cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Simple Cycle-Averaged Model for Cardiovascular Dynamics

Lumped-parameter time-varying electrical circuit analogs for cardiovascular systems are frequently used in computational models for simulating and analyzing hemodynamics. These pulsatile models provide details of the beat-by-beat or intracycle dynamics. In other settings, however, such as when tracking a hospital patient's hemodynamic state over time, it is more useful to track trends in the intercycle dynamics. In this paper, we apply a cycle-averaging method to a simple pulsatile cardiovascular model to derive a cycle-averaged model for cardiovascular dynamics. The resulting cycle-averaged model captures the intercycle dynamics with relatively small approximation errors for a large range of perturbations in parameters such as systemic vascular resistance
Surfactant Diffusion into Lysozyme Crystal Matrices Investigated by Quantitative Fluorescence Microscopy

Small quantities of ionic surfactants modify the crystallization of lysozyme and lead to the formation of phases with different morphologies. By using fluorescent probes, we demonstrate that the surfactants are incorporated into the growing crystals (which is a possible reason for crystal twinning) and can penetrate and adsorb within previously formed crystals. To characterize the interactions and the mass transfer of surfactants inside the crystalline protein matrices, we studied the infusion of lysozyme crystals with pyrene-based fluorescent surfactants by quantitative fluorescence microscopy. The fluorescence intensity data were fitted to the diffusion equation to obtain the effective diffusion coefficient of the fluorophore in the crystals. The diffusion coefficients obtained range from 2 × 10-10 to 30 × 10-10 cm2/s, depending on the type and size of the surfactant. The slow infusion is a consequence of the strong surfactant adsorption on the protein lattice; the estimated energy of adsorption is 10−1...
Numerical Investigation of a Blunt-Nosed Elliptical Cone at High Angle of Attack in Nonequilibrium Flow

†‡ * A computational fluid dynamics investigation was conducted on a blunt-nosed elliptical cone configuration. The purpose of the study was to investigate the advantages of high angle of attack reentry for a simple configuration representative of a flight vehicle. The geometry and test conditions were selected for comparison to experiments: a 2:1 blunt elliptic cone configuration at a Mach number of 14.5, Reynolds number based on length of 36000, and angles of attack ranging from of 0° to 60°. The calculations were carried out using the unstructured-grid, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes code US3D, developed at the University of Minnesota. This code has frozen and non-equilibrium flow capabilities, but only non-equilibrium solutions were obtained in the present computational effort. The leeside flow structure was examined in detail, and grid resolution studies and comparison to the available experimental data for surface pressure and heat transfer were carried out.
Response to Acarbose and Postprandial Hypotension

We thank Gentilcore et al1 for their interest in our recent publication. Our work was focused on the potential therapeutic use of acarbose in the prevention of postprandial hypotension in autonomic failure patients rather than an in-depth research into the complex pathophysiology of this process. We did not include, therefore, several important references dealing with the latter, and we are please that, in their letter, they highlighted their significant work in this …
Transient Pulmonary Hypertension from the Intravenous Injection of Crushed, Suspended Pentazocine Tablets

We describe a patient with biopsy-proven pulmonary talc granulomas (secondary to the long-term intravenous injection of crushed tablets of pentazocine) who had two episodes of transient pulmonary hypertension following the injection of this oral medication. We established a canine model and measured the right lymph duct flow, mean pulmonary arterial pressures, and pulmonary vascular resistance to determine the short-term effects on hemodynamics and the flow of lymph after intravenous administration of crushed pentazocine tablets (3 to 4 mg/kg of body weight) or pure talc (2.5 to 3 mg/kg). A typical response to both agents consisted of short-term elevations of mean pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance to approximately twice baseline values, with a slow decrement over 30 to 45 minutes. The average flow of lymph tripled, peaking at approximately two hours after injection. The lymph contained high levels of albumin. We concluded that the talc filler in oral tablets of pentazocine induces the pulmonary hypertension, probably by mechanical obstruction of the pulmonary vasculature. Associated with this transient pulmonary hypertension is an increase in the permeability of the pulmonary microvasculature.
The mediating and moderating effects of differentiation of self on body mass index and depressive symptomatology among an American college sample

Differentiation of self – a core construct of Bowen's (Bowen, M. (1978). Family therapy in clinical practice. New York: Jason Aronson) family systems theory – was examined as a possible predictor of psychological health and physical health and as a mediator and moderator of the relation between overall functioning and psychological health and physical health. A total of 818 American college students participated (mean age = 23.72, SD = 4.79) in this study. Differentiation of self was correlated and was predictive of psychological health, as measured by the Beck depression inventory, and physical health, as measured by body mass index (BMI). A multivariate multiple regression model revealed that differentiation of self partially mediated the effects of overall functioning on depressive symptomatology and on BMI. Results from a hierarchical regression model showed that differentiation of self moderated the relation between overall functioning and depressive symptomatology but did not moderate the relation b...
Module Partitioning and Interlaced Data Placement Schemes to Reduce Conflicts in Interleaved Memories

In interleaved memories, interference between concurrently active vector streams results in memory bank conflicts and reduced bandwidth. In this paper, we present two schemes for reducing inter-vector interference. First, we propose a memory module partitioning technique in which disjoint access sets are created for each of the concurrent vectors. Various properties of the involved address mapping are presented. Then we present an interlaced data placement scheme, where the simultaneously accessed vectors are interlaced and stored to the memory. Performance of the two schemes are evaluated by trace driven simulation. It is observed that the schemes have significant merit in reducing the interference in interleaved memories and increasing the effective memory bandwidth. The schemes are applicable to memory systems for superscalar processors, vector supercomputers and parallel processors.
Subsidence of the land surface in the Tulare‐Wasco (Delano) and Los Banos‐Kettleman City area, San Joaquin Valley, California

Releveling of bench marks in 1953 and 1954 by the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey indicates that subsidence of the land surface has now exceeded ten feet in two areas of the San Joaquin Valley. In the Tulare-Wasco (or Delano) area of Tulare County, subsidence which was as much as rive feet in 1940 now has about doubled. The maximum rate of subsidence in recent years has been about 0.8 foot a year. In the Los Banos-Kettleman City area of western Fresno County, major subsidence extends from Ora Loma on the north beyond Huron on the south, a distance of 70 miles or more. The maximum rate there approaches one foot a year. Plots of subsidence against decline in artesian pressure suggest that pressure decline is a major cause of the subsidence. Compaction of the soil after irrigation is known to have caused substantial local subsidence in the Los Banos-Kettleman City area, and tectonic adjustment and other causes also may have contributed to the subsidence.
L-PROLINE TRANSPORT SYSTEMS OF STARFISH PYLORIC CAECA

Purified brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV) of starfish [ Pycnopodia helianthoides (Brandt)] pyloric caecal epithelium were prepared by magnesium precipitation in order to characterize the possible role of this organ in amino acid transport. L-[ 3 H]proline uptake by these vesicles was Na + -dependent and greater at pH7.5 than at pH5.5. L-Pipecolate was a competitive inhibitor of L-proline influx into these BBMV, exhibiting a K i value of 0.02 mmol l −1 . The amino acid inhibitors, L-pipecolate, L-alanine and L-leucine were used as test substrates to block L-prohne influx by the IMINO, NBB and L transport systems, respectively, in order to estimate the contribution of each process to total L-prohne entry into pyloric caecal cells. The carrier-mediated transport constants for L-prohne transfer by these three systems were: K t =0.18mmoll −1 (IMINO), 0.13mmol l −1 (NBB) and (0.21mmol l −1 (L); J max = 1310 pmol mg −1 protein 30 s −1 (IMINO), 360 pmol mg −1 protein 30 s −1 (NBB) and 470pmol mg −1 protein 30s −1 (L). L-Proline influxes through both the IMINO and NBB systems were sigmoidal functions of the external [Na + ], while transfer by the L system was Na + -independent. Multiple sodium ions (e.g. 2 or 3 Na + /L-proline) appear to be associated with L-proline transport by both Na + -dependent transport systems, but the nature of this association (i.e. activation or energization) is unclear. Results suggest that starfish pyloric caecal epithelium possesses a similar array of L-proline transport proteins to those found in similar cell types of mammalian intestine or kidney, providing tentative support for an absorptive function for this organ.
Social robots: Things or agents?

This paper tackles our ordinary engagements with social robots to focus on their materiality. In considering how an educational robot is encountered as a part of everyday practices in social robotics, the focus is on the robot's materiality that is interactionally achieved. The attention to tactile exploration, spatial arrangements, and multimodal interactional aspects that characterize the encounter indicates how the robot is simultaneously enacted as a thing and as a social agent. The paper proposes that social agency of the robot is mutually constituted with its materiality and that to conceive of the robot's social character its thing-like aspects need to be taken into account.
On the Structures of Mo2O5(OCH3)2 and Mo2O5(OCH3)2 ·2CH3OH

The reaction of molybdenum trioxide dihydrate, MoO 3 ·2H 2 O, with methanol produces the title compounds. That these molybdenum oxy-methoxides decompose with liberation of CH2O suggests that they represent exquisite models for selective oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde over molybdate catalysts. While a number of physical techniques have been employed to elucidate certain of their structural aspects, unfortunately, the detailed structures of these materials remain unknown. Problems, both physical and crystallographic, encountered in attempts to determine these structures are discussed. Also discussed is the recent progress made by employing the complimentary nature of electron and powder diffraction techniques.
The Renal Erythropoietic Factor (REF). III. Enzymatic Role in Erythropoietin Production.

SummaryThe properties of the renal erythropoietic factor (REF)-serum reaction, in which ESF is generated in vitro, are described. The amount of serum substrate converted to ESF in a given time is proportional to the REF concentration, when the serum level is kept relatively high and constant. Reaction rate is also directly dependent on serum concentration. The production of ESF as a function of time of incubation of the REF with serum, conforms to a first-order reaction. The data support the contention that the REF is an enzyme which acts on a substrate present in normal serum to produce the ESF.
Wing Velocity Control System for Testing Body Motion Control Methods for Flapping Wing MAVs

This work is focused on testing the viability of split-cycle constant-period frequency modulation for controlling a flapping wing micro air vehicle. By varying the velocities of the upstroke and downstroke portions of a flapping wings’ motion, non-zero cycle-averaged drag can be generated. This results in the ability to control the roll and horizontal translation of the vehicle by varying the split-cycle parameter. In this paper, a flapping wing prototype is developed for testing the split-cycle technique. A fuselage, wings, motor control electronics, and motor control software are created to allow wireless control of the motion of the flapping wing vehicle. The complete vehicle is then placed on an air table for experimental testing. The air table provides the lift equal to weight condition and constrains the pitch and yaw degrees of freedom while allowing for roll rotation and horizontal translation. In this way, testing of the degrees of freedom which can be manipulated via split-cycle, namely roll and horizontal translation, can be performed. The air table tests reveal that split-cycle can be used to control these two degrees of freedom.
Predictors of How Often and When People Fall in Love

A leading theory of romantic love is that it functions to make one feel committed to one's beloved, as well as to signal this commitment to the beloved (Frank, 1988). Because women tend to be skeptical of men's commitment, this view entails that men may have evolved to fall in love first, in order to show their commitment to women. Using a sample of online participants of a broad range of ages, this study tested this sex difference and several related individual difference hypotheses concerning the ease of falling in love. There was mixed evidence for sex differences: only some measures indicated that men are generally more love-prone than are women. We also found that men were more prone to falling in love if they tended to overestimate women's sexual interest and highly valued physical attractiveness in potential partners. Women were more prone to falling in love if they had a stronger sex drive. These results provide modest support for the existence of sex differences in falling in love, as well as initial evidence for links between several individual difference variables and the propensity to fall in love.
Urinary iodine levels among residents in gongshu district of Hangzhou city

Objective:To understand the status of iodine nutrition among residents over the age of 6 in gongshu district of Hangzhou city.Methods: With stratified cluster random sampling,totally 1087 urine samples from three communities were detected by national standards of urinary iodine.Results: The range of urinary iodine was 7.7 μg/L~2486.8 μg/L and the median of urinary iodine was 164.0 μg/L among the residents.The percentages of the residents with urinary iodine 100 μg/L,100 μg/L~299 μg/L,≥300 μg/L were 22.3%,63.3% and 14.4%.The 6~10 age group has a relatively higher urinary iodine level among all age groups.Conclusion: The iodine nutrition of residents in gongshu district of Hangzhou city is in good condition.
Comparison of 1- Versus 3-Minute Stage Duration During Arm Ergometry in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract Objective To investigate the effect of stage duration on peak physiological response to arm ergometry incremental exercise testing in individuals with spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D) in support of developing a more individualized approach to testing. Design Parallel reliability study. Setting University research laboratory. Participants Individuals with SCI/D (N=38) performed 2 peak oxygen consumption assessments comprised of 1-minute or 3-minute stages on 1 day. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Heart rate and oxygen consumption were recorded continuously from baseline through recovery. Every 1 minute or 3 minutes, resistance increased at an individualized level, and participants continued until volitional fatigue. The highest 30-second average was selected as peak oxygen consumption (Vo 2 peak) and peak heart rate. The highest workload achieved for ≥30 seconds was recorded as peak power output (PO). Results Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were >.95 for the following variables: absolute Vo 2 peak (mean ± SD, 1min: 1.2±0.7, 3min: 1.2±.62L/min; 95% CI, .91–.98), relative Vo 2 peak (mean ± SD, 1min: 16.6±9.4, 3min: 15.8±8.0mL/kg/min; 95% CI, .90–.98), absolute peak PO (mean ± SD, 1min: 61±41, 3min: 66±41W; 95% CI, .92–.98), and relative peak PO (mean ± SD, 1min: .80±56, 3min: .90±.55W/kg; 95% CI, .91–.98). There was no significant difference in peak heart rate between 3 minutes (132±27 beats per minute [bpm]) and 1 minute (130±28 bpm); however, the ICC lower limit was Conclusions For measuring peak physiological values in an incremental arm ergometry test, stage duration is of little consequence because similar values were obtained for the main outcome measures in both protocols.
Neurologic evaluation of the patient with acute bacterial meningitis.

Approximately 15% of adults and children with bacterial meningitis have long-term neurologic complications. Cerebral edema, increased intracranial pressure, vascular thrombosis, and systemic hypotension contribute to the neuropathologic injury by reducing cerebral blood flow. In this article, current concepts concerning the evaluation and treatment of patients with meningitis are discussed from the neurologic perspective.
Integer-to-integer shape adaptive wavelet transform for region of interest image coding

In this paper, we are proposing an integer-to-integer shape adaptive discrete wavelet transform (ISA-DWT) for the region of interest (ROI) coding. ISA-DWT is capable of coding any number of arbitrary shape regions using an integer-to-integer wavelet transform using the lifting scheme. ISA-DWT maintains similar spatial correlation to the actual wavelet transform that allows SPIHT coding. Also, the number of the coefficients in the transform domain using ISA-DWT is equal to the number of pixels contained in the region. The results show that the 5/3 transform has more lossless compression in bit per pixel than other filters.
Synchrophasor Sensor Networks for Grid Communication and Protection

This paper focuses primarily on leveraging synchronized current/voltage amplitudes and phase angle measurements to foster new categories of applications, such as improving the effectiveness of grid protection and minimizing outage duration for distributed grid systems. The motivation for such an application arises from the fact that with the support of communication, synchronized measurements from multiple sites in a grid network can greatly enhance the accuracy and timeliness of identifying the source of instabilities. The paper first provides an overview of synchrophasor networks and then presents techniques for power quality assessment, including fault detection and protection. To achieve this we present a new synchrophasor data partitioning scheme that is based on the formation of a joint space and time observation vector. Since communication is an integral part of synchrophasor networks, the newly adopted wireless standard for machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, known as IEEE 802.11ah, has been investigated. The paper also presents a novel implementation of a hardware in the loop testbed for real-time performance evaluation. The purpose is to illustrate the use of both hardware and software tools to verify the performance of synchrophasor networks under more realistic environments. The testbed is a combination of grid network modeling, and an Emulab-based communication network. The combined grid and communication network is then used to assess power quality for fault detection and location using the IEEE 39-bus and 390-bus systems.
Knotless Transosseous-Equivalent Rotator Cuff Repair Improves Biomechanical Self-reinforcement Without Diminishing Footprint Contact Compared With Medial Knotted Repair

Purpose To assess the effect of medial-row knots on self-reinforcement and footprint contact characteristics for transosseous-equivalent repair compared with the same construct without knots. Methods In 8 fresh-frozen human shoulders, transosseous-equivalent repairs with and without medial-row mattress knots were performed in each specimen. A pressure sensor was fixed at the tendon-footprint interface for all repairs. Parameters measured included footprint contact area, force, and pressure. The supraspinatus tendon was loaded sequentially from 0 to 60 N at 0° and 30° of abduction. Results Both repairs provided a linear progression (slope) of footprint force and pressure as increasing tendon loads were applied. However, the knotless repair had a significantly higher progression ("self-reinforcement" effect) than the knotted repair at both abduction angles ( P = .006 at 0° and P = .021 at 30°). The addition of medial-row knots did not significantly change the footprint contact area (in square millimeters), contact force (in newtons), contact pressure (in kilopascals), or peak pressure (in kilopascals) at each load tested, as well as at both abduction angles. For a given repair, only the knotless repair had significant decreases in contact area, contact force, contact pressure, and peak pressure with increasing abduction angles from 0° to 30° ( P = .004 and P = .048). Conclusions Knotless transosseous-equivalent repair shows an improved self-reinforcement effect, without diminishing footprint contact, compared with the same repair with medial knots. Although knotless repair itself can show diminished footprint contact with abduction, medial knots show an adverse biomechanical effect by inhibiting self-reinforcement, without improving contact characteristics compared with knotless repair at each abduction angle tested. Clinical outcomes with specific indications, on the basis of these findings, require further investigation. Clinical Relevance This study biomechanically helps to validate studies that have shown clinical success with knotless transosseous-equivalent repair. The inhibition of self-reinforcement may provide a quantified biomechanical rationale for medial tear patterns seen with knotted repairs.
Feasibility of hybrid ultrasound-electrical nerve stimulation for electroceuticals

Achieving targeted and efficient neural excitation is one of the major challenges in the design of implantable electroceutical devices. In this study, we explore the potential of using direct-contact ultrasound to localize and enhance the process of electrical current stimulation. The underlying premise of this study is to use ultrasonic pulses to vary the non-linear capacitive element formed by the neural membrane which would result in an ionic charge-pump that would reduce the activation threshold for a subsequent electrical stimulation. We have tested this hypothesis using a phantom experiment where a millimeter-scale ultrasonic crystal was affixed directly to the sciatic nerve of a frog and was driven both by a continuous train and by a 5 ms train of 3 MHz pulses with a monophasic electrical stimulus pulse applied at varying latencies. Compound action potential amplitudes were recorded from the gastrocnemius muscle during dual-mode stimulation, and were compared to baseline amplitudes. The experimental results showed that a downward shift in strength-duration was evident, and that a larger latency between ultrasound and electrical stimulation appeared to produce a larger amplitude with respect to the baseline, while near-simultaneous stimulation showed a suppression of action potential amplitude.
Humanistic Psychology and Metapsychology

The purpose of this paper is to show that both humanistic psychology and traditional psychology have essentially the same problem, namely, that of coming up with a sound metapsychology within which psychology proper can thrive and grow. In my own harsh terms, psychology has not as yet come up with an indigenous adequate paradigm and is still in an essentially preparadigmatic state of development with respect to an authentic paradigm. My motivation for insisting on this state of affairs is not to scold psychology for being so slow—historically I do not believe that it could be otherwise, since all sciences follow the same route, and the other human sciences are in the same boat—but rather to bring to awareness that the problem of the precise meaning of psychology is still before us so that the interests, behavior, and research programs of psychologists can be guided accordingly. In contrast, consider the attitude that the basic paradigmatic problems of psychology are settled and that the main issue before us is simply to collect more data rather than think through new approaches to problems. Some behaviorists, for example, believe the problem to be one of merely applying a completely known and articulated paradigm to successive human problem areas (e.g., education, therapy, linguistic expression, etc.). In opposition to these latter viewpoints, the position of this paper is that the discovery and articulation of the paradigm is part of the problem.
Abstract B39: Small Molecule Disruption of RAD52 Rings as a Mechanism for Precision Medicine in BRCA Deficient Cancers

Suppression of RAD52 causes synthetic lethality in BRCA deficient cells. Yet pharmacological inhibition of RAD52, which binds single-strand DNA (ssDNA) and lacks enzymatic activity, has not been demonstrated. Here, we identify the small molecule 6-hydroxy-dopa (6-OH-dopa) as a major allosteric inhibitor of the RAD52 ssDNA binding domain. For example, we find that multiple small molecules bind to and completely transform RAD52 undecamer rings into dimers, which abolishes the ssDNA binding channel observed in crystal structures. 6-OH-dopa also disrupts RAD52 heptamer and undecamer ring superstructures, and suppresses RAD52 recruitment and recombination activity in cells with negligible effects on other double-strand break repair pathways. Importantly, we show that 6-OH-dopa selectively inhibits the proliferation of BRCA deficient cancer cells, including those obtained from leukemia patients. Taken together, these data demonstrate small molecule disruption of RAD52 rings as a promising mechanism for precision medicine in BRCA deficient cancers. Citation Format: Richard T. Pomerantz. Small Molecule Disruption of RAD52 Rings as a Mechanism for Precision Medicine in BRCA Deficient Cancers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Opportunities and Challenges of Exploiting Synthetic Lethality in Cancer; Jan 4-7, 2017; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2017;16(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B39.
Outcomes of using endovascular aneurysm repair with active fixation in complex aneurysm morphology

Abstract Objective The ideal treatment option for patients with complex aneurysm morphology remains highly debated. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) with active fixation on outcomes in patients with complex aneurysm morphology. Methods There were 340 consecutive patients who underwent EVAR using active fixation devices, 234 with active infrarenal fixation (AIF; Gore Excluder; W. L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, Ariz) and 106 with active suprarenal fixation (ASF; 85 Medtronic Endurant [Medtronic, Santa Rosa, Calif] and 21 Cook Zenith [Cook Medical, Bloomington, Ind]). Demographics, comorbidities, anatomic features, and outcomes were analyzed for patients receiving devices with active fixation. Outcomes of using active fixation in necks with 60-degree infrarenal neck angle (β), >30-mm infrarenal neck diameter, severe aortic neck calcification or thrombus, and nonstraight neck morphology were evaluated. Results Of the 340 patients, 106 (78 men; mean age, 74.5 ± 9.3 years at the time of surgery) received implants with ASF and 234 (191 men; mean age, 74.6 ± 8.9 years at the time of surgery) received implants with AIF. In comparing AIF and ASF devices, patients in the suprarenal fixation group had significantly shorter follow-up time (25 ± 17 months vs 44.3 ± 32 months; P P = NS) and significantly larger infrarenal neck diameters (25.9 ± 6.3 mm vs 23.4 ± 3.2 mm; P P = .002). Outcomes were similar between groups, with no significant differences in reintervention, proximal endoleak, sac growth, abdominal aortic aneurysm-related death, or rupture. Of the complex anatomic neck features investigated, neck diameter >30 mm and nonstraight neck morphology had the highest rates of reintervention in ASF devices. Conclusions In cases of hostile infrarenal neck morphology, ASF appears to be used more frequently. Our data suggest that ASF may be useful for certain patients but may be unfavorable for others, such as those with wide necks or several difficult neck features. Nevertheless, further research is needed to evaluate more optimal treatment options, such as fenestrated EVAR, branched EVAR, and endovascular adjuncts such as EndoAnchors (Aptus Endosystems, Sunnyvale, Calif), in dealing with high-risk anatomic characteristics that may not be optimally managed with standard EVAR devices with active fixation.
Environmental Risks to NICU Outcomes

Environmental exposures have a significant impact on high-risk infant (HRI) outcomes. While prematurity and medical severity are well understood in terms of infant survival, it is critical that clinicians understand and appreciate the impact that biological, psychological, and social risk factors have on an infant’s future functioning. Taking these risk factors into a biopsychosocial framework, the chapter proposes a life course theory perspective of timeline, timing, environment, and equity to explain HRI outcomes. Specifically this chapter explores how exposures such as in utero drug exposure, parental distress and posttraumatic stress, and low socioeconomic status and low caregiver education level negatively impact infant neurodevelopment. An emphasis is placed on the strain that each of these exposures places on the caregiver-infant relationship, which is the foundation for supporting an infant’s development and regulation. In discussing ways to address these environmental risk factors, methods such as breastfeeding, mental health support for NICU parents, and interdisciplinary HRI follow-up clinics are discussed and how each intervention is positioned to uniquely support this caregiver-infant dyad.
A Language Bridge between Peoples and Disciplines

Interlingua is a means of communication among speakers of different native languages. If widely adopted for this purpose, it would have obvious economic advantages.
Overview of Rho GTPase History

It is estimated that approximately 1% of the human genome encodes proteins that either regulate or are regulated by direct interaction with members of the Rho (Ras-homologous) family of small GTPases (Jaffe and Hall 2005). Rho GTPases are low molecular weight proteins (21–28 kDa) that control complex biological processes. The most widely studied and best-characterized members are the three “classical” members, RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42, and much of our current concepts of Rho GTPase function are based on their properties (Aspenstrom et al. 2007; Wennerberg and Der 2004). They act as bi-molecular switches that cycle between two conformational states: GDP-bound (“inactive” state) and GTP-bound (“active” state) and they hydrolyze GTP. In the “active” GTP-bound state, Rho is able to activate downstream effectors. There are 20 human family members (Fig. 1.1) that receive extracellular ligand-stimulated signals from upstream cell surface receptors including tyrosine kinase, cytokine, adhesion, integrin, and G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). They transmit signals to a plethora of cytoplasmic effectors that regulate essentially all aspects of normal cell physiology (Etienne-Manneville and Hall 2002). These include the regulation of cell proliferation and survival, cell polarity and morphogenesis, adhesion, migration, growth, gene transcription, and vesicular trafficking. Moreover, a causal role for the aberrant regulation of Rho GTPases has been found for human disease, including cancer, and in neurological and developmental disorders (Govek et al. 2005; Sahai and Marshall 2002). Rho GTPases are also targeted by pathogenic bacteria to facilitate their infection of human cells (Finlay 2005; Munter et al. 2006). In this chapter, we provide a historical overview of some of the key discoveries that provide the foundation for our current knowledge of Rho GTPase regulation and function, with an emphasis on the importance of deregulated Rho GTPase function in human disease.
A Probability Model for Strategic Bidding on “The Price Is Right”

The TV game show “The Price is Right” features a bidding auction called “Contestants’ Row” that rewards the player (out of 4) who bids closest to an item’s value, without overbidding. This paper co...
Detection and Analysis of Circulating Epithelial Cells in Liquid Biopsies From Patients With Liver Disease.

Epithelial cells in the circulation (circulating epithelial cells, or CECs) are analyzed as a non-invasive method to detect cancers; we investigated whether analysis of hepatocytes in the circulation can identify patients with chronic liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We previously developed a cell-sorting device to isolate CECs from patient blood samples and combined it with an mRNA analysis system to identify CECs with liver-specific markers. We tested the ability of this device to detect CECs of hepatocyte origin in blood samples from healthy individuals (n=10), patients with chronic liver disease without HCC (n=39), and patients with HCC (n=54), using immunofluorescence. We confirmed hepatocyte origin using RNA-sequencing analysis. We found a similar concentration of circulating hepatocytes in blood samples from patients with chronic liver disease and HCC but an increased concentration from patients with advanced fibrosis compared to those without advanced fibrosis. Circulating hepatocytes isolated from patients with HCC had a different gene expression profile than those from patients with chronic liver disease. This system for detecting and analyzing circulating hepatocytes might be used in the evaluation of benign and malignant liver disease.
Design of Powerful DCDC Converters with Nanopower Consumption

Presented are structural and circuit techniques for DCDC converters with consumption below power switch leakage and having efficiency above 80% at load currents from few μA to 100 s of mA. These techniques have been used in industrial ICs of energy harvesting systems, in the wireless sensor network power management, and in IoT electronics. Considered are process selection, transistor sizing for nA currents, biasing, voltage references, active rectifiers, comparators, oscillators, error amplifiers, and inductor current measurement, followed by selection of the DCDC operation mode and IC design examples.
A self-assembling neural network for modeling polymers

A central problem in modeling protein and other polymer structures is the generation of self‐avoiding chains which obey a priori distance restraint information which could include a folding potential function. This problem is usually addressed with a lattice model or a torsion space model of the polymer. Exhaustive searches in these spaces are of necessity exponentially complex. A new computer algorithm for modeling polymers and polymeric systems is described. This algorithm is a randomized algorithm based on a self‐assembling or Kohonen neural network. Given a defined chain topology, a defined spatial extent, and a prior probability distribution, it finds a set of coordinates which reproduce these properties. The convergence rate of the algorithm is linear with respect to the number of distance terms included. Modifications to the standard Kohonen algorithm to include a defined spatial metric, and a modified update rule improve the convergence of the standard algorithm and result in a highly efficient algorithm for building polymer models which are self avoiding and consistent with prior probability information and interatomic distance restraints.
Six months' treatment with lifitegrast in patients with moderate-to-severe symptomatic dry eye: a retrospective chart review.

Purpose To evaluate 6-month treatment benefits with lifitegrast ophthalmic solution 5% in symptomatic dry eye patients. Setting Retrospective chart analysis. Method A retrospective chart review was conducted in 168 patients (111 females and 57 males) who presented with symptoms of chronic dry eye disease and were treated with lifitegrast 5% ophthalmic solution for 6 months. Collected symptom data included improvement of eye dryness, tearing, eye pain, fluctuation in vision, foreign body sensation, itching, grittiness, burning and contact lens intolerance if applicable. Collected clinical signs included changes in superficial punctate keratitis, corneal fluorescein staining, conjunctival hyperemia and presence of tear debris. Results Treatment with lifitegrast ophthalmic solution 5% twice daily for 6 months significantly improved majority of dry eye symptoms reported by patients. Improvements were also observed in corneal and conjunctival staining and tear debris for most of the patients reviewed. Conclusion Treatment with lifitegrast twice a day for 6 months improved both signs and symptoms of chronic dry eye.
Perceptions of Practice: What Art Student Teachers Say They Learn and Need to Know

The student teaching experience is an important component in the professional development of art teachers. Yet, other than anecdotal accounts, little is known about patterns of successes and diffic...
Nanoparticles versus Dendritic Cells as Vehicles to Deliver mRNA Encoding Multiple Epitopes for Immunotherapy

The efficacy of antigen-specific immunotherapy relies heavily on efficient antigen delivery to antigen-presenting cells and engagement of as many disease-relevant T cells as possible in various lymphoid tissues, which are challenging to achieve. Here, we compared two approaches to deliver mRNA encoding multiple epitopes targeting both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells: a lipid-based nanoparticle platform to target endogenous antigen-presenting cells in vivo versus ex vivo mRNA-electroporated dendritic cells. After intraperitoneal injection, the nanoparticle platform facilitated efficient entry of mRNA into various endogenous antigen-presenting cells, including lymph node stromal cells, and elicited robust T cell responses within a wider network of lymphoid tissues compared with dendritic cells. Following intravenous injection, mRNA-electroporated dendritic cells and the nanoparticle platform localized primarily in lung and spleen, respectively. When administered locally via an intradermal route, both platforms resulted in mRNA expression at the injection site and in robust T cell responses in draining lymph nodes. This study indicates that multiple epitopes, customizable for specific patient populations and encoded by mRNA, can be targeted to different lymphoid tissues based on delivery vehicle and route, and constitute the groundwork for future studies using mRNA to reprogram exogenous or endogenous APCs for immunotherapy.
Conclusion and Five Essential Metrics You Need to Know

Medicine is a great profession. But, like any other profession, it is a business, and proper understanding of business principles and practices is necessary to be successful. In this final chapter, we conclude with five essential metrics to insure success of any physician’s practice.
How has the violence against women act affected the response of the criminal justice system to domestic violence

This study uses an interrupted time series design to examine the association between the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) and several different dimensions of the criminal justice system's involvement in violence against women. These include examining the domestic violence incidence rate, and rates of police notification, arrest, and judicial authorities' involvement. Data from the National Crime Victimization Survey from 1992 to 2003 is used. Results suggest that overall the incidence of domestic violence has decreased while police notification and perpetrator arrest have increased over time. Further, victim involvement with judicial authorities significantly increased after enactment of the VAWA. Interpretations and potential explanations of the results are discussed.
TRENDS IN SURGICAL LEFT ATRIAL APPENDAGE CLOSURE IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING VALVULAR HEART SURGERY FROM 2010 TO 2014: RESULTS FROM THE NATIONAL INPATIENT SAMPLE (NIS) DATABASE

Several pro- and retrospective series highlight safety and efficacy of surgical left atrial appendance closure (sLAAC) at the time of valvular and non-valvular heart surgery. The incidence, patient selection and in-hospital outcomes of sLAAC in “real-world” population are unknown. The NIS
Testicular Implant Surgery: Indications and Technique

Placement of a testicular implant may restore cosmesis and improve quality of life after testicular loss. This review will discuss contemporary indications for testicular prosthesis, considerations for patient selection, surgical techniques, and future directions for research. Immediate testicular prosthesis placement at the time of orchiectomy does not appear to compromise outcomes compared with delayed placement. Additionally, patients with a history of scrotal irradiation or chemotherapy appear to have prosthetic outcomes comparable to baseline. Recent quality-of-life studies reinforce the importance of patient counseling pre-operatively and demonstrate positive long-term effects of testicular implants on patient satisfaction and self-image. Active research in the field focuses on improving the prosthetic tactile feel and possibly producing hormonally active implants. Testicular prosthetic placement at the time of orchiectomy is safe and should be offered to patients prior to surgery. Testicular implants produce high patient satisfaction with low complication rates.
O4E.4 Application of probabilistic bias analysis to adjust for exposure misclassification in a cohort of trichlorophenol workers

This method was developed to demonstrate the application of probabilistic bias analysis to quantify and adjust for exposure misclassification in a historical cohort mortality study of New Zealand trichlorophenol workers where exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) was measured as a multi-level variable. Published exposure information available for this cohort of workers was used to specify the initial bias parameter distributions, which were then varied under 18 different scenarios to assess the potential impact of differing amounts of misclassification as well as both non-differential and differential exposure misclassification. For each scenario, each bias parameter distribution was sampled 50 000 times using Monte Carlo simulation techniques to generate adjusted counts of cases and non-cases of ischemic heart disease (IHD) by exposure group. These counts were then used to calculate odds ratios adjusted for exposure misclassification and the associated exposure misclassification error terms. Given the specified assumptions, the geometric mean (GM) adjusted odds ratio had a range of 2.89 to 5.05, and the GM error term ranged from 0.60 to 1.05. In all non-differential scenarios and scenarios in which non-cases had greater proportions of misclassification, the observed odds ratio of 3.05 was closer to the null (i.e., 1) than the GM adjusted odds ratio. For the differential simulations where cases had higher proportions of misclassification, the direction of the error was dependent on the level of misclassification error, with smaller proportions of misclassification resulting in the observed odds ratio being farther away from the null than the GM adjusted odds ratio. These findings demonstrate that probabilistic bias analysis of historical cohort mortality studies can be an effective tool for understanding trends in study error stemming from exposure misclassification and confirm the importance of quantifying potential sources of systematic error.
Chapter 7 – Enzymes

Enzymes are protein or RNA molecules that catalyze biotransformations. How do enzymes work? Enzymes bind substrate molecules and reduce the activation energy of the reaction catalyzed. Some protein enzymes require a nonprotein group for their activity as a cofactor. What is the Michaelis-Menten equation? Why does the Michaelis-Menten equation even work for an enzyme? Enzymatic kinetics is usually modeled after fast equilibrium steps (FES). While FES produces the simplest rate expression, pseudosteady-state hypothesis (PSSH) is more general, which puts reaction networks in direct analogy with electric circuits. The Michaelis-Menten rate expression is an asymptote. Allosteric enzymes have additional active centers, although not to substrate molecules, but to cofactors or effectors. An effector that results in a decrease in the catalytic rate is called an inhibitor. Enzyme inhibition may be competitive or allosteric. What is a substrate push? High substrate and product concentrations may be inhibitory, but could also mean higher activity in some rare occasions. Enzymes require optimal conditions (pH, temperature, ionic strength) for their maximum activity. The effect of pH is similar to that of an effector or that of protein ionization. Enzymes can be used in suspension or in immobilized form. Enzymes can be immobilized by entrapment in a porous matrix or between membranes, or by adsorption onto a solid support surface. Enzyme immobilization provides enzyme reutilization, and may result in increased activity by providing a more suitable microenvironment for the enzyme. Immobilization may also cause enzyme instability, loss of activity, and shift in optimal conditions. Enzymes are widely used in industry and have significant medical applications. Reactor performance for enzymatic reactions can be carried out in the same manner as other chemical reactors. Enzymatic reactions are commonly carried out in batch reactors, while flow reactors can be used when enzymes are immobilized.
Kind words do not become tired words: Undervaluing the positive impact of frequent compliments

Compliments can satisfy others’ need to belong, but expressers may underestimate their positive impact on recipients, creating a barrier to giving them more often. We assess how people expect recip...
First record of native entomopathogenic nematodes from Montana agroecosystems.

A total of 30 different agricultural fields in the Golden Triangle Region of Montana, USA were surveyed, and 150 soil samples were evaluated for the presence of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs). The authors isolated EPNs from 10% of the collected samples. The recovered isolates were identified as Steinernema feltiae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora by using morphological and molecular analysis. Steinernema feltiae was found from two fields, Kalispell (S. feltiae 1) and Choteau (S. feltiae 2). Steinernema feltiae (1 and 2) differed significantly from each other in terms of morphological characters for infective juveniles (distance from anterior end to excretory pore and nerve ring) and 1st generation males (body length, spicule length, gubernaculum length, oesophagus, tail, and anal body diameter). Steinernema feltiae 2 and H. bacteriophora were recovered from the same field in Choteau. All these species were recovered from wheat fields with sandy clay loam and loam soils with 3.3 to 3.4% organic matter content and pH 8. A total of 30 different agricultural fields in the Golden Triangle Region of Montana, USA were surveyed, and 150 soil samples were evaluated for the presence of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs). The authors isolated EPNs from 10% of the collected samples. The recovered isolates were identified as Steinernema feltiae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora by using morphological and molecular analysis. Steinernema feltiae was found from two fields, Kalispell (S. feltiae 1) and Choteau (S. feltiae 2). Steinernema feltiae (1 and 2) differed significantly from each other in terms of morphological characters for infective juveniles (distance from anterior end to excretory pore and nerve ring) and 1st generation males (body length, spicule length, gubernaculum length, oesophagus, tail, and anal body diameter). Steinernema feltiae 2 and H. bacteriophora were recovered from the same field in Choteau. All these species were recovered from wheat fields with sandy clay loam and loam soils with 3.3 to 3.4% organic matter content and pH 8.