cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sequence-based identification of microbial pathogens: a reconsideration of Koch's postulates.

Over 100 years ago, Robert Koch introduced his ideas about how to prove a causal relationship between a microorganism and a disease. Koch9s postulates created a scientific standard for causal evidence that established the credibility of microbes as pathogens and led to the development of modern microbiology. In more recent times, Koch9s postulates have evolved to accommodate a broader understanding of the host-parasite relationship as well as experimental advances. Techniques such as in situ hybridization, PCR, and representational difference analysis reveal previously uncharacterized, fastidious or uncultivated, microbial pathogens that resist the application of Koch9s original postulates, but they also provide new approaches for proving disease causation. In particular, the increasing reliance on sequence-based methods for microbial identification requires a reassessment of the original postulates and the rationale that guided Koch and later revisionists. Recent investigations of Whipple9s disease, human ehrlichiosis, hepatitis C, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, and Kaposi9s sarcoma illustrate some of these issues. A set of molecular guidelines for establishing disease causation with sequence-based technology is proposed, and the importance of the scientific concordance of evidence in supporting causal associations is emphasized.
Trafficking of superinfecting Mycobacterium organisms into established granulomas occurs in mammals and is independent of the Erp and ESX-1 mycobacterial virulence loci.

Although tuberculous granulomas, which are composed of infected macrophages and other immune cells, have long been considered impermeable structures, recent studies have shown that superinfecting Mycobacterium marinum traffic rapidly to established fish and frog granulomas by host-mediated and Mycobacterium-directed mechanisms. The present study shows that superinfecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guerin similarly home to established granulomas in mice. Furthermore, 2 prominent mycobacterial virulence determinants, Erp and ESX-1, do not affect this cellular trafficking. These findings suggest that homing of infected macrophages to sites of infection is a general feature of the pathogenesis of tuberculosis and has important consequences for therapeutic strategies.
Pilot study of vascular health in survivors of osteosarcoma.

300mg/m 2 or more of anthracyclines (N ¼14) or treated with multi-agent chemotherapy (with or without cranial radiation) for ALL (N ¼75) compared to healthy controls [11,12]. The complex mechanisms of cardiovascular injury remain poorly defined and additional study is needed to help guide the testing of therapeutic interventions. The objective of this study was to assess markers of vascular injury among survivors of osteosarcoma, a population with intensive, potentially vascular toxic, chemotherapy exposures, typically without radiation exposure. We previously collected the same biomarkers among survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma and found evidence suggestive of vascular inflammation, dyslipidemia, Background. Cardiovascular-related toxicities have been reported among survivors of osteosarcoma. Methods. Fasting blood samples from 24 osteosarcoma survivors were analyzed for highsensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), apolipoprotein-s, lipoprotein (a), fibrinogen, circulating endothelial cells (CECs), and surface expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). Values were compared to subjects in the natural history Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) cohort study except for CECs and VCAM-1 expression, which were compared to controls studied at the University of Minnesota Lillehei clinical trials unit. Procedure. Survivors (54.2% male), median age 18 years (9–32) at diagnosis,36.5years(20–56)atevaluationweretreatedwithavariety of chemotherapeutic exposures, all but one were exposed to doxorubicin (median dose 450mg/m 2 ; range: 90–645mg/m 2 ), 14 (58.3%) received cisplatin, and 3 (12.5%) were exposed to carboplatin. Two survivors (8.3%) received radiation therapy for disease relapse. Compared to CARDIA subjects, mean hsCRP (3.0mg/L � 2.0 vs. 1.6 � 2.3), triglycerides (151mg/dl � 81.7 vs. 95.4 � 101.3),lipoprotein(a)(34.9mg/dl � 17.7vs.13.8 � 22.0),and fibrinogen (315.0mg/dl � 49.3 vs. 252.4 � 61.7) were significantly elevated. The number of CECs (0.47cells/ml � 2.5 vs. 0.92 � 2.5) did not differ while surface expression of VCAM-1 (86.4% � 34.0 vs. 42.1 � 33.8) was significantly elevated compared to controls. Conclusions. Among survivors of osteosarcoma, assessed a median of 14 years from diagnosis, there is evidence of vascular inflammation, dyslipidemia, and early atherogenesis. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013;60:1703–1708. # 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Leave-taking experiences in the lives of abused women.

The World Health Organization identifies domestic violence as a major health crisis confronting women across the globe. The addition of women’s voices about their abusive experiences increases understandings of domestic violence. In this phenomenological investigation of the coping strategies of abused women, 17 women provided meaningful insights into how, why, and when they left abusive relationships. Timing, selection of support systems, and intuition add new de scriptions about abused women’s leave-taking experiences. Implications for nursing practice include the use of helpful questioning and employment of the advocacy role. Based on the findings of this study, more research is called for that allows abused women to demonstrate the variety of their experiences with the leave-taking process.
Keratinocytes can modulate and directly initiate nociceptive responses

How thermal, mechanical and chemical stimuli applied to the skin are transduced into signals transmitted by peripheral neurons to the CNS is an area of intense study. Several studies indicate that transduction mechanisms are intrinsic to cutaneous neurons and that epidermal keratinocytes only modulate this transduction. Using mice expressing channelrhodopsin (ChR2) in keratinocytes we show that blue light activation of the epidermis alone can produce action potentials (APs) in multiple types of cutaneous sensory neurons including SA1, A-HTMR, CM, CH, CMC, CMH and CMHC fiber types. In loss of function studies, yellow light stimulation of keratinocytes that express halorhodopsin reduced AP generation in response to naturalistic stimuli. These findings support the idea that intrinsic sensory transduction mechanisms in epidermal keratinocytes can directly elicit AP firing in nociceptive as well as tactile sensory afferents and suggest a significantly expanded role for the epidermis in sensory processing.
Rescue of Drosophila engrailed mutants with a highly divergent mosquito engrailed cDNA using a homing, enhancer-trapping transposon

Specific fragments of Drosophila regulatory DNA can alter the insertional specificity of transposable elements causing them to ‘home’ to their parent gene. We used this property to insert a transposon-encoded functional coding region near a defective one and rescue a null mutation. This approach differs from homologous recombination in that the endogenous defective coding region is left in place and the genomic DNA is altered by the addition of the therapeutic transposon. We constructed a P-element-based transposon in which an engrailed cDNA from Anopheles gambiae (a mosquito) is expressed from a Drosophila engrailed minimal promoter. The promoter fragment used includes 2.6 kb of regulatory DNA that causes transposons to home to the endogenous Drosophila engrailed gene at high frequencies. We inserted this transposon onto a Drosophila chromosome that produces no functional engrailed proteins. When this transposon integrated near the engrailed promoter, adult viability was restored to engrailed mutant flies showing that the highly divergent mosquito engrailed protein can replace the Drosophila engrailed protein at all stages of development. Insertion of this transposon into the adjacent invected gene, which is transcribed in a pattern similar to engrailed, led to only embryonic rescue, suggesting an important difference in the regulation of these two genes.
Continuous Metabolic Monitoring Based on Multi-Analyte Biomarkers to Predict Exhaustion

This work introduces the concept of multi-analyte biomarkers for continuous metabolic monitoring. The importance of using more than one marker lies in the ability to obtain a holistic understanding of the metabolism. This is showcased for the detection and prediction of exhaustion during intense physical exercise. The findings presented here indicate that when glucose and lactate changes over time are combined into multi-analyte biomarkers, their monitoring trends are more sensitive in the subcutaneous tissue, an implantation-friendly peripheral tissue, compared to the blood. This unexpected observation was confirmed in normal as well as type 1 diabetic rats. This study was designed to be of direct value to continuous monitoring biosensor research, where single analytes are typically monitored. These findings can be implemented in new multi-analyte continuous monitoring technologies for more accurate insulin dosing, as well as for exhaustion prediction studies based on objective data rather than the subject’s perception.
A Paper‐based Mitochondrial Electrochemical Biosensor for Pesticide Detection

In this article, we detail a paper-based three-electrode electrochemical biosensor using a mitochondria modified Toray carbon paper working electrode. Cyclic voltammetry performed on the paper-based biosensor and similar electrodes in a common laboratory setup (not in an integrated paper-based device) compare favorably. In addition, instant detection of malathion with a detection limit of 20 nM by cyclic voltammetry is demonstrated, showing the device can potentially be used as a portable platform for pesticides detection.
Controlled Permeability in Porous Polymer Nanocapsules Enabling Size- and Charge-Selective SERS Nanoprobes.

Nanoprobes for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) were prepared by creating nanorattles, or yolk−shell structures, containing gold or silver nanoparticles entrapped in porous hollow polymer nanocapsules. Controlled permeability of the shells of nanocapsules, achieved by controlling the pore size and/or shell surface functionalization, resulted in size- and charge-selective SERS analyses. For example, a trace amount of phenanthroline, a model analyte, was detected in human blood plasma without preprocessing of plasma samples. Comparison with commercially available nanoparticles showed superior performance of the newly prepared nanorattle structures.
Receptor-mediated Ca++ entry in blood vessels.

The importance of receptor-mediated Ca++ entry (RMCa++E) relative to Ca++ release and potential-dependent Ca++ entry (PDCa++E) in agonist-induced responses in rabbit aorta and renal artery was quantitatively delineated by utilizing a solution without added Ca++ containing low ethyleneglycol bis(beta-aminoethylether)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) plus D600 to inhibit PDCa++E. Adding an approximate ED80 concentration of norepinephrine (NE; 3 x 10(-7) M), histamine (Hist; 3 x 10(-6) M), or serotonin (5HT; 3 x 10(-6) M) to this solution results in a transient increase in developed force that is attributed to release of a limited cellular pool of Ca++. (NE greater than Hist much greater than 5HT). When the concentrations are approximately equipotent (NE, 3 x 10(-7) M; Hist, 3 x 10(-5) M; 5HT, 10(-5) M) the Ca++ release component increases for Hist and 5HT such that NE = Hist greater than 5HT. Subsequent addition of Ca++ results in an increase in developed force that is sustained and represents RMCa++E. In aorta, RMCa++E can account for 91% of the total NE-induced developed force; for an equipotent concentration of Hist, 71%; and for an equipotent concentration of 5HT, only 37%. This capacity for stimulating RMCa++E is inversely related to the sensitivity of these agonists to the PDCa++E blocker, D600 (5HT much greater than Hist greater than NE). Chronic Mg++ potentiates control responses to NE in normal Ca++, but depresses the sensitivity to Ca++ in the RMCa++E concentration response relationship. The sustained response associated with RMCa++E is only minimally relaxed or inhibited by Mg++ (acute) and is completely inhibited or slowly and completely relaxed by La . In renal artery, a similar approximate ED80 concentration of NE (3 x 10(-6) M) results in a NE-induced transient response attributed to Ca++ release that is 60% less than that seen in aorta, whereas the RMCa++E component in renal artery accounts for 78% of the total response (only 10% less than in aorta). Thus, it appears that there are pharmacologically distinct Ca++ channels in some blood vessels that are differentially activated in a selective and potential-independent manner as a result of specific agonist-receptor interactions.
Lorazepam-Induced Neonatal Seizures

Two cases of lorazepam-induced neonatal seizures are reported from the University of Rochester, NY.
Parallel correlator architecture for real-time sensing applications

This paper discusses implementation issues for a parallel correlator using a robust random-pulse data representation. The modular architecture is suited for hardware implementation having an inherently higher processing speed as required by real-time sensing applications.
Tests of Isotopic Separation Efficiency of Palladium Packed Columns

The isotopic effect of palladium has been applied in different ways to separate hydrogen isotopes for many years. At Savannah River Site palladium deposited on kieselguhr (Pd/k) is used in a thermal cycling absorption process (TCAP) to purify tritium for over ten years. The need to design columns for different throughputs and the desire to advance the performance of TCAP created the need to evaluate different column designs and packing materials for their separation efficiency. In this work, columns with variations in length, diameter and metal foam presence were tested using an isotope displacement method. A simple computer model was also developed to calculate the number of theoretical separation stages based on the test results. The effects of column diameter, metal foam presence and gas flow rate were identified.
Phenomenological model for light-projectile breakup

Background: Projectile breakup can make a large contribution to reactions induced by projectiles with mass numbers 2, 3, and 4, yet there is no global model for it and no clear agreement on the details of the reaction mechanism.Purpose: This project aims to develop a phenomenological model for light-projectile breakup that can guide the development of detailed theories and provide a useful tool for applied calculations.Method: An extensive database of double-differential cross sections for the breakup of deuterons, $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ ions, and $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particles was assembled from the literature and analyzed in a consistent way.Results: Global systematics for the centroid energies, peak widths, and angular distributions of the breakup peaks have been extracted from the data. The dominant mechanism appears to be absorptive breakup, where the unobserved projectile fragment fuses with the target nucleus during the initial interaction. The global target-mass-number and incident-energy dependencies of the absorptive breakup cross section have also been determined, along with channel-specific normalization constants.Conclusions: Results from the model generally agree with the original data after subtraction of a reasonable underlying continuum. Absorptive breakup can account for as much as 50%--60% of the total reaction cross section.
Maintenance of Weight Loss After Initiation of Nutrition Training: A Randomized Trial.

Background Weight regain after successful weight loss interventions is common. Objective To establish the efficacy of a weight loss maintenance program compared with usual care in obese adults. Design 2-group, parallel, randomized trial stratified by initial weight loss (<10 kg vs. ≥10 kg), conducted from 20 August 2012 to 18 December 2015. Outcome assessors were blinded to treatment assignment. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01357551). Setting 3 primary care clinics at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Durham and Raleigh, North Carolina. Patients Obese outpatients (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) who lost 4 kg or more of body weight during a 16-week, group-based weight loss program. Intervention The maintenance intervention, delivered primarily by telephone, addressed satisfaction with outcomes, relapse-prevention planning, self-monitoring, and social support. Usual care involved no contact except for study measurements. Measurements Primary outcome was mean weight regain at week 56. Secondary outcomes included self-reported caloric intake, walking, and moderate physical activity. Results Of 504 patients in the initial program, 222 lost at least 4 kg of body weight and were randomly assigned to maintenance (n = 110) or usual care (n = 112). Retention was 85%. Most patients were middle-aged white men. Mean weight loss during initiation was 7.2 kg (SD, 3.1); mean weight at randomization was 103.6 kg (SD, 20.4). Estimated mean weight regain was statistically significantly lower in the intervention (0.75 kg) than the usual care (2.36 kg) group (estimated mean difference, 1.60 kg [95% CI, 0.07 to 3.13 kg]; P = 0.040). No statistically significant differences in secondary outcomes were seen at 56 weeks. No adverse events directly attributable to the intervention were observed. Limitations Results may not generalize to other settings or populations. Dietary intake and physical activity were self-reported. Duration was limited to 56 weeks. Conclusion An intervention focused on maintenance-specific strategies and delivered in a resource-conserving way modestly slowed the rate of weight regain in obese adults. Primary Funding Source Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development Service.
Inverse problems for dynamical systems in the plane

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a few inverse problems for dynamical systems in the plane. Given certain topological properties of a partition into curves of a phase space, to find a system of differential equations whose solution curves have those properties, locally or globally, poses an inverse problem. To construct a system of equations whose solution-flow has the given type, it is required to first arrange for the proper local critical behavior and then insure that the critical orbits are connected to each other properly by choosing the relative positions of the curves Ci*. The correct positions are found by reducing the flow to a schematic graph in which each vertex represents a generalized source or sink and each edge represents a family of orbits connecting its positive and negative limit sets. The chapter presents a theorem that states that every global topological equivalence class of dynamical systems in the plane, having a finite number of critical orbits and of structurally stable type, contains the solution-flow of a system of ordinary differential equations. These equations may be taken to be polynomial equations.
Comparative physical and chemical analyses of cotton fibers from two near isogenic upland lines differing in fiber wall thickness

The thickness of cotton fiber cell walls is an important property that partially determines the economic value of cotton. To better understand the physical and chemical manifestations of the genetic variations that regulate the degree of fiber wall thickness, we used a comprehensive set of methods to compare fiber properties of the immature fiber (im) mutant, called immature because it produces thin-walled fibers, and its isogenic wild type Texas Marker-1 (TM-1) that is a standard upland cotton variety producing normal fibers with thick walls. Comprehensive structural analyses showed that im and TM-1 fibers shared a common developmental process of cell wall thickening, contrary to the previous report that the phase in the im fiber development might be retarded. No significant differences were found in cellulose content, crystallinity index, crystal size, matrix polymer composition, or in ribbon width between the isogenic fibers. In contrast, significant differences were detected in their linear density, cross-section micrographs of fibers from opened bolls, and in the lateral order between their cellulose microfibrils (CMFs). The cellulose mass in a given fiber length was lower and the CMFs were less organized in the im fibers compared with the TM-1 fibers. The presented results imply that the disruption of CMF organization or assembly in the cell walls may be associated with the immature phenotype of the im fibers.
Identification and optimization of soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitors with dual potency towards fatty acid amide hydrolase

Multi-target inhibitors have become increasing popular as a means to leverage the advantages of poly-pharmacology while simplifying drug delivery. Here, we describe dual inhibitors for soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), two targets known to synergize when treating inflammatory and neuropathic pain. The structure activity relationship (SAR) study described herein initially started with t-TUCB (trans-4-[4-(3-trifluoromethoxyphenyl-l-ureido)-cyclohexyloxy]-benzoic acid), a potent sEH inhibitor that was previously shown to weakly inhibit FAAH. Inhibitors with a 6-fold increase of FAAH potency while maintaining high sEH potency were developed by optimization. Interestingly, compared to most FAAH inhibitors that inhibit through time-dependent covalent modification, t-TUCB and related compounds appear to inhibit FAAH through a time-independent, competitive mechanism. These inhibitors are selective for FAAH over other serine hydrolases. In addition, FAAH inhibition by t-TUCB appears to be higher in human FAAH over other species; however, the new dual sEH/FAAH inhibitors have improved cross-species potency. These dual inhibitors may be useful for future studies in understanding the therapeutic application of dual sEH/FAAH inhibition.
Dynamic Strain Aging Phenomena and Tensile Response of Medium-Mn TRIP Steel

Dynamic strain aging (DSA) and rapid work hardening are typical behaviors observed in medium-Mn transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steel. Three alloys with manganese ranging from 10.2 to 13.8 wt pct with calculated room temperature stacking fault energies varying from − 2.1 to 0.7 mJ/m2 were investigated. Significant serrations were observed in the stress-strain behavior for two of the steels and the addition of 4.6 wt pct chromium was effective in significantly reducing the occurrence of DSA. Addition of chromium to the alloy reduced DSA by precipitation of M23(C,N)6 during batch annealing at 873 K (600 °C) for 20 hours. Three distinct DSA mechanisms were identified: one related to manganese ordering in stacking faults associated with e-martensite and austenite interface, with activation energies for the onset and termination of DSA being 145 and 277 kJ/mol. A second mechanism was associated with carbon diffusion in γ-austenite where Mn-C bonding added to the total binding energy, and activation energies of 88 and 155 kJ/mol were measured for the onset and termination of DSA. A third mechanism was attributed to dislocation pinning and unpinning by nitrogen in α-ferrite with activation energies of 64 and 123 kJ/mol being identified. Tensile behaviors of the three medium manganese steels were studied in both the hot band and batch annealed after cold working conditions. Ultimate tensile strengths ranged from 1310 to 1404 MPa with total elongation of 24.1 to 34.1 pct. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to determine the transformation response of the steels using interrupted tensile tests at room temperature. All three of the processed steels showed evidence of two-stage TRIP where γ-austenite first transformed to e-martensite, and subsequently transformed to α-martensite.
A Place in the Sun: Rethinking the Political Economy of German Overseas Expansion and Navalism Before the Great War

Recent reassessments of British economic history and Mercantilism invite reconsidering narratives of German imperialism of the late nineteenth century in which Germany is usually presented an aggressive Neomercantilist power that ultimately shattered the Pax Britannica. Instead, it is possible to see that period and its tensions as the outcome of a “Whig” developmental strategy first pursued by Britain and then successfully emulated by the USA and Germany. The close intellectual kinship between American and German strands of economic thinking can be traced back to such seventeenth-century English “Whig imperialist” thinkers as John Cary and to the activist commercial, colonial, and naval policy pursued by England after 1688. This newer perspective invites rethinking prevailing assumptions about globalization and international order in the twenty-first century.
Local topography increasingly influences the mass balance of a retreating cirque glacier

Abstract. Local topographically driven processes – such as wind drifting, avalanching, and shading – are known to alter the relationship between the mass balance of small cirque glaciers and regional climate. Yet partitioning such local effects from regional climate influence has proven difficult, creating uncertainty in the climate representativeness of some glaciers. We address this problem for Sperry Glacier in Glacier National Park, USA, using field-measured surface mass balance, geodetic constraints on mass balance, and regional climate data recorded at a network of meteorological and snow stations. Geodetically derived mass changes during 1950–1960, 1960–2005, and 2005–2014 document average mass change rates during each period at − 0.22 ± 0.12, − 0.18 ± 0.05, and − 0.10 ± 0.03 m w.e. yr −1 , respectively. A correlation of field-measured mass balance and regional climate variables closely (i.e., within 0.08 m w.e. yr −1 ) predicts the geodetically measured mass loss from 2005 to 2014. However, this correlation overestimates glacier mass balance for 1950–1960 by + 1.20 ± 0.95 m w.e. yr −1 . Our analysis suggests that local effects, not represented in regional climate variables, have become a more dominant driver of the net mass balance as the glacier lost 0.50 km 2 and retreated further into its cirque.
A systematic review of opioid use after extremity trauma in orthopedic surgery.

Abstract Background The United States is in a prescription opioid crisis. Orthopedic surgeons prescribe more opioid narcotics than any other surgical specialty. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the state of opioid use after extremity trauma in orthopedic surgery. Methods A computerized literature search of PubMed/MEDLINE was conducted to evaluate the status of opioids after extremity fractures. Six articles were identified and included in the review. Results Patients who consume more opioids communicate greater pain intensity and less satisfaction with pain control. Intraoperative multimodal drug injection and nerve blockade are viable alternatives for postoperative pain control and can help decrease systemic opioid use. Orthopedic surgeons are overprescribing opioids. Compared to other countries, the United States consumes more opioids with no better satisfaction with pain control. Conclusion Orthopedic trauma surgeons should tailor their postoperative opioid prescriptions to the individual patient and utilize alternative options in order to control postoperative pain. Patients should be counseled regarding narcotic addiction and dependence. Patients unable to manage pain postoperatively should be followed closely and receive the proper chronic pain management, mental and social health services referrals.
Estimating the impacts of HIV intervention programs among females who sell sex in Nigeria: a modelling approach: student research abstract

With over 3.5 million HIV positive persons, Nigeria has the second highest HIV burden globally1 An estimated 60% of new HIV infections in Western and Central Africa in 2015 occurred in Nigeria(2). Females Who Sell Sex (FWSS) accounts for 20% of new infections in Nigeria3. The country level prevalence for Brothel-Based Female Who Sell Sex (BBFWSS) was 19.4% in 20144. This research develops a novel risk equation for estimating new infections among FWSS, their clients and communities. The model can be used to estimate the risk of a population set to a sexually transmitted disease. Public health workers can use the model to prepare a fit-for-purpose intervention program for specific community members.
Linearizing Transformations and Nonparametric Smoothers

In a linear regression model, the criterion is modeled as a linear combination of the weighted predictors and a disturbance term. $$ y={\beta}_0+{\beta}_1{x}_1+{\beta}_2{x}_2+\dots +{\beta}_k{x}_k+\varepsilon $$
Power Transmission, Transformation, and Conversion

A “simple machine,” such as a lever, transforms the magnitudes of the forces and velocities at its points of action but does not change the mechanical power, product of force and velocity. Modern machinery both transforms power and converts power from one type to another. Linear graphs of energetic models of machinery include interfaces which both couple and separate the subsystems. The interfaces consist of two branches, one for each subsystem. There is no direct action or flow of the through variable over the interface into the other subsystem. Hybrid systems are systems which contain subsystems of different types. Electric and hydraulic motors, generators, and pumps are hybrid systems. The linear graph method couples similar and dissimilar subsystems using interfaces, which differ only in the equations that describe their effect.
Qualitative Cancer Genetic Counseling Research, Part I: Ethnography in a Cancer Clinic

This is a report of the experience of several months' ethnographic research by a genetic counselor researcher in a cancer treatment clinic. One goal of the exercise was to directly experience a method of qualitative research known as ethnography, which relies heavily on participant-observation, in an applied clinical setting. Another goal was to explore a previously undescribed research area in the genetic counseling literature, namely, the meaning of cancer and cancer treatment for affected individuals and their support companions. Here we report on a personal account of the experiences of conducting and publishing the research. The preliminary analysis and results of this field experience are published elsewhere (Peters et al. (2001) J Genet Counsel 10(2):151–168.). These initial findings support the feasibility of genetic counselors, who are trained in specific social science methodologies, to conduct qualitative research pertinent to genetic counseling practice.
Flocculation behavior of dolomite with poly(ethylene oxide)

It was previously reported that dolomite samples from different locations showed varying flocculation behavior with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). In this study, a Florida dolomite sample was examined, and it was determined that palygorskite associated with dolomite was responsible for its flocculation with PEO. A detailed characterization of dolomite samples from different locations was made by electrokinetic, XRD and FT-IR analyses, and the relevance of these characteristics to flocculation with PEO is discussed.
Mind-Personality Relations: Comment on Demetriou et al., 2018

The article by Demetriou et al. [1] represents an impressive documentation of the relations between intellectual ability constructs and personality constructs [...]
Troubling the master narrative of “grit”: Counterstories of Black and Latinx Students with dis/abilities during an era of “high-stakes” testing

In this study we trouble the notion of “grit” and “high-stakes” testing by focusing on the experiences and perspectives of Black and Latinx students labeled with dis/abilities with the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). Through interviews, focus groups, and classroom observations with 15 Black and Latinx students labeled with dis/abilities, we utilize the power of student voice and counterstories to problematize the master narrative of a “grit”/no “grit” binary in education policy discourse. This binary has contributed to an educational culture that reinforces victim blaming, reifies inequities for Black and Latinx students with dis/abilities, and undermines students’ emotional wellbeing. Harnessing the power of the students’ experiences and perspectives, we conclude with recommendations for policy and practice.
Measurement and Prediction of Discharge Coefficients in Highly Compressible Pulsating Flows to Improve EGR Flow Estimation and Modeling of Engine Flows

An assumption of constant discharge coefficient (Cd) is often made when modeling highly compressible pulsating engine flows through valves or other restrictions. Similarly, orifices and flow nozzles used for real-time EGR flow estimation are often calibrated at a few steady-state points with one single constant Cd that minimizes the error over the selected points. This assumption is based on near constant Cd observed at high Reynolds number for steady flow. It has been shown in this work that this assumption is not reasonable for pulsating flow, particularly at large amplitudes and low flow rates. The discharge coefficient of a square-edged orifice placed in the exhaust stream of a diesel engine produced Cd’s varying between 0.60-0.90 for the resulting critical/near-critical flows. A novel pulsating flow measurement apparatus that allowed independent variation of pressure, flow rate and frequency and allowed reproducible measurements independent of transducer characteristics, produced Cd’s in the range of 0.25-0.60 with a similar square-edge orifice. The variation in Cd was characterized by two dimensionless variables that normalized the standard deviation of the pulsating signal with dynamic pressure and average differential pressure drop respectively. The results raise important questions that can potentially initiate fundamental work to fill the gap in the literature that exists for highly compressible pulsating flows.
Nonwoven polyester interleaving for toughness enhancement in composites

Various researchers have developed techniques to control delamination in laminated structures. One of these techniques is “interleaving,” adding high toughness material to key interfaces in a lamin...
Population source affects competitive response and effect in a C4 grass (Panicum virgatum)

Grassland restoration success depends on the development of plant communities that accord with restoration goals. Intraspecific variation in competitiveness may affect community development. For some grassland species, germplasm can be obtained from sources ranging from wild collections to selectively bred cultivars. The extent to which population source affects competitive outcomes in restoration projects is unclear. We addressed this knowledge gap in a glasshouse experiment comparing competitive response and effect among three sources of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) that are available for restoration: selectively bred cultivars, commercial ecotypes (commercially produced but not deliberately selected), and wild collections. Two strains per source type were grown with four associates chosen to encompass varied functional groups: conspecifics, Bromus inermis, Cirsium arvense, and Solanum ptycanthum. Switchgrass competitive response was evaluated for survival, height, biomass, and shoot:root biomass ratio; competitive effect was assessed as associate survival, height, biomass, and shoot:root ratio. Competitive responses of cultivars and commercial ecotypes were broadly similar, although cultivar biomass exceeded both that of ecotypes and wild collections, and ecotypes had the highest shoot:root ratio. Wild collections were most negatively affected by competition. The shoot:root ratios of all sources were highest when grown with S. ptycanthum, indicating that competitive responses were plastic; plasticity in fitness‐related traits can contribute to persistence in variable environments. Cultivars exerted negative effects on B. inermis. Secondary analyses indicated that all switchgrass sources were most inhibited by the annual S. ptycanthum. To summarize, population source affected multiple aspects of switchgrass competitive ability, when grown against functionally varied associates.
Scalable and cost-effective tosylation-mediated synthesis of antifungal and fungal diagnostic 6″-Modified amphiphilic kanamycins.

Abstract Amphiphilic kanamycins bearing hydrophobic modifications at the 6″ position have attracted interest due to remarkable antibacterial-to-antifungal switches in bioactivity. In this report, we investigate a hurdle that hinders practical applications of these amphiphilic kanamycins: a cost-effective synthesis that allows the incorporation of various connecting functionalities to which the hydrophobic moieties are connected to the kanamycin core. A cost-effective tosylation enables various modifications at the 6″ position, which is scalable to a 90-g scale. The connecting functionalities, such as amine and thiol, were not the dominant factor for biological activity. Instead, the linear chain length played the decisive role. Amphiphilic kanamycin attached with tetradecyl (C14) or hexadecyl (C16) showed strong antifungal and modest antibacterial activities than with shorter chains (C6–C10). However, increases in chain length were closely correlated with an increase in HeLa cell toxicity. Thus, a compromise between the antimicrobial activities and cytotoxicities, for optimal efficacy of amphiphilic kanamycins may contain chain lengths between C8 and C12. Finally, the described synthetic protocol also allows the preparation of a fluorescent amphiphilic kanamycin selective toward fungi.
Energy, latency and staleness tradeoffs in AI-driven IoT

AI-driven Internet of Things (IoT) use AI inference to characterize data harvested from IoT sensors. Together, AI inference and IoT support smart buildings, smart cities and autonomous vehicles. However, AI inference consumes precious energy, drains batteries and shortens IoT lifetimes. Deep sleep modes on IoT processors can save energy during long, uninterrupted idle periods. When AI software is updated frequently, scheduling policies must choose between interrupting deep sleep and degrading AI inference by delaying updates. Scheduling is challenging because of the stochastic nature of update arrivals, processing needs and updates cannot be delayed indefinitely. This paper studies scheduling policies when (1) updates (tasks) arrive frequently, (2) updates must be processed within staleness limits and (3) energy footprint is the metric of merit. We define a scheduling policy as a sequence of choices that decide when updates are applied. We use random walks to explore the space of scheduling policies and 2K r design of experiments to quantify primary effects and interactions between factors. We conducted 6 2K r tests with 5X replication each. Each test executes 1,000,000 random walks and computes their energy footprint. We simulated multiple IoT, e.g., varying the number of AI inference components from 5--500. The best random-walk policy uses much less energy than 99th and 95th percentiles. First-come-first-serve and shortest-job-first policies use 7X more energy than the best policy.
Foodways and community at the Late Mississippian site of Parchman Place

Communal eating events or feasts were important activities associated with the founding and maintenance of Mississippian communities in the southeastern United States. More often than not, however,...
Fuzzy Logic Explains the Usual Choice of Logical Operations in 2-Valued Logic

In the usual 2-valued logic, from the purely mathematical viewpoint, there are many possible binary operations. However, in commonsense reasoning, we only use a few of them: why? In this paper, we show that fuzzy logic can explain the usual choice of logical operations in 2-valued logic.
Fermentable sugar production from wet microalgae residual after biodiesel production assisted by radio frequency heating

Abstract In this study, the feasibility of comprehensive recovery of lipid and carbohydrate in wet microalgae Chlorella vulgaris was explored. First, four sets of enzyme combinations of α-Amylase, Amyloglucosidase and CTec2 were evaluated for hydrolysis efficiency on microalgae disrupted with radio frequency heating. Then, the most suitable combination was applied to raw microalgae and microalgae residual after biodiesel production, respectively, for saccharification. Adsorption kinetics of the optimized enzyme combination on the aforementioned three samples were determined and adsorption isotherm was analyzed by Freundlich equation. Morphology of microalgae was also investigated by scanning electron microscopy. A yield of reducing sugars in microalgae residual at 54.5% was obtained after 72 h saccharification. The results from enzyme adsorption kinetics, isotherm and SEM images were consistent with each other. This study demonstrated that the microalgae residual after biodiesel production could be used as carbohydrate feedstock for fermentable sugar production through simple enzymatic hydrolysis.
A Review of “Cultivating the Spirit: How College Can Enhance Students’ Inner Lives”

Cultivating the Spirit by Alexander Astin, Helen Astin, and Jennifer Lindholm is a landmark study in the realm of college student spiritual development. Through an extensive mixed-methods approach,...
Thinking through Bodies: Bodied Encounters and the Process of Meaning Making in an E-Mail Generated Art Project

In the West we are accustomed to thinking of knowledge largely on the basis of vision, which is distant and objective, a perspective that posits the separation of mind and body. In contrast, theories of touch pose a proximinal understanding of knowledge production. It informs how we experience body knowledge as encounters between beings. Body knowledge through touch includes sensory knowing and bodied encounters. In this article, I examine the ways in which students encounter emotional knowledge through an e-mail exchange. The article will attend to theoretical considerations of touch, posing the question: How is touch encountered through digital environments? The focus is on discerning the nature of student understandings of body knowledge that un/ravel in an e-mail generated art project.
Everybody else is thinking it, so why can’t we?

Does the fact that other people believe something give me a reason to believe it, too? Yes, and this epistemic fact is explained by the principle of common consent (PCC). PCC says that if S knows that others believe that P, then this fact gives S a reason to believe that P. Despite the fact that most logic texts file the appeal to the majority under the category of a fallacy, the principle of common consent is true. The principle can be defended by an appeal to the interpretive dilemma, a lesson from the epistemology of disagreement, an analogy to epistemic self-trust, and an inference to the best explanation for a wide range of epistemic data. Typical objections to the principle are unpersuasive and rest on either an infallibilist epistemology or an interpretive mistake.
Weight-Based Dosing Versus a Fixed-Dose Regimen of 4-Factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate in Obese Patients Requiring Vitamin K Antagonist Reversal

Despite an increase in the use of fixed-dose protocols of 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC) for the reversal of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), there remains a paucity of data in obese patients. In this study, we aimed to compare the proportion of patients attaining international normalized ratio (INR) goals using a weight-based dosing strategy versus a fixed-dose regimen of 4F-PCC. This was a retrospective study conducted in patients 18 years of age or older, weighing ≥ 100 kg, who received either a weight-based dose or fixed dose of 4F-PCC (2000 units) for the reversal of VKA, and had a documented baseline and post-treatment INR. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients achieving an INR of < 2 for all indications of warfarin reversal, except in patients with intracranial hemorrhage, where the goal was an INR of < 1.5. A total of 44 patients met the inclusion criteria; 25 patients in the weight-based dosing group and 19 patients in the fixed-dose group. The median baseline INR was similar in both groups (weight-based dosing group 3.2 [interquartile range {IQR} 2.8–3.7] vs fixed-dose group 3.0 [IQR 2.7–4.9], p = 1). The median post-treatment INR was significantly lower in the weight-based dosing group compared to the fixed-dose group (1.3 [IQR 1.2–1.5] vs 1.6 [IQR 1.5–1.9], p < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference in the primary outcome between both groups (weight-based dosing strategy 84% vs fixed dose strategy 90%, p = 0.68). Our findings suggest that a fixed-dose regimen of 2000 units in obese patients weighing ≥ 100 kg is adequate to achieve these INR goals.
Validation of the Teruel Orthorexia Scale and relationship to health anxiety in a U.S. sample

Scholarly investigation into orthorexia nervosa is relatively new, leading several scholars to develop new measures to adequately assess the concerns thought to underlie this condition. A promising new measure of orthorexia, the Teruel Orthorexia Scale (TOS), was developed using a Spanish sample. This study was the first to investigate the psychometric properties of the English version of the TOS in a U.S. sample. This study also examined the long-hypothesized relationship between orthorexia and health anxiety. We used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to evaluate the factor structure of the TOS. We also used correlational methods to test theorized relationships with related concerns. ESEM supported a 16-item, 2-factor model. Correlations between the modified TOS (i.e., TOS-16) subscales and measures of obsessive–compulsive and eating disorder symptoms, perfectionism, emotional distress, and body image disturbance demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity of the TOS-16. There was a moderate positive correlation between orthorexia nervosa and health anxiety and, together, pursuit of healthy eating and preoccupation with healthy eating accounted for a significant amount of variance in health anxiety after controlling for eating disorder symptoms. Overall, this research suggests that the TOS-16 demonstrates psychometric properties as good as or better than other measures commonly used to assess the construct in a U.S. sample. In addition, findings support the consideration of health anxiety as a possible feature of orthorexia nervosa. Level V, descriptive research.
Single-nucleus RNA-sequencing in pre-cellularization Drosophila melanogaster embryos

Abstract Our current understanding of the regulation of gene expression in the early Drosophila melanogaster embryo comes from observations of a few genes at a time, as with in situ hybridizations, or observation of gene expression levels without regards to patterning, as with RNA-sequencing. Single-nucleus RNA-sequencing however, has the potential to provide new insights into the regulation of gene expression for many genes at once while simultaneously retaining information regarding the position of each nucleus prior to dissociation based on patterned gene expression. In order to establish the practicality of single-nucleus RNA sequencing in the context of a real biological question, here we look at the difference in gene expression between control and an insulator protein, dCTCF, maternal null embryos during zygotic genome activation at nuclear cycle 14. We find that early embryonic nuclei can be grouped into distinct clusters according to gene expression. From both virtual and published in situ hybridizations, we also find that these clusters correspond to spatial regions of the embryo. Lastly, we present multiple examples of differential gene expression between control and maternal CTCF null nuclei in one or more clusters, but not in bulk when grouping expression across all nuclei. These results highlight the potential for single-nucleus RNA-sequencing to reveal new insights into the regulation of gene expression in the early Drosophila melanogaster embryo.