cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vitro delivery of calcium ions by nanogated mesoporous silica nanoparticles to induce cancer cellular apoptosis

A pH-operated nanogate on mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) capable of simultaneous dual-cargo delivery of both metal ions and organic cargo molecules was used to deliver both Hoechst 33342 nuclear stain and calcium ions to MiaPaCa-2 cancer cells. Delivery of calcium to the cell cytoplasm to induce cellular death is an attractive alternative to using traditional, more hazardous chemotherapy drugs. Treatment of cancer cells with Hoechst-loaded, calcium-latched nanogate-modified MSNs resulted in the autonomous release of both cargo types, as visualized by cell nuclei staining and calcium-induced apoptosis. Apoptosis was confirmed by observation of nuclear fragmentation, chromatin condensation, and western blotting for cleaved caspase-3.
Comparison of mechanical compressive properties of commercial and autologous fibrin glues for tissue engineering applications.

Abstract Background Fibrin glues are widely used in orthopedic surgery as adhesives and hemostatic agents. We evaluated the compressive properties of selected fibrin glues in order to identify which are appropriate for tissue regeneration applications subject to compression. Methods Uniaxial unconfined compression tests were performed on fibrin gels prepared from commercial and autologous products: (1) Evicel (Ethicon), (2) Tisseel (Baxter), (3) Angel (Arthrex), and (4) ProPlaz (Biorich). Cyclic loads were applied from 0 to 30% strain for 100 cycles at 0.5 Hz. Following cyclic testing, specimens were subjected to ramp displacement of 1% strain per second to 80% strain. Findings Throughout cyclic loading, Evicel and Tisseel deformed (shortened) less than Angel at all but one time point, and deformed less than ProPlaz at cycles 10 and 20. The dynamic moduli, peak stress, and strain energy were significantly greater in Tisseel than all other groups. Evicel displayed significantly greater dynamic moduli, peak stress, and strain energy than Angel and ProPlaz. Following cyclic testing, Tisseel and Evicel were significantly less deformed than Angel. No specimens exhibited gross failure during ramp loading to 80% strain. Ramp loading trends mirrored those of cyclic loading. Interpretation The tested commercial glues were significantly more resistant to compression than the autologous products. The compressive properties of Tisseel were approximately twice those of Evicel. All preparations displayed moduli multiple orders of magnitude less than that of native articular cartilage. We conclude that in knee surgeries requiring fibrin glue to undergo compression of daily activity, commercial products are preferable to autologous preparations from platelet-poor plasma, though both will deform significantly.
The Clitoris: Anatomical and Psychological Issues

ABSTRACTThe anatomy of the clitoris is much larger than commonly believed. Besides the small tip of the clitoris known as the glans, which protrudes in the external genitalia, the crura (or legs) of the clitoris extend 9 cm inside the body, with erectile tissue adjacent to the vagina and urethra. This finding has significance for theories of female sexual responsiveness, including the differentiation of clitoral and vaginal orgasms. It also offers guidelines for preserving erotic response during pelvic surgery in women. The facts of clitoral anatomy, clarified with modern scanning procedures by surgeon Helen O’Connell and colleagues (2005), have been repeatedly discovered, forgotten, and rediscovered, at least since 1844, when the German anatomist Kobelt made accurate drawings. Psychological reasons for why the true anatomy of the clitoris has so often been repressed or misrepresented by anatomists, psychologists, and other scientists are proposed. That most anatomists have historically been men may have ...
Delayed Hypoxemia after Traumatic Brain Injury Exacerbates Long-Term Behavioral Deficits.

Abstract Hypoxemia during initial stabilization of patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been associated with poorer outcomes. However, the effects of delayed hypoxemia occurring during intensive care post-TBI on outcome is unclear. Pre-clinical models of TBI have rarely shown cognitive or behavioral deficits beyond 6 weeks post-injury and commonly have not included modeling of secondary insults. We have previously developed a murine model of TBI followed by delayed hypoxemia to model the secondary insult of hypoxemia and brain hypoxia occurring in the intensive care setting. Understanding long-term effects of delayed hypoxemia post-TBI in our murine model is critical for future testing of candidate therapeutics targeting secondary brain hypoxia. For this study, forty 5-week-old male mice were randomized to controlled cortical impact (CCI; N = 24) or sham surgery (N = 16). One day later, awake animals were randomized to 60 min of hypoxemia or normoxemia. Six months after initial injury, an...
Hospital Management of Severe Hypertriglyceridemia in Children.

Background Severe Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG), i.e., plasma triglyceride levels exceeding 1000 mg/dL, is one of the established causes of acute pancreatitis and severe abdominal pain. There are no established pediatric guidelines regarding treatment of children and adolescents with severe HTG. Objective To review the pathophysiology and etiology of severe HTG in the pediatric age group, and to discuss management options. Method and results Severe HTG is usually due to deficient or absent Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL) activity, which can be due to primary genetic etiology or secondary causes triggering HTG in those with underlying genetic susceptibility. Hospitalization is indicated for patients with severe HTG who are symptomatic with abdominal pain or pancreatitis, in those with uncontrolled diabetes requiring insulin, or, in those with substantial elevations of plasma TG. Fasting followed by fat free diet until plasma TG declines to 1800 mg/dL. Medications only have an adjunct role in the management. Low fat diet, lifestyle changes, weight loss, control of secondary causes, and patient education form the mainstay of management once the patient is discharged.
Open Geospatial Consortium standards

The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) is an international voluntary consensus standards organization founded in 1994. In the OGC, hundreds of commercial, governmental, nonprofit, and research organizations worldwide collaborate in an open consensus process to develop and promote the implementation of open standards for geospatial content and services, geographic information system (GIS) data processing, and GIS data sharing. OGC standards support interoperable solutions that “geo-enable” apps on mobile devices, location-based services, the Internet of Things, and mainstream web applications. OGC standards empower technology developers to make geospatial information and services accessible and useful with any application that needs to be geospatially enabled. Keywords: data sets; geocomputation; geographic technologies; georeferencing; geospatial; GIScience; GIServices; sensors
The Keystone Dune Site: A Bølling-Allerød Hunting Camp in Eastern Beringia

ABSTRACTThe Keystone Dune site, in central Alaska, contains a well-preserved archaeological occupation that dates to 13,430–13,230 cal yr BP. Archaeological excavations resulted in the recovery of ...
Immunological Methods for the Detection of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-DNA and Protein Adducts

Sensitive immunological methods are now available for the detection and quantitation of carcinogen-DNA and protein adducts. Both monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies have been developed against DNA modified by benzo(a)pyrene diol epoxide-I (BPDE-I). These antisera recognize a number of structurally related diol epoxide-DNA adducts, and have been utilized in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) to determine adduct levels in DNA isolated from humans with several different environmental and occupational exposures to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Populations studied include cigarette smokers, foundry workers, coke oven workers, and coal tar treated psoriasis patients. Since these populations are exposed to complex mixtures of PAHs, multiple adducts will be formed and determined by the ELISA. In addition, the antibodies can be used in immunohistochemical studies to investigate localization of adducts to specific cell and tissue types.
Abstract 13722: Dual Roles of cAMP In Cardiac Myocyte Apoptosis Induced by Beta-Adrenergic Agonists

β-Adrenergic (β-AR) overstimulation causes cardiomyocyte death contributing to heart disease development. Protein kinase A (PKA), exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (EPAC) and Ca2+/calmodu...
Self-Help Practice Exercises for Individual Lifelong Learning

The purpose of this practice exercises is to help you understand your character better You will be asked to complete in writing practice exercises containing a great many questions about the many parts that make up your character. Participation in working on this practice exercises is completely voluntary, and working on these practice exercises will be completely up to you. It is completely up to you whether you want to learn more about yourself and whether you want professionals interested in you to learn more about you. If you complete this practice exercise, it means that you do want to learn more about yourself and that you are interested in improving your condition.
Risks of opioid abuse among uninsured primary care patients utilizing a free clinic.

The annual number of opioid prescriptions for pain relief has been increasing in the United States. This increase has raised concerns about prescription opioid abuse and overdose. The purpose of th...
Can Entrepreneurial Initiative Blunt the Economic Inequality–Growth Curse? Evidence From 92 Countries:

Despite the growing interest in understanding the effects of income inequality on economic growth, the influence of entrepreneurship-related institutional constraints on the inequality–growth assoc...
Enhanced Fluorescent Protein Activity in Polymer Scaffold-Stabilized Phospholipid Nanoshells Using Neutral Redox Initiator Polymerization Conditions.

Phospholipid nanoshells, for example, liposomes, provide a versatile enabling platform for the development of nanometer-sized biosensors and molecular delivery systems. Utilization of phospholipid nanoshells is limited by the inherent instability in complex biological environments, where the phospholipid nanoshell may disassemble and degrade, thus releasing the contents and destroying sensor function. Polymer scaffold stabilization (PSS), wherein the phospholipid nanoshells are prepared by partitioning reactive monomers into the lipid bilayer lamella followed by radical polymerization, has emerged to increase phospholipid nanoshell stability. In this work, we investigated the effects of three different radical initiator conditions to fabricate stable PSS-phospholipid nanoshells yet retain the activity of encapsulated model fluorescent sensor proteins. To identify nondestructive initiation conditions, UV photoinitiation, neutral redox initiation, and thermal initiation were investigated as a function of PS...
Core Size Conversion of Au329(SCH2CH2Ph)84 to Au279(SPh-tBu)84 Nanomolecules

We report the core size conversion of Au329(SCH2CH2Ph)84 to Au279(SPh-tBu)84 plasmonic nanomolecules. The mass spectrometric studies have revealed an unprecedented reaction pathway for the Au329 to Au279 core size conversion reaction via three steps. First, ligand exchange with 4-tert-butylbenzenethiolate occurs, followed by simultaneous progression of ligand exchange and core-size conversion with the loss of one Au atom after another and finally reaching completion with full ligand exchange on Au279. Typically, when a core size conversion occurs in molecule-like nanomolecules, different sizes have different electronic and structural properties; in this case, both the reactant and the product possess plasmonic behavior and bulk-like face-centered cubic structures. Also, this is the first report to study the core size transformation involving a difference of 50 metal atoms but identical 84 ligand count.
4-Probe Micropatterning and Electrical Measurements Across Individual Grain Boundaries in Electroceramics

A novel approach combining conventional contact- and projection-lithography techniques has been devised to implement microelectrodes, down to submicron size, across isolated site-specific features as small as 2–3 micron. For both ex-situ and in-situ electrical characterization, such features of interest are isolated interfaces and grain boundaries in electroceramics and multilayer devices, including those in as-prepared TEM specimen. The procedure has been discussed for implementing 4-probe microelectrodes across several individual isolated grain boundaries of a commercial ZnO varistor containing 2–10 micron size grains. In addition, we discuss the results from dc 4-probe I-V and ac 2-probe impedance measurements across individual grain boundaries, and dc 2-probe I-V and ac 2-probe impedance measurements from grain interiors isolating these grain boundaries. Over and above the generally observed properties of isolated grain boundaries, the measurements reveal (1) inhomogeneity and applied-bias-polarity dependent asymmetry in the nonlinear I-V characteristics of grain boundaries, (2) possible presence of non-ohmic electrode-ceramic contact resistance in 2-probe measurements, and (3) a gradual process of irreversible degradation of the nonlinear I-V behavior with respect to thermal runaways upon application of a dc bias across isolated grain boundaries.
Evaluation of the ovine callipyge locus: II. Genotypic effects on growth, slaughter, and carcass traits.

A resource flock of 362 F2 lambs provided phenotypic and genotypic data to estimate effects of callipyge ( CLPG) genotypes on growth, slaughter, and carcass traits. Lambs were serially slaughtered in six groups at 3-wk intervals starting at 23 wk of age to allow comparisons at different end points. Probabilities of CLPG genotypes were calcu- lated at a position 86 cM from the most centromeric marker of chromosome 18. A contrast of CLPG genotypic effects, based on the paternal polar over- dominance model, was used to evaluate callipyge and normal phenotypes. Relationships of traits with slaughter age, carcass weight, or 12th-rib fat depth for callipyge and normal phenotypic groups were esti- mated by regression. Callipyge and normal lambs did not differ for growth traits measured from birth to slaughter. Callipyge lambs produced 55.9% of live weight as chilled carcass weight compared with 51.7% for normal lambs at the same mean live weight of 48.32 kg. Lighter pelt, kidney-pelvic fat, and liver weights contributed to this advantage of callipyge lambs for dressing percentage ( P < .001). Estimated accretion rates of carcass protein at the mean slaugh- ter age were 12.5 and 10.2 g/d for callipyge and normal carcasses, respectively. Corresponding values for car- cass fat were 35.2 and 42.1 g/d. Compositional differences in favor of callipyge carcasses were de- tected at constant values of slaughter age, carcass weight, and 12th-rib fat depth. Callipyge carcasses had 2.56 kg greater fat-free lean and 1.39 kg less fat than normal carcasses at the same mean age of 214.9 d( P< .001). The majority of these differences were established before the initial group was slaughtered and were maintained as age increased. Callipyge carcasses consisted of 24.3% fat and 71.3% fat-free lean, compared with 31.5 and 64.0% for normal carcasses at 25.6 kg of carcass weight. When evalu- ated at .49 cm of 12th-rib fat depth, callipyge lambs were 15.4 d older and produced 4.1 kg heavier carcasses with 4.3% less fat ( P < .001). Effects of CLPG genotypic groups on carcass composition were greater than virtually all reported breed substitution effects. Use of the CLPG mutant allele in structured mating systems can dramatically increase production of lean lamb.
Utility of Rapid Sequence Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Guiding Management of Patients With Neonatal Seizures.

Abstract Objective To determine whether the use of rapid sequence magnetic resonance imaging (rsMRI) is associated with improved efficiency of care when managing infants with suspected neonatal onset seizures. Methods We conducted a preintervention and postintervention study of the use of rsMRI in term infants with suspected neonatal onset seizures without evidence of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Study patients were collected from a contemporary cohort from 2016 to 2017 and were compared with a historical cohort from 2014. The primary outcome was hospital length of stay. Secondary outcomes included use of other imaging modalities (head ultrasound, computed tomography [CT], and MRI), use of antiseizure medications at the time of discharge, and cost of hospitalization. Continuous variables were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test and categorical variables using the Fisher's exact or χ2 tests. A two-tailed P Results Ninety-five patients met inclusion criteria, 47 in the preintervention and 48 in the postintervention group. Incorporation of the protocol-guided rsMRI in the evaluation of patients with neonatal seizures was associated with decreased use of CT scans (34% vs 10%, P = 0.007) and full MRIs (85% vs 62%, P = 0.019). Use of head ultrasound, length of stay, and costs were not different between groups. Conclusions In patients with neonatal seizures, rsMRI was not associated with a reduced hospital length of stay. The use of rsMRI resulted in fewer neonates receiving CT scans during their hospitalization. rsMRI may hasten the identification of stroke or hemorrhage in neonates with seizures.
CCi-MOBILE: Design and Evaluation of a Cochlear Implant and Hearing Aid Research Platform for Speech Scientists and Engineers

Hearing loss is an increasingly prevalent condition resulting from damage to the inner ear which causes a reduction in speech intelligibility. The societal need for assistive hearing devices has increased exponentially over the past two decades; however, actual human performance with such devices has only seen modest gains relative to advancements in digital signal processing (DSP) technology. A major challenge with clinical hearing technologies is the limited ability to run complex signal processing algorithms requiring high computation power. The CCi-MOBILE platform, developed at UT-Dallas, provides the research community with an open-source, flexible, easy-to-use, software-mediated, powerful computing research interface to conduct a wide variety of listening experiments. The platform supports cochlear implants (CIs) and hearing aids (HAs) independently, as well as bimodal hearing (i.e., a CI in one ear and HA in the contralateral ear). The platform is ideally suited to address hearing research for: both quiet and naturalistic noisy conditions, sound localization, and lateralization. The platform uses commercially available smartphone/tablet devices as portable sound processors and can provide bilateral electric and acoustic stimulation. The hardware components, firmware, and software suite are presented to demonstrate safety to the speech scientist and CI/HA user, highlight user-specificity, and outline various applications of the platform for research.
Neural Predictor for Neural Architecture Search

Neural Architecture Search methods are effective but often use complex algorithms to come up with the best architecture. We propose an approach with three basic steps that is conceptually much simpler. First we train N random architectures to generate N (architecture, validation accuracy) pairs and use them to train a regression model that predicts accuracy based on the architecture. Next, we use this regression model to predict the validation accuracies of a large number of random architectures. Finally, we train the top-K predicted architectures and deploy the model with the best validation result. While this approach seems simple, it is more than 20 times as sample efficient as Regularized Evolution on the NASBench-101 benchmark and can compete on ImageNet with more complex approaches based on weight sharing, such as ProxylessNAS.
Thirty-Day Outcomes following Pediatric Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma Surgery: A NSQIP Pediatrics Analysis.

Background. Pediatric bone and soft tissue sarcomas are rare; therefore, national registries are essential tools for orthopedic oncology research. Past studies provide excellent data on long-term prognosis and survival trends but fail to examine treatment-specific morbidity. The aim of this study is to use a national registry to describe patient demographics, comorbidities, and adverse events in the first thirty days following surgical management of pediatric bone and soft tissue sarcomas. Methods. A retrospective review of patients in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program—Pediatrics database (NSQIP-P) was performed. The cohort was partitioned by tumor origin (bone versus soft tissue) and tumor location (axial versus appendicular). Results. One-hundred ninety-two patients were identified. Bone sarcomas were more common (71.9%) and predominately appendicular (62.3%), while soft tissue sarcomas were predominately axial (77.8%). The overall complication rate was 8.9%. The most frequent etiologies were wound dehiscence (3.6%) and infectious complications such as surgical site infections (2.6%), pneumonia (1.6%), urinary tract infections (1.6%), and C. diff colitis (1.0%). Twenty-four percent of patients experienced bleeding requiring transfusion. The unplanned readmission rate was 12.5% (3.6% related to principle procedure), and the unplanned reoperation rate was 4.7% (4.2% related to principle procedure). The mortality rate was 1.0%. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was associated with higher rates of wound dehiscence and infectious complications. There were no differences in adverse events with respect to tumor origin or location. Conclusion. Approximately 1 in 11 pediatric patients will experience a complication in the first thirty days following surgery. However, perioperative mortality remains low. This study represents the first comprehensive review of pediatric bone and soft tissue sarcoma surgery in the NSQIP-P database. As the case volume of NSQIP-P continues to grow, NSQIP-P has the potential to become a powerful tool for pediatric orthopedic oncology research.
What is the future of patient-reported outcomes in sickle-cell disease?

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a complex, chronic disease caused by abnormal polymerization of hemoglobin, which leads to severe pain episodes, fatigue, and end-organ damage. Patient reported outcome...
Analysis of Endometriosis Related Hashtags on Instagram

Study Objective Instagram is a social media platform that provides education and support for endometriosis patients. The objective of our study was to analyze the authorship and content of Instagram posts utilizing endometriosis related hashtags. Design 15 hashtags were identified utilizing the ACOG Endometriosis FAQ and a hashtag finder program. Hashtags included: endometriosis, endo, endowarrior, endometriosisawareness, endosisters, endometriosiswarrior, pelvicpain, chronicpelvicpain, painfulperiod, painfulsex, invisibleillness, fatigue, uterus, hysterectomy, and laparoscopy. The authorship and content of the “top 9” and most recent 30 posts were evaluated for each hashtag and categorized by authorship and content. We also analyzed groups of hashtags. Non-English posts were excluded. Setting NA Patients or Participants NA Interventions NA Measurements and Main Results 585 posts were analyzed. Authorship: patients (54.2%), health professional (16.2%), for-profit group (9.6%), holistic provider (8.7%), and non-profit group (4.6%). Regarding content: support (33.5%), personal post (21.2%), advertisement (17.8%) and education (13.5%). Endometriosis specific group: patient (74.8%), for-profit commercial group (6%), holistic provider (5.1%), health professional (3.8%), support (40.6%), personal post related to endometriosis (23.5%), personal post unrelated to endometriosis (20.9%), education (6.4%). General symptoms group: patient (47.4%), holistic provider (14.1%), for-profit commercial group (12.8%), health professional (2.6%), support (34.6%), advertisement (21.8%), personal post related to diagnosis (20.5%), personal post unrelated to diagnosis (15.4%), education (7.7%). Pain group: health professional (34%), patient (32.7%), for-profit commercial group (15.4%), holistic provider (12.8%), non-profit organization (4.5%), support (27.6%), education (25.6%), personal post related to diagnosis (10.9%), personal post unrelated to diagnosis (7.1%). Procedure group: patient (59%), health professional (29.5%), non-profit organization (3.8%), personal post related to diagnosis (42.3%), support (20.5%), education (14.1%), personal post unrelated to diagnosis (10.3%). Conclusion When analyzing the hashtags, endometriosis specific and general symptoms groups, the majority of posts were authored by patients with education being the least represented content. When grouping into pain and procedure, more posts were authored by health professionals with more educational content.
Albanians in Greece and the social meaning of ethnolectal features in L2 Greek

Albanian migrants in Greece constitute the largest ethnic minority in the country, amounting to roughly 5% of the total population. The reception of these Albanian migrants has not been smooth and rather has been marked by “extreme xenophobic and racist discourse” (Archakis 2020:5) towards the members of the ethnic community. This discourse is also evident online where it often takes the form of internet memes which target Albanians and their L2 Greek (Ndoci 2021, forthcoming a). In this paper I investigate the social perception of the features of this Albanian L2 Greek through a matched guise experiment. My findings show that individuals who produce Albanian L2 features in their Greek are negatively stigmatized, either overtly or covertly, similarly to the way in which Albanian migrants have been stigmatized in the Greek context. This stigmatization seems to be exhibited both by members of the ethnic group itself and by members of the host community (i.e. Greeks). Moreover, the two groups appear to have differential awareness of the systems of ethnic, regional, and accented Greek that is the product of their experience with the varieties.
Tortuosity Index Predicts Early Successful Reperfusion and Affects Functional Status After Thrombectomy for Stroke

Objective The literature is scarce for studies evaluating the anatomy of cervical vessels in patients with stroke. We sought to investigate the effect of vessel tortuosity in procedural, angiographic, and functional outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with mechanical thrombectomy (MT). Methods Patients with an emergent large vessel occlusion of the anterior circulation treated with MT between 2015 and 2020 were included. The tortuosity of the internal carotid artery was recorded as the tortuosity index (TI) using the following formula: [(actual/straight length–1) × 100). A multivariable regression was performed to assess procedural, angiographic, and functional outcomes based on the TI. Results A total of 212 patients were included. Median age was 72 years (interquartile range, 62–82 years); admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 17 ± 6. Median TI was 7.9 (interquartile range, 3.7–19.7). A total of 127 patients (60%) had a TI Conclusions Patients with a TI
Case report of ALS patient with COVID-19 infection

Objective: To report the clinical course and outcome of two patients with known diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) who developed COVID-19 infection. Background: It is hypothesized that respiratory muscle weakness as seen in ALS may result in worse outcome related to COVID-19 infection. There are no reported cases of clinical course and outcome in ALS patients. Design/Methods: Electronic medical records of patients with ALS who developed COVID-19 were reviewed. Results: The first patient was a 42-year-old African American male with diagnosis of ALS for over 2 years and the second patient was a 74-year-old Caucasian female with ALS for 1 year. Both the patients had respiratory weakness requiring continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) support prior to admission. They were admitted with increasing breathing difficulty and were diagnosed as multifocal pneumonia. COVID-19 testing for patient 1 was negative twice, however, given his Chest X-ray findings and increased acute phase reactants, Infectious Disease specialist strongly suspected coronavirus infection. His respiratory support was escalated to BiPAP support along with antibiotics - Vancomycin and Zosyn. After stay in the Intensive Care Unit for 4 days, he was weaned down to his baseline CPAP support and discharged home with home hospice for ALS. Patient 2 had increasing oxygen requirement necessitating admission to the hospital. She was positive for COVID-19 infection and was treated with Remdisivir and solumedrol. She improved to her baseline status and was discharged home in a stable condition. Neither patient developed any other organ system dysfunction. Conclusions: Our two patients with ALS, one with confirmed and the other with suspected COVID-19 infection, recovered back to their baseline respiratory status, despite their baseline dependence on CPAP for neuromuscular respiratory weakness. There are no case reports of concomitant ALS and COVID-19 infection. Disclosure: Dr. Lee has nothing to disclose. Dr. Arcila-Londono has nothing to disclose. Dr. Steijlen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Newman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Grover has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Argenx.
On the Conceptual Structure of the Second Law, I

The logic behind the interpretations nowadays accepted for the entropy changes of the two transformations produced by a simple reversible cyclical process is here shown to be at fault.
High-performance magnesium metal batteries via switching the passivation film into a solid electrolyte interphase

Magnesium-ion batteries have been regarded as a promising alternative to the lithium-ion batteries due to their high theoretical capacity, relatively high potential, and magnesium abundance. However, the contradiction between the plating/stripping of Mg2+ and the electrolytes’ oxidative stability has hampered the Mg-ion battery's development for energy storage applications. Here, we designed an amorphous MgO-wrapped Zn-skeleton as a unique current collector for an anode-free Mg battery to allow reversible Mg2+ plating/stripping in oxidatively stable electrolytes. The significant lattice mismatch between hexagonal Zn and MgO induces dislocations, leading to a highly defective interphase. This layer behaves as a mixed ionic-electronic conductor, rendering Mg nanoparticles upon electroplating. Combined with a large surface area, the proposed current collector considerably improved the charge transfer kinetics and lowered the cell impedance for Mg2+ plating/stripping by 1/20 of the typical Mg metal. Moreover, the Mg2+ interphase conduction was two orders of magnitude higher (∼10−11 S cm−1) compared to the widely known passivating layer (<10−13 S cm−1). This special design enables Mg–Li hybrid batteries with non-corrosive electrolytes to exhibit a high-operating-voltage of 2.82 V vs. Mg/Mg2+ and an energy density of 412.5 W h kg−1.
The Information Literacy Framework: Case Studies Of Successful Implementation

When the Association for College and Research Libraries’ (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy In Higher Education was adopted in January of 2016 as a replacement for the Information Literacy C...
Effects of immersive storytelling on affective, cognitive, and associative empathy: The mediating role of presence:

Popular claims of virtual reality systems serving as ‘empathy machines’ often fail to consider (a) the cognitive mechanisms driving the effects of technological immersion on empathy and (b) the con...
Spring flux as an indicator of source geomorphology, substrata, and temperature conditions in springs

Spring flux (m/s), defined as spring flow (m3/s) divided by the area over which groundwater emerges (m2) at a spring, provides a meaningful way to distinguish between fracture and seepage-filtration source geomorphologies for rheocrenes in Wisconsin, USA, and may be useful in distinguishing spring source geomorphologies in other regions as well. For 20 fracture and seepage-filtration springs investigated in this study, the median spring flux for fracture springs is nearly two orders of magnitude greater than the median spring flux for seepage-filtration springs, whereas median discharges are similar. Relationships were also found to exist between spring flux and spring habitat characteristics. High spring flux due to focused discharge from a few large fractures, is associated with spatial consistency in water temperature and more heterogeneous substrata near the spring source. Lower spring flux due to the emergence of water from numerous water sources across a spring pool is associated with greater spatial variation in water temperature and more homogeneous substrata near the spring source. Used in association with other environmental conditions, spring flux could be useful in predicting spring habitat conditions where detailed ecological assessments are neither available nor feasible.
From Theoretical Roots to Empirical Outcomes: The Interdisciplinary Foundations of Quality Talk in Taiwan

Critical, reflective dialogue is essential for enhancing students’ interactions with text and content. During productive discussions, students learn to reflect, refine, and expand their understandings through collaborative and challenging exchanges with teachers and peers. Such exchanges demand a discourse-intensive and contextually responsive pedagogical approach. In this chapter, we introduce such an approach to productive small-group discussions called Quality Talk (QT). Specifically, we delineate QT’s theoretical roots and summarize its empirical foundations. After which, we present the core elements of QT as well as our iterative refinement of QT to meet the needs of teachers and students across various contexts. We highlight the importance of recontextualization when remaking QT and present QT implementation in various domains or cultural contexts. Further, we provide empirical findings for each version of QT implementation from our program of QT research. Finally, we summarize why QT has worked effectively over time.
Combustion and physical properties of blends of military jet fuel JP-5 with fifteen different methyl ester biodiesels synthesized from edible and nonedible oils

Abstract This study investigates the physical properties and combustion behavior of blends of military jet fuel JP-5 with biodiesels synthesized from methanol, potassium hydroxide, and 13 plant oils (avocado, canola, castor, coconut, corn grapeseed, linseed, neem, olive, palm, peanut, soybean, and walnuts), bacon grease, and duck fat. The biodiesels were analyzed using gas chromatography(GC)/mass spectrometry(MS) and GC/flame ionization detection(FID). The main components found were methyl esters with 13 to 18 carbon atoms, agreeing with previously reported compositions. Biodiesel densities ranged from 875.3 to 929.3 kg·m−3 at 15 °C, many exceeding the maximum allowable U. S. Naval diesel fuel density of 876 kg·m−3. Biodiesel viscosities ranged from 3.05 to 15.8 at mm2·s−1 at 40 °C, half of which were higher than the maximum allowable military diesel viscosity of 4.3 mm2·s−1. All biodiesel flash points were higher than the military diesel minimum requirement of 60 °C, and all the biodiesel derived cetane numbers where greater than the minimum of 42, except for castor oil, which had a DCN of 41.2. Surface tensions ranged from 28.6 to 32.4 mN·m−1, which were higher than the 26.0 mN·m−1 measured for JP-5. The bulk moduli ranged from 1678 to 2039 MPa, which were higher than the 1444 MPa for JP-5. Combustion experiments in a Yanmar diesel engine were conducted with JP-5, castor, soy, corn, coconut and palm oil biodiesels and 20% and 50% mixtures of the biodiesels in JP-5. The ignition delay (IGD) of the neat fuels decreased (shortened) as the DCN of the fuel increased. The maximum rate of heat release was highest for the castor oil and lowest for palm oil. The peak pressure location was similar for the biodiesels, except for castor oil biodiesel, which had later combustion phasing. There was only a modest increase in the thermal efficiencies of the biodiesels as compared to JP-5. Most mixtures of JP-5 and biodiesel had IGDs, maximum rates of heat release, and peak pressures that fell between the value for pure biodiesel and that of JP-5. Overall, the mixture of 20% biodiesel with JP-5 will have minimal impact on the combustion characteristics in a diesel engine.
Stability of Boundary Layers and of Flow in Entrance Section of a Channel

Lin's approximate formula for the minimum critical Reynolds Number is used to study the entrance flow into a channel, the boundary layer with pressure gradient, and the boundary layer with suction. I t is found that the results thus obtained compare favorably with much more elaborate calculations wherever they are available. In the case of the entrance flow into a channel, the new result is found—that the entrance section is comparatively more stable than the fully developed parabolic velocity distribution.
Chemopreventive Effects of Berries and Berry Components in Animal Models: Prevention of Estrogen-Mediated Mammary Tumors in ACI Rats by Berries

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed and the most prevalent cancer among women worldwide. There are several million women who could potentially benefit from prevention of both primary and recurring breast tumors. The female reproductive hormone 17s-estradiol (E2) has been implicated as a causative agent in breast cancer. ACI rats are susceptible to mammary adenocarcinomas induced by physiological levels of E2, making it a preclinical model with a high applicability for clinical translation. We have shown that diets supplemented with blueberry or black raspberry (1, 2.5 and 5% w/w) show significant reduction in the latency, incidence, number, and volume of tumors in this animal model of E2-mediated mammary tumorigenesis. Berry phytochemicals provide this protection by modulating E2-metabolizing enzymes, preventing DNA damage, increasing DNA repair, reducing E2-induced cell proliferation, lowering the levels of circulating prolactin, and by eliciting an anti-estrogenic effect. Further, upon conversion of effective rodent doses to human equivalents using allometry, it was found that a woman with an average caloric intake of 2,000 kcal/day may require only 1/2 to 1 cup of fresh or frozen berries to achieve significant protection against the risk posed by E2. This dose can be effectively applied in a community setting to achieve primary prevention as well as in a clinical setting to prevent recurrence.
Seeing beyond the perimeter: the Advanced Exterior Sensor (AES)

The system design of the Advanced Exterior Sensor (AES), test data and Sandia National Laboratories' current work on the AES is described. The AES integrates three sensor technologies (thermal infrared waveband, visible waveband, and microwave radar) in a Remote Sensor Module communicating with three motion detection target trackers and a sensor fusion software module in the Data Processor Module to achieve higher performance than single technology devices. Wide areas are covered by continuously scanning the three sensors 360 degrees in about one second. The images from the infrared and visible detector sets and the radar range data are updated as the sensors rotate each second. The radar provides range data with approximately one-meter resolution. Panoramic imagery is generated for immediate visual assessment of alarms using the Display Control Module. There is great potential for site security enhancement using the AES, which was designed for low-cost, easy use and rapid deployment to cover wide areas beyond typical perimeters, possibly in place of typical perimeter sensors, and for tactical applications around fixed or temporary high-value assets. Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) systems have neither the three sensor technologies nor the imaging sensor resolution. Cost and performance will be discussed for different scenarios.
Understanding Groups in Outdoor Adventure Education through Social Network Analysis.

Relationships are a critical component to the experience of an outdoor adventure education (OAE) program, therefore, more fruitful ways of investigating groups is needed. Social network analysis (SNA) is an effective tool to study the relationship structure of small groups. This paper provides an explanation of SNA and shows how it was used by the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) to understand the relationship patterns among different course compositions with students receiving and not receiving scholarships (course compositions included two students, 50% of students, and all students receiving scholarship). Data were collected from three 30-day courses at three different time points throughout the course and were based on two dimensions of cohesion (social and task). The findings suggest that the most homogeneous group (in regard to scholarship recipients) possessed greater social cohesion and the least homogenous group possessed greater task cohesion. Social network analysis should be used more frequently in OAE because it offers a flexible approach to understand groups and group processes.
Misfortunes or mistakes

Abstract This study examines cultural views of venture failure through the lens of sensemaking, which includes attributions of causality. Specifically, we explore failure accounts that are attributed to mistakes made by entrepreneurs, and those attributed to misfortunes outside the control of the entrepreneur. Reports of entrepreneurial failures from 1999 to 2001 were collected from seven major US newspapers, and 389 accounts of failure were analyzed for statements identifying the failure's cause. The data suggest that cultural sensemaking of failure varies by the geographical area where failure occurs. In addition, 331 accounts of the consequences of failure were analyzed which suggest that failure has a large impact on the stigmatization of the entrepreneur and entrepreneurship within the local area, as well as on the individual entrepreneur's view of themselves following failure.
EMI-Series-Electromagnetic Fuel Injection Pumps

Usage of solenoid valves capable of controlling fuel delivery to several engine cylinders in succession reduces the cost and complexity of electromagnetic fuel injection systems. A new type of injection pump employing solenoid valves with shuttles is described. In a multiplunger pump such a solenoid valve controls operation of two plungers in succession. The number of required solenoids is equal to half the number of engine cylinders
Control system synthesis via bilinear matrix inequalities

This paper introduces the bilinear matrix inequality (BMI) as a simple but flexible framework for approaching robust control system synthesis problems. The BMI is an extension of the linear matrix inequality (LMI) approach that has recently been found to be useful in formulating and solving a limited class of robust control problems, including state-feedback and full-order dynamical output feedback /spl Hscr//sup /spl infin// control, /spl mu//k/sub m/ analysis, simultaneous stabilization, gain-scheduling, and so forth. In particular, the BMI formulation is shown to offer the advantage of handling specifications not amenable to the LMI framework such as constraints on controller structure (e.g., decentralized "block-diagonal" control) and on controller order. The BMI formulation also sheds new insight into the properties and limitations of existing robust control algorithms such as the /spl mu//k/sub m/-synthesis, raising questions about the local optimality of the classical DK-iteration.
Abstract 57: Increased Fitness Attenuates the Risk for Developing Atrial Fibrillation in African-Americans

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with increased mortality risk. Some studies indicate that endurance training may increase the rate of progression to AF. However, others dispute this notion. Furthermore, fitness status and atrial fibrillation in African-Americans has not been investigated. Methods: From 1986 to 2011, a total of 4,401 African-Americans with normal sinus rhythm (mean age 56±11) underwent a routine exercise tolerance testing at Veterans Affairs Medical Centers Washington DC. During a mean follow-up period of 8.0±4.7 years 361 (8.2%) developed AF. To assess the role of fitness status in the development of AF, we formed the following four fitness categories based on peak workload achieved (metabolic equivalents; METs): Least-Fit: ≤ 5METs (≤20%; n=531); Low-Fit: 5.5-7.2 METs (20.1%-50%; n=1,367); Moderate-Fit:7.3-9.0 METs (50.1%-80%; n=1,775); and High-Fit: >9 METs (>80%; n=728). Cox proportional hazards models were applied after adjusting for age, BMI, race, gender, CV dise...
Dissolved and particulate 230 Th- 232 Th in the Central Equatorial Pacific Ocean: Evidence for far-field transport of the East Pacific Rise hydrothermal plume

We assess the distribution of 230Th and 232Th along a latitudinal gradient in the Central Equatorial Pacific Ocean (∼155°W–159°W) at two sites: 8°N and the equator. The dissolved 230Th concentration profile at 8°N increases nearly linearly from the surface to 2000 m, exhibiting behavior consistent with thermodynamic reversible scavenging. However, from 2000 m to 3000 m, the dissolved 230Th concentrations exhibit little change, before increasing slightly from 3000 m to the bottom. At this site dissolved 230Th concentrations range from 1.1 fg/kg at 100 m to 55.2 fg/kg at 4600 m. At the equator, dissolved 230Th concentrations are slightly lower, and range from undetectable at 25 m to 19.1 fg/kg at 3038 m. The pattern in the dissolved 230Th concentration profile at the equator is indistinguishable from that at 8°N. The mid-depth-water deviation from equilibrium reversible scavenging between 2 and 3 km in the 230Th profiles (lower concentrations than expected) at both sites occurs in the interval of the water column that is consistent with an interval that has high concentrations of 3He and dissolved Fe at other nearby sites. This 3He- and Fe-rich signal has been traced to hydrothermal plumes from the East Pacific Rise, thousands of kilometers away. We hypothesize that the lower concentrations of 230Th in mid-depth waters of the Central Equatorial Pacific are a result of a 5000-km transit of waters that have had their 230Th scavenged by Fe–Mn particulates close to the EPR. Oceanic residence times of thorium combined with dissolved 232Th concentrations suggest dust fluxes of about ∼0.5–0.6 gm−2yr−1 to the sea surface. These fluxes are in agreement with other empirical studies in the Pacific, but are higher than those suggested by global atmospheric circulation models.