cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Angiotensin and ANP secretion during chronically controlled increments in atrial pressure

The primary objective of this study was to determine whether angiotensin II (ANG II) has direct effects on the atrium to chronically stimulate the secretion of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) by actions that are independent of its vasoconstrictor and fluid-retaining effects that increase ANP secretion indirectly by raising atrial pressure. In five dogs, right atrial pressure (RAP) was controlled at approximately 5.5 mmHg above control levels for 8 days by employing an externally adjustable occluder around the pulmonary artery and a servo-control system, and plasma levels of ANG II were fixed at either normal (days 1-3 and 7-8) or high (days 4-6) physiological concentrations by chronic infusion of captopril+ANG II. When plasma ANG II was maintained at normal levels during servo-control of RAP, plasma ANP concentration increased five- to sixfold and sodium balance was achieved at a reduced arterial pressure (-14 mmHg). In contrast, despite increased plasma levels of ANP, the high rate of ANG II infusion produced marked sodium retention during the initial 24 h; however, the antinatriuresis was not sustained because the servo-control system partially deflated the pulmonary artery occluder to prevent fluid-induced increments in RAP. Moreover, in the absence of a change in RAP, high plasma levels of ANG II did not influence plasma ANP concentration. These findings indicate that the plasma levels of ANP achieved in heart failure increase renal excretory capability and allow fluid balance to be achieved at a substantial fall in mean arterial pressure as long as there is minimal involvement of the renin-angiotensin system.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A model for the effect of estrogen antagonists on cooperative estradiol binding

AbstractPartial agonists such as estriol and estrone have been reported to diminish or even eliminate the upward convexity of the Scatchard plot of the binding of labeled estradiol to estrogen receptor. This has been interpreted as agonist interference with the receptor dimerization induced by estradiol. In order to investigate how a partial agonist or antagonist might interfere with dimerization we have developed a theoretical mass-action law model, where soluble receptors can dimerize and bind to two different ligands. Special attention was devoted to manifestations of positive cooperativity to determine whether they could be modified by competition with a second ligand. This was done using a computer program that evaluated a large set of combinations of affinity constants in an effort to explore all possible situations. The model could reproduce the effect of a second ligand on the cooperative binding of estradiol to the estrogen receptor but only if the second ligand was anticooperative, which is not ...
Autologous blood transfusion during cardiac surgery: A re-evaluation of three methods

The use of autologous blood transfusion to decrease blood bank requirements and improve coagulation parameters during cardiac surgery is still controversial. This study was undertaken to re-evaluate three methods of autologous blood transfusion. Before bypass, 13 to 15 percent of the patient's estimated blood volume was removed and stored with either CPD or heparin at room temperature and returned via a peripheral vein after bypass. All patients had significant abnormalities in their PTT, PT, and platelet counts after bypass. Heparinized autologous blood removed from the vena cava cannula was the only technique which significantly improved the PTT and platelet count. Total blood bank requirements were significantly less for the autologous blood groups than for controls. There was a saving of 18 percent in banked blood requirements. Fresh frozen plasma and platelets were not found to be routinely needed during cardiac surgery.
THE DAY AFTER THE DISASTER: FORCED MIGRATION AND INCOME LOSS AFTER HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA

A model of post‐disaster migration responses and income consequences poses that damage severity and individual resilience affect moving decisions. Forced moves are linked to little resilience relative to damage incurred and post‐move income reductions. The empirical analysis analyzes households affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Using American Community Survey data, unobserved heterogeneous income damages are framed as treatment, with the moving decision being the treatment decision. An endogenous switching regression addresses self‐selection issues. The results suggest that movers encountered double victimization: (1) they were forced to move and their income declined; (2) low‐income households were more severely affected than the average.
Transitional Wearable Companions: A Novel Concept of Soft Interactive Social Robots to Improve Social Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

We present a novel concept of interactive devices, called “transitional wearable companions” (TWCs), usable to support therapy and foster social skill development in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). TWCs have two distinctive features. First, they are soft interactive devices, which look like tender animals, able to arise attachment emotions and give a continuous reassuring physical contact. Second, TWCs are embedded social robots responding to the child’s manipulations by emitting lights, sounds, or vibrations usable for multiple purposes, for example to enhance the child’s engagement. TWCs can have additional important features. First, the input–output rules with which they respond to the child’s actions can be changed by the therapist/caregiver, for example through a tablet, thus opening a large number of possibilities to foster social interaction. Second, TWCs can have biosensors gathering information on the child’s physiological and emotional state, thus offering multiple ways to support the interaction with the child during therapy and daily life. The paper presents the principles underlying TWC design, their possible future enhancements, a first prototype (+me) of social TWC, and possible empirical experiment procedures to test the effectiveness of TWC in controlled experiments. For their multifaceted and flexible features, TWCs might become an important tool to enhance ASD children’s social abilities in ecological and therapeutic contexts.
Plutonium-238 supply project — Additional processing enabling power for future NASA missions

For more than five decades, Radioisotope Power Systems (RPSs) have enabled space missions to operate in locations where the Sun's intensity is either too dim, obscured, or otherwise inadequate for solar power or other conventional power-generation technologies. The natural decay of the radioisotope plutonium-238 (238Pu) provides the heat source used by an RPS to generate electricity (as well as heat to keep key subsystems warm) for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) missions such as Voyagers 1 and 2, the Cassini mission to Saturn, the New Horizons flyby of Pluto, and the Mars Curiosity rover. The United States has not produced new 238Pu since the late 1980s. RPS-powered missions have continued since then using existing 238Pu inventory managed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), including material purchased from Russia. NASA and DOE have determined that a new domestic supply is needed to ensure the continued availability of RPSs for future NASA missions. Using funding provided by NASA since 2011, DOE is currently executing a project to reestablish a 238Pu supply capability using its existing facilities and reactors. The project, known as the Plutonium-238 Supply Project (PSP) is led by the DOE Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This paper will provide an overview of the PSP approach, its progress to date, and the potential benefits to NASA of missions that could be enabled by the new production of 238Pu.
The Myth of the Passage of Time

The main purpose of this paper is to point out that the technique, familiar to physicists, of adopting various representations of physical phenomena for various purposes is convenient (and, I believe, necessary) in order to clarify some of the aspects of time that have been regarded as mysterious. Two representations are distinguished: the one that physics always uses and I have called atemporal, and the temporal one implicit in ordinary language and metaphor and most of the philosophical speculation with which I am familiar. The myth mentioned in the title is the idea that this representation somehow is time itself. The representation are explained by the use of pictures, which are to be distinguished from the representations they illustrate, and an attempt is made to clarify some old questions by their use.
Targeting Rho, Rac, CDC42 GTPase Effector p21 Activated Kinases in Mutant K-Ras-Driven Cancer

Ras protein was discovered more than 30 years ago and since then extensive research in the area of ras biology has clearly established the diverse roles of this master regulator in cancer. Nevertheless, this knowledge could not be translated into the development of clinically viable therapeutic agents against ras. The primary reason is the lack of possible drug-binding pockets within the ras structure itself as well as its high affinity to GTP that does not allow easy access to small molecule drugs. Alternatively, researchers have focused on targeting the upstream [epidermal growth factor receptor, insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R)] and downstream signaling pathways [such as the rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma (RAF), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK), and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)] among others. However, none of these targets proved to be actionable and showed limited clinical benefits or often time acute toxicity in patients. Lack of response to downstream targets have been attributed to the diverse cross talk and feedback mechanisms in ras signaling and such attempts are yet to yield any clinically viable candidate molecules. Over the last decade the small GTPases such as Rho, Rac, and CDC42 have also been explored as potential therapeutic targets within the mutant ras signaling. The p21 activated kinases (PAKs) Rho GTPase effectors that are emerging to play a key role in cancer therapy resistance and stemness. There are two groups of PAKs [group I PAKs (1, 2, and 3) and group II PAKs (4, 5, and 6)]. This chapter highlights the multi-faceted roles of PAKs in cancer signaling and also brings forward some of the recent attempts to target key players particularly belonging to the group II kinases.
John D. Caputo: A postmodern, prophetic, liberal American in Paris

Etude du dialogue critique de J. D Caputo avec Heidegger. Bien que le philosophe americain s'interesse davantage a la pensee francaise deconstructionniste, subit l'influence de Derrida et Levinas, etudie la grâce, la compassion et l'emancipation politique, l'A. montre que l'orientation intellectuelle de Caputo reste tournee vers le liberalisme americain, defini comme l'ideologie d'une societe ou les individus sont libres de choisir leur bien-etre et ou les droits de l'homme sont garantis. Dans l'article suivant intitule «An American and a liberal: John D. Caputo's response to Michael Zimmerman» (in «Continental philosophy review», 31, 2, 1998, pp.215-20), Caputo reconnait sa triple identite: americaine, liberale et heidegerienne
Discovering concept coverings in ontologies of linked data sources

Despite the increase in the number of linked instances in the Linked Data Cloud in recent times, the absence of links at the concept level has resulted in heterogenous schemas, challenging the interoperability goal of the Semantic Web. In this paper, we address this problem by finding alignments between concepts from multiple Linked Data sources. Instead of only considering the existing concepts present in each ontology, we hypothesize new composite concepts defined as disjunctions of conjunctions of (RDF) types and value restrictions, which we call restriction classes, and generate alignments between these composite concepts. This extended concept language enables us to find more complete definitions and to even align sources that have rudimentary ontologies, such as those that are simple renderings of relational databases. Our concept alignment approach is based on analyzing the extensions of these concepts and their linked instances. Having explored the alignment of conjunctive concepts in our previous work, in this paper, we focus on concept coverings (disjunctions of restriction classes). We present an evaluation of this new algorithm to Geospatial, Biological Classification, and Genetics domains. The resulting alignments are useful for refining existing ontologies and determining the alignments between concepts in the ontologies, thus increasing the interoperability in the Linked Open Data Cloud.
Selective Localization of a Novel Dendrimer Nanoparticle in Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Background Dendrimer nanoparticle therapies represent promising new approaches to drug delivery, particularly in diseases associated with inflammatory injury. However, their application has not been fully explored in models of acute myocardial ischemia (MI) and reperfusion injury. Methods White male New Zealand rabbits underwent left thoracotomy with 30-minute temporary left anterior descending artery occlusion and MI confirmed by electrocardiography and histology (MI rabbits, n = 9), or left thoracotomy and pericardial opening for 30 minutes but no left anterior descending artery occlusion (control [C] rabbits, n = 9) rabbits. Following the 30-minute period, a dendrimer (generation 6 dendrimer conjugated to cyanine-5 fluorescent dye [G6-Cy5], 6.7 nm diameter) was administered intravenously and the chest closed in layers. Animals were sacrificed at 3 hours (3 MI, 3 C), 24 hours (3 MI, 3 C), or 48 hours (3 MI, 3 C) postsurgery. Results As compared to controls, MI rabbits had twofold G6-Cy5 uptake in the myocardial anterior wall as compared to the same region in nonischemic control rabbits at 24 hours postsurgery (6.01 ± 0.57 μg/g versus 2.85 ± 0.85 μg/g; p = 0.04). This trend was also present at 48 hours (6.38 ± 1.53 μg/g versus 3.95 ± 0.60 μg/g, p = 0.21) and was qualitatively evident on confocal microscopy. G6-Cy5 half-life in serum was approximately 12 hours, with 22% of the injected G6-Cy5 dose remaining at 48 hours. Conclusions This study demonstrates for the first time that dendrimer nanodevices selectively localize in ischemic as compared to healthy myocardium. This indicates that dendrimer nanodevices are promising agents to deliver drugs specifically to the ischemic myocardium to attenuate the injury. Subsequent studies will assess the efficacy of a dendrimer-drug conjugate in ameliorating reperfusion injury following MI.
The Development and Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Negative Beliefs about Post-Event Processing Scale.

Background Although negative beliefs have been found to be associated with worry symptoms and depressive rumination, negative beliefs have yet to be examined in relation to post-event processing and social anxiety symptoms. Aims The purpose of the current study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Negative Beliefs about Post-Event Processing Questionnaire (NB-PEPQ). Method A large, non-referred undergraduate sample completed the NB-PEPQ along with validation measures, including a measure of post-event processing and social anxiety symptoms. Results Based on factor analysis, a single-factor model was obtained, and the NB-PEPQ was found to exhibit good validity, including positive associations with measures of post-event processing and social anxiety symptoms. Conclusions These findings add to the literature on the metacognitive variables that may lead to the development and maintenance of post-event processing and social anxiety symptoms, and have relevant clinical applications.
Imaging Radiation-Induced Normal Tissue Injury to Quantify Regional Dose Response

Noninvasive imaging has and will continue to play a pivotal role in the assessment of radiation-induced normal tissue toxicity. In this review, we will examine key literature regarding the use of anatomic and physiological imaging in relation to radiation-induced normal tissue toxicity. Additionally, this review contains a novel methodology for potentially incorporating dose-response data into treatment planning and normal tissue toxicity modeling.
State estimation for unbalanced electric power distribution systems using AMI data

The distribution system state estimation (DSSE) problem is very challenging due to complexities at the distribution network structure level and sensor level. This paper first develops a DSSE formulation similar to the real world settings. In particular, unbalanced single-phase and two-phase measurements are considered. In addition, constraints associated with zero injections and center tapped transformers are carefully modeled. An orthogonal elimination based DSSE algorithm is developed to solve the nonlinear optimization problem with equality constraints. The proposed algorithm has better numerical properties than the existing methods and does not require tunable parameters. The simulation results from modified IEEE 13-bus test feeder show that the proposed DSSE formulation and algorithm yield accurate state estimation results.
How Biophysical Forces Regulate Human B Cell Lymphomas

The role of microenvironment-mediated biophysical forces in human lymphomas remains elusive. Diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) are heterogeneous tumors, which originate from highly proliferative germinal center B cells. These tumors, their associated neo-vessels, and lymphatics presumably expose cells to particular fluid flow and survival signals. Here, we show that fluid flow enhances proliferation and modulates response of DLBCLs to specific therapeutic agents. Fluid flow upregulates surface expression of B cell receptors (BCRs) and integrin receptors in subsets of ABC-DLBCLs with either CD79A/B mutations or WT BCRs, similar to what is observed with xenografted human tumors in mice. Fluid flow differentially upregulates signaling targets, such as SYK and p70S6K, in ABC-DLBCLs. By selective knockdown of CD79B and inhibition of signaling targets, we provide mechanistic insights into how fluid flow mechanomodulates BCRs and integrins in ABC-DLBCLs. These findings redefine microenvironment factors that regulate lymphoma-drug interactions and will be critical for testing targeted therapies.
An evolutionary model motivated by physicochemical properties of amino acids reveals variation among proteins.

Motivation The relative rates of amino acid interchanges over evolutionary time are likely to vary among proteins. Variation in those rates has the potential to reveal information about constraints on proteins. However, the most straightforward model that could be used to estimate relative rates of amino acid substitution is parameter-rich and it is therefore impractical to use for this purpose. Results A six-parameter model of amino acid substitution that incorporates information about the physicochemical properties of amino acids was developed. It showed that amino acid side chain volume, polarity and aromaticity have major impacts on protein evolution. It also revealed variation among proteins in the relative importance of those properties. The same general approach can be used to improve the fit of empirical models such as the commonly used PAM and LG models. Availability and implementation Perl code and test data are available from https://github.com/ebraun68/sixparam. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Pavement Condition: New Approach for Iowa Department of Transportation

The collection of pavement condition data is one of the most important and costly elements of operating a pavement management system (PMS). This function is crucial, as business decisions rely on i...
40 The Role of Catalysis in Corrosion Processes

Corrosion of iron in acids and deaerated water is controlled by rate of hydrogen evolution at cathodic areas of the metal surface. This rate in turn depends on catalytic properties of cathodic areas for the hydrogen evolution reaction as measured by hydrogen overvoltage. In aerated water, the rate is controlled by oxygen reduction, which again depends on catalytic properties of cathodic areas. Since reduction of oxygen produces hydrogen peroxide, this compound can be detected as a corrosion product of all metals which are relatively poor catalysts for H2O2 decomposition, e. g., Cd, Mg, and Al, but not for good catalysts, e. g., Fe, Cu, and brass. Corrosion resistance of metals often depends on either protective reaction-product films, e. g., PbSO4 on lead immersed in H2SO4, or on chemisorbed films, e. g., Cr and the stainless steels, which satisfy metal surface affinities without dislodging surface metal atoms to form a reaction-product lattice. Similarly, corrosion inhibitors like chromates and nitrites are thought to chemisorb on an iron surface and to protect iron by a similar mechanism. This explains why potentials of iron immersed in chromates follow a typical adsorption isotherm and also why potential change with time is rapid at first, then slow, similar to chemisorption of gases on metals. Parallel to evidence for at least two kinds of adsorption sites for oxygen on tungsten, corrosion data support two kinds of sites for adsorbed oxygen on stainless steels or for adsorbed chromates on iron. Since chemisorption is favored by unfilled d electronic energy bands in the metal or alloy, passivity, and also catalysis, occurs predominately with the transition metals. This factor enters in explaining observed critical alloy compositions at which passivity initiates. Interstitial hydrogen supplies electrons, which fill the d band, and thereby decrease or destroy passivity, just as interstitial hydrogen can diminish catalytic properties. The effect of Curie temperature on catalysis is paralleled in corrosion by change in oxidation rate above and below the magnetic transformation temperature. In oxidation, the effect appears to be related to change in work function at the Curie temperature.
Histologic identification of intraocular Cytauxzoon felis in three cats

Case series summaryA 5-month-old male intact domestic shorthair (DSH) cat (cat 1), a 1-year-old male neutered DSH cat (cat 2) and a 1.5-year-old female spayed DSH cat (cat 3) were submitted for gro...
Searching for CKDu: Mystery kidney disease, differentiated (in)visibility, and contingent geographies of care in dry zone Sri Lanka

Abstract In Sri Lanka's dry zone, an epidemic of Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology (CKDu) has evaded scientific explanation for more than two decades. Unsurprisingly, the search for CKDu's cause has become the focus of intense study. Comparatively, less is known about local attempts to neutralize biomedical uncertainty within disease “hotspots” or how this creates new contingent geographies of care. As a consequence, I examine what is at stake in the label CKDu and how these stakes, and indeed the visibility of the mystery disease itself, varies across scale and space. I argue that despite the hypervisibility of mystery kidney disease in news media, existing clinical practices within disease hotspots cannot actually differentiate between CKDu and regular chronic kidney disease (CKD). As a consequence, distinctions between categories of illness routinely collapse in everyday life. And yet, evidence collected over 15 months of ethnographic fieldwork reveals that other types of difference profoundly shape access to care in the dry zone. Specifically, I demonstrate that it is not a diagnosis of CKDu but residence in areas designated as disease “hotspots” that determines access state-sponsored kidney disease stipends. In short, I suggest that some experiences of kidney disease are more visible than others and this often has much more to do with where these cases are than with what may have caused them. As a consequence, the article concludes that CKDu has produced new forms of difference in the dry zone, but that the main axis of differentiation is more geographical than biophysical.
From glovebox to benchtop

Intensified interest in the area of nickel catalysis has driven the quest for an air-stable and modular Ni(0) precatalyst. Now, an air-stable Ni(0)-olefin precatalyst allows for the convenient set-up of nickel-catalysed reactions on the benchtop.
Chapter 10 – Membrane Proteins

Membrane proteins expose surfaces that are ideally suited for incorporation into, or binding to, membranes. Integral membrane proteins have hydrophobic surfaces that allow and demand that they are incorporated into the hydrophobic portion of the lipid bilayer. Integral membrane proteins may be transmembrane (exposed on both sides of the membrane) or anchored (and exposed on only one side of the membrane). Peripheral membrane proteins bind to integral membrane proteins through compatible binding sites and decorate the surfaces of membranes to support membrane functions. The primary structure of many transmembrane proteins is organized to include linear sequences of 19–23 hydrophobic amino acids to span the hydrophobic interior of a membrane in a helix. This produces a signature by which integral membrane proteins can often be identified by their linear sequence. Other membrane proteins form β-barrels, with hydrophobic residues pointing to the outside of the barrel. Membrane proteins can diffuse in the plane of the membrane, though that can be restricted. Some proteins are kinetically stabilized in the membrane, with a finite lifetime before denaturation to biologically inactive forms. Membrane proteins can be posttranslationally modified with lipids and carbohydrates, among other modifications.
Mastery and Marital Processes: Mechanisms Linking Midlife Economic Adversity and Later‐Life Loneliness for Husbands and Wives in Enduring Marriages

Research has documented that loneliness is a major public health concern, particularly for older adults in the United States. However, previous studies have not elucidated the mechanisms that connect family economic adversity to husbands' and wives' loneliness in later adulthood. Thus, using prospective dyadic data over 27 years from 254 enduring couples, the present study investigated how spouses' mastery, as an intraindividual process, and marital functioning, as a couple process, link midlife family economic adversity to spouses' later-life loneliness. The results provided support for three linking life course pathways: an adversity-mastery-loneliness pathway, an adversity-marital functioning-loneliness pathway, and a mastery-marital functioning-loneliness pathway. The results also showed spousal contemporaneous dependencies in mastery and loneliness. These findings demonstrate the persistent influence of midlife family economic adversity on husbands' and wives' loneliness nearly three decades later and elucidate linking mechanisms involving mastery and couple marital functioning. Findings are discussed as they relate to life course and family systems theories. Implications address multiple levels including national- and state-policies and couple-level clinical interventions.
Illness perceptions, coping, and health-related quality of life among individuals experiencing chronic Lyme disease

ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to examine illness perceptions and coping in relation to the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among individuals experiencing chronic Lyme disease (CL...
Visuo-Vestibular Eye Movements

This teleological analysis attempts to reconstruct infantile strabismus based on fundamental physical principles involving the basic orientation of the vestibular canal-based system and the corollary orientation of the extraocular muscles. The goal is to try to not only show how dissociated movements occur, but to provide a raison d’etre for these movements. In this article, I propose that the two eyes revert to their secondary function as balance organs in the setting of infantile strabismus, and that the unique dissociated eye movements of infantile strabismus are visuo-vestibular in origin. This conclusion is based on the substantial experimental evidence that the subcortical visuo-vestibular pathways mediate similar movements in lower animals, where binocular from the two eyes gets transmitted via the cerebellum to the vestibular nucleus, where it is yoked together with binaural input from the two labyrinths. The article then explains how each of the three recognized dissociated eye movements can be understood as arising from a binocular visual imbalance in one of three orthogonal planes of visual space. Accordingly, a new classification of visuo-vestibular eye movements becomes necessary to define and describe these dissociated eye movements.
Health Information System's Responses to COVID-19 Pandemic in China: A National Cross-sectional Study.

Objective After the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Chinese hospitals and health information technology (HIT) vendors collaborated to provide comprehensive information technology support for pandemic prevention and control. This study aims to describe the responses from the health information systems (HIS) to the COVID-19 pandemic and provide empirical evidence in the application of emerging health technologies in China. Methods This observational descriptive study utilized a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey of hospitals in China (N = 1,014) from 30 provincial administrative regions across the country. Participants include hospital managers, hospital information workers, and health care providers. Results Among all the responses, the most popular interventions and applications include expert question-and-answer sessions and science popularization (61.74%) in online medical consultation, online appointment registration (58.97%) in online medical service, and remote consultation (75.15%) in telehealth service. A total of 63.71% of the participating hospitals expanded their fever clinics during the pandemic, 15.38% hospitals used new or upgraded mobile ward rounds systems, and 44.68% hospitals applied online self-service systems. Challenges and barriers include protecting network information security (57.00%) since some hospitals experienced cybersecurity incidents. 71.79% participants hope to shorten wait time and optimize the treatment process. Health care workers experienced increased amount of work during the pandemic, while hospital information departments did not experience significant changes in their workload. Conclusion In the process of fighting against the COVID-19, hospitals have widely used traditional and emerging novel HITs. These technologies have strengthened the capacity of prevention and control of the pandemic and provided comprehensive information technology support while also improving accessibility and efficiency of health care delivery.
Predisposing factors’ effects on mortality of oak ( Quercus ) and hickory ( Carya ) species in mature forests undergoing mesophication in Appalachian Ohio

Mature oak (Quercus spp.) and hickory (Carya spp.) trees are gradually being replaced by more shade-tolerant tree species across the eastern U.S., likely due to fire suppression and increased precipitation. Oaks and hickories are highly valuable to wildlife; therefore, studying their mortality patterns can provide information on the longevity of habitat quality for many animal species. Oak mortality has most often been studied following large oak decline events, but background mortality rates in forests with aging oak and hickory canopies warrant equal attention, especially in the context of widespread oak and hickory regeneration failure. We studied background mortality rates of five oak and one hickory species over a 23–25 year time period (1993–1995 to 2018), using 82 1/20th hectare permanent plots on the Marietta Unit of the Wayne National Forest in southeastern Ohio. We calculated mortality rates based on remeasurement of individual trees for white oak (Quercus alba), chestnut oak (Quercus montana), northern red oak (Quercus rubra), black oak (Quercus velutina), scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea), and pignut hickory (Carya glabra). For each of these species other than scarlet oak, we also modeled the relationships of mortality probability with a priori topographic, soil, stand structural, and individual tree covariates, using a mixed-effects logistic regression framework. The species with the highest mortality rate was scarlet oak (61.3%), followed by northern red oak (41.4%), black oak (26.7%), pignut hickory (23.9%), white oak (23.4%), and chestnut oak (19.1%). In our models, northern red oak mortality was associated with more mesic slope positions, shallower solums, more acidic soils, and older stand ages. Pignut hickory and chestnut oak mortality rates were associated with higher basal areas on the plot, while white oak mortality showed the opposite pattern. Our data suggest that red oak subgenus trees in mature forests of our area will become increasingly uncommon relative to white oak subgenus trees, as the result of higher mortality rates likely related to the shorter lifespans of these species. Particularly vulnerable areas may include more mesic topographic positions, shallower or more acidic soil, and older stands. Since maintaining oak subgenus diversity is beneficial to wildlife diversity in the eastern U.S., managers in areas with extensive mature mixed-oak forests could choose to favor the red oak subgenus when conducting silvicultural treatments.
Fast reconfiguration of robot swarms with uniform control signals

This paper investigates a simplified model of robot motion planning where particles on a board respond to global signals, causing them to move uniformly in a particular direction. We consider two types of movement commands: (1) Steps, which cause particles to move one unit distance in the given direction, and (2) Tilts, which cause particles to move maximally in the given direction. Under the overarching theme of reconfiguring robot swarms, we look at the problem of assembling general shapes both within systems that exclusively use step commands and systems that exclusively use tilt commands. We derive upper and lower bounds on the worst-case number of movements needed to reconfigure a general purpose board into a target shape. Under step transformations, we show a set of obstacles that can reconfigure n robots from any size-n shape to construct any other size-n shape with optimal $$\varTheta (n)$$ steps, which improves on previous techniques taking $$O(n^2)$$ steps. We then provide a board configuration that, under tilt transformations, can construct any size-n shape (given “helper particles”) in optimal $$\varTheta (n)$$ tilts, which also improves upon the previous best known time of $$O(n^2)$$ tilts.
Surgery of Male Genital Lymphedema

Incapacitating male genital lymphedema most commonly results from filariasis, which is endemic in the tropical and subtropical countries. However, with the advent of extensive ablative surgical and radiotherapeutic measures against abdominopelvic malignancies, more cases of iatrogenic lymphedema of the genitalia can be expected in other parts of the world as well. Surgical treatment of male genital lymphedema is essentially divided into 1) excision of subcutaneous lymphedematous tissues with genital reconstruction using the remaining skin and 2) complete excision of lymphedema followed by split thickness skin grafting of the denuded phallus. The rationale behind our preference for the latter procedure is discussed with illustrative case profiles and important salient surgical steps are outlined.
Metabolism of a novel antitumor agent, crisnatol, by a human hepatoma cell line, Hep G2, and hepatic microsomes. Characterization of metabolites.

Abstract Metabolism of the anticancer agent crisnatol was investigated using a human hepatoma cell line, Hep G2, and human liver microsomes. Crisnatol was metabolized extensively by both systems. The TLC/autoradiographic analysis showed that the crisnatol metabolite profile was similar for both systems and the major metabolites were shown to have structural characteristics similar to those formed by the rat. The Hep G2 cells formed three isomeric dihydrodiols; one of these has been identified by GC/MS and 1 H-NMR as the crisnatol 1,2-dihydrodiol. Human liver microsomes also formed two isomeric dihydrodiols with 1,2-dihydrodiol as the major isomer and, in addition, produced 1-hydroxycrisnatol. Crisnatol concentrations of 1.3 μg/mL completely inhibited the replication of Hep G2 cells as measured by thymidine incorporation and cell growth kinetics and, at this concentration, cell viability decreased by only 35% as determined by vital staining of cells using neutral red dye.
Space Telescope Observations of White Dwarf Stars

The Hubble Space Telescope will present an opportunity for a dramatic improvement in our understanding of white dwarf stars. A collaboration of researchers has obtained observing time to study white dwarf stars. This paper reviews our proposed observations, the genesis and history of the collaboration, and the current status of this project in light of the telescope’s shortcomings.
Translation and replication of Rhopalosiphum padi virus RNA in a plant cellular environment

Dicistroviruses are small, monopartite, positive-strand RNA viruses that infect arthropods. Unlike other members of the order Picornavirales, viruses in the Dicistroviridae family possess two open reading frames (ORFs), each preceded by a distinct internal ribosome entry site (IRES). Availability of an infectious clone of Rhopalosiphum padi virus (RhPV) provides a useful molecular tool for the investigation of dicistrovirus translation and replication. Cross-kingdom analysis of translation and replication of this insect virus in a plant cellular environment could elucidate key factors involved in these processes and prove vital in efforts to apply dicistroviruses in transgenically expressed biopesticide management strategies. Intergenic region (IGR) IRES-mediated translation was tested in wheat germ extract (WGE) and oat protoplasts. IGR IRES translation was observed in WGE, but translation in oat protoplasts was insufficient to show IGR IRES function. Replication of RhPV infectious transcripts was assayed in oat protoplasts using strand-specific RT-PCR and northern blot hybridization. Negativestrand replication products were detected 48 hours post-electroporation of protoplasts with strand-specific RT-PCR, but were undetected via northern blot analysis. Though translation was not shown in this study, other preliminary experiments suggest that, with slight protocol modifications, IGR IRES-mediated translation may be detectable in oat protoplasts. Low levels of RhPV replication in planta may be beneficial in a transgenically-expressed biopesticide strategy by supporting virion packaging fidelity while avoiding RNAi silencing.
Adverse Selection, Bequests, Crowding Out, and Private Demand for Insurance: Evidence from the Long-term Care Insurance Market

Adverse selection, moral hazard, and crowding out by public insurance have all been proposed as theoretical reasons for why the market for private long-term care insurance has been slow to evolve in the U.S. Using national samples of the elderly and near elderly, this study investigates which is most important. The data contain direct measures of risk aversion, expectations of future nursing home use and living to old age, and the bequest motive. For both groups, we find evidence of adverse selection, and, for the elderly, crowding out of private long-term care insurance by Medicaid. However, we do not find that demand for such insurance is motivated either by bequest or exchange motives.
Corporate Giving Behavior and Decision-Maker Social Consciousness

This paper investigates why some companies give to charity and others do not. The study uncovers a strong relationship between the personal attitudes of the charitable decision maker and the firm's giving behavior. This relationship indicates that the human element of personal attitudes may interact and play a very important role in a firm's decision to become involved with philanthropic activities. The study also shows that firms who have a history of giving to charity cite altruistic motives for their behavior. On the other hand, firms that do not give to charity tend to use business reasons to explain their non-involvement.
Dinosaur tracks in the computer age

A three-dimensional record of dinosaur feet and movement comes from 200-million-year-old footprints made in wet mud. Comparisons of these prints with the tracks made by living birds clear up some of the mysteries about dinosaur toes and the tracks that they left.
Interferometric Gas Diagnostics by the Hook Method

Refractive index measurements have long been a well established tool for investigating aerodynamic flow patterns where number densities were determined from interferograms taken with a light source of moderate spectral bandwidth. However, the number density so derived gives no indication of the composition nor thermodynamic state of the gas under investigation; rather, its properties and composition have to be assumed.
The existence of supercooled liquid water at 150?K

Supercooled water may offer clues to the anomalous properties of its normal liquid state1. The supercooled state also shows anomalous thermodynamic and transport properties at low temperatures2,3,4. Although there are several theoretical explanations for this behaviour, no consensus has emerged1,2,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12. Some theories preclude the existence of the supercooled liquid below an apparent thermodynamic singularity at 228?K (refs 2, 7, 9); others are consistent with a continuous region of metastability from the melting point at 273?K to the glass transition temperature at 136?K (refs 6, 8, 13). But the data needed to distinguish between these possibilities have not yet been forthcoming. Here we determine the diffusivity of amorphous ice by studying isotope intermixing in films less than 500 nanometres thick. The magnitude and temperature dependence of the diffusivity is consistent with the idea that the amorphous solid water melts into a deeply metastable extension of normal liquid water before crystallizing at 160?K. This argues against the idea of a singularity in the supercooled regime at ambient pressure.
Effects of aspirin on gastric mucosal prostaglandin E2 and F2α content and on gastric mucosal injury in humans receiving fish oil or olive oil

Abstract Gastric mucosal prostaglandin E 2 and F 2α content was evaluated in healthy human subjects who received either fish oil or olive oil (control) daily for 3 wk before exposure to aspirin or no aspirin. Two hours after aspirin administration, when mean serum salicylate concentration was ~12 mg/dl, gastric mucosal prostaglandin E 2 and F 2α content was reduced by > 95% in the fundus and antrum (p 2 or F 2α content or on the damaging effect of aspirin on the stomach, despite the fact that fish oil reduced serum triglyceride concentrations significantly. These studies indicate that the damaging effects of aspirin on the gastric mucosa are not influenced by dietary fish oil.
Scaleable CMOS Current-Mode Preamplifier Design for an Optical Receiver

We have designed a process-insensitive preamplifier for an optical receiver, fabricated it in several different minimum feature sizes of standard digital CMOS, and demonstrated design scaleability of this analog integrated circuit design. The same amplifier was fabricated in a 1.2 µm and two different 0.8 µm processes through the MOSIS foundry [1]. The amplifier uses a multi-stage, low-gain-per-stage approach. It has a total of 5 identical cascaded stages. Each stage is essentially a current mirror with a current gain of 3. Three of these preamplifiers have been integrated with a GaAs Metal-Semiconductor-Metal (MSM) photodetector and one with an InGaAs MSM detector by using a thin-film epilayer device separation and bonding technology [2]. This quasi-monolithic front-end of an optical receiver virtually eliminates the parasitics between the photodetector and the silicon CMOS preamplifier. We have demonstrated speed and power dissipation improvement as the minimum feature size of the transistors shrink.
Optimization-based posture prediction for human upper body

A general methodology and associated computational algorithm for predicting postures of the digital human upper body is presented. The basic plot for this effort is an optimization-based approach, where we believe that different human performance measures govern different tasks. The underlying problem is characterized by the calculation (or prediction) of the human performance measure in such a way as to accomplish a specified task. In this work, we have not limited the number of degrees of freedom associated with the model. Each task has been defined by a number of human performance measures that are mathematically represented by cost functions that evaluate to a real number. Cost functions are then optimized, i.e., minimized or maximized, subject to a number of constraints, including joint limits. The formulation is demonstrated and validated. We present this computational formulation as a broadly applicable algorithm for predicting postures using one or more human performance measures.
The roles of interleukin-15 receptor α: Trans-presentation, receptor component, or both?

Abstract Interleukin-15 receptor α (IL-15Rα) is a high affinity IL-15 binding protein that is crucial for mediating IL-15 functions such as memory CD8 T cell proliferation and NK, NK/T cell, and intestinal intraepithelial lymphocyte development. However, the mechanism by which IL-15Rα mediates IL-15 functions is unique among cytokines. Originally, IL-15Rα was thought to be a component of a heterotrimeric receptor complex containing the IL-2/IL-15Rβ and common γ chains (γC) that were required for mediating signaling. Although IL-15Rα may in some cases act as a component of this receptor complex, more recent evidence indicates that IL-15Rα predominately functions by presenting IL-15 to opposing cells expressing the IL-15Rβγ signaling components. This theory is consistent with the broad, non-lymphoid expression pattern of IL-15Rα and the evidence that IL-15Rα expression by lymphocytes is dispensable for IL-15 action in vivo. This new concept of cytokine delivery will allow us to better understand the regulation and function IL-15.
Process Models for Sequential, Cross-Sectional Survey Data

Mass media research has been inhibited by the lack of process methodologies which do not require panel data. This paper presents three alternative methods for generating predictions from survey-accessible phenomena which meet the requirements mentioned above. These techniques are applied to real data. The relative presumptions and merits of each are assessed
He+ impact ionization of K

Abstract The integral ionization cross sections of the potassium (K) atomic system by He + ion impact have been calculated in the binary encounter approximation (BEA) using the configuration interaction (CI) wavefunction. Comparison is made with the available experimental observation and theoretical prediction. Agreement between our present calculated results and experimental data is reasonably good.