cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Future Detectors for Astrophotonics

Quantum-limited detectors extract all available information from each incoming photon. In this talk, I will summarize the state of the field and future prospects for using these detectors for Astrophotonic applications.
Role of zonal flow predator-prey oscillations in triggering the transition to H-mode confinement.

Direct evidence of zonal flow (ZF) predator-prey oscillations and the synergistic roles of ZF- and equilibrium $\mathbit{E}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathbit{B}$ flow shear in triggering the low- to high-confinement (L- to H-mode) transition in the DIII-D tokamak is presented. Periodic turbulence suppression is first observed in a narrow layer at and just inside the separatrix when the shearing rate transiently exceeds the turbulence decorrelation rate. The final transition to H mode with sustained turbulence and transport reduction is controlled by equilibrium $\mathbit{E}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathbit{B}$ shear due to the increasing ion pressure gradient.
Characterizing excited states of CH5+ with diffusion Monte Carlo.

The spectroscopy and dynamics of protonated methane have been of long-standing interest due to the unusual and highly fluxional behavior of CH5+. This reflects the fact that the ground-state wave function for CH5+ has nearly equal amplitude at the 120 equivalent minima and at the saddle points that connect these minima. While low-resolution spectra of CH5+ have been assigned, the nature of the couplings between the CH stretches and the low-frequency modes is not as well characterized. An understanding of this will be important in the interpretation of rotationally resolved spectra. In this work, fixed-node diffusion Monte Carlo techniques are used to calculate energies and probability amplitudes for several excited states. The calculated energies are shown to be in good agreement with previously reported vibrational configuration interactions calculations. Analysis of the 12-dimensional probability amplitudes shows that there are strong couplings between the high-frequency CH stretch and HCH bend motions ...
A loss in cellular protein partners promotes α-synuclein aggregation in cells resulting from oxidative stress.

There is a consensus that oxidative stress promotes neurodegeneration and may be linked to plaque formation. α-Synuclein is the main component of neurodegenerative plaques. We have found that α-synuclein binds strongly to the enzyme phospholipase Cβ1 (PLCβ1) in vitro and in cells affecting both its G protein activation and its degradation. Because PLCβ1 binds to α-synuclein in cells, we tested whether decreasing its level would promote α-synuclein aggregation and whether overproducing PLCβ1 would inhibit aggregation. By imaging fluorescent α-synuclein in living HEK293, PC12, and SK-H-SH cells, we find that α-synuclein aggregation is directly related to the level of PLCβ1. Importantly, we found that oxidative stress does not affect the cellular levels of α-synuclein but results in the down-regulation of PLCβ1 thereby promoting α-synuclein aggregation. A peptide that mimics part of the α-synuclein binding site to PLCβ prevents aggregation. Our studies indicate that PLCβ1 can reduce cell damage under oxidati...
Cold-flow study of hybrid rocket motor flow dynamics

A study is being conducted at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) on a laboratory scale two-dimensional water flow model of a hybrid rocket motor. The test bed is a scaled model of a small hybrid motor which has recently undergone (hot-fire) tests at MSFC. The test section is installed in a dual closed-loop water flow facility, originally developed in 1990 to investigate fluid flow through porous materials. Oxidizer, or mainstream flow, is simulated by a water stream entering through injector slots located in the forward section of the "motor"; this flow may be injected either axially (along the motor axis) or radially. Fuel grain "burning" (mass injection only) is simulated by a secondary water stream entering the test section through 100|i sintered bronze porous plate material. The test section side walls are constructed of clear acrylic for flow visualization and optical velocity measurements. Principal objectives include: (1) visualization of flow and measurement of 'Associate Professor, Aerospace Engineering; Senior Member AIAA Aerospace Engineer, Combustion Physics Branch ^Instrumentation Engineer, Fluid Dynamics Branch Copyright © 1996 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. No copyright is asserted in the United States under Title 17, U.S. Code. The U.S. Government has a royalty-free license to exercise all rights under the copyright claimed herein for government purposes. All other rights are reserved by the copyright owner. flow velocity distributions; (2) identification of large-scale shear layer structures within the flow; (3) determination of the interactions between flow induced shear layers with the main stream flow, the secondary (wall) through-flow, and solid boundaries; (4) investigation of the interactions between wall flow oscillations and the mainstream flow pressure distribution. The present paper describes this study and presents some preliminary results for (l)-(3).
Psychosocial epidemiology of rheumatoid arthritis in a rural population.

Most studies of rheumatoid arthritis by epidemiologists or by health psyd~ologists have been conducted in urban setrings. Furthermore, previous studies have rarely attempted to obtain a control group which was clearly representative of the general community. This study attempts, on a small scale, ro overcome both these deficiencies in the existing literature. Fifty-two confirmed cases of rheumatoid arthritis were identified through a survey of physicians in three rural Illinois counties. Random telephone numbers were dialed until 26 volunteer controls of similar ages were identified. Both groups were predominately (82.3% and 84.6%) female. Subject loss resulted in final analyses for 51 cases (42 women and 6 men) versus 23 controls (22 women and 1 man). Cases and controls did not differ significantly in terms of age, occupational group, jncolne, or education. The mesn age was 47 yr., with the most frequent occupation being housewife and the mode for education being less than high school graduation. Age onset for the cases showed definite clustering between the ages of 25 and 35 yr., then again bemeen the ages of 43 and 53 yr. These clusters coincide with reported clusters for the onset of many allergic disorders (Gel1 & Coombs, 1968). The greatest difference found between cases and controls was in social support. The mean number of close friends reported by cases was 7.15, while controls reported a mean of 11.03 close friends. Relative odds indicated char persons with fewer than 11 close friends were 2.3 times as likely to have rheumatoid arthritis as persons with 11 or more close friends. When the number of close friends was compared to number of relatives reported, 51.1% of the cases and 21.7% of the controls reported having fewer clcse friends than relatives. These differences were significant (p = .05) by chi-squared. Cases were also less mobile than controls. Gses had resided at their current address an average of 15.5 yr. and controls an average of 8.7 yr. (p < .05). Persons who had not moved in the past 10 yr. were 2.7 times more likely to have rheumatoid arthritis than persons who had moved in the past 10 yr. Stressful events consistently occurred to a larger proportion of the cases than of the controls; however, these differences were nonsignificant (p = .05). Because the sample was small, the power of the tests applied was relatively low, so it is possible that these differences might have proven significant had the sample been larger. An additional finding of note was that 23 of the 51 cases (45.1%) wrote in the lnergins and on the backs of pages to provide precise details and minute explanations which were not requested in the questionnaire. For instance, one case answered a question about number of siblings by giving the names, ages, occupations, residences, spouses names, and children's names for each of her siblings. This compulsive-appearing behavior was not shown by any of the controls. This supports Cobb and Kasl's position (1968) regarding a possible link between neuroticism and rheumatoid arthritis.
Relationship between original renal disease and fate of renal allografts.

Is renal transplantation less likely to succeed in patients with glomerulonephritis than in patients with other renal diseases? According to this study of 109 patients, acceptance of renal allografts from living donors is notably better in the former group.
Sub-canopy Evapotranspiration from Floating Vegetation and Open Water in a Swamp Forest

Among previous studies, there are large discrepancies in the difference between evapotranspiration from wetland vegetation and evaporation from open water. In this study, we investigate evapotranspiration differences between water and vegetation in a scenario that has otherwise not been extensively investigated: evapotranspiration from floodwaters in the sub-canopy environment. This study was conducted under a closed canopy baldcypress-ash-tupelo swamp forest in southeastern Louisiana. Water levels were measured in paired, partially-submerged evaporation pans, one with floating aquatic vegetation and the other without. Over the 5 month measurement period (June-November), average evapotranspiration rates from floating vegetation and open water were approximately 1.35 ± 0.10 and 1.36 ± 0.06 mm day−1, respectively. Open water evaporation was generally higher in summer, and evapotranspiration from the vegetated water surface was higher in fall, likely due to changes in the sub-canopy energy environment related to both regional climate and site canopy phenology.
“I Was Very Impressed”: Responses of Surprise to Students of Color Engaged in Youth Participatory Action Research:

This article explores decision makers’ responses of surprise or amazement to Students of Color engaged in youth participatory action research (YPAR). To address this topic, I draw upon data collect...
The Dating of Widsið and the Study of Germanic Antiquity

A consensus once existed in support of the claim that Widsið is the oldest extant poem in English and one of the earliest substantial documents written in any Germanic language. This consensus came to an end in the 1980s, when scholars became more skeptical about the dating of Old English poetry. Recent work on Widsið contends that there is little evidence supporting the presumed early date of composition. This essay argues, however, that four categories of evidence can be brought to bear on the dating of Widsið—orthographic, lexical, onomastic, and cultural—and that all four of these categories agree in support of an early date of composition. It also argues that, as an early poem, Widsið has much to contribute to the lively discussions of early medieval historians concerned with Germanic identity and the ethnogenesis of early medieval gentes.
Active representation and police response to sexual assault complaints

AbstractPolicing has long been a profession dominated by white males. Yet, the organizational literature suggests that diverse public sector organizations are essential to a well-functioning democracy. Representative bureaucracy theory is the idea that public agencies should mirror the society in which it functions in order to best meet the needs of its citizens. There are three necessary conditions in order for representative bureaucracy theory to be applicable to a problem. First, bureaucrats must have discretion in decision-making. Next, bureaucrats must exercise discretion in a policy area that has important implications for the group they represent. Finally, bureaucrats must be directly associated with the decisions they make. Given that police work requires extraordinary discretion, representation holds great importance for police organizations. There has, however, been scant literature examining the interaction between representation, organizational characteristics of police agencies, and situation...
Increased Alignment in Preventive Services Recommendations for Children.

Increased alignment between preventive services recommendations from the two major physician specialty groups who care for children.
Conceptual and Methodological Aspects of the Study of Evolutionary Rates, with some Comments on Bradytely in Birds

The analysis of evolutionary rates has received scant attention within ornithology. The primary reason would seem to be the nature of the avian fossil record: If an understanding of rates depends upon having a time dimension, which most paleontologists believe can only be extracted from fossil data, how can we hope to study rates using the notoriously poor record of birds? No one would deny that the avian record is less complete than other vertebrates or many groups of non vertebrates, yet this cannot be the entire story, for there are easily over a thousand paleospecies of birds known, some of which provide information about rates. Another contributing factor, probably, is our relatively poor knowledge of avian phylogenetic relationships. All assessments of rates, whether absolute or relative, depend upon some hypothesis about the phylogenetic relationships of the taxa being studied.
Effective stereoscopic rendering for mobile VR

Lately, the VR market is expanding rapidly with the advent of mobile phone based VR such as Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear VR, LG 360VR starting with VR(Virtual Reality) HMD(Head Mount Device) PC based VR using Stereoscopic rendering such as Oculus Rift, Vive.
From Student Engagement to Student Agency: Conceptual Considerations of European Policies on Student-Centered Learning in Higher Education

Student-centered learning (SCL) has entered center stage on the European higher education (HE) policy agenda after the Yerevan Ministerial Summit of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) in May 2015. It has become the key principle underlying the intended reforms toward enhancing the quality of teaching and learning in European HE. Despite the universal appeal, SCL remains poorly defined in policy documents and this ambiguity potentially jeopardizes its implementation. The article addresses the different instances and evocations of the SCL approach in EHEA policies. Furthermore, it seeks to clarify the conceptual foundations of SCL. Two propositions are put forward. First, SCL should be understood as a ‘meta-concept’. Such an understanding serves as a corrective to the eclectic use of SCL in association with a broad variety of policy issues. Second, the article questions the suitability of student engagement as a conceptual foundation of SCL. The main argument is that student engagement conceptually fails to sufficiently address student autonomy, self-regulation and choice, all of which have been highlighted by the literature as essential elements of SCL. The root concern of SCL is not propensity to different types of student action as implied in student engagement, but rather student agency as students’ capabilities to intervene in and influence their learning environments and learning pathways.
Near-infrared Intraoperative Molecular Imaging Can Identify Metastatic Lymph Nodes in Prostate Cancer

Objective To propose a novel method to perform indocyanine green (ICG) based near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging during pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) for prostate cancer patients with lymph node metastasis (LNM). Materials and Methods A prostate cancer cell line PC3 was used to establish xenograft model in NOD/SCID mice. After tumor growth, the mice were injected with ICG through the tail vein. Xenografts and surrounding tissues were imaged with NIR camera 24 hours after intravenous ICG, and tumor-to-background ratios were calculated. We then performed a pilot human study to evaluate the role of NIR imaging in robotic PLND after systemic ICG in 4 patients with prostate cancer and preoperative lymphadenopathy. Results ICG localized to PC3 xenografts in the mice and all xenografts were highly fluorescent compared with surrounding tissues, with a median tumor-to-background ratio of 2.85 (interquartile range = 2.64-3.90). In the human study, intraoperative in vivo NIR imaging identified 3 of the 4 preoperative lymphadenopathies as fluorescence-positive, and back table ex vivo NIR imaging identified all 4 lymphadenopathies as fluorescence-positive. All the lymphadenopathies were found to be LNMs by pathologic examination. Two of the four cases had additional LNMs, all of which were fluorescence-positive with intraoperative in vivo NIR imaging. Conclusion Intravenously administered ICG accumulates in prostate cancers in both a murine model and human patients. NIR fluorescence based on intravenous ICG may serve as a useful tool to facilitate the identification of positive nodes during PLND in patients with higher risk of LNMs.
How regions do work, and the work we do: a constructive critique of regions in political ecology

This intervention suggests the need to closely examine uncritical uses of 'regions' in both geographical research and resource management contexts. In particular, I argue that regions are frequently leveraged in a manner that is often indistinguishable from, and thus analytically similar to, other concepts connoting connections and relationships across space. The US Department of Agriculture's Conservation Reserve Program is briefly described to illuminate the process and implications of using simplistic and erroneous regional designations (configured around the 100th Meridian) to inform resource management policy. I proffer several ways in which regions 'do work' analytically, discursively and materially, and argue that it is precisely the performative nature of regions that warrants its utility and sustained application in scholarly and policy-making environments. Finally, I suggest that the analytic toolkit possessed by political ecologists makes us uniquely equipped to assess, reconfigure, and employ regions and regional designations in our research; applications that will hopefully inform more accurate, nuanced and socially just policies. Key words: 100th Meridian, conservation reserve program, political ecology, regions, environmental management
False prolongation of International Normalized Ratio associated with daptomycin.

Purpose Persistent elevation of prothrombin time (PT) and International Normalized Ratio (INR) values in a patient receiving daptomycin is reported. Summary A morbidly obese 51-year-old man was hospitalized for evaluation for surgical intervention for gallstone pancreatitis and biliary obstruction. Previously prescribed warfarin therapy was withheld due to suspected coagulopathy and an elevated INR (5.1), and warfarin reversal was initiated. After undergoing partial cholecystectomy on hospital day 6, the patient developed sepsis and was treated with i.v. meropenem and daptomycin for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus infection. Warfarin therapy, which had been resumed after cholecystectomy, was again discontinued on hospital day 12. On the eighth day of daptomycin therapy, the INR remained elevated (2.6) even though the patient had no warfarin exposure for 9 days. On hospital day 21, thromboelastography (TEG) indicated normal whole blood coagulation. Other anticoagulation markers normalized, but the INR remained elevated until daptomycin was discontinued. Daptomycin has been shown to falsely prolong the INR when specific laboratory reagents are used for PT and INR testing, but the specific reagent used in this case has not been previously implicated. Conclusion Daptomycin therapy appeared to cause a false and substantial INR elevation in a patient who had been receiving warfarin. Results of TEG suggested that the INR elevation was an artifact of a drug–laboratory interaction and did not represent an anticoagulated state. The patient’s INR normalized after linezolid was substituted for daptomycin.
Superplastic Creep of Metal Nanowires from Rate-Dependent Plasticity Transition

Understanding the time-dependent mechanical behavior of nanomaterials such as nanowires is essential to predict their reliability in nanomechanical devices. This understanding is typically obtained using creep tests, which are the most fundamental loading mechanism by which the time-dependent deformation of materials is characterized. However, due to existing challenges facing both experimentalists and theorists, the time-dependent mechanical response of nanowires is not well-understood. Here, we use atomistic simulations that can access experimental time scales to examine the creep of single-crystal face-centered cubic metal (Cu, Ag, Pt) nanowires. We report that both Cu and Ag nanowires show significantly increased ductility and superplasticity under low creep stresses, where the superplasticity is driven by a rate-dependent transition in defect nucleation from twinning to trailing partial dislocations at the micro- or millisecond time scale. The transition in the deformation mechanism also governs a co...
Anti-Drug Antibodies: Emerging Approaches to Predict, Reduce or Reverse Biotherapeutic Immunogenicity

The development of anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) following administration of biotherapeutics to patients is a vexing problem that is attracting increasing attention from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. This serious clinical problem is also spawning creative research into novel approaches to predict, avoid, and in some cases even reverse such deleterious immune responses. CD4+ T cells are essential players in the development of most ADAs, while memory B-cell and long-lived plasma cells amplify and maintain these responses. This review summarizes methods to predict and experimentally identify T-cell and B-cell epitopes in therapeutic proteins, with a particular focus on blood coagulation factor VIII (FVIII), whose immunogenicity is clinically significant and is the subject of intensive current research. Methods to phenotype ADA responses in humans are described, including T-cell stimulation assays, and both established and novel approaches to determine the titers, epitopes and isotypes of the ADAs themselves. Although rational protein engineering can reduce the immunogenicity of many biotherapeutics, complementary, novel approaches to induce specific tolerance, especially during initial exposures, are expected to play significant roles in future efforts to reduce or reverse these unwanted immune responses.
Quantum Mechanical Calculations in Medicinal Chemistry: Relevant Method or a Quantum Leap Too Far?

Quantum mechanical calculations are a very important and unique computational tool for answering complex questions related to medicinal chemistry and drug design that cannot be addressed by any other computational method. Although quantum mechanical calculations are now applied widely in medicinal chemistry and drug design, they do not have as high a profile, visibility, and recognition in the computational chemistry or the medicinal chemistry community as other computational techniques, like for example quantitative structure–activity relationships (QSAR), virtual screening, chemoinformatics, library design, or protein homology modeling. Major advances in computer power over the last 25 years have enabled computational chemists to apply successfully these types of calculations for example to determine accurately molecular structures and properties for use in a wide variety of QSAR studies that range from predicting binding affinities to absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties. In addition, reaction mechanisms and energies in organic as well as enzymatic reactions have been investigated extensively as well as structure-based drug design approaches that treat part or even all of the protein–ligand complex quantum mechanically. This chapter outlines the usefulness of quantum mechanical calculations for applications in medicinal chemistry and drug design by highlighting recent examples for use cases of these methods to problems relevant in the design of small molecule pharmacological therapies.
Vesicovaginal and Urethrovaginal Fistula Repair

A urogenital fistula is an abnormal communication between the urinary tract and the vagina that causes urine to leak into the vagina via a route other than the urethral meatus. Vesicovaginal fistulae represent the most common type of fistula encountered by pelvic surgeons today. In developed countries, the more common etiologies include pelvic surgeries for hysterectomy, incontinence, or pelvic reconstructive procedures. In developing countries, pregnancy-related complications from obstructed labor result in ischemic injury to the bladder and vagina and can lead to very large fistulae that can be difficult to treat.
Regulation from Without

Two preoccupations frame these remarks on the foregoing chapters: margins and managed care—specifically, the depletion of the first and the ascendancy of the second. I use the term managed care (a bit loosely, perhaps) to designate the growing practice of subjugating to the accountant’s ledger certain “medical” decisions about what constitutes appropriate or allowable care (cf. Schreter, 1993). In particular, I want to flag the constraints it is likely to impose on deviations from set norms. By margins, I mean those endangered spaces on the civic landscape that supplied forgiving accommodations to misfits of all sorts, at a cost conventionally figured in disgrace rather than dollars. Here, persons who failed to meet thresholds of acceptability elsewhere—by virtue of temperament, damage, pathology, or the rude wish to be left alone—could find a home. Precincts of “disreputable housing” (Groth, 1983), zones of discard (Schneider, 1986, p. 181), skid rows, and tenderloins—such places provided welcomed “anchors for people in a social and cultural limbo” (Groth, 1994, p. 130). Put simply, they made it possible for alternative livelihoods to make do, if not thrive. I do not want to romanticize the appointments or civilities of such spaces, which were meager and few, but neither do I want to discount the freedom they accorded those whom difference could make difficult. Above all, I want to stress the logic of accommodation implicit in their operation. It was the flexibility of habitat—literally, the room to move—and not some elaborate underworld code of conduct, that made it possible to hold trouble within tolerable limits.
The Neoplastic Consequences of Immunodepression

Immunodepression may be iatrogenically induced either, deliberately, as in the management of organ transplant recipients or patients with auto-immune or collagen-vascular diseases, or inadvertently, as a side effect of treatment of cancer with cytotoxic drugs and/or radiotherapy (Hanto et al 1983; Kinlen et al 1979; Kinlen 1982; Penn 1978 a and b; Penn 1981; Penn 1982; Penn 1984; Sieber 1975). Immunodepression may also occur spontaneously in certain congenital immunodeficiency disorders (Filipovich et al 1980; Filipovich et al 1984) and it may be acquired as in the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (Friedman-Kien et all 1982; Ziegler et all 1984). These various states of immunodepression are characterized by defects in cellular or humoral immunity or by both. They are complicated by an increased incidence of infections and of cancer. In this report we shall consider the various types of malignancies that occur in different immunodeficient states.
Boundaries and Current Sheets

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) theories have defined space plasma boundaries of large-scale structures through discontinuous macroscopic parameters such as density and temperature in the same way ordinary fluid boundaries are defined. However, space plasmas are coupled to electric E and magnetic B fields, and therefore the boundary requirements must also include the behavior of discontinuous electromagnetic fields and current sheets separating the boundaries.
Documentation and access to knowledge in online communities: Know your audience and write appropriately?

Virtual collaborations bring together people who must work together despite having varied access to and understanding of the work at hand. In many cases, the collaborations are technology supported, meaning that the work is done through shared documents. We develop a framework articulating the characteristics of documents supporting collaborators with access to asymmetric knowledge versus those with access to symmetric knowledge. Drawing on theories about document genre, boundary objects, and provenance, we hypothesize that documents supporting asymmetric collaborators are likely to articulate or prescribe their own (a) purpose, (b) context of use, (c) content and form, and (d) provenance in greater detail than documents supporting symmetric collaborators. We explore these hypotheses through content analysis of documents and instructions for documents from a variety of free/libre open‐source projects (FLOSS). We present findings consistent with the hypotheses developed as well as results extending beyond our theory‐derived assumptions. When participants have access to the same knowledge, the study suggests that prescriptions about the content of documents become less important compared with prescriptions about the context, provenance, and process of work. The study contributes with a dynamic perspective on communicative practices that consider an often‐uneven distribution of knowledge in virtual collaborations.
PLATYPNEA-ORTHODEOXIA: A CURABLE CAUSE OF RECALCITRANT HYPOXIA

Intracardiac shunts are an uncommon cause of hypoxia in adults. Prompt diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion and has critical implications for treatment. An 86 year old woman presents with subacute dyspnea and hypoxia that improves in the prone position. She underwent hiatal hernia repair 6
Luther at Augsburg, 1518: New Light on Papal Strategies

Leo x’s brief Cum nuper, which authorised Cardinal Cajetan to put Luther on trial but did not restrict debate between them, was sent not on 11 September 1518, as has been generally believed, but on 2 November. It referred to a lost brief countermanding the order of 23 August for Luther's arrest: this brief instead offered a safe conduct to Rome. However, Luther's abrupt departure from Augsburg prevented this offer from being made. Exsurge Domine (1520), which convicted Luther without trial on inflated charges of heresy, made the false claim that he had rejected an invitation to Rome.
Decadal transition from quiescence to supereruption: petrologic investigation of the Lava Creek Tuff, Yellowstone Caldera, WY

The magmatic processes responsible for triggering nature’s most destructive eruptions and their associated timescales remain poorly understood. Yellowstone Caldera is a large silicic volcanic system that has had three supereruptions in its 2.1-Ma history, the most recent of which produced the Lava Creek Tuff (LCT) ca. 631 ka. Here we present a petrologic study of the phenocrysts, specifically feldspar and quartz, in LCT ash in order to investigate the timing and potential trigger leading to the LCT eruption. The LCT phenocrysts have resorbed cores, with crystal rims that record slightly elevated temperatures and enrichments in magmaphile elements, such as Ba and Sr in sanidine and Ti in quartz, compared to their crystal cores. Chemical data in conjunction with mineral thermometry, geobarometry, and rhyolite-MELTS modeling suggest the chemical signatures observed in crystal rims were most likely created by the injection of more juvenile silicic magma into the LCT sub-volcanic reservoir, followed by decompression-driven crystal growth. Geothermometry and barometry suggest post-rejuvenation, pre-eruptive temperatures and pressures of 790–815 °C and 80–150 MPa for the LCT magma source. Diffusion modeling utilizing Ba and Sr in sanidine and Ti in quartz in conjunction with crystal growth rates yield conservative estimates of decades to years between rejuvenation and eruption. Thus, we propose rejuvenation as the most likely mechanism to produce the overpressure required to trigger the LCT supereruption in less than a decade.
Next-generation sequencing of double stranded RNA is greatly improved by treatment with the inexpensive denaturing reagent DMSO

Abstract Double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is the genetic material of important viruses and a key component of RNA interference-based immunity in eukaryotes. Previous studies have noted difficulties in determining the sequence of dsRNA molecules that have affected studies of immune function and estimates of viral diversity in nature. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) has been used to denature dsRNA prior to the reverse transcription stage to improve RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing. We systematically tested the utility of DMSO to improve sequencing yield of a dsRNA virus (Φ6) in a short-read next generation sequencing platform. DMSO treatment improved sequencing read recovery by over two orders of magnitude, even when RNA and cDNA concentrations were below the limit of detection. We also tested the effects of DMSO on a mock eukaryotic viral community and found that dsRNA virus reads increased with DMSO treatment. Furthermore, we provide evidence that DMSO treatment does not adversely affect recovery of reads from a single-stranded RNA viral genome (Influenza A/California/07/2009). We suggest that up to 50% DMSO treatment be used prior to cDNA synthesis when samples of interest are composed of or may contain dsRNA. Data Summary Sequence data was deposited in the NCBI Short Read Archive (accession numbers: PRJNA527100, PRJNA527101, PRJNA527098). Data and code for analysis is available on GitHub (https://github.com/awilcox83/dsRNA-sequencing/, doi:10.5281/zenodo.1453423). Protocol for dsRNA sequencing is posted on protocols.io (doi:10.17504/protocols.io.ugnetve).
Predictors of Outcomes in Septuagenarians Listed for Heart Transplantation: An Analysis of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients

Background There is a growing trend of elderly (aged ≥ 70 years) who are considered for heart transplantation after careful selection. We sought to identify predictors of death, delisting, and successful transplantation in this understudied, high-risk population. Methods We identified all patients aged ≥ 70 who were listed for orthotopic heart transplantation from October 1987 through August 2018 in the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR). Patients listed for combined organ transplantations were excluded. Outcomes of interest included death prior to transplant, being delisted, and successful transplantation. A multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of clinical outcomes, and are presented as adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results 1,375 patients aged ≥70 years were listed: mean age of 71.4 (± 1.6) years; maximum age of 87 years; 920 (66.9%) underwent heart transplantation; 100 (7.3%) were delisted due to worsening condition; 138 (10.0%) died awaiting transplantation. Significant predictors of death included history of coronary artery disease (AOR 1.77; 95% CI 1.03-3.06), diabetes (AOR 2.74; 95% CI 1.26-5.96), and dialysis (AOR 10.76, 95% CI 3.01-38.49). No significant clinical predictors of delisting were identified. A past history of hypertension (AOR 1.32, 95% CI 1.03-1.71) was the only positive predictor of successful transplantation while need for dialysis (AOR 0.05, 95% CI 0.01-0.43) was a strong negative predictor. Conclusions A significant proportion of listed elderly undergo successful heart transplantation. Ischemic cardiomyopathy, presence of diabetes and end stage renal disease are associated with unfavorable premature death and delisting.
Zebrafish Crb1, localizing uniquely to the cell membranes around cone photoreceptor axonemes, alleviates light damage to photoreceptors and modulates cones’ light responsiveness

The crumbs (crb) apical polarity genes are essential for the development and functions of epithelia. Adult zebrafish retinal neuroepithelium expresses three crb genes (crb1, crb2a, and crb2b); however, it is unknown whether and how Crb1 differs from other Crb proteins in expression, localization, and functions. Here, we show that, unlike zebrafish Crb2a and Crb2b as well as mammalian Crb1 and Crb2, zebrafish Crb1 does not localize to the subapical regions of photoreceptors and Muller glial cells; rather, it localizes to a small region of cone outer segments: the cell membranes surrounding the axonemes. Moreover, zebrafish Crb1 is not required for retinal morphogenesis and photoreceptor patterning. Interestingly, Crb1 promotes rod survival under strong white light irradiation in a previously unreported non--cell-autonomous fashion; in addition, Crb1 delays UV and blue cones' chromatin condensation caused by UV light irradiation. Finally, Crb1 plays a role in cones' responsiveness to light through an arrestin-translocation-independent mechanism. The localization of Crb1 and its functions do not differ between male and female fish. We conclude that zebrafish Crb1 has diverged from other vertebrate Crb proteins, representing a neofunctionalization in Crb biology during evolution.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Apicobasal polarity of epithelia is an important property that underlies the morphogenesis and functions of epithelial tissues. Epithelial apicobasal polarity is controlled by many polarity genes, including the crb genes. In vertebrates, multiple crb genes have been identified, but the differences in their expression patterns and functions are not fully understood. Here, we report a novel subcellular localization of zebrafish Crb1 in retinal cone photoreceptors and evidence for its new functions in photoreceptor maintenance and light responsiveness. This study expands our understanding of the biology of the crb genes in epithelia, including retinal neuroepithelium.
Navigating the Road to Successfully Manage a Large-Scale Research and Development Project: The Exascale Computing Project (ECP) Experience.

The road to successful management of a large research and development (R&D) project requires comprehensive and flexible capabilities to foster effective and timely communication, tracking, and decision-making. Best practices developed and employed by the Exascale Computing Project (ECP) afford a comprehensive example of management practices that benefit this type of a large-scale, physically dispersed R&D project. This article will summarize the ECP’s hybrid approach to project management, which incorporates principles of the Department of Energy (DOE) order for the management of large capital asset projects (DOE O 413.3b) and elements of industry-standard Agile practices, as well as the tools that promote extensive collaborative endeavors.
Recurrent and Residual Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Most often, recurrent neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS) is due to post-operative scar tissue growth surrounding the dissected brachial plexus causing re entrapment and compression of nerves, with restriction of nerve movement and function. Other etiologies to consider for return of symptoms include another contributory diagnosis outside of plexus entrapment, or inadequate decompression of nerves at initial procedure. Presenting complaints of recurrent NTOS are typical symptoms and findings of NTOS. Searching for potentially easily remedied causes, the clinician should investigate contribution of brachial plexus cord entrapment at the pectoralis minor muscle if that was not treated previously. Surgical decompression of the pectoralis minor muscle is a relatively risk free, outpatient procedure with potential for significant patient benefit.
Four Cycles of Etoposide plus Cisplatin for Patients with Good-Risk Advanced Germ Cell Tumors.

BACKGROUND: The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends either three cycles of bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin or four cycles of etoposide and cisplatin (EPx4) as initial chemotherapy for the treatment of good-risk germ cell tumors (GCTs). To assess the response, toxicity, and survival outcomes of EPx4, we analyzed our experience. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Response and survival outcomes, selected toxicities, and adherence to chemotherapy dose and schedule were assessed in patients with good-risk GCT who received EPx4 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center between 1982 and 2016. The results were compared with our past results and published data. RESULTS: Between 1982 and 2016, 944 patients with GCT were treated with EPx4, 289 who were previously reported plus 655 treated between January 2000 and August 2016. A favorable response was achieved in 928 of 944 patients (98.3%). Five-year progression-free, disease-specific, and overall survival rates were 93.9%, 98.6%, and 97.9%, respectively. Median follow-up was 7.3 years (range, 2.8 months to 35.5 years). Viable, nonteratomatous malignant GCT was present in 3.5% of 432 postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection specimens from patients with nonseminomatous GCT. Febrile neutropenia and thromboembolic events occurred in 16.0% and 8.9%, respectively, with one treatment-related death. In the more recent 655-patient cohort, full-dose EPx4 was administered to 631 (96.3%), with deviations from planned treatment driven mainly by vascular (n = 13), hematologic (n = 11), renal (n = 7), or infectious (n = 5) events. CONCLUSION: EPx4 is highly effective and well tolerated in patients with good-risk GCTs and remains a standard of care. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Four cycles of etoposide and cisplatin (EPx4) is a standard-of-care regimen for all patients with good-risk germ cell tumors with a favorable response rate and disease-specific survival of 98%. Full-dose administration of etoposide and cisplatin and complete resection of residual disease lead to optimal outcomes. EPx4 should be the recommended regimen in active smokers, patients with reduced or borderline kidney function, and patients aged 50 years or older, which are patient groups at increased risk for bleomycin pulmonary toxicity. Because of a risk of acquired severe pulmonary illness, EPx4 may also be favored for patients who vape or use e-cigarettes and during ongoing transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.
Taxation and the New 'Progressives'

Larry Summers would like to portray himself as a progressive. In a paper he co-authored for the centrist Hamilton Project with his former PhD student Natasha Sarin and their research assistant Joe Kupferberg, Summers announced a “pragmatic approach” for making the tax system more progressive. Summers and his co-authors (SSK) take care to contrast their approach with the proposals of Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, and claim that the “pragmatic” approach can raise over $4 trillion in 2020-29. But a closer look at the SSK proposals shows that theirs is not a progressive approach at all, and that it is unlikely to generate the revenues they claim.
Testosterone Implant Therapy in Women With and Without Breast Cancer: Rationale, Experience, Evidence

Testosterone (T) is the most abundant biologically active hormone in women. It has a direct effect at the androgen receptor in every major organ system. Local aromatization of T is a major source o...
Tele-U to Tele-ICU: Telehealth Nursing Education.

Background The use of telehealth technology in various health care settings continues to expand. Such technology allows intensive care units to monitor patients living in remote locations and to intervene early when a patient's condition declines or a critical event occurs. The use of telehealth can also support nurses and help meet staffing challenges, which have increased in intensive care units during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, however, there are no formal requirements for telehealth education in nursing education or for telehealth orientation in nursing practice. Objective To develop a telehealth curriculum based on telehealth competencies that would be broad enough to encompass all educational levels of nursing students and to support the current nursing workforce. Intervention A telehealth curriculum was designed that included an overview of telehealth, camera considerations, equipment, troubleshooting, reimbursement, legislation, and quality measures. These topics were then organized and developed into 6 online interactive video modules and simulation experiences. The curriculum topics pertinent to the tele-intensive care unit are discussed in this article. Conclusions Completion of the telehealth curriculum or a formal telehealth orientation session may provide nurses with an understanding of the principles of telehealth and the skills needed to provide high-quality patient care using telehealth best practices. As the use of telehealth continues to expand, nursing education and practice should work together to address the needs of the nursing workforce and staffing challenges, specifically in the intensive care unit setting.
Identification and Function Analysis of enolase Gene NlEno1 from Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Hemiptera:Delphacidae).

The enolase [EC 4.2.1.11] is an essential enzyme in the glycolytic pathway catalyzing the conversion of 2-phosphoglycerate (2-PGE) to phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP). In this study, a full-length cDNA encoding α-enolase was cloned from rice brown planthopper ( Nilaparvata lugens ) and is provisionally designated as NlEno1 . The cDNA sequence of NlEno1 was 1,851 bp with an open reading frame (ORF) of 1,305 bp and encoding 434 amino acids. The deduced protein shares high identity of 80–87% with ENO1-like protein from Hemiptera, Diptera, and Lepidoptera speices. The NlEno1 showed the highest mRNA expression level in hemolymph, followed by fat body, salivary gland, ovaries and egg, and showed trace mRNA levels in testis. The mRNA of NlEno1 showed up-regulated level in virulent N. lugens population Mudgo, IR56 and IR42 when compared with TN1 population. Injection of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) of NlEno1 into the adults significantly down-regulated the NlEno1 mRNA level along with decreased eggs and offspring. Moreover, injection of NlEno1 -dsRNA decreased mRNA level of Vitellogenin ( Vg ) gene. These results showed that the NlEno1 , as a key glycolytic enzyme, may play roles in regulation of fecundity and adaptation of N. lugens to resistant rice varieties.
Adenylate Cyclase in Vertebrate Retina RELATIONSHIP TO SPECIFIC FRACTIONS AND TO RHODOPSIN

Specific activity of adenylate cyclase was examined in various fractions derived from retinal homogenates or retinas shaken in sucrose-Tris, during the isolation of bovine or frog photoreceptor outer segment fragments enriched in rhodopsin. As unbleached rhodopsin concentration rose during fractionation, adenylate cyclase activity declined, although cyclase and rhodopsin were not completely resolved. In those fractions with higher cyclase activity, unbleached rhodopsin concentration was low. Adenylate cyclase activity was confined almost entirely to membranous fractions. Cyclase activity of the outer segment fraction was not affected by bleaching, homogenization, sonication, or freezing at -196°.
Global optimization of probabilistically constrained linear programs

Various applications in reliability and risk management give rise to optimization problems where certain constraints involve stochastic parameters and are required to be satisfied with a pre-specified probability threshold. In this talk we address such probabilistically constrained linear programs involving stochastic right-hand-sides. These problems involve non-convex feasible sets, and are extremely difficult to optimize.
Work in America

This is a study of factory workers in a large midwestern industrial city and municipal workers in a town of less than 70 thousand inhabitants.