cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High electrode activity of nanostructured, columnar ceria films for solid oxide fuel cells

Highly porous oxide structures are of significant importance for a wide variety of applications in fuel cells, chemical sensors, and catalysis, due to their high surface-to-volume ratio, gas permeability, and possible unique chemical or catalytic properties. Here we fabricated and characterized Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9−δ films with highly porous and vertically oriented morphology as a high performance solid oxide fuel cell anode as well as a model system for exploring the impact of electrode architecture on the electrochemical reaction impedance for hydrogen oxidation. Films are grown on single crystal YSZ substrates by means of pulsed laser deposition. Resulting structures are examined by SEM and BET, and are robust up to post-deposition processing temperatures as high as 900 °C. Electrochemical properties are investigated by impedance spectroscopy under H2–H2O–Ar atmospheres in the temperature regime 450–650 °C. Quantitative connections between architecture and reaction impedance and the role of ceria nanostructuring for achieving enhanced electrode activity are presented. At 650 °C, pH2O = 0.02 atm, and pH2 = 0.98 atm, the interfacial reaction resistance attains an unprecedented value of 0.21 to 0.23 Ω cm2 for porous films 4.40 μm in thickness.
Neurons Themselves May Shy Away from Normal Interactions in Autism

As more genes involved in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are identified, a critical next step is to understand how these genetic alterations exert their pathological effects. Timothy syndrome (TS) is a multisystem disorder associated with ASDs that results from a mutation in the gene encoding a subunit for L-type calcium channels found in neurons. Although the mutation itself has been reported in the past, the mechanism by which this mutation changes nervous system development and causes disease was not well understood. In a recent publication, Krey et al. reported a possible pathogenic mechanism involved in TS. The authors studied neurons from knock-in mice that model TS, as well as rat neurons expressing mutant TS channels and human neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells from patients with TS. In all three cases, when neurons that express mutant calcium channels were stimulated, they responded by retracting rather than extending their dendrites the way wild-type neurons do. This is notable because ASDs are frequently associated with abnormalities of dendritic structure and function that are believed to disrupt communication between neurons. Surprisingly, despite the fact that the TS mutation caused excessive calcium influx, and calcium can direct neuronal plasticity, this abnormal pattern of dendritic retraction did not appear to result from altered calcium influx. Instead, the authors showed that the retraction resulted from disrupted interactions between calcium channels and Gem, a small G protein that regulates RhoA signaling. This elegant combination of studies in rodent models and patient-derived cells reveals how a gene strongly associated with autism can exert cellular effects that correspond to possible pathogenic mechanisms. Because Timothy syndrome represents an extremely rare cause of autism, future studies should examine whether abnormal dendritic retraction may occur in other forms of autism. It is also unclear whether this dendritic retraction is specific to particular classes of neurons. Last, it will be important to link abnormal dendritic retraction to pathological behaviors, possibly by disrupting interactions between calcium channels and Gem in vivo. J. F. Krey et al. , Timothy syndrome is associated with activity-dependent dendritic retraction in rodent and human neurons. Nat. Neurosci . 16 , 201–209 (2013). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v16/n2/abs/nn.3307.html
Genetics of Alcohol Metabolism

Ethanol (also referred to as alcohol in this chapter) is probably the most widely investigated drug in the world, not only because of its ubiquitous use and its widespread abuse but also because of its unique pharmacological properties. Following administration, systemic concentrations of alcohol are a consequence of the absorption, distribution, and metabolism of alcohol, which display very unique characteristics and demonstrate substantial interindividual variability [1]. As the pharmacological effects of alcohol depend on its systemic concentrations, variability in the pharmacokinetics of alcohol can have a significant impact on its pharmacodynamic effects.
Response to treatment with antidepressants of patients with severe or moderate nonpsychotic depression and of patients with psychotic depression

Hospitalized patients were divided into non psychotic severely depressed (N=53), nonpsychotic moderately depressed (N=54), and psychotic depressed (N=25) groups and treated with either imipramine or amitriptyline, up to 250 mg/day, for 4 weeks. Good response occurred in 39% ofthe 38 severely depressed, 67% of the 49 moderately depressed, and 32 % of the 1 9 psychotic depressed patients who completed treatment. The response of the patients with nonpsychotic severe depression did not differ significantly from the response of those with psychotic depression, and both groups fared worse than the group with nonpsychotic moderate depression. (Am J Psychiatry 1990; 147:621-624)
Humor in the Great Scheme of Things: A Response to Elizabeth Vallance

...This notion that nobody can explain humour or even talk sensibly about it, is one of humour's greatest cover ups. I've been thinking a great deal about the Devil lately, and I have been wondering if humour isn't one of the most brilliant inventions of the Devil...[Humor] diminishes the horrors of the past, and it veils the horrors of the present, and therefore it prevents us from seeing straight, and perhaps from learning things we ought to know. Who profits from that? Not mankind, certainly. Only the Devil could devise such a subtle agency and persuade mankind to value it. Davies (1975)
Comparison of Inviscid and Viscous Aerodynamic Predictions of Supersonic Retropropulsion Flowfields

Supersonic retropropulsion, or the initiation of a retropropulsion phase at supersonic freestream conditions, is an enabling decelerator technology for high-mass planetary entries at Mars. The current knowledge on supersonic retropropulsion is largely derived from exploratory development efforts prior to the Viking missions in the 1960s and early 1970s, predominantly sub-scale wind tunnel testing. Little literature exists on analytical and computational modeling approaches for supersonic aerodynamic-propulsive interactions at moderate thrust levels and flight-relevant conditions. This investigation presents a discussion of the relevant flow physics to provide insight into the effectiveness of inviscid and viscous computational analysis approaches in consistently and accurately capturing the relevant flow physics. Preliminary computational results for a blunt body with two retropropulsion configurations are compared with experimental data for the location of prominent flow features and surface pressure distributions. This work is intended to provide an initial discussion of the challenges facing the computational simulation of supersonic retropropulsion flowfields.
The Community Numberical Classification in the Reservoir-area Shiziguan

In this paper,the vegetation classification with association analysis of hierarchical divisive classification method to reservoir area of Shiziguan.The results show that,this reservoir area have two vegetational types,nine formations and fifteen associations. This resulte is conformability for actuality.
Characterization of Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Human Penile Corpus Cavernosum: Studies on Whole Tissue and Cultured Endothelium

Abstract The binding characteristics of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, [3H] quinuclidinyl benzilate, to isolated membranes of human corpus cavernosum and endothelial cells, cultured from this tissue, were investigated. [3H] quinuclidinyl benzilate bound to membranes of human corpus cavernosum and endothelial cells with high affinity and limited capacity. Analysis of the binding data by Scatchard plot revealed the presence of one class of binding sites. The ligand binding specificity was determined by competitive binding assay. The data obtained show that [3H] quinuclidinyl benzilate was displaced by unlabeled competitors in the following order of efficacy in both membrane preparations: quinuclidinyl benzilate > scopolamine > atropine > 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methyl-piperidine methiodide, M3 antagonist > pirenzepine, M1 antagonist > oxotremorine > (4-hydroxy-2-butynyl) trimethylammonium chloride m-chlorocarbanilate, M1 agonist > carbachol > hexamethonium. Solubilization of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptors from human corpus cavernosum and endothelial cells, with 1% digitonin and 0.02% cholate and subsequent analysis on sucrose density gradients, demonstrated the presence of a macromolecule specifically bound to [3H] quinuclidinyl benzilate sedimenting at the 6.2 S region of the gradient. These results demonstrate the presence of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in human corpus cavernosum and in endothelial cells cultured from this tissue. (J. Urol., 144: 1036–1040, 1990)
Case Report: Amyloidosis Presenting as a Penile Mass

AbstractWe report a unique case of amyloidosis presenting as a localized soft tissue mass in the shaft of the penis unassociated with systemic amyloidosis, trauma, penile ulcers, syphilis or other venereal diseases. The patient presented with a penile mass and intermittent hematuria. Biopsy revealed homogeneous deposits of amorphous eosinophilic material, and histochemistry and electron microscopy demonstrated the classical features of amyloid.
Using an intersectionality perspective to uncover older Chinese female's perceived travel constraints and negotiation strategies

Abstract This study employed an intersectionality perspective to examine older Chinese female's perceived constraints to pleasure travel and how they negotiated through constraints while accounting for multiple intersected identities of age (older), gender (females), and race (Asian-Chinese). Results showed that eight types of constraints impact their travel behavior: “limited knowledge of tourism,” “health and safety concerns,” “culture shock,” “lack of travel partners,” “low quality service facilities,” “limited availability of information,” “negative reputation of tour guide,” and “few employer-paid vacations.” Study participants also discussed how they negotiated through constraints using strategies, i.e., “word-of-mouth advertising,” “group travel with friends,” “donkey travel,” “finding partners through square dancing,” “children's support,” and “being motivated to taste organic foods and breath fresh air.” The findings provided a glimpse into potential modifications to constraint theory and revealed how tourism marketers can target and serve older female tourists in China by providing opportunities for them to negotiate through constraints.
Will you survive the services revolution

Of late, offshoring and outsourcing have become political hot buttons. These o words have been conflated to mean that high-paying, white-collar jobs have been handed to well-trained but less expensive workers in India and other locales. The brouhaha over the loss of service jobs, which currently account for over 80% of private-sector employment in the United States, is not merely an American phenomenon. The fact is that service-sector jobs in all developed countries are at risk. Regardless of what the politicians now say, worry focused on offshoring and outsourcing misses the point, the author argues. We are in the middle of a fundamental change, which is that services are being industrialized. Three factors in particular are combining with outsourcing and offshoring to drive that transformation: The first is increasing global competition, where just as with manufactured goods in the recent past, foreign companies are offering more services in the United States, taking market share from U.S. companies. The second is automation: New hardware and software systems that take care of back-room and front-office tasks such as counter operations, security, billing, and order taking are allowing firms to dispense with clerical, accounting, and other staff positions. The third is self-service. Why use a travel agent when you can book your own flight, hotel, and rental car online? As these forces combine to sweep across the service sector, executives of all stripes must start thinking about arming and defending themselves, just as their manufacturing cousins did a generation ago. This will demand proactive and far-reaching changes, including focusing specifically on customer preference, quality, and technological interfaces; rewiring strategy to find new value from existing and unfamiliar sources; de-integrating and radically reassembling operational processes; and restructuring the organization to accommodate new kinds of work and skills.
Population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling of histamine response measured by histamine iontophoresis laser Doppler

The epicutaneous histamine (EH) test is the current gold standard method for the clinical evaluation of allergic conditions. However, the EH method is limited in providing an objective and qualitative assessment of histamine pharmacodynamic response. The histamine iontophoresis with laser Doppler (HILD) monitoring method, an alternative method, allows a fixed dose of histamine to be delivered and provides an objective, continuous, and dynamic measurement of histamine epicutaneous response in children and adults. However, due to the high sampling frequency (up to 40 Hz), the output files are usually too cumbersome to be directly used for further analysis. In this study, we developed an averaging algorithm that efficiently reduces the HILD data in size. The reduced data was further analyzed and a population linked effect pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model was developed to describe the local histamine response. The model consisted of a one-compartment PK model and a direct-response fractional maximum effect (Emax) model. The parameter estimates were obtained as follows: absorption rate constant (ka), 0.094/min; absorption lag time (Tlag), 2.72 min; partitioning clearance from local depot to systemic circulation (CLpar), 0.0006 L/min; baseline effect (E0), 13.1 flux unit; Emax, 13.4; concentration at half maximum effect (EC50) 31.1 mg/L. Covariate analysis indicated that age and race had significant influence on Tlag and EC50, respectively.
Visualizing in situ translational activity for identifying and sorting slow-growing archaeal-bacterial consortia.

To understand the biogeochemical roles of microorganisms in the environment, it is important to determine when and under which conditions they are metabolically active. Bioorthogonal noncanonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT) can reveal active cells by tracking the incorporation of synthetic amino acids into newly synthesized proteins. The phylogenetic identity of translationally active cells can be determined by combining BONCAT with rRNA-targeted fluorescence in situ hybridization (BONCAT-FISH). In theory, BONCAT-labeled cells could be isolated with fluorescence-activated cell sorting (BONCAT-FACS) for subsequent genetic analyses. Here, in the first application, to our knowledge, of BONCAT-FISH and BONCAT-FACS within an environmental context, we probe the translational activity of microbial consortia catalyzing the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM), a dominant sink of methane in the ocean. These consortia, which typically are composed of anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea (ANME) and sulfate-reducing bacteria, have been difficult to study due to their slow in situ growth rates, and fundamental questions remain about their ecology and diversity of interactions occurring between ANME and associated partners. Our activity-correlated analyses of >16,400 microbial aggregates provide the first evidence, to our knowledge, that AOM consortia affiliated with all five major ANME clades are concurrently active under controlled conditions. Surprisingly, sorting of individual BONCAT-labeled consortia followed by whole-genome amplification and 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed previously unrecognized interactions of ANME with members of the poorly understood phylum Verrucomicrobia. This finding, together with our observation that ANME-associated Verrucomicrobia are found in a variety of geographically distinct methane seep environments, suggests a broader range of symbiotic relationships within AOM consortia than previously thought.
Reversal Nanoimprint for Three Dimensional Fluidic Biosystems

Nanotechnology can be applied to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) fluidic channels and microsystems for biomedical applications such as DNA analysis. The ability to fabricate 3D nanostructures allows new designs to be developed and integration of complex biomedical systems. Conventional semiconductor fabrication processes for 3D structures involve multiple and costly process steps such as deposition, planarization, lithography, and etching. In contrast, reversal nanoimprint has the unique capability of building 3D nanochannels in integrated fluidic system with simpler technology and better control. Combining UV exposure with reversal nanoimprint, low temperature and low pressure can be used to pattern arrays of nanochannel network over a large area. In this review, examples of reversal UV nanoimprint technology for 3D fluidic system will be demonstrated. In addition, control of DNA placement and stretching in the nanochannels will be shown.
Iranian Culture: Representation and Identity

“What if,” Nasrin Rahimieh asks, “we approached Iranian identity as fundamentally ambiguous and not always a conscious and transparent self-portrayal?” (p. 11). In purely theoretical terms, the que...
Measures of Global Functioning

The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale provides clinicians with a method for the quick assessment of major dimensions of psychopathology. It was first developed as a 16-item interview-based rating scale by Overall and Gorham (1962) and later expanded to its present 18-item form (Overall, 1983). The scale items were designed to cover a broad range of symptoms and were based on factor analytic studies of earlier scales as well as the clinical expertise of mental health professionals (Hedlund & Vieweg, 1980; Overall, 1983; Overall & Gorham, 1962). The scale is widely used for diagnosis of severe psychopathology and evaluation of treatment related changes in individuals with severe psychopathology. It is most commonly used with schizophrenics; however, it has also been used with depressed, manic, and demented clients. Several researchers (e.g., Bech, Kastrup, & Rafaelsen, 1986) have proposed slight modifications in the scale, but since the Overall (1983) version seems to be most commonly used, we will report on that version.
Single and Combination Drug Screening with Aqueous Biphasic Tumor Spheroids

Spheroids of cancer cells represent a physiologic model of solid tumors for cancer drug screening. Despite this known benefit, difficulties with generating large quantities of uniformly sized spher...
Hydrologic metrics for status-and-trends monitoring in urban and urbanizing watersheds

Local governmental agencies are increasingly undertaking potentially costly “status-and-trends” monitoring to evaluate the effectiveness of stormwater control measures and land-use planning strategies or to satisfy regulatory requirements. Little guidance is presently available for such efforts, and so we have explored the application, interpretation, and temporal limitations of well-established hydrologic metrics of runoff changes from urbanization, making use of an unusually long-duration, high-quality data set from the Pacific Northwest (USA) with direct applicability to urban and urbanizing watersheds. Three metrics previously identified for their utility in identifying hydrologic conditions with biological importance that respond to watershed urbanization—TQmean (the fraction of time that flows exceed the mean annual discharge), the Richards-Baker Index (characterizing flashiness relative to the mean discharge), and the annual tally of wet-season day-to-day flow reversals (the total number of days that reverse the prior days' increasing or decreasing trend)—are all successful in stratifying watersheds across a range of urbanization, as measured by total contributing area of urban development. All metrics respond with statistical significance to multidecadal trends in urbanization, but none detect trends in watershed-scale urbanization over the course of a single decade. This suggests a minimum period over which dependable trends in hydrologic alteration (or improvement) can be detected with confidence. The metrics also prove less well suited to urbanizing watersheds in a semi-arid climate, with only flow reversals showing a response consistent with prior findings from more humid regions. We also explore the use of stage as a surrogate for discharge in calculating these metrics, recognizing potentially significant agency cost savings in data collection with minimal loss of information. This approach is feasible but cannot be implemented under current data-reporting practices, requiring measurement of water-depth values and preservation of the full precision of the original recorded data. With these caveats, however, hydrologic metrics based on stage should prove as or more useful, at least in the context of status-and-trends monitoring, as those based on subsequent calculations of discharge.
Static automated program repair for heap properties

Static analysis tools have demonstrated effectiveness at finding bugs in real world code. Such tools are increasingly widely adopted to improve software quality in practice. Automated Program Repair (APR) has the potential to further cut down on the cost of improving software quality. However, there is a disconnect between these effective bug-finding tools and APR. Recent advances in APR rely on test cases, making them inapplicable to newly discovered bugs or bugs difficult to test for deterministically (like memory leaks). Additionally, the quality of patches generated to satisfy a test suite is a key challenge. We address these challenges by adapting advances in practical static analysis and verification techniques to enable a new technique that finds and then accurately fixes real bugs without test cases. We present a new automated program repair technique using Separation Logic. At a high-level, our technique reasons over semantic effects of existing program fragments to fix faults related to general pointer safety properties: resource leaks, memory leaks, and null dereferences. The procedure automatically translates identified fragments into source-level patches, and verifies patch correctness with respect to reported faults. In this work we conduct the largest study of automatically fixing undiscovered bugs in real-world code to date. We demonstrate our approach by correctly fixing 55 bugs, including 11 previously undiscovered bugs, in 11 real-world projects.
Multiple hysteretic patterns from elementary population models

Critical transitions whereby small changes in conditions can cause large and irreversible changes in ecosystem states are a cause of increasing concern in ecology. Here, we focus on the irreversibility of these transitions, formally known as hysteresis. We explore how simple correlations between parameters in Lotka-Volterra predator-prey equations result in a variety of complicated hysteretic patterns. These patterns include “unattainable” stable states that once lost may never be recovered. We suspect these patterns to be common in natural systems, where interactions between diverse assemblages are unavoidable. Thus, understanding underlying hysteretic structures may be necessary for rescuing lost ecosystem states and avoiding future losses.
Biology, Clinical Patterns, and Treatment of Multiple Myeloma and Related Plasma–Cell Dyscrasias

The common denominator in ail plasma–cell dyscrasias (PCDs) is the inordinate expansion of differentiated B–cell clones (plasma cells) capable of synthesis and secretion of immunoglobulin (Ig) or its subunits. The structurally homogeneous secreted proteins can be demonstrated in the serum and urine of the overwhelming majority of patients. In only rare instances can no secreted product be demonstrated, and infrequently, two or more clones can be shown to occur simultaneously (see Section 4.1.10f).
Moderate Recursion: A Digital Artifact of Interactive Dance

In this paper, we describe the process and technology behind the creation of a video art piece, ‘Moderate Recursion,’ that is a by-product of the dance performance, ‘Heavy Recursion.’ The original interactive dance work was part of the Dance.Draw project and was a reflection on the role of technology in our lives. The resulting video art piece, ‘Moderate Recursion,’ uses a combination of recorded videos of the projected visualizations and of the dancers on the stage. This paper presents the emergence of this new visual art piece. This demonstrates how ephemeral instances of interactive performance art can be captured for broader audiences to experience, through a permanent video artifact.
A Sensitivity Study of a Variable-Property Skin Burn Model Considering the Variability of Water Content

A skin burn model using variable thermophysical properties as a function of water content is studied as it is subjected to a heat flux at the skin surface. The model employs the finite element method to solve Pennes' [1] bio-heat equation as it is subjected to heat fluxes modeled from actual sensor test data. The model assesses burn damage using the burn integral of Henriques [2] using burn-threshold criteria Ω at both the epidermal-dermal and dermal-subcutaneous tissue interface. The model's times-to-degree burn, cumulative burn damage Ω, and peak temperatures are studied as the blood perfusion rate and water contents for the respective layers of skin are separately and arbitrarily varied. Results from the variable- and constant-property Pennes' models are compared.
Abstract P3050: The Effects of Sacubitril/Valsartan on Blood Pressure: Experiences From a Community-Based Heart Failure Center

Background: The use of sacubitril/valsartan (S/V) in heart failure has shown promising results. Clinical data is lacking regarding antihypertensive effects. We examined systolic and diastolic blood...
Prevalence and Correlates of Self-Rated Successful Aging Among Older Women Living With HIV.

Background Despite marked gains in longevity attributable to antiretroviral therapy (ART), older women living with HIV (OWLH) experience substantial health challenges, and few studies addressed whether they can achieve successful aging (SA). This is among the first studies examining prevalence and psychosocial correlates of self-rated SA (SRSA) among OWLH and women at risk of HIV. Methods The sample included 386 OWLH and 137 HIV-seronegative women enrolled in the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) who were aged 50 years and older and participated in the "From Surviving to Thriving" (FROST) substudy. The FROST survey included measures of SRSA and positive psychosocial constructs. Results Participants were on average 57 years (SD = 5.3), 74% African American and 30% unemployed. Among OWLH, 94% were on ART and 73% were virally suppressed. Compared with OWLH, a higher proportion of HIV-seronegative women had an annual income ≤ $6000, no health insurance, and reported lower optimism and health-related quality of life. We found no differences in SRSA prevalence by HIV status: 84% of OWLH and 83% of HIV-seronegative women reported SRSA ≥7 (range = 2-10, higher scores signify better SRSA). Having SRSA ≥7 was associated with higher levels of positive psychosocial characteristics (eg, resilience and optimism) among both OWLH and HIV-seronegative women. Conclusions SRSA is achievable among older women with and at risk of HIV despite health complications. Among disadvantaged women, factors other than HIV may be primary drivers of SRSA. Future research is needed to examine determinants of SRSA and to design public health interventions enhancing SA within this population.
Portfolio Spillover of Institutional Investor Activism: An Awareness–Motivation–Capability Perspective

Scholars have investigated how shareholder activism by institutional investors—organizations that manage money on behalf of clients—directly shapes the actions of firms that are targeted for activi...
Mechanisms governing irritant-evoked activation and calcium modulation of TRPA1

The TRPA1 ion channel is a chemosensory receptor that is critical for detecting noxious chemical agents that elicit or exacerbate pain or itch. Here we use structural and electrophysiological methods to elucidate how a broad class of reactive electrophilic irritants activate TRPA1 through a two-step cysteine modification mechanism that promotes local conformational changes leading to widening of the selectivity filter to enhance calcium permeability and opening of a cytoplasmic gate. We also identify a calcium binding pocket that is remarkably conserved across TRP channel subtypes and accounts for all aspects of calcium-dependent TRPA1 regulation, including potentiation, desensitization, and activation by metabotropic receptors. These findings provide a structural basis for understanding how endogenous or exogenous chemical agents activate a broad-spectrum irritant receptor directly or indirectly through a cytoplasmic second messenger.
Soluble interleukin‐2 receptor (sIL‐2r) level is a limited test for the diagnosis of adult secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

Background Soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2r) level is used as a diagnostic tool in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). However, evidence supporting its use among adults is inadequate. Objective and methods We conducted a retrospective study to assess the performance characteristics of sIL-2r for the diagnosis of adult HLH. Results One hundred thirty-two adults with sIL-2r levels sent for evaluation of HLH over a ten-year period were included. Sixty-five (49%) met criteria for HLH. Mean sIL-2r was significantly higher among patients with HLH relative to all patients without HLH (12942U/ml vs. 6308 U/mL, P = .00311). However, when comparing mean sIL-2r in the HLH group to those in the non-HLH group with primary diagnoses of hematologic malignancy (8911 U/mL), sepsis (7127 U/mL), and rheumatologic disease (4624 U/mL), no significant differences were found (P = .241, P = .178, and P = .0607, respectively). There was only weak correlation between sIL-2r and diagnosis of HLH (r = .253). The standard cutoff sIL-2r > 2400 U/ml yielded a sensitivity of 89.2% and specificity of 38.8%. The area under the curve for the corresponding receiver-operator curve was 0.691, consistent with a poor discriminating ability for the diagnosis of HLH. Conclusions sIL-2r is a limited test for the diagnosis of adult secondary HLH, and its role in this setting should be reevaluated.
Interaction of Stabilized Alkylbenzene Sulfonate Surfactants on the Nanoscale with Water-Wet and Oil-Wet Carbonate Surfaces under High-Salinity and High-Temperature Conditions: A QCM-D Study.

Understanding the interactions of surfactants and wettability alteration of surfaces is important for many fields, including oil and gas recovery. This work utilizes the quartz crystal microbalance...
Better Together? An Examination of the Relationship Between Acute Care Hospital Mergers and Patient Experience.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The United States is experiencing another wave of hospital mergers. Whether patients benefit from these mergers, however, remains an open issue for many interested stakeholders. One measure of the potential benefit of hospital mergers is how they affect patient experience. This study used a quasi-experimental design to examine the relationship between hospital mergers and four different Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) ratings (i.e., overall, physician communication, nurse communication, and staff responsiveness). The study findings showed an association between hospitals that experienced a merger and slower growth in HCAHPS scores for two of the four HCAHPS domains (overall and nurse communication) when compared to matching hospitals that did not merge. Findings from this study can guide and inform hospital administrators, health system boards, state and federal government regulators and policymakers, and others across the spectrum of healthcare stakeholders.
Left Mid Abdomen: An Initial Trocar Entry Site (for complex surgical cases)

Study Objective To demonstrate technique and safety of initial trocar entry into the left mid abdominal wall. Design Video. Setting Small Tertiary Academic University Hospital Center. Patients or Participants N/A Interventions Outline anatomical point on abdomen. Show with video how entry can be accomplished in safe manner. Measurements and Main Results N/A Conclusion Left mid abdomen can be utilized as an initial site for trocar entry with the proper knowledge and setup.
Glioblastoma Distance From the Subventricular Neural Stem Cell Niche Does Not Correlate With Survival.

Objective To determine the relationship between survival and glioblastoma distance from the ventricular-subventricular neural stem cell niche (VSVZ). Methods 502 pre-operative gadolinium-enhanced, T1-weighted MRIs with glioblastoma retrieved from an institutional dataset (n = 252) and The Cancer Imaging Atlas (n=250) were independently reviewed. The shortest distance from the tumor contrast enhancement to the nearest lateral ventricular wall, the location of the VSVZ, was measured (GBM-VSVZDist). The relationship of GBM-VSVZDist with the proportion of glioblastomas at each distance point and overall survival was explored with a Pearson's correlation and Cox regression model, respectively, adjusting for the well-established glioblastoma prognosticators. Results 244/502 glioblastomas had VSVZ contact. The proportion of non-VSVZ-contacting glioblastomas correlated inversely with GBM-VSVZDist (partial Pearson's correlation adjusted for tumor volume R=-0.79, p=7.11x10-7). A fit of the Cox regression model adjusted for age at diagnosis, Karnofsky performance status score, post-operative treatment with temozolomide and/or radiotherapy, IDH1/2 mutation status, MGMT promoter methylation status, tumor volume, and extent of resection demonstrated a significantly decreased overall survival only when glioblastoma contacted the VSVZ. Overall survival did not correlate with GBM-VSVZDist. Conclusions In the two independent cohorts analyzed, glioblastomas at diagnosis were found in close proximity or in contact with the VSVZ with a proportion that decreased linearly with GBM-VSVZDist. Patient survival was only influenced by the presence or absence of a gadolinium-enhanced glioblastoma contact with the VSVZ. These results may guide analyses to test differential effectiveness of VSVZ radiation in VSVZ-contacting and non-contacting glioblastomas and/or inform patient selection criteria in clinical trials of glioblastoma radiation.
Potential for Expropriation through Joint Ventures

We examine the potential expropriation of a firm's intellectual capital that results from joint venture agreements when a firm's joint venture partner becomes the target of an acquisition attempt. We find that: (1) non-targeted joint venture partners often suffer losses in value upon the announcement of the acquisition; (2) the magnitude of the loss increases with the R intensity of the non-targeted joint venture partner; and (3) average bidder returns are less negative for acquirers if the affected joint venture partners report R&D spending and are in the same line of business as the acquirer. Our estimate of the average loss is $843 million per firm, roughly 3% of the non-targeted firm's pre-announcement equity value. Our evidence suggests a previously unrecognized merger motive in that joint ventures expose a firm's intellectual capital to the risk of expropriation.
Skin targeted DNA vaccine delivery using electroporation in rabbits II. Safety

The Achilles heel of gene-based therapy is gene delivery into the target cells efficiently with minimal toxic effects. Viral vectors for gene/DNA vaccine delivery are limited by the safety and immunological problems. Recently, nonviral gene delivery mediated by electroporation has been shown to be efficient in different tissues including skin. There are no detailed reports about the effects of electroporation on skin tissue, when used for gene/DNA vaccine delivery. In a previous study we demonstrated the efficacy of skin targeted DNA vaccine delivery using electroporation in rabbits [Medi, B.M., Hoselton, S., Marepalli, B.R., Singh, J., 2005. Skin targeted DNA vaccine delivery using electroporation in rabbits. I. Efficacy. Int. J. Pharm. 294, 53-63]. In the present study, we investigated the safety aspects of the electroporation technique in vivo in rabbits. Different electroporation parameters (100-300 V) were tested for their effects on skin viability, macroscopic barrier property, irritation and microscopic changes in the skin. Skin viability was not affected by the electroporation protocols tested. The electroporation pulses induced skin barrier perturbation and irritation as indicated by elevated transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and erythema/edema, respectively. Microscopic studies revealed inflammatory responses in the epidermis following electroporation using 200 and 300 V pulses. However, these changes due to electroporation were reversible within a week. The results suggest that the electroporation does not induce any irreversible changes in the skin and can be a useful technique for skin targeted DNA vaccine delivery.
Adaptive Management of QoS Requirements for Wireless Multimedia Communications

We present a control model, which provides response time and bandwidth requirement adaptation in audio, video, and application sharing multipoint IP teleconferences for emerging wireless multimedia communications. The model is based on revealing feedback controls for multimedia call preparation and subsequent real time connection control. Case-based reasoning memory is used to associate real time congestion (connection) controls with call preparation controls and user QoS profiles. Web agents are used to capture user and application multimedia call profiles observed at the application layer and transfer them into the case memory. RTP statistics are used to identify the connection management feedback controls for the network layer. Real-time adaptation at the network layer and above is made possible by using hierarchical coding techniques. The proposed adaptive management architecture is illustrated by a case memory representation of call preparation feedback controls, RTP feedback control tests for providing audio stream bandwidth adaptation, and configuration of integrated experiments.
Immunology in clinic review series; focus on autoinflammatory diseases: role of inflammasomes in autoinflammatory syndromes

OTHER THEMES PUBLISHED IN THIS IMMUNOLOGY IN THE CLINIC REVIEW SERIES Allergy, Host Responses, Cancer, Type 1 diabetes and viruses, Metabolic diseases.
Factors Affecting Fatty Acid Synthesis in Cell-free Preparations from Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Factors affecting fatty acid synthesis in cell free preparations from Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Probing dark matter couplings to top and bottom quarks at the LHC

Monojet searches are a powerful way to place model-independent constraints on effective operators coupling dark matter to the standard model. For operators generated by the exchange of a scalar mediator, however, couplings to light quarks are suppressed and the prospect of probing such interactions through the inclusive monojet channel at the LHC is limited. We propose dedicated searches, focusing on bottom and top quark final states, to constrain this class of operators. We show that a search in mono $b$-jets can significantly improve current limits. The mono-$b$ signal arises partly from direct production of $b$ quarks in association with dark matter, but the dominant component is from top quark pair production in the kinematic regime where one top is boosted. A search for tops plus missing energy can strengthen the bounds even more; in this case signal and background have very different missing energy distributions. We find an overall improvement by several orders of magnitude in the bound on the direct detection cross section for scalar or pseudoscalar couplings.
Spatio-temporal variability in movement, age, and growth of mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) in a river network based upon PIT tagging and otolith chemistry

Connectivity of river networks and the movements among habitats can be critical for the life history of many fish species, and understanding of the patterns of movement is central to managing popul...
Acute effects of static stretching on peak torque and the hamstrings-to-quadriceps conventional and functional ratios

Recent evidence has shown acute static stretching may decrease hamstring-to-quadriceps (H:Q) ratios. However, the effects of static stretching on the functional H:Q ratio, which uses eccentric hamstrings muscle actions, have not been investigated. This study examined the acute effects of hamstrings and quadriceps static stretching on leg extensor and flexor concentric peak torque (PT), leg flexor eccentric PT, and the conventional and functional H:Q ratios. Twenty-two women (mean ± SD age=20.6 ± 1.9 years; body mass=64.6 ± 9.1 kg; height=164.5 ± 6.4 cm) performed three maximal voluntary unilateral isokinetic leg extension, flexion, and eccentric hamstring muscle actions at the angular velocities of 60 and 180°/s before and after a bout of hamstrings, quadriceps, and combined hamstrings and quadriceps static stretching, and a control condition. Two-way repeated measures ANOVAs (time × condition) were used to analyze the leg extension, flexion, and eccentric PT as well as the conventional and functional H:Q ratios. Results indicated that when collapsed across velocity, hamstrings-only stretching decreased the conventional ratios (P<0.05). Quadriceps-only and hamstrings and quadriceps stretching decreased the functional ratios (P<0.05). These findings suggested that stretching may adversely affect the conventional and functional H:Q ratios.
Incorporation of cis-Hydroxyproline into Protocollagen and Collagen: COLLAGEN CONTAINING cis-HYDROXYPROLINE IN PLACE OF PROLINE AND trans-HYDROXYPROLINE IS NOT EXTRUDED AT A NORMAL RATE

Abstract Incubation of cartilage from chick embryos with 14C-3,5-cis-hydroxy-dl-proline demonstrated that cis-hydroxyproline is incorporated into the collagen and other protein synthesized by the tissue. Gel filtration of extracts from the tissue demonstrated that the proteins synthesized in the presence of cis-hydroxyproline were about the same size as proteins synthesized under control conditions. Incubation of the tissue with both 3H-puromycin of known specific activity and 14C-cis-hydroxyproline made it possible to estimate the degree to which the analogue replaced proline and hydroxyproline in collagen. The results indicated that with 48 µg per ml of cis-hydroxyproline, about 10% of the proline and hydroxyproline residues in collagen were replaced by the analogue. With 194 µg per ml of the analogue, about 61% of the proline and hydroxyproline residues were replaced by cis-hydroxyproline. Incubation of the tissue with 14C-proline or 14C-lysine and with cis-hydroxyproline indicated that the proline and lysine still incorporated into collagen in the presence of the analogue were hydroxylated and glycosylated to a normal extent. Autoradiographs of the tissue indicated that the collagen containing cis-hydroxyproline was not extruded into the extracellular matrix at a normal rate. The decreased rate of extrusion of collagen containing cis-hydroxyproline can be explained in one of two ways. (a) The presence of cis-hydroxyproline in the collagen molecules specifically interferes with extrusion, or (b) the substitution of cis-hydroxyproline at sites in protocollagen which are normally converted to trans-hydroxyproline prevents the trans-hydroxyproline content from reaching a level necessary for extrusion from the cell at a normal rate.
Rothmund-Thomson syndrome (Poikiloderma congenitale) associated with mental retardation, growth disturbance, and skeletal features

Poikiloderma congenitale is a distinctive atrophic dermatosis with onset during infancy. Extracutaneous abnormalities are frequently present. The authors describe a child with poikiloderma congenitale, psychomotor retardation, growth retardation, radial hypoplasia, absence of the thumbs, and foci of abnormal bone in many of the long bones. Although the term Rothmund-Thomson syndrome has been applied to all patients with poikiloderma congenitale regardless of the type of associated extracutaneous abnormalities, patients with severe growth retardation, major skeletal abnormalities, and ectodermal dysplasia who do not have juvenile cataracts appear to represent a distinct subgroup; several patients with these features have been mentally retarded.
There is no (46, 6, 1) block design*

Abstact: In this paper we show that a (46, 6, 1) design does not exist. This result was obtained by a computer search. In the incidence matrix of such a design, there must exist a “c4” configuration—6 rows and 4 columns, in which each pair of columns intersect exactly once, in distinct rows. There can also exist a “c5” configuration with 10 rows and 5 columns, in which each pair of columns intersect exactly once, in distinct rows. Thus the search for (46, 6, 1) designs can be subdivided into two cases, the first of which assumes there is no “c5”, and the second of which assumes there is a “c5”. After completing the searches for both cases, we found no (46, 6, 1) design. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Combin Designs 9: 60–71, 2001
Effect of altered mechanical load conditions on the structure and function of cultured tendon fascicles.

We have developed an in vitro model system to investigate the relationships between mechanical unloading and tendon matrix remodeling. Remodeling was characterized by changes in the functional and structural characteristics of rat tail tendon fascicles (RTTF) subjected to no load conditions for 1 week in vitro. We hypothesized that the absence of load will: (I) maintain cross-sectional area (CSA), with decreased elastic modulus and increased stress-relaxation; (II) cause an increase in denatured collagen and a decrease in water and total glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content. Fascicles cultured under a nominal static stress were used as control for culture conditions effects. Unloading resulted in a decrease of approximately 23% in the elastic modulus of cultured fascicles, consistent with previous stress-deprivation studies. Contrary to our hypothesis, a nominal static stress caused an increase in elastic modulus (∼30%) and a significant decrease in stress-relaxation when compared to fresh fascicles at 1% strain. Mechanical changes were associated with changes in the GAG content of the fascicles, but not their CSA, water, or collagen content. Furthermore, we did not find evidence of measurable denatured collagen in the cultured fascicles. Together these results suggest a role for GAG but not collagen or water in the elastic and viscoelastic changes measured in tendon fascicles cultured for 1 week under altered load conditions. © 2007 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 26:364–373, 2008