cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Auditability in public procurement: an analysis of internal controls and fraud vulnerability

The purpose of our research was to assess how knowledgeable US Department of Defense (DoD) contracting officers are regarding procurement internal controls and what perceptions they have concerning their organisations' susceptibility to procurement fraud. In this empirical study, we developed a web-based survey designed to assess the DoD procurement workforce's knowledge of procurement internal controls as well as their perceptions of organisational internal controls. Based on our findings, we concluded that agencies may be lacking auditability in their organisations, and we provided recommendations to DoD on improving procurement internal controls to help reduce its vulnerability to procurement fraud as well as ensure auditability in their organisations. As defence organisations, as well as international public procurement agencies, continue to strive for accountability, integrity, and transparency in their procurement operations, auditability will continue to increase in importance.
Motion, Emotion, and Form: Exploring Affective Dimensions of Shape

In this paper, we present a study examining how individuals embody emotion within form. Our findings provide a general taxonomy of affective dimensions of shape consistent with and extending previous literature. We also show that ordinary people can reasonably construct embodied shapes using affective dimensions, and illustrate that emotion is conveyed through both visual dimensions and tactile manipulations of shape. Participants used three distinct strategies for embodiment of emotion through shape: the look of a shape (visual representation), creation of a shape symbolizing the experience of an intended emotion (metaphor), and by evoking the intended emotion in the creator through affective movements and manipulations during construction (motion). This work ties together and extends understanding around emotion and form in HCI subdomains such as tangible embodied interaction, emotional assessment, and user experience evaluation.
Phallacidin prevents thrombin-induced increases in endothelial permeability to albumin

Calf pulmonary artery endothelial monolayers cultured on polycarbonate filters were utilized to study 125I-labeled albumin permeability and actin filament distribution in response to thrombin chall...
DNA Methylation: Basic Principles

DNA methylation is a stable yet reversible epigenetic modification that regulates gene expression. New technologies have provided deep insights into the distribution and function of DNA methylation in humans, including the Human Roadmap Epigenome Project that defined genomewide methylation profiles across tissues and developmental stages, with the data available to anyone with Internet access. Exciting recent discoveries have revealed that 5-methylcytosine can be modified by ten–eleven translocase dioxygenases (TET1, 2, and 3) to form 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC). 5hmC is enriched in brain tissues and in embryonic stem cells and appears to have a regulatory role distinct from that of 5-methylcytosine (5mC). 5hmC also acts as a substrate for further modifications by the TET enzymes (5-formylcytosine and 5-carboxylcytosine) which undergo base excision repair by thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG) with replacement by unmethylated cytosine. These revelations present new challenges, including the need for technologies to quantify these modifications, determine their role in pathologies, and ways to target these modified bases and involved pathways to improve patient outcomes. Strategies to reverse abnormal hypermethylation of 5mC at specific loci are being developed and will eventually improve on the generalized toxicity associated with current DNA methyltransferase inhibitor therapies. Finally, exposures to endogenous and exogenous agents can lead to changes in methylation levels that increase disease risk. The sum combinatorial changes comprise what we refer to as each individual’s unique “epigenoprint” that may be useful for determining risk of disease, best strategies for prevention and individualized interventions, likelihood of positive therapeutic response, and lead to improved prognoses.
4 – Thyroid, Parathyroid, and Salivary Glands

Abstract This chapter includes thyroid anatomy, physiology, and radiopharmaceuticals used for nuclear medicine imaging. There are normal images, as well as many images and text for common thyroid conditions. The chapter also contains issues related to the radioiodine therapy of both benign conditions and thyroid cancer. Parathyroid and salivary gland imaging is presented, as well.
Pattern Matching and the Analysis of Damaged Ancient Objects: The Case of the Column Drum

We describe a common problem in the curation and analysis of archaeological materials: restoring the orientation and dimensions of damaged objects. Our focus is a common architectural type in Mediterranean sites, the Doric column drum, which we investigate at one of the earliest Doric temples in the Greek world, the Hera temple at Olympia. The 3D modeling and analysis of this building by the Digital Architecture Project since 2013 has revealed new insights into the construction history of its stone colonnades. This paper concerns the analysis of the 3D models of the in situ material, using the almost 100 fallen drums and capitals to reconstruct the colonnade digitally. In order to accomplish this, we propose two novel methods for training the machine to estimate the dimensions of a fragmentary column drum. One approach is a modification of ICP, where the fragment is compared to an ideal model of an intact drum, which is resized iteratively until concluding with a satisfactory fit. Another approach recasts the scan data into polar coordinates and uses RANSAC to identify the exterior profiles of the piece and remove points likely to belong to damaged areas. The filtered points are then examined by the algorithm to estimate the radii and taper of the drum. Besides saving a great deal of time in the field, these methods are also accurate to within 0.2p of the total radius for well-preserved material, and 1p for even the most fragmentary drums at Olympia. These data have allowed the digital reconstruction of 80p of the displaced drums and all of the capitals from the temple. Our algorithms can be used to measure any fluted column drums, and we discuss the potential value of our approach for other categories of archaeological artifacts.
BV for HL: can the responses last?

In this issue of Blood, Chen et al report the long-term follow up from a cohort of relapsed/refractory (R/R) Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients, who received single-agent brentuximab vedotin (BV) in a phase 2 pivotal trial, revealing a 5-year overall survival (OS) and 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) of 41% and 22%, respectively (see figure).1
A History of Hyperparathyroidism

Endocrine disorders are primarily caused by increased or decreased secretion of a hormone (from the Greek word first proposed in 1905 by Starling, meaning to excite, arouse, or set in motion) [1]. The first mentioned endocrine operation in antiquity was castration [2]. The last endocrine gland to be discovered was the parathyroid gland [3]. These tiny millet-sized structures are situated near the thyroid gland in the neck and were often inadvertently removed during thyroid operations that caused hypocalcemia and tetany. Parathyroid glands could also become neoplasms and secrete too much parathyroid hormone thus resulting in hypercalcemia with kidney and/or bone disorders. In this chapter I will clarify the progress leading to the discovery of primary hyperparathyroidism and how it should most effectively be treated.
Enhancement of Tissue Factor Dependent Procoagulant Activity and Factor Xa Generation by Alpha2-Macroglobulin.

Abstract Alpha2-macroglobulin (α2M) is a broad-spectrum proteinase inhibitor (M~718,000) which is unique in its ability to inhibit proteinases from all four mechanistic classes. α2M inhibits coagulation proteinases, such as thrombin and factor Xa, and fibrinolytic proteinases, such as plasmin. α2M is also a major carrier of growth factors and may regulate growth factor activity. The primary receptors for α2M are the low density lipoprotein receptor related protein (LRP, KD~5 nM) and a higher affinity receptor recently identified as the 78 kDa glucose regulated protein (Grp78, KD~50 pM). In its native conformation α2M is present in plasma at very high concentrations (up to 5 μM). Upon binding to serum proteinases or small primary amines α2M is converted to the receptor-recognized form (α2M*) and then binds to LRP. LRP-associated α2M-proteinase complexes are rapidly internalized and degraded by phagocytic cells such as macrophages. Previous work in our laboratory has demonstrated that Grp78 binds to tissue factor (TF) and inhibits its functional activity. We now demonstrate that α2M* enhances TF-dependent procoagulant activity and factor Xa generation and this function is dependent on α2M* binding to LRP, but not Grp78, since receptor-associated protein (RAP) blocks the response. The effects of α2M on TF-dependent procoagulant activity are most pronounced in RAW 264.7 macrophage-like cells, but also observed in THP-1 monocytic cells. We are performing additional studies, using both α2M mutants and LRP-deficient cells, to further elucidate this novel mechanism by which α2M* may regulate hemostasis.
Who Invests in Corporate Tax Avoiders

We use detailed data on individual investors’ stock holdings to investigate whether corporate tax avoidance affects the willingness of individual investors to own stock. Consistent with corporate tax avoidance increasing both the perceived risk of owning stock and the costs of processing financial information, we provide robust evidence that individual investors own less stock of firms with low effective tax rates, our proxy for corporate tax avoidance. We then examine whether investor sophistication and investment strategies impact individuals’ willingness to own stock in firms with low effective tax rates. Our results suggest that more sophisticated investors and investors with shorter investment horizons own more stock in high tax avoidance firms, while more conservative investors own less. We also demonstrate that individual investors that own more stock in firms with low effective tax rates earn significantly higher abnormal stock returns than individual investors that own less such stock. Our results are robust to numerous control variables (including financial statement disclosure quality, as investigated in Lawrence 2013) and to an alternative measure of corporate tax avoidance. Overall, our findings suggest that less sophisticated and more conservative investors are less willing to own stock in corporate tax avoiders and thus, are at a disadvantage relative to other individual investors.
Nutrition Guidelines to Promote and Maintain Health

Abstract For decades national nutrition guidelines have been developed to promote and maintain population health. In the United States, federal nutrition and health policies are far-reaching. They influence and shape nutrition programs, services and research priorities; healthcare and public health systems as well as other sectors such as food and agriculture. Dietary Reference Intakes and Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) are the primary sources of nutrition guidance and strategies to promote health at individual and population levels. The 2015–2020 DGAs base their recommendations on the most current, sound research evidence on nutrition and health and published clinical practice guidelines on disease prevention and health promotion. They also acknowledge that nutrition and other lifestyle behaviors are influenced by many factors operating at individual, socio-cultural, environmental, multisectoral and policy levels. As such, public health approaches that target individuals, communities, public policies, and environments are recommended to promote healthful dietary patterns and physical activity. Alliances and partnerships across multiple sectors are needed to facilitate changes such that healthy lifestyle choices become normative behaviors. Achieving healthful dietary patterns and physical activity that meet the 2015–2020 DGAs will reduce risks for major chronic diseases and promote wide-ranging favorable health outcomes.
Saving Face, Sacrificing Democracy: American Ontological Security and the 1954 Intervention in Guatemala

The U.S.’s covert operations in Guatemala, resulting in the ouster and exile of Guatemalan President Jacobo Arbenz, is ultimately the story of the U.S.’s identity and its attempts to preserve its o...
Structural analysis of fuzzy controller with gaussian membership function

Abstract Based on Mamdani's Max-Min inference operator, this paper presents an approach to the structure analysis of fuzzy controller with normal-distribution-shaped membership function. The authors deduce the output formulas of a typical fuzzy controller with linear control rales. In such a way, the reasoning mechanism of the fuzzy controller is presented and the nonlinear essence of it disclosed.
Example-based damping design

To date, material modeling in physically based computer animation has largely focused on mass and stiffness material properties. However, deformation dynamics is largely affected also by the damping properties. In this paper, we propose an interactive design method for nonlinear isotropic and anisotropic damping of complex three-dimensional solids simulated using the Finite Element Method (FEM). We first give a damping design method and interface whereby the user can set the damping properties so that motion aligned with each of a few chosen example deformations is damped by an independently prescribed amount, whereas the rest of the deformation space follows standard Rayleigh damping, or any viscous damping. Next, we demonstrate how to design nonlinear damping that depends on the magnitude of the deformation along each example deformation, by editing a single spline curve for each example deformation. Our user interface enables an art-directed and intuitive approach to controlling damping in solid simulations. We mathematically prove that our nonlinear anisotropic damping generalizes the frequency-dependent Caughey damping model, when starting from the Rayleigh damping. Finally, we give an inverse design method whereby the damping curve parameters can be inferred automatically from high-level user input, such as the amount of amplitude loss in one oscillation cycle along each of the chosen example deformations. To minimize numerical damping for implicit integration, we introduce an accurate and stable implicit integrator, which removes spurious high-frequency oscillations while only introducing a minimal amount of numerical damping. Our damping can generate effects not possible with previous methods, such as controllable nonlinear decaying envelopes whereby large deformations are damped faster or slower than small deformations, and damping anisotropic effects. We also fit our damping to videos of real-world objects undergoing large deformations, capturing their nonlinear and anisotropic damping dynamics.
Exploring the relationships between IT competence, innovation capacity and organizational agility

Abstract Business environments today are characterized as being very dynamic and hyper competitive. Organizations in these environments have to be agile in order to adapt their strategies and actions to be successful. While it is recognized that information technology can enable firms to be agile, there is a limited understanding of the mechanisms through and the contexts in which Information Technology (IT) enhances agility. This study examines two key antecedents of organizational agility, namely the IT competence of a firm and its innovation capacity and, examine their independent and joint effects on agility. We test our model using data collected from large firms in the US. The results provide strong support for our model. We found that firms with superior IS capabilities coupled with an aggressive IT investment orientation create digital platforms that enable them to be agile. We also found that the innovation capacity of the firm has a positive relationship with organizational agility and that firms with higher innovation capacity are better able to leverage their digital platforms to enhance agility. Our results indicate that organizational agility has a strong positive impact of firm performance. We interpret and discuss these results and their theoretical and practical implications.
Widely Tunable Infrared Plasmonic Nanoantennas Using Directed Assembly

Infrared plasmonic nanoantennas are key building blocks in nanotechnology. By coupling and confining light into spatial volumes below the diffraction limit, infrared plasmonic nanoantennas provide unique opportunities to sense and signal at nanometer length scales for energy harvesting, as light sources, and in nanomedicine applications. However, in contrast to their radio- and microwave counterparts, widespread use of plasmonic nanoantennas has been limited, due in part to the inability to synthesize these structures maintaining nanoscale precision in large batches with uniform yields. This communication describes a directed assembly approach to generate large quantities of infrared plasmonic nanoantennas with sharp and widely tunable absorption peaks from 1 to 3 µm. It is experimentally demonstrated that the nanoantenna absorption peak depends linearly on the chain length, in agreement with simulations, providing a straightforward means to understand and predict the infrared response of these materials.
Males With Rheumatoid Arthritis Often Evidence Carotid Atheromas on Panoramic Imaging: A Risk Indicator of Future Cardiovascular Events.

Purpose Males with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at an exceedingly high risk of adverse intraoperative ischemic events, given the role of systemic inflammation in the atherogenic process. We hypothesized that their panoramic images would demonstrate calcified carotid artery atheromas (CCAPs) significantly more often than those from a general population of similarly aged men. Patients and Methods We implemented a retrospective observational study. The sample was composed of male patients older than 55 years of age who had undergone panoramic imaging studies. The predictor variable was the diagnosis of RA confirmed by a positive rheumatoid factor (RF) titer, and the outcome variable was the prevalence rate of CCAPs. The other major study variable was the level of RF among the patients evidencing CCAPs. The prevalence of CCAPs among the patients with RA was then compared with that of a historical general population of similarly aged men. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were computed, and the P value was set at .05. Results Of the 100 men (mean age 69.89 ± 8.927 years) with RA, 29 (29%; mean age 72.10 ± 7.68 years) had atheromas (CCAP+). Of these 29 men, 25 (86%; mean age 71.88 ± 7.43 years) had a RF titer of ≥41 IU/mL, twice that of normal. A statistically significant (P Conclusions The results of the present study suggest that CCAP, a risk indicator of future adverse cardiovascular events, is frequently seen on panoramic images of male patients with RA and that these individuals routinely manifest high titer levels of RF, a biologic marker of inflammation. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons planning surgery for male patients with RA must be uniquely vigilant for the presence of these lesions.
Slow tight-binding inhibition of prolyl endopeptidase by benzyloxycarbonyl-prolyl-prolinal.

Prolyl endopeptidase is a serine proteinase that specifically cleaves peptides on the carboxy side of proline residues. Wilk & Orlowski [(1983) J. Neurochem. 41, 69-75] have shown that benzyloxycarbonyl-prolyl-prolinal (Z-prolyl-prolinal) is a potent inhibitor of prolyl endopeptidase. We show that Z-prolyl-prolinal is a slow-binding inhibitor of mouse brain prolyl endopeptidase with Ki 0.35 +/- 0.05 nM. Kinetic analysis indicates that the mechanism is a simple, but slow, reversible equilibrium between free and bound enzyme (E + I in equilibrium EI) with rate constants for association (kon) and dissociation (koff) of 1.6 X 10(5) M-1.s-1 and approx. 4 X 10(-5) s-1 respectively. Slow-binding inhibition is dependent on the presence of the aldehyde group since the alcohol (Z-prolyl-prolinol) is a rapid and 50,000-fold poorer inhibitor (Ki 19 microM). Prolyl endopeptidase from human brain is also inhibited by Z-prolyl-prolinal with kinetics similar to those of the mouse brain enzyme.
Shear lag in thin web structures

In Chapter 5 the stringer loads and the web shear flows were determined at cross sections of thin web beams. This Chapter 6 is concerned with the calculation of shear flows and stringer or stiffener loads in box beams and simple thin web structures under conditions in which the cross section analysis may not be applicable. The procedures in this Chapter also apply to local end problems for thin web beams. When concentrated loads are applied to a thin web or when cut-outs of webs and stringers are made in a structure, then the plane strain cross section analysis used in the previous Chapters does not apply so that an analysis of the shear flows along the length or spanwise direction of the beam must be made. The term beam, which usually implies a long structure with a plane strain cross section, will be used here for any long structure with or without plane sections. The beam may be very short in the following analysis. Although this spanwise problem is redundant requiring deflection equations, in some cases sufficient assumptions can be made to keep the solution determinate so that only equilibrium equations are needed.
Violence in the workplace: Gender similarities and differences

Abstract Mass media, business, security, and government publications routinely highlight the incidents of workplace violence, yet little research has examined these incidents for gender similarities and differences. Using data from the 1992–1996 National Crime Victimization Survey, it is found that gender differences, more so than similarities, are characteristic of workplace violence. Specific types of jobs placed females more at risk of experiencing a violent incident than males in the same types of jobs: more robberies were committed against females employed at teaching institutions and in law enforcement and retail, and more simple assaults were committed against females in law enforcement and the transportation professions. In those incidents where an injury occurred, females lost more time from work. Several explanations for these results and directions for future research are offered.
Correlation Between Oxygen Saturation and Pulse Tracing Patterns on Overnight Oximetry With Normal Desaturation Index Is an Independent Predictor of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Study Objectives:Overnight pulse oximetry (OPO) is commonly used as a screening test for obstructive sleep apnea. Heart rate variability (HRV) correlates well with apnea-hypopnea index during polys...
Experiences of Arab heritage youth in US schools and impact on identity development

To fulfill the promise of inclusive school environments that support all students, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms by which discrimination and support occur in the school setting and h...
Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in Patients Diagnosed With Cancer: An Integrative Review of Healthcare Utilization.

Problem identification The impact of mental health disorders (MHDs) and substance use disorders (SUDs) on healthcare utilization (HCU) in patients with cancer is an understudied phenomenon. Literature search A literature search of studies published prior to January 2018 that examined HCU in patients with preexisting MHDs or SUDs diagnosed with cancer was conducted. Data evaluation The research team evaluated 22 studies for scientific rigor and examined significant trends in HCU, as well as types of the MHD, SUD, and cancer studied. Synthesis The heterogeneity of HCU outcome measures, MHD, SUD, sample sizes, and study settings contributed to inconsistent study findings. However, study trends indicated higher rates of HCU by patients with depression and lower rates of HCU by patients with schizophrenia. In addition, the concept of HCU measures is evolving, addressing not only volume of health services, but also quality and efficacy. Implications for research Oncology nurses are essential to improving HCU in patients with MHDs and SUDs because of their close connections with patients throughout the stages of cancer care. Additional prospective studies are needed to examine specific MHDs and different types of SUDs beyond alcohol use, improving cancer care and the effectiveness of HCU in this vulnerable population.
New and Novel Therapies for Gynecologic Cancers.

abstract Objective To review recent therapies approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of gynecologic malignancies. Data sources PubMed, FDA.gov, ASCO.org. Conclusion The landscape for treating gynecologic malignancies is rapidly changing. Maintenance therapy now exists for women with advanced ovarian cancer after completing chemotherapy for both newly diagnosed and platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer. Anti-angiogenic therapy has many applications in gynecologic malignancies. Immunotherapy can be used in certain situations for women with gynecologic malignancies. Implications for Nursing Practice Biologic agents and immunotherapy have distinct side-effect profiles that nurses need to be aware of to optimize patient care and outcomes.
Transoral Vestibular Thyroidectomy: Current State of Affairs and Considerations for the Future.

Context The transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) is a recently described procedure for surgical management of select thyroid pathology without the need for a cutaneous scar. TOETVA is far from the first described remote-access approach to the thyroid. In fact, numerous such techniques have been described over the past 20 years, although none have gained wide-spread implementation in North America or Europe. TOETVA, with its rapid growth worldwide and excellent outcomes to date, however, may succeed where these prior described techniques have failed. Evidence acquisition The English literature was reviewed using the following keywords: transoral thyroidectomy, remote-access thyroidectomy, minimally-invasive thyroidectomy, and TOETVA. As three recent systematic reviews have been performed in regards to the technique, this manuscript does not seek to provide a fourth such text. Rather, here we summarize salient findings from these reviews and focus on candidates for the procedure, technique-specific characteristics which have led to TOETVA's early success, and prospects for the future. Evidence synthesis TOETVA is the only thyroidectomy approach obviating the need for a cutaneous incision, and offers several advantages over prior described remote-access thyroidectomy techniques. These include a favorable anatomic surgical perspective, a comparatively short learning curve, no requirement for expensive instrumentation, and a broad inclusion criterion. These characteristics have facilitated the excellent surgical outcomes to date. Conclusions TOETVA is a suitable surgical option for a carefully selected patient population with proven safety and feasibility. The potential value of the procedure outside enhanced cosmesis continues to be defined.
Asbestos and Fibrous Glass Induce Biosynthesis of Polyamines in Tracheobronchial Epithelial Cells In Vitro

Polyamines play an important role in regulation of cell proliferation. In this regard, the activity of ODC, the first rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway and the intracellular concentrations of polyamines are highest during growth, differentiation and replication (Raina and Janne 1975). Previously, our laboratory has demonstrated an increase in 3[H]thymidine incorporation and increased activity of ODC after exposure of HTE cells to crocidolite and chrysotile asbestos in vitro (Landesman and Mossman 1982). Proliferative alterations also occur when hamster tracheal explants are cultured for 3 – 4 weeks after crocidolite asbestos is precipitated on the epithelial surface (Mossman, Craighead and MacPherson 1980). During this time period, areas of normal mucociliary epithelium are replaced by large, flat squamous cells and abnormal amounts of keratin, a phenomenon described as squamous metaplasia.
Approach to the Child With Pulmonary Hypertension and Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Pulmonary vascular disease and pulmonary hypertension contribute to the pathophysiology and outcomes of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Data are extremely limited regarding many aspects of...
High Kynurenine:Tryptophan Ratio Is Associated With Liver Fibrosis in HIV-Monoinfected and HIV/Hepatitis C Virus-Coinfected Women.

Background Tryptophan catabolism, measured by the kynurenine:tryptophan (kyn/trp) ratio, is associated with gut microbiota alterations in people with HIV (PWH). We examined the association of the kyn/trp ratio with liver fibrosis in women with/without HIV infection. Methods The plasma kyn/trp ratio was measured in 137 HIV-monoinfected, HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV)-coinfected, and uninfected women in the Women's Interagency HIV Study. Fibrosis was estimated using FIB-4 in all participants and vibration-controlled transient elastography liver stiffness measurement (LSM) in a subset (n = 83). We used multivariable linear regression to evaluate the associations of infection status and kyn/trp ratio with relative differences in fibrosis estimates. Results The median kyn/trp ratio (interquartile range) was 0.056 (0.045-0.066) in HIV/HCV-coinfected, 0.038 (0.032-0.046) in HIV-monoinfected, and 0.031 (0.025-0.034) in uninfected women (P < .001). After adjustment for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and metabolic factors, HIV monoinfection and HIV/HCV coinfection were associated with 37% (95% confidence interval [CI], 9% to 73%) and 164% (95% CI, 100% to 250%) greater FIB-4, respectively. When kyn/trp ratio was included, higher kyn/trp ratio was associated with greater FIB-4 (27% per kyn/trp doubling; 95% CI, 5% to 53%), and the associations of HIV monoinfection (29% per kyn/trp doubling; 95% CI, 2% to 63%) and HIV/HCV coinfection (123% per kyn/trp doubling; 95% CI, 63% to 203%) with greater FIB-4 were attenuated. Among those with LSM, higher kyn/trp ratio was associated with greater LSM (43% per kyn/trp doubling; 95% CI, 15% to 79%) in multivariable analysis. Conclusions The kyn/trp ratio is elevated in PWH and is associated with greater liver fibrosis. Tryptophan catabolism may modify the relationships between HIV, HCV, and fibrosis.
Utility of expert focused cardiac ultrasound in paediatric cardiology outreach clinics.

OBJECTIVE This prospective observational study evaluates the utility of expert focused cardiac ultrasound (eFCU) with spectral Doppler to inform decision making in established patients with specific, selected congenital cardiac defects in outreach clinics. Secondary objectives include determining if the addition of eFCU expands capacity in paediatric cardiology outreach clinics and if it improves the patient experience. METHODS Patients aged 2 months to 19 years old with a diagnosis of ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, atrioventricular septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, aortic valve stenosis, or pulmonary valve stenosis with the need for follow-up echocardiography in an outreach clinic from August 2017 to June 2018 were studied. A novel assessment tool was used to determine the success of eFCU. RESULTS Forty-two patients from 11 clinics underwent eFCU with one unsuccessful exam making the failure rate 2.3% (95% CI 0.0006-0.1256). Addition of eFCU led to a significant increase in volume of patients able to be seen 19 versus 15.5 (p < 0.01). A majority of parents/patients reported a positive experience with eFCU. CONCLUSION Expert focused cardiac ultrasound with spectral Doppler can be used successfully for follow-up in patients with select CHD and the addition of eFCU permits increased patient capacity in outreach clinics and has the potential to improve the patient experience.
Glycosphingolipid Abnormalities in Liver from Patients with Glycosphingolipid and Mucopolysaccharide Storage Diseases

The lipid and mucopolysaccharide storage diseases were first detected by characterizing the material which accumulated in liver or brain. In the case of the glycosphingolipidoses, these abnormal accumulations have been shown to be the result of specific inherited lysosomal hydrolase deficiencies. Normal human liver contains five major glycosphingolipid components, glucosylceramide (GL-1a), lactosylceramide (GL-2a), trihexosylceramide (GL-3), globoside (GL-4) and hematoside (GM3) (4,15) together with smaller amounts of disialohematoside (GD3) and galactosylceramide (GL-lb) (Fig. 1). Human liver also contains trace amounts of sulfatide (GL-lbS), gangliosides such as GM1, and fucoglycosphingolipids (blood group substances). Further, liver has been shown to contain most of the lysosomal glycosyl hydrolases associated with the catabolism of glycosphingolipids. Therefore, the determination of glycosphingolipid levels in this organ (which can be readily biopsied) should be useful in understanding the biochemical defects in a wide range of storage diseases.
A Mechanism for the Arctic Sea Ice Spring Predictability Barrier

The decline of Arctic sea ice extent has created a pressing need for accurate seasonal predictions of regional summer sea ice. Recent work has shown evidence for an Arctic sea ice spring predictability barrier, which may impose a sharp limit on regional forecasts initialized prior to spring. However, the physical mechanism for this barrier has remained elusive. In this work, we perform a daily sea ice mass (SIM) budget analysis in large ensemble experiments from two global climate models to investigate the mechanisms that underpin the spring predictability barrier. We find that predictability is limited in winter months by synoptically driven SIM export and negative feedbacks from sea ice growth. The spring barrier results from a sharp increase in predictability at melt onset, when ice‐albedo feedbacks act to enhance and persist the preexisting export‐generated mass anomaly. These results imply that ice thickness observations collected after melt onset are particularly critical for summer Arctic sea ice predictions.
Optical Thin Film Design

Thin-film coatings are universal on optical components such as displays, lenses, mirrors, cameras, and windows and serve a variety of functions such as antireflection, high reflection, and spectral filtering. Designs can be as simple as a single-layer dielectric for antireflection effects or very complex with hundreds of layers for producing elaborate spectral filtering effects. Starting from basic principles of electromagnetics, design techniques are progressively introduced toward more intricate optical filter designs, numerical optimization techniques, and production methods, as well as emerging areas such as phase change materials and metal film optics. Worked examples, Python computer codes, and instructor problem sets are included. Key Features: Starting from the basic principles of electromagnetics, topics are built in a pedagogic manner toward intricate filter designs, numerical optimization and production methods. Discusses thin-film applications and design from simple single-layer effects to complex several-hundred-layer spectral filtering. Includes modern topics such as phase change materials and metal film optics. Includes worked examples, problem sets, and numerical examples with Python codes.
Kynurenine‐Induced Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Signaling in Mice Causes Body Mass Gain, Liver Steatosis, and Hyperglycemia

Objective The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) plays a key role in obesity. In vitro studies revealed that the tryptophan metabolite kynurenine (Kyn) activates AHR signaling in cultured hepatocytes. The objective of this study was to determine whether Kyn activated the AHR in mice to induce obesity. Methods Mice were fed a low-fat diet and the same diet supplemented with Kyn. Body mass, liver status, and the expression of identified relevant genes were determined. Results Kyn caused mice to gain significant body mass, develop fatty liver and hyperglycemia, and increase expression levels of cytochrome P450 1B1 and stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1. The hyperglycemia was accompanied with decreased insulin levels, which may have been due to the repression of genes involved in insulin secretion. Kyn plasma concentrations and BMI were measured in female patients, and a significant association was observed between Kyn and age in patients with obesity but not in patients who were lean. Conclusions Results show that (1) Kyn or a metabolite thereof is a ligand responsible for inducing AHR-based obesity, fatty liver, and hyperglycemia in mice; (2) plasma Kyn levels increase with age in women with obesity but not in lean women; and (3) an activated AHR is necessary but not sufficient to attain obesity, a status that also requires fat in the diet.
Label-free assessment of biochemical markers of atherosclerotic plaque progression using intravascular fluorescence lifetime

Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIm) enables label-free characterization of tissue composition based on distinct spectral and temporal fluorescence signatures from biological samples. We leverage a database of intraluminal FLIm-IVUS imaging data associated with histological findings to demonstrate the detection of foam cells(540-nm lifetime increase, ROC-AUC=0.94 for foam cell infiltration >25%), superficial calcium (450-nm lifetime decrease), and regions of active plaque formation (390-nm lifetime increase). The ability of FLIm to provide information that complements existing intravascular imaging modalities opens new perspectives to improve our understanding of plaque development and improve risk assessment in patients at risk of acute coronary events.
Antibody affinity as a driver of signal generation in a paper-based immunoassay for Ebola virus surveillance

During epidemics, such as the frequent and devastating Ebola virus outbreaks that have historically plagued regions of Africa, serological surveillance efforts are critical for viral containment and the development of effective antiviral therapeutics. Antibody serology can also be used retrospectively for population-level surveillance to provide a more complete estimate of total infections. Ebola surveillance efforts rely on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), which restrict testing to laboratories and are not adaptable for use in resource-limited settings. In this manuscript, we describe a paper-based immunoassay capable of detecting anti-Ebola IgG using Ebola virus envelope glycoprotein ectodomain (GP) as the affinity reagent. We evaluated seven monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against GP—KZ52, 13C6, 4G7, 2G4, c6D8, 13F6, and 4F3—to elucidate the impact of binding affinity and binding epitope on assay performance and, ultimately, result interpretation. We used biolayer interferometry to characterize the binding of each antibody to GP before assessing their performance in our paper-based device. Binding affinity (KD) and on rate (kon) were major factors influencing the sensitivity of the paper-based immunoassay. mAbs with the best KD (3–25 nM) exhibited the lowest limits of detection (ca. μg mL−1), while mAbs with KD > 25 nM were undetectable in our device. Additionally, and most surprisingly, we determined that observed signals in paper devices were directly proportional to kon. These results highlight the importance of ensuring that the quality of recognition reagents is sufficient to support desired assay performance and suggest that the strength of an individual’s immune response can impact the interpretation of assay results.
Proximity labeling and other novel mass spectrometric approaches for spatiotemporal protein dynamics

Proteins are highly dynamic and their biological function is controlled by not only temporal abundance changes, but also via regulated protein-protein interaction networks which respond to internal and external perturbations. A wealth of novel analytical reagents and workflows allow studying spatiotemporal protein environments with great granularity while maintaining high throughput and ease of analysis.Areas covered: We review technology advances for measuring protein-protein proximity interactions with an emphasis on proximity labeling, and briefly summarize other spatiotemporal approaches including protein localization, and their dynamic changes over time, specifically in human cells and mammalian tissues. We focus especially on novel technologies and workflows emerging within the past five years. This includes enrichment-based techniques such as proximity labeling and crosslinking, separations-based techniques, such as organelle fractionation and size exclusion chromatography, and finally sorting-based techniques, such as laser capture microdissection and mass spectrometry imaging.Expert opinion: Spatiotemporal proteomics is a key step in assessing biological complexity, understanding refined regulatory mechanisms, and forming protein complexes and networks. Studying protein dynamics across space and time holds promise for gaining deep insights into how protein networks may be perturbed during disease and aging processes, and offer potential avenues for therapeutic interventions, drug discovery, and biomarker development.
FC2T2: The Fast Continuous Convolutional Taylor Transform with Applications in Vision and Graphics.

Series expansions have been a cornerstone of applied mathematics and engineering for centuries. In this paper, we revisit the Taylor series expansion from a modern Machine Learning perspective. Specifically, we introduce the Fast Continuous Convolutional Taylor Transform (FC2T2), a variant of the Fast Multipole Method (FMM), that allows for the efficient approximation of low dimensional convolutional operators in continuous space. We build upon the FMM which is an approximate algorithm that reduces the computational complexity of N-body problems from O(NM) to O(N+M) and finds application in e.g. particle simulations. As an intermediary step, the FMM produces a series expansion for every cell on a grid and we introduce algorithms that act directly upon this representation. These algorithms analytically but approximately compute the quantities required for the forward and backward pass of the backpropagation algorithm and can therefore be employed as (implicit) layers in Neural Networks. Specifically, we introduce a root-implicit layer that outputs surface normals and object distances as well as an integral-implicit layer that outputs a rendering of a radiance field given a 3D pose. In the context of Machine Learning, $N$ and $M$ can be understood as the number of model parameters and model evaluations respectively which entails that, for applications that require repeated function evaluations which are prevalent in Computer Vision and Graphics, unlike regular Neural Networks, the techniques introduce in this paper scale gracefully with parameters. For some applications, this results in a 200x reduction in FLOPs compared to state-of-the-art approaches at a reasonable or non-existent loss in accuracy.
Working Regions: Reconnecting Innovation and Production in the Knowledge Economy

1. Working Regions: Regeneration by design 2. The Spatial Distribution of Advanced Manufacturing 3. The Rise of the Research Center: The nexus between national innovation policies and regional development 4. The Trade in Innovation: The evolution of intellectual property markets 5. Hidden in Plain Sight: The North American optics and photonics industry 6. Working Regions in Practice: Apparel and outdoor equipment and medical devices industries 7. Flexible Specialization 2.0: The design + build approach to working regions
Patient Satisfaction Reporting and Its Implications for Patient Care.

Although measures of patient satisfaction are being used to improve patients’ hospital experience, implementing incentives based on these measures may be premature and have unintended consequences for care delivery.
Lead Isotope Mapping of Crustal Reservoirs Within the Grenville Superterrane: I. Central and Southern Appalachians

Geodynamic models for the crustal evolution of the earth are best constrained by recognizing terranes associated with both the accretion and separation of continental plates. In older mountain belts that have experienced multiple episodes of metamorphism and structural reorganization, terrane boundaries are usually not recognizable. However, recent advances in interpreting isotope characteristics of crustal blocks permits separation of distinct crustal reservoirs that may represent terranes.
Effect of nitrogen rate and root-zone mix on rhizosphere bacterial populations and root mass in creeping bentgrass putting greens

Bacterial populations in constructed and fumigated golf course putting greens is a topic that has not been widely explored. The objective of this project was to evaluate the root mass and rhizosphere bacterial populations of creeping bentgrass (Agrostris palustris Huds. Crenshaw) greens over time as affected by root-zone mix and nitrogen rate. Individual miniature putting greens (1x0.5 m) were built at ground level. Two root-zone mixes (80%/20% sand-peat and 100% sand) and two N rates (1.0 and 0.5 g N m–2 week–1 all year) were evaluated, with four replications of each root-zone x N rate treatment. Quarterly (February, May, August, November) root samples (10 cm deep) were removed from each green for 3 years. Standard dilution plating techniques were used to enumerate fluorescent pseudomonads, gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia-like bacteria, actinomycetes, heat-tolerant bacteria, and total aerobic bacteria. There was rarely a significant N rate x root-zone mix interaction, although main effects of N rate and root-zone mix did affect microbial populations at some samplings. If differences did exist, bacterial populations were higher in the sand-peat root-zone mix or in the treatments receiving the higher N rate. While a significant decrease in all bacterial populations enumerated was observed between November 1998 and February 1999, no similar decrease was observed for the same time period in 1997–1998 or 1999–2000. In general, there were no obvious population trends in any microbial population over the 3-year sampling period. Populations of total bacteria ranged from a low of 5.4 to a high of 8.3 log10 CFU per gram of root and rhizosphere soil throughout the 3-year sampling period.
Multipotent luminal mammary cancer stem cells model tumor heterogeneity

Introduction The diversity of human breast cancer subtypes has led to the hypothesis that breast cancer is actually a number of different diseases arising from cells at various stages of differentiation. The elusive nature of the cell(s) of origin thus hampers approaches to eradicate the disease.
A schlieren optics accessory for use with the preparative ultracentrifuge

Abstract The schlieren optical accessory was designed and tested for use with the Beckman models L and L2-65B preparative ultracentrifuges. It has been used to determine sedimentation coefficients and molecular weight estimates. The optics are of sufficient quality to produce good photographs. Comparable experiments using the model E indicated that the optical accessory cannot be considered equivalent in precision to the analytical ultracentrifuge.