cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Roger Y. Tsien (1952–2016)

The world of biological chemistry lost one of its most creative pioneers when Roger Y. Tsien died on 24 August 2016 at the age of 64 while biking on a challenging trail in Eugene, Oregon, where he and his wife Wendy had their home. Tsien, who shared the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, was a professor in the Departments of Pharmacology and of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Born in New York City and raised in Livingston, New Jersey, Roger had special talents that were manifested early—he won the Westinghouse Science Talent Search at age 16 for his original research project, “Bridging in Transition Metal Thiocyanate Complexes.” After graduating summa cum laude from Harvard College with a bachelor's degree in chemistry and physics, he studied at Cambridge University, receiving a Ph.D. in physiology in 1977 before joining the faculties of the University of California (UC), Berkeley, and, 7 years later, UCSD, where he spent most of his career. His thesis on the design and use of organic tools in cellular physiology set him on a course to investigate the chemistry of the brain.
An evaluation of the level of awareness of the STCW-78 as amended in Manila 2010, using maritime education and training institutions as collective compliance mechanism

ABSTRACTThe study specifically examined the STCW-78 convention in view of identifying the 2010 Manila amendments, and assessing the level of awareness of the Manila amendments by the students, cadets and staff of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron. Two research questions were formulated and answered, using the inferential survey design. Participants were drawn using the multi-stage sampling approach comprising stratified sampling, random sampling and proportionate sampling technique. A well validated and reliable instrument consisting of 4 demographic items and 10 multiple choice questions of three options each was administered on 240 respondents. Based on data analysis and interpretations, the mean score of 3.57, percentage ratio of 30.5% and coefficient of variation of 68.6% was achieved for cadets, showing low level of awareness as well as low quality awareness. The students had mean score of 5.83, percentage ratio of 66.7% and coefficient of variation of 55.1%, suggesting good level awareness but l...
Low-Order Dynamics in a Lattice Model of Thin Film Deposition, Using Nonlinear Principal Component Analysis

Abstract Linear and nonlinear principal component analysis is used to characterize the state space of a kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of thin film deposition. The film's surface is first characterized using spatial correlation functions. This high-dimensional representation is reduced using a combination of linear and nonlinear projection. When nonlinear projection is used, the dynamics of the training and test data can be captured within 2% and 7%, respectively, using three dimensions. In constrast, a three-dimensional linear reduction does not adequately describe the relationship between the training and test data.
A ROBUST AUTOMATIC GAIT MONITORING APPROACH USING A SINGLE IMU FOR HOME-BASED APPLICATIONS

A new approach of human activity monitoring with a single Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) capable of gait recognition and assessment is proposed for home-based applications. The method estimates the foot motion using a single IMU, then automatically segments the motion into steps, and extracts multiple kinematics templates. It classifies each segment by extracting Mahalanobis distance-based features from multiple sections of the motion templates and then training a Support Vector Machine. The proposed wearable system can distinguish between nine classes of activities with a classification accuracy of 99.6%. It can also discriminate between normal and abnormal gait patterns with an accuracy of 98.7%. In addition to a high recognition rate, the proposed approach provides a Gait Similarity Score (GSS) of the performed gait to its desired/normal pattern. The experimental results indicate the capability of GSS measure for assessing the quality of motion in “pre-”, “initial”, “mid” and “terminal” stages of swin...
Prediction of Travel Time Estimation Accuracy in Connected Vehicle Environments

Effective management of transportation networks requires accurate travel time information that is largely determined by the quality of collected real-time traffic data. In connected vehicle (CV) environments, wherein equipped vehicles may be the primary source of reliable travel time data, accuracy and reliability of travel time estimates present a challenge due to the low market penetration at the early deployment stages of CV technology. The absence of ground truth data presents another challenge for quantifying the accuracy and reliability of travel time estimates. Therefore, CV infrastructure should be well planned in transportation networks to achieve acceptable and reliable estimates of travel times. Recent research shows that the accuracy of travel time estimates is influenced by traffic density, CV market penetration, and transmission range. These factors also impact the vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication stability in a transportation network. This suggests correlation between the accuracy and reliability of travel time estimates and the communication stability. This study develops regression models to measure the accuracy and reliability of travel time estimates as a function of communication stability. Such models can help transportation planners assess the anticipated accuracy and reliability of travel time estimates in CV environments, as well as make better infrastructure investment decisions to ensure an acceptable level of accuracy and reliability of travel time estimates.
Proton Capture Dynamics in Quinoline Photobases: Substituent Effect and Involvement of Triplet States

Converting light into chemical energy often occurs through redox reactions that require transfer of several electrons and protons. Using light to control proton transfer has the potential for driving otherwise unfavorable protonation reactions or producing transient pH changes. Photoacids and photobases are fundamental functional elements that could serve this purpose. Previously, we have reported the thermodynamic drive for proton removal in a series of quinoline photobases using Forster cycle analysis of the singlet states. Because the existence of thermodynamic drive does not imply that the molecules can indeed capture protons in the excited state, in this work we report the kinetics of proton removal from water by 5-R-quinolines, R = {NH2, OCH3, H, Cl, Br, CN}, using ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy. We found that the time constants and mechanisms of proton capture from water are highly sensitive to the substituent. In some cases, proton transfer occurs within the singlet manifold, whereas ...
Dual Src and EGFR inhibition in combination with gemcitabine in advanced pancreatic cancer: phase I results : A phase I clinical trial.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma remains a major therapeutic challenge, as the poor (<8%) 5-year survival rate has not improved over the last three decades. Our previous preclinical data showed cooperative attenuation of pancreatic tumor growth when dasatinib (Src inhibitor) was added to erlotinib (EGFR inhibitor) and gemcitabine. Thus, this study was designed to determine the maximum-tolerated dose of the triplet combination. Standard 3 + 3 dose escalation was used, starting with daily oral doses of 70 mg dasatinib and 100 mg erlotinib with gemcitabine on days 1, 8, and 15 (800 mg/m2) of a 28-day cycle (L0). Nineteen patients were enrolled, yet 18 evaluable for dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs). One DLT observed at L0, however dasatinib was reduced to 50 mg (L−1) given side effects observed in the first two patients. At L−1, a DLT occurred in 1/6 patients and dose was re-escalated to L0, where zero DLTs reported in next four patients. Dasatinib was escalated to 100 mg (L1) where 1/6 patients experienced a DLT. Although L1 was tolerable, dose escalation was stopped as investigators felt L1 was within the optimal therapeutic window. Most frequent toxicities were anemia (89%), elevated aspartate aminotransferase (79%), fatigue (79%), nausea (79%), elevated alanine aminotransferase (74%), lymphopenia (74%), leukopenia (74%), neutropenia (63%), and thrombocytopenia (63%), most Grade 1/2. Stable disease as best response was observed in 69% (9/13). Median progression-free and overall survival was 3.6 and 8 months, respectively. Dasatinib, erlotinib, and gemcitabine was safe with manageable side effects, and with encouraging preliminary clinical activity in advanced pancreatic cancer.
Building the pipeline: programs to introduce middle school, high school, medical, and veterinary students to careers in epidemiology and public health

Abstract Purpose This report describes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention programs that expose students to epidemiology and public health sciences (EPHS). Methods The Science Ambassador workshop targets middle and high school teachers and promotes teaching EPHS in the classroom. The National Science Olympiad Disease Detectives event is an extracurricular science competition for middle and high school students based on investigations of outbreaks and other public health problems. The Epidemiology Elective Program provides experiential learning activities for veterinary and medical students. Results As of 2016, 234 teachers from 37 states and territories and three other countries participated in SA workshops. Several are teaching units or entire courses in EPHS. The National Science Olympiad Disease Detectives event exposed approximately 15,000 middle and high school students to EPHS during the 2015–2016 school year. The Epidemiology Elective Program has exposed 1,795 veterinary and medical students to EPHS. Conclusions Students can master fundamental concepts of EPHS as early as middle school and educators are finding ways to introduce this material into their classrooms. Programs to introduce veterinary and medical students to EPHS can help fill the gap in exposing older students to the field. Professional organizations can assist by making their members aware of these programs.
Geographies of Irregular Warfare

Until the late twentieth century, Australian strategy was defined by the 1987 Defence of Australia (DOA) doctrine in which Australia’s strategic environment was defined by the continent’s geography and regional spatiality. DOA limited geography to its spatial, that is locational, aspect which led to a focus on a ‘sea-air gap’. From 1986 until 1999, though resourced only for a close-in layered defence of the sea-air gap, Australian joint expeditionary forces deployed numerous times outside its “area of direct military interest” for warfare, peacekeeping and other operations—reflecting Australia’s global strategic interests rather than its narrowly territorial defence requirements. The 9/11 attacks turned Australian thinking on strategic geography (then DOA) on its head. This chapter discusses the implications and some outcomes of this change, and poses some key questions for strategic thinkers in military geography, and defence and security more broadly.
RNA polymerase organizes into distinct spatial clusters independent of ribosomal RNA transcription in E. coli

Recent studies have shown that RNA polymerase (RNAP) is spatially organized into distinct clusters in E. coli and B. subtilis cells. Spatially organized molecular components in prokaryotic systems imply compartmentalization without the use of membranes, which may offer new insights into pertinent functions and regulations. However, the function of RNAP clusters and whether its formation is driven by active ribosomal RNA (rRNA) transcription remain elusive. In this work, we investigated the spatial organization of RNAP in E. coli cells using quantitative superresolution imaging. We observed that RNAP formed large, distinct clusters under a rich medium growth condition and preferentially located in the center of the nucleoid. Two-color superresolution colocalization imaging showed that under the rich medium growth condition, nearly all RNAP clusters were active in synthesizing rRNA, suggesting that rRNA synthesis may be spatially separated from mRNA synthesis that most likely occurs at the nucleoid periphery. Surprisingly, a large fraction of RNAP clusters persisted under conditions in which rRNA synthesis was reduced or abolished, or when only one out of the seven rRNA operons (rrn) remained. Furthermore, when gyrase activity was inhibited, we observed a similar rRNA synthesis level, but multiple dispersed, smaller rRNA and RNAP clusters occupying not only the center but also the periphery of the nucleoid, comparable to an expanded nucleoid. These results suggested that RNAP was organized into active transcription centers for rRNA synthesis under the rich medium growth condition; their presence and spatial organization, however, were independent of rRNA synthesis activity under the conditions used but were instead influenced by the structure and characteristics of the underlying nucleoid. Our work opens the door for further investigations of the function and molecular nature of RNAP clusters and points to a potentially new mechanism of transcription regulation by the spatial organization of individual molecular components.
Lamotrigine-resistant corneal-kindled mice: A model of pharmacoresistant partial epilepsy for moderate-throughput drug discovery.

Objective Despite numerous treatments for epilepsy, over 30% of patients remain resistant to available antiseizure drugs (ASDs). Thus, there is a strong need for more effective ASDs for these individuals. Early ASD discovery has historically relied on acute in vivo seizure models (maximal electroshock, subcutaneous pentylenetetrazol, 6 Hz), which lack the pathophysiology that defines chronic epilepsy. Etiologically relevant rodent models of pharmacoresistant epilepsy exist (eg, phenytoin (PHT)- and lamotrigine (LTG)-resistant amygdala-kindled rat and focal kainic acid mouse), but these models are resource- and labor-intensive and thus unsuitable for frontline ASD discovery. Methods We adapted the LTG-resistant amygdala-kindled rat protocol to the 60 Hz corneal-kindled mouse (CKM) to develop a medium-throughput model of pharmacoresistant chronic seizures. Male CF-1 mice were administered either vehicle (VEH; 0.5% methylcellulose) or LTG (8.5 mg/kg, ip) 30 minutes prior to each twice-daily corneal stimulation until mice achieved kindling criterion. Prototype ASDs were then evaluated in fully kindled mice. Compounds with specific mechanisms of action of interest to epilepsy (fluoxetine, minocycline, and celecoxib) were also evaluated. Results LTG did not modify kindling acquisition. A challenge dose of 17 mg/kg (ip) LTG did not block the secondarily generalized kindled seizure in LTG-kindled mice (mean seizure score [MSS] ± standard error of the mean: 5.67 ± 0.14), whereas VEH-treated mice were sensitive (MSS: 2.25 ± 0.30); confirming LTG-resistance. LTG-resistant CKM were also resistant to carbamazepine, retigabine, and valproic acid at doses that significantly reduced MSS in VEH-treated kindled mice. Fluoxetine, minocycline, and celecoxib were ineffective at the doses tested in either kindled cohort. Finally, the behavioral phenotype of LTG-resistant CKM was also characterized. CKM demonstrated exacerbated hyperexcitability and increased anxiety-like behavior in an open field relative to sham-kindled mice regardless of LTG sensitivity. Significance The pharmacoresistant LTG-resistant CKM provides an etiologically relevant moderate-throughput platform that is suitable for early compound discovery before advancing to more resource-intensive models of epilepsy.
A Lower Pennsylvanian encrusting tabulate coral from a rocky shore environment developed on the Mississippian—Pennsylvanian unconformity surface in northwestern Arkansas

Paleozoic corals are very rare in rocky shore settings. The only Paleozoic encrusting coral so far reported from this environment is Favosites sp. from Ordovician rocky shore deposits in Manitoba, Canada (Johnson and Baarli, 1987). Reading and Poole (1961) reported corals and brachiopods that occur between, and “coating,” boulders from a Silurian rocky shore in England, but it appears that the corals and brachiopods only occur in the sediment enveloping the boulders, not as encrusters on the surfaces of the boulders. One reason for the sparse record of Paleozoic corals in rocky shore settings is the scarcity of described Paleozoic rocky shore deposits themselves. Johnson (1988) found only 20 examples of Paleozoic rocky shores in a compilation of references on ancient rocky shores from the literature. The paucity of described ancient rocky shores has been attributed to the prevalence in the past of epicontinental seas with little relief upon which to develop rocky shores and with higher wave attenuation farther from shore (Boucot, 1981; Harland and Pickerill, 1984). Johnson (1988) concluded that the major reason for the rarity of ancient rocky shores in the literature is the difficulty with which they are recognized and studied, owing to the relatively poor exposure of most unconformity surfaces. The rocky shore environment was also probably hostile to many Paleozoic coral genera. Recent scleractinian corals may serve as analogues because they are also not very abundant in rocky shore settings despite their great abundance in similar shallow-water, high-wave-energy reefal environments. Turbidity and relative substrate stability may be important limiting factors for corals in rocky shore environments. Many corals are known to be highly sensitive to sediment in the water column. Substrate stability (Wilson, 1987) and the scouring effects of sand in high-energy environments (Palmer and Palmer, 1977) also have been shown to affect the abundance and diversity of organisms encrusting cobbles and boulders.
Development and Plasticity of Extrastriate Visual Cortex in Monkeys

The extrastriate visual cortex of the monkey has in recent decades come to include an ever-expanding portion of the neocortical domain as more and more traditional “association” or even motor territories are shown to have significant visual connections, visual responsiveness, or role in visual behavior (Felleman and van Essen, 1991; also see the chapter by Gross in this volume). In this chapter, discussion will be restricted (or broadened, depending upon one’s viewpoint) to consideration of cortical zones shown to have at least some visual sensory responsiveness and direct connectivity with other, unimodal visual areas. First, we will consider the normal anatomical, physiological, and metabolic development of extrastriate visual cortex, including the prenatal specification of visual areas. Next, we will discuss the plasticity of extrastriate visual cortex in adulthood by examining the ability of extrastriate areas to function in parallel with striate cortex and the consequences of damage to extrastriate cortex in adult monkeys. In addition, we will examine evidence for learning-or experience-dependent plasticity in the response properties of neurons in extrastriate cortex. In the subsequent section, we will address the special plasticity associated with damage to visual cortex in developing animals. We will then briefly compare the development and plasticity of extratriate cortex in monkeys with phenomena described for other mammalian groups. In the final section, we will summarize the data presented and comment on general principles of extrastriate and cerebral cortical development.
High frequency of N-ras activation in acute myelogenous leukemia

Using the NIH/3T3 cell transfection assay, activated cellular oncogenes have been detected in around 10% to 20% of human tumors. From a series of DNA preparations from tissues infiltrated with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), 50% (3/6) caused transformation of NIH/3T3 cells. Thus AML appears to be the human tumor with the highest frequency of oncogenes detected by DNA transfection. In each case the oncogene involved was N-ras, a member of the ras gene family. Biologic and clinical parameters of AML patients with and without N-ras oncogenes in their tumors are discussed.
The roles of bicarbonate and CO2 in transendothelial fluid movement and control of corneal thickness.

Purpose. To determine whether maintenance of corneal hydration is dependent on bicarbonate ions and whether these ions can be derived from metabolic or exogenous COz, and to investigate the relationship of transendothelial fluid movement to control of hydration. Methods. The thickness of intact or deepithelialized rabbit corneas was measured while superfused on the endothelial surface with either 33 mM HCO 3 - /5% DO 2 buffered media or 10 mM HPO 4 - buffered media in the presence and absence of inhibitors of ion transport and respiration. The corneal surface was covered mirth either silicone oil («normal » corneas) or with the same media used for superfusion («swollen» corneas). ATP and Na + ,K + -ATPase activity were measured in endothelia scraped from the tissues after superfusion. Results. Intact and deepithelialized corneas covered with oil swelled at a negligible rate (4 to 8 μm/hour) in 33 mM HCO 3 - medium but at 45 to 60 μm/hour in HPO 4 - medium. Antimycin A altered neither of these swelling rates, but ethoxzolamide (0.1 mM) caused swelling in HCO 3 - /CO 2 (12 μm/hour above controls) with no change of rate in HPO 4 - . Ouabain (0.1 mM) increased swelling to 45 to 50 μm/hour in HCO 3 - /CO 2 but had no effect in HPO 4 - . Saturating the oil on deepithelialized corneas with 5% CO 2 , or putting HCO 3 - /CO 2 medium on the epithelial surface of intact corneas, did not alter the swelling rates seen with HPO 4 - superfusion. The equilibrium thickness of deepithelialized corneas swollen with HCO 3 - /CO 2 on both surfaces was 35 μm less than that of corneas swollen in HPO 4 - . The difference was abolished by ouabain, which caused corneas in HCO 3 - /CO 2 to swell an additional 30 μm but did not alter the equilibrium thickness of corneas swollen in HPO 4 - . Ethoxzolamide and DIDS (0.2 mM) increased the thickness in HCO 3 - /CO 2 but not in HPO 4 - . Na + ,K + -ATPase activities of endothelia were similar after HCO 3 - /CO 2 and HPO 4 - superfusions, but the concentration of ATP in the HPO 4 - -superfused tissues was increased 35%. Conclusions. Normal corneal thickness can be maintained in vitro only in media that contain HCO 3 - at concentrations of more than 20 mM. Neither metabolic CO 2 nor CO 2 present in air-equilibrated, nominally HCO 3 - -free media can supply this requirement for HCO 3 - , even though these sources support the presumably related processes of transendothelial fluid movement and intracellular pH regulation
Melanie Yergeau. Authoring Autism: On Rhetoric and Neurological Queerness. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2018. 302 pages. $26.95 paperback.

“Autism is typically characterized as that which contrasts—as that which contrasts with language, humanness, empathy, self-knowledge, understanding, and rhetoricity,” Melanie Yergeau writes in Auth...
Trump power: Maximum pressure and China’s sanctions enforcement against North Korea

China has started choking off the flow of financial resources entering North Korea by blocking North Korea’s export of natural resources and other industrial products since early 2017. What has pus...
MODELING THE PATHOGENESIS OF RUNX1 DEFICIENCY IN INHERITED AML PREDISPOSITION SYNDROMES IN PRIMARY CELLS

Germline mutations in RUNX1 cause an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by lifelong thrombocytopenia and increased risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia. Yet, the mechanisms by which these individuals progress to leukemia remains unclear. This project investigates the cell autonomous and non-autonomous drivers of disease. To determine the cell-autonomous effects of RUNX1 deficiency, we knocked out RUNX1 in cord blood HSPCs. Cell-context disruption of RUNX1 in CD34+CD38- early progenitors and CD34+CD38+ mature progenitors indicates that RUNX1 knockout (KO) in early progenitors causes erythroid and CD15+ granulocytic differentiation defects, whereas RUNX1 KO in mature progenitors causes megakaryocytic maturation defects and increases CD14+ monocytic differentiation. Further, RUNX1 KO HSPCs have a stem and proliferative defect. In addition, the type of RUNX1 mutation and location of the mutation are thought to affect the severity of disease. To explore this, we introduced the putative loss-of-function point mutation RUNX1R201Q or the putative dominant negative truncating mutation RUNX1R204X into the endogenous RUNX1 locus in HSPCs, and compared the differentiation and stem potential of these cells to RUNX1 KO HSPCs or to HSPCs expressing only the native dominant negative RUNX1 isoform, RUNX1A. As expected, cells expressing RUNX1R201Q phenocopied RUNX1 KO defects. Surprisingly, while cells expressing RUNX1R204X had greater stem and proliferative capacity compared to RUNX1 KO, they did not gain the proliferative profile seen in RUNX1A-expressing cells. Ongoing work is focused on determining the mechanism of how wildtype and mutant RUNX1 determines cell fate, and parallel efforts are exploring how commonly co-occurring mutations and RUNX1 deficient stroma are interacting with RUNX1 deficiency to drive disease progression.
A Phase II Trial of Stereotactic Ablative Radiation Therapy as a Boost for Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer.

Purpose Our purpose was to assess the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SAbR) as an alternative for intracavitary/interstitial brachytherapy boost for locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) after initial chemoradiation. Methods and Materials A single arm institutional phase II study of SAbR as a boost for LACC was conducted. Eligible patients had LACC FIGO 2009 stage IB2-IVB, performance status 0 to 3, and one of the following: medically unfit or refused intracavitary or tumor extent required interstitial brachytherapy for coverage. The cervix planning target volume boost (PTVboost) received 28 Gy in 4 fractions. Results The study was closed with 15 of 21 patients completed owing to concern for toxicity. Median follow-up for this cohort was 19 months. Patients had predominantly advanced stage (III-IV, 53%) with median Charlson comorbidity score of 4. Most tumors were large with a median SAbR boost PTV size of 139 cc (range, 51-268 cc). Tumor size and patient comorbidities probably contributed to the lower-than-expected 2-year local control, progression free, and overall survival of 70.1%, 46.7%, and 53.3%, respectively. The SAbR boost 2 year cumulative grade ≥ 3 toxicity of 26.7% was predominantly rectal (ulcer/fistula).The median SAbR PTV volume was 225 cc versus 95 cc for patients with and without grade ≥ 3 toxicity. On dosimetric analysis, only the percentage of rectal circumference receiving 15 Gy (PRC15) for the SAbR boost was associated with development of grade 3 ulcer or rectovaginal fistula (P = .04), with PRC15 > 62.7% being the strongest predictor of toxicity (AUC, 0.93; sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 90%). Conclusions In this SAbR boost series suboptimal outcomes were probably related to patient selection and very large tumor volume. This approach may still be considered in patients with smaller tumors unable to undergo standard brachytherapy for cervix cancer.
Estimated fetal weight accuracy in pregnancies with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes by the Hadlock method.

Objective: We aimed to assess the accuracy of the estimated fetal weight (EFW) to predict the birthweigth (BW) in pregnancies complicated by PPROM.Study design: This study was a secondary analysis ...
Cardiovascular Medical Devices: Heart Valves, Pacemakers and Defibrillators, Mechanical Circulatory Support, and Other Intracardiac Devices

Abstract Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally. Several subtypes of cardiovascular disease require innovative surgical and interventional diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and devices which are composed of highly advanced biomaterials. The recognition and understanding of complications of these devices, many of them related to the biomaterials that comprise them, has led to iterative efforts to improve their performance and safety through biomaterials and device research and development which have been translated into better patient care. This chapter and the one following summarize key considerations in cardiovascular medical devices, including the underlying pathology of the conditions they are designed for and used to treat, relevant biomaterials of which they are fabricated, and the most important complications that need to be avoided, mitigated or managed. This chapter emphasizes biomaterials and engineering design issues relevant to cardiac valve prostheses, pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, implantable cardiac assist devices and artificial hearts, and miscellaneous intra-cardiac devices, including percutaneous catheter-based techniques to treat cardiovascular disease in a minimally invasive manner, such as septal defect closure devices, and left atrial occlusion devices. The following chapter discusses devices used for vascular repair and replacement (including vascular grafts and endovascular stents and stent grafts), filters to prevent pulmonary embolism, catheters and other cardiovascular devices that reside outside the heart.
Psychological, addictive, and health behavior implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• COVID-19 and its impact on psychological symptoms and disorders, addiction, and health behavior is substantial and ongoing. • An integrative COVID-19 stress-based model could be used to guide research focused on the pandemic's stress-related burden. • This work could provide a theoretical and empirical knowledge base for future pandemics.
Invited) Understanding the Structure and Interfacial Chemistry of High Temperature Molten Salts

There has been a renewed interest over the past decade in the use of molten salts as coolants and fuels in next-generation nuclear reactors that are used for electricity generation and to supply high-temperature, low-pressure heat. For solid-fuel salt-cooled reactors, molten salts are used as the coolant for solid-fueled reactors that operate at high temperatures (>500 °C) while for liquid salt fueled reactors, fissile, fertile, and fission products are dissolved in a homogeneous molten salt which serves as both the fuel matrix and the primary coolant. Two key challenges with a liquid salt fueled reactor is to manage the solubility and oxidation state of the materials dissolved in the molten salt and to manage the interfacial interactions of the molten salt with the reactor materials to limit corrosion. To understand how the structure and dynamics of molten salts impact their physical and chemical properties, such as viscosity, solubility, and thermal conductivity, as well as chemical reactivity, it is necessary to determine the structure and speciation of the molten salt at the atomic/molecular scale. The Molten Salts in Extreme Environments (MSEE) Energy Frontier Research Center is addressing these challenges through a coordinated experimental and theoretical effort to elucidate the atomic and molecular basis of molten salt behavior, including interactions with solutes and interfaces and under coupled extremes of temperature and radiation. The structure of bulk salt mixtures, such as MgCl2/KCl, and solute speciation in molten salts has been studied to better understand behavior in these complex environments using combined X-ray scattering and spectroscopy, neutron scattering, optical spectroscopy and computational modeling. The chemical and morphological evolution of metal/molten salt interfaces has been examined using X-ray tomography and electron microscopy to better understand corrosion processes in molten salt systems. This presentation will discuss the challenges in molten salt chemistry for nuclear energy applications and highlight recent results in understanding the structure, properties and reactivity of high temperature molten salts.
The Taxonomy of Adult Females in the Genus Xenos (Strepsiptera: Xenidae) with a Re-description of the Females of Three North American Species

The taxonomy of neotenic female strepsipterans has previously relied upon characteristics of color, measurements of the cephalothorax, and identification of the host for species identification, but these characters have proven mostly uninformative in defining species. Taxonomically important characters of females of the genus Xenos (Strepsiptera: Xenidae) are presented, which should provide for species level identification using females in the genus Xenos, and these methods should be generally applicable to other strepsipterans. Xenos kifunei, X. nigrescens, and X. peckii are re-described using these characters.
Effects of 30 keV Helium Irradiation on (110) Single Crystal Tungsten

AbstractSingle crystal tungsten samples with orientation (110) were irradiated in the Materials Irradiation Experiment with normal incidence 30 keV He+ at 900 aC. Samples were mechanically polished...
The Postal Network: A Recursive Network for Parameterized Communication Model

The postal network is an interconnection network that possesses many desirable properties in networking applications. It includes hypercubes and Fibonacci cubes as its special cases. Basically, the postal network forms a series (with series number λ) that is based on the sequence Nλ(n)eNλ(n−1)+Nλ(n−λ), where n is the dimension and Nλ(n) represents the number of nodes in an n-dimensional postal network in series λ. In this paper, we study topological properties of postal networks and relationships between different postal networks. One application of postal networks is also shown in implementing barrier synchronization using a special spanning tree called a postal tree. The postal network can also be considered as a flexible version of the hypercube by relaxing the restriction on the number of nodes, and hence, makes it possible to construct multicomputers with arbitrary sizes.
Do Redemption Fees Hurt Long-Term U.S. MutualFund Investors?

Redemption fees have been proposed as a way to curb trading on stale prices by short-horizon investors to make profits at the expense of long-horizon investors who only trade to rebalance back to their optimal allocations. For redemption fees to be a viable device to curb stale price trading, they must have a negligible impact on the utility of these long-horizon agents. To assess this impact, we examine how the imposition of redemption fees affects the utility of long-horizon agents, allowing for the possibility that the long-horizon investors are rebalancing to take advantage of return predictability. Restricting the imposition of the fee to sales of shares purchased within 6 months, the utility cost of the redemption fee is never more than 0.12% of wealth when returns are i.i.d. and never more than 0.54% of wealth when returns are predictable. These utility costs are very small. For redemption fees to be a viable device to curb stale price trading, they must also be large enough to deter short-horizon investors from taking advantage of the stale prices. We find that they are, based on the documented profitability of such strategies, at least for the typical domestic fund and for the typical large capitalization domestic fund.
CION v2.0: a better way to T1 enhancement with iron oxides

Introduction and purpose Molecular imaging and nanomedicine approaches to the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, e.g. atherosclerosis, could have significant consequence on medical practice and outcomes. Due to the exquisite sensitivity of MR to magnetic field disturbances of iron oxides (IO), a variety of IO-based agents have been utilized. However, despite many elegant new imaging techniques, the highly-sensitive detection and visualization of IO still depends on the disruption of the local magnetic field. Contrary to typical IO agents, we have presented a novel colloidal iron oxide nanoparticle (CION) that encapsulates multiple magnetite nanocrystals suspended in oil, encased in a lipid membrane thereby reducing T2* effects such that T1 effects can be detected. The purpose of this work was to develop a CION with improved longitudinal relaxivity (r1) and the ability to carry drugs.
Measurement of the radioisotope 129I at the NSF-Arizona AMS laboratory

Abstract With the recent addition of a high-energy analysis beam line, the capability to measure 129I has been developed at the NSF-Arizona AMS Laboratory. Preliminary measurements have been made using the +4 and +5 charge states at 2.1 MV with a gas stripper. The current system employs a 90° injection magnet (r=0.36 m) following the ion source. Analysis components following the accelerator include an electrostatic quadrupole doublet lens, a 15° electrostatic deflector (r=1.25 m), a 90° analysis magnet (r=1.27 m) and a 77° spherical electrostatic analyzer (r=2.0 m). Detection of 129I is accomplished with a silicon surface barrier detector. Operation of this system with various iodine samples will be discussed.
Numerical characterization of a preliminary portable micro-hydrokinetic turbine rotor design

Abstract Portable micro-hydrokinetic turbines are designed and characterized using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The two equation k–ω shear-stress transport (SST) turbulence model is employed to predict quasi steady flow structures for a wide range of tip-speed ratios. Seven input design parameters selected a priori are used to create preliminary turbine rotor designs by using a hydraulic design methodology. Various blade designs are characterized and compared in terms of torque and thrust over a range of operating conditions. Performance characteristics of two, three, and four blade designs are shown to be similar. The results indicate that a maximum power coefficient of 0.43 with a 73.7% efficiency relative to Betz limit is achieved. The portable hydrokinetic turbines, designed and characterized here, do not require large civil structures, making this technology an attractive alternative to conventional hydropower.
Effortful processing deficits in children with reading and/or attention disorders

Three groups of educationally troublesome boys were contrasted with adequate students on several tasks tapping effortful processing. The nonhyperactive reading disabled (RD) group differed both from controls and two attention deficit disorder (ADD) groups, one with and one without hyperactivity (H), on aspects of a memory task involving acoustic and semantic associations. All three clinical groups differed from controls in memory for low-imagery as opposed to high-imagery words and in computational efficiency. A stepwise regression analysis to predict reading grade level showed age and WISC-R IQ to account for 38% of the variance with an additional 28% explained by the effortful task variables (multiple R = .83). It is theorized here that attentional disorder impedes automatization of number facts; and, inasmuch as RD children receive adverse attention ratings, even if not considered hyperactive, they, as well as ADD and H/ADD boys, exhibit this deficiency.
Case of the season: usual interstitial pneumonia with dendriform pulmonary ossification.

73-year-old man with progressive dyspnea on exertion and occasional cough with scant sputum production was seen for follow-up in a pulmonology clinic. He was diagnosed with “pulmonary fibrosis”for 3 years, which was postulated to be secondary to work-related asbestos exposure or occult connective tissue disorder based on an elevated serum antinuclear antibody level and nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP)-like appearance (predominantly peripheral groundglass opacity with subpleural sparing) on prior high-resolution computed tomography (CT) of the chest (not shown). The patient underwent evaluation for myocardial ischemia with multivessel stenting approximately 1 year ago. However, he did not recall having a myocardial infarction and did not have the typical symptoms of congestive heart failure. On physical examination, there were fine crackles in the lowerone-thirdofthelungsbilaterally.Atrest,intheroom,the patient’s oxygen saturation level was 95%; however, the saturation levels decreased to 85% during the walking oximetry test. Pulmonary function testing demonstrated
Analysis of Molecular Domains of Epitope-Tagged Merlin Isoforms in Cos-7 Cells and Primary Rat Schwann Cells

Abstract The Neurofibromatosis 2 gene product, merlin, has striking similarity to ezrin, radixin, and moesin (ERM), members of the protein 4.1 family which have been demonstrated to connect proteins in the plasma membrane to the cytoskeletal components. The recent localization of merlin to the motile regions in cultured cells such as membrane ruffles further supports the notion that merlin represents a new class of tumor suppressors. Here we describe the localization of full-length and truncated polypeptides of merlin expressed as Flag-tagged proteins in transfected cells. Similar to endogenous merlin, the epitope-tagged full-length merlin localizes to the membrane ruffles in transfected Cos-7 cells and rat Schwann cells. In addition, the overexpressed merlin localizes to other actin-rich cortical structures, such as microvilli and filopodia. The amino-terminal half of merlin is seen dispersed throughout the cells and in membrane ruffles. Compared to the amino-terminal half of merlin, its carboxy-terminal half localizes more distinctly to membrane ruffles. The full-length and the carboxy-terminal portion of merlin co-localize with F-actin at the membrane ruffles. However, distinct from the ERM proteins, the carboxy-terminal-truncated merlin and F-actin do not co-localize with each other at the stress fibers. Our results suggest that both the amino- and the carboxy-terminal domains of merlin contribute to its membrane ruffle localization.
Myofascial Trigger Points: The Critical Experiment

(1997). Myofascial Trigger Points: The Critical Experiment. Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain: Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 111-118.
Patterns and Predictors of Vaginal Bleeding in the First Trimester of Pregnancy

Purpose Although first-trimester vaginal bleeding is an alarming symptom, few studies have investigated the prevalence and predictors of early bleeding. This study characterizes first trimester bleeding, setting aside bleeding that occurs at time of miscarriage. Methods Participants (n = 4539) were women ages 18 to 45 enrolled in Right From the Start , a community-based pregnancy study (2000−2008). Bleeding information included timing, heaviness, duration, color, and associated pain. Life table analyses were used to describe gestational timing of bleeding. Factors associated with bleeding were investigated by the use of multiple logistic regression with multiple imputation for missing data. Results Approximately one fourth of participants (n = 1207) reported bleeding (n = 1656 episodes), but only 8% of women with bleeding reported heavy bleeding. Of the spotting and light bleeding episodes (n = 1555), 28% were associated with pain. Among heavy episodes (n = 100), 54% were associated with pain. Most episodes lasted less than 3 days, and most occurred between gestational weeks 5 to 8. Twelve percent of women with bleeding and 13% of those without experienced miscarriage. Maternal characteristics associated with bleeding included fibroids and prior miscarriage. Conclusions Consistent with the hypothesis that bleeding is a marker for placental dysfunction, bleeding is most likely to be observed around the time of the luteal-placental shift.
Physical demands of vacuuming in women using different models of vacuum cleaners.

NORMAN, J. F., J. A. KAUTZ, H. D. WENGLER, and E. R. LYDEN. Physical Demands of Vacuuming in Women Using Different Models of Vacuum Cleaners. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 364–369, 2003.PurposeWomen continue to have the primary responsibility for housekeeping, even after a cardiac eve
Variability in Fatigue Behavior of a Zr-Based Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG) as a Result of Average Surface Roughness and Pronounced Surface Defects

Recent interest in bulk-metallic glasses (BMGs) has led to the development of amorphous alloys designed for structural applications in various fields as aircraft frames, rotating equipment, automobiles, and medical implants. Although the mechanical behavior of BMGs is being studied extensively, little attention has been paid to their fatigue behavior. Moreover, early fatigue characteristics have exhibited contradictory results. In the current research, uniaxial tension-tension fatigue experiments were performed on notched Zr52.5Cu17.9Al10Ni14.6Ti5 button-head fatigue specimens with various surface finishes. The fatigue studies were designed to better understand the influence of the average surface roughness and/or critical surface defects on the fatigue behavior of glassy alloys. It was hypothesized that geometric surface flaws would lower the observed life of a BMG sample by shortening the crack initiation phase and providing local stress concentrators. The current studies of surface conditions indicate that fatigue-endurance limits are greatly impacted by the average surface roughness with possible reductions of greater than fifty percent.
The Milk Yield Response to Frequent Milking in Early Lactation of Dairy Cows Is Locally Regulated

Frequent milking during early lactation of dairy cows increases milk production throughout lactation; however, whether this response is regulated systemically via lactogenic hormones, locally in the mammary gland, or both is unknown. We hypothesized that the effects of frequent milking on milk production during early lactation are regulated via local mechanisms. Ten multiparous cows were assigned at parturition to unilateral frequent milking [UFM; twice daily milking of the left udder half (2x), or 4 times daily milking of the right udder half (4x)] for d 1 to 21 of lactation. After treatment, cows were milked twice daily for the remainder of lactation. At the first milking after calving, milk yield from individual quarters was measured to verify that udder halves produced equal amounts of milk prior to treatment. Thereafter, individual quarters were milked on d 3 and 7, weekly for the first 5 wk of lactation, and once every 3 mo for the remainder of lactation. During UFM, cows produced 3.9 +/- 0.7 kg/d more from the side milked 4x than the side milked 2x. Upon cessation of treatment, milk production from the side milked 4x decreased, but remained at 1.8 +/- 0.5 kg/d more than the side milked 2x for the remainder of lactation. After milk yield was corrected to the equivalent of a whole-udder basis, acute milk yield responses to frequent milking were found to be consistent with previous reports. Moreover, we observed greater persistency in the milk yield response, which lasted throughout lactation. We conclude that both immediate and persistent effects on milk production of frequent milking during early lactation are regulated at the level of the mammary gland. Our results demonstrate that UFM is a valid and efficient model for investigating the effects of frequent milking during early lactation in dairy cows.