cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
G200 Impact of altering text message reminders with persuasive messages on paediatric outpatient attendance at a tertiary children’s hospital

Background Non-attendance to outpatient appointments results in loss of financial income and reduces the utilisation of clinics. Currently our trust sends automatic text message reminders to parents 7 days prior to the child’s appointment. A recent trial showed a reduction in “Did not attend” (DNA) rates in adult medicine by stating appointment costs in the text message reminder1. Aim To conduct a trial to assess the impact of altering text message reminders to include a persuasive message, on DNA, cancellation and rescheduling rates at our hospital. Methods In two paediatric specialties, we piloted three new text messages (Table 1), which were each sent for one week consecutively. At the end of the trial period the DNA, cancellation and rescheduling rates were compared between the three trial texts and original text message. Additionally, a written survey was conducted in the affected clinics to gain feedback on the text messages and assess their influence. Results 1378 text message reminders were sent during the three week trial, on average 460 texts per week. The DNA rate (Figure 1) for the original text was 9.1%, which dropped to 8.7% for text 1, 7.8% for text 2, and 8.3% for text 3. Cancellation and rescheduling rates showed a reduction of around 2% for each new text. From the survey, we received 58 responses, of which 48% felt the trial text made them more likely to attend the appointment. The main message preferred was text 3. Conclusion This study shows the impact that a simple cost-neutral change to the content of a text message reminder can have on outpatient attendance, with the most impressive being from including the cost of the appointment. Reduction in cancellation and rescheduling rates also suggests the change in text message made parents more likely to attend the given appointment, which was emphasised by the survey. The study also reinforces the role of text message reminders in improving outpatient attendance. Reference Hallsworth M et al. Stating Appointment Costs in SMS Reminders Reduces Missed Hospital Appointments:Findings from Two Randomised Controlled Trials. PLOS ONE 2015;10(9):e0137306
Remediation 101: Strategies for Nurse Educators

Abstract A downward trend in the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurse pass rates and unsuccessful student completion of nursing education programs have increased the use of remedial measures in nursing education. Students receive varied remediation approaches, yet literature lacks empirical research to substantiate the effectiveness of remediation in nursing education. This manuscript identifies barriers to remediation in nursing education and identifies implementation strategies for nurse educators.
The complexity of comparability graph recognition and coloring

Using the notion ofG-decomposition introduced in Golumbic [8, 9], we present an implementation of an algorithm which assigns a transitive orientation to a comparability graph inO(δ·|E|) time andO(|E|) space where δ is the maximum degree of a vertex and |E| is the number of edges. A quotient operation reducing the graph in question and preservingG-decomposition and transitive orientability is shown, and efficient solutions to a number ofNP-complete problems which reduce to polynomial time for comparability graphs are discussed.
A General Shear-Dependent Model for Thrombus Formation.

Modeling the transport, activation, and adhesion of platelets is crucial in predicting thrombus formation and growth following a thrombotic event in normal or pathological conditions. We propose a shear-dependent platelet adhesive model based on the Morse potential that is calibrated by existing in vivo and in vitro experimental data and can be used over a wide range of flow shear rates (100 < γ ˙ < 28 , 000 s - 1). We introduce an Eulerian-Lagrangian model where hemodynamics is solved on a fixed Eulerian grid, while platelets are tracked using a Lagrangian framework. A force coupling method is introduced for bidirectional coupling of platelet motion with blood flow. Further, we couple the calibrated platelet aggregation model with a tissue-factor/contact pathway coagulation cascade, representing the relevant biology of thrombin generation and the subsequent fibrin deposition. The range of shear rates covered by the proposed model encompass venous and arterial thrombosis, ranging from low-shear-rate conditions in abdominal aortic aneurysms and thoracic aortic dissections to thrombosis in stenotic arteries following plaque rupture, where local shear rates are extremely high.
Cigarette Smoking-Associated Alterations in Serotonin/Adrenalin Signaling Pathways of Platelets.

Background Cigarette smoking plays a major role in cardiovascular diseases. The acute effects of cigarette smoking produce central nervous system–mediated activation of the sympathetic nervous system. The overactive sympathetic nervous system stimulates the secretion of serotonin (5‐HT) and catecholamine into blood at supraphysiological levels. The correlation between these pathological conditions induced by smoking and the increased risk of thrombosis has not been thoroughly investigated. The goal of our study was to explore cigarette smoking–associated changes in platelet biology mediated by elevated 5‐HT and catecholamine levels in blood plasma. Methods and Results Using blood samples collected from healthy nonsmokers and smokers (15 minutes after smoking), we determined that cigarette smoking increased the plasma 5‐HT/catecholamine concentration by several fold and the percent aggregation of platelets 2‐fold. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis of proteins eluted from platelet plasma membranes of smokers and nonsmokers demonstrated that GTPase‐activating proteins and proteins participating in the actin cytoskeletal network were differentially and significantly elevated in smokers9 platelet membranes compared with those of nonsmokers. Interestingly, Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization–mass spectrometry analyses of the glycans eluted from platelet plasma membranes of the smokers demonstrated that the level and structures of glycans are different from the nonsmokers9 platelet surface glycans. Pharmacological blockade of 5‐HT or catecholamine receptors counteracted the 5‐HT/catecholamine‐mediated aggregation and altered the level and composition of glycan on platelet surfaces. Conclusions Based on our findings, we propose that smoking‐associated 5‐HT/catecholamine signaling accelerates the trafficking dynamics of platelets, and this remodels the surface proteins and glycans and predisposes platelets to hyperactive levels. Smokers9 platelets also had correspondingly higher resting concentrations of intracellular calcium and transglutaminase activity. These findings suggest a link among smoking, platelet 5‐HT, catecholamine signaling, and their downstream effectors—including phospholipase C and inositol‐1,4,5‐triphosphate pathways—resulting in an increased tonic level of platelet activation in smokers.
Serum perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and associations with behavioral attributes.

The ubiquitous use of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in a variety of industrial and consumer products has resulted in chronic exposure in most industrialized nations, and led to measurable concentrations in blood and other tissues in humans across all life stages; however, behavioral attributes that relate to exposure are not well studied. To further investigate how behavior may relate to PFAS exposure, 37 adults were recruited from central North Carolina. Participants provided blood samples and behavioral questionnaires were administered, asking questions about a variety of household, dietary, and behavioral outcomes. Six PFAAs, including PFHxA (geometric mean: 0.14 ng/mL), PFOA (1.57 ng/mL), PFNA (0.67 ng/mL), PFDA (0.28 ng/mL), PFHxS (3.17 ng/mL) and PFOS (4.96 ng/mL) were detected in >50% of the samples. Generally, males had higher serum levels than females across all chemicals, and levels were very similar to NHANES levels; however, PFHxS and PFDA levels were higher in our study population. Several personal characteristics and behaviors were associated with serum PFAS levels. Reported use of filtration devices was associated with lower levels of PFOA (28% lower, p = 0.03), but higher levels of PFHxA (122% higher, p = 0.04). Serum PFHxS levels were also elevated in individuals that vacuumed less often, and in individuals that reported consuming more microwavable foods. These results suggest that personal behaviors may be important determinants of PFAS exposures.
DYSPEPSIA AND UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL MOTILITY IN CHILDREN

Symptoms suggestive of intestinal dysmotility in children are always a source of great anxiety for both the patient and the parents. Chronic vomiting or persistent diarrhea may have serious consequences on growth organ. Infants double their body weight during the first five months of life and triple it by the end of one year and even a marginal loss of calories can cause failure to thrive. Having normal bowel movements is seen as an essential sign of health in children of all ages. Any deviation from what is felt to be normal triggers a call to the pediatrician. Abdominal pain in a child is particularly worrisome for the parents who worry that a serious disease is causing the symptom. In reality, most children presenting with either constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or vomiting do not suffer from any serious organic disease and have what is considered a “functional” disorder. For long time, it was felt that motility abnormalities were the primary cause of many pediatric functional bowel disorders. Disturbances in gastrointestinal motility have been described in children with recurrent abdominal pain, gastroesophageal reflux, toddler’s diarrhea, nonulcer dyspepsia, intestinal pseudo-obstruction, achalasia, Hirschsprung’s disease, and functional constipation and rumination syndrome (1, 2). These entities encompass more than 50% of the children presenting to pediatric gastroenterologists. In some conditions such as achalasia, Hirschsprung’s disease and pseudo-obstruction the motility abnormality is almost entirely responsible for the symptoms, in others it constitutes only one of the many pathogenic factors. It is now possible to study gastrointestinal motility in children using most of the same diagnostic techniques used by adult gastroenterologists.
A method for quantifying recurrent patterns of local wavefront direction during atrial fibrillation.

Abstract Introduction Spiral wave reentry is a potential mechanism of atrial fibrillation (AF), but is difficult to differentiate clinically from multiple wavelet breakup using standard bipolar recordings. We developed a new methodology using bipolar recordings to estimate the direction of local activation wavefronts during AF by calculating the electrogram conformation (Egm-C). We subsequently used recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) of Egm-C to differentiate regions of spiral wave reentry from wavelet breakup. Methods A 2D computer simulation was created with regions containing a stable spiral wave and also regions of wavebreak. A grid of 40 × 40 unipolar electrodes was superimposed. At each site, the actual wavefront direction (WD) was determined by comparing relative activation timings of the local intracellular recordings, and the estimated wavefront direction (Egm-C) was determined from the morphology of the local bipolar electrogram. RQA of Egm-C was compared to RQA of actual WD in order to differentiate AF mechanisms. Results RQA of actual WD and Egm-C both distinguished regions of spiral wave reentry from wavelet breakup with high correlation between the two methods (recurrence rate, r = 0.96; determinism, r = 0.61; line max, r = 0.95; entropy, r = 0.84; p Conclusion Calculation of Egm-C allows RQA to be performed on bipolar electrograms during AF and differentiates regions of spiral wave reentry from multiple wavelet breakup.
Editorial: Anti-Citrullinated Protein Antibody, Anti-Carbamylated Protein Antibody, and Rheumatoid Arthritis: Azurophilic Granules Sing the Blues.

Arginine and lysine are distinguished by their identity as the most cationic (basic) amino acids. They are also the target of many post-translational modifications, e.g. acetylation, citrullination, hydroxylation, methylation, ubiquitination. These modifications are catalyzed by a series of enzymes, presumably to enable a tapestry of functionality by a single protein, including regulation of DNA transcription, repair and replication. Besides their functional roles in normal physiological conditions, some of these protein modifications have been recognized as inflammatory triggers and targets of autoimmune reactions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The Three-Dimensional Microenvironment of the Mitral Valve: Insights into the Effects of Physiological Loads.

In the mitral valve (MV), numerous pathological factors, especially those resulting from changes in external loading, have been shown to affect MV structure and composition. Such changes are driven by the MV interstitial cell (MVIC) population via protein synthesis and enzymatic degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components. While cell phenotype, ECM composition and regulation, and tissue level changes in MVIC shape under stress have been studied, a detailed understanding of the three-dimensional (3D) microstructural mechanisms are lacking. As a first step in addressing this challenge, we applied focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) to reveal novel details of the MV microenvironment in 3D. We demonstrated that collagen is organized into large fibers consisting of an average of 605 ± 113 fibrils, with a mean diameter of 61.2 ± 9.8 nm. In contrast, elastin was organized into two distinct structural subtypes: (1) sheet-like lamellar elastin, and (2) circumferentially oriented elastin struts, based on both the aspect ratio and transmural tilt. MVICs were observed to have a large cytoplasmic volume, as evidenced by the large mean surface area to volume ratio 3.68 ± 0.35, which increased under physiological loading conditions to 4.98 ± 1.17. Our findings suggest that each MVIC mechanically interacted only with the nearest 3–4 collagen fibers. This key observation suggests that in developing multiscale MV models, each MVIC can be considered a mechanically integral part of the local fiber ensemble and is unlikely to be influenced by more distant structures.
An optimized method for enrichment of whole brain-derived extracellular vesicles reveals insight into neurodegenerative processes in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the major cause of dementia that has increased dramatically in prevalence over the past several decades. Yet many questions still surround the etiology of AD. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) that transport protein, lipid, and nucleic acids from cell to cell have been implicated in the clearance and propagation of misfolded proteins. Investigation of EVs in AD progression, and their potential diagnostic utility may contribute to understanding and treating AD. However, the challenges of isolating brain-derived EVs have in part hindered these studies. New method Here, we provide an optimized method for the enrichment of brain-derived EVs by iodixanol floatation density gradient for mass spectrometry analysis. Results We demonstrate the isolation of these vesicles and the enrichment of EV proteins compared to sedimentation gradient isolation of vesicles. Moreover, comparative proteomic analysis of brain-derived EVs from healthy and AD mouse brains revealed differences in vesicular content including proteins involved in aging, immune response, and oxidation-reduction maintenance. These changes provide insight into AD-associated neurodegeneration and potential biomarkers of AD. Comparison with existing methods: Recent techniques have used sedimentation sucrose gradients to isolate EVs from brain tissue. However, here we demonstrate the advantages of floatation iodixanol density gradient isolation of small EVs, and provide evidence of EV enrichment by electron microscopy, immunoblot analysis, and quantitative mass spectrometry. Conclusions Together these findings offer a rigorous technique for enriching whole tissue-derived EVs for downstream analyses, and application of this approach to uncovering molecular changes in AD progression and other neurological conditions.
Molecular Regulation of Endothelial Cell Tight Junctions and the Blood-Retinal Barrier

The blood-retinal barrier (BRB) describes a series of cellular specializations in both the retinal vascular endothelium and the retinal pigment epithelia (RPE), which under normal conditions provide tight control of the neuronal environment. This BRB includes well-developed tight junction complex and adherens junction complex in both the vascular endothelium and RPE. Also, expression of multidrug-resistance gene products, limited fenestrations, and small number of vesicles all contribute to the barrier. Many diseases of the retina including retinopathy of prematurity, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration, the leading causes of blindness in the young, working age, and the elderly respectively, may lead to a loss of the BRB and contribute to visual impairment. Molecular biology approaches have led to an understanding of the proteins that contribute to the BRB, and current issues focus on understanding the expression, binding interactions, and regulation of barrier properties in the junctional complex that control permeability. This chapter will provide the reader a fundamental understanding of the BRB structure and function and provide a framework for the study of this barrier in normal physiology and the importance of tight junctions in vision-threatening diseases.
Detection of linked QTL for soybean brown stem rot resistance in ‘BSR 101’ as expressed in a growth chamber environment*

The objective of this study was to map the gene(s) conferring resistance to brown stem rot in the soybean cultivar BSR 101. A population of 320 recombinant inbred lines (RIL) was derived from a cross of BSR 101 and PI 437.654. Seedlings of each RIL and parent were inoculated by injecting stems with a suspension of spores and mycelia of Phialophora gregata, incubated in a growth chamber at 17 °C, and assessed for resistance by monitoring the development of foliar and stem symptoms. The population also was evaluated with 146 RFLPs, 760 AFLPs, and 4 probes for resistance gene analogs (RGAs). Regression analysis identified a significant association between resistance and several markers on Linkage Group J of the USDA-ARS molecular marker linkage map. Interval analysis with Mapmaker QTL identified a major peak between marker RGA2V-1 and AFLP marker AAGATG152M on Linkage Group J. A second peak, associated only with stem symptoms, was identified between the RFLP B122I-1 and RGA2V-1, also on Linkage Group J. When composite interval mapping with QTL Cartographer was used, two linked QTL were identified with both foliar and stem disease assessment methods: a major QTL between AFLP markers AAGATG152E and ACAAGT260, and a minor QTL between RGA3I-3 and RGA3I-2. These results demonstrate that composite interval mapping gives increased precision over interval mapping and is capable of distinguishing two linked QTL. The minor QTL associated with the cluster of RGA3I loci is of special interest because it is the first example of a disease resistance QTL associated with a resistance gene analog.
IMMUNOPRECIPITATION OF MURINE LEUKEMIA VIRUS-SPECIFIC POLYRIBOSOMES: IDENTIFICATION OF VIRUS-SPECIFIC MESSENGER RNA

ABSTRACT. An antiserum monospecific for the internal structural protein p30 of Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) was prepared and used to immunoprecipitate the polyribosomes synthesizing this protein from producer cells. Approximately 7% of the virus-specific mRNA in purified polyribosomes was recovered after immunoprecipitation, while normal serum precipitated ten-fold less. Size analysis of the virus-specific mRNA in the immunoprecipitated polyribosomes indicated that it was 30–35S in size.
Supination External Rotational Ankle Fracture Injury Pattern Correlation With Regional Bone Density

Background:Rotational ankle fractures can present with an array of possible osseous and ligamentous injury combinations in reliable anatomic locations. What accounts for these different injury patt...
Hölder’s identity

Abstract We clarify that Holder’s inequality can be stated more generally than is often realized. This is an immediate consequence of an analogous information-theoretic identity which we call Holder’s identity. We also explain Andrew R. Barron’s original use of the identity.
Design optimisation using convex programming: Towards waste-efficient building designs

Abstract A non-modular building layout is amongst the leading sources of offcut waste, resulting from a substantial amount of onsite cutting and fitting of bricks, blocks, plasterboard, and tiles. The field of design for dimensional coordination is concerned with finding an optimal configuration for non-overlapping spaces in the layout to reduce materials waste. In this article, we propose a convex optimisation-based algorithm for finding alternative floor layouts to enforce the design for dimensional coordination. At the crux of the proposed algorithm lies two mathematical models. The first is the convex relaxation model that establishes the topology of spaces within the layout through relative positioning constraints. We employed acyclic graphs to generate a minimal set of relative positioning constraints to model the problem. The second model optimises the geometry of spaces based on the modular size. The algorithm exploits aspect ratio constraints to restrict the generation of alternate layouts with huge variations. The algorithm is implemented in the BIMWaste tool for automating the design exploration process. BIMWaste is capable of investigating the degree to which designers consider dimensional coordination. We tested the algorithm over 10 completed building projects to report its suitability and accuracy. The algorithm generates competitive floor layouts for the same client intent that are likely to be tidier and more modular. More importantly, those floor layouts have improved waste performance (i.e., 8.75 % less waste) due to a reduced tendency for material cutting and fitting. This study, for the first time, used convex programming for the design optimisation with a focus to reduce construction waste.
Running with (CRISPR) Scissors: Tool Adoption and Team Assembly

Research tools are essential inputs to technological progress. Yet many new tools require specialized complementary know-how to be applied effectively. Teams in any research domain face the tradeof...
Nucleoside diphosphate kinase A/NM23-H1 binds to the c-myc promoter and regulates its transcription

976 Nucleoside diphosphate kinase isoforms A (NDPK-A) and B (NDPK-B) share 88% identical amino acid residues and are encoded by the nm23-H1 and nm23-H2 genes, respectively. NDPK-B has been shown to regulate c-myc transcription via the nuclease hypersensitive element (NHE) III1, it is likely that NDPK-A has a similar function because of its homology and interaction with NDPK-B. In this study, we have demonstrated that NDPK-A formed a complex with c-myc NHE III1, spanning from –142 to –115 relative to the P1 start site, in the electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). NDPK-A interacted specifically with double-stranded (ds) as well as single-stranded (ss) c-myc based on DNA competition and protein depletion experiments. NDPK-A bound to the pyrimidine- and purine-rich strand with similar affinity. Compared to NDPK-B, however, NDPK-A displayed a significant lower binding affinity toward c-myc DNA based on EMSA and UV-crosslinking. Similar to many human cancer cell lines, NB69 neuroblastoma cells expressed detectable NDPK-B, but not NDPK-A, according to Western blot analysis. Deletion of the NHE III1 (i.e., –293 to –104) from the c-myc promoter, spanning from –1676 to +374, de-repressed the CAT activity by approximately 6 folds. Stable transfectants established from NB69 cells overexpressed NDPK-A and the latter was localized to nuclei by immunohistochemistry. These transfectants only de-repressed the CAT activity by 3 folds when the NHE III1 was deleted from the c-myc promoter. Additional de-repression appeared to require c-myc promoter region upstream of the NHE III1. Our findings suggest that NDPK-A participates in the regulation of c-myc transcription by directly interacts with NHE III1 in the promoter. Alternatively, NDPK-A may be indirectly involved in c-myc gene regulation by affecting the DNA-binding ability of NDPK-B via the protein-protein interaction. NDPK-B appeared to repress c-myc transcription in human neuroblastoma cell, perhaps via tissue-specific proteins that regulate c-myc promoter.
Seapower states: maritime culture, continental empires and the conflict that made the modern world

The introduction to Andrew Lambert’s newest book crashes over the reader like a wave, and it requires a few read-throughs to get one’s bearings and find the surface. Here is John Ruskin in Venice e...
Estimating Southern Ocean storm positions with seismic observations

Author(s): Hell, Momme C; Gille, Sarah T; Cornuelle, Bruce D; Miller, Arthur J; Bromirski, Peter D; Crawford, Alex D
Anti-Segregation Policing

Conversations about police reform in lawmaking and legal scholarship typically take a narrow view of the multiple, complex roles that policing plays in American society, focusing primarily on their techniques of crime control. This Article breaks from that tendency, engaging police reform from a sociological perspective that focuses instead on the noncriminal functions of policing. In particular, it examines the role of policing in the daily maintenance of racial residential segregation, one of the central strategies of American racial inequality. Unlike previous work that touches on these issues, this Article argues that police reformers and police leaders should adopt an anti-segregation approach to policing. It also offers legal frameworks and policy prescriptions that flow from an anti-segregation ethic in police governance. This Article begins by setting forth a rich account of residential segregation, clarifying the distinction between easily measurable proxies for segregation and the type of segregation with which law and policy should be concerned: the spatial separation that confines, subordinates, and dominates. It then identifies and illustrates six mechanisms through which American policing perpetuates residential segregation, drawing from sociological research, including qualitative narratives collected in Dallas County, Texas; Cuyahoga County, Ohio; and Baltimore, Maryland. Next, the Article sketches the architecture of anti-segregation policing, offering legal frameworks based on fair housing law and federal and state consent decrees, as well as a non-exhaustive set of practical approaches police departments could take to advance an anti-segregation agenda. Finally, the Article engages a fundamental question central to police transformation movements today: Is meaningful police reform, including anti-segregation policing, possible in a society that is structured through race?
Improvement in ventilation-perfusion mismatch after percutaneous recanalization of near-atretic pulmonary artery due to non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract We present the case of a patient with symptomatic ventilation-perfusion mismatch due to mixed pulmonary arterial and venous obstruction after partial right lung resection for non-small cell lung cancer. Non-invasive imaging suggested complete occlusion of the right lower lobe pulmonary artery, but we were able to successfully percutaneously recanalize the vessel and improve his symptoms and quality of life.
Applying Algorithmic Accountability Frameworks with Domain-specific Codes of Ethics: A Case Study in Ecosystem Forecasting for Shellfish Toxicity in the Gulf of Maine

Ecological forecasts are used to inform decisions that can havesignificant impacts on the lives of individuals and on the healthof ecosystems. These forecasts, or models, embody the ethics oftheir creators as well as many seemingly arbitrary implementationchoices made along the way. They can contain implementationerrors as well as reflect patterns of bias learned when ingestingdatasets derived from past biased decision making. Principles andframeworks for algorithmic accountability allow a wide range ofstakeholders to place the results of models and software systemsinto context. We demonstrate how the combination of algorithmicaccountability frameworks and domain-specific codes of ethics helpanswer calls to uphold fairness and human values, specifically indomains that utilize machine learning algorithms. This helps avoidmany of the unintended consequences that can result from deploy-ing "black box" systems to solve complex problems. In this paper,we discuss our experience applying algorithmic accountability prin-ciples and frameworks to ecosystem forecasting, focusing on a casestudy forecasting shellfish toxicity in the Gulf of Maine. We adaptexisting frameworks such as Datasheets for Datasets and ModelCards for Model Reporting from their original focus on personallyidentifiable private data to include public datasets, such as thoseoften used in ecosystem forecasting applications, to audit the casestudy. We show how high level algorithmic accountability frame-works and domain level codes of ethics compliment each other,incentivizing more transparency, accountability, and fairness inautomated decision-making systems.
Leaching recovery of rare earth elements from the calcination product of a coal coarse refuse using organic acids

Abstract Due to the increasing criticality of rare earth elements (REEs), it has become essential to recover REEs from alternative resources. In this study, systematic REEs leaching tests were performed on the calcination product of a coal coarse refuse using hydrochloric acid and different types of organic acid as lixiviants. Experimental results show that the recovery of REEs, especially heavy REEs (HREEs) and scandium (Sc), is improved by using selected organic acids. Citric acid and dl -malic acid afford the best leaching performances; whereas, malonic acid, oxalic acid, and dl -tartaric acid are inferior to hydrochloric acid. Results of zeta potential measurements and solution chemical equilibrium calculations show that malonic acid is more likely adsorbed on the surface of the calcined material compared with citric acid and dl -malic acid. The adsorption may reduce the effective concentration of malonic species in solution and/or increase the amount of REEs adsorbed on the surface, thereby impairing the leaching recovery. Compared with light REEs (LREEs), a stronger adsorption of the HREEs on the surface is observed from electro-kinetic test results. This finding explains why organic acids impose a more positive impact on the leaching recovery of HREEs. By complexing with the HREEs, organic acids can keep the metal ions in solution and improve the leaching recovery. The adsorption of Sc3+ on the surface is the lowest compared with other REEs. Therefore, rather than complexing, the organic anionic species likely play a function of solubilizing Sc from the solid, which is similar to that of hydrogen ions.
Progress in mimicking brain microenvironments to understand and treat neurological disorders

Neurological disorders including traumatic brain injury, stroke, primary and metastatic brain tumors, and neurodegenerative diseases affect millions of people worldwide. Disease progression is accompanied by changes in the brain microenvironment, but how these shifts in biochemical, biophysical, and cellular properties contribute to repair outcomes or continued degeneration is largely unknown. Tissue engineering approaches can be used to develop in vitro models to understand how the brain microenvironment contributes to pathophysiological processes linked to neurological disorders and may also offer constructs that promote healing and regeneration in vivo. In this Perspective, we summarize features of the brain microenvironment in normal and pathophysiological states and highlight strategies to mimic this environment to model disease, investigate neural stem cell biology, and promote regenerative healing. We discuss current limitations and resulting opportunities to develop tissue engineering tools that more faithfully recapitulate the aspects of the brain microenvironment for both in vitro and in vivo applications.
Leucine-rich glioma-inactivated protein 1 antibody-mediated autoimmune encephalitis in a 4-year-old girl: a case report

Leucine-rich glioma-inactivated protein 1 (LGI1) antibody-mediated encephalitis is a rare subtype of autoimmune encephalopathy, which is associated with autoimmunity against the neuronal plasma membrane proteins. The characteristic symptoms of this disease are memory dysfunction, seizures, faciobrachial dystonic seizures, cognitive deficits, neuropsychiatric disturbances, and intractable hyponatremia. The diagnosis of this disease mainly depends on the presence of anti-LGI1 antibody in serum or cerebrospinal fluid of patients. LGI1 antibody encephalitis has been reported mostly in adults, with rare occurrences in children. In this report, we described a 4-year-old girl with typical seizures. Seizure types included focal seizures and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. The electroencephalogram findings showed focal discharges. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed normal. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of cells, glucose, and chloride were within the normal range, and the culture did not reveal growth of any pathogen. Test of serum LGI1-Ab was positive, while the tests for autoimmune encephalitis antibody series in CSF were negative. The seizures of the patient were completely controlled after the therapy of immunoglobulin, methylprednisolone and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), and the mental state almost returned to normal. To our knowledge, the patient described here may be the youngest case of LGI1 antibody encephalitis reported to date. Children with the LGI1 antibody-associated encephalitis may present only with single symptoms such as epileptic seizures and have good response to the therapy of immunoglobulin, methylprednisolone and antiepileptic drugs. Our case report will provide hints for pediatricians in the diagnosis and treatment of LGI1-antibody encephalitis.
Transgender employment and gender marker laws

Abstract This paper uses data from the Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) over the period 2014–2019 to analyse the impact of removing surgical requirements to change legal gender. In many states transgender people are forced to undergo surgical procedures if they wish to change their gender on ID documents, which can be invasive, expensive, and is not always desired. In the present work state variation in the timing of the removal of surgical requirements is exploited within a triple difference framework to analyse the causal impact of these removals on the employment of transgender people, for the first time. The findings highlight that removing surgical requirements for transgender people to be able to reassign gender on birth certificates increases the employment of female to male transgender people, but has no effect on male to female or gender non-conforming transgender people.
Frontal polymerization-assisted 3D printing of short carbon fibers/dicyclopentadiene composites

Abstract Discontinuous carbon fibers (d-CFs) with different surface modifications (sizing, carboxyl-grafting, and norbornene-grafting) were separately dispersed in dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resins, and the resultant d-CF/DCPD mixtures demonstrated shear-thinning characteristics. Subsequently, d-CF/DCPD mixtures were printed and further transformed into crosslinked polymers through self-propagating frontal polymerization. The norbornene groups grafted on the d-CF surfaces also reacted with the DCPD monomers during the fontal polymerization-synchronized printing, resulting in covalent connections between d-CFs and DCPD resins. The tensile strength of as-printed norbornene-grafting d-CFs/DCPD composites was around 43.3 MPa, which was 170% higher than that of as-printed neat DCPD resin and 15% higher than that of the sized d-CFs/DCPD composites. The toughness of as-printed norbornene-grafting d-CFs/DCPD composites was ~14 MPa, ~33.3% higher than that of the sized d-CF/DCPD composites. More importantly, the presence of norbornene-grafted d-CFs significantly strengthened the bonding strength of printed layers since d-CFs bridged two neighbored layers. The bonding strength of printed layers was enhanced by ~255% with addition of 3 wt% norbornene-grafting d-CFs compared to the neat resin. This method provides a new way to improve the interlayer bonding in energy-efficient 3D printing thermosetting composites.
Dermatologic Problems in the Elderly

The skin is a heterogeneous organ that undergoes numerous changes with advancing age. Typically, the diminished reserve and functional capacity of the skin does not pose any life-threatening condition. Normal age-related changes, however, may lead to a wide variety of symptomatology as well as a change in cosmetic appearance.
Keeping the party together

Under what conditions do political parties split? This paper presents a model of intra-party politics to explain party unity in parliamentary systems. The theory derived from an incomplete information game predicts that parties split with positive probability, which rises with the cost of dissent following a failed attempt to split and falls with the cost of forming a new party. Party unity also is predicted to be high when the leadership faction’s weight within the party is large. The model’s results have implications for the relationship between party unity and the majority status of the government party, party system polarization as well as intra-party polarization.
Collection Due Process: The Scope and Nature of Judicial Review

Collection due process rights, which Congress created in the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, providing additional taxpayer rights and creating challenges relating to judicial review of these rights. The primary challenge for judicial review relates to the scope and type of review to which a taxpayer is entitled in the few instances in which the taxpayer was given the right to challenge the underlying liability. This article addresses the inconsistency between the U.S. Tax Court's determination that it was permitted to conduct de novo review, rather than abuse of discretion review. The Tax Court reasoned it was not required to conduct abuse of discretion review because the court itself was not subject to the administrative procedure act. This article considers the Tax Court's role and the contrary authority developing in the U.S. District Courts.
Undiagnosed heterotopic pregnancy, maternal hemorrhagic shock, and ischemic stroke in the intrauterine fetus

Heterotopic pregnancy occurs rarely following natural conception; however, intrauterine embryo transfer following in vitro fertilization is a known risk factor for its occurrence. A 29-year-old woman presented with acute abdomen at 14w5d gestation following in vitro fertilization–embryo treatment. A ruptured heterotopic gestation in the left fallopian tube was identified at laparoscopy and treated by salpingectomy. Subsequently, at 21-week gestation, routine sonogram demonstrated bilateral ventriculomegaly in the intrauterine fetus. Fetal magnetic resonance imaging was highly suggestive of ischemic brain injury, most likely attributable to the maternal hypovolemic shock because of ruptured heterotopic gestation. The pregnancy was terminated by intracardiac injection and induction of labor. Timely diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy requires a high index of suspicion as diagnostic delays can have catastrophic consequences for the mother and/or the intrauterine fetus. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Predicting agricultural output response

The prediction of output response to price changes in the agricultural sector of developing countries is often an extremely important aspect of policy formation since variations in the price of major crops will frequently affect both producers and consumers. This paper attempts to identify the appropriate theoretical underpinning to the various estimating equations that have been used. Four different models are presented: the labor-leisure model, which is reworked as the Z goods model; the land expansion model; the nonagricultural employment model; and the two crop model. A major conclusion of the paper is that predictions of output response should focus on the elasticity of the nonagricultural demand curve for labor and various parameters of agricultural technology rather than solely on the issue of the relative magnitudes of income and substitution effects.
Using a mixture model for multiple imputation in the presence of outliers: the 'Healthy for life' project

Summary. We consider the problem of obtaining population-based inference in the presence of missing data and outliers in the context of estimating the prevalence of obesity and body mass index measures from the ‘Healthy for life’ study. Identifying multiple outliers in a multivariate setting is problematic because of problems such as masking, in which groups of outliers inflate the covariance matrix in a fashion that prevents their identification when included, and swamping, in which outliers skew covariances in a fashion that makes non-outlying observations appear to be outliers. We develop a latent class model that assumes that each observation belongs to one of K unobserved latent classes, with each latent class having a distinct covariance matrix. We consider the latent class covariance matrix with the largest determinant to form an ‘outlier class’. By separating the covariance matrix for the outliers from the covariance matrices for the remainder of the data, we avoid the problems of masking and swamping. As did Ghosh-Dastidar and Schafer, we use a multiple-imputation approach, which allows us simultaneously to conduct inference after removing cases that appear to be outliers and to promulgate uncertainty in the outlier status through the model inference. We extend the work of Ghosh-Dastidar and Schafer by embedding the outlier class in a larger mixture model, consider penalized likelihood and posterior predictive distributions to assess model choice and model fit, and develop the model in a fashion to account for the complex sample design. We also consider the repeated sampling properties of the multiple imputation removal of outliers.
Fracture initiation at a crack or notch in a viscoplastic material under high rate loading

The two-dimensional problem of an edge crack in a half space or plate is considered. The body is loaded by a suddenly applied, spatially uniform normal velocity imposed on the plane boundary of the body on one side of the edge crack. Otherwise, the boundary of the body, including the crack faces, is traction free. Both cases of an initially sharp crack tip and a narrow notch with small but nonzero notch root radius are considered. The material is modeled as elastic viscoplastic, including strain hardening, rate sensitivity and thermal softening. The applied loading produces predominantly mode II loading in the crack tip region. Under these conditions it is possible to nucleate an adiabatic shear band at the crack tip as a precursor to a mode II fracture. On the other hand, because of the rate sensitivity of the material and the high rate of loading, it may be possible under certain conditions to generate tensile stresses in the crack tip region sufficiently large to nucleate brittle tensile fracture. The problem is solved numerically by means of the finite element method in order to investigate the competition between these two possible fracture initiation mechanisms. The magnitude of the impact velocity imposed on the edge of the plate and the notch tip acuity have an effect on processes near the crack tip. For given material, the inception of crack growth is determined by the competition between a stress-based brittle fracture condition, associated with rate sensitivity and strain hardening, and a strain based criterion, associated with high strain rate and thermal softening.
Missing the target: Characterization of bullous pemphigoid patients who are negative using the BP180 enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay

Background Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune blistering disease characterized by autoantibodies specific for the 180-kd BP antigen-2 (BP180) (also termed "type XVII collagen") protein. The BP180 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is specific for the immunodominant NC16A domain of the protein. However, we and others have observed patients whose reactivity to BP180 is exclusive of the NC16A domain (referred to henceforth as non-NC16A BP). Objective We sought to determine the incidence of non-NC16A BP and identify regions of reactivity within the BP180 protein. Methods Sera from 51 patients who met the clinical and histologic criteria for BP were screened for NC16A reactivity by ELISA. Sera that were negative by ELISA were screened for IgG reactivity to an epidermal extract, recombinant BP180 protein, and subregions of BP180, by immunoblot. Demographic and clinical data were also collected on all patients. Results Four sera (7.8%) were negative using the BP180 ELISA but positive for IgG reactivity to the extracellular domain of BP180. Further mapping identified 4 regions outside of NC16A recognized by these sera: amino acid (AA) 1280 to 1315, AA 1080 to 1107, AA 1331 to 1404, and AA 1365 to 1413. One of these sera also had IgE specific for NC16A. One patient had an atypical presentation with lesions limited to the lower aspect of the legs and scarring of the nail beds. Limitations The small total number of patients with non-NC16A BP limits the identification of demographic or clinical correlates. Conclusion It is significant that 7.8% of sera from patients with new BP react to regions of BP180 exclusively outside of NC16A and, thus, would not be identified using the currently available BP180 ELISA.
MAJOR VOLATILES IN TOASTED CANOLA OIL

Headspace volatiles from ‘Alto’ canola oil toasted at 240C for 8 min were collected using TenaxR TA 60/80 (Supelco Inc., Bellefonte, PA). The TenaxR was washed three times with a total of 6 ml of solvent. The solvent extract was concentrated by drying in a hood at room temperature for 6 h. Two μl of concentrated extract were separated on a 30 m DB-1 capillary column (J & W Scientific, Folson, CA) with a Hewlett Packard (HP) 5890A gas chromatograph connected to a HP 5790 mass spectrometer. Volatiles were tentatively identified with a NBS 43 K.1 library by PBM (probability based on matching) search. Fifty seven peaks were detected by the mass spectrometer. Among those, 50 compounds were tentatively identified. 2-Furancarboxaldehyde, 5-methyl-2-furan carboxaldehyde, 5-(1-methyl ethyl)-1,3-cyclopentadiene, cyclododecane, undecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, 1-hexadecanol, hexadecanoic acid, 9-octadecenoic acid, octadecanoic acid, 2,5-dimethyl pyrazine, 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethyl pyrazine, [1,1′:3′,1″-terphenyl]-1′-ol and [1,1′:3′,1″-terphenyl]-4′-ol were the major volatile compounds.