cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Replacing Proprietary Software on the Desktop

Open standards, open source software, and Web applications are causing a major shift in the way enterprises manage software. Whereas companies have traditionally been tied to a particular vendor and upgraded their software only when new versions became available, they are increasingly able to change software stacks with less fear of disruption due to incompatibilities or contractual hindrances. More businesses also have the choice of using Web applications that require only a browser instead of using software maintained on local PCs. Open source software and Web applications can be a cost-effective alternative for businesses. As enterprises become more familiar with the benefits that the open community approach and Internet computing offer, open source software and Web applications replace conventional software. The best strategy for our company depends on our particular circumstances
Leucine Supplementation of Drinking Water Does Not Alter Susceptibility to Diet-Induced Obesity in Mice

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), Leu, and the signaling pathways they regulate have been reported to either improve or worsen adiposity and insulin sensitivity. Therefore, it is unclear whether dietary supplementation of Leu would be beneficial. To help address this question, we examined the effect of adding Leu (150 mmol/L; Expt. 1 and Expt. 2) or BCAA (109 mmol/L of each; Expt. 3) to the drinking water on diet-induced obesity (induced with a 60-kJ% fat diet) in singly housed C57BL6/J male mice for at least 14 wk. Liquid and solid food intakes were evaluated weekly along with body weight. During the last few weeks, several blood samples were taken at different times for plasma glucose, total cholesterol, or Leu measurements. Metabolic rate by indirect calorimetry, locomotor activity by light beam breaking, body composition by H1-NMR, and insulin tolerance were also determined. Compared with control, supplementation did not affect body weight, food intake, oxygen consumption, locomotor activity, body composition, insulin tolerance, or total cholesterol. In fed mice, this method of Leu supplementation only increased plasma Leu by 76% when the supplemented group was compared with control. On the other hand, after overnight food deprivation, the plasma Leu did not differ between these 2 groups, even though the mice in the supplemented group had continuous access to Leu-containing water during the solid food deprivation. Taken together, the results do not provide evidence that either Leu or BCAA supplementation of drinking water ameliorates diet-induced obesity in mice, although it may improve glycemia.
The Value–Oriented Civil Rights Movement and Passive Resistance: An Expression of Civility in the Pursuit of Social Justice

A core set of sociological values considered by most Americans as essential to the American way of life are discussed within the context of denial and opportunity for a large minority. These core values guarantee equal opportunity and justice for all Americans as expressed in, and supported by, the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. Yet, historically, Black Americans experienced systematic injustices. A discussion of the Civil Rights Movement focuses on the organized, disciplined, nonviolent action employed as the means of calling attention to the incivility perpetrated upon Blacks while arousing the consciousness of the Nation. The author examines the nonviolent, passive–resistance movement as an expression of civility in pursuit of justice as accorded by the Constitution and in the expressed value system of the American society. We hold these truths to be self–evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just power from the consent of the governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. (The Declaration of Independence in Congress, July 4, 1776)
The functions of NifS-like proteins in plant sulfur and selenium metabolism

Abstract NifS-like proteins were originally studied in bacteria, where they play an important role in sulfur (S) and selenium (Se) metabolism. NifS-like proteins, now thought to exist in all organisms, are best known for their cysteine desulfurase activity that catalyzes the conversion of cysteine into alanine and elemental S needed for various cofactors: iron–sulfur clusters, thiamine, biotin and molybdenum cofactor. Plants contain three NifS-like proteins that are localized to the mitochondria (mtNifS), the chloroplast (cpNifS), and the cytosol (ABA3). mtNifS likely provides the S for the formation of biotin and Fe–S cluster assembly for mitochondrial and cytosolic proteins. cpNifS is necessary for Fe–S clusters assembled in the chloroplast, and may also be required for thiamine synthesis. The third NifS-like protein, ABA3, is cytosolic and probably does not participate in Fe–S cluster formation, but rather is required for the sulfuration of molybdenum cofactor. In addition to cysteine desulfurase activity, NifS-like proteins also possess selenocysteine lyase activity that converts selenocysteine into alanine and elemental Se. In contrast to many bacteria, animals, and some green algae that require selenocysteine lyase activity for essential selenoproteins, plants are not known to require Se. However, the selenocysteine lyase activity found in cpNifS may prevent Se toxicity in plants growing in high concentrations of selenate. This review summarizes what is known about NifS-like proteins in plants and discusses other potential roles that still need to be examined.
Dairy Goat Industry of the United States

Abstract There are two national dairy goat organizations in the United States, the American Dairy Goat Association and the American Goat Society with 17,690 and 1,700 members. They recognize official breeds Alpine, LaMancha, Nubian, Oberhasli (Swiss Alpine), Saanen, Toggenburg, and Pygmy. Annual registrations exceed 50,000 animals. The all-time, all-breed leader for milk yield is a Toggenburg (2,614kg in 305 days) and for fat yield an Alpine (113kg in 305 days). More than 100,000 Dairy Herd Improvement records are processed for sire proving. Distribution of records by breeds is 27% Nubian, 25% Alpine, 15% Toggenburg, 11% Saanen, 6% LaMancha, and 16% others. Average milk production records and fat percent are: Saanen 962kg, 3.5%; Alpine 952kg, 3.5%; Toggenburg 921kg, 3.3%; LaMancha 817kg, 3.8%; Nubian 806kg, 4.6%; and others 871kg, 3.7%. The wide majority of dairy goat herds have less than 10 animals. More than half of all bucks have only one daughter. Acceptable break-even prices to producers require high production. Income after feed costs of $25,000 in 1978 was possible with herds of 100 average does, with consideration of processing and retailing of milk and milk products. Dairy goat activities in 4-H have increased from 3,530 to 16,618 members in the last 8 yr. The potential of United States dairy goats for export to developing countries is considerable. Merchandizing of goat milk and products in the United States is of limited dimension but has wide potential if professional development, promotion, and research become more involved.
"My Mother's Keeper": The Effects of Parentification on Black Female College Students

This qualitative study examined the parentification of eight Black American college females and its impact on their college experiences. Two 90-minute focus groups were conducted in order to gain i...
Biodegradable Nanoshells for Optical Contrast and Controlled Release

Liposome-supported arrays of gold nanodots exhibit plasmon resonance, making them useful as contrast agents in optical imaging techniques and degradable to components of clearable size. Encapsulated volume can be released with high energy incident light.
Magnetic field excitation of peripheral nerves and the heart : a comparison of thresholds

Time-varying magnetic fields can theoretically excite the heart or peripheral nerves. Relative excitation thresholds of nerve and heart are compared using ellipsoidal representations of the human torso. Relative magnetic thresholds depend on the excitability of nerve and cardiac tissue, the geometric positions of anatomical features, stimulus waveform features and the direction and spatial distribution of the incident magnetic field. Minimum electric field thresholds for excitation of nerve and heart do not differ greatly. Nevertheless, nerve and heart magnetic thresholds may be disparate because of factors related to body geometry and the dependence of excitability on the stimulus waveform.
Microwave Ablation: Comparison of Simultaneous and Sequential Activation of Multiple Antennas in Liver Model Systems.

Simultaneous activation created larger, more confluent, and more spherical ablation zones with greater temperatures than sequential activation.
The relationship between protein structure and function: a comprehensive survey with application to the yeast genome.

For most proteins in the genome databases, function is predicted via sequence comparison. In spite of the popularity of this approach, the extent to which it can be reliably applied is unknown. We address this issue by systematically investigating the relationship between protein function and structure. We focus initially on enzymes functionally classified by the Enzyme Commission (EC) and relate these to by structurally classified domains the SCOP database. We find that the major SCOP fold classes have different propensities to carry out certain broad categories of functions. For instance, alpha/beta folds are disproportionately associated with enzymes, especially transferases and hydrolases, and all-alpha and small folds with non-enzymes, while alpha+beta folds have an equal tendency either way. These observations for the database overall are largely true for specific genomes. We focus, in particular, on yeast, analyzing it with many classifications in addition to SCOP and EC (i.e. COGs, CATH, MIPS), and find clear tendencies for fold-function association, across a broad spectrum of functions. Analysis with the COGs scheme also suggests that the functions of the most ancient proteins are more evenly distributed among different structural classes than those of more modern ones. For the database overall, we identify the most versatile functions, i.e. those that are associated with the most folds, and the most versatile folds, associated with the most functions. The two most versatile enzymatic functions (hydro-lyases and O-glycosyl glucosidases) are associated with seven folds each. The five most versatile folds (TIM-barrel, Rossmann, ferredoxin, alpha-beta hydrolase, and P-loop NTP hydrolase) are all mixed alpha-beta structures. They stand out as generic scaffolds, accommodating from six to as many as 16 functions (for the exceptional TIM-barrel). At the conclusion of our analysis we are able to construct a graph giving the chance that a functional annotation can be reliably transferred at different degrees of sequence and structural similarity. Supplemental information is available from http://bioinfo.mbb.yale.edu/genome/foldfunc++ +.
Concentration-Dependent Synergy and Antagonism within a Triple Antifungal Drug Combination against Aspergillus Species: Analysis by a New Response Surface Model

Invasive aspergillosis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients (20). New therapeutic approaches are needed to improve outcome (30). The introduction of newer antifungal agents with different mechanisms of action has made combination therapy a possibility and an area of compelling investigational interest (38). Because of their different mechanisms of action, triazoles, echinocandins, and polyenes are likely candidates for combination therapy. Echinocandins inhibit the synthesis of 1,3-β-d-glucan, a key component of the cell walls of most fungi; triazoles inhibit the synthesis of ergosterol by inhibiting the enzyme lanosterol C-14 demethylase; and polyenes act directly at the fungal cell membrane to alter its integrity (10). Triple combination therapy using all three classes of antifungal agents may be used in refractory aspergillosis (8, 35, 39). However, this practice has not been well studied, and the in vitro pharmacodynamic interactions are unknown. Preclinical studies are therefore required to understand the pharmacodynamic interactions and appropriately adjust in vivo dosing regimens in order to maximize synergistic effects and minimize the antagonistic ones. In vitro pharmacodynamic interactions within a triple combination can be complex (24); powerful analytical tools are required to accurately describe the effects of the triple combination in a wide range of drug concentrations and to determine the nature and intensity of antifungal pharmacodynamic interactions. Response surface methodologies provide the necessary tools to capture the information present in the full concentration-effect data set for two or more agents and to quantify synergy and antagonism (9). A new nonlinear mixture-amount response surface model for analyzing three-drug combinations was recently described (40). By contrast with other fully parametric response surface models, the new model is flexible enough to describe complicated response surfaces and to determine complex patterns of synergy and antagonism. With this model, response surfaces are modeled using the sigmoid Emax concentration-effect relationship, and pharmacodynamic interactions are assessed based on the Loewe additivity zero interaction theory. It was previously found that amphotericin B interacts in a concentration-dependent manner with triazoles (26), whereas echinocandins interact synergistically with azoles and polyenes (6, 31). Given the expected complexity of the pharmacodynamic interactions within a triple combination of polyene-triazole-echinocandin, we used the new response surface model to analyze the in vitro triple combination of amphotericin B with voriconazole and caspofungin against three Aspergillus species.
Neuromuscular control of wingbeat kinematics in Anna's hummingbirds (Calypte anna).

Hummingbirds can maintain the highest wingbeat frequencies of any flying vertebrate – a feat accomplished by the large pectoral muscles that power the wing strokes. An unusual feature of these muscles is that they are activated by one or a few spikes per cycle as revealed by electromyogram recordings (EMGs). The relatively simple nature of this activation pattern provides an opportunity to understand how motor units are recruited to modulate limb kinematics. Hummingbirds made to fly in low-density air responded by moderately increasing wingbeat frequency and substantially increasing the wing stroke amplitude as compared with flight in normal air. There was little change in the number of spikes per EMG burst in the pectoralis major muscle between flight in normal and low-density heliox (mean=1.4 spikes cycle^(–1)). However the spike amplitude, which we take to be an indication of the number of active motor units, increased in concert with the wing stroke amplitude, 1.7 times the value in air. We also challenged the hummingbirds using transient load lifting to elicit maximum burst performance. During maximum load lifting, both wing stroke amplitude and wingbeat frequency increased substantially above those values during hovering flight. The number of spikes per EMG burst increased to a mean of 3.3 per cycle, and the maximum spike amplitude increased to approximately 1.6 times those values during flight in heliox. These results suggest that hummingbirds recruit additional motor units (spatial recruitment) to regulate wing stroke amplitude but that temporal recruitment is also required to maintain maximum stroke amplitude at the highest wingbeat frequencies.
A quadratic-constrained least-squares approach to the design of digital filter banks

The author formulates the filter bank design problem as a quadratic-constrained least-square minimization problem. The solution of the minimization problem converges very fast since the cost function and the constraints are quadratic functions with respect to the unknown parameters. The cosine-modulated and the two-channel linear-phase filter banks are designed using the proposed formulation. Compared to other design methods, the proposed technique yields PR (perfect reconstruction) filter banks with much higher stopband attenuation. The filter designed using the new approximation could be used as an initialization filter in a conventional PR filter bank design. >
The embodiment of tourism among bisexually-behaving Dominican male sex workers.

While theories of “structure” and social inequality have increasingly informed global health efforts for HIV prevention—with growing recognition of the linkages between large-scale political and economic factors in the distribution and impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic—there is still little theorization of precisely how structural factors shape the very bodies and sexualities of specific populations and groups. In order to extend the theoretical understanding of these macro-micro linkages, this article examines how the growth of the tourism industry in the Dominican Republic has produced sexual practices and identities that reflect both the influence of large-scale structural processes and the resistant responses of local individuals. Drawing on social science theories of political economy, embodiment, and authenticity, I argue that an understanding of patterns of sexuality and HIV risk in the region requires analysis of how political-economic transformations related to tourism intersect with the individual experiences and practices of sexuality on the ground. The analysis draws on long-term ethnographic research with bisexually behaving male sex workers in two cities in the Dominican Republic, including participant observation, in-depth interviews, focus groups, and surveys. By examining the global and local values placed on these men’s bodies and the ways sex workers use their bodies to broker tourists’ pleasure, we may better understand how the large-scale structures of the tourism industry are linked to the specific meanings and practices of sexuality.
Inflammation and Immune System Activation After Traumatic Brain Injury

Treatment options for managing traumatic brain injury remain limited. Therapies that limit the development of secondary brain injury—the delayed injury that can occur days to weeks after initial presentation—would have a major impact on outcomes and reduce the medical, social, and economic burden of this devastating disease. A growing body of evidence suggests that inflammation and activation of the immune system is a central driver of secondary brain injury. This article reviews the evidence for inflammation mediating secondary injury after head trauma and outlines potential approaches for immunomodulatory therapies after traumatic brain injury.
Symbolic objects in a networked gestural sound interface

SignalPlay is a sensor-based interactive sound environment in which familiar objects encourage exploration and discovery of sound interfaces through the process of play. Embedded wireless sensors form a network that detects gestural motion as well as environmental factors such as light and magnetic field. Human interactions with the sensors and with each other cause both immediate and systemic changes in a spatialized soundscape. Our investigation highlights the interplay between expected object-behavior associations and new modes of interaction with everyday objects. Here we present observations on embodied network interaction and suggest opportunities for further investigation in this field.
An interactive approach to design lectures

In an attempt to improve understanding in design topics, a method has been developed whereby students are involved in the process from establishment of specifications to the evaluation of success. The role of the instructor is to direct the progress while allowing the students to make the critical decisions and discover the methods and their purpose. The author describes the original application of the method to synchronous state machine design problems in a digital sequential logic course for freshman. The resulting improvements in student understanding as well as logistical problems presented by this method are discussed. >
My Journey from Horticulture to Plant Biology

The author describes the circumstances and opportunities that led him to higher education and to pursue a research career in plant biology. He acknowledges the important roles a few individuals played in guiding him in his career. His early work on flowering was followed by studies on the physiological roles and the metabolism of gibberellins and abscisic acid. He describes how collaborations and technical developments advanced his research from measuring hormones by bioassay to their identification and quantification by mass spectrometry and cloning of hormone biosynthetic genes.
MEMORIES FROM THE MARGINS: STORIES AND IMAGES OF URBAN HOMELESSNESS

Among any city’s most wounded bodies and minds are the homeless – individuals who live on the streets, without any formal claim to place. For many of these individuals, the vessels of historical memory are not museums, or classrooms, or library archives, but parks, alleyways, and subway stations. As the numbers of homeless individuals increase dramatically each year, their social, physical, and psychological trauma increasingly characterizes urban life, even as their experiences fall to the margins of the city’s history and future. In response, this paper explores the merging of homeless histories with public history, through two interlocking projects carried out in Boston, Massachusetts – “Histories and Homelessness,” a community-based life-writing project, and “Images from the Streets,” a disposable-camera photography project – outreach and education projects, in which all participants are among the unsheltered homeless who spend their nights on heating grates, under highways, and in ATM kiosks. Together, these projects begin to map and make visible the landscape and memories of homelessness, as they are written and photographed by its inhabitants, and firmly situate these histories within the wider community. Recovering the personal and interpretive histories of homeless individuals, so intimately tied to “place,” creates a powerful strategy for expanding the history of the community to include voices and visions often excluded or left at the margins.
The Pendulum Swings: Reconsidering Corporate Criminal Prosecution

Corporate crime continues to occur at an alarming rate, yet disagreement persists among scholars and practitioners about the role of corporate criminal prosecution. Some argue that corporations should face criminal prosecution for their misconduct, while others would reserve criminal prosecution for individual corporate officials. Perhaps as a result of this conflict, there has been a dramatic increase over the last decade in the use of deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements for some corporate crimes, even as the government continues to bring criminal charges for other corporate crimes. To move beyond our erratic approach to corporate crime, we need a better understanding of what is accomplished by the criminal prosecution of corporations, a construct that considers retributive and utilitarian theories but also takes into account the expressive function of criminal law and the societal need for condemnation, accountability, and justice when crime occurs.In this article, I provide a justification for corporate criminal prosecution that identifies the moral content of corporate crime, considers the deterrent value of corporate prosecution, and explains why the expressive value of the criminal law is indispensable in the corporate context. Corporate wrongdoing has pernicious effects on our communities, the economy, and the environment, which warrant the condemnation the criminal law provides. Criminal prosecution of corporations upholds the rule of law, validates the choices of law-abiding companies, and promotes accountability. Together those values contribute to our sense that justice has been done when crime occurs, which enhances trust in the legal system, provides the opportunity for societal catharsis, and allows us to move forward in the aftermath of criminal activity. When corporations face no consequences for their criminal behavior, we minimize their lawlessness, and increase cynicism about the outsized influence of corporations.
Supporting Consistency during the Development and Evolution of Quality Unified Use-Misuse Case Models

In the domain of scenario-based modeling, use case modeling has been extended several times to introduce security related concepts such as misuse, abuse, vulnerability and safeguarding. The most advanced model is the Unified Use-Misuse Case Model (UUMCM) (Arogundade et. al., 2011). A low quality UUMCM will not only cause the development of a system that does not meet its business requirements, but also a system that is insecure. This paper proposes an authoring structure that specifically designed to improve one particular quality attribute; structural consistency. Automation support has been developed for this structure. Two different approaches have been used to demonstrate the feasibility and application of the proposed structure. In both validation approaches, the results show that the structure can be used to ensure structural consistency in UUMCMs throughout their development and evolution.
The Relationship between Musicians' Expectations and Their Perception of Expressive Features in an Aural Model

The purpose of the study was to determine whether musicians' perception of expressive features in an aural model is related to pre-existing expectations for the piece of music. Twenty-four advanced musicians gave `normal musical performances' (or default performances) of two short musical excerpts, indicating their expressive expectations for the excerpts. Subjects then heard expressive performances of the excerpts that contained several expressive dynamic variations (i.e., crescendos, decrescendos, accents). Subjects' ultimate task was imitating these expressive models as exactly as possible, but before giving their imitative performances, the musicians verbally reported the expressive dynamic features they perceived in the models. Results indicated that subjects' default performances were significantly more similar to models' idiomatic features (reflecting expressive performance conventions) than nonidiomatic (musically inappropriate) features. More importantly, expressive features that went unidentifie...
Emergencies in Infectious Diseases

A cancer patient who visits The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Emergency Center (EC) with symptoms such as fever, hypotension, and changes in mental status will undergo an evaluation for possible sepsis. This chapter covers infectious complications in cancer patients. In it we describe specific infectious processes that most commonly affect our patient population: pneumonia, neutropenic fever, sepsis, and surgical wound infections. Infections related to the presence of catheters in various parts of the body, including central venous catheters, may be frequently associated with certain micro-organisms.
The effect of deferoxamine on ciprofibrate-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in the rat.

Background Peroxisome proliferators (PP) are proven hepatocarcinogens in rats and mice. The carcinogenic effect of PP has been attributed to the oxidative stress that results from generation of high levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Since the hydroxyl radical is produced via metal mediated reaction from H2O2 and is DNA reactive, we have examined the effect of deferoxamine, the specific iron chelator, on ciprofibrate-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. Materials and methods Male F-344 rats were fed a diet containing ciprofibrate (0.025%) alone or ciprofibrate plus deferoxamine (0.3% or 0.6%) for 60 to 61 weeks, and the livers were analyzed for the incidence, number and size of the tumors. Results One hundred percent of rats in all groups developed neoplastic nodules and hepatocellular carcinomas. However, in rats given a higher dose of deferoxamine there was a significant decrease in the number of tumors per liver and the number of tumors larger than 10mm. Conclusions Although deferoxamine did not prevent tumor development, at the higher dose level it caused a decrease in the number of tumors. These findings indicate that the decreased tumor numbers maybe due to a reduction in the level of hydroxyl radicals.
Miscibility of Itraconazole-Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Blends: Insights with High Resolution Analytical Methodologies.

Drug–polymer miscibility is considered to be a prerequisite to achieve an optimally performing amorphous solid dispersion (ASD). Unfortunately, it can be challenging to evaluate drug–polymer miscibility experimentally. The aim of this study was to investigate the miscibility of ASDs of itraconazole (ITZ) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) using a variety of analytical approaches. The phase behavior of ITZ-HPMC films prepared by solvent evaporation was studied before and after heating. Conventional methodology for miscibility determination, that is, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), was used in conjunction with emerging analytical techniques, such as fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence imaging, and atomic force microscopy coupled with nanoscale infrared spectroscopy and nanothermal analysis (AFM-nanoIR-nanoTA). DSC results showed a single glass transition event for systems with 10% to 50% drug loading, suggesting that the ASDs were miscible, whereas phase separation was observed for all of...
Regulation of Cyanobacterial Gene Families Encoding Proteins of Photosystem II

The genes psbA and psbD, which encode the photosystem II reaction center proteins D1 and D2, respectively, are unique genes in the chloroplast genomes of most plants. However, in cyanobacteria both genes are present as small multigene families. The three psbA genes of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 (also called Anacystis nidulans R2) encode two forms of D1 which differ primarily in their amino terminal amino acid sequences (1). This organism also has two psbD genes, designated psbDI and psbDII, which predict an identical D2 polypeptide (2). The psbDI gene, like chloroplast psbD genes, overlaps the open reading frame of psbC, the gene encoding the photosystem II CP43 protein (2). We are studying the photosystem II complex of Synechococcus at the level of regulation of the psbA and psbD gene families and expression of their protein products. A major goal is to identify the regulatory signals that modulate transcription and translation of the psbA and psbD genes in response to changes in the growth environment.
Improvement in left ventricular function after myocardial revascularization Assessment by first-pass rest and exercise nuclear angiography

Thirty-six patients with coronary artery disease were studied by first-pass radionuclide angiography to assess the effects of myocardial revascularization on exercise-induced myocardial ischemia. The radionuclide studies were performed in the 30 degree right anterior oblique position, at rest and during exercise, 1 to 3 days preoperatively and 10 to 14 days postoperatively. The mean population age was 53 years; the mean number of grafts placed was 4.0 per patient. Fifteen normal male volunteers were tested by rest and exercise radionuclide angiography to serve as normal control subjects. In all exercise radionuclide studies, progressive upright bicycle exercise was performed to symptoms of fatigue, dyspnea, or chest pain. The parameters of ejection fraction (EF), end-diastolic volume (EDV), and regional wall motion (RWM) were determined. Twenty-nine of the 36 patients had postoperative coronary arteriography that was correlated with radionuclide determinations. The results showed that in the normal subjects with maximal exercise the mean EF rose, the mean EDV increased 19%, and there was no exercise-induced regional wall motion dysfunction (ERWMD). In the patients with coronary artery disease prior to operation, the mean EF fell significantly, the mean EDV rose 24%, and 26 of 36 patients had ERWMD. After operation, the mean EF of the group rose, the EDV increased only 15%, and only two of 36 patients continued to show ERWMD. Of the eight patients who demonstrated an abnormal response postoperatively, seven had what was considered to be inadequate revascularization, and in one there was no explanation. The data demonstrate that myocardial revascularization does improve ventricular function by abolishing exercise-induced evidence of ischemia (decreased EF, increased EDV, and ERWMD) as assessed by radionuclide angiography. Failure to abolish the exercise-induced functional instability suggests incomplete revascularization.
Virus Infection of Airway Epithelial Cells

Abstract The airway epithelial cell barrier serves as the main site of replication for most of the common respiratory viruses and is thereby the first line of defense against these viruses. Host epithelial cells are specially enriched for pattern recognition receptors that activate immune response genes to limit viral replication. A prominently expressed set of these genes encodes cytokines that orchestrate key aspects of host defense, such as recruitment of immune cells and repair of epithelial cell damage. Under some circumstances, airway epithelial cells may be programmed to release cytokines (notably IL-33) that activate a type 2 immune response, which in excess might contribute to the development of chronic obstructive lung disease. Moreover, long-term epithelial progenitor cells with this capability may explain an ongoing susceptibility to lung disease in response to acute respiratory infection or other types of inhaled danger signals. The mucosal airway epithelial cell can thereby mediate a beneficial response for host defense and a detrimental response leading to inflammatory disease.
Association Between Gout and Aortic Stenosis

BACKGROUND An independent association between gout and coronary artery disease is well established. The relationship between gout and valvular heart disease, however, is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the association between gout and aortic stenosis. METHODS We performed a retrospective case-control study. Aortic stenosis cases were identified through a review of outpatient transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) reports. Age-matched controls were randomly selected from patients who had undergone TTE and did not have aortic stenosis. Charts were reviewed to identify diagnoses of gout and the earliest dates of gout and aortic stenosis diagnosis. RESULTS Among 1085 patients who underwent TTE, 112 aortic stenosis cases were identified. Cases and nonaortic stenosis controls (n = 224) were similar in age and cardiovascular comorbidities. A history of gout was present in 21.4% (n = 24) of aortic stenosis subjects compared with 12.5% (n = 28) of controls (unadjusted odds ratio 1.90, 95% confidence interval 1.05-3.48, P = .038). Multivariate analysis retained significance only for gout (adjusted odds ratio 2.08, 95% confidence interval 1.00-4.32, P = .049). Among subjects with aortic stenosis and gout, gout diagnosis preceded aortic stenosis diagnosis by 5.8 ± 1.6 years. The age at onset of aortic stenosis was similar among patients with and without gout (78.7 ± 1.8 vs 75.8 ± 1.0 years old, P = .16). CONCLUSIONS Aortic stenosis patients had a markedly higher prevalence of precedent gout than age-matched controls. Whether gout is a marker of, or a risk factor for, the development of aortic stenosis remains uncertain. Studies investigating the potential role of gout in the pathophysiology of aortic stenosis are warranted and could have therapeutic implications.
Two Worlds of University Life: Role Conflict among Residential Students and Commuters on a Newly-Residentialized Campus

This study examined the extent to which commuters and the first cohort of residential students occupied separate worlds of university life due to differences in role conflict. The population of the first cohort of residents (n = 109) and a random sample of commuters (n = 121) were compared on demographics, use of facilities, and social interaction. Residents were more involved in campus activities, and used campus facilities more. Residents reported a greater number of interactions with other students. Commuters were less integrated into the campus due to role conflict from heavier off-campus responsibilities and time constraints. Suggestions for mitigating role conflict and meeting the needs of these distinct groups are presented.
Diagnosing Sarcopenia on Thoracic Computed Tomography: Quantitative Assessment of Skeletal Muscle Mass in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Rationale and Objectives This study aims to assess the use of skeletal muscle mass measurements at two thoracic levels to diagnose sarcopenia on computed tomography (CT) chest examinations and to analyze the impact of these measurements on clinical outcome parameters following transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Materials and Methods This study retrospectively included 157 patients who underwent preoperative CT examinations. The total muscle area was measured on transverse CT images at the 3rd lumbar and 7th and 12th thoracic levels with skeletal muscle indices (SMIs) calculated at each level. SMIs were then compared to clinical outcome parameters, and thoracic cutoff values for sarcopenia at the 7th and 12th thoracic levels were calculated. Results Correlation between SMIs at the third lumbar vertebra (L3) and the 12th thoracic vertebra (T12) was stronger (r = 0.724, P < 0.001) than that between L3 and the seventh thoracic vertebra (T7) (r = 0.594, P < 0.001). SMIs at L3 and T12 significantly correlated with prolonged length of stay. Thoracic cutoff values for the 12th thoracic level were 42.6 cm2/m2 (men) and 30.6 cm2/m2 (women), and those for the 7th thoracic level were 46.5 cm2/m2 (men) and 32.3 cm2/m2 (women). Conclusions Skeletal muscle measurements at the T12 level could permit the diagnosis of sarcopenia and could be used to correlate sarcopenia with outcome parameters in patients undergoing CT limited to the chest.
Developing the Alphabetic Principle to Aid Text-Based Augmentative and Alternative Communication Use by Adults With Low Speech Intelligibility and Intellectual Disabilities

Purpose We explored alphabet supplementation as an augmentative and alternative communication strategy for adults with minimal literacy. Study 1's goal was to teach onset-letter selection with spok...
Decision Trees with Parametric Enlarged Local Search

Lately, decision trees became an important tool in marketing research, e.g. to classify potential customers in order to send individual ads to them. In contrast to many other situations here the classification should be done in such a manner that not the inhomogeneity of subsets is minimised but a cost orientated loss function. Unfortunately, split criteria based on cost orientated loss functions have the disadvantage to be too often indifferent between different splits. This is among others due to the local optimality of the split calculations ([1]) and due to the facts that a further improvement of the loss function could be better achieved if the best split in a “class of indifferent or nearly indifferent splits” is chosen. This paper presents a parametric enlargement of the local search for optimal splits using cost orientated loss functions.
History of Optics in Endourology

Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments to detect it. From its earliest days, physicians have found the urinary tract to be a tempting target for intervention since it lies so tantalizingly close to the surface and has a natural aperture. This accessibility allowed urologic procedures to be among the earliest attempted by practitioners, with interrogation of the bladder first occurring thousands of years ago. While lithotomists made their diagnosis based on history and the transurethral “sounding” of the bladder to identify bladder calculi, the actual surgery was traumatically transperineal as the technology to see in the urethra and bladder did not yet exist.
A few selected contributions to electron and photon collisions with H2 and

We discuss a number of aspects regarding the physics of and H2. This includes low-energy electron scattering processes and the interaction of both weak (perturbative) and strong (ultrafast/intense) electromagnetic radiation with those systems.
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Training: 2004-2016.

Objectives To describe growth trends in the number of programs, positions, and applicants in pediatric critical care medicine fellowship training as part of the Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Training Study. Design Descriptive study. Settings Available archived Match data through the National Resident Matching Program and training data from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Patients None. Interventions None. Measurements and main results We analyzed all data on programs, positions, and applicants through the National Resident Matching Program Specialties Matching Service during the study period of 2004 to 2016. We also analyzed available training data available through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education for the corresponding study period. During the 12-year study period, there was a statistically significant expansion in programs (38%), positions (82%), and applicants (151%). Correspondingly, the percentage of pediatric critical care medicine programs participating in the Match as a percentage of all Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited programs for that academic year increased 24%. As of 2015, 94% of total first year positions offered for pediatric critical care medicine were through the Match. Conclusions For the period 2004 to 2016, there was a substantial increase in positions and applicants applying for training in pediatric critical care medicine. We document an increase in demand (i.e., applicants) that has been matched by an increase in supply (i.e., positions) for pediatric critical care medicine fellowship training. The nearly complete use of the National Resident Matching Program for placing applicants in training positions in pediatric critical care medicine suggests that these data can be used to inform workforce analysis in pediatric critical care medicine.
Routine Language: Speech Directed to Infants During Home Activities

Everyday activities are replete with contextual cues for infants to exploit in the service of learning words. Nelson's (1985) script theory guided the hypothesis that infants participate in a set of predictable activities over the course of a day that provide them with opportunities to hear unique language functions and forms. Mothers and their firstborn 13-month-old infants (N = 40) were video-recorded during everyday activities at home. Transcriptions and coding of mothers' speech to infants-time-locked to activities of feeding, grooming, booksharing, object play, and transition-revealed that the amount, diversity, pragmatic functions, and semantic content of maternal language systematically differed by activity. The activities of everyday life shape language inputs to infants in ways that highlight word meaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
A schoolwide approach to promoting student bystander behavior in response to the use of the word “retard”

Abstract Background and aims The use of the word retard (“the r-word”) among adolescents sheds light on societal views about individuals with intellectual disability and the need to address the colloquial use of this word and its underlying stigma. Schools provide an important platform for intervening to promote social change among youth. The present study examined the impact of a schoolwide social inclusion program on students’ bystander behavior against the use of the r-word. Methods and procedures 1233 students from 5 high schools were surveyed about the prevalence of the r-word in their school, the contexts in which it is used, and their bystander behavior in response to the word. Approximately 40% of surveyed students participated in an R-word Campaign, Unified Sports team, and/or Unified Club as part of the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools (UCS) program. Outcomes and results Students’ prosocialness, the context in which the r-word was used, and participation in UCS activities significantly predicted active bystander behavior in response to the r-word. Conclusions and implications By empowering students to be active bystanders against the use of the r-word in school, school-based interventions provide a promising avenue for addressing both the use of the r-word and its underlying stigma.
Mathematische und numerische Werkzeuge

Im Folgenden wird eine Einfuhrung in die verwendete Notation gegeben und Methoden zur numerischen Losung von (i) linearen Gleichungssystemen und (ii) unrestringierten Optimierungsaufgaben vorgestellt. Die besprochenen Verfahren werden als ein Werkzeug und nicht als Forschungsgegenstand dieser Arbeit verstanden. Es gibt eine Vielzahl an Ubersichtsarbeiten, die sich diesen Themen widmen. Fur Details zur Losung linearer Gleichungssysteme sei der geneigte Leser bspw. auf [157, 196 & 213] verwiesen. Ein tieferer Einblick in die Verfahren der numerischen Optimierung kann in [5, 50, 73 & 171] gewonnen werden.
Scalable Data Resilience for In-memory Data Staging

The dramatic increase in the scale of current and planned high-end HPC systems is leading new challenges, such as the growing costs of data movement and IO, and the reduced mean times between failures (MTBF) of system components. In-situ workflows, i.e., executing the entire application workflows on the HPC system, have emerged as an attractive approach to address data-related challenges by moving computations closer to the data, and staging-based frameworks have been effectively used to support in-situ workflows at scale. However, the resilience of these staging-based solutions has not been addressed and they remain susceptible to expensive data failures. Furthermore, naive use of data resilience techniques such as n-way replication and erasure codes can impact latency and/or result in significant storage overheads. In this paper, we present CoREC, a scalable resilient in-memory data staging runtime for large-scale in-situ workflows. CoREC uses a novel hybrid approach that combines dynamic replication with erasure coding based on data access patterns. The paper also presents optimizations for load balancing and conflict avoiding encoding, and a low overhead, lazy data recovery scheme. We have implemented the CoREC runtime and have deployed with the DataSpaces staging service on Titan at ORNL, and present an experimental evaluation in the paper. The experiments demonstrate that CoREC can tolerate in-memory data failures while maintaining low latency and sustaining high overall storage efficiency at large scales.
Stem-Cell-Derived Astrocytes Divulge Secrets of Mutant GFAP.

Gain-of-function mutations in the canonical astrocyte protein, GFAP, cause a fatal neurodevelopmental disorder with myelination abnormalities, seizures, and psychomotor disturbances. Recently, Li et al. (2018) (in Cell Stem Cell) and Jones et al. (2018) (in Cell Reports) have shown that patient iPSC-derived astrocytes with mutant GFAP have disrupted astrocyte functions, revealing disease mechanisms and potential roles of GFAP.
Stabilization of Ruthenium(II) Polypyridyl Chromophores on Mesoporous TiO2 Electrodes: Surface Reductive Electropolymerization and Silane Chemistry.

Stabilization is a critical issue in the long term operation of dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells (DSPECs) for water splitting or CO2 reduction. The cells require a stable binding of the r...