient characteristics. METHODS A serial, cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 through 2014 (n = 43,644). Self-reported cancer diagnosis history and any BDS use in the preceding 30 days were determined. The prevalence of BDS use was calculated in each cycle for respondents with and without cancer, both overall and by patient characteristics. Simple linear regression models were applied to test for trends in BDS use at a 2-sided P value < .05. Multiple logistic regression models were performed to identify the patient factors associated with BDS use. The results were weighted to represent national estimates. RESULTS The prevalence of BDS use was greater among participants who had cancer compared with participants who did not have cancer, but trends remained stable during 1999 through 2014 for both groups. Trends in BDS use declined in patients with cancer who were older (Ptrend = .047), had a low annual family income (Ptrend = .028), and had a lower education level (Ptrend = .004). Among the respondents without cancer, trends in BDS use declined in those who were middle-aged (Ptrend = .025), non-Hispanic whites (Ptrend = .025), those with a lower education level (Ptrend = .011), and those who were not receiving prescription medication (Ptrend = .036). Patient age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education, and health conditions were associated with BDS use. CONCLUSIONS The overall use of BDS remained stable during 1999 through 2014 for US adults with and without cancer, but it varied by individual characteristics. Cancer 2018;124:1207-15. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Selective Inactivation of Fibroblast Growth Factor 22 (FGF22) in CA3 Pyramidal Neurons Impairs Local Synaptogenesis and Affective Behavior Without Affecting Dentate Neurogenesis

Various growth factors regulate synapse development and neurogenesis, and are essential for brain function. Changes in growth factor signaling are implicated in many neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression, autism and epilepsy. We have previously identified that fibroblast growth factor 22 (FGF22) is critical for excitatory synapse formation in several brain regions including the hippocampus. Mice with a genetic deletion of FGF22 (FGF22 null mice) have fewer excitatory synapses in the hippocampus. We have further found that as a behavioral consequence, FGF22 null mice show a depression-like behavior phenotype such as increased passive stress-coping behavior and anhedonia, without any changes in motor, anxiety, or social cognitive tests, suggesting that FGF22 is specifically important for affective behavior. Thus, addressing the precise roles of FGF22 in the brain will help understand how synaptogenic growth factors regulate affective behavior. In the hippocampus, FGF22 is expressed mainly by CA3 pyramidal neurons, but also by a subset of dentate granule cells. We find that in addition to synapse formation, FGF22 also contributes to neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus: FGF22 null mice show decreased dentate neurogenesis. To understand the cell type-specific roles of FGF22, we generated and analyzed CA3-specific FGF22 knockout mice (FGF22-CA3KO). We show that FGF22-CA3KO mice have reduced excitatory synapses on CA3 pyramidal neurons, but do not show changes in dentate neurogenesis. Behaviorally, FGF22-CA3KO mice still show increased immobility and decreased latency to float in the forced swim test and decreased preference for sucrose in the sucrose preference test, which are suggestive of a depressive-like phenotype similar to FGF22 null mice. These results demonstrate that: (i) CA3-derived FGF22 serves as a target-derived excitatory synaptic organizer in CA3 in vivo; (ii) FGF22 plays important roles in dentate neurogenesis, but CA3-derived FGF22 is not involved in neurogenesis; and (iii) a depression-like phenotype can result from FGF22 inactivation selectively in CA3 pyramidal neurons. Our results link the role of CA3-derived FGF22 in synapse development, and not in neurogenesis, to affective behavior.
Bioinspired visual guidance in turbid underwater environment

In this paper, an obstacle avoidance strategy using monocular gray-scale robotic vision for turbid water environments is presented. Biologically inspired by the unique vision system of the cubozoan, or box jellyfish, the proposed obstacle avoidance techniques were designed to be as computationally inexpensive as possible for implementation in a compact autonomous underwater vehicle with on-board processing capabilities. The sharp contrast reduction in turbid waters between obstacles and the surrounding environment is leveraged as a semi-reliable measure of relative distance between obstacles to form an evasion response based on obstacle priority. This contrast reduction model can be applied to both underwater and aerial vehicles depending on environmental turbidity and the relative distance between obstacles. In order to test this bioinspired approach, the proposed obstacle avoidance algorithm is implemented on a simple, low-power digital signal processor. It is shown that using contrast as a sole depth cue in turbid underwater environments is suitable for the detection of large, stationary obstacles.
Case study in 3D modeling of 2D plan view cad data for use in computer simulation

Computing and computing graphics capabilities continue to improve and evolve. What was once science fiction, such as photorealistic real-time rendering now common in video games, to low cost virtual reality (VR), is now commonplace. As people experience these technologies in their personal lives, there is a greater demand and expectation that computer simulation utilized in a business or institutional setting have a similar degree of visually appealing content and user experience. These capabilities contribute to the acceptance and usefulness of these tools. This case study suggests an approach, as well as tools and techniques, utilized to automate and lessen the resources required to develop three dimensional (3D) models of a large campus environment from traditional two dimensional (2D) plan view computer aided drafting (CAD) data that can be utilized in computer simulation.
Photoacoustic assay for probing amyloid formation: feasibility study

The formation of amyloid – aggregate of misfolded proteins – is associated with more than 50 human pathologies, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Investigating protein aggregation is a critical step in drug discovery and development of therapeutics targeted to these pathologies. However, screens to identify protein aggregates are challenging due to the stochastic character of aggregate nucleation. Here we employ photoacoustics (PA) to screen thermodynamic conditions and solution components leading to formation of protein aggregates. Particularly, we study the temperature dependence of the Gruneisen parameter in optically-contrasted, undersaturated and supersaturated solutions of glycoside hydrolase (lysozyme). As nucleation of protein aggregates proceeds in two steps, where the first is liquid-liquid separation (rearrangement of solute’s density), the PA response from complex solutions and its temperature-dependence monitor nucleation and differentiate undersaturated and supersaturated protein solutions. We demonstrate that in the temperature range from 22 to 0° C the PA response of contrasted undersaturated protein solution behaves similar to water and exhibits zero thermal expansion at 4°C or below, while the response of contrasted supersaturated protein solution is nearly temperature independent, similar to the behavior of oils. These results can be used to develop a PA assay for high-throughput screening of multi-parametric conditions (pH, ionic strength, chaperone, etc.) for protein aggregation that can become a key tool in drug discovery, targeting aggregate formation for a variety of amyloids.
Solution-Focused Wellness: A Randomized Controlled Trial of College Students

Heightened stress levels and compromised well-being are common among college students. Current trends on college campuses include an increase in the number of students experiencing mental health issues and an increase in students seeking help, illustrating a need for evidence-based brief interventions that improve student wellness. This research study used a randomized controlled study design to examine the effects of a short-term (seven-week), solution-focused wellness intervention on perceived stress and wellness of college students. Repeated measures analysis of variance results demonstrated that the effect of group membership across time was significant for both perceived wellness and stress (p < .01). Effect sizes using partial eta2 statistics were large for both outcome variables. Findings indicate that a brief solution-focused wellness intervention can significantly improve perceptions of wellness and reduce stress among college students and is more effective than treatment as usual. Intervention replicability allows for dissemination across varied academic groups and locations, and potential generalization across populations.
Nitroaromatic-detecting zinc and cadmium coordination polymers with methyl-substituted aliphatic dicarboxylate and 4,4′-dipyridylamine ligands and diverse topologies

Abstract Hydrothermal reaction of a metal nitrate, a methyl-substituted aliphatic dicarboxylic acid, and the hydrogen-bonding capable 4,4′-dipyridylamine (dpa) ligand afforded four crystalline coordination polymers whose dimensionality, topology, and interpenetration scheme depends on the aliphatic tether length, methyl group position, and coordination geometry at the metal. The four new phases were structurally characterized via single-crystal X-ray diffraction. [Zn(22dmg)(dpa)]n (1, 22dmg = 2,2-dimethylglutarate) displays a system of mutually inclined interpenetrated (4,4) grid coordination polymer layers. [Zn(33dmg)(dpa)]n (2, 33dmg = 3,3-dimethylglutarate), in contrast to 1, displays a stacked arrangement of pairs of (4,4) grid coordination polymer layers, without any interpenetration. [Zn(3mad)(dpa)]n (3, 3mad = 3-methyladipate) possesses a system of four-fold interpenetrated 66 dia topology coordination polymer networks. [Cd(33dmg)(dpa)]n (4) displays a 2-fold interpenetrated 41263 pcu 3D topology, based on pillaring of dimer-based [Cd2(33dmg)2]n layers by pairs of dpa ligands. Luminescent behavior in 1–4 is attributed to intra-ligand molecular orbital transitions within the dpa aromatic pyridyl rings. The new phases were also surveyed for the ability to detect nitroaromatics in ethanol suspension, with 4 providing optimum response for nitrobenzene detection. Thermal decomposition behavior is also discussed herein.
Spectroscopy of Inorganic Glasses

We present in this paper a brief review of the status of our understanding of the optical properties of inorganic glasses activated with various impurity ions and/or centers. We sketch the historical evolution of this discipline and outline recent developments based largely on relatively new laser spectroscopic techniques. These experimental methods have allowed us to suppress inhomogeneous features of the optical spectra of crystalline and disordered materials alike and have permitted us a more detailed look at the structure of all classes of solids and at the dynamical processes which affect the optically excited state of individual centers.
Random Holonomy for Yang–Mills Fields: Long-Time Asymptotics

We study weak and strong convergence of the stochastic parallel transport for time t→∞ on Euclidean space. We show that the asymptotic behavior can be controlled by the Yang–Mills action and the Yang–Mills equations. For open paths we show that under appropriate curvature conditions there exits a gauge in which the stochastic parallel transport converges almost surely. For closed paths we show that there exists a gauge invariant notion of a weak limit of the random holonomy and we give conditions that insure the existence of such a limit. Finally, we study the asymptotic behavior of the average of the random holonomy in the case of t'Hooft's 1-instanton.
Finding and Comparing Estimators

In Chap. 5 we were concerned with the problem of estimating the mean of a certain distribution. Assume that \({X}_{1},{X}_{2},\ldots,{X}_{n}\) is an i.i.d. sample of the distribution of interest. Let μ be the mean of this distribution.
Frequency Planning and Adjacent Channel Interference in a DSSS Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)

The new communications standard for wireless local networks is the IEEE 802.11 standard. 802.11b specifies that we use the ISM band at 2.4GHz. The ISM band at this frequency is 83MHz wide. For North America, under FCC regulations, the 83MHz of bandwidth is divided into 11 channels. Every channel has a frequency bandwidth of 22 MHz [1]. In North America, channels 1 through 11 are used and only Ch1, Ch6, and Ch11 physically do not have any overlapping frequency ranges. Therefore, it follows that frequency planning has been done using only these three channels. This greatly reduces the capacity and utilization of a given Wireless LAN.
Functional assays to identify and characterize regulators of microtubule behavior.

Previous experiments have clearly demonstrated that microtubule dynamic instability is regulated in living cells, but the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for this regulation are not well understood. We describe two rapid, functional assays that can be used to screen cell extracts for regulators of microtubule dynamic instability behavior. In both assays, highly purified tubulin is used to assemble microtubules from Tetrahymena axonemes. In the immunofluorescence assay, microtubules are visualized by fixation and staining with anti-tubulin antibodies. Alternatively, microtubule assembly has been visualized by the addition of rhodamine-labeled tubulin to axonemes, followed by low-light-level fluorescence microscopy. In either case, polymerization is quantified by measuring polymer length, total polymer and the number of microtubules per axoneme. In these assays, addition of brain microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) results in a 2-fold–3-fold increase in average microtubule length, and addition ...
Influenza virus N-linked glycosylation and innate immunity.

Influenza viruses cause seasonal epidemics and sporadic pandemics in humans. The virus’s ability to change its antigenic nature through mutation and recombination, and the difficulty in developing highly effective universal vaccines against it, make it a serious global public health challenge. Influenza virus’s surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, are all modified by the host cell’s N-linked glycosylation pathways. Host innate immune responses are the first line of defense against infection, and glycosylation of these major antigens plays an important role in the generation of host innate responses toward the virus. Here, we review the principal findings in the analytical techniques used to study influenza N-linked glycosylation, the evolutionary dynamics of N-linked glycosylation in seasonal versus pandemic and zoonotic strains, its role in host innate immune responses, and the prospects for lectin-based therapies. As the efficiency of innate immune responses is a critical determinant of disease severity and adaptive immunity, the study of influenza glycobiology is of clinical as well as research interest.
The Newness of Little Women

The first readers and reviewers of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women recognized it as something new. As the reviewer for Arthur’s Illustrated Home Magazine exulted in December 1868, “This book is mo...
Evaluation of Nonfatal Strangulation in Alert Adults

Study objective There is a paucity of evidence to guide the diagnostic evaluation of emergency department (ED) patients presenting after nonfatal strangulation (manual strangulation or near hanging). We seek to define the rate of serious injuries in alert strangled patients and determine which symptoms and examination findings, if any, predict such injuries. Methods Using prospectively populated databases and electronic medical record review, we performed a retrospective analysis of alert strangled patients treated in the ED of an academic Level I trauma center. Exclusions were Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score less than 13, younger than 16 years, and interhospital transfers. Trained researchers used structured forms to abstract demographics, symptoms, examination findings, radiology and operative findings, and final diagnoses. Injuries requiring greater than 24 hours' observation or specific treatment (surgery, procedure, specific medication) were considered clinically important. The electronic medical record was searched for 30 days after presentation to identify missed injuries. Results Advanced imaging (computed tomography or magnetic resonance maging) was obtained in 60%. Injuries were identified in 6 patients (1.7%, 95% CI, 0.7% to 3.6%). Two injuries were clinically important (0.6%, 95% CI, 0.1% to 2.0%). Both were cervical artery dissections with no neurologic deficits, treated with aspirin. No additional injuries were identified within 30 days or at next medical contact. Of 343 uninjured patients, 291 (85%) had documented medical follow up confirming the absence of any new diagnosis of injury or stroke. The small number of injuries precluded analyses of associations. Conclusion Alert, strangled patients had a low rate of injuries. All patients with neck injuries had concerning findings besides neck pain; specifically, GCS score less than 15 or dysphagia. Our findings suggest, but do not prove, that a selective imaging strategy is safe in alert patients after strangulation findings besides neck pain.
The crystal chemistry of complex niobium and tantalum oxides. IV. The metamict state: Discussion

Graham and Thornber (1974b) have proposed a mechanism for metamictization in complex niobium-tantalum oxides in which complex compositions, rather than radiation damage, are the primary requirement. This note reviews the literature in support of radiation damage as a necessary condition for metamictization and suggests that the structural stability of the metamict "glass" relative to that of the crystalline pre-metamict material is an important consideration in predicting whether a substance will occur in the metamict state.
A DFT Investigation of the Dehydrogenation of Tetrahydropyrrole on Pt(111)

van der Waals (vdW) corrected periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations and microkinetic modeling were employed to elucidate the mechanism and energetics of dehydrogenation of tetrahydropyrrole, a model organic hydrogen carrier, on Pt(111). The overall dehydrogenation is endothermic while individual dehydrogenation steps can be endothermic or exothermic. The calculations indicate that the first dehydrogenation step proceeds via the C–H scission of an α-carbon (with respect to nitrogen). Subsequently, the remaining α- and two β-C–H bonds can be dissociated via multiple energetically similar pathways, wherein the second dehydrogenation step is rate controlling. The inclusion of vdW forces shifts the potential energy surface (PES) downward by an average 0.6 eV indicating that while the activation barriers remain unaffected, there can be significant influence on the overall rate due to increased coverage of intermediates. N-methylation of tetrahydropyrrole weakens adsorption of initial intermediates, indicating that the PES may generally be shifted up thereby affecting the overall kinetics. Finally, there exists a generally linear relationship between the transition state and final state energies of the dehydrogenation reaction.
Junction 48: Hip-Hop Activism, Gendered Violence, and Vulnerability in Palestine

In the fall of 2012 Palestinian hip-hop group DAM released a provocative music video titled, “If I Could Go Back in Time,” focusing on so-called “honor crimes.” Despite widespread support for their previous work, “If I Could Go Back in Time” drew considerable criticism for de-contextualizing, romanticizing, and by extension disempowering Palestinian women. Through a critical analysis of this music video as well as the ensuing debate surrounding its interpretation and reception, this article argues that the critical interventions made by politically engaged hip-hop artists, such as DAM, offer a unique vantage point with which to better understand the contested terrain of Palestinian activism. By tracing DAM9s long history of political engagement this article examines the discourses that determine “acceptable” forms of activism among competing publics, and further demonstrates how the field of popular culture serves to shape (both positively and negatively) the potential impact of, and audience for, any activist intervention. Drawing from the recent release of the bi-national feature film, Junction 48, this article further explores how DAM front man, Tamer Nafar, has attempted to displace the compassionate gaze of international audiences, respond to colonial logics of elimination, and carve out autonomous spaces for self-reflection and radical vulnerability.
Low-frequency neural tracking of speech envelope reflects evoked responses to acoustic edges

Abstract The amplitude envelope of speech is crucial for accurate comprehension, and several studies have shown that the phase of neural activity in the theta-delta bands (1 - 10 Hz) tracks the phase of the speech amplitude envelope during listening, a process referred to as envelope tracking. However, the mechanisms underlying envelope tracking have been heavily debated. Envelope tracking may reflect either continuous entrainment of endogenous low-frequency oscillations to the speech envelope or the combination of a series of evoked responses to acoustic landmarks within the envelope. To distinguish between these two accounts for envelope tracking, and to identify the acoustic features driving it, we recorded magnetoencephalography (MEG) while participants listened to natural and slowed speech. First, we found that acoustic edges in speech amplitude drove evoked responses and induced phase-resetting in the theta-delta band, supporting the evoked response account. In line with this, phase locking in the theta band was transient and independent of the modulation rate of the speech envelope but matched the temporal extent of the evoked response. Further analysis showed that the magnitude of theta phase-locking reflected the slope of amplitude increases. However, although amplitude increases were more gradual in slowed speech, the magnitude of phase-locking did not differ between slow and regular speech, reflecting a normalization for speech rate. Taken together, our results are in line with predictions of the evoked response account of speech envelope tracking and support acoustic edge detection as a flexible mechanism for tracking of temporal dynamics in speech.
Zagreb Topological indices for hexadentate 3-hydroxypyridinones-terminated dendrimers used in iron binding and anti-microbial activities

Among the degree based topological indices which are mostly used in the study of chemical graph theory, the Zagreb index plays a prominent role in the study of therapies and treatments. There were different versions of the Zagreb indices defined in the literature and used for different purposes. In this paper, we calculated the different versions of the Zagreb indices for the hexadentate 3-hydroxypyridinones-terminated dendrimers which are used in iron binding and anti-microbial activities. These indices may play an important role in determining properties of these compounds. Keywords: Anti-microbial activities, dendrimers, iron binding, topological index, Zagreb index.
C-reactive protein course after classical complication free total knee arthroplasty using navigation

The purpose is to estimate the degree of normalization of C-reactive protein (CRP) at 2 weeks and 4 weeks after uncomplicated total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using computer navigation. We also wish to determine whether the degree of normalization of CRP at 2 and 4 weeks differs after TKA performed in one knee and after TKA performed sequentially in both knees. We also want to analyze the patient factors that may influence the normalization of CRP. We studied 400 knees who underwent primary computer-navigated TKA for treatment of advanced osteoarthritis: the TKAs were all performed by the same surgeon. We retrospectively analyzed CRP levels during the preoperative period, the early postoperative period (5–7 days), the 2-week postoperative period (12–14 days), and the 4-week postoperative period (25–30 days). We have assumed gender, age, body mass index (BMI), staged bilateral TKA, and preoperative CRP as the potential patient factors associated with CRP normalization. In unilateral TKA, CRP was normalized in 94 cases (34.3%) and in 219 cases (81.4%) within 2 weeks and 4 weeks after surgery, respectively. In second-knee, staged bilateral TKA, CRP was normalized in 46 cases (35.1%) and in 104 cases (79.4%) within 2 weeks and 4 weeks after surgery, respectively. There were no statistical differences between unilateral TKA and second-knee, staged bilateral TKA during the 2-week postoperative and the 4-week postoperative period. Compared to women, men were 1.99 times less likely to have normalized CRP at 2 weeks after surgery (P = 0.02). CRP was less likely to normalize during the 2-week postoperative period in men than it is in women, while there was no difference between men and women in the normalization of CRP during the 4-week postoperative period. There were no statistical differences in the course of CRP levels after unilateral TKA and staged bilateral TKA during the 2-week postoperative and the 4-week postoperative period.
A Targeted Bioinformatics Assessment of Adrenocortical Carcinoma Reveals Prognostic Implications of GABA System Gene Expression

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare but deadly cancer for which few treatments exist. Here, we have undertaken a targeted bioinformatics study of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) ACC dataset focusing on the 30 genes encoding the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system-an under-studied, evolutionarily-conserved system that is an emerging potential player in cancer progression. Our analysis identified a subset of ACC patients whose tumors expressed a distinct GABA system transcriptome. Transcript levels of ABAT (encoding a key GABA shunt enzyme), were upregulated in over 40% of tumors, and this correlated with several favorable clinical outcomes including patient survival; while enrichment and ontology analysis implicated two cancer-related biological pathways involved in metastasis and immune response. The phenotype associated with ABAT upregulation revealed a potential metabolic heterogeneity among ACC tumors associated with enhanced mitochondrial metabolism. Furthermore, many GABAA receptor subunit-encoding transcripts were expressed, including two (GABRB2 and GABRD) prognostic for patient survival. Transcripts encoding GABAB receptor subunits and GABA transporters were also ubiquitously expressed. The GABA system transcriptome of ACC tumors is largely mirrored in the ACC NCI-H295R cell line, suggesting that this cell line may be appropriate for future functional studies investigating the role of the GABA system in ACC cell growth phenotypes and metabolism.
Trends in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Match: Analysis of NRMP Data from 2007 to 2018.

INTRODUCTION We provide an updated analysis of data about U.S. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) residency program applicants collected by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). OBJECTIVE Analyze trends within NRMP data for PM&R residency match rates, compare matched to unmatched applicants, and compare PM&R applicants to other medical specialties. DESIGN Secondary analysis of NRMP data. SETTING NRMP data set. PARTICIPANTS Residency program applicants who participated in the NRMP Match, 2007 to 2018. INTERVENTIONS Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Number of applicants, match rates, difference in characteristics including rank order list (ROL), U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) scores, publications, Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) status, PhD degree, and experiences in research, volunteer, and work. RESULTS Number of applicants and residency positions increased from 2007 to 2018. Length of ROL increased and was longer for matched compared to unmatched applicants, with maximum mean difference of 7.4 in 2016 (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.6-9.2). Matched U.S. Allopathic Seniors had higher USMLE scores compared to unmatched, with a mean difference of 12.7 for Step 1 (95% CI 8.3-17.0) and 12.6 (95% CI 8.6-16.6) for Step 2 CK (P < .001). Number of publications and volunteer experiences were higher for matched U.S. Allopathic Seniors (0.64, 95% CI 0.09-1.2 and 1.5, 95% CI 0.65-2.3, respectively). PM&R USMLE Step 1 and 2 CK scores increased at a significantly faster rate than for all other specialties, with estimated rate differences of 0.46 (95% CI 0.21-0.71) and 0.69 (95% CI 0.45-0.93) points per year, respectively. CONCLUSIONS PM&R residency has become more competitive. USMLE Step 1 and 2 CK scores have outpaced the inflation of scores in other specialties. ROL length has increased, suggesting more ranked programs to successfully match. These analyses update our knowledge about PM&R residency applicants and suggest surrogate markers for a successful match.
Clinical outcomes of pediatric macular edema associated with non-infectious uveitis.

Macular edema (ME) is the most frequent cause of irreversible visual impairment in patients with uveitis. To date, little data exists about the clinical course of ME in pediatric patients. A retrospective, observational study was performed to examine the visual and macular thickness outcomes of ME associated with chronic, noninfectious uveitis in pediatric patients. Pediatric patients with noninfectious uveitis complicated by ME seen in the University of California San Francisco Health System from 2012 to 2018 were identified using ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Data were collected from medical records including demographics, diagnoses, ocular history, OCT imaging findings, complications, and treatments at first encounter and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-month follow-up visits. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to investigate the association between different classes of treatment (steroid drops, steroid injections, oral steroids and other immunosuppressive therapies) and resolution of macular edema. The cohort comprised of 21 children (26 eyes) with a mean age of 10.5 years (SD 3.3). Undifferentiated uveitis was the most common diagnosis, affecting 19 eyes (73.1%). The majority of observed macular edema was unilateral (16 patients, 76.2%) and 5 patients had bilateral macular edema. The mean duration of follow-up at UCSF was 35.3 months (SD 25.7). By 12 months, 18 eyes (69.2%) had achieved resolution of ME. The median time to resolution was 3 months (IQR 3–6 months). Median best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at baseline was 0.54 logMAR (Snellen 20/69, IQR 20/40 to 20/200). Median BCVA at 12 months was 0.1 logMAR (Snellen 20/25, IQR 20/20 to 20/50) Corticosteroid injections were associated with a 4.0-fold higher rate of macular edema resolution (95% CI 1.3–12.2, P = 0.01). Although only 15% of the pediatric patients with uveitis in the study cohort had ME, it is clinically important to conduct OCTs to detect ME in this population. Treatment resulted in 69% of eyes achieving resolution of ME by 12 months, accompanied with improvement in visual acuity. Corticosteroid injections were significantly associated with resolution of macular edema.
Impact of COVID-19 Curricular Shifts on Learning Gains on the Microbiology for Health Sciences Concept Inventory

As a validated assessment, the Microbiology for Health Sciences Concept Inventory (MHSCI) is a valuable tool to evaluate student progress in health sciences microbiology courses. In this brief analysis, we survey MHSCI faculty users and report student MHSCI scores to determine the impact on student learning gains of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent quarantine in spring 2020. Although a majority of students reported moving to a fully online lecture and lab microbiology course in the spring 2020 semester, there was no statistically significant impact on student outcomes reported by the MHSCI, and by some measures, student learning gains increased in the semester students moved to online learning. Further research is necessary to determine the continuing impact of online lecture/lab courses on student outcomes on the MHSCI. Our analysis of data from spring 2020 shows that the MHSCI is still a statistically reliable measure of student misconceptions and overall difficulty scores for each item on the MHSCI was unchanged due to the pandemic.
Atherosclerosis Impairs Naive CD4 T-Cell Responses via Disruption of Glycolysis.

Objective CD4 T cells are important regulators of atherosclerotic progression. The metabolic profile of CD4 T cells controls their signaling and function, but how atherosclerosis affects T-cell metabolism is unknown. Here, we sought to determine the impact of atherosclerosis on CD4 T-cell metabolism and the contribution of such alterations to atheroprogression. Approach and Results: Using PCR arrays, we profiled the expression of metabolism genes in CD4 T cells from atherosclerotic, apolipoprotein-E knockout mice fed a Western diet. These cells exhibited dysregulated expression of genes critically involved in glycolysis and fatty acid degradation, compared with those from animals fed a standard laboratory diet. We examined how T-cell metabolism was changed in standard laboratory diet or Western diet-fed apolipoprotein-E knockout mice or humans by measuring glucose uptake, activation, and proliferation in CD4 T cells. We found that naive CD4 T cells from Western diet-fed apolipoprotein-E knockout mice failed to uptake glucose and thus displayed impaired proliferation and activation, compared with CD4 T cells from standard laboratory diet-fed animals. Similarly, as in mice, we observed that naive CD4 T-cell frequencies were reduced in circulation of human subjects with high cardiovascular disease compared with low cardiovascular disease, as assessed clinically based on medically necessary coronary angiography. Naive T cells from high cardiovascular disease subjects also showed reduced proliferative capacity. Conclusions These results highlight the dysfunctional changes that occur in CD4 T-cell metabolism and immune responses during atherosclerosis. Targeting metabolic pathways within naive CD4 T cells could thus yield novel therapeutic approaches for improving CD4 T-cell responses against atheroprogression.
Vaccine Licensure in the Public Interest: Lessons from the Development of the U.S. Army Zika Vaccine

Vaccines developed by the public sector are key to preventing future outbreaks of infectious diseases. However, the licensure of these vaccines to private-sector companies under terms that do not ensure both their availability and affordability compromises their development. This Essay analyzes the recent attempted licensing deal for a Zika vaccine between the U.S. Army and Sanofi, a French pharmaceutical company. The proposed grant of an exclusive license to Sanofi triggered widespread concern because none of its substantive terms were disclosed. While § 209 of the Patent Act imposes limitations on exclusive licensure, the Army released no information supporting its finding that exclusivity would serve the public interest with respect to the Zika vaccine. This proposed deal reflects the broader licensing opacity in the current regime, which undermines § 209’s safeguards. The Essay proposes changes to the Patent Act to increase transparency and accountability in the licensing process, which would ultimately result in more affordable vaccines for outbreak diseases like Zika.
Towards the studies of proton ground‐state radioactivities below 100Sn

The discovery potential for new proton‐emitting isotopes of elements with atomic numbers 35<Z<47 in a classical implantation‐decay experiment is analyzed. In particular, proton separation energies and half‐lives as well as the production and detection methods are discussed for nuclei below 100Sn. Fusion‐evaporation reactions studied by means of the Recoil Mass Separator at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility (HRIBF) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are compared to heavy‐ion fragmentation based studies at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory using the A1900 separator. The l = 4 proton emitters 93Ag and 89Rh are identified as primary candidates to be discovered.
Electron beam diodes using ferroelectric cathodes

A new high current density electron source is investigated. The source consists of a polarized ceramic disk with aluminium electrodes coated on both faces. The front electrode is etched in a periodic grid to expose the ceramic beneath. A rapid change in the polarization state of the ceramic results in the emission of a high density electron cloud into a 1 to 10mm diode gap. The anode potential is maintained by a charged transmission line. Some of the emitted electrons traverse the gap and an electron current flows. The emitted electron current has been measured as a function of the gap spacing and the anode potential. Current densities in excess of 70 A/cm2 have been measured. The current is found to vary linearly with the anode voltage for gaps < 10 mm, and exceeds the Child-Langmuir current by at least two orders of magnitude. The experimental data will be compared with predictions from a model based on the emission of a cloud of electrons from the ferroelectric which in turn reflex in the diode gap.
The Music of Bill Monroe

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Neil V. Rosenberg and Charles K. Wolfe Year: 2007 Pages: 384 Publisher: University of Illinois Press ISBN: 978-0-252-03121-8 (hard cover). Prices: 35(hard cover).
(Re)Placing the Literacy Narrative: Composing in Google Maps

This article relies on maps created by students in Google Maps as they explored their literacy sponsors, in an effort to question and explore the future of the traditional literacy narrative. By focusing on the “trade routes” of their literacy acquisition, the students produced digital maps that problematized the linear narrative of progress inherent in many literacy narratives. Excerpts from students’ maps illustrate the temporal and spatial relationships underlying literacy sponsorship.
A Thermodynamic Model for Genome Packaging in Hepatitis B Virus

Understanding the fundamentals of genome packaging in viral capsids is important for finding effective antiviral strategies and for utilizing benign viral particles for gene therapy. While the structure of encapsidated genomic materials has been routinely characterized with experimental techniques such as cryo-electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction, much less is known about the molecular driving forces underlying genome assembly in an intracellular environment and its in vivo interactions with the capsid proteins. Here we study the thermodynamic basis of the pregenomic RNA encapsidation in human Hepatitis B virus in vivo using a coarse-grained molecular model that captures the essential components of nonspecific intermolecular interactions. The thermodynamic model is used to examine how the electrostatic interaction between the packaged RNA and the highly charged C-terminal domains (CTD) of capsid proteins regulate the nucleocapsid formation. The theoretical model predicts optimal RNA content in Hepatitis B virus nucleocapsids with different CTD lengths in good agreement with mutagenesis measurements, confirming the predominant role of electrostatic interactions and molecular excluded-volume effects in genome packaging. We find that the amount of encapsidated RNA is not linearly correlated with the net charge of CTD tails as suggested by earlier theoretical studies. Our thermodynamic analysis of the nucleocapsid structure and stability indicates that ∼10% of the CTD residues are free from complexation with RNA, resulting in partially exposed CTD tails. The thermodynamic model also predicts the free energy of complex formation between macromolecules, which corroborates experimental results for the impact of CTD truncation on the nucleocapsid stability.
RESPONSE-DEPENDENCE ABOUT AESTHETIC VALUE

The dominant view about the nature of aesthetic value holds it to be response-dependent. We believe that the dominance of this view owes largely to some combination of the following prevalent beliefs: 1 The belief that challenges brought against response-dependent accounts in other areas of philosophy are less challenging when applied to response-dependent accounts of aesthetic value. 2 The belief that aesthetic value is instrumental and that response-dependence about aesthetic value alone accommodates this purported fact. 3 The belief that response-dependence about aesthetic value alone accommodates the widely acknowledged anthropocentricity of aesthetic value. 4 The belief that response-dependence about aesthetic value alone accommodates aesthetic normativity. We argue that each of these beliefs is false, and that the dominance of response-dependent accounts of aesthetic value is therefore largely without foundation.