cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serial gene expression profiling in the intact human heart.

Background In chronic heart failure due to a dilated cardiomyopathy phenotype, the molecular bases for contractile dysfunction and chamber remodeling remain largely unidentified. Methods To investigate the feasibility of measuring global gene expression serially in the intact failing human heart, we performed repeated messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profiling using RNA extracted from endomyocardial biopsy specimens and gene chip methodology in 8 subjects with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. In patients treated with β-blocking agents or placebo, myocardial gene expression was measured in endomyocardial biopsy material and radionuclide ejection fraction was measured at baseline and after 4 to 12 months of treatment. Gene expression was measured for 12,625 gene sequences by using Affymetrix U95 gene chips and commercially available software. For 6 mRNAs, gene chip results were compared with measurements made by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results In an unfiltered composite analysis of changes in expression detected in the patients with high-signal intensity chips, 241 genes showed an increase and 331 genes a decrease in mRNA abundance. There was good agreement between changes measured by quantitative RT-PCR and those determined by gene chips. There was less variance between differences in phenotype in patients sampled serially as compared between subjects with similar phenotypes sampled at baseline. Conclusions Serial gene expression profiling with association to phenotypic change is feasible in the intact human heart and may offer advantages to cross-sectional expression profiling. This study suggests that the intact failing remodeled human heart is in an activated state of gene expression, with a large net reduction in gene expression occurring as phenotypic improvement occurs.
A key temporal delay in the circadian cycle of Drosophila is mediated by a nuclear localization signal in the timeless protein.

Regulated nuclear entry of the Period (PER) and Timeless (TIM) proteins, two components of the Drosophila circadian clock, is essential for the generation and maintenance of circadian behavior. PER and TIM shift from the cytoplasm to the nucleus daily, and the length of time that PER and TIM reside in the cytoplasm is an important determinant of the period length of the circadian rhythm. Here we identify a TIM nuclear localization signal (NLS) that is required for appropriately timed nuclear accumulation of both TIM and PER. Transgenic flies with a mutated TIM NLS produced circadian rhythms with a period of ∼30 hr. In pacemaker cells of the brain, PER and TIM proteins rise to abnormally high levels in the cytoplasm of timΔNLS mutants, but show substantially reduced nuclear accumulation. In cultured S2 cells, the mutant TIMΔNLS protein significantly delays nuclear accumulation of both TIM and wild-type PER proteins. These studies confirm that TIM is required for the nuclear localization of PER and point to a key role for the TIM NLS in the regulated nuclear accumulation of both proteins.
Soil carbon and nitrogen changes as affected by tillage system and crop biomass in a corn-soybean rotation

A wide range of tillage systems have been used by producers in the Corn-Belt in the United States during the past decade due to their economic and environmental benefits. However, changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (SON) and crop responses to these tillage systems are not well documented in a corn–soybean rotation. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of different tillage systems on SOC and SON, residue C and N inputs, and corn and soybean yields across Iowa. The first experiment consisted of no-tillage (NT) and chisel plow (CP) treatments, established in 1994 in Clarion– Nicollet–Webster (CNW), Galva–Primghar–Sac (GPS), Kenyon–Floyd–Clyde (KFC), Marshall (M), and Otley–Mahaska– Taintor (OMT) soil associations. The second experiment consisted of NT, strip-tillage (ST), CP, deep rip (DR), and moldboard plow (MP) treatments, established in 1998 in the CNW soil association. Both corn and soybean yields of NT were statistically comparable to those of CP treatment for each soil association in a corn–soybean rotation during the 7 years of tillage practices. The NT, ST, CP, and DR treatments produced similar corn and soybean yields as MP treatment in a corn–soybean rotation during the 3 years of tillage implementation of the second experiment. Significant increases in SOC of 17.3, 19.5, 6.1, and 19.3% with NT over CP treatment were observed at the top 15-cm soil depth in CNW, KFC, M, and OMT soil associations, respectively, except for the GPS soil association in a corn–soybean rotation at the end of 7 years. The NT and ST resulted in significant increases in SOC of 14.7 and 11.4%, respectively, compared with MP treatment after 3 years. Changes in SON due to tillage were similar to those observed with SOC in both experiments. The increases in SOC and SON in NT treatment were not attributed to the vertical stratification of organic C and N in the soil profile or annual C and N inputs from crop residue, but most likely due to the decrease in soil organic matter mineralization in wet and cold soil conditions. It was concluded that NT and ST are superior to CP and MP in increasing SOC and SON in the top 15 cm in the short-term. The adoption of NT or CP can be an effective strategy in increasing SOC and SON in the Corn-Belt soils without significant adverse impact on corn and soybean yields in a corn–soybean rotation. # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Summary of Recommendations from Travel Model Improvement Program's Peer Review Program

The U.S. Department of Transportation, through FHWA, sponsors the Travel Model Improvement Program (TMIP) to help planning agencies improve their travel analysis techniques. As an integral part of TMIP, the Peer Review Program provides state and local planning agencies the ability to solicit input from experts in the field of travel demand modeling. The purpose of the Peer Review Program is allow experts in the field of modeling offer guidance to ensure that technical products, procedures, and processes are being developed to meet an agency's specific needs, as well as state, federal, and local planning requirements. Between June 2003 and December 2004, the TMIP Peer Review Program sponsored 12 peer review panels that occurred across a broad spectrum of metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and state departments of transportation (DOTs) throughout the United States. The peer review panel members included representatives from MPOs, state DOTs, private consulting firms, education institutions, and envi...
Academic Advising as Perceived by Business Students

Business students' perceptions concerning several academic advising resources are presented. Using a Likert scale, students evaluated resources such as their academic advisor, course instructors, staffs, friends, and parents as well as the university catalog and the Foundations of Business Administration (FBA) course. Selected demographic information was also collected. Results show that students ranked the FBA course, which provides an overview of an individual's 4-year study plan, as the most helpful. The course instructors and academic advisors were ranked second and fourth, respectively. Enrollment status, declared major, and gender were related to students' views on some advising resources, but transfer status was not. Moreover, we found some connection between the effectiveness of advising resources perceived by students and the students' developmental stages. Relative Emphasis: practice, research, theory
Potential Clinical Ramifications of Dose Alert on CT-Guided Interventional Procedures

INTRODUCTION In an effort to protect patients from inadvertent radiation overexposure during CT exams, a new feature, called “dose check,” has been implemented by all CT scanner manufacturers [1-3]. Dose check is designed in accordance with the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) XR-25 national standard [4]. Dose check initiates a procedural pause during the examination to indicate that the prescribed image acquisition may yield an “abnormally” large dose to the patient; the upper limit of “normal” patient dose values (threshold CT dose index [CTDIvol] or dose length product [DLP] values) are predetermined by the institution. These thresholds are referred to as “notification values” and “alert values.” Dose check is comprised of two components: dose notification and dose alert. Through dose notification, the estimated CTDIvol or DLP value from each acquisition is compared with the notification value. If the estimated CTDIvol or DLP exceeds the notification value, the technologist is notified, questioned if the acquisition(s) should continue as prescribed, and prompted to record justification for the unusually large CTDIvol or DLP value. The notification value can be configured by the institution and set for each individual scan acquisition. Through dose alert, the cumulative
Geochemistry of Deep-Sea Sediments from the Pacific Manganese Nodule Province: DOMES Sites A, B, and C

Sediments at DOMES Sites A, B and C are mixtures of pelagic clay, biogenic ooze, hydrogenous metals, and metalliferous sediment. The relative proportions of these components and the importance of local volcanic contributions can be estimated from bulk analyses of Si, A1, Fe, Ca, Mn, Ti and Na. Analyses of these and 20 additional elements for 118 samples indicate that average sediment at Sites A and B contains about 11% biogenic SiO2 and 70% pelagic clay, whereas that at Site C contains less than 2% biogenic SiO2, 87% pelagic clay and 1.8% metalliferous sediment.
Hyperfine structure of the 2s state of /sup 3/He/sup +/

Using an electrostatic ion-storage device and a microwave state-selection technique, we have measured the hyperfine structure $\ensuremath{\Delta}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{2}$ of the $2s$ state of $^{3}\mathrm{He}^{+}$. Our result is $\ensuremath{\Delta}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{2}=1083.3549807(88)$ MHz (the equivalent uncertainty is 0.009 ppm). When combined with the $1s$-state hyperfine structure $\ensuremath{\Delta}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{1}$ to make the quantity ${D}_{21}\ensuremath{\equiv}8\ensuremath{\Delta}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{2}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\Delta}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{1}$, we obtain ${D}_{21}(\mathrm{experiment})=1.189979(71)$ MHz. Current theory produces ${D}_{21}(\mathrm{theory})=1.189801(1)$ MHz. The 178(71) Hz difference may arise from a combination of quantum-electrodynamic and nuclear structure effects which remain to be treated theoretically.
Organocatalytic Ring-Opening Polymerization of Morpholinones: New Strategies to Functionalized Polyesters

The oxidative lactonization of N-substituted diethanolamines with the Pd catalyst [LPd(OAc)]22+[OTf–]2 generates N-substituted morpholin-2-ones. The organocatalytic ring-opening polymerization of N-acyl morpholin-2-ones occurs readily to generate functionalized poly(aminoesters) with N-acylated amines in the polyester backbone. The thermodynamics of the ring-opening polymerization depends sensitively on the hybridization of the nitrogen of the heterocyclic lactone. N-Acyl morpholin-2-ones polymerize readily to generate polymorpholinones, but the N-aryl or N-alkyl substituted morpholin-2-ones do not polymerize. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the thermodynamics of ring opening correlates to the degree of pyramidalization of the endocyclic N-atom. Deprotection of the poly(N-Boc-morpholin-2-one) yields a water-soluble, cationic polymorpholinone.
First Step to Success: Applications to Preschoolers at Risk of Developing Autism Spectrum Disorders

Preschool children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may not always be recognized as such during their early years, but some of their behavioral problems may nonetheless prompt a referral for behavioral intervention. Whether such an intervention brings any benefit has not been well studied. We identified a subsample of 34 preschool children at risk for autism spectrum disorder from a large randomized controlled trial (N = 126) of the First Step to Success program. Children at risk of developing ASD demonstrated significant improvements on seven of 11 outcome measures and on a responder analyses based on symptom severity. Process and fidelity measures also suggested that First Step was both feasible and socially acceptable. Implications for early intervention for children at risk of developing ASD are discussed.
TEM and SFM of exsolution and twinning in an alkali feldspar

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals exsolution lamellae in a cryptoperthite; their spacing results in a greenish-yellow iridescent color. High-resolution TEM images show that the boundaries between Ab-rich and Or-rich lamellae are semi-coherent along the b axis. Scanning force microscopy (SFM) of a (001) cleavage surface reveals exsolution lamellae, wave-like (001) surfaces of the Ab-rich lamellae, and surface steps with heights of ~6.6 and ~3 A. The wave-like (001) surfaces of albite twin lamellae may result from surface relaxation. Surface height differences between Ab- and Or-rich lamellae in some areas indicate a semi-coherent boundary along the c axis.
High resolution ultrasonography and pulsed wave Doppler for detection of corporovenous incompetence in erectile dysfunction

Cavernosometry and cavernosography have been the primary modalities available for detection and mapping of corporovenous incompetence in patients with erectile dysfunction. These procedures are expensive, time-consuming and associated with some morbidity, prompting us to study a less invasive method, high resolution ultrasonography and pulsed wave Doppler ultrasound. We evaluated 13 patients with nonendocrinological, nonneurological erectile dysfunction by high resolution and Doppler ultrasound for flow in the dorsal and cavernosal veins after intracorporeal papaverine. All patients had a nonrigid response to papaverine and a mean maximum cavernous arterial systolic velocity of greater than 25 cm. per second. The 13 patients were subsequently studied by dynamic cavernosometry and cavernosography, which revealed evidence of venous incompetence (12 with dorsal venous leaks and 11 with cavernous venous leaks). Only 5 of the 12 patients with dorsal venous incompetence had flow detected in the dorsal vein by ultrasound and Doppler studies. High resolution and Doppler ultrasound was unable to detect leakage in the cavernous veins. Among the 2 groups of patients with dorsal venous leaks (those with and without flow detectable by Doppler ultrasound) there was no significant difference in mean cavernous artery diameter or mean cavernous arterial maximum velocity. Similarly, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups in induction, maintenance or initial decompression rates on cavernosometry. We conclude that high resolution and Doppler ultrasound cannot replace dynamic cavernosometry and cavernosography as the diagnostic modality for venous incompetence.
Getting the most from SiC MOSFETs: Optimizing conduction and switching losses for high performance power electronics applications

Wide bandgap power devices made of silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) hold great promise over conventional silicon devices in the voltage range above 600V. These new material systems offer the hope of lower total losses than silicon MOSFETs and IGBTs. In fact, both conduction and switching losses of wide-bandgap devices can be reduced relative to silicon devices. However, these new material systems provide new challenges that must be overcome to demonstrate this great potential. Recently, SiC MOSFETs are becoming increasingly available to circuit designers to quantify the impact of this new technology on power converter performance [1,2,3]. For this reason, it is important to understand the properties of SiC MOSFETs that should be optimized to enhance the performance of advanced power conversion systems.
Abstract 2427: The difference of drug sensitivity between HPV-positive and HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines

Objectives: Infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) is an important risk factor for development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Strikingly, HPV-positive HNSCCs carry a more favorable prognosis and are a biologically distinct subgroup when compared with their HPV-negative counterparts. We aimed to discover novel therapeutic targets by conducting a high-throughput drug screening platform in vitro with both FDA approved and investigational drugs. Based on our prior proteomic analysis we tested inhibitors of pathways activated in HPV+ HNSCC tumors. Methods: Cell viability assays were performed by the Cell Titer Glo method in a panel of 66 fingerprinted HNSCC cell lines using 13 drugs at concentrations of 0.011 to 9.613 μM. This panel includes 9 HPV+ lines and 57 HPV- lines (5 oropharynx, 15 oral cavity, and 37 others). The IC 50 values were calculated. Western Blot assay was used to confirm that the drugs inhibited their targets. Results: We observed a wide range of sensitivities to all 13 drugs with the exception of BKM120 which was effective in all tested lines (Table 1). In contrast, nearly all cell lines were resistant to BMN673, ruxolitinib, LEE011, and selicilib. The HPV+ cell lines were more sensitive to MEK162 (p Conclusions: For most agents tested, HNSCC cell lines displayed similar drug sensitivity regardless of the tumor site. However, HPV+ lines were more sensitive to MEK162 and more resistant to Bosutinib. Future analysis will include comparing drug sensitivity to mutation, gene and protein expression in these lines. Taken together, the results may provide a rationale for the clinical evaluation of MEK inhibitors as a molecular targeted approach for the treatment of HPV+ HNSCC. Table 1. IC50 values in 66 HNSCC cell lines Citation Format: Ming Zhang, Tuhina Mazumdar, Shaohua Peng, Pan Tong, Vaishnavi Sambandam, Lauren A. Byers, Jeffrey N. Myers, Jing Wang, Faye M. Johnson. The difference of drug sensitivity between HPV-positive and HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2427. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2427
Elimination of Dog-Mediated Human Rabies Deaths by 2030: Needs Assessment and Alternatives for Progress Based on Dog Vaccination.

Background. Rabies imposes a substantial burden to about half of the world population. The World Health Organization (WHO), World Organization for Animal Health, and the Food and Agriculture Organization, have set the goal of eliminating dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030. This could be achieved largely by massive administration of post-exposure prophylaxis –in perpetuity–, through elimination of dog rabies, or combining both. Here we focused on the resources needed for the elimination of dog rabies virus by 2030. Materials and methods. Drawing from multiple datasets, including national dog vaccination campaigns, rabies literature, and expert opinion, we developed a model considering country-specific current dog vaccination capacity to estimate the years and resources required to achieve dog rabies elimination. Resources were determined based on four factors: a) country development status, b) dog vaccination costs, c) dog rabies vaccine availability, and d) existing animal health workers. Our calculations were based on the WHO’s estimate that vaccinating 70% of the dog population for seven consecutive years would eliminate rabies. Findings. If dog rabies vaccine production remains at 2015 levels, we estimate that there will be a cumulative shortage of 7.5 billion doses to meet expected demand to achieve dog rabies elimination. We estimated a present cost of $6,300 million (m) to eliminate dog rabies in all endemic countries, equivalent to a $3,900m gap compared to current spending. To eliminate dog rabies, the vaccination workforce may suffice if all public health veterinarians in endemic countries were to dedicate three months each year to dog rabies vaccination. We discuss implications of technology improvements, including population management, vaccine price reduction, and increases in dog-vaccinating capacities. Conclusion. Our results highlight the resources needed to achieve elimination of dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030. As exemplified by multiple successful disease elimination efforts, one size does not fit all. We suggest pragmatic and feasible options towards global dog rabies elimination by 2030, while identifying several benefits and drawbacks of specific approaches. We hope that these results help stimulate and inform a necessary discussion on global and regional strategic planning, resource mobilization, and continuous execution of rabies virus elimination.
Psychogeriatric home care led to more elderly patients recovering from depression

Source Citation Banerjee S, Shamash K, Macdonald AJ, Mann AH. Randomised controlled trial of effect of intervention by psychogeriatric team on depression in frail elderly people at home. BMJ. 1996 ...
The American Academy of Neurology affirms the revival of cooling for the revived

It is estimated that a cardiac arrest occurs approximately every minute in the United States.1 Beyond the mere return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and gross survival at discharge, good neurologic function with minimal disability is the goal for revived cardiac arrest patients. Partnering with the cardiology and emergency and critical care communities, neurologists helped implement therapeutic hypothermia (TH) and targeted temperature management (TTM), major breakthroughs in post–cardiac arrest care.2 Mitigating secondary brain injury after cardiac arrest (BICA) with TH is supported by 2 landmark randomized controlled trials (RCTs); supporting evidence came from nonrandomized studies, large registries, indirect evidence from pediatric trials, and animal studies.3 TH to 33°C became standard for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with a shockable rhythm, later endorsed in the 2015 guidelines of the American Heart Association (AHA).2 Many experts were more liberal, cooling patients with all arrest rhythms and in-hospital cardiac arrests.3
Argentine Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Foraging Activity Response to Selected Containerized Baits

Bait acceptance and effect of toxic bait consumption on the foraging activity of field colonies of Argentine ants, Linepithema humile (Mayr), were assessed. Nine individual colonies were randomly assigned to receive one of three treatments: a containerized bait containing 0.5% sulfluramid in a peanut butter matrix, a containerized bait containing 0.9% hydramethylnon in an insect pupae-fish meal matrix, and an untreated control. Ant foraging activity was measured using honey-water monitoring stations placed at 0, 1, and 3 m from the colony nest-site. Both containerized baits reduced ant foraging activity to zero ants per monitor within 6 wks, if the equivalent of one containerized bait station was consumed by the colony.
Vacuolar H+-ATPases (V-ATPases) as therapeutic targets: a brief review and recent developments.

Vacuolar H+-ATPases (V-ATPases) are multi-subunit enzymes that play housekeeping roles in eukaryotic cells by acidifying lysosomes, late endosomes, Golgi, and other membrane-bounded compartments. Beyond that, V-ATPases have specialized functions in certain cell types linked to diseases including osteoporosis and cancer. Efforts to identify strategies to develop inhibitors selective for V-ATPases that are involved in disease progression have been ongoing for more than two decades, but so far have not yielded a therapeutic agent that has been translated to the clinic. Recent basic science studies have identified unexpected roles for V-ATPases in nutrient and energy sensing, and renin/angiotensin signaling, which offer additional incentives for considering V-ATPases as therapeutic targets. This article briefly reviews efforts to utilize inhibitors of V-ATPases as drugs. Primary focus is on recent “rational” efforts to identify small molecule inhibitors of the V-ATPases that are selectively expressed in osteoclasts and cancer cells. Enoxacin and bis-enoxacin are two molecules that emerged from these efforts. These molecules block a binding interaction between V-ATPases and microfilaments that occurs in osteoclasts, but not most other cell types, which relates to the specialized function of V-ATPases in bone resorption. Enoxacin and bis-enoxacin have proven useful in the treatment of bone diseases and cancer in animal models and display therapeutic effects that are different, and perhaps better, than current drugs. These results provide evidence that agents targeting subsets of V-ATPases may prove useful in the clinic.
Rheology of Polymer Blends and Dispersions

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the rheology of polymer blends and polymer dispersions. It discusses the macro rheological behavior, expressed in terms of a shear-dependent viscosity and shear-dependent normal stress functions, and the micro rheological processes. It also provides a detailed account of the rheological behavior of suspensions of rigid axisymmetric particles in viscoelastic fluids, filled polymers, polymer blends, and suspensions of deformable droplets. The rheology of dispersions is studied at two levels: (1) the macro rheological level that involves measurement of the rheological properties of the dispersion such as the viscosity and normal stresses; and (2) the micro rheological level that concentrates on the detailed motions of the individual particles. Morphology, orientation, and distribution of the dispersed phase are essentially established by processes that take place at the micro rheological level and reflect the hydrodynamic forces acting on a fluid element. Studying the rheological behavior of polymer blends, two distinct modes of dispersion are observed: (1) stratification dispersion and (2) droplet-fiber-type dispersion. These modes of dispersion are independent of the magnitude of the shear stress and temperature. Low-shear mixing, such as that occurring in a static mixer, has been proved more successful in obtaining dispersions with a fine texture.
Planning an Observational Study

Many observational studies do not succeed in providing tangible, enduring, and convincing evidence about the effects caused by treatments, and those that do succeed often exhibit great care in their design. Particularly at the early stages of design, this care consists of choices that determine the circumstances of the study and the data to be collected. A convincing observational study is the result of active observation, an active search for those rare circumstances in which tangible evidence may be obtained to distinguish treatment effects from the most plausible biases. In an experiment, treatment effects are seen clearly because the environment is tightly controlled, whereas in a compelling observational study, control is, to a large extent, replaced by choice—the environment is carefully chosen.
Anaphylaxis and Anaphylactoid Reactions

The term anaphylaxis was first used in 1902 by Portier and Richet to describe the reaction that occurred while they attempted to immunize dogs to a sea anemone toxin. Instead of providing prophylaxis, the injection induced a fatal hypersensitivity reaction, labeled anaphylaxis, the opposite of prophylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a systemic hypersensitivity reaction caused by IgE-mediated immunologic release of mediators from mast cells and basophils. The release of preformed mediators such as histamine and newly formed mediators such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes increases vascular permeability, mucus secretion, vascular smooth muscle relaxation, and constriction of respiratory smooth muscle, leading to the clinical manifestations of anaphylaxis. Anaphylactoid or pseudoallergic reactions are similar to anaphylaxis; however, they are not mediated by an antigen–IgE antibody interaction. This type of reaction results from antigen acting directly on mast...
Closing the Brief Case: Pneumonia Caused by Talaromyces marneffei.

1. T. marneffei infection occurs primarily in individuals who: Answer: a. T. marneffei infection is most common in HIV/AIDS patients who reside in or who have traveled to regions where the fungus is endemic, such as southern China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other parts of southeast Asia. While rare
Bilingual science communication: A call for a geoscience community of practice

Education and outreach bring science to the general public, engage families, and ignite a passion for science in youth to seek careers in STEM. However, engagement in science depends on access, and...
Agreement Between Two Procalcitonin Assays in Hospitalized Children

Agreement between available procalcitonin (PCT) assays is unclear. We sought to compare concordance between Roche and bioMerieux PCT assays using pediatric samples. We evaluated 213 plasma samples from 208 children. We tested each sample on both the Roche and bioMerieux PCT platforms. At ranges < 2 μg/L, the Roche platform had a mean negative bias of 0.13 μg/L versus the bioMerieux platform. This bias resulted in PCT levels that crossed accepted cut points in 12.7% of patients. PCT levels measured on either platform are similar, especially at PCT ranges used for antibiotic decision-making algorithms. This work was supported by an investigator-initiated research agreement through bioMerieux and by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Childhood Infection Research Program (ChIRP), National Institute of Health and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institute of Health.
Iatrogenic Nerve Palsy Occurs With Anterior and Posterior Approaches for Humeral Shaft Fixation.

Objective To determine if surgical approach impacts the rate of nerve palsy after plate fixation of humerus shaft fractures and whether or not iatrogenic nerve palsy recovers in similar ways to preoperative palsy. Design Retrospective. Setting Two trauma centers. Patients Patients 18+ years of age with nonpathologic, extra-articular humerus shaft fractures (OTA/AO 12A/B/C and 13A2-3) treated with plate fixation. Intervention Plate fixation of humerus shaft fractures, from 2008 to 2016. Main outcome measurement Rate of iatrogenic nerve palsy by a surgical approach and injury characteristics. Results Two hundred sixty-one humeral shaft fractures were included. The rate of preoperative palsy was 19%. Radial nerve palsy (RNP) was present in 18%. Iatrogenic RNP occurred in 12.2% and iatrogenic ulnar palsy in 1.2%. Iatrogenic palsy occurred in 15.6% of middle and 15% of distal fractures, with fracture location significantly different in those developing RNP (P = 0.009). Iatrogenic RNP occurred in 7.1% of anterolateral, 11.7% of posterior triceps-splitting, and 17.9% of posterior triceps-sparing approaches (P = 0.11). Follow-up data were available for 139 patients at an average of 12 months. Preoperative RNP resolved less often than iatrogenic RNP, in 74% versus 95% (P = 0.06). Time to resolution was longer for preoperative RNP, at 5.5 versus 4.1 months (P = 0.91). Twenty-two percent with preoperative RNP underwent tendon transfer or wrist fusion, versus 0% after iatrogenic RNP (P = 0.006). Conclusion Iatrogenic RNP is not uncommon with humeral fracture fixation and occurs at similar rates in anterior and posterior approaches and with midshaft and distal fractures. Iatrogenic RNP had a high rate of recovery. Preoperative RNP more often requires surgery for unresolved palsy. Level of evidence Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Computational Strategies to Increase Efficiency of Gaussian-Process-Driven Autonomous Experiments

Natural sciences are increasingly reliant on large volumes of experimental data obtained from highly-automated scientific equipment to drive scientific discovery. While the instrumentation available to the scientific community enables individual researchers to acquire experimental data at spectacular rates, the decision making and experimental design process of the measurements is still largely driven by the individual researcher operating the instrument. In recent years, some scientific areas, like X-Ray scattering and synchrotron infra-red microscopy, have started to shift towards autonomously executed experimentation, using tools from Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) is a popular technique that enables the construction of a surrogate model required to drive an experiment in an autonomous fashion. GPRs have been successfully implemented at synchrotron radiation beam lines at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) and the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II). Given that a single measurement on state-of-the-art synchrotron equipment can be acquired in a fraction of a second, being able to obtain feedback at a similar time scale is essential. Traditionally, specific tasks in GPR, such as hyper-parameter tuning and covariance estimation, are compute-intensive, limiting the utility of GPR as an appropriate tool when near real-time feedback is an absolute necessity. In this paper we discuss, present and review computational strategies that allow the numerical acceleration of Gaussian Process analyses within a framework of autonomous sequential experiments. The results show that significant time savings can be achieved by taking advantage of a number of some rather well-established mathematical and computational approaches.
Efficient and selective ethane-to-ethylene conversion assisted by a mixed proton and electron conducting membrane

Abstract Direct conversion of alkanes into valuable chemicals has attracted significant interest in recent decades by academia and industry alike due to the vast economic potential. One type of such conversions is non-oxidative dehydrogenation (NODH), which is deemed advantageous over its oxidative counterpart in conversion and selectivity. However, coking-related degradation is a major challenge to the NODH route. We here demonstrate an efficient and selective ethane-to-ethylene conversion membrane reactor operating on NODH and a mixed electron and proton conductor (MEPC) having a composition of BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.1Y0.1O3 (BCFZY). The H2 produced from NODH is instantly removed by BCFZY, thus shifting the equilibrium to maximize conversion and selectivity. The results show that the single-pass ethane-to-ethylene conversion, ethylene selectivity and product yield at 700 °C are 70, 90 and 63%, respectively, with a moistened ethane as the feedstock. During a 100-h durability testing, there is virtually no degradation observed in membrane performance.
Effects of age, speed, and step length on lower extremity net joint moments and powers during walking.

Abstract During walking older adults' gait is slower, they take shorter steps, and rely less on ankle and more on knee and hip joint moments and powers compared to young adults. Previous studies have suggested that walking speed and step length are confounds that affect joint moments and powers. Our purpose was to examine the effects of walking speed and step length manipulation on net joint moments and powers in young and older adults. Sixteen young and 18 older adults completed walking trials at three speeds under three step length conditions as marker position and force platform data were captured synchronously. Net joint moments were quantified using inverse dynamics and were subsequently used to compute net joint powers. Average extensor moments at each joint during the stance phase were then computed. Older adults displayed greater knee extensor moment compared to young adults. Older adults showed trends (p
The Turkish-Armenian Historical Controversy: How to Name the Events of 1915?

This article examines the debate involving Turkish and Armenian historiography about the fate of diverse Armenian communities in eastern Anatolia. It argues that the contemporary description of the...
Flexible and transparent silver nanowire structures for multifunctional electrical and optical biointerfacing

Abstract Transparent microelectrodes have recently emerged as a promising approach to combine electrophysiology with optophysiology for multifunctional biointerfacing. High-performance flexible platforms that allow seamless integration with soft tissue systems for such applications are urgently needed. Here, silver nanowires (Ag NWs)-based transparent microelectrodes and interconnects are designed to meet this demand. The Ag NWs percolating networks are patterned on flexible polymer substrates using an innovative photolithography-based solution-processing technique. The resulting nanowire networks exhibit a high average optical transparency of 76.1-90.0% over the visible spectrum, low normalized electrochemical impedance of 3.4-15 Ω cm2 at 1 kHz which is even better than those of opaque solid Ag films, superior sheet resistance of 11-25 Ω sq−1, excellent mechanical stability up to 10,000 bending cycles, good biocompatibility and chemical stability. Studies on Langendorff-perfused mouse and rat hearts demonstrate that the Ag NWs microelectrodes enable high-fidelity real-time monitoring of heart rhythm during co-localized optogenetic pacing and optical mapping with negligible light-induced electrical artifacts. This proof-of-concept work illustrates that the solution-processed, transparent, and flexible Ag NWs networks are a promising candidate for the next-generation of large-area multifunctional biointerfaces for interrogating complex biological systems in basic and translational research.
Deficiencies in compression and yield in x-ray-driven implosions

This paper analyzes x-ray-driven implosions that are designed to be less sensitive to 2D and 3D effects in Hohlraum and capsule physics. Key performance metrics including the burn-averaged ion temperature, hot-spot areal density, and fusion yield are found to agree with simulations where the design adiabat (internal pressure) is multiplied by a factor of 1.4. These results motivate the development of a simple model for interpreting experimental data, which is then used to quantify how improvements in compression could help achieve ignition.
Coherency strain and the kinetics of phase separation in LiFePO4 nanoparticles.

A theoretical investigation of the effects of elastic coherency strain on the thermodynamics, kinetics, and morphology of intercalation in single LiFePO4 nanoparticles yields new insights into this important battery material. Anisotropic elastic stiffness and misfit strains lead to the unexpected prediction that low-energy phase boundaries occur along {101} planes, while conflicting reports of phase boundary orientations are resolved by a partial loss of coherency in the [001] direction. Elastic relaxation near surfaces leads to the formation of a striped morphology with a characteristic length scale predicted by the model, yielding an estimate of the interfacial energy. The effects of coherency strain on solubility and galvanostatic discharge are studied with a reaction-limited phase-field model that quantitatively captures the influence of misfit strain, particle size, and temperature on solubility seen in experiments. Coherency strain strongly suppresses phase separation during discharge, which enhance...
There Are Two 'Major Question' Doctrines

The Supreme Court is conspicuously uneasy about its Chevron framework, which requires courts to defer to agency interpretations of law, so long as those interpretations are “reasonable.” One of the principal manifestations of its uneasiness is the “major question” doctrine, which makes Chevron inapplicable to questions of great “economic and political significance.” But the major question doctrine is actually two separate doctrines. The weak version is a kind of “Chevron carve-out,” meant to ensure that courts exercise independent judgment, and so do not defer to agencies, with respect to the meaning of statutes as applied to especially important questions. By contrast, the strong version flatly prohibits agencies from interpreting ambiguous statutes so as to assert broad authority over the private sector. Both versions of the major question doctrine can claim a connection to the nondelegation doctrine. The arguments on behalf of the weak version are very different from the arguments on behalf of the strong version.
The effects of turbulence and pressure gradients on vorticity transport in premixed bluff-body flames

The current study experimentally evaluates the effects of turbulence and pressure gradients on vorticity transport in premixed bluff-body flames. The flow field pressure gradient is modified using a variable-geometry test section. In tandem, a custom-designed turbulence generator is used to modulate the turbulence intensity in the test section. The objective of the combined pressure gradient and turbulence tailoring is to alter the balance between the individual terms of the vorticity transport equation and ultimately identify the subsequent impacts on the overall behavior of the flame and flow field. Simultaneous high-speed particle image velocimetry and CH* chemiluminescence are employed to measure the turbulent reacting flow field. The vorticity dynamics are analyzed using a mean, conditionally filtered, fluid element tracking method to calculate individual terms of the vorticity transport equation as fluid elements evolve across the flame front. The analysis shows that increasing the pressure gradient increases the reacting vorticity production for all vorticity terms. In contrast, the overall vorticity budget, or relative contribution of each vorticity term, is much more sensitive to turbulence effects. At low turbulence conditions, vorticity is dominated by baroclinic torque, regardless of the pressure gradient. As the turbulence intensity is increased, the exothermic effects of baroclinicity and dilatation are diminished, and the reacting flow field approaches that of a non-reacting turbulent flow. The relative balance of vorticity transport terms is shown to influence the overall flow field, as well as the structure and evolution of the flame front.
Investigation on The Fracture Mechanism of 42CrMoA Steel Tower Bolts Employed in Wind Power Station

A large number of 42CrMoA steel tower bolts in a wind power station have endured crack defects and fracture failure successively during service process, which led to the shutdown of some wind power units and caused great economic losses. In this paper, systematic tests on chemical composition, microstructures, fracture morphology and mechanical properties of two selected tower bolts were carried out in order to study the cause of fracture failure, using the direct reading spectrometer, optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, and an electronic universal testing machine. The results show that the content of C, Mo and Mn elements, and the depth of the surface decarburization layer of the thread in the two bolts both exceed the standard values, meanwhile the content of the internal inclusions is also too high, resulting in the decrease of the service performance of the bolts. It can be concluded that excessive decarburization on the surface of the thread can promote the initiation of microcracks on the surface or near the surface, and the cracking of large inclusion holes in the bolt can also be promoted by the propagation of surface microcracks or excessive local stress concentration, which will lead to the brittle cracking of the bolt jointly.
After-Hours Learning: Workshops for Professional Women to Learn Web Development

Many initiatives have focused on attracting girls and young women (K-12 or college) to computer science education. However, professional women who never learned to program have been largely ignored, despite the fact that such individuals may have many opportunities to benefit from enhanced skills and attitudes about computer programming. To provide a convenient learning space for this population, we created and evaluated the impacts of a nine-week web development workshop that was carefully designed to be both comfortable and engaging for this population. In this article, we report how the professionals’ attitudes and skills grew over the course of the workshop and how they now expect to integrate these skills and attitudes into their everyday lives.
How Packed Is It, Really?

The congestion of a curve is a measure of how much it zigzags around locally. More precisely, a curve $\pi$ is $c$-packed if the length of the curve lying inside any ball is at most $c$ times the radius of the ball, and its congestion is the maximum $c$ for which $\pi$ is $c$-packed. This paper presents a randomized $(288+\varepsilon)$-approximation algorithm for computing the congestion of a curve (or any set of segments in constant dimension). It runs in $O( n \log^2 n)$ time and succeeds with high probability. Although the approximation factor is large, the running time improves over the previous fastest constant approximation algorithm \cite{gsw-appc-20}, which runs in (roughly) $O(n^{4/3})$ time. We carefully combine new ideas with known techniques to obtain our new, near-linear time algorithm.
Dome Laminotomies at Adjacent Segments in Cervical Laminoplasty.

ABSTRACT Background Cervical laminoplasty is an established and effective surgical treatment for neurologic dysfunction associated with cervical myelopathy. “Dome laminotomies” involve undercutting the laminae adjacent to the laminoplasty levels to decompress and prevent spinal cord kinking on the lamina edges. The technique allows for a decrease in the number of instrumented laminae, smaller surgical exposure, and preservation of muscular attachments at the top of C2 and C7. We investigated whether dome laminotomies are associated with satisfactory neurologic and pain outcome. Methods This study involved a retrospective review of consecutive patients treated at a single institution between November 2015 and September 2018. The patients underwent a C3–C6 laminoplasty with dome laminotomies of the caudal edge of C2 and the cranial edge of C7 lamina. Postoperative evaluations of pain, myelopathy symptoms, and complications occurred at early (mean, ∼2 months) and late (mean, ∼15 months) time points. Results Twenty-one patients were enrolled (mean age, 62 years). Mean axial pain score improved significantly at both the early (P = .02) and late (P = .045) postoperative evaluations compared with the mean baseline pain score. A total of 92% of patients experienced resolution of baseline hand dysfunction at the early postoperative follow-up, and 84% maintained it at the late follow-up. Two-thirds of patients experienced (late) significant improvement (P Conclusions C3–C6 laminoplasty with C2 and C7 dome laminotomies was safe, well tolerated, and associated with satisfactory early and late improved neurologic function and decreased pain.
Energy relaxation studies in In0.52Al0.48As/In0.53Ga0.47As/In0.52Al0.48As two-dimensional electron gases and quantum wires

We present Joule heating measurements carried out over a wide temperature range on two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) and quantum wires of varying widths fabricated in an In0.52Al0.48As/In0.53Ga0.47As/In0.52Al0.48As heterostructure system that has a 25 nm wide In0.53Ga0.47As quantum well region. The power dissipated per electron is extracted and the electron–phonon coupling processes in these systems are studied. The temperature decay of the power loss at the 2DEG points towards unscreened piezoelectric coupling to the acoustic modes over temperatures of 1–30 K, with boundary scattering in the ohmic contacts gaining importance at very low temperatures. In the wires, we observe different behaviour and the effect of wire width and carrier density on the observed energy-loss rates. Possible phonon confinement and exponential suppression in these structures are also looked at.