cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Is Growing Up, But Kids Do the Darndest Things.

In this issue of JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions , Webb et al. [(1)][1] report the 2-year follow-up of the B arm of the PARTNER II (Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valves II) trial in which patients with severe inoperable symptomatic aortic stenosis were randomized to receive transcatheter
Closing the water balance with cosmic-ray soil moisture measurements and assessing their relation to evapotranspiration in two semiarid watersheds

Abstract. Soil moisture dynamics reflect the complex interactions of meteorological conditions with soil, vegetation and terrain properties. In this study, intermediate-scale soil moisture estimates from the cosmic-ray neutron sensing (CRNS) method are evaluated for two semiarid ecosystems in the southwestern United States: a mesquite savanna at the Santa Rita Experimental Range (SRER) and a mixed shrubland at the Jornada Experimental Range (JER). Evaluations of the CRNS method are performed for small watersheds instrumented with a distributed sensor network consisting of soil moisture sensor profiles, an eddy covariance tower, and runoff flumes used to close the water balance. We found a very good agreement between the CRNS method and the distributed sensor network (root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.009 and 0.013 m3 m−3 at SRER and JER, respectively) at the hourly timescale over the 19-month study period, primarily due to the inclusion of 5 cm observations of shallow soil moisture. Good agreement was also obtained in soil moisture changes estimated from the CRNS and watershed water balance methods (RMSE of 0.001 and 0.082 m3 m−3 at SRER and JER, respectively), with deviations due to bypassing of the CRNS measurement depth during large rainfall events. Once validated, the CRNS soil moisture estimates were used to investigate hydrological processes at the footprint scale at each site. Through the computation of the water balance, we showed that drier-than-average conditions at SRER promoted plant water uptake from deeper soil layers, while the wetter-than-average period at JER resulted in percolation towards deeper soils. The CRNS measurements were then used to quantify the link between evapotranspiration and soil moisture at a commensurate scale, finding similar predictive relations at both sites that are applicable to other semiarid ecosystems in the southwestern US.
Novel nuclear-cytoplasmic interaction in wheat (Triticum aestivum) induces vigorous plants

Interspecific hybridization can be considered an accelerator of evolution, otherwise a slow process, solely dependent on mutation and recombination. Upon interspecific hybridization, several novel interactions between nuclear and cytoplasmic genomes emerge which provide additional sources of diversity. The magnitude and essence of intergenomic interactions between nuclear and cytoplasmic genomes remain unknown due to the direction of many crosses. This study was conducted to address the role of nuclear-cytoplasmic interactions as a source of variation upon hybridization. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) alloplasmic lines carrying the cytoplasm of Aegilops mutica along with an integrated approach utilizing comparative quantitative trait locus (QTL) and epigenome analysis were used to dissect this interaction. The results indicate that cytoplasmic genomes can modify the magnitude of QTL controlling certain physiological traits such as dry matter weight. Furthermore, methylation profiling analysis detected eight polymorphic regions affected by the cytoplasm type. In general, these results indicate that novel nuclear-cytoplasmic interactions can potentially trigger an epigenetic modification cascade in nuclear genes which eventually change the genetic network controlling physiological traits. These modified genetic networks can serve as new sources of variation to accelerate the evolutionary process. Furthermore, this variation can synthetically be produced by breeders in their programs to develop epigenomic-segregating lines.
Das ’natürliche’ Informationsdefizit zentraler Leistungsstellen — nur Schlagwort der Dezentralisten oder unüberbrückbarer Konstruktionsfehler?

Im Zentralklinikum Augsburg, einem neuerbauten Haus der maximalen Versorgungsstute mit 1625 Betten, wird zur Unterstutzung der Anforderung diagnostischer und therapeutischer Leistungen in den zentralisierten Leistungsstellen, ihrer Annahme und Planung sowie zur Erfassung der dort erhobenen Befunde bzw. durchgefuhrten Leistungen ein Netz von Terminalsystemen, bestehend aus Datensichtgerat mit Ausweisleser, Lesepistole und Terminaldrucker, eingesetzt. Dahinter steht ein fehlertolerierendes, transaktionsorientiertes 7-Prozessorsystem, an das zugleich Subsysteme verschiedener Funktionsbereiche (Zentrallabor, Nuklearmedizin, Intensivuberwachung) angekoppelt sind [1].
Thermal management and design for optical refrigeration

We present our recent work in developing a robust and versatile optical refrigerator. This work focuses on minimizing parasitic energy losses through efficient design and material optimization. The cooler’s thermal linkage system and housing are studied using thermal analysis software to minimize thermal gradients through the device. Due to the extreme temperature differences within the device, material selection and characterization are key to constructing an efficient device. We describe the design constraints and material selections necessary for thermally efficient and durable optical refrigeration.
Nanocontact electrification through forced delamination of dielectric interfaces.

This article reports patterned transfer of charge between conformal material interfaces through a concept referred to as nanocontact electrification. Nanocontacts of different size and shape are formed between surface-functionalized polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamps and other dielectric materials (PMMA, SiO2). Forced delamination and cleavage of the interface yields a well-defined charge pattern with a minimal feature size of 100 nm. The process produces charged surfaces and associated fields that exceed the breakdown strength of air, leading to strong long-range adhesive forces and force−distance curves, which are recorded over macroscopic distances. The process is applied to fabricate charge-patterned surfaces for nanoxerography demonstrating 200 nm resolution nanoparticle prints and applied to thin film electronics where the patterned charges are used to shift the threshold voltages of underlying transistors.
Actin-Regulator Feedback Interactions during Endocytosis

Endocytosis mediated by clathrin, a cellular process by which cells internalize membrane receptors and their extracellular ligands, is an important component of cell signaling regulation. Actin polymerization is involved in endocytosis in varying degrees depending on the cellular context. In yeast, clathrin-mediated endocytosis requires a pulse of polymerized actin and its regulators, which recruit and activate the Arp2/3 complex. In this article, we seek to identify the main protein-protein interactions that 1) cause actin and its regulators to appear in pulses, and 2) determine the effects of key mutations and drug treatments on actin and regulator assembly. We perform a joint modeling/experimental study of actin and regulator dynamics during endocytosis in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We treat both a stochastic model that grows an explicit three-dimensional actin network, and a simpler two-variable Fitzhugh-Nagumo type model. The models include a negative-feedback interaction of F-actin onto the Arp2/3 regulators. Both models explain the pulse time courses and the effects of interventions on actin polymerization: the surprising increase in the peak F-actin count caused by reduced regulator branching activity, the increase in F-actin resulting from slowing of actin disassembly, and the increased Arp2/3 regulator lifetime resulting from latrunculin treatment. In addition, they predict that decreases in the regulator branching activity lead to increases in accumulation of regulators, and we confirmed this prediction with experiments on yeast harboring mutations in the Arp2/3 regulators, using quantitative fluorescence microscopy. Our experimental measurements suggest that the regulators act quasi-independently, in the sense that accumulation of a particular regulator is most strongly affected by mutations of that regulator, as opposed to the others.
Longevity for All Ages: An Interview with Dr. Laura Carstensen

Laura L. Carstensen, PhD is a Professor of Psychology and the Fairleigh S. Dickinson Jr. Professor in Public Policy at Stanford University. Laura is also the founding director of the Stanford Center on Longevity, which explores innovative ways to solve the problems of people over 50 while improving the wellbeing of people of all ages. Her best-known academic work is on socioemotional selectivity theory, a life-span theory of motivation, and she has published more than 150 articles on life-span development with her students and colleagues. Laura’s research has been supported by the National Institute on Aging for more than 20 years and she is currently supported by a MERIT Award. In 2011, she wrote A Long Bright Future: Happiness, Health, and Financial Security in an Age of Increased Longevity. Laura is a member of the MacArthur Foundation’s Research Network on an Aging Society and currently serves on the National Advisory Council on Aging to NIA. She is the recipient of numerous honors, including the Kleemeier Award and Distinguished Mentorship Award from the Gerontological Society of America, as well as a Guggenheim Fellowship. She received a BS from the University of Rochester and PhD in clinical psychology from West Virginia University (biographical sketch adapted from http://longevity3.stanford.edu/people/laura-carstensen/).
Effects of cultural congruity on alcohol use severity among Hispanic emerging adults in college

Miguel Angel Cano1,∗, Ellen Vaughan3, Marcel de Dios4, Yessenia Castro2, Angelica Roncancio5, Lizette Ojeda6 1 Epidemiology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States 2 School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States 3 Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States 4 MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States 5 UT Health Science Center, Houston, TX, United States 6 Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
Predicting Behaviors to Reduce Toxic Chemical Exposures Among New and Expectant Mothers The Role of Distal Variables Within the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction

There is a growing body of evidence linking childhood exposure to environmental toxins and a range of adverse health outcomes, including preterm birth, cognitive deficits, and cancer. Little is known, however, about what drives mothers to engage in health behaviors to reduce such risks. Guided by the integrative model of behavioral prediction, this study surveyed women who were pregnant and/or had children younger than 7 years (N = 819) to identify the factors that determine engagement in behaviors to reduce childhood exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment. Structural equation modeling pertaining to three different environmental toxins-bisphenol A, arsenic, and pesticides-demonstrated that perceived normative pressure was the primary determinant of behavior across all three models. Additionally, we identified two key distal variables-perceived risk and information seeking-that not only increased the model's predictive power but also consistently and positively predicted perceived social norms regarding exposure reduction behaviors. Findings also suggest important differences across these behaviors. Implications for health communication researchers and practitioners developing interventions, communication campaigns, and persuasive messages to promote prenatal and pediatric environmental health are discussed.
Biogeography of planktonic and coral-associated microorganisms across the Hawaiian Archipelago.

Factors driving the distribution of marine microorganisms are widely debated and poorly understood. Recent studies show that free-living marine microbes exhibit geographical patterns indicative of limited dispersal. In contrast, host-associated microbes face a different set of dispersal challenges, and hosts may function as habitat ‘islands’ for resident microbial populations. Here, we examine the biogeographical distributions of planktonic and adjacent coral-associated bacterial communities across the Hawaiian Archipelago, Johnston Atoll (∼1400 km southwest of Hawaii) and American Samoa in the Pacific Ocean and investigate the potential underlying processes driving observed patterns. Statistical analyses of bacterial community structure, determined using a small-subunit ribosomal RNA gene-based approach, showed that bacterioplankton and coral-associated bacterial communities were distinct, and correlated with geographical distance between sites. In addition, biogeographical patterns of bacterial associates paralleled those of their host coral Porites lobata , highlighting the specificity of these associations and the impact that host dispersal may have on bacterial biogeography. Planktonic and coral-associated bacterial communities from distant Johnston Atoll were shown to be connected with communities from the center of the Hawaiian Archipelago, a pattern previously observed in fish and invertebrates. No significant correlations were detected with habitat type, temperature or depth. However, non-distance-based geographical groupings were detected, indicating that, in addition to dispersal, unidentified environmental factors also affected the distributions of bacterial communities investigated here.
Transnationalism and the Syrian Migrant Community: The Case of the 1925 Syrian Revolt

This article explores how the mahjar press of New York City engaged with the Syrian Revolt of 1925. Building upon Benedict Anderson’s well-known theories of imagined and long-distance nationalisms, as well as more recent debates on transnationalism, this article is part of a larger attempt to geographically decenter the study of the 1925 revolt in order to contribute to a better understanding of the ways in which nationalism and anti-colonialism were negotiated through a dialectical relationship between the homeland and the diaspora. It argues that divergent views of the revolt are better understood by framing its construction in the press in terms of: 1.) an expression of trans-border, and yet particular, loyalties, and 2.) a reflection of the diaspora’s ambiguous place in the new international order set up by the League of Nations.
Hemodynamic response to pumpless extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Respiratory support by means of arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation driven by systemic arterial pressure, in contrast to pump-driven venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, is attractive because of its simplicity and lack of trauma to formed blood elements. Although arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has been shown to improve arterial blood gases, useful levels of arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation shunt flow may exert detrimental effects on systemic and pulmonary hemodynamics. Therefore the hemodynamic consequences of arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were studied in 11 dogs that were anesthetized, heparinized, and their lungs mechanically ventilated (F io 2 = 0.21) before and after induction of oleic acid pulmonary edema. The data indicate that arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation shunt flows adequate to improve arterial blood gases resulted in significant changes in peripheral vascular resistance (–46%; p
Characterization of L-glutamine transport by pulmonary artery endothelial cells.

The transport of L-arginine by porcine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) was characterized. Uptake of 50 microM L-arginine was time dependent and linear in the presence and absence of sodium, with approximately 70% of uptake occurring via a carrier-mediated Na(+)-independent process. Kinetic studies of saturable Na(+)-independent transport revealed two transport components: a high-affinity transporter [Michaelis constant (Km) = 304 +/- 23 microM, maximal transport velocity (Vmax) = 679 +/- 34 pmol.mg protein-1.30 s-1], and a low-affinity carrier (Km = 3.9 +/- 1.0 mM, Vmax = 2.8 +/- 0.7 nmol/mg protein-1.30 s-1). Saturable Na(+)-independent uptake of 50 microM L-arginine transport showed no significant variation in uptake between pH 6.0 and 8.0 and was blocked by the system y+ substrates L-arginine, L-homoarginine, L-lysine, and L-ornithine. Na(+)-dependent L-arginine transport occurred via a single high-affinity system (Km = 62 +/- 3 microM, Vmax = 211 +/- 24 pmol.mg protein-1.30 s-1) which was significantly inhibited by L-arginine, L-lysine, L-ornithine, L-leucine, L-alanine, L-cysteine, and L-glutamine, but not by 2-methylaminoisobutyric acid. Na(+)-dependent arginine uptake was pH and hormone insensitive, and lithium did not substitute effectively for sodium. These data are consistent with mediation of high-affinity arginine transport by PAECs via Na(+)-independent system y+ and Na(+)-dependent system BO,+.
34 Post-injury psychological symptoms: differences between concussions and orthopaedic injuries

Statement of purpose This study examined differences in post-injury psychological symptoms between collegiate athletes who sustained concussions and orthopaedic injuries. Method A cohort of athletes was recruited at the beginning of each sports season from 2007 to 2011. Study participants were collegiate athletes from 9 sports teams at two Big Ten Conference universities. Upon injury, injured athletes were followed prospectively at multiple intervals to measure psychological symptoms (e.g., 1 week, and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months) until the injured athlete’s return to play. Differences in post-injury psychological symptoms, including symptoms of depression and anxiety, pain, fear of re-injury, and fear of return-to-play were compared between athletes with concussions and orthopaedic injuries, both at one week after injury and at return-to-play. Results Of a total of 597 injuries sustained, 71 (11.9%) were concussions and 526 (88.1%) were orthopaedic injuries. One-fourth of concussions (n = 18, 25.4%) were sustained by females. Football had the largest number of concussions (n = 42) and orthopaedic injuries (n = 196). No differences in post-injury symptoms of depression and anxiety were found between athletes with concussions and orthopaedic injuries. While 88.7% of concussed athletes returned to play one week following injury, only 59.1% of athletes with orthopaedic injuries did so. Furthermore, concussed athletes were less likely to report pain (p Conclusions While post-injury psychological symptoms are often not evident for concussed athletes, these symptoms need to be addressed to ensure successful injury recovery. Significance and contributions Our findings provide empirical evidence on differences in psychological symptoms between athletes with concussions and orthopaedic injuries, and have practical implications for psychological recovery from injuries.
Limiting membrane and diffusion behavior of a geosynthetic clay liner

Abstract Bentonite based geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) are commonly used as chemical containment barriers to minimize liquid flow and contaminant transport. The preference for GCLs relative to other materials for chemical containment include economy of use and superior engineering properties, including low hydraulic conductivity ( k ) and the ability to exhibit semipermeable membrane behavior that restricts the migration of solutes through the bentonite. In the case of low k (e.g., ≤10 −10 m/s), diffusion is likely to be a significant, if not dominant, mechanism of chemical transport. The objective of this study was to evaluate the membrane and diffusion behavior of a GCL in the limit as the salt (KCl) concentration increased to the extent that any observed membrane behavior was destroyed. The results indicated that the observed membrane behavior for the GCL was essentially destroyed when the average KCl concentration across the GCL specimen, C ave , reached 200 mM KCl, which was greater than the value of C ave that would have been predicted on the basis of previous results. The results also indicated that the value of the effective diffusion coefficient, D * , for Cl − at this limiting value for C ave of 200 mM KCl was greater than the value of D * that would have been predicted on the basis of the use of lower values of C ave . However, the differences between the measured and predicted values of D * were relatively minor (≤11.3%), such that the differences likely would be insignificant for most practical applications.
Ecosystems and Social Conflict: Lessons from the Florida Everglades

The relationship between social conflict and ecological processes has received relatively little attention in the economics literature. Yet recent public concern has focused on the variability of ecosystems over time and how societies adapt to environmental change. We present a heuristic framework based on Kaufmann’s statistical theory of order within complex systems to consider the interplay between ecosystems and social institutions in “ecological-economic organizations. ” We use this framework to evaluate social conflicts over water and ecosystem management during the past century in the South Florida/Everglades region. The analysis indicates a social adaptation process leading to centralized management and a transformation of the essential attributes of the ecosystem. It remains to be determined whether new initiatives to restore the ecosystem can succeed without causing more social conflict.
Mihi Breccia: A stack of lacustrine sediments and subaqueous pyroclastic flows within the Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand

Abstract The Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ), New Zealand, encompasses a wide variety of arc-related strata, although most of its small-volume (non-caldera-forming) eruptions are poorly-exposed and extensively hydrothermally altered. The Mihi Breccia is a stratigraphic sequence consisting of interbedded rhyolitic pyroclastic flows and lacustrine sediments with eruption ages of 281 ± 18 to at least 239 ± 6 ka (uncertainties at 2σ). In contrast to other small-volume rhyolitic eruptions within the TVZ, Mihi Breccia is relatively well-exposed within the Paeroa fault block, and contains minimal hydrothermal alteration. Pyroclastic flow characteristics and textures include: 1) prismatically jointed juvenile clasts, 2) lack of welding, 3) abundant ash-rich matrix, 4) lack of fiamme and eutaxitic textures, 5) lack of thermal oxidation colors, 6) lack of cooling joints, 7) exclusive lacustrine sediment lithic clasts, and 8) interbedding with lacustrine sediments, all indicating that Mihi Breccia strata originated in a paleo-lake system. This ephemeral paleo-lake system is inferred to have lasted for > 50 kyr (based on Mihi Breccia age constraints), and referred to as Huka Lake. Mihi Breccia pyroclastic flow juvenile clast geochemistry and petrography correspond with similar-aged (264 ± 8, 263 ± 10, and 247 ± 4 ka) intra-caldera rhyolite domes filling the Reporoa caldera (source of the ~ 281 ka Kaingaroa Formation ignimbrite). These exposed intra-caldera rhyolite domes (as well as geophysically inferred subsurface domes) are proposed to be source vents for the Mihi Breccia pyroclastic flows. Soft-sediment deformation associated with Mihi Breccia strata indicates either seismic shock, rapid sediment loading during pyroclastic flow emplacement, or both. Thus, the Mihi Breccia reflects a prolonged series of subaqueous rhyolite dome building and associated pyroclastic flows, accompanied by seismic activity, emplaced into a large paleo-lake system within the TVZ.
Epigenetic Regulation in Cancer Metastasis

Abstract It is increasingly realized that there is a critical need for understanding the process of cancer, especially the most malignant form of the cancer, its distant metastasis, in order for the development of the ultimate cure for this deadly disease. To date, metastatic forms of cancers remain the deadliest of all. As the war against cancer marches on, along comes the understanding of the complexity of the problem. Metastasis of cancer, the distant establishment of growth, is the result of a series of longitudinal and progressive developments that stems from the primary tumor site, flows through body circulation, affects multiple organs and tissues, and eventually establishes itself at the distant target site(s). The process, termed metastatic cascade, involves cross talks of primary tumor cells with the primary tissue microenvironment, surviving circulating cells with immune systems, and invading tumor cells with endothelial cells in the target tissue microenvironment. It is also our current understanding that a multitude of interactions among numerous signaling pathways, signaling molecules, and structural entities are involved in the process of metastasis. Gradually research is linking various phenotypes of metastasis to the fundamental mechanisms involved in epigenome modulations. This chapter focuses on summarizing the advancement in the research that illustrates epigenetic regulations in critical steps during metastasis that lead to the final stage of cancer progression, in an attempt to lead the field to potential solutions in cancer treatment and therapeutics that may be better approached by dealing with epigenetic mechanisms.
Multiscale Modeling of Thin Liquid Films

Thin liquid films are ubiquitous in natural phenomena including frost heave, foams and emulsions, and cornea of human eyes, as well as in industrial processes such as phase change heat transfer, gas adsorption, chemical and food processing, etc. The stability of thin liquid films is important in these processes since the rupture of the thin films can lead to dramatic changes in their desired properties. In this study, a multiscale modeling approach that integrates molecular dynamics simulations and continuum-level modeling is introduced to investigate the effect of nanostructures and electrostatic interactions on meniscus shape and disjoining pressure for thin liquid films. The theoretical model is developed based on the minimization of free energy, the Derjaguin approximation, and the disjoining pressure theory for flat surfaces, and is verified by using the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for a water-gold and a water-alumina system with both triangular and square nanostructures of varying depth and film thickness. For all cases simulated, disjoining pressure increases with nanostructure depth. The wave amplitude of the meniscus increases monotonically with increasing nanostructure depth and decreasing thin film thickness. The results also show that the electrostatic interactions enhance the disjoining pressure, thereby making the meniscus more conformal to the nanostructured surfaces.
Women’s cinema of trauma: Affect, movement, time:

This article analyses several notable examples of what the author calls the post-Yugoslav women’s cinema of trauma. These films made by women filmmakers challenge the standard tropes of war, as well as normative approaches to war cinema, by highlighting the intimate affective domain of experience, rather than large-scale narratives and collective emotions. The author focuses on the near-silent short and experimental works of Una Gunjak and Sejla Kameric (both from Bosnia-Herzegovina), and suggests that they offer insightful formal and narrative ways of rethinking the question of what makes a war film, as well as what constitutes a woman’s experience of war. By arguing for a continued, strategic and locally specific use of the term women’s cinema, the author deploys feminist analytics towards inscribing these filmmakers’ work into the transnational flows of knowledge production about marginalized groups and non-Western geographies.
Sodium Nitrite Increases Regional Blood Flow in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease.

Patients with sickle cell disease have decreased nitric oxide bioavailability, and studies from several groups have confirmed a blunted response to various NO donors in humans and mice with sickle cell disease. Recently published studies show that nitrite induces vasodilation in humans, apparently mediated by conversion of nitrite to NO. This study is designed to determine the potential therapeutic effect of intra-arterial nitrite infusion to restore nitric oxide dependent blood flow in the forearms of patients with sickle cell disease. Venous occlusion strain gauge plethysmography is used to measure the change of forearm blood flow in patients with sickle cell disease, before and after sequential brachial artery infusions of increasing doses of sodium nitrite. In addition, NO responsiveness before and after nitrite infusion is measured by test doses of the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Six patients have completed the study and enrollment is continuing. These data indicate that nitrite promotes regional blood flow in patients with sickle cell disease, albeit with a blunted response compared to our healthy control subjects, in whom we previously have found increased blood flow up to 187% with comparable dosing. The significant but blunted response is consistent with the state of nitric oxide resistance to NO donors that has been seen by several groups in patients and mice with SCD. Additionally, we find in these patients that nitrite partially restores SNP responsiveness, with baseline maximal SNP responses more than doubling on average following nitrite infusion, although this finding is preliminary. No adverse effects of nitrite were seen in these six patients. Our early results support a role for nitrite as an NO donor effective in restoring NO-dependent blood flow in patients with sickle cell disease. Additional translational studies are warranted to evaluate the therapeutic effects of systemic nitrite dosing. | Nitrite Dose (micromole/min) | Sickle Cell Disease | Historical Controls | |:---------------------------- | ------------------- | ------------------- | | P< .0001 (ANOVA) | | 0.4 | 5 +/−7.2% N=6 | 22 +/−3.2% N=10 | | 4 | 15 +/− 11% N=6 | Not infused | | 40 | 49 +/− 8.9% N=6 | 187 +/− 16%N=18 | Table 1. Forearm Blood Flow Response to Nitrite Infusion | SNP Dose (micrograms/min) | Pre-Nitrite | Post-Nitrite | |:------------------------- | ------------ | ------------- | | P= .02 (RM-ANOVA) N=6 | | 0.8 | +21 +/− 5.6% | +33 +/− 8.3% | | 1.6 | +15 +/− 5.9% | +62 +/− 15.1% | | 3.2 | +29 +/− 6.3% | +67 +/− 11.5% | Table 2. Nitrite Effect on Nitroprusside Responsiveness
Upregulation of hGC-1 Expression by Hypomethylation, Retinoic Acid and Interferons in Human Myeloid Leukemia

hGC-1 (Granulocyte colony stimulating factor induced gene-1, also called GW112 and olfactomedin 4) was first identified in human myeloid precursor cells induced by granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). It is a myeloid lineage and differentiation stage specific gene. Its expression, regulation and biological function, specifically in myeloid cells, are still poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed the hGC-1 gene expression in leukemia patients and further investigated the mechanism of hGC-1 gene regulation in leukemia cells. We found that hGC-1 was overexpressed in myeloid leukemia patients compared with normal individuals in peripheral blood leukocytes (p trans -retinoic acid (ATRA) and interferons (IFNs) are active anti-leukemia agents. ATRA and IFNs have shown synergistic interactions in various experimental conditions and represent a potentially useful therapeutic combination in the treatment of various types of leukemia. However, the target genes and molecular basis of these interactions still needs to be further elucidated. Here, we identified that hGC-1 was a target gene of RA in myeloblastic leukemia cells. Treatment with ATRA induced hGC-1 expression in HL-60 cells and enhanced hGC-1 expression in AML-193 and GDM-1 cells. Deletion analysis led to the identification of a positive retinoic acid response element (DR5) and a negative response element (DR1) within hGC-1 promoter. Furthermore, electrophoretic mobility-shift assays demonstrated that RARa/RXRa binds to the DR5 site. Transfection study in COS-7 cells revealed RARa/RXRa mediated the RA induced transactivation of hGC-1 promoter. We also found that hGC-1 was an early responsive gene of IFN a and b in myeloid leukemia cells (HL-60, AML-193 and GDM-1). An effective interferon-stimulated response element (ISRE) was identified in the promoter of hGC-1 gene by examining the deletion mutants in luciferase reporter gene assay. Combined application of ATRA and IFNa and IFNb enhanced hGC-1 expression synergistically. Taken together, hGC-1 is identified as a novel target gene of methylation modification, RA and IFNs in myeloid leukemia cells. Our results suggest that hGC-1 is a potential marker for CML stage and may play a role in retinoic acid and interferon induced biological effects in leukemia cells.
Adaptation to pelleted feed in pikeperch fingerlings: learning from the trainer fish over gradual adaptation from natural food

Pikeperch (Sander lucioperca ) is commercially important as well as a valued culinary fish with potential for intensive culture. One of the basic problems in pikeperch culture in recirculating aquaculture systems is adapting early life stages to pelleted feed (PF). Our work compares four different ways of adapting 6-week-old pikeperch fingerlings (standard length, SL = 29.30 ± 2.14 mm; weight, W = 0.38 ± 0.08 g) to feeding on a commercial diet. The methods are designated, A – use of trainer fish (Vimba vimba ; SL = 36.88 ± 3.28 mm; W = 0.77 ± 0.26 g) and direct application of PF; B – use of trainer fish and gradual addition of PF with natural food (natural feed (NF), chironomid larvae); C – direct application of PF only; D – gradual addition of PF with NF. The growth trial experiment (including adaptation to PF) lasted 14 days by which time all experimental groups were accepting PF. Pikeperch fingerlings in group A grew significantly faster and PF was more readily accepted compared to other groups (SL = 46.11 ± 4.09 mm; W = 1.44 ± 0.38 g; specific growth rate = 9.48 ± 0.83% day−1 ). Other characteristics observed (total weight increment, feed conversion ratio) also support the use of trainer fish and direct application of PF for pikeperch in their adaptation to intensive culture. It is also an illustration of applicable use of learning potential in fish which can be usable for other fish species.
Size reduction of patch elements for homogeneous perfect absorbing material

Size-reduction of circular patch absorbing elements are analyzed by introducing slits, holes, and cut-out rings. Parametric variation results are presented for slit depth, hole size, and concentric rings to reduce the size of absorbing elements. ANSYS Electronics Desktop, a finite-element method (FEM) solver, was used to simulate the absorption from an array of circular patches, while analyzing parametric studies of the slit depth, hole radius, and ring radius, each of which increases absorption and reduces element size.
Shared dataset on natural human-computer interaction to support continuous authentication research

Conventional one-stop authentication of a computer terminal takes place at a user's initial sign-on. In contrast, continuous authentication protects against the case where an intruder takes over an authenticated terminal or simply has access to sign-on credentials. Behavioral biometrics has had some success in providing continuous authentication without requiring additional hardware. However, further advancement requires benchmarking existing algorithms against large, shared datasets. To this end, we provide a novel large dataset that captures not only keystrokes, but also mouse events and active programs. Our dataset is collected using passive logging software to monitor user interactions with the mouse, keyboard, and software programs. Data was collected from 103 users in a completely uncontrolled, natural setting, over a time span of 2.5 years. We apply Gunetti & Picardi's algorithm, a state-of-the-art algorithm in free text keystroke dynamics, as an initial benchmarkfor the new dataset.
OptMAVEn-2.0: De novo Design of Variable Antibody Regions against Targeted Antigen Epitopes

Monoclonal antibodies are becoming increasingly important therapeutic agents for the treatment of cancers, infectious diseases, and autoimmune disorders. However, laboratory-based methods of developing therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (e.g., immunized mice, hybridomas, and phage display) are time-consuming and are often unable to target a specific antigen epitope or reach (sub)nanomolar levels of affinity. To this end, we developed Optimal Method for Antibody Variable region Engineering (OptMAVEn) for de novo design of humanized monoclonal antibody variable regions targeting a specific antigen epitope. In this work, we introduce OptMAVEn-2.0, which improves upon OptMAVEn by (1) reducing computational resource requirements without compromising design quality; (2) clustering the designs to better identify high-affinity antibodies; and (3) eliminating intra-antibody steric clashes using an updated set of clashing parts from the Modular Antibody Parts (MAPs) database. Benchmarking on a set of 10 antigens revealed that OptMAVEn-2.0 uses an average of 74% less CPU time and 84% less disk storage relative to OptMAVEn. Testing on 54 additional antigens revealed that computational resource requirements of OptMAVEn-2.0 scale only sub-linearly with respect to antigen size. OptMAVEn-2.0 was used to design and rank variable antibody fragments targeting five epitopes of Zika envelope protein and three of hen egg white lysozyme. Among the top five ranked designs for each epitope, recovery of native residue identities is typically 45–65%. MD simulations of two designs targeting Zika suggest that at least one would bind with high affinity. OptMAVEn-2.0 can be downloaded from our GitHub repository and webpage as (links in Summary and Discussion section).
Esakia’s Biography and Bibliography

Born on 14 November. Named after his father, who was a famous movie director in Georgia. His mother was an actress.
How to assess the nose for rhinoplasty.

La rhinoplastie est l'une des plus exigeantes de toutes les procedures cosmetiques. Le chirurgien doit avoir une connaissance de l'esthetique faciale et nasale et doit travailler selon la charpente de la structure du nez en cause. L'evaluation preoperatoire totale du patient est discutee, incluant les procedes de consultation et de reconnaissance des facteurs de risque. Les lignes de conduite que nous employons pour structurer nos nez esthetiquement agreables sont discutes.
Should Osteoarthritis Be Treated With Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs?

Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and their superiority to placebo as symptomatic treatment for osteoarthritis (OA). Unquestionably, use of NSAIDs has reduced joint pain and improved mobility for millions of patients with OA. This article explores the uncertainty that exists regarding the use of NSAIDs in the treatment of OA.
Congenital Causes of Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction

This chapter discusses the anatomy and embryology of the nasolacrimal system as well as describing the symptoms and the various congenital causes of nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Clinical Bullets Ninety percent of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstructions will resolve spontaneously by 1 year of age. Most commonly, the source of obstruction is due to persistence of a membrane, usually inferiorly at the valve of Hasner. The nasolacrimal system develops from a solid cord of surface ectodermal origin. Abnormal migration and canalization of this cord can lead to various types of nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Anatomic variations and mechanical pressure on the tear drainage system can lead also to nasolacrimal duct obstructions. Clefting and amniotic banding can cause nasolacrimal system abnormalities. Symptoms of nasolacrimal duct obstruction include epiphora, mattering of the lashes, and the presence of a medial canthal mass.
Anger, sad, and blended expressions to contingency disruption in young infants.

Three studies elicited young infants' (aged 17-23 weeks) anger and sad facial expressions during brief contingency disruptions to explore their potential organization over time as a biphasic process. Study 1 examined partial correlations among anger, sad, blended anger/sad, and neutral expressions during extinction in three extant, independently recruited samples. Across samples, all three negative expressions were inversely related to neutral expressions, but anger and sad expressions were not significantly correlated when anger/sad blends were controlled. Study 2 compared expressions during contingency and disruption minutes in two groups: one in which the disruption was an extinction phase (the absence of the formerly contingent event), or one in which the disruption was noncontingent presentations of the stimuli. Study 3 examined expression trajectories over time in two contingency and extinction sessions. Independent trajectories of anger and sad expressions occurred over time in Studies 2 and 3. Extinction and noncontingency differed in sad expression. The relation between expressions and blends also varied over time.
ISOLATED DIASTOLIC HYPERTENSION IN THE ATHEROSCLEROSIS RISK IN COMMUNITIES (ARIC) STUDY: CHANGING DEFINITIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH

In 2017 US guidelines, the definition of hypertension was lowered from a blood pressure (BP) of 140/90 to 130/80 mmHg. The lower diastolic threshold of 80 mmHg was based primarily on expert opinion, but it has major implications for the diagnosis of isolated diastolic hypertension (IDH). We sought
China's Ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: The Implications for Hong Kong

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was drafted with unprecedented input from civil society and entered into force on 3 May 2008, one month after obtaining its twentieth ratification. Although China was only a signatory at the time, it filed its instrument of ratification on 1 August 2008, in time to participate in the first meeting of States Parties in October 2008 and to nominate a member for the first Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Pursuant to Article 153 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Central government also commenced negotiations with the local Hong Kong government and ultimately decided to apply the CRPD to Hong Kong, albeit with a questionable declaration that purports to limit the application of the treaty in the field of immigration. The CRPD is an unusually long and detailed treaty and Hong Kong now has an obligation to conduct a comprehensive review of its laws and policies. The author argues that the Disability Discrimination Ordinance and its enforcement model should be amended and that the government should create a central body on disability to review and coordinate executive policies that are necessarily affected by the treaty, particularly those relating to accessibility, inclusive education, and mental health.
Demonstrating a New Measure & Index of U.S. Homebuilder Confidence

Abstract Our objective in this paper is to apply behavioral economic theory and evidence from market actor perception surveys to the housing industry to demonstrate a new measure of homebuilder con...
Cape Verde and the risks of tourism specialisation: the tourism option for Africa’s small states

Tourism is a viable, but risky, option for many small island countries to integrate and compete in the world economy. This article examines tourism in the small island economy of Cape Verde. It ass...
Predicting Consumer Intentions Regarding State-branded Food Products in the Grocery and Restaurant Settings: Understanding the Role of Self-Concept

The purpose of this study is to understand how four different self-congruity dimensions predict consumer intentions regarding state-branded food products in the grocery and restaurant settings. To ...
Presence of Additional Safety Belt Enforcement Increases Safety Belt Use by Drivers

The use of a safety belt is universally recognized as a primary means of reducing injuries and fatalities for motor vehicle occupants. There are several factors that contribute to safety belt utili...
A Case Report of Benign Pancreatic Hyperenzymemia (Gullo's Syndrome).

Benign Pancreatic Hyperenzymemia or Gullo's Syndrome is a rare syndrome that has been identified relatively recently and is characterized by abnormally elevated serum pancreatic enzymes in the absence of any clinical or pathological evidence of pancreatic disease. It is usually discovered incidentally, occurs sporadically or as a familial form and remains a diagnosis of exclusion. Both amylase and lipase are elevated but can return to normal levels temporarily. We present an interesting case of benign pancreatic hyperenzymemia. This case highlights the importance of identifying this condition to avoid unnecessary testing and reassuring the patient of its benign nature.
Americans' food spending patterns explain devastating impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on agriculture

First paragraph: The U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service’s Food Expenditures by Outlet data provide insight as to why the lockdowns related to COVID-19 have been so devastating for U.S. farmers. In 2018, American consumers bought a total of $628bn[1] worth of food, of which $460bn was spent at grocery stores and $168bn at warehouse clubs and supercenters (see Figure 1 and Table 1). But expenditures on food away from home exceeded that amount: $680bn was spent at restau­rants, $337.8bn at full-service restaurants and $340.2bn at limited-service restaurants.[2] The social distancing and stay-at-home orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic have forced many restaurants to close and those remaining in business to switch to pick-up or delivery only options. Because restaurant supply chains are highly specialized and time sensitive, reallocation of these supply chains has not come quickly enough to accommodate the shifts in consumption toward at-home eating patterns. . . . [1] All amounts are in U.S. dollars. [2] Not all of this represents the value of agricultural products; a large share of this is value-added in the form of rents and wages.
Framing Health Care Instruction: An Information Literacy Handbook for the Health Sciences

Since the adoption of the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education in 2016, librarians have faced the challenge of how to translate the theoretical into the practical in the cla...
Inquiring Into Notions of Educational Improvement by Teaching Where We Think: Philosophical Meditations as a Practice of Teacher Education

BackgroundThis paper is part of the special issue “Reimagining Research and Practice at the Crossroads of Philosophy, Teaching, and Teacher Education.” Early childhood initiatives have joined a nex...
When at Home: A Phenomenological Study of Zoom Class Experience

This paper seeks to answer what characterizes people’s online teaching and learning experience during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. I conducted a one-month long ethnographic study of five informants using Merleau-Ponty’s key phenomenological concepts to examine how current working and studying conditions challenge students and educators’ temporal and spatial sensations and what strategies they take to cope with these challenges during their Zoom meetings. Additionally, I employed the autoethnographic method in order to fill in the gap where participation with informants’ daily life was unreachable by documenting my personal experience during and beyond the Zoom class. Through a small sample of the target population, this paper captures a snapshot of people’s initial adjustment to remote educational channels, particularly via Zoom meetings, and therefore provides helpful information in terms of creating resources and improving Zoom class experience for students and educators.