cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Functional Significance of Movements and Positions of the Pinnae of the African Elephant, Loxodonta africana

Observations of wild African elephants ( Loxodonta africana ) in Uganda indicated that flapping and spreading the highly vascularized ears are probably important functions for heat dissipation. Ear flapping increased as ambient temperatures rose and decreased or ceased during cold or rainy weather. Rate of ear flapping was inversely related to wind velocity. Spreading the ears reduced ear flapping, particularly when an elephant faced downwind. Stimuli that elicited alertness, excitement, or hostility caused elephants to raise their heads and spread their ears widely and rigidly, and large elephants occasionally flapped their ears loudly and sharply. Flapping and spreading the ears for heat dissipation are generally not interpreted as danger signals by other elephants.
Quantitative 3D breast magnetic resonance imaging fibroglandular tissue analysis and correlation with qualitative assessments: a feasibility study

BACKGROUND The amount of fibroglandular tissue (FGT) has been linked to breast cancer risk based on mammographic density studies. Currently, the qualitative assessment of FGT on mammogram (MG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is prone to intra and inter-observer variability. The purpose of this study is to develop an objective quantitative FGT measurement tool for breast MRI that could provide significant clinical value. METHODS An IRB approved study was performed. Sixty breast MRI cases with qualitative assessment of mammographic breast density and MRI FGT were randomly selected for quantitative analysis from routine breast MRIs performed at our institution from 1/2013 to 12/2014. Blinded to the qualitative data, whole breast and FGT contours were delineated on T1-weighted pre contrast sagittal images using an in-house, proprietary segmentation algorithm which combines the region-based active contours and a level set approach. FGT (%) was calculated by: [segmented volume of FGT (mm(3))/(segmented volume of whole breast (mm(3))] ×100. Statistical correlation analysis was performed between quantified FGT (%) on MRI and qualitative assessments of mammographic breast density and MRI FGT. RESULTS There was a significant positive correlation between quantitative MRI FGT assessment and qualitative MRI FGT (r=0.809, n=60, P<0.001) and mammographic density assessment (r=0.805, n=60, P<0.001). There was a significant correlation between qualitative MRI FGT assessment and mammographic density assessment (r=0.725, n=60, P<0.001). The four qualitative assessment categories of FGT correlated with the calculated mean quantitative FGT (%) of 4.61% (95% CI, 0-12.3%), 8.74% (7.3-10.2%), 18.1% (15.1-21.1%), 37.4% (29.5-45.3%). CONCLUSIONS Quantitative measures of FGT (%) were computed with data derived from breast MRI and correlated significantly with conventional qualitative assessments. This quantitative technique may prove to be a valuable tool in clinical use by providing computer generated standardized measurements with limited intra or inter-observer variability.
Separations of platinum metals by ion exchange

Abstract Palladium and iridium are separated by passing an ammoniacal solution of the chlorides over Amberlite IR-100 resin. Palladium is retained as Pd(NH3)4+2 while iridium, as IrCl6-3, passes through the column quantitatively. Palladium is then removed from the column by elution with 1 M hydrochloric acid.
Mood state prediction from speech of varying acoustic quality for individuals with bipolar disorder

Speech contains patterns that can be altered by the mood of an individual. There is an increasing focus on automated and distributed methods to collect and monitor speech from large groups of patients suffering from mental health disorders. However, as the scope of these collections increases, the variability in the data also increases. This variability is due in part to the range in the quality of the devices, which in turn affects the quality of the recorded data, negatively impacting the accuracy of automatic assessment. It is necessary to mitigate variability effects in order to expand the impact of these technologies. This paper explores speech collected from phone recordings for analysis of mood in individuals with bipolar disorder. Two different phones with varying amounts of clipping, loudness, and noise are employed. We describe methodologies for use during preprocessing, feature extraction, and data modeling to correct these differences and make the devices more comparable. The results demonstrate that these pipeline modifications result in statistically significantly higher performance, which highlights the potential of distributed mental health systems.
Nutrient Cycles in Ecosystems

Nutrients have been discussed throughout this book in terms of limiting factors for producers, consumers, and decomposers, as electron donors for microbial decomposers, and in a number of other roles. It should be evident, then, that nutrients are inextricably linked to almost all ecological processes. In this chapter, we first look at the transformations, exchanges, and general dynamics of three nutrients: phosphorus, nitrogen, and sulfur. Of course, there are many other important elements that play important roles in ecosystems, such as Si, Fe, Mn, Mo, and many more, some of whose functions have been mentioned in previous chapters. We focus on the dynamics of only three elements (N, P, and S) here, in part for economy of space, and because the interactions and transformations of these three elements do illustrate how nutrients interact with sediments and water, and the great significance of oxidation state and of interactions with organisms. In this chapter, we also examine the stoichiometry by which nutrient cycles are coupled to transformations of organic matter—and the carbon cycle—in ecosystems.
Ureteral Reimplantation without Catheters

AbstractWe report our 3-year experience of ureteroneoeystostomy without either ureteral stents or vesical catheters. There were 87 ureters repaired in 52 children. Complete followup was obtained in all cases. The operative success rate was 94.2 per cent. The postoperative complication rate was 11 per cent. None of the failures or complications seemed to be directly related to the omission of catheters. The routine omission of catheters decreased postoperative discomfort and markedly shortened the hospital stay.
Flight Energetics of Free-Living Sooty Terns

--The CO2 production of free-ranging So, oty Terns (Sterna fuscata) was measured using doubly labeled water (HTO-18). Metabolic rate during flight was determined to be 4.8 times standard metabolic rate (SMR). This value is much lower than estimates of flight metabolism predicted from previously published equations. Observations of these birds at sea indicate that flapping flight predominated at the windspeeds (0-5 m/s) that prevailed during our measurement periods, so factors other than gliding must account for the comparatively low flight metabolism we measured. Sooty Tern flight metabolism is similar to that of some other birds, such as swallows and swifts, that also have high aspect ratios and low wing loadings. Received 27 April 1983, accepted 12 October 1983. THE reliability of estimates of energy flow through biotic communities depends upon the extent to which the model used conforms to reality and the accuracy of the input parameters. In a sensitivity analysis of 44 model-specific and species-specific parameters of his bioenergetic model of a seabird colony, Furness (1978) identified several inputs that had the greatest effect on the precision of the model. Among these for Arctic Terns (Sterna paradisaea) were the hours of activity per day, the intercept and exponent of Lasiewski and Dawson's (1967) SMR equation, and the energy requirements of flapping and gliding flight. For birds, such as terns, that spend a large proportion of their foraging time in flight, the accuracy of estimates of daily energy expenditure depends on knowing the total time spent in various flight activities (i.e. flapping, gliding, and hovering) and the metabolic cost of those
Creativity, Play, and the Pace of Evolution

The possible role of play in creativity and innovation in animals is explored. After discussing issues involved in key terms and some prior studies on the creative process in humans, difficult issues in applying them to nonhuman animals are analyzed. If creativity in animals is only to be considered if it can definitely be linked to speciation or taxon level events, supportive data are meager, though suggestive, as in birds. At the cultural, social group, or individual level the evidence is more convincing in a few cases and progress has been made. However, taking a more broad scale approach, it will be argued that play, and the potential for play, may be critically involved in the pace of biological and cultural evolutionary change in vertebrates, and such hypotheses can be tested.
Rapid Detection of Bacteria from Blood with Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Traditional methods for identifying pathogens in bacteremic patients are slow (24–48+ h). This can lead to physicians making treatment decisions based on an incomplete diagnosis and potentially increasing the patient’s mortality risk. To decrease time to diagnosis, we have developed a novel technology that can recover viable bacteria directly from whole blood and identify them in less than 7 h. Our technology combines a sample preparation process with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The sample preparation process enriches viable microorganisms from 10 mL of whole blood into a 200 μL aliquot. After a short incubation period, SERS is used to identify the microorganisms. We further demonstrated that SERS can be used as a broad detection method, as it identified a model set of 17 clinical blood culture isolates and microbial reference strains with 100% identification agreement. By applying the integrated technology of sample preparation and SERS to spiked whole blood samples, we were able to corre...
Long-term outcome of isolated coronary artery bypass surgery in blacks

Objective: There are conflicting data on the influence of race and gender on the outcome of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), with blacks and females showing higher operative mortality (OM) in some series and not others. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 176 black patients undergoing isolated CABG by a single surgeon from 2000 to 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. The mean age was 61.9 ± 11.2 years and majority 93 (52.8%) were males. Identified risk profiles were peripheral vascular disease 53 (30.1%) patients, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus 49 (27.8%), end-stage renal disease (ESRD) 27 (15.3%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 27 (15.3%), cerebrovascular disease 24 (13.6%), and HIV/AIDS 5 (2.8%). One hundred and forty (79.5%) had severe triple vessel disease, 30 (17.0%) left main disease, and ejection fraction mean 43.0 ± 14.3. Results: One hundred and twenty-eight patients (72.7%) underwent on-pump and 48 patients (27.3%) off-pump coronary artery bypass graft (OPCAB), with 150 (85.2%) urgent surgeries. EuroSCORE-II (ES-II) score was 3.86 ± 3.18 while observed OM was 6.81% (12/176). There was no difference in OM between males and females 6.45% versus 7.22% ( P = 0.924) and on-pump and OPCAB 7.81% versus 4.16% ( P = 0.604). Univariate analysis identified ESRD and ES as predictors but on multivariate analysis only ESRD with odds ratio 4.630 (95% CI: 1.321-16.229, P = 0.017). The society of thoracic surgeons (STS) quality measurement task force major complications were acute kidney injury 6.81%, prolonged ventilation 6.81%, stroke 3.40%, deep sternal wound infection 2.27%, and reoperation 1.70%. Overall 1 and 5 years survival was 90.0% and 73.9%, respectively, with no significant difference between males and females 92.4% and 75.0% versus 86.4% and 70.9%, respectively, when P = 0.764. Conclusion: The observed/expected 1.76 ratio may partly be due to higher number of urgent and ESRD patients of 85.2% and 15.3% compared to 27.9% and 2.36-7.90%, respectively, in the STS database. Our ESRD patients had 4΍ times odds of death than non-ESRD. Despite males having slightly higher risk profiles, long-term survival was similar with females and overall 1 and 5 years survival comparable to blacks in other series.
A physicist whose mind thawed

"Unfortunately," runs the first sentence of Yuri Orlov's remarkable memoir Dangerous Thoughts, "my life has not been boring".
Modeling of S‐Nitrosothiol–Thiol Reactions of Biological Significance: HNO Production by S‐Thiolation Requires a Proton Shuttle and Stabilization of Polar Intermediates

Nitroxyl (HNO), a reduced form of the important gasotransmitter nitric oxide, exhibits its own unique biological activity. A possible biological pathway of HNO formation is the S-thiolation reaction between thiols and S-nitrosothiols (RSNOs). Our density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggested that S-thiolation proceeds through a proton transfer from the thiol to the RSNO nitrogen atom, which increases electrophilicity of the RSNO sulfur, followed by nucleophilic attack by thiol, yielding a charge-separated zwitterionic intermediate structure RSS+ (R)N(H)O- (Zi), which decomposes to yield HNO and disulfide RSSR. In the gas phase, the proton transfer and the S-S bond formation are asynchronous, resulting in a high activation barrier (>40 kcal mol-1 ), making the reaction infeasible. However, the barrier can decrease below the S-N bond dissociation energy in RSNOs (≈30 kcal mol-1 ) upon transition into an aqueous environment that stabilizes Zi and provides a proton shuttle to synchronize the proton transfer and the S-S bond formation. These mechanistic features suggest that S-thiolation can easily lend itself to enzymatic catalysis and thus can be a possible route of endogenous HNO production.
Dissociated and Associated Forms of NAD(P)-dependent Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate Dehydrogenase after Dark-Light Transitions in Bean Leaves

The different states of plant NAD(P)-dependent glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase EC 1.2.1.13) was investigated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation of crude extracts from the primary leaves of bean plants (Phaseolus vulgarisL.). Two molecular forms of NAD(P)-GADP were found: An associated form (MW 325 · 103 ± 20 · 103) and a dissociated form (MW 165 · 103 ± 35 · 103) which are mutually transformed by effectors. In the course of the greening process as well as during plant ontogenesis a shift of activity occurs toward the dissociated GAPD form. This fact indicates a dissociation process induced by effectors which are produced in the light reactions of photosynthesis. Reversibility of the association/dissociation process was proved by the addition of some metabolites at concentrations estimated for in vivo conditions in the light or in darkness. NADP(H) and ATP added to crude extracts and during the sedimentation increase the activity of the dissociated GAPD form and suppress the associated GAPD in a different extent. NAD favours the formation of the less active associated form. Complete dissociation induced by NADPH could be observed in recentrifugation experiments with the separated enzyme forms. In vivo only NADPH seems to act as a dissociating metabolite by causing a strong activation of NAD(P)-GAPD at concentrations present in the chloroplast. Simultaneous presence of NAD (and ATP) during sedimentation of crude extracts or in recentrifugation experiments strongly limits the effectiveness of NADP(H) for dissociation and maintain the associated enzyme form. The presence of metabolite combinations simulating light or darkness during sedimentation of crude leaf extracts from etiolated plants caused no reversible interconversion of the molecular forms but activation of the dissociated NAD(P)-GAPD.
Building sustainable social and solidarity economies: Place-based and network-based strategies of alternative development organizations in India

AbstractThis article critically examines and analyzes place-based as well as network-based strategies of alternative development organizations that claim to be building sustainable social and solidarity economies (SSE) in the political context of neoliberal globalization. While the Indian state and market forces are actively promoting the neoliberal agri-food system, alternative development organizations are working with farmers to build the SSE based on the principles of democracy, inclusiveness, reciprocity, cooperativism, and socioecological sustainability. Using a case study approach, this article analyzes how SSE initiatives are aiming to reclaim control over the local agri-food sector. Specifically, this article examines how community development organizations mobilize farmers based on the principles of agro-ecology and the politics of seed and food sovereignties. This article uses the Center for Sustainable Agriculture, an alternative community development organization in south India, as a case study.
3 for the Price of 1: Teaching Chest Pain Risk Stratification in a Multidisciplinary, Problem-based Learning Workshop.

Author(s): Alley, William D.; Burns, Cynthia; Hartman, Nicholas D.; Askew, Kim; Mahler, Simon A. | Abstract: Introduction: Chest pain is a common chief complaint among patients presenting to health systems and often leads to complex and intensive evaluations. While these patients are often cared for by a multidisciplinary team (primary care, emergency medicine, and cardiology), medical students usually learn about the care of these patients in a fragmented, single-specialty paradigm. The present and future care of patients with chest pain is multidisciplinary, and the education of medical students on the subject should be as well. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary, problem-based learning workshop to teach third-year medical students about risk assessment for patients presenting with chest pain, specifically focusing on acute coronary syndromes. Methods: To create an educational experience consistent with multidisciplinary team-based care, we designed a multidisciplinary, problem-based learning workshop to provide medical students with an understanding of how patients with chest pain are cared for in a systems-based manner to improve outcomes. Participants included third-year medical students (n=219) at a single, tertiary care, academic medical center. Knowledge acquisition was tested in a pre-/post-retention test study design. Results: Following the workshop, students achieved a 19.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] [17.3-22.2%]) absolute increase in scores on post-testing as compared to pre-testing. In addition, students maintained an 11.1% (95% CI [7.2-15.0%]) increase on a retention test vs. the pre-test. Conclusion: A multidisciplinary, problem-based learning workshop is an effective method of producing lasting gains in student knowledge about chest pain risk stratification.
CHAPTER 6 – Delay Equations

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the importance of delay equations. Problems in electrodynamics, reactor kinetics, behavior of economic systems, and weapons fire control from moving platforms are all modeled by differential delay equations. The delays may be constant, time dependent, stochastic, or state dependent. The equations may be linear or nonlinear, deterministic, or stochastic. The chapter describes various delay operators for the solution of equations involving retarded effects and deterministic and random delay operators as well. In the simple delay operators, the delays are constants and the delay operator is a deterministic nondifferential operator. Random delay operators are the one that involves random retardation. In the case of time-dependent delays, the delay is time dependent and can be either deterministic or stochastic. The deterministic nonlinear operations Ni(·) and stochastic nonlinear operations i(·) are used to define deterministic and stochastic nonlinear differential delay operations.
Calcium Receptor-mediated Signaling

Signal transduction from the calcium-sensing receptor (CaR) has the potential to exhibit any or all of the complexities demonstrated for other G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR). Biological responses associated with activation of the CaR include regulation of hormone secretion, activation of ion channels, migration, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. The mechanisms linking other G-protein coupled receptors to these diverse responses are complex and multi-layered, with numerous opportunities for cross-talk between pathways. Furthermore, the predominant biological response to activation of the CaR is highly cell-type specific, implying that presence or absence of specific signaling intermediaries may have a profound effect on the outcome.
Inelastic Excitation of Crystals in Thermal Equilibrium with the Environment

Theories presented in Chapters 6–14 regarding inelastic electron scattering in crystals were based on the assumption that the incident electron-crystal system is isolated from the environment, since the time-independent Schrodinger equation, which is usually employed, is only valid for an isolated system of constant energy and momentum. In practice, the incoming electron crystal system is in contact with the environment, so that the total energy of the system fluctuates due to the exchange of energy with the environment. This fluctuation eventually affects the scattering behavior of the electron. This question was considered by Fanidis et al. (1992, 1993), who proposed a rigorous theory to solve the problem. An alternative approach was proposed by Dudarev et al. (1993a) based on the one-particle density matrix theory. Statistical mechanics calculations predicted that the magnitude of the energy fluctuation due to the thermal equilibrium of a copper crystal of volume 106 nm3 at room temperature is on the order of 400 eV (Mandl, 1971).
Ex Vivo Expansion of Genetically Marked Rhesus Peripheral Blood Progenitor Cells Results in Diminished Long-Term Repopulating Ability

The possibility of primitive hematopoietic cell ex vivo expansion is of interest for both gene therapy and transplantation applications. The engraftment of autologous rhesus peripheral blood (PB) progenitors expanded 10 to 14 days were tracked in vivo using genetic marking. Stem cell factor (SCF)/granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)–mobilized and CD34-enriched PB cells were divided into two equal aliquots and transduced with one of two retroviral vectors carrying the neomycin-resistance gene ( neo ) for 4 days in the presence of interleukin-3 (IL-3), IL-6, and SCF in the first 5 animals, IL-3/IL-6/SCF/Flt-3 ligand (FLT) in 2 subsequent animals, or IL-3/IL-6/SCF/FLT plus an autologous stromal monolayer (STR) in the final 2. At the end of transduction period, one aliquot (nonexpanded) from each animal was frozen, whereas the other was expanded under the same conditions but without vector for a total of 14 days before freezing. After total body irradiation, both the nonexpanded and expanded transduced cells were reinfused. Despite 5- to 13-fold higher cell and colony-forming unit (CFU) doses from the expanded fraction of marked cells, there was greater short- and long-term marking from the nonexpanded cells in all animals. In animals receiving cells transduced and expanded in the presence of IL-3/IL-6/SCF/FLT, engraftment by the marked expanded cells was further diminished. This discrepancy was even more pronounced in the animals who received cells transduced and expanded in the presence of FLT and autologous stroma, with no marking detectable from the expanded cells. Despite lack of evidence for expansion of engrafting cells, we found that the addition of FLT and especially STR during the initial brief transduction period increased engraftment with marked cells into a clinically relevant range. Levels of marked progeny cells originating from the nonexpanded aliqouts were significantly higher than that seen in previous 4 animals receiving cells transduced in the presence of IL-3/IL-6/SCF, with levels of 10% to 20% confirmed by Southern blotting from the nonexpanded IL-3/IL-6/SCF/FLT/STR graft compared with 0.01% in the original IL-3/IL-6/SCF cohort. These results suggest that, although expansion of PB progenitors is feasible ex vivo, their contribution towards both short- and long-term engraftment is markedly impaired. However, a brief transduction in the presence of specific cytokines and stromal support allows engraftment with an encouraging number of retrovirally modified cells. This is a US government work. There are no restrictions on its use.
Glaucoma in Infancy and Early Childhood

• Early identification of glaucoma in infants and children by physicians and care providers maximizes the likelihood of preserving useful vision.
Nucleic Acid Structures and the Transcription Defects in Fragile X Syndrome and Friedreich’s Ataxia

Fragile X mental retardation syndrome (FXS) and Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) belong to a group of genetic disorders known as the Repeat Expansion Diseases. These diseases all result from expansion of a specific tandem repeat. These repeats form a variety of secondary structures that have been suggested to play a role in this expansion. In addition, the properties of these structures suggest ways in which the expanded repeat could contribute to disease pathology. The FXS and FRDA repeats are transcribed but not translated, and expansion leads to aberrant transcription of the affected genes. This chapter discusses the types of nucleic acid structures formed by these repeats and their potential consequences for disease pathology.
Neurodegeneration and hereditary dementias: 40 years of learning

The invitation to participate in the commemorative issue celebrating the 100 th anniversary of Dr. Alois Alzheimer's report on the disease that would later bear his name has evoked memories of my early experiences in the study of dementia, my teachers, my role-models, my aspirations and my accomplishments. Early in my career, I was fascinated with the study of hereditary neurological disorders. The observation of families in which dementia was inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern excited my scientific curiosity. Three very different phenotypes in patients from three separate families have been the basis for novel scientific discovery, which has taken place over the past 30 years. This could not have taken place without the help of many generous patients and their families as well as wonderful colleagues for whom I am deeply grateful. Some of the original observations in these families have led to the discovery of genetic mutations in three genes that are among the most commonly affected in hereditary dementia. The work on these families has enriched the scientific community and our knowledge of dementing illnesses.
Integrating Child Psychiatric Care

Families bring concerns about behavioral health in their children to their pediatric primary care providers. New models of primary care are integrating behavioral health screening, assessment, monitoring, and treatment into office practice. The Pediatric Medical Home is such a model utilizing care coordination to ensure attention to the whole child. Resources created by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry are available to support this practice transformation. A variety of integration models are described including co-location of behavioral health professionals and video and telephone consultations. Barriers, including reimbursement issues, training needs, space considerations, and family and medical team comfort, all will need to be addressed to make integrated care a reality. The Affordable Care Act with its support for accountable care organizations may help build integrated pediatric care and support the pediatric medical home as the location of both medical and behavioral health care for children and families.
The Choice Between Present Versus Future Role of Infrastructure

When a decision is made whether it is to build a road or build a school, there is always a connection between the present and the future. The connection between the present and the future of infrastructure development is extremely important; however, that relationship is often ignored or not well understood. By first acknowledging the connection; second, deciding which one may need more attention; and third, how the situation can be optimized are all extremely difficult questions but very critical in dealing with infrastructures that are important to economic well-being. While economic well-being would favor a futuristic orientation, political pressures force emphasizing the present.
Competitive Inhibition of Maximum Ca-Activated Force in Skinned Muscle Fibers by Cationic Peptides from the SH-1 Region of Myosin Heavy Chain

Competition assays using peptides derived from the primary sequences of the contractile proteins provide a useful approach to identification of sites of protein-protein interaction and structure-function relationships of muscle proteins (Ruegg, 1990). There has been considerable interest in this method of studying the possible actin-binding role of the SH1 (Cys 707) region of myosin heavy chain (Keane et al., 1990; Chase et al., 1990; Suzuki et al., 1987). The cationic nature of SH1 peptides is implicated as the primary factor governing inhibition of force production by skinned fibers, and of MgATPase activity of acto-S1 (myosin subfragment 1) and myofibrils in solution; both assays involve cycling cross-bridges, but with different mechanical loading.
Palmitate-Induced SREBP1 Expression and Activation Underlies the Increased BACE 1 Activity and Amyloid Beta Genesis

Numerous cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have implicated saturated fat-enriched diets in the etio-pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Emerging evidence shows that saturated fat-enriched diets, such as palmitate-enriched diets, increase amyloid-beta (Aβ) production, the histopathological hallmark of AD. However, the molecular mechanisms that underlie the deleterious effects of palmitate-enriched diets in the augmentation of Aβ genesis are yet to be characterized. Sterol response element binding protein 1 (SREBP1) is a transcription factor that is modulated by saturated fatty acids, such as palmitate, and consequently regulates the expression of genes that code for proteins involved in almost all facets of lipid metabolism. Herein, we determined the role of changes in SREBP1 expression and transcriptional activity in the palmitate-induced effects on Aβ genesis and BACE1 expression, the enzyme that catalyzes the rate-limiting step in Aβ biosynthesis. We demonstrate that palmitate-induced SREBP1 activation directly regulates BACE1 expression at the transcriptional level in the mouse hippocampus and mouse Neuro-2a (N2a) neuroblastoma cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) studies show that palmitate increases the binding of SREBP1 to the Bace1 promoter region in the mouse hippocampus and mouse N2a neuroblastoma cells. Ectopic expression of the dominant negative SREBP1 mutant and knocking-down SREBP1 expression significantly reduced the palmitate-induced increase in BACE1 expression and subsequent Aβ genesis in mouse N2a neuroblastoma cells. Our study unveils SREBP1 activation as a novel molecular player in the palmitate-induced upregulation of BACE1 expression and subsequent Aβ genesis.
The effect of jet location and duty cycle on the fluid mechanics of an unconfined free jet and its heat transfer on an impinging plate

Abstract Unsteady heat transfer caused by an unconfined impinging air jet is experimentally studied. Four test cases are considered, two pulse frequencies and two duty cycles. The outcome of this experimental study is compared to that of steady jet impinging heat transfer relations and data. Characterization of the pulsed air jet is conducted using a hot wire anemometer at twelve discrete locations for each pulse case considered. The local instantaneous velocities collected were then used to calculate time averaged mean velocity, and turbulent intensity. A power spectral distribution was produced for each of the jet flows to acquire insight toward the most effective jet flow characteristics for heat removal on an impingement surface. An infrared (IR) camera was used to determine a full field instantaneous heat transfer coefficient for each of the pulse cases and a nozzle to plate setback distances. All data was collected over a Reynolds number range of 866 and 3776. The jet characterization suggested that a setback distance of three hydraulic diameters (as opposed to one-half or six) produces the most effective power spectral density given a pulse frequency of 5 Hz and a duty cycle of 50%. The infrared camera data collected argues against the conclusions drawn from the hot wire data suggesting that the most effective setback distance is six hydraulic diameters and with a frequency of 10 Hz and a duty cycle of 50%. All data provides similar evidence that the duty cycle over a pulse period has a larger impact on the heat transfer of an impinging air jet than that of pulse frequency.
Nanobubbles in Reconstituted Lyophilized Formulations: Interaction With Proteins and Mechanism of Formation

Reconstitution of lyophilized disaccharide formulations results in the formation of nanosized air bubbles that persist in suspension for weeks. If proteins are present, interactions with nanobubbles may cause loss of monomeric protein and formation of subvisible particles. The goals of this work are to determine the mechanism(s) by which nanobubbles form in reconstituted lyophilized formulations and to develop strategies for reducing nanobubble generation. We hypothesize that nanobubbles are created from nanosized gas pockets within lyophilized solids, which become bubbles when the surrounding matrix is dissolved away during reconstitution. Nanosized voids may originate from small ice crystals formed within the concentrated liquid during freezing that subsequently sublime during drying. Nanobubble concentrations are correlated with the extent of mannitol crystallization during freezing. Nanosized ice crystals, induced by the release of water during mannitol crystallization, were responsible for nanobubble formation. The presence of trehalose or sucrose, in formulations with low mannitol concentrations, inhibited excipient crystallization during lyophilization and reduced nanobubble levels following reconstitution. Our results show a correlation between nanobubble formation and concentrations of insoluble IL-1ra aggregates, suggesting that minimizing nanobubble generation may be an effective strategy for reducing protein aggregation following reconstitution.
Identifying Android malware using network-based approaches

The proliferation of Android applications has resulted in many malicious apps entering the market and causing significant damage. Robust techniques that determine if an app is malicious are greatly needed. We propose the use of network-based approaches to effectively separate malicious from benign apps, based on a small labeled dataset. The apps in our dataset come from the Google Play Store and have been scanned for malicious behavior using VirusTotal to produce a ground truth dataset with labels malicious or benign. The apps in the resulting dataset have been represented in the form of binary feature vectors (where the features represent permissions, intent actions, discriminative APIs, obfuscation signatures, and native code signatures). We have used these vectors to build a weighted network that captures the "closeness" between apps. We propagate labels from the labeled apps to unlabeled apps, and evaluate the effectiveness of the approaches studied using the F1-measure. We have conducted experiments to compare three variants of the label propagation approaches on datasets that consist of increasingly larger amounts of labeled data.
Sterility and concentration of liposomal bupivacaine single-use vial when used in a multiple-dose manner

Objective To evaluate the sterility of bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension (Nocita®) used in a multiple-dose fashion for 5 days. Study design Triplicate liposomal bupivacaine vials were stored under two conditions, (1) room temperature (24°C) and (2) refrigerated temperature (5°C). A 3-mL aliquot was withdrawn from each vial daily. Samples were inoculated in tryptic soy broth in triplicate and then incubated for 24 hours at 37°C and subcultured every 48 hours onto blood agar and Sabouraud dextrose agar, respectively. Separate 1.5-mL aliquots of liposomal bupivacaine were centrifuged at 3500 g to separate liposome-encapsulated bupivacaine from the solution. Concentration of unencapsulated bupivacaine was analyzed via high-pressure liquid chromatography. Data were analyzed by using mixed effects procedure with multiple comparisons. Sample population Ten 20-mL vials of bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension stored under two conditions, (1) room temperature (24°C) and (2) refrigerated temperature (5°C). Results Five days of repeated withdrawal from the single-use vials yielded no bacterial growth. One control vial, which was opened and punctured once on the last day of the experiment, yielded fungal growth of an Aspergillus spp, likely an environmental contaminant. The concentration of free bupivacaine did not significantly differ until the fifth day of sampling. Conclusion When aseptic technique was used, liposomal bupivacaine remained sterile for 5 days. Concentrations of free bupivacaine were unchanged from baseline for 4 days in both refrigerated and room temperature conditions. Clinical significance Single-use liposomal bupivacaine vials can be used extralabel in a multiple-dose fashion for up to 4 days when stored either refrigerated or room temperature when sterile technique is used.
Is There a Cigarette Catch-Up Effect for Biracial Black Youth?

Introduction: The catch-up effect is a phenomenon in which the tobacco-use prevalence rates of White individuals are initially greater than the rates of Black individuals, but by the time the youth...
In situ cross-sectional area of the quadriceps tendon using preoperative magnetic resonance imaging significantly correlates with the intraoperative diameter of the quadriceps tendon autograft

Preoperative assessment to determine the sizes of potential autografts is necessary for individualized anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). However, no study has investigated the prediction of the intraoperative diameter of the quadriceps tendon (QT) autograft based upon preoperative imaging. This study investigated the correlation between the intraoperative diameter of a QT autograft and in situ thickness or cross-sectional area (CSA) measured using preoperative MRI. Thirty-one knees of 31 patients (mean age 20.9 ± 5.0 years) who underwent individualized anatomic ACLR using all soft tissue QT autograft were included retrospectively. At 15 mm proximal to the superior pole of the patella, the maximum QT thickness was assessed in the sagittal plane and the CSA was assessed at the central 10 mm of the QT in the axial plane. The angle between the axial plane and a line perpendicular to the QT longitudinal axis was used to calculate an adjusted CSA using a cosine function. Intraoperatively, each QT autograft was harvested with 10 mm width and the diameter was measured using a graft sizing device. Intra- and inter-observer reliabilities of all measurements using preoperative MRI were excellent (intra-class correlation coefficient, 0.833–0.970). Significant correlations were observed between the thickness, CSA, or adjusted CSA, and the intraoperative diameter (R = 0.434, 0.607, and 0.540, respectively; P < 0.05). The CSA correlated most strongly with the QT autograft diameter. For individualized anatomic ACLR, measuring in situ CSA can be useful for preoperative planning of appropriate graft choices prior to surgery. III.
Focused Value Prediction * : Concepts, techniques and implementations presented in this paper are subject matter of pending patent applications, which have been filed by Intel Corporation

Value Prediction was proposed to speculatively break true data dependencies, thereby allowing Out of Order (OOO) processors to achieve higher instruction level parallelism (ILP) and gain performance. State-of-the-art value predictors try to maximize the number of instructions that can be value predicted, with the belief that a higher coverage will unlock more ILP and increase performance. Unfortunately, this comes at increased complexity with implementations that require multiple different types of value predictors working in tandem, incurring substantial area and power cost. In this paper we motivate towards lower coverage, but focused, value prediction. Instead of aggressively increasing the coverage of value prediction, at the cost of higher area and power, we motivate refocusing value prediction as a mechanism to achieve an early execution of instructions that frequently create performance bottlenecks in the OOO processor. Since we do not aim for high coverage, our implementation is light-weight, needing just 1.2 KB of storage. Simulation results on 60 diverse workloads show that we deliver 3.3% performance gain over a baseline similar to the Intel Skylake processor. This performance gain increases substantially to 8.6% when we simulate a futuristic up-scaled version of Skylake. In contrast, for the same storage, state-of-the-art value predictors deliver a much lower speedup of 1.7% and 4.7% respectively. Notably, our proposal is similar to these predictors in performance, even when they are given nearly eight times the storage and have 60% more prediction coverage than our solution.
Use of Simulation-Based Learning to Teach High-Alert Medication Safety: A Feasibility Study

Abstract Background Despite the significant risk of harm, nurses receive little training before licensure on best practices for administering high-alert medications. This study evaluates the feasibility of a simulation-based learning study to improve student nurse competence to safely administer high-alert medications. Methods Feasibility outcomes for a simulation-based learning trial (participation, simulation resources, simulation scenarios, and technological and administrative support) were assessed. The sample consisted of thirty-three student nurses. Results Resources to support a simulation-based learning intervention included high-quality simulators, smart pumps, computers, audio-visual recording, rooms for prebriefing and debriefing, and secure areas for data storage. Barriers to feasibility included a lack of electronic health record and electronic medication administration systems and the lack of access to participants during regular semester hours. Conclusion Access to electronic resources that mimic practice settings, coupled with institutional support allowing student participation during regular semester hours, would be needed for an interventional study. A multisite study is recommended to improve the sample size and access to resources.
Regulations as Automatic Stabilizers During COVID-19

This paper shows that regulations are automatic stabilizers for firms in the COVID-19 crisis. During the pandemic, more heavily regulated companies had stock and corporate bond returns that were four to five percent higher than less regulated firms. Prior to the crisis, highly regulated firms held more cash, had lower leverage, and were less likely to pay dividends, making them more resilient to extreme market conditions. More regulated firms also had lower systematic risk exposures during the crisis. Similar effects of regulations are found in the 2008 Financial Crisis. Furthermore, regulations on average do not lead to inferior stock returns.
Our Grandmothers’ Legacy: Challenges Faced by Female Ancestors Leave Traces in Modern Women’s Same-Sex Relationships

Investigations of women’s same-sex relationships present a paradoxical pattern, with women generally disliking competition, yet also exhibiting signs of intrasexual rivalry. The current article leverages the historical challenges faced by female ancestors to understand modern women’s same-sex relationships. Across history, women were largely denied independent access to resources, often depending on male partners’ provisioning to support themselves and their children. Same-sex peers thus became women’s primary romantic rivals in competing to attract and retain relationships with the limited partners able and willing to invest. Modern women show signs of this competition, disliking and aggressing against those who threaten their romantic prospects, targeting especially physically attractive and sexually uninhibited peers. However, women also rely on one another for aid, information, and support. As most social groups were patrilocal across history, upon marriage, women left their families to reside with their husbands. Female ancestors likely used reciprocal altruism or mutualism to facilitate cooperative relationships with nearby unrelated women. To sustain these mutually beneficial cooperative exchange relationships, women may avoid competitive and status-striving peers, instead preferring kind, humble, and loyal allies. Ancestral women who managed to simultaneously compete for romantic partners while forming cooperative female friendships would have been especially successful. Women may therefore have developed strategies to achieve both competitive and cooperative goals, such as guising their intrasexual competition as prosociality or vulnerability. These historical challenges make sense of the seemingly paradoxical pattern of female aversion to competition, relational aggression, and valuation of loyal friends, offering insight into possible opportunities for intervention.
Distinguishing between rheophysical regimes of fluid-saturated granular-flows using dilatancy and acoustic emission measurements

Dry granular flows provide an ongoing challenge to physics and under saturation the multiphase physics is even more difficult to disentangle. A rich literature has elucidated the possible regimes achieved, however, the nonlinear nature of the multiphase process makes predicting the appropriate dynamic regime difficult. In this study, we introduce a new experimental strategy to identify the appropriate dynamical regimes by combining traditional methods with acoustic emission measurements. We sheared natural granular materials under dry, water and oil-saturated conditions while recording mechanical, acoustic and visual data. By applying alternate low and high velocity steps we respectively obtained quasi-static and inertial granular flow regimes. Dilation was observed for all high-velocity flows but its amount varied as did the degree of acoustic emission. At high velocities, the water-saturated flow dilated less and had reduced acoustic emissions relative to the dry case. In contrast, the oil-saturated flow dilated more while having even less acoustic emissions. This difference in trends of the dilation and acoustic emissions with increasing fluid viscosity suggests that oil and water granular flows achieved distinct dynamical regimes. Damping of granular pressure by reducing grain collisions and Dilatancy due to fully lubricated contacts are two competing processes influence the saturated shear physics and theoretically expected, but distinguishing between the regimes is difficult to anticipate. The acoustic emissions provide an extra piece of information that allows us to distinguish the physical regimes and determine the competition between processes that control the physics of saturated granular flows in the granular inertial regime.
Can plant functional traits explain shifts in community composition in a changing Arctic

The Arctic is warming more than twice the global average. Graminoids, deciduous shrubs, and evergreen shrubs have been shown to increase in cover in some regions, but not others. To better understa...