cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Psychological dysfunction associated with atopic dermatitis

Skin disease can have a profound effect on an individual’s social interactions, psychologic adjustment, work success, sexual relationships, and quality of life. Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) may have disrupted sleep with consequent daytime fatigue and compromised school and work quality. Spouses of patients with AD also may feel the psychologic burden of their partners’ severe skin disease and may experience anxious or depressive symptoms. Parents with children who have AD may be required to provide heroic efforts to treat their child’s disease and ease their suffering, possibly experiencing loss of sleep, a significant economic impact of medical care, and distress at their child’s upset. Although the burden of chronic illness is easy to identify and its consequences are apparent, the relationship between AD and psychologic symptoms is neither simple nor one-sided. The presence of AD represents a significant stress in the lives of patients and family members, but the response to the stress is variable and dependent on the existing psychologic foundation of the patient and family. Some individuals may find a relatively minor amount of skin inflammation highly distressing, whereas others may cope well with severe AD. Investigators of the psychologic correlates of AD have found that certain personality types are more prone to AD, that AD may be triggered by stress, and that patients who are psychologically capable of disciplined and diligent self-care have less difficulty with their disease. This research supports a
On diagnosis and correction of design errors

We consider the problem of diagnosing and correcting two classes of design errors, called output correspondence and input correspondence errors. Under these errors, the order of the outputs or inputs of the implementation are changed, such that an incorrect matching between specification and implementation outputs or inputs is obtained. These errors were not included in earlier methods proposed to diagnose and correct design errors. We present diagnosis and correction procedures for these errors, and discuss the performance of these procedures in the presence of previously studied design errors. The analysis shows the importance of considering output and input correspondence errors as part of a complete correction procedure.
Yeast two-hybrid cloning of a novel zinc finger protein that interacts with the multifunctional transcription factor YY1

Muscle-restricted transcription of sarcomeric actin genes is negatively controlled by the zinc finger protein YY1, which is down-regulated at the protein level during myogenic differentiation. To identify cellular proteins that might mediate the function/stability of YY1 in muscle cells, we screened an adult human muscle cDNA library using the yeast two-hybrid cloning system. We report the isolation and characterization of a novel protein termed YAF2 (YY1- associated factor 2) that interacts with YY1. The YAF2 cDNA encodes a 180 amino acid basic protein (pI 10.5) containing a single N-terminal C2-X10-C2 zinc finger. Lysine clusters are present that may function as a nuclear localization signal. Domain mapping analysis shows that the first and second zinc fingers of YY1 are targeted for YAF2 protein interaction. In contrast to the down-regulation of YY1, YAF2 message levels increase during in vitro differentiation of both rat skeletal and cardiac muscle cells. YAF2 appears to have a promyogenic regulatory role, since overexpression of YAF2 in C2 myoblasts stimulates myogenic promoter activity normally restricted by YY1. Co-transfection of YY1 reverses the stimulatory effect of YAF2. YAF2 also greatly potentiates proteolytic cleavage of YY1 by the calcium- activated protease m-calpain. The isolation of YAF2 may help in understanding the mechanisms through which inhibitors of myogenic transcription may be antagonized or eliminated by proteolysis during muscle development.
Auditory hallucinations, network connectivity, and schizophrenia

Multidisciplinary studies indicate that auditory hallucinations may arise from speech perception neurocircuitry without disrupted theory of mind capacities. Computer simulations of excessive pruning in speech perception neural networks provide a model for these hallucinations and demonstrate that connectivity reductions just below a “psychotogenic threshold” enhance information processing. These data suggest a process whereby vulnerability to schizophrenia is maintained in the human population despite reproductive disadvantages of this illness.
Distinctions between two phonological output deficits

Two aphasics with a similar level of phonological production difficulty are compared to distinguish the properties of disruption to two stages in the phonological system for producing single words: activation of stored lexical-phonological representations versus construction of phonemic representations. A set of distinguishing behavioral features for breakdown at each stage is generated on the basis of a model of single word production. Important variables for analyzing output include: (a) the unit of phonological encoding (morpheme versus syllable), (b) the phonemic relationship between targets and responses, (c) the effects of target consonant-vowel (CV) structure, and (d) the level of pseudoword production. On a set of production tests, the expected behavioral pattern for impaired lexical-phonological activation was displayed by LW, while the expected behavioral pattern for impaired phonemic planning was displayed by CM.
Self-consistent simulation of the electric field in a rarefied hypersonic shock layer

During the hypersonic reentry of a vehicle into the Earth’s atmosphere from space, the flow field energy is sufficient to produce ionizing reactions. The weakly ionized plasma around the vehicle can interfere with communications, and in some cases can have an important effect on the rate of heat transfer to the capsule surface. Additionally, the presence of charged particles in the plasma creates an electric field. In the present study, the modeling of the self-induced electric field in a simplified one-dimensional shock layer model is considered using a self-consistent DSMC-PIC method. The flow field results are compared to results obtained using an approximate DSMC method commonly used to incorporate the effect of the self-induced electric field on the structure of a rarefied, hypersonic shock layer. The DSMC-PIC results predict a higher electron temperature in the freestream region, a lower degree of ionization in the shock layer, and a larger contribution of surface heating from charged particle impact.
The Roles and Functions of Coordinators of Handicapped Services in Higher Education

This study examined roles and functions of coordinators of services to college students with handicaps. Sixty-one randomly selected coordinators responded to the nationwide survey. The results suggest that the roles and functions of these coordinators are quite varied and need to be defined.
Effect of “Energy Drink” Consumption on Hemodynamic and Electrocardiographic Parameters in Healthy Young Adults:

Background:Energy drinks are frequently purported to improve cognitive function and concentration. However, the cardiovascular effects of these drinks have not been adequately studied.Objective:To determine the cardiac effects of a commercially available, multicomponent energy drink in healthy volunteers.Methods:Fifteen healthy adults were Included in this prospective study. Individuals who had chronic medical conditions, ware on chronic medication, or were pregnant or breast-feeding were excluded. Subjects abstained from caffeine for 48 hours prior to and during the study. In the morning on Day 1 of the study, while subjects were in a fasted state, baseline blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters were measured. Participants then consumed 500 mL (2 cans) of an energy drink and measurements were repeated 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, and 4 hours later. Participants then drank 500 mL of energy drink daily for the next 5 days. Day 1 protocol was repeated on Day...
Experimental study of the effective thermal conductivity of a packed bed as a temperature control mechanism for ITER ceramic breeder blanked designs

For an ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) ceramic breeding blanket, the breeder temperature must be kept above about 400 degrees C for adequate tritium release, while low coolant temperatures are desired to maximize reliability. A thermal resistance gap between the coolant and solid breeder to allow their operating temperatures to be optimized for the ITER is proposed. The concept provides operational flexibility to accommodate ITER power variation through control of the thermal conductance of the gap. The control mechanism provides the ability to maintain the breeder within the operating limits defined by the minimum temperature for tritium release and the maximum temperature, which is usually based on sintering. Sintering also retards tritium release, thereby increasing the blanket tritium inventory. Experimental studies of the effective thermal conductivity of a metallic packed bed are presented. >
Protein-based analysis of alternative splicing in the human genome

Understanding the functional significance of alternative splicing and other mechanisms that generate RNA transcript diversity is an important challenge facing modern-day molecular biology. Using homology-based, protein sequence analysis methods, it should be possible to investigate how transcript diversity impacts protein structure and function. To test this, a data mining technique ("DiffHit") was developed to identify and catalog genes producing protein isoforms which exhibit distinct profiles of conserved protein motifs. We found that out of a test set of over 1,300 alternatively spliced genes with solved genomic structure, over 30% exhibited a differential profile of conserved InterPro and/or Blocks protein motifs across distinct isoforms. These results suggest that motif databases such as Blocks and InterPro are potentially useful tools for investigating how alternative transcript structure affects gene function.
Biological functions of antioxidants in plant transformation

Browning and necrosis of transformed cells/tissues, and difficulty to regenerate transgenic plants from the transformed cells/tissues (recalcitrance) are common in Agrobacterium-mediated transformation process in many plant species. In addition, most crop transformation methods that use NPTII selection produce a significant number of nontransgenic shoots, called “shoot escapes” even under stringent selection conditions. These common problems of plant transformation, (browning and necrosis of transformed cells/tissues, recalcitrance, and the occurrence of shoot escapes) severely reduces transformation efficiency. Recent research indicates that reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide radical $$\left( {{\text{O}}_{\text{2}}^{\text{ - }} } \right)$$ , the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), the hydroxyl radical (OH′), and the peroxyl radical ( $${\text{RO}}_2 ^\prime $$ ) may be playing an important role in tissue browning and necrosis during transformation. This review examines the role of ROS in in vitro recalcitrance and genetic transformation and the opportunities to improve transformation efficiency using antioxidants.
Active multispectral illumination and image fusion for retinal microsurgery

It has been shown that white light exposure during retinal microsurgeries is detrimental to patients. To address this problem, we present a novel device and image processing tool, which can be used to significantly reduce the amount of phototoxicity induced in the eye. Our device alternates between illuminating the retina using white and limited spectrum light, while a fully automated image processing algorithm produces a synthetic white light video by colorizing non-white light images. We show qualitatively and quantitatively that our system can provide reliable images using far less toxic light when compared to traditional systems. In addition, the method proposed in this paper may be adapted to other clinical applications in order to give surgeons more flexibility when visualizing areas of interest.
Challenges in International Harmonization

This paper covers the challenges that regulatory agencies face with regard to international harmonization. The International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) process, while very successful, has raised a number of issues that must be dealt with. Trade agreements such as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GA TT) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) raise other issues. The FDA's international activities, as well as its resources and priorities, are described. Examples of FDA challenges currently being dealt with are provided.
Risk-taking and social exclusion in adolescence: Neural mechanisms underlying peer influences on decision-making

Social exclusion and risk-taking are both common experiences of concern in adolescence, yet little is known about how the two may be related at behavioral or neural levels. In this fMRI study, adolescents (N=27, 14 male, 14-17years-old) completed a series of tasks in the scanner assessing risky decision-making before and after an episode of social exclusion. In this particular context, exclusion was associated with greater behavioral risk-taking among adolescents with low self-reported resistance to peer influence (RPI). When making risky decisions after social exclusion, adolescents who had lower RPI exhibited higher levels of activity in the right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ), and this response in rTPJ was a significant mediator of the relationship between RPI and greater risk-taking after social exclusion. Lower RPI was also associated with lower levels of activity in lPFC during crashes following social exclusion, but unlike rTPJ this response in lPFC was not a significant mediator of the relationship between RPI and greater risk-taking after social exclusion. The results suggest that mentalizing and/or attentional mechanisms have a unique direct effect on adolescents' vulnerability to peer influence on risk-taking.
Effects of higher dietary protein intake on energy balance and metabolic control in children with long-chain 3-hydroxy acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD) or trifunctional protein (TFP) deficiency

The incidence of overweight and obesity is increasing among children with long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD) or mitochondrial trifunctional (TFP) deficiency. Traditional treatment includes fasting avoidance and consumption of a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. A diet higher in protein and lower in carbohydrate may help to lower total energy intake while maintaining good metabolic control. To determine the short-term safety and efficacy of a high protein diet, subjects were admitted to the General Clinical Research Center and fed an ad-libitum high-protein diet and a high-carbohydrate diet for 6 days each using a randomized, crossover design. Nine subjects with LCHAD or TFP deficiency, age 7-14 were enrolled. Body composition was determined by DEXA. Total energy intake was evaluated daily. Resting energy expenditure and substrate utilization were determined by indirect calorimetry. Post-prandial metabolic responses of plasma glucose, insulin, leptin, ghrelin, acylcarnitines, and triglyceride were determined in response to a liquid meal. Subjects had a higher fat mass, lower lean mass and higher plasma leptin levels compared to reference values. While on the high protein diet energy consumption was an average of 50 kcals/day lower (p = 0.02) and resting energy expenditure was an average of 170 kcals/day higher (p = 0.05) compared to the high carbohydrate diet. Short-term higher protein diets were safe, well tolerated, and resulted in lowered energy intake and increased energy expenditure than the standard high-carbohydrate diet. Long-term studies are needed to determine whether higher protein diets will reduce the risk of overweight and obesity in children with LCHAD or TFP deficiency.
Residential racial composition, spatial access to care, and breast cancer mortality among women in Georgia.

We explored the association between neighborhood residential racial composition and breast cancer mortality among Black and White breast cancer patients in Georgia and whether spatial access to cancer care mediates this association. Participants included 15,256 women living in 15 metropolitan statistical areas in Georgia who were diagnosed with breast cancer between 1999 and 2003. Residential racial composition was operationalized as the percent of Black residents in the census tract. We used gravity-based modeling methods to ascertain spatial access to oncology care. Multilevel Cox proportional hazards models and mediation analyses were used to test associations. Black women were 1.5 times more likely to die from breast cancer than White women. Residential racial composition had a small but significant association with breast cancer mortality (hazard ratios [HRs] = 1.04–1.08 per 10% increase in the percent of Black tract residents). Individual race did not moderate this relationship, and spatial access to care did not mediate it. Residential racial composition may be part of the socioenvironmental milieu that produces increased breast cancer mortality among Black women. However, there is a lack of evidence that spatial access to oncology care mediates these processes.
The External Control of Organizations: A Resource Dependence Perspective

This article presents a review of the book “The External Control of Organizations: A Resource Dependence Perspective,” by Jeffrey Pfeffer and Gerald R. Salancik.
Simple shearing and azimuthal shearing of an internally balanced compressible elastic material

Abstract The finite deformation response of a compressible internally balanced elastic material is studied for deformations that involve progressive shearing. The internally balanced material theory requires that an equation of internal balance is satisfied at each material point. This arises from the constitutive theory which makes use of a multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient. Satisfaction of the internal balance requirement then yields the most energetically favorable decomposition. Here we consider a particular compressible internally balanced material model that is motivated by a Blatz–Ko type energy from the conventional hyperelastic theory. The conventional hyperelastic theory occurs as a special limiting case of the internally balanced constitutive theory. More generally, the internally balanced material exhibits softer mechanical behavior. This gives rise to a stress-plateau in the simple shearing response whereas such plateaus do not occur in the corresponding hyperelastic treatment. The boundary value problem for azimuthal shearing with a possible radial stretching is then studied. The internally balanced material response is again found to be softer than that of the hyperelastic limiting case. This is manifest in terms of an upper bound to the applied twisting moment for the existence of solutions to the boundary value problem. In contrast, the hyperelastic limiting case has solutions for all values of applied moment.
Options for the Future

In attempting to suggest some options for the future concerning the mildly retarded, we must begin by recognizing that many of the ethical issues raised in this book cannot be fully resolved. The debate between those who believe that the mildly retarded do differ behaviorally as a class, and therefore require paternalistic protection, and those who believe that the mildly retarded do not differ significantly enough from persons of normal intelligence to justify depriving them of rights accorded the average citizen will continue to be argued. This ongoing debate inevitably means that alternative practical approaches to dealing with the mildly retarded will remain in force involving, for instance, an emphasis on special educational programs in one community and on mainstreaming in another, depending upon the philosophy of the individuals in charge of such programs.
Early Ovariectomy Results in Reduced Numbers of CD11c+/CD11b+ Spleen Cells and Impacts Disease Expression in Murine Lupus.

Ninety percent of those diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are female, with peak incidence between the ages of 15 and 45, when women are most hormonally active. Despite significant research effort, the mechanisms underlying this sex bias remain unclear. We previously showed that a functional knockout of estrogen receptor alpha (ERαKO) resulted in significantly reduced renal disease and increased survival in murine lupus. Dendritic cell (DC) development, which requires both estrogen and ERα is impacted, as is activation status and cytokine production. Since both estrogen and testosterone levels have immunomodulating effects, we presently studied the phenotype of NZM2410 lupus-prone mice following post-pubertal and pre-pubertal ovariectomy (OVX) +/- estradiol (E2) replacement to determine the impact of hormonal status on disease expression and DC development in these mice. We observed a trend towards survival benefit in addition to decreased proteinuria and improved renal histology in the early OVX but not late OVX or E2-repleted WT mice. Interestingly, there was a also significant difference in splenic DC subsets by flow cytometry. Spleens from NZM mice OVX’d early had a significant decrease in pro-inflammatory CD11c+CD11b+ DCs (vs. unmanipulated WTs, late OVX and E2-repleted mice). These early OVX’d animals also had a significant increase in tolerogenic CD11c+CD8a+ DCs vs. WT. These data join a growing body of evidence that supports a role for hormone modulation of DCs that likely impacts the penetrance and severity of autoimmune diseases such as lupus.
Aerial Applications of a Nucleopolyhedrosis Virus and Bacillus thuringiensis Against the Douglas Fir Tussock Moth

Efficacy of applications of a nucleopolyhedrosis virus (NPV) and Dipel ( Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner) against Orgyia pseudotsugata (McDunnough) was determined on replicated field plots of 20 acres in size. Population reductions exceeded 95% at 35 days on plots treated with NPV dosages of 100×109 and at 100×1010 polyhedra/acre in 2 gal/acre of a 25% molasses formulation. Application of Dipel at 1 lb/acre in 25% molasses was as effective as the NPV. These treatments also provided excellent foliage protection, with estimated defoliation levels below 25%. In contrast, Dipel formulated in BioFilm® failed to reduce larval densities to a satisfactory level or to prevent severe defoliation.
Numerical Simulations of Subscale Wind Turbine Rotor Inboard Airfoils at Low Reynolds Number

New blade designs are planned to support future research campaigns at the SWiFT facility in Lubbock, Texas. The sub-scale blades will reproduce specific aerodynamic characteristics of utility-scale rotors. Reynolds numbers for megawatt-, utility-scale rotors are generally vary from 2-8 million. The thickness of inboard airfoils for these large rotors are typically as high as 35-40%. The thickness and the proximity to three-dimensional flow of these airfoils present design and analysis challenges, even at the full scale, but more than a decade of experience with the airfoils in numerical simulation, in the wind tunnel, and in the field has generated confidence in their performance. When used on a sub-scale rotor, Reynolds number regimes are significantly lower for the inboard blade, ranging from 0.7 to 1 million. Performance of the thick airfoils in this regime is uncertain because of the lack of wind tunnel data and the inherent challenge associated with associated numerical simulations. This report documents efforts to determine the most capable analysis tools to support these simulations and to improve understanding of the aerodynamic properties of thick airfoils in this Reynolds number regime. Numerical results from various codes of four airfoils are verified against previously published wind tunnel results where data at those Reynolds numbers are available. Results are then computed for other Reynolds numbers of interest.
Abandon the thymol turbidity test.

It is often more difficult to abandon an accepted laboratory test than to introduce a new one. In an attempt to convince our clinical staff that the thymol turbidity test had outlived its usefulness, we reviewed 2,557 “liver series” which included the TT. In 2,137 instances the TT agreed with the other tests and provided no different information. In 420 the TT disagreed with the other tests, but we could find no instance in which the diagnosis of hepatic disease was made on the basis of a positive TT alone, or in which hepatic disease was excluded because the TT was negative. We concluded therefore that the test has no value as part of a routine “liver series.”
FEMALE CHARACTERS IN FRIEDRICH SCHILLER’S WILHELM TELL: A STUDY OF GERTRUD, BERTA, HEDWIG AND ARMGARD

(1996). FEMALE CHARACTERS IN FRIEDRICH SCHILLER’S WILHELM TELL: A STUDY OF GERTRUD, BERTA, HEDWIG AND ARMGARD. Journal of the Australasian Universities Language and Literature Association: Vol. 85, No. 1, pp. 39-53.
Color Variation and Molt in Tadarida brasiliensis and Myotis velifer

Previous treatment of color variation in practically all species of bats has been quite arbitrary, with no consideration of molt and subsequent changes in color. The present paper attempts to interpret certain heretofore undescribed aspects of color variation in Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana (Saussure) and Myotis velifer incautus (J. A. Allen), necessarily describing the time and sequence of molting. Indications are that once each year adults of both species molt into a fresh, dark-colored coat, and this coat eventually fades or bleaches to a markedly lighter color. Molting specimens were designated as such by direct observation, confirmed by microscopic examination of cleared skin and skin sections, which showed that old pelage areas were invaded by the pigmented follicles and early growth stages of new hair. Live bats were examined to provide a quantitative check on interpretations, which are based on skins. Specimens were designated as immature when they showed combinations of small size, lack of fusion of epiphyses of finger joints, incomplete cranial development, and little or no tooth wear. Color assignments are from Ridgway (color standards and color nomenclature, Washington, 1912). Specimens examined in this study are from all parts of the recognized geographical range of the subspecies except Nevada, Utah, Colorado and the northwestern mainland of Mexico. Molt .—One hundred and thirty molting adults were examined, and all were collected in summer and fall. Of 878 Tadarida collected at Frio Cave, Uvalde County, Texas, during July, 1948, 90 per cent were females; 98 per cent of the females were in old pelage, and the remainder were molting. One per cent of the males were in old pelage, 95 per cent were molting, and 4 per cent were in fresh pelage. During August, 1944, 17 female Tadarida were collected at Frio Cave. Two were in faded pelage and the others …
A study on the carrier state of Haemophilus influenzae in pharynx in healthy children in Beijing Area

One hundred and fifteen healthy children in 2 kindergartens of Beijing City were enrolled in a study for carrier state of Haemophilus influenzae (HI) in pharynx. Nontypable HI flora was found in 32.2% (37/115) in this group. There were no significant differences of carrier state in sex, age, and season in these children. Antibiotic sensitivity test showed that some HI strains isolated were resistant to ampicillin and tetracycline (5/34 vs 4/34), most strains resistant to SMZ Co (21/34).
Perceived fall risk and functional decline: gender differences in patient's willingness to discuss fall risk, fall history, or to have a home safety evaluation

The CDC reports that among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury-related death and rates of fall-related fractures among older women are twice those of men. We set out to 1) determine patient perceptions (analyzed by gender) about their perceived fall risk compared to their actual risk for functional decline and death and 2) to report their comfort level in discussing their fall history or a home safety plan with their provider. Elders who presented to the Emergency Department (ED†) were surveyed. The survey included demographics, the Falls Efficacy Scale (FES) and the Vulnerable Elders Survey (VES); both validated surveys measuring fall concern and functional decline. Females had higher FES scores (mean 12.3, SD 5.9) than males (mean 9.7, SD 5.9 p = .007) in the 146 surveys analyzed. Females were more likely to report an increased fear of falling, and almost three times more likely to have a VES score of 3 or greater than males (OR = 2.86, 95% CI: 1.17-7.00, p = .02). A strong correlation was observed between FES and VES scores (r = 0.80, p < .001). No difference in correlation was observed between males and females, p = .26. Participants (77 percent) reported they would be comfortable discussing their fall risk with a provider; there was no difference between genders (p = .57). In this study, irrespective of gender, there appears to be a high association between subjects' perceived fall risk and risk for functional decline and death. The majority of patients are likely willing to discuss their fall risk with their provider. These findings may suggest a meaningful opportunity for fall risk mitigation in this setting.
Clinical Application of Behavior Analytic Social Work Practice

Interdisciplinary behavior analysis and social work practice provides effective services for socially significant target behaviors. While empirical evidence supports such interdisciplinary applications, behavior analysts appear unsure how to proceed. The lack of clarity may be a result of disciplinary myths paired with the absence of literature on how to advance interdisciplinary practice. Therefore, the purpose of the current chapter is to provide a procedural foundation for developing behavior analytic social work practice. Key characteristics of each discipline will be discussed through clinical case conceptualizations, based on the experience of the authors. The proposed phased approach to clinical intervention is developed as a new model to improve evidence-based mental health care.
A series feed network based on a distributed CRLH stripline for frequency scanning applications

A series feed network concept based on a distributed CRLH stripline and couplers is proposed for frequency scanning phase array applications. The characteristics of such a network, which includes a smaller footprint, are discussed and compared to the traditional transmission line series feed network. Design details of an implementation centered around 6GHz are provided, along with measurements results of the standalone network and as a feed for a 4 element antenna array, for validation of the core idea.
Platelet Transfusion Medicine

Platelet concentrates (PCs) are commonly transfused into thrombocytopenic patients to treat or prevent bleeding. They are prepared either by differential centrifugation of whole blood or by direct harvest from donors using automated cell separators. The processes used to prepare and store PCs are carefully controlled to limit the risk of bacterial proliferation and to minimize the adverse effects of prolonged storage on platelet structure and function. Clinical experience has shown that platelet transfusions effectively decrease bleeding in thrombocytopenic patients. However, most PCs are used prophylactically to prevent thrombocytopenic bleeding. Common adverse effects of platelet transfusion include febrile and allergic reactions; transfusion-transmitted viral infection is now rare. Less common hazards include septic reactions due to bacterial contamination and transfusion-related acute lung injury. Further improvements in platelet transfusion therapy have resulted from a better understanding of how platelet viability is affected by platelet collection and storage.
Taken for grantedness: the embedding of mobile communication into society

In what ways are mobile phones like automobiles and/or clocks? If you are not willing to explore this question (and you will be rewarded if you are), then Rich Ling’s Taken for Grantedness: The Emb...
Identification of potential transcriptomic markers in developing asthma: An integrative analysis of gene expression profiles

The goal of this study was to identify potential transcriptomic markers in developing asthma by an integrative analysis of multiple public microarray data sets. Using the R software and bioconductor packages, we performed a statistical analysis to identify differentially expressed (DE) genes in asthma, and further performed functional interpretation (enrichment analysis and co-expression network construction) and classification quality evaluation of the DE genes identified. 3 microarray datasets (192 cases and 91 controls in total) were collected for this analysis. 62 DE genes were identified in asthma, among which 43 genes were up-regulated and 19 genes were down-regulated. The up-regulated gene with the highest Log2 Fold Change (LFC) was CLCA1 (LFC=2.81). The down-regulated gene with the highest absolute LFC was BPIFA1 (LFC=-1.45). Enrichment analysis revealed that those DE genes strongly associated with proteolysis, retina homeostasis, humoral immune response, and salivary secretion. A support vector machine classifier (asthma versus healthy control) was also trained based on DE genes. In conclusion, the consistently DE genes identified in this study are suggested as candidate transcriptomic markers for asthma diagnosis, and provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of asthma.
The global role for Cdc13 and Yku70 in preventing telomere resection across the genome.

Abstract Yeast Cdc13 protein (related to human CTC1) maintains telomere stability by preventing 5′-3′ end resection. While Cdc13 and Yku70/Yku80 proteins appear to prevent excessive resection, their combined contribution to maintenance of telomere ends across the genome and their relative roles at specific ends of different chromosomes have not been addressable because Cdc13 and Yku70/Yku80 double mutants are sickly. Using our PFGE-shift approach where large resected molecules have slower pulse field gel electrophoresis mobilities, along with methods for maintaining viable double mutants, we address end-resection on most chromosomes as well as telomere end differences. In this global approach to looking at ends of most chromosomes, we identify chromosomes with 1-end resections and end-preferences. We also identify chromosomes with resection at both ends, previously not possible. 10–20% of chromosomes exhibit PFGE-shift when cdc13-1 cells are switched to restrictive temperature (37 °C). In yku70Δ cdc13-1 mutants, there is a telomere resection “storm” with approximately half the chromosomes experiencing at least 1-end resection, ∼10 kb/telomere, due to exonuclease1 and many exhibiting 2-end resection. Unlike for random internal chromosome breaks, resection of telomere ends is not coordinated. Telomere restitution at permissive temperature is rapid (
Seroreactivity to the C6 Peptide in Borrelia miyamotoi Infections Occurring in the Northeastern United States

Background There are no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved diagnostic tests for Borrelia miyamotoi infection, an emerging tick-borne illness in the United States. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the FDA-approved C6 peptide enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) currently used to diagnose Lyme disease may potentially serve as a diagnostic test for B. miyamotoi infections. Methods Serum specimens from 30 patients from the northeastern United States with B. miyamotoi infection established by a polymerase chain reaction assay of a blood specimen were tested using the C6 ELISA. To reduce confounding with Borrelia burgdorferi coinfection, 6 sera were excluded: 3 from patients with a positive Western immunoblot for antibodies to B. burgdorferi and 3 from patients for whom immunoblot testing had not been performed. Results Twenty-two of 24 (91.7% [95% confidence interval, 73.0%-98.8%]) evaluable B. miyamotoi patients were C6 ELISA reactive, principally on a convalescent-phase serum specimen. C6 ELISA index values were often well above the positive cutoff value of 1.1, exceeding 4 in 11 of the 22 (50.0%) C6 ELISA-reactive patients. Conclusions Although previously regarded as a highly specific test for Lyme disease, the C6 ELISA is also regularly reactive on convalescent-phase serum samples of patients from the northeastern United States with B. miyamotoi infection.
Generation and characterization of Kctd15 mutations in zebrafish

Potassium channel tetramerization domain containing 15 (Kctd15) was previously found to have a role in early neural crest (NC) patterning, specifically delimiting the region where NC markers are expressed via repression of transcription factor AP-2a and inhibition of Wnt signaling. We used transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) to generate null mutations in zebrafish kctd15a and kctd15b paralogs to study the in vivo role of Kctd15. We found that while deletions producing frame-shift mutations in each paralog showed no apparent phenotype, kctd15a/b double mutant zebrafish are smaller in size and show several phenotypes including some affecting the NC, such as expansion of the early NC domain, increased pigmentation, and craniofacial defects. Both melanophore and xanthophore pigment cell numbers and early markers are up-regulated in the double mutants. While we find no embryonic craniofacial defects, adult mutants have a deformed maxillary segment and missing barbels. By confocal imaging of mutant larval brains we found that the torus lateralis (TLa), a region implicated in gustatory networks in other fish, is absent. Ablation of this brain tissue in wild type larvae mimics some aspects of the mutant growth phenotype. Thus kctd15 mutants show deficits in the development of both neural crest derivatives, and specific regions within the central nervous system, leading to a strong reduction in normal growth rates.
Teaching Custom and Automated Cell Design

Custom design and verification of leaf-cells for standard-height and bit-slice libraries can be used to provide students with experience in performing these physical level tasks manually. We describe a one-semester graduate course [1] in which students compare their own custom layouts with automated results in terms of area, delay and design time. The availability of valid automated solutions provides the students with targets that serve as feasible bounds on the layouts and also inspire competition between the student and the design automation software. Projects are combined into TinyChips and submitted for fabrication via MOSIS [2] for testing during the subsequent semester.
Antimutagenic Effect of umuD Mutant Plasmids: Isolation and Characterization of umuD Mutants Reduced in their Ability to Promote UV Mutagenesis in Escherichia Coli

umuD and umuC are essential genes for UV and most chemical mutagenesis in Escherichia coli (4, 15, 18). Both umuD and umuC mutants are virtually nonmutable with ultraviolet (UV) and a variety of chemicals (6, 17). The umuD and umuC genes are organized as an operon (4, 15) and encode proteins of 15.0 and 47.7 kilodaltons (kDa), respectively (7, 12). The umuDC operon is repressed by the LexA protein (1, 4) and regulated as a part of SOS response of E. coli (10, 18, 19). SOS response occurs by activated RecA mediating the proteolytic cleavage of a bond between Ala84 and Gly85 of LexA (9), apparently facilitating a conditional autodigestion of LexA (16).
Establishing a Satellite Transfusion Service Within an Academic Medical Center

OBJECTIVES Increasingly complex medical care requires specialized transfusion support close at hand. Hospital growth can necessitate expansion of blood bank services to new locations to ensure rapid delivery of blood products. We describe the opening of a new satellite transfusion service designed to serve the needs of a pediatric hospital. METHODS Institutional transition teams and stakeholders collaborated to discuss options for providing blood at a new pediatric hospital. A staffed satellite transfusion service met the diverse needs of multiple services and was considered a compromise between a full new transfusion service and automated solutions. RESULTS Initial challenges in establishing the laboratory included regulatory uncertainty and interactions between two hospitals' information technology services. Laboratory scientist staffing and actual use required adapting the satellite service to an emergency release-only model. CONCLUSIONS A flexibly staffed satellite transfusion service met the most urgent needs of a pediatric hospital expansion. Review of implementation revealed potential process improvements for future expansions, including comprehensive routine and massive transfusion simulations. The challenges experienced in supplying staff and specialized blood products track with national trends. Other institutions may consider establishing a satellite transfusion service in the context of both increasingly sophisticated automated solutions and complex blood needs.
Challenges, Pitfalls, and Failures

As the evolution of Process Mining has not always been on the happy path, the idea of learning from failure has been adopted as a guiding principle for this book, applicable to this chapter as well as to the use cases in Part II. This chapter presents ten samples, reflecting challenges which were posed, pitfalls which were learned hands on, and failures which have been experienced. Samples range from data availability to process conformance checking and shall help the reader to avoid similar experiences.
12 – Formation and Control of Acid Gases and Organic and Inorganic Hazardous Air Pollutants

This chapter presents a discussion of a suite of pollutants, including hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and organic, inorganic, and acid gases. Mercury, which was discussed Chapter 11, is not included in detail in this chapter although at times there will be reference to it. This chapter begins with a brief discussion of organic and inorganic HAPs and acid gases, followed by discussions on the occurrence of trace elements, organic compounds, and halogens in coal, the formation and emissions of these pollutants, and control technologies.
The effects of introducing elasticity using different interpolation schemes to the grand potential phase field model

Abstract Introducing elastic energy in the phase field method has been shown to influence interfacial energy, depending on the elastic interpolation scheme. This study investigates the impact of the elastic energy when using a grand potential-based phase field method, comparing the result of Khachaturyan’s strain interpolation scheme (KHS) and Voight-Taylor’s elastic energy interpolation scheme (VTS). The KHS model leads to a decrease in the interfacial energy, while the VTS model leads to an increase. The change in interfacial energy is greater with the VTS model than the KHS model, which suggests that the KHS model is more appropriate to limit the artificial impact of the elastic energy on the interfacial energy. When the contribution at the interface is not negligible, it is shown that both the microstructure evolution kinetics and the equilibrium microstructure can be influenced by the choice of the elastic scheme being used. In addition, this paper shows that the grand potential model might not be appropriate when the system requires the introduction of a composition-dependent term in the elastic energy contribution. This limitation is due to the need for an explicit and invertible relation between the total potential and the composition.
Abstract TP241: Neurologists' Role in Telestroke; How Essential Are We?

Background: Telestroke networks have effectively increased the number of ischemic stroke patients who have access to acute stroke therapy. However, the availability of a dedicated group of stroke s...
Gender, Parenting, and Scholarly Productivity during the Global Pandemic

Has the global COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the scholarly productivity of academics? Do gender and parenting magnify its effect? To obtain insight into the changes the pandemic has wrought to the lives and careers of women and parents in academia, we surveyed scholars in political science and international studies. The survey was in the field during the period in which many academics experienced shelter-at-home orders and were adjusting to a new reality. It captures initial reactions to changed circumstances, as well as the fears and anticipated consequences of the disruptions. We find that perceptions of a negative impact are quite broadly shared. The open-ended responses suggest the pandemic may widen the gender and parent productivity gaps. Although further analysis is needed to better understand the effect of the pandemic on scholarly productivity, we conclude that the pandemic enhances existing structural inequalities.
Problematic internet use/computer gaming among US college students: Prevalence and correlates with mental health symptoms

Background Despite widespread internet use and computer gaming, as well as concerns about online addiction, little is known regarding the relationship between problematic internet use/computer gaming and mental health (MH) symptomatology among US college students. To address this gap, the present study examines a large, nation-wide sample of US college students to assess the rate of problematic internet use/computer gaming and its association with MH symptoms. Methods Using data from 43,003 undergraduates participating in the 2017 American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment, we examined rates of problematic internet use/computer gaming, defined as self-reported internet use/computer gaming that negatively affected academic performance. Logistic regression using a generalized estimating equations approach to adjust for clustering by school examined whether rates of MH symptomatology differed among students who reported problematic versus nonproblematic internet use and computer gaming. Results Ten percent of students reported problematic internet use/computer gaming that had negatively impacted academic performance. Adjusting for a range of covariates, students reporting problematic internet use/computer gaming had higher rates of all 11 MH indicators examined, with odds ratios ranging from 1.42 ("ever attempted suicide") to 3.90 ("ever felt overwhelmed by all you had to do"). Conclusions Problematic internet use/computer gaming is reported by 10% of undergraduate students and represents a significant correlate of MH symptomatology. These findings suggest that problematic internet use/computer gaming will be an important public health focus for college campuses.