cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intra-arterial vasodilator therapy for parainfectious cerebral vasospasm

Cerebrovascular complications of bacterial meningitis may include vasculitis, vasospasm or vasoconstriction, delayed cerebral infarction, venous and arterial thrombosis, intracranial aneurysm formation. The role of invasive endovascular therapies has not been well studied for infectious vasospasm, which can lead to dire neurologic consequences. We present 2 patients who were diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. Brain MRI showed areas of acute ischemia. Neurologic worsening was seen in both patients despite aggressive medical management. Follow-up imaging demonstrated significant narrowing of the intracranial vessels with associated new scattered infarcts. Both patients underwent targeted intra-arterial vasodilator infusion with angiographically improved vessel caliber and distal flow. The neurological exam subsequently stabilized in both cases. Follow-up radiographic images demonstrated no further ischemia in one of the 2 patients. Vasculopathy and vasospasm causing delayed ischemic neurologic deficit is a rare, but severe complication of acute meningitis. It can be a significant predictor of poor prognosis, and the disease may progress despite aggressive medical therapy. Although frequently used in subarachnoid hemorrhage-related vasospasm, to our knowledge, this is the first report of endovascular vasodilator treatment as adjunctive intervention in patients with meningitis associated vasculopathy.
Measuring Information and Communication Technology Literacy using a performance assessment: Validation of the Student Tool for Technology Literacy (ST2L)

Abstract This paper reports the validation scores of the Student Tool for Technology Literacy (ST2L), a performance-based assessment based on the National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS*S) used to measure middle grade students Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Literacy. Middle grade students (N = 5884) from school districts across the state of Florida were recruited for this study. This paper first provides an overview of various methods to measure ICT literacy and related constructs, and provides documented evidence of score reliability and validity. Following sound procedures based on prior research, this paper provides validity and reliability evidence for the ST2L scores using both item response theory and testlet response theory. This paper examines both the internal and external validity of the instrument. The ST2L, with minimal revision, was found to be a sound measure of ICT literacy for low-stakes assessment purposes. A discussion of the results is provided with emphasis on the psychometric properties of the tool and some practical insights on with whom the tool should be used in future research and practice.
RELATIVE REFRACTORINESS AND PATTERNED DISCHARGE OF LOCUST FLIGHT MOTOR NEURONS.

1. The threshold recovery after impulse propagation in locust peripheral motor axons to flight muscles is described. The refractoriness is large enough to have functional significance for at least 10 msec, and may be detected after 50-100 msec. The refractoriness to successive impulses accumulates. 2. Ganglionic and axonal preparations demonstrate frequency division, apparently due to the refractoriness of the motor neuron. Accumulating refractoriness gives rise to non-integral division. Behaviour of the locust preparations is compared to that of an electronic model. 3. Antidromic stimulation during flight shows that refractory oscillation may regulate the interval between the closer spaced pairs of impulses in the motor units during flight, but that the wingbeat cycle must have another cause.
Self-perception: An alternative interpretation of cognitive dissonance phenomena

A theory of self-percepti on is proposed to provide an alternative interpretation for several of the major phenomena embraced by Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance and to explicate some of the secondary patterns of data that have appeared in dissonance experiments. It is suggested that the attitude statements which comprise the major dependent variables in dissonance experiments may be regarded as interpersonal judgments in which the observer and the observed happen to be the same individual and that it is unnecessary to postulate an aversive motivational drive toward consistency to account for the attitude change phenomena observed. Supporting experiments are presented, and metatheoretical contrasts between the "radical" behavioral approach utilized and the phenomenological approach typified by dissonance theory are discussed.
A New Continuous Flow Reactor for Simultaneous Reaction and Separation

The acid catalysed hydrolysis of methylformate has been investigated in a continuous flow annular reactor packed with activated charcoal, and equipped with a rotating feed injection port. Chromatographic separation of the products, formic acid and methanol, effectively suppressed the reverse reaction, causing conversions to be significantly greater than the thermodynamic equilibrium conversions that would have been obtained in the absence of separation. Comparisons of numerically simulated reactor performance with experimental results showed good agreement, although some differences occurred as experimentation proceeded, most probably due to deactivation of the activated charcoal.
Factors Associated With Prolonged Prehospital Delay of African Americans With Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background Delays in seeking treatment for signs and symptoms of acute myocardial infarction are longer for African Americans than for whites. Objective To determine factors associated with prolonged delay and the extent to which perceived racism influences prehospital delay in African Americans with acute myocardial infarction. Methods Sixty-one African Americans with acute myocardial infarction were interviewed within 1 month of hospital admission. Delay times were calculated on the basis of the interviews. Independent t tests and chi(2) tests were used to determine factors associated with prolonged delays. Results Median delay was 4.25 hours and did not differ significantly between women and men (4.42 vs 3.50 hours). Most patients (69%) experienced their initial signs and symptoms at home, often witnessed by family members or friends (70%). Delay was longer for insured patients than for uninsured patients (4.45 vs 0.50 hours). Single, widowed, or divorced patients had longer delay times than did married patients (5.33 vs 2.50 hours), and patients with diabetes delayed longer than did those without diabetes (7.29 vs 3.50 hours). Perceived racism did not differ significantly between patients who delayed seeking treatment and those who did not. Conclusions Median delay times were substantially longer than the recommended time of less than 1 hour, reducing the benefit from reperfusion therapies. Education and counseling of patients and their families should be a major strategy in optimizing patients' outcomes and decreasing the time to definitive treatment.
Tissue Microarrays from Bone Marrow Aspirates for High-Throughput Assessment of Immunohistologic Markers in Pediatric Acute Leukemia

Gene expression profiling studies have been employed to investigate prognostic subgroups in pediatric acute leukemia. Tissue microarrays (TMAs) are useful for high-throughput analysis of protein expression of target genes in acute leukemia samples and for validation of gene microarray analysis. Using cryopreserved samples of pediatric acute leukemia bone marrow aspirates, we constructed TMA from as few as 1 million cells. Bone marrow core biopsies from the same patients were included on the same TMA for comparison. A panel of 15 immunohistochemical markers typically used for diagnosis as well as those targeting recently characterized, prognostically relevant molecules of interest in pediatric acute leukemia was used to evaluate protein expression. Staining results confirm that suspension cells from bone marrow aspirates can be effectively used to derive protein expression data from multiple cases simultaneously with comparable efficacy to that of biopsy tissue. This method allows for new markers of diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic importance to be screened on large numbers of study patients. Furthermore, this technique may facilitate the inclusion of small samples, aspirates, and body fluids in large-scale studies of protein expression in clinical trials and protocols in which tissue biopsies are often unavailable.
Separated-beam nonphase-matched second- harmonic method of characterizing nonlinear optical crystals

We demonstrate a variation of the wedge method of Maker-fringe measurement in which the fundamental beam diameter is large enough to contain several second-harmonic coherence fringes. In the far field the second harmonic forms spatially separated beams from which both Δk’s and deff’s can be deduced on a single laser pulse. Analysis is simple because no fringe analysis is required and because the method is immune to multiple surface reflections, birefringent walk-off, group-velocity walk-off, and surface effects such as longitudinal polarization. Example measurements on KDP and LiIO3 are presented.
Emerging and Re‐emerging Swine Viruses

In the past two decades or so, a number of viruses have emerged in the global swine population. Some, such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), cause economically important diseases in pigs, whereas others such as porcine torque teno virus (TTV), now known as Torque teno sus virus (TTSuV), porcine bocavirus (PBoV) and related novel parvoviruses, porcine kobuvirus, porcine toroviruses (PToV) and porcine lymphotropic herpesviruses (PLHV), are mostly subclinical in swine herds. Although some emerging swine viruses such as swine hepatitis E virus (swine HEV), porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) and porcine sapovirus (porcine SaV) may have a limited clinical implication in swine health, they do pose a potential public health concern in humans due to zoonotic (swine HEV) or potential zoonotic (porcine SaV) and xenozoonotic (PERV, PLHV) risks. Other emerging viruses such as Nipah virus, Bungowannah virus and Menangle virus not only cause diseases in pigs but some also pose important zoonotic threat to humans. This article focuses on emerging and re-emerging swine viruses that have a limited or uncertain clinical and economic impact on pig health. The transmission, epidemiology and pathogenic potential of these viruses are discussed. In addition, the two economically important emerging viruses, PRRSV and PCV2, are also briefly discussed to identify important knowledge gaps.
Sources of the Naturalized Grasses and Herbs in California Grasslands

In the Late Cretaceous and Early Tertiary Periods when the angiosperms were increasing in abundance and diversity, the configuration of what is now California was quite different. There was an absence of high mountains and the Central Valley was an arm of the sea. The land surfaces that now constitute the Coast Ranges were a series of islands. The Sierra Nevada consisted of low hills fronting the sea. Through the action of the tectonic plates, portions of the island chain to the west of what later became revealed as the San Andreas fault system were far to the south of their present situation. The sea covered the present Transverse Ranges but was penetrated by the San Gabriel Mountains (Raven and Axelrod 1978).
Secondary phases in hot-pressed aluminum-boron-carbon-silicon carbide

Silicon carbide hot-pressed with aluminum, boron, and carbon as sintering aids (ABC–SiC), was studied by transmission electron microscopy. Both grain-boundary films and inclusions were prevalent in this material. The present study characterized the inclusions located in triple-junctions, grain boundaries, and the interior of the SiC grains, with emphases on phases not scrutinized before. These inclusions were crystalline, in contrast to the amorphous grain-boundary films. Two dominant types of boron-free triple-junction phases containing Al(Si)-O-C-(S) and Al(Si)-O were identified, where sulfur was an unexpected contaminant, and silicon came from SiO2 or from dissolution of SiC. Boron-containing inclusions with a composition Al-O-B-C were frequently observed inside SiC grains. Although the boron-free aluminum-rich phases wet the grain boundaries completely and are, therefore, effective sintering additives, the boron-containing Al(Si)-O-B-C did not wet the grain boundaries. The structure and chemical composition of these boron-containing intragranular inclusions were determined, and their mechanism of formation is discussed.
Myocardial extraction and retention of 2-iododesmethylimipramine: a novel flow marker

An ideal deposition marker for measuring regional flow is completely extracted during transcapillary passage and permanently retained. beta-Labeled desmethylimipramine ([3H]DMI) is a nearly ideal flow marker. To obtain gamma- and positron-emitting markers, DMI was iodinated to form 2-iododesmethylimipramine (IDMI). IDMI was more lipophilic than DMI. In isolated saline-perfused rabbit hearts its transorgan extraction was greater than 99%; and retention was greater than 98% at 5 min at mean flows of up to 3.5 ml X g-1 X min-1. During washout, the fractional escape rate was less than 0.1% X min-1 and was independent of flow. In isolated blood-perfused rabbit hearts, extraction was still 98%, but retention was as low as 86% after 5 min at a flow of 1.6 ml X g-1 X min-1. The fractional escape rate was up to 2% X min-1 but independent of flow. Despite this relatively rapid loss, regional IDMI deposition remains proportional to regional flow for many minutes. Therefore IDMI is useful as an externally detectable "molecular microsphere" for myocardial flow imaging in vivo.
Privacy-enhancing features of identidroid

As privacy today is a major concern for mobile systems, network anonymizers are widely available on smartphones systems, such as Android. However, in many cases applications are still able to identify the user and the device by means different from the IP address. Our work provides two solutions that address this problem by providing application-level anonymity. The first solution shadows sensitive data that can reveal the user identity. The second solutions dynamically revokes Android application permissions associated with sensitive information at run-time. In addition, both solutions offer protection from applications that identify their users through traces left in the application's data storage or by exchanging identifying data messages. We developed IdentiDroid, a customized Android operating system, to deploy these solutions, and built IdentiDroid Profile Manager, a profile-based configuration tool for setting different configurations for each installed Android application.
Vibrational spectra of ternary sulfides with the Th3P4 structure

Abstract Raman spectra have been measured on powders of a sequence of compounds ARE 2 S 4 (A = Ca, Sr, RE = larger rare earths) with the Th 3 P 4 structure. All nine theoretically allowed Raman modes were observed only in low temperature spectra. Effects of disorder on the cation sub-lattice appear as increased widths in most of the Raman lines. Specular infrared reflectance was measured on a hot-pressed specimen of SrNd 2 S 4 from which a classical oscillator fit gave the transverse and longitudinal optic modes.
Lake Sediments Record Prehistoric Lead Pollution Related to Early Copper Production in North America

The mining and use of copper by prehistoric people on Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula is one of the oldest examples of metalworking. We analyzed the concentration of lead, titanium, magnesium, iron, and organic matter in sediment cores recovered from three lakes located near mine pits to investigate the timing, location, and magnitude of ancient copper mining pollution. Lead concentrations were normalized to lithogenic metals and organic matter to account for processes that can influence natural (or background) lead delivery. Nearly simultaneous lead enrichments occurred at Lake Manganese and Copper Falls Lake ∼8000 and 7000 years before present (yr BP), indicating that copper extraction occurred concurrently in at least two locations on the peninsula. The poor temporal coherence among the lead enrichments from ∼6300 to 5000 yr BP at each lake suggests that the focus of copper mining and annealing shifted through time. In sediment younger than ∼5000 yr BP, lead concentrations remain at background levels at ...
Study of Hydrocarbon Fueled Flame and Rocket Motor Simulator Plume Using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) of a hydrocarbon flame and the rocket motor simulator plume is reported. The flame and plume were seeded with various types of elements. The LIBS signal of the seeded element goes down drastically in the presence of the flame in comparison to the signal obtained from the aerosols of the elements. Similarly the LIBS signal of the trace elements was very weak in the luminous flame and the simulator plume in comparison to the measurement outside it. The intensity of the LIBS signal from the trace elements present in the plume/flame was found to be dependent on the process of seeding, the transition probability and the decay time of the background emission. Ultimately LIBS was found to be more sensitive than atomic emission spectroscopy (AES) in detecting the trace elements in the simulator plume. AES was used to estimate the temperature of the plume by comparing the experimental and simulated emission spectra of OH radicals. This study establishes LIBS as an improved health monitoring system over AES for the plume studied here.
Characterization of alpha-adrenoceptor gene expression in arterial and venous smooth muscle.

Six genes coding for three unique alpha 1- (1A, 1B, 1C) and three unique alpha 2- (2A, 2B, 2C) adrenergic receptor (AR) subtypes have been cloned. Ligand binding and contractile studies have demons...
A novel analytical capacitance model for sub-10 nm interconnects

Quick calculation of capacitance without field solver simulations is desirable to evaluate process assumptions and predict interconnect performance with minimal computation time. At sub-10 nm technology nodes complex interconnect stacks and shrinking dimensions preclude the use of empirical formulae. Here, we extend a physically based quick capacitance model to incorporate sub-10-nm technology elements such as damage layers, multilayer dielectric caps and non-rectangular interconnect cross-sections. The computation time of our model, implemented in standard spreadsheet software is negligible and validation with actual 10-nm node interconnect dimensions shows <1% error to field solver results. Our model also demonstrates good sensitivity to key process parameters. Our results would be useful to enable quick capacitance estimations for technology and process design.
Multimodality therapy of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Conventional treatment with external RT is suboptimal in unresectable NSCL [1]. The survival may be improved by aggressive intraoperative and perioperative interstitial brachy RT [2]. We developed a chemotherapy (CT) program incorporating 5-FU and Cisplatin as radiation sensitizers in combination with Etoposide [3, 4]. Our objective of multimodality was to eradicate the tumor in the chest and micrometastases by a combination of pre and postoperative CT, radical surgical excision and perioperative RT [4]. We report the safety, tolerance, and efficacy of this intensive multimodality treatment administered with a curative intent for patients with stage III.
Mobilizing Science in World War II: Yoshio Nishina

We saw, in chapter 1, how the Japanese physicist was shaped by both social and cultural factors. Indeed, the samurai “spirit” can be considered a cultural resource, a construct, which Japanese used in both peacetime and in war. World War II provides a useful window to how physicists negotiated their multiple identities and sometimes conflicting loyalties. In this chapter, we focus on Yoshio Nishina, who effectively mentored a whole generation of physicists. He is also considered the father of the Japanese atomic bomb. Although Nishina’s lab lacked equipment and materials to pursue the study of the artificial disintegration of the elements, he wrote we cannot help to be tempted to do this sort of experiments, because there are so many problems which are awaiting their solution. It is quite possible that we come too late, but that does not matter, it is the way to their solution which interests us.1
The effect of police paramilitary unit raids on crime at micro-places in Buffalo, New York:

This study examines the deterrent effect of the short-term application of police paramilitary units. The police in Buffalo conducted 39 police paramilitary unit raids during a two-day period in 201...
Differential-motion seismographs

summary A group of nonpendular seismographs actuated by the phase differences at two points in the earth9s crust are analyzed for their transient and their steady-state behavior. The seismographs considered are the Benioff Linear Strain seismograph, the transversely driven rod seismograph suggested by Benioff, terminated rod seismographs of a new type, and a seismograph utilizing optical interference.
Comments on Structure and Estimation for NonGaussian Linear Processes

A great deal of the research in time series analysis has been based on insights derived from the structure of Gaussian stationary processes. Suppose (X n), n = …,-1,0,1,… is a Gaussian stationary sequence with mean zero and spectral distribution function F(λ).
Markov Chains: Introduction

This chapter focuses on the first stochastic process, Markov process { X t }, given the values of X t . The chapter discusses the discrete time Markov chain which is a Markov process whose state space is a finite or countable set, and whose (time) index set is T = (0, 1, 2, …). The transition probability matrices of a Markov chain are reviewed, and some Markov chain models like an inventory model, and the Ehrenfest urn model are discussed. The chapter discusses Markov Chains in genetics and a discrete queuing Markov chain, first step analysis, and reviews some special Markov Chains like the two state Markov chain, Markov chains associated with iid random variables, one-dimensional random walks and success runs, functionals of random walks and success runs like —the general random walk, cash management and the success runs markov chain. Another look at first step analysis is presented in the chapter. The Markov chain models and some special Markov chains explains the stochastic model more precisely.
Visible-Light-Promoted C–S Cross-Coupling via Intermolecular Charge Transfer

Disclosed is a mild, scalable, visible-light-promoted cross-coupling reaction between thiols and aryl halides for the construction of C–S bonds in the absence of both transition metal and photoredox catalysts. The scope of aryl halides and thiol partners includes over 60 examples and therefore provides an entry point into various aryl thioether building blocks of pharmaceutical interest. Furthermore, to demonstrate its utility, this C–S coupling protocol was applied in drug synthesis and late-stage modifications of active pharmaceutical ingredients. UV–vis spectroscopy and time-dependent density functional theory calculations suggest that visible-light-promoted intermolecular charge transfer within the thiolate–aryl halide electron donor–acceptor complex permits the reactivity in the absence of catalyst.
Uncertainty quantification for complex systems with very high dimensional response using Grassmann manifold variations

Abstract This paper addresses uncertainty quantification (UQ) for problems where scalar (or low-dimensional vector) response quantities are insufficient and, instead, full-field (very high-dimensional) responses are of interest. To do so, an adaptive stochastic simulation-based methodology is introduced that refines the probability space based on Grassmann manifold variations. The proposed method has a multi-element character discretizing the probability space into simplex elements using a Delaunay triangulation. For every simplex, the high-dimensional solutions corresponding to its vertices (sample points) are projected onto the Grassmann manifold. The pairwise distances between these points are calculated using appropriately defined metrics and the elements with large total distance are sub-sampled and refined. As a result, regions of the probability space that produce significant changes in the full-field solution are accurately resolved. An added benefit is that an approximation of the solution within each element can be obtained by interpolation on the Grassmann manifold. The method is applied to study the probability of shear band formation in a bulk metallic glass using the shear transformation zone theory.
Towards minimum delay broadcasting and multicasting in multihop wireless networks

End-to-end delay is defined as the total time it takes for a single packet to reach the destination. End-to-end delay, along with end-to-end throughput, is a determinant factor of the user-experienced data transmission time. It is an important QoS metric for both unicast and multicast applications. In this paper, we focus on the delay performance of multicast and broadcast applications. In multihop wireless networks, end-to-end delay is a result of many factors including the length of a route (in hops) and the interference level of the links along the route. In fact, the sum of interference of links along a route is a good indicator of end-to-end delay. We propose a linear programming based routing scheme to achieve the minimum overall path interference. Through simulation, we show that the proposed routing scheme is better than the well-known shortest path tree based multicasting such as MOSPF.
Blistering of the odontoid process by meningioma

The occurrence of blistering (bulging of the bony cortex), previously found only with meningioma of the planum sphenoidale, is reported here affecting the odontoid process in association with a meningioma at C1-C2, anterior to the neuraxis.
Situated Trust in a Physician: Patient Health Characteristics and Trust in Physician Confidentiality

ABSTRACTMost patients trust their physicians uniformly across several situations, which challenges prevailing perspectives on interpersonal trust that view it as situated (placed upon a specific pe...
A Periplasmic Antimicrobial Peptide-Binding Protein Is Required for Stress Survival in Vibrio cholerae

Vibrio cholerae must sense and respond appropriately to stresses encountered in the aquatic environment and the human host. One stress encountered in both environments is exposure to antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), produced as a part of the innate immune response by all multicellular organisms. Previous transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that expression of SipA (VCA0732), a hypothetical protein, was highly induced by AMP exposure and was dependent on a specific uncharacterized two-component system. In order to better understand role of this protein in stress relief, we examined whether it shared any of the phenotypes reported for its homologs. SipA is required for survival in the presence of two other stressors, cadmium chloride and hydrogen peroxide, and it localizes to the bacterial periplasm, similar to its homologs. We also found that SipA physically interacts with OmpA. Importantly, we found that SipA binds AMPs in the bacterial periplasm. This suggests a model where SipA may act as a molecular chaperone, binding AMPs that enter the periplasm and delivering them to OmpA for removal from the cell. While El Tor V. cholerae strains lacking SipA do not show a survival defect in the presence of AMPs, we found that Classical sipA mutants are less able to survive in the presence of AMPs. This phenotype is likely masked in the El Tor background due to a functional lipid A modification system that increases AMP resistance in these strains. In summary, we have identified a protein that contributes to a novel mechanism of stress relief in V. cholerae.
18.7 A 0.7V, 2.35% 3σ-Accuracy Bandgap Reference in 12nm CMOS

Bandgap reference (BGR) circuits are widely used due to their stable output voltage over process, supply voltage and temperature variations. Reference voltage stability is critical for data-acquisition applications and lower supply voltages can reduce the power of mixed-signal systems. However BGR for analog circuits is one of the bottlenecks for sub-1V supply operation because BGR supply voltage is limited by V EB +V DS [1]. V EB refers to the emitter-base voltage of a pnp transistor which is limited to ~0.6 to 0.7V due to silicon junction cut-in voltage, while V DS is the drain-source saturation voltage of a current-mirror. The BGR temperature dependence is decided by the weighted sum of proportional-to-absolute-temperature(PTAT) and complementary-to-absolute-temperature (CTAT) terms. An alternative PTAT generator can be implemented by dV GS (gate-to-source voltage difference) of a MOS pair in subthreshold [2]. The CTAT generator can be implemented by special devices or using the gate-source voltage V GS of subthreshold MOSFETs. Although the V GS of a subthreshold MOSFET is smaller than emitter-base voltage of a pnp transistor, the MOSFET model inaccuracy in the subthreshold region and high process-dependent characteristic of MOSFET gate-source voltage induces high variation for voltage reference circuits.
Gene silencing: Methylation meets acetylation

Females have two copies of the X chromosome, yet the genes on only one copy are active. Genes on the other copy are turned off by cytosine methylation. For the first time, a link has been found between this methylation process and acetylation of histones —the protein balls around which the DNA in chromosomes is wrapped. A protein called MeCP2, which binds only to methylated DNA sequences, exists in a complex with histone deacetylase, which removes acetyl groups from the histones, causing them to condense and become transcriptionally inactive.
High-Contrast Material Identification by Energetic Multiparticle Spectroscopic Transmission Radiography

Radiography is a powerful imaging technique that has found widespread use in medicine, security, and inspection of industrial processes. The technique is typically performed using either neutrons or photons, but neither of these probes is universally applicable. The authors experimentally realize a significant improvement in the contrast for small elemental variations in an object's composition, by using both neutrons and photons simultaneously in transmission radiography. They present a multiparticle spectroscopic transmission radiography (MPSTR) technique that merges the information obtained from fast-neutron and photon probes produced by deuteron-based nuclear reactions.
Evaluation of Heterotopic Ossification After Using Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 in Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion: A Computed Tomography Review of 996 Disc Levels.

Study Design:Retrospective cohort study.Objectives:Reported incidences and complications of heterotopic ossification (HO) after using recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein–2 (rhBMP-2) in tra...
A molecular biology tool kit for the phototrophic firmicute Heliobacterium modesticaldum

The heliobacteria are members of the bacterial order Clostridiales and form the only group of phototrophs in the phylum Firmicutes Several physiological and metabolic characteristics make them an interesting subject of investigation, including their minimalist photosynthetic system, nitrogen fixation abilities, and ability to reduce toxic metals. While the species Heliobacterium modesticaldum is an excellent candidate as a model system for the family Heliobacteriaceae, since an annotated genome and transcriptomes are available, studies in this organism have been hampered by the lack of genetic tools. We adapted techniques for genetic manipulation of related clostridial species for use with H. modesticaldum Five heliobacterial DNA methyltransferase genes were expressed in an Escherichia coli strain engineered as a conjugative plasmid donor for broad-host-range plasmids. Premethylation of the shuttle vectors before conjugation into H. modesticaldum is absolutely required for production of transconjugant colonies. The introduced shuttle vectors are maintained stably and can be recovered using a modified minipreparation procedure developed to inhibit endogenous DNase activity. Furthermore, we describe the formulation of various growth media, including a defined medium for metabolic studies and isolation of auxotrophic mutants.IMPORTANCE Heliobacteria are anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria with the simplest known photosynthetic apparatus. They are unique in using bacteriochlorophyll g as their main pigment and lacking a peripheral antenna system. Until now, research on this organism has been hampered by the lack of a genetic transformation system. Without such a system, gene knockouts, site-directed mutations, and gene expression studies cannot be performed to help us further understand or manipulate the organism. Here we report the genetic transformation of a heliobacterium, which should enable future genetic studies in this unique phototrophic organism.
Negligence and Government Immunity in High School Softball

This case examines how a high school athlete sought to recover damages from her local board of education for negligence that resulted in the student suffering injury in a school locker room.
Retinal Nonperfusion in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy Before and After Panretinal Photocoagulation Assessed by Widefield OCT Angiography

Purpose Widefield swept source optical coherence tomography angiography (WF SS-OCTA) imaging was compared with ultra-widefield (UWF) fluorescein angiography (FA) imaging to better understand changes in retinal nonperfusion before and after panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) in treatment-naive eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Design Prospective, observational, consecutive case series. Methods Participants with treatment-naive PDR were imaged using the SS-OCTA 12- × 12-mm scan pattern at baseline and at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after PRP. UWF FA was obtained at baseline and 3 months after PRP. Selected eyes were imaged using 5 SS-OCTA 12- × 12-mm scans to create a posterior pole montage, and 5 eyes also underwent SS-OCTA imaging at 6 months and 1 year. Areas of retinal nonperfusion (RNP) were drawn independently by 2 masked graders, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were used to compare areas of RNP over time. Main outcome measurements consisted of areas and boundaries of RNP visualized using WF SS-OCTA and UWF FA. Results From January 2018 through January 2019, WF SS-OCTA was performed on 20 eyes with treatment-naive PDR from 15 patients. Areas of RNP identified on UWF FA images co-localized with RNP areas visualized on WF SS-OCTA images. There were no statistically significant changes in RNP area on WF SS-OCTA images through 3 months after PRP. Even eyes that were severely ischemic at baseline had no significant changes in RNP area 1 year after PRP. Conclusions RNP in PDR can be identified at baseline and imaged serially after PRP using WF SS-OCTA. Retinal perfusion in PDR does not change significantly after PRP. The ability of WF SS-OCTA to longitudinally evaluate RNP areas provides additional justification for adopting WF SS-OCTA as the sole imaging modality for clinical management of PDR.
A Roadmap for Potassium Buffering/Dispersion Via the Glial Network of the CNS.

Glia use multiple mechanisms to mediate potassium fluxes that support neuronal function. In addition to changes in potassium levels within synapses, these ions are dynamically dispersed through the interstitial parenchyma, perivascular spaces, leptomeninges, cerebrospinal fluid, choroid plexus, blood, vitreous, and endolymph. Neural circuits drive diversity in the glia that buffer potassium and this is reciprocal. Glia mediate buffering of potassium locally at glial-neuronal interfaces and via widespread networked connections. Control of potassium levels in the central nervous system is mediated by mechanisms operating at various loci with complexity that is difficult to model. However, major components of networked glial buffering are known. The role that potassium buffering plays in homeostasis of the CNS underlies some pathologic phenomena. An overview of potassium fluxes in the CNS is relevant for understanding consequences of pathogenic sequence variants in genes that encode potassium buffering proteins. Potassium flows in the CNS are described as follows: K1, the coordinated potassium fluxes within the astrocytic cradle around the synapse; K2, temporary storage of potassium within astrocytic processes in proposed microdomains; K3, potassium fluxes between oligodendrocytes and astrocytes; K4, potassium fluxes between astrocytes; K5, astrocytic potassium flux mediation of neurovasular coupling; K6, CSF delivery of potassium to perivascular spaces with dispersion to interstitial fluid between astrocytic endfeet; K7, astrocytic delivery of potassium to CSF and K8, choroid plexus (modified glia) regulation of potassium at the blood-CSF barrier. Components, mainly potassium channels, transporters, connexins and modulators, and the pathogenic sequence variants of their genes with the associated diseases are described.
Season, sowing date, and row cover influences the production of cool season vegetables in movable high tunnels

Moveable high tunnels offer the possibility of increasing the number of crops harvested from a given piece of ground in northern latitudes where there is a short growing season. In an effort to exp...
Quantification of fractional and absolute functionalization of gelatin hydrogels by optimized ninhydrin assay and 1 H NMR

3D cell culture in protein-based hydrogels often begins with chemical functionalization of proteins with cross-linking agents such as methacryloyl or norbornene. An important and variable characteristic of these materials is the degree of functionalization (DoF), which controls the reactivity of the protein for cross-linking and therefore impacts the mechanical properties and stability of the hydrogel. Although 1H NMR has emerged as the most accurate technique for quantifying absolute DoF of chemically modified proteins, colorimetric techniques still dominate in actual use and may be more useful for quantifying fractional or percent DoF. In this work, we sought to develop an optimized colorimetric assay for DoF of common gelatin-based biomaterials and validate it versus NMR; along the way, we developed a set of best practices for both methods and considerations for their most appropriate use. First, the amine-reactive ninhydrin assay was optimized in terms of solvent properties, temperature, ninhydrin concentration, and range of gelatin standards. The optimized assay produced a linear response to protein concentration in a convenient, 96-well plate format and yielded a fractional DoF similar to NMR in most cases. In comparing with NMR, we identified that DoF can be expressed as fractional or absolute, and that fractional DoF can be inaccurate if the amino acid content of the parent protein is not properly accounted for. In summary, the fractional DoF of methacryloyl- and norbornene-functionalized gelatins was quantified by an optimized colorimetric ninhydrin assay and orthogonally by 1H NMR. These methods will be valuable for quality control analysis of protein-based hydrogels and 3D cell culture biomaterials. Graphical abstract.
Child Health and Telehealth in Global, Underresourced Settings

Telehealth has improved delivery of health care worldwide by improving access to and the quality of health care and by improving the global shortage of health professionals through collaboration and training. Although many telehealth efforts have been reported in adult health care settings, it is important to examine telehealth efforts in the pediatric setting. Children who are most commonly ill and malnourished are often those of underserved populations of the developing world. This article examines current uses of pediatric telehealth in a global setting and discusses key approaches to how telehealth may become successfully integrated and scaled in those settings.
Under what management and policy scenarios can alley cropping be a competitive alternative in the United States Southeast

Despite statements that it can mitigate financial risk through farm diversification, alley cropping in the United States Southeast has not been comprehensively modeled to estimate potential financial returns and risks. We used a Monte Carlo method to model stochastic financial returns to monocropping agriculture, loblolly pine plantation, and loblolly pine alley cropping in North Carolina, USA, plotting the results from 25,000 iterations to understand financial risk. Under certain scenarios and assumptions, alley cropping did have financial returns comparable to, or potentially higher than, monocropping agriculture, but did not lower overall risk, as measured by the spread of the distribution of financial returns. Pine plantations, on the other hand, did have lower risk than both alley cropping and monocropping. Alley cropping with wider 24.4-m alleys performed better than narrow 12.2-m alleys. Allowing the producer to choose a timber rotation length that optimizes financial returns generated the best financial returns for alley cropping, but this assumes perfect knowledge of the manager and is unrealistic. Current policy programs of government payments for commodity crops and cost-share for tree planting, tend to favor monocropping over alley cropping or pine plantation. A hypothetical system of payments for carbon sequestration does increase pine plantation and alley cropping financial returns, but not to the extent that commodity crop programs currently increase monocropping financial returns, and does not reduce risk significantly. Overall, on average agricultural land in North Carolina, alley cropping may be of value to certain producers, but we find those possibilities to be somewhat limited.
How American Virtue Lost Its Identity: 1765-1980.

Moral philosophy in early American collegiate education founded its understanding and pursuit of virtue on the theological truth that humans are made in God’s image. Therefore, to fulfill our purpo...
Problems in Formulating Therapeutic Trials

This volume focuses on clinical trials intended to prevent the acute evolution of a brain infarct, and does not concern itself with prevention of stroke in an asymptomatic population or prevention of stroke recurrence. Although many clinical trials share common problems with design, in hyperacute stroke studies, special problems arise with accessing cases of acute stroke, obtaining patient consent, identifying the form of stroke for study, and determining whether the natural history has been altered by the therapy.
Toxic effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in overdose. An overview of recent evidence on clinical effects and dose-response relationships.

Nonsalicylate, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be divided into 4 chemical classes: acetic acids, fenamic acids, oxicams and propionic acids. Most NSAID overdoses result in a benign outcome. Of 50 614 exposures reported to poison centres in the United States in a 2-year period, 131 (0.26%) had a major outcome, with 10 deaths. Despite the generally mild effects reported in large patient series, isolated case reports have documented serious toxicity, such as seizures, hypotension, apnoea, coma and renal failure. The majority of these consequences occur after ingestion of substantial quantities by adults attempting suicide. Rarely, with ibuprofen and piroxicam, children who ingest small amounts in accidental exposure develop serious toxicity.
Introducing Jeri Wieringa: On Data, Religion, and Digital Humanities

Despite the rising popularity of digital scholarship in the humanities, there still exists a great deal of tension between this new scholarship and more traditional methods. Primarily the concern lies in how to measure the work done between the two, with many seeing the former as less taxing than traditional methods and requiring additional work out of those pursuing digital scholarship. In a recent meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR), Jeri E. Wieringa spoke on a panel that showcased the digital work in the humanities so as to highlight the need for academia to better incorporate digital scholarship. Her talk, discussed prominently in this paper, highlighted her doctoral work and clearly expressed the similarities between traditional and digital methods of scholarly research.
Measuring the spatiotemporal evolution of accident hot spots

Abstract One reality of transportation systems is that vehicular accidents can happen practically anywhere and at any time. An increasing body of research suggests though that spatial and/or temporal dependencies (i.e., clusters or hot spots) among accidents likely exist. Along with understanding where and when such spatiotemporal dependencies may occur, another important facet to consider is the geographic extent or area associated with the hot spots. For example, an accident hot spot may involve a small, isolated portion of the transportation system or a much more expansive geographic area. Better delineation and quantification of the morphological characteristics of accident hotspots can provide valuable decision support for planning for accident hot spot mitigation and prevention. As the size and shape of accident hot spots may evolve over time, the capability to track such dynamics is vital, especially with respect to the identification of processes effecting hot spot occurrence as well as assessments of the efficacy of efforts to mitigate factors underlying hot spot development. To this end, a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) based framework is outlined to facilitate the analysis of the morphological characteristics of hot spots over time. The analysis framework is applied to a case study of vehicular accidents reported over a two-year period to demonstrate its practical utility. The application results indicate that patterns of change in hot spot morphology can be effectively quantified and a variety of informative spatial and temporal patterns can be detected.
Teaching Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Heritage Language Students: Curriculum Needs, Materials, and Assessment

Teaching Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Heritage Language Students: Curriculum Needs, Materials, and Assessment, edited by Kimi Kondo-Brown and James Dean Brown, is a collection of empirical research on Japanese, Korean, and Chinese heritage language (HL) education. To contextualize the research, the editors define HL learners as individuals “who have acquired their cultural and linguistic competence in a nondominant language primarily through contact at home with foreign-born parents and/or other family members” (p. 3). The book covers important and timely issues, such as the two-track system of heritage and non-heritage language (NHL) learners, the assessment of HL proficiency, and the intricacies of HL curriculum design, currently under contemplation in the field of HL education. The wide array of articles collected in this publication will interest researchers, policy makers, curriculum writers, teacher educators, and teacher trainees at all levels. Prior publications on HL education have been predominately based on Spanish as an HL and do not directly address matters that are unique to East Asian HL education. This volume provides HL educators of Japanese, Korean, and Chinese a much-needed resource that speaks to their unique experience and needs.
Child work : an expository framework of altruistic and non-altruistic models

In this paper the authors present, and confront two approaches to modeling child labor. The first assume that parents are altruistic towards their offspring, while the second sees children as an asset to parents, especially in terms of old age security. The paper also extends the analysis to consider fertility as endogenous and jointly determined together with children's activities. The paper uses a simple basic model that try to frame the main effects discussed in the literature, while providing some novel results in terms of the consequences of treating fertility as endogenous and of the effects of uncertainty in expected old age transfers from children.