cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epidermolysis Bullosa Simplex

The term “epidermolysis bullosa” (EB) was first introduced by Koebner in the late 19th century to describe a nonscarring, blistering skin disease. The name was subsequently adopted for a group of heterogenous congenital disorders that are all characterized by trauma-induced blistering of skin. The blisters may be formed intraepidermally, junctionally, or intradermally. When the blisters are formed within the basal epidermal layer of the skin, it is given the name “simplex.” Today, epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS) constitutes a group of autosomal-dominant genetic skin diseases affecting 1 in 40,000 in the population. It is further divided into different subtypes according to the clinical severity. The penetrance in families with EBS is high, and in its most severe form, the disorder is apparent at birth.
Pediatric Liver Transplantation Across the ABO Blood Group Barrier: Is It an Obstacle in the Modern Era?

Background The initial experience with ABO incompatible (ABOi) orthotopic liver transplantations (OLTs) was dismal. In the current study, we investigated whether ABOi pediatric OLTs could achieve acceptable patient outcomes. The option for ABOi transplantation is vital because critically ill children have limited access to donor liver allografts. Study Design Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox analysis was performed on data collected from 13,179 pediatric OLT recipients in the United Network for Organ Sharing database, including 540 ABOi recipients. We also analyzed 18 pediatric recipients of ABOi OLTs at Texas Children's Hospital. Recipients were divided into 2 groups: transplanted between 1987 to 2002 (remote era) and 2002 to 2013 (modern era). Results Analysis revealed 4 main points. First, there was a significant (p Conclusions This analysis revealed a significant improvement in the survival of ABOi liver transplant recipients in the modern era. Importantly, ABOi liver transplantation can be performed in recipients younger than 2 years of age with equivalent outcomes compared with ABO-identical recipients.
Commercial Transition to LEDs: A Pathway to High-value Products

The use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to support plant growth is a radical departure from use of gas-discharge lamps, which were developed in mid-19th and widely adopted by the industry during the 20th century. Initial investigation by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the late 1980s on the use of LEDs to grow plant in space is resulting in an industry-wide transition from gas discharge to solid-state lighting systems. This global transformation is given urgency by national policies to reduce energy consumption and being facilitated by ready access to information on LEDs. The combination of research, government policy, and information technology has resulted in an exponential increase in research into the use and application of LED technology in horticulture. Commercial horticulture has identified the opportunities provided by LEDs to optimize light spectra to promote growth, regulate morphology, increase nutrient content, and reduce operating costs. LED-light technology is enabling the development of innovative lighting systems, and is being incorporated into large-scale plant factories for the production of edible, ornamental, and medicinal plants. An overview of prevalence of readily accessible information on LEDs and implications for future adoption in horticulture is discussed.
A Robust Workflow for Native Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Affinity-Isolated Endogenous Protein Assemblies

The central players in most cellular events are assemblies of macromolecules. Structural and functional characterization of these assemblies requires knowledge of their subunit stoichiometry and intersubunit connectivity. One of the most direct means for acquiring such information is so-called “native mass spectrometry (MS)”, wherein the masses of the intact assemblies and parts thereof are accurately determined. It is of particular interest to apply native MS to the study of endogenous protein assemblies—i.e., those wherein the component proteins are expressed at endogenous levels in their natural functional states, rather than the overexpressed (sometimes partial) constructs commonly employed in classical structural studies, whose assembly can introduce stoichiometry artifacts and other unwanted effects. To date, the application of native MS to the elucidation of endogenous protein complexes has been limited by the difficulty in obtaining pristine cell-derived assemblies at sufficiently high concentrati...
Role of HF in Oxygen Removal from Carbon Nanotubes: Implications for High Performance Carbon Electronics

Oxygen removal from SWNTs is crucial for many carbon electronic devices. This work shows that HF treatment followed by current stimulation is a very effective method for oxygen removal. Using a procedure involving HF treatment, current stimulation and spin-casting AgNWs onto a SWNT thin film, record high efficiency SWNT/p-Si solar cells have been developed.
Committed Phloem Ingestion of Aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae): Difficulties in Its Application to Host-Plant Resistance Studies

The application of the concept of committed phloem ingestion (CPI) of aphids was studied for different aphid species feeding on resistant and susceptible plants. Greenbugs, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) (biotype E), were monitored electronically on wheat, Triticum aestivum L., and Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, cultivars, and Russian wheat aphids, Diuraphis noxia Mordvilko, were monitored on wheat cultivars. The duration of phloem ingestion (PI) events of these aphids was not randomly distributed and ≍53% of them were <60 min in duration. The minimum PI duration to be considered as committed feeding (threshold of CPI) was determined for each aphid–host combination. Thresholds varied depending on the aphid species and host plants, indicating the difficulty of assigning a single threshold value that could be useful as a measure of host acceptability. Also, if a given threshold duration is chosen as a criterion for having achieved CPI (e.g., 15 min), the proportion of PI events that continues for a long time period varies from host to host. Therefore, we recommend that use of this parameter be discontinued, and that measurements of the time from the beginning of the experiment to PI and the time from the initiation of a probe to PI be substituted for time to first CPI.
Molecular mechanisms of parathyroid neoplasia.

Our understanding of the molecular basis of hyperparathyroidism is progressing rapidly. The recent cloning of one parathyroid oncogene, PRAD1 (cyclin Dl) already has pointed to key pathways of cell cycle control and neoplasia. A specific tumor suppressor gene, RB, has been implicated in parathyroid carcinoma. In addition, the lessons learned from various inherited syndromes whose manifestations include hyperparathyroidism likely will be important in several forms of nonfamilial disease as well and will shed more light on parathyroid cell function, proliferation, and human disease.
Epistemic Elitism and Other Minds

Experiences justify beliefs about our environment. Sometimes the justification is immediate: seeing a red light immediately justifies believing there is a red light. Other times the justification is mediate: seeing a red light justifies believing one should brake in a way that is mediated by background knowledge of traffic signals. How does this distinction map onto the distinction between what is and what isn't part of the content of experience? Epistemic egalitarians think that experiences immediately justify whatever is part of their content. Epistemic elitists deny this and think that there is some further constraint the contents of experience must satisfy to be immediately justified. Here I defend epistemic elitism, propose a phenomenological account of what the further constraint is, and explore the resulting view's consequences for our knowledge of other minds, and in particular for perceptual theories of this knowledge.
Cervical Carotid Imaging with the Reid-Directional Doppler Flowmeter

A non-invasive technique for carotid artery imaging, using a new, directional Doppler Flowmeter, is described. The technique utilizes a positionsensing arm mounted with a sharplv focusing probe and translates the loci of arterial flow velocities to an image storage oscilloscope, A two-dimensional projection of the arterial carotid bifurcation flow channels is developed. Selected analog tracings are produced from various spots in the image, along with tape-recordings of the Doppler-shifted audio signals. The presenceof calcified plaques, stenosis, occlusion of the vessels and adequacy of the carotid circulation is determined. The probe is also utilized hand-held to evaluate the vertebral flow at the base of the skull posteriorly, and in the supraclavicular regions. The direction of the ophthalmic artery flow in the posterior orbit fossa is also recorded. The directionality of the flowmeter is particularly useful in determining the direction of pressure gradient between the intracranial and extracranial circulation, and in a rejection of venous signals and various artifacts produced by the patient’s motion during ultrasonic imaging.
The Contourite Problem

Abstract Contourites are deposits of thermohaline-driven geostrophic contour currents in deep-water environments. However, the contourite domain is still in a state of flux after nearly 60 years of research because of 14 fundamental problems: (1) dual forcing mechanisms (i.e., atmospheric and thermohaline) of contour currents, (2) process continuum between turbidity currents and contour currents, (3) the broad application of the term “contourite” to represent deposits of all four types of bottom currents (i.e., thermohaline, wind, tide, and baroclinic), (4) regional hiatuses, (5) recognition of contourite channels, (6) Gulf of Cadiz as the type locality, (7) the contourite facies model, (8) the lack of measured grain-size data for the IODP Expedition 339 cores, (9) recognition of ancient contourites, (10) bedform-velocity matrix, (11) seismic wave geometries, (12) the lack of sedimentological knowledge on deposits of oceanic waves (i.e., internal waves/tides, cyclonic waves, and tsunami waves), (13) reservoir quality, and (14) sediment provenance.
Promoting Healthy Weight Among Children With Developmental Delays

An extensive body of research demonstrates a higher prevalence of obesity among children with developmental delays (DD) versus children without delays. This analysis examined the effectiveness of a randomized controlled trial to promote healthy weight in a subsample of preschool-age children with DD (n = 71) on the adoption of quality nutrition and increased physical activity habits versus controls. Child care centers (N = 28) randomized to the intervention group received a multilevel (parent, teacher, child) role modeling program and curriculum on obesity prevention. Results showed that children in the intervention group slightly decreased their junk food consumption while the control group increased their junk food consumption. In addition, among preschool-age children with DD, change in parent fruit and vegetable consumption significantly influenced change in their child’s consumption. Conversely, the greater the consumption of junk food by parents, the greater consumption by their children. Results im...
Spanglish: The Hybrid Voice of Latinos in the United States

The language practices of Latinos in the US continue to attract attention from politicians, educators, journalists, linguists and the general Hispanic and non-Hispanic public. While monolingual speakers of English in the US expect Hispanics to shift to English like other minority language speakers have done in the past, monolingual speakers of Spanish expect them to speak “pure” Spanish. Even Spanish-English bilingual speakers criticize Latinos for mixing Spanish and English or speaking Spanglish. This term has been rejected by some linguists who claim that it is technically flawed and only applies to casual oral registers. In this paper I consider the linguistic nature, sociolinguistic functions and attitudes towards Spanglish, I show that Latinos are using this hybrid, heteroglossic variety beyond casual oral registers, and I suggest a broader perspective which not only considers the linguistic features of Spanglish but also the political, social and cultural issues involved. Keywords: Spanglish; code-switching; Latinos; US Spanish; code-mixing; mixed language
Polymeric Biomimetic Catalysts Based on 4-Diallylaminopyridine

A new class of polymeric catalysts based on 4-(diallyl-amino)pyridine (DAAP) is described. Cyclopolymerization of DAAP yields a polymer whose monomer units are identical to 4-(pyrrolidino)pyridine (PPY), one of the most effective catalysts for nucleophilic substitution reactions. The homopolymer of DAAP proved to be more effective than PPY and DMAP [4-(dimethylamino)pyridine] in the hydrolysis of esters like pnitrophenyl caproate. Copolymerization of DAAP with vinyl monomers of cationic, anionic and neutral character was found to yield catalysts that are even more reactive than the homopolymer when the rate is referred to the number of catalytic units actually present. The catalysis of the esterification of linalool was also investigated. Most of the copolymers investigated displayed lower activity than DMAP. However, catalytic activity similar to DMAP was observed for certain compositions of DAAP-DMAM copolymers.
Decorin and biglycan of normal and pathologic human corneas

PURPOSE: Corneas with scars and certain chronic pathologic conditions contain highly sulfated dermatan sulfate, but little is known of the core proteins that carry these atypical glycosaminoglycans. In this study the proteoglycan proteins attached to dermatan sulfate in normal and pathologic human corneas were examined to identify primary genes involved in the pathobiology of corneal scarring. METHODS: Proteoglycans from human corneas with chronic edema, bullous keratopathy, and keratoconus and from normal corneas were analyzed using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), quantitative immunoblotting, and immunohistology with peptide antibodies to decorin and biglycan. RESULTS: Proteoglycans from pathologic corneas exhibit increased size heterogeneity and binding of the cationic dye alcian blue compared with those in normal corneas. Decorin and biglycan extracted from normal and diseased corneas exhibited similar molecular size distribution patterns. In approximately half of the pathologic corneas, the level of biglycan was elevated an average of seven times above normal, and decorin was elevated approximately three times above normal. The increases were associated with highly charged molecular forms of decorin and biglycan, indicating modification of the proteins with dermatan sulfate chains of increased sulfation. Immunostaining of corneal sections showed an abnormal stromal localization of biglycan in pathologic corneas. CONCLUSIONS: The increased dermatan sulfate associated with chronic corneal pathologic conditions results from stromal accumulation of decorin and particularly of biglycan in the affected corneas. These proteins bear dermatan sulfate chains with increased sulfation compared with normal stromal proteoglycans.
Invariant Based Control Design

Consider the supervisory control goal of restricting the reachable markings of a plant, μ p , such that $$ {l^T}{\mu _p} \leqslant b $$ (3.1) where l is an integer weight vector, and b is an integer scalar. Constraints of the form of (3.1) are not as general as the language based behavioral constraints of [Wonham and Ramadge, 1987,Ramadge and Wonham, 1989] used for automaton-based models. Linear state constraints are used here because of the ease with which they can be enforced on Petri net modeled systems and because, though they lack some of the full power of language based constraints, they are still quite versatile. Clearly these linear constraints on the state space can represent a large number of (convex) forbidden state problems. They are also useful for realizing “generalized mutual exclusion constraints” [Giva et al., 1992], which includes both serial and parallel mutual exclusions [Desrochers and Al-Jaar, 1995]. Many constraints that deal with exclusions between events and states, or just events themselves, can be transformed into constraints with the form of (3.1). These linear inequalities also lend themselves to constraints dealing with the use or sharing of finite resources and can in some instances even be used to model constraints that deal with absolute and relative timing requirements. Section 5.4 shows how a slight modification of the controller behavioral rules can allow the enforcement of nonconvex constraints formed as the disjunction of multiple linear inequalities. Chapter 7 deals with the varied uses of these linear inequalities on the plants state; the chapter comes late in the book because it makes use of many of the ideas and synthesis procedures that are developed in the chapters that precede it.
Surgical Treatment of Intramedullary Spinal Metastasis in Medulloblastoma: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Background Medulloblastomas are common childhood central nervous system tumors that are prone to leptomeningeal spread. Intramedullary dissemination is rare with very few case reports existing in the available literature. Case Description The authors here present a case of a 14-year-old boy with Li-Fraumeni syndrome and medulloblastoma who underwent surgical resection of spinal intramedullary spread. Histopathology revealed the tumor to be anaplastic medulloblastoma, same as the intracranial lesions. Genetic testing of the metastatic deposit revealed loss of functions mutations in SUFU, NOTCH3, and TP53 and TERC amplification. An improvement in ambulatory function at short-term follow-up was noted before the patient died of disseminated disease. Conclusions Intramedullary metastasis of medulloblastoma remains a rare disease. Surgical resection might play a possible role in management in addition to radiation and chemotherapy.
Q-model of electrode reactions: altering force constants of intramolecular vibrations

A theory of redox reactions involving electron transfer between a metal electrode and a molecule in solution is formulated in terms of two types of nuclear coordinates of the thermal bath: electrostatic polarization of the medium and local low-frequency vibrations. The polarization fluctuations follow Gaussian statistics. In contrast, the vibrational coordinate is allowed to change its force constant between two oxidation states of the reactant, which is projected onto non-Gaussian fluctuations of the reactant's electronic states. A closed-form analytical theory for the electrode redox reactions is formulated in terms of three reorganization energies: the reorganization energy for the electrostatic polarization of the medium and two internal (vibrational) reorganization energies for the reduced and oxidized states of the reactant. The theory predicts asymmetry between the cathodic and anodic branches of the electrode current driven by the corresponding difference in the vibrational force constants.
A randomized controlled study comparing high-dose insulin to vasopressors or combination therapy in a porcine model of refractory propranolol-induced cardiogenic shock

Context: Although cerebral perfusion (CP) is preserved across a wide range of mean arterial pressures (MAP) through cerebral-vascular autoregulation, the relationship between MAP and CP in refracto...
Area Covered for Shear Wave Velocity Calculation Affects the Shear Wave Velocity Values

Although ultrasound elastography is established as a reliable and valid tool for assessment of skeletal muscles, guidelines around the technical specifications, data selection, and acquisition para...
Cerebellar mutism syndrome: current approaches to minimize risk for CMS.

Cerebellar mutism syndrome (CMS) is a serious source of morbidity following posterior fossa surgery in the pediatric population. However, methods for effectively decreasing its incidence and impact remain unclear. It is our aim to examine the impact of adjusting surgical factors, namely the use of a telovelar approach and avoidance of cavitronic ultrasonic aspirator, on the incidence of CMS in our population as well as outlining potential pre-, intra-, and postoperative factors that may contribute to its development. Retrospective review was performed to identify patients undergoing posterior fossa surgery for resection of a medulloblastoma. Demographic, surgical, and postoperative data were collected. These data were analyzed for possible correlations to the risk of developing CMS via univariate analysis. For factors found to be significant, a multivariate analysis was performed to assess their independence. Seven of 65 patients (10.8%) developed CMS postoperatively. Factors found to be significantly associated with a higher risk of CMS were the degree of retraction utilized during the procedure (p = 0.0000) and incision of the vermis (p = 0.0294). Although they did not reach the threshold of statistical significance, tumor vascularity (p = 0.19), adoption of a transvermian approach (p = 0.19), and lack of intraoperative imaging (p = 0.17) exhibited strongly suggestive trends towards a correlation with CMS. In an effort to reduce the incidence and severity of CMS in our population, our institution adopted surgical practices that minimize tissue trauma and mitigate postoperative edema. This included the use of a telovelar over a transvermian approach to obviate the need for vermian incision, avoidance of the CUSA, and minimization of heavy retraction during surgery. This was successful in reducing the incidence of CMS from 39% in our medulloblastoma patients to 10.8%. The development of CMS after posterior fossa surgery appears to be a “two-hit” phenomenon requiring a combination of existing predisposition, surgical injury, and postoperative exacerbation. Therefore, it is critical to identify the factors involved at each stage and investigate treatments to target them appropriately.
Four Decades After the Discovery of Regenerating Islet-Derived (Reg) Proteins: Current Understanding and Challenges

Regenerating islet-derived (Reg) proteins have emerged as multifunctional agents with pro-proliferative, anti-apoptotic, differentiation-inducing and bactericidal properties. Over the last 40 years since first discovered, Reg proteins have been implicated in a gamut of maladies including diabetes, various types of cancer of the digestive tract, and Alzheimer disease. Surprisingly though, a consensus is still absent on the regulation of their expression, and molecular underpinning of their function. Here, we provide a critical appraisal of recent findings in the field of Reg protein biology. Specifically, the structural characteristics are reviewed particularly in connection with established or purported functions of different members of the Reg family. Moreover, Reg expression patterns in different tissues both under normal and pathophysiological conditions are summarized. Putative receptors and cascades reported to relay Reg signaling inciting cellular responses are presented aiming at a better appreciation of the biological activities of the distinct Reg moieties. Challenges are also discussed that have hampered thus far the rapid progress in this field such as the use of non-standard nomenclature for Reg molecules among various research groups, the existence of multiple Reg members with significant degree of homology and possibly compensatory modes of action, and the need for common assays with robust readouts of Reg activity. Coordinated research is warranted going forward, given that several research groups have independently linked Reg proteins to diseased states and raised the possibility that these biomolecules can serve as therapeutic targets and biomarkers.
A Case Report of Congenital Hallux Valgus from an Incomplete Preaxial Polydactyly without a Supernumerary Digit.

Introduction While hallux valgus is a common deformity occurring in adults and adolescents, congenital hallux valgus is rare. There is a paucity of information available about the deformity and even less information about its cause. In fact, discrepancies exist within literature as to its etiology. This is a case report of bilateral congenital hallux valgus that appears to have been caused by preaxial polydactyly of the great toe, without a supernumerary digit, which to date has not been reported in literature. Markedly increased intermetatarsal and hallux valgus angles were present in both feet. Furthermore, bilateral interval improvement of the angulation occurred spontaneously without operative or non-operative intervention. This case reveals another potential cause of congenital hallux valgus not previously described. Our patient demonstrates that preaxial polydactyly could be another possible etiology of congenital hallux valgus. This case also demonstrates that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be required for accurate diagnosis. Case report The subject of this case report is a 6-month-old boy who presented with what appeared to be severe bilateral congenital hallux valgus. However, an MRI was suggestive of preaxial polydactyly without a supernumerary digit. At 26 months of age, clinical follow-up demonstrated that the deformity had improved and the patient was doing well clinically without intervention. Conclusion Congenital hallux valgus is an uncommon deformity. Our patient demonstrates that the etiology may be incomplete preaxial polydactyly without a supernumerary digit. Overtime, even without treatment, the deformity appeared to improve, and the patient had no clinical complaints. The lack of an accessory ossicle or supernumerary digit makes our patient's case unique.
Residential exposure to petrochemical industrial complexes and the risk of leukemia: A systematic review and exposure-response meta-analysis.

Abstract Exposure to chemicals produced by petrochemical industrial complexes (PICs), such as benzene, ionizing radiation, and particulate matters, may contribute to the development of leukemia. However, epidemiological studies showed controversial results. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize the association between residential exposure to PICs and the risk of leukemia incidence, focusing on exposure-response effects. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases for studies published before September 1st, 2019. Observational studies investigating residential exposure to PICs and the risk of leukemia were included. The outcome of interest was the incidence of leukemia comparing to reference groups. Relative risk (RR) was used as the summary effect measure, synthesized by characteristics of populations, distance to PICs, and calendar time in meta-regression. We identified 7 observational studies, including 2322 leukemia cases and substantial reference groups, in this meta-analysis. Residential exposure to PICs within a maximal 8-km distance had a 36% increased risk of leukemia (pooled RR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.14–1.62) compared to controls, regardless of sex and age. In terms of leukemia subtypes, residential exposure to PICs was associated with the risks of acute myeloid leukemia (AML, pooled RR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.12–2.31) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL, pooled RR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.11–6.42). In meta-regression, the positive association occurred after 10 years of follow-up with a pooled RRs of 1.21 (95% CI = 1.02–1.44) and then slightly increased to 1.77 (95% CI = 1.35–2.33) at 30 years after follow-up. No effect modification was found by sex, age, and geographic locations.
Opportunistic Synthesis in Reactive Games under Information Asymmetry

Reactive synthesis [1]is used to synthesize a provablycorrect strategy (controller) with respect to a given Linear Temporal Logic (LTL) specification in a dynamic, potentially adversarial environment. The core idea of reactive synthesis is to model the interaction between a controlled agent (called the robot) and its dynamic and uncontrollable environment as a two-player turn-based zero-sum game. In particular, players’ Boolean payoffs are specified by temporal logic formulas [2]–a rich language that can expressive properties such as safety, liveness, stability, and temporally extended goals.
Ecology of Place: Art Education in a Relational World

In current research, place is a concept with multiple meanings, rich with personal, socio-cultural, historical, and political complexities. Through a phenomenological investigation of place meanings with preservice art teachers, I weave my narrative as a writer with my role as an artist/teacher/researcher who examines their performance art as one tool to further an ecology of place. I then draw conclusions that support sense-knowing, the importance of participation, embodied practice in art, and connective relationships. From these threads of inquiry, I conclude with an ecological re-vision for art education.
For Coöperation and the Abolition of Capital, Or, How to Get Beyond Our Extractive Punitive Society and Achieve a Just Society

In hindsight, the term "capitalism" was always a misnomer, coined paradoxically by its critics in the nineteenth century. The term misleadingly suggests that the existence of capital produces a unique economic system or that capital itself is governed by economic laws. But that's an illusion. In truth, we do not live today in a system in which capital dictates our economic circumstances. Instead, we live under the tyranny of what I would call "tournament dirigisme": a type of state-directed gladiator sport where our political leaders bestow spoils on the wealthy, privileged elite. We need to displace this tournament dirigisme with a new legal, economic, and political paradigm that favors cooperation and collaboration between those who create, invent, produce, work, and serve others. Rather than corporations that extract capital for the few shareholders and managers, we need cooperatives, mutuals, and nonprofits that distribute the wealth they create widely to everyone in the shared enterprise. The COVID-19 pandemic and economic crash must not prevent us from working together to address the other crisis—climate change—still looming on the horizon. On the contrary, these times call for a legal, political, and economic revolution to ring in a new epoch of cooperationism. This will demand political will. It will not come from our political leaders, so beholden to corporate contributions and capital. It will have to come from us all united.
Safety of Anticoagulation in Patients With an Intracranial Hemorrhage at a Comprehensive Stroke Center

Background:Approximately 10% to 15% of patients who suffer intracranial hemorrhages (ICHs) are on therapeutic anticoagulation. Additionally, patients may develop an indication for anticoagulation a...
COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients: Single-center experience and case-control study

Background: Organ transplant recipients (OTR) are considered high-risk for morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 Case-fatality rates (CFR) vary significantly in different case series, and some patients were still hospitalized at the time of analyses To our knowledge, no case-control study of COVID-19 in OTR has been published to-date Methods: We captured kidney transplant recipients (KTR) diagnosed with COVID-19 between 3/1 and 5/18/2020 After exclusion of KTR on hemodialysis and off immunosuppression (IS), we compared the clinical course of COVID-19 between hospitalized KTR and non-transplant patients, matched by sex and age (controls) All patients were discharged from the hospital or died Results: 16 KTR had COVID-19 All 3 KTR off IS, who were excluded from further analyses, survived Median age was 54 (range: 34-65) years;5/13 KTR (38 4%) were men Median time from transplant was 41 (range: 1-203) months Two KTR, both transplanted >10 years ago, were managed as outpatients IS was reduced in 12/13 (92 3%), most often by discontinuation of the antimetabolite IL6 levels were >1,000 (normal: 10 ng/mL in 6/9 KTR (67%) (Table 1) Eleven KTR were hospitalized (84 6%) and matched with 44 controls One KTR, the only one treated with hydroxychloroquine, died (CFR 5 8%;7 6% in KTR on IS;9% in hospitalized KTR on IS) Four controls died (CFR: 9%;state CFR: 5 2%;inpatient CFR: 16 6%) There were no significant differences in length of stay or worst oxygenation status between hospitalized KTR and controls Four KTR (30 7%), received remdesivir, 4 convalescent plasma, 3 (23%) tocilizumab KTR received more often broad-spectrum antibiotics, convalescent plasma or tocilizumab, compared to controls (Table 2) Conclusion: Unlike early reports from the pandemic epicenters, the clinical course and outcomes of KTR with COVID-19 in our small case series were comparable to those of non-transplant patients Calcineurin or mTOR inhibitor levels were high, likely due to diarrhea and COVID-19-related hepatic dysfunction Extremely high IL6 levels were common The role of IS and potential benefits from investigational treatments remain to be elucidated A larger multi-institutional study is underway (Table Presented)
Cultivating Health Policy Analysis and Communication Skills in Undergraduate Public Health Education: An Active Learning Approach:

Public health programs are increasingly offering health policy content to meet workforce demand for public health professionals with health policy analysis and communication skills. Undergraduate p...
Stress- and Time-Dependent Formation of Self-Lubricating In Situ Carbon (SLIC) Films on Catalytically-Active Noble Alloys

Low shear strength (30 MPa) organic films were grown in situ on Pt0.9Au0.1 surfaces via cyclic sliding contact in dry N2 with trace concentrations of ambient hydrocarbons. We present a systematic investigation of the stress- and time-dependent film formation. Steady-state friction coefficients were found to be as low as µ ~ 0.015 and inversely proportional to contact pressure, revealing non-Amontonian behavior. Above a Hertzian contact pressure of ~500 MPa, shear strength dropped, indicating an activated process. Raman spectroscopy identified non-uniformity in areal coverage and relative order with contact pressure. Regions of steady-state low-friction behavior exhibited spectra similar to DLC coatings. Atomic force microscopy was used to study the formation and growth of films at the nanoscale. Stress- and time-dependent measurements suggested a sublinear increase of film volume with time, and a transition from growth to wear at a Hertzian contact pressure of ~1.2 GPa.
THE SHELTERED WORKSHOP IN PSYCHIATRIC REHABILITATION: THERAPEUTIC MODALITY AND SOCIOECONOMIC RESOURCE.

It was hypothesized that gainful employment in which at least mildly aberrant behavior could be tolerated would not only keep many erstwhile psychiatric patients out of the hospital but also lead to further social adjustment and mental improvement. A sheltered workshop was started to test these hypotheses, with the help of a continuous control series. The operation is described. Our conclusion after five years is that, when used to provide work, hence a livelihood, for released male patients unable to hold ordinary employment, the psychiatric sheltered workshop significantly reduces the number of returns to the hospital.
Optimizing surplus harmonics distribution in PWM

The goal of optimal pulse-width modulation (PWM) is to select the switching instances in such a way that a waveform with a particular characteristic is obtained and a certain criterion is minimized. The conventional method to solve the optimal PWM problem would usually lead to large content of surplus harmonics immediately following the eliminated frequency band, which may increase the filter loss and reduce the efficiency and performance of the whole controller. Meanwhile, it may increase the probability of resonance between line impedance and filter components. To overcome the shortcomings of conventional PWM methods, in this paper, we propose an algorithm for pushing the first crest of the surplus harmonics backward, ameliorating the amplitude frequency spectrum distribution of the output waveform, and thus reducing the impact of surplus harmonics. The problem is first formulated as a constrained optimization problem and then a Quantum-inspired Evolutionary Algorithm (QEA) algorithm is applied to solve it. Other than Newton-like methods, the enhanced QEA does not need good initial values for solving the optimal PWM problem and is not stuck in local optimum. The simulation results indicate that the algorithm is robust and scalable for a variety of application requirements.
Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale

The Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale (RADS) was first published in 1987 and since then has become one of the most used self-report measures of depression in adolescents. In 2002, the second edition of the RADS was published (RADS-2; Reynolds, 2002), which included the development of four empirically derived subscales that reliably evaluate meaningful components of depression in adolescents; extension of the age range to include 11- to 20-year-olds; a new standardization sample of 3,300 adolescents; standard scores (T scores) to assist in interpretation and comparisons across subscales; a new empirically derived clinical cutoff score; a quick scoring carbonless test protocol; and an expanded test manual with extensive psychometric information and interpretive procedures. Keywords: depression; adolescents; self-report
Storage change in a flat‐lying fracture during well tests

[1] The volume of water released from storage per unit head drop per volume of an REV is a basic quantity in groundwater hydrology, but the details of the process of storage change in the vicinity of a well are commonly overlooked. We characterize storage change in a flat-lying fracture or thin sedimentary bed through the apparent hydraulic compliance,Cf, the change in aperture of the fracture or thickness of the layer per unit change in pressure. The results of theoretical analyses and field measurements show that Cf increases with time near the well during pumping, but it drops suddenly and may become negative at the beginning of recovery during a well test. Profiles of Cfincrease with radial distance from a well, but they are marked by a sharp increase and a sharp decrease at the edge of the region affected by the wellbore pressure transient. The conventional view in groundwater hydrology is that storage change at a point is proportional to the local change in pressure, which requires that the hydraulic compliance is uniform and constant. It appears that this conventional view is a simplification of a process that varies in both space and time and can even take on negative values. This simplification may be a source of uncertainty when interpreting well tests and extensometer records or predicting long-term well performance.
Myhill—Nerode Relations

Two deterministic finite automata $$\begin{array}{l} M = ({Q_M},\;\sum {} ,\;{\delta _M},\;{s_M},\;{F_M}), \\ N = \left( {{Q_N},\sum {} ,{\delta _N},\;{s_N},\;{F_N}} \right) \\ \end{array} $$ are said to be isomorphic (Greek for “same form”) if there is a one-to-one and onto mapping f : Q M → Q N such that $$f\left( {{s_M}} \right) = {s_N},$$ $$f\left( {{\delta _M}\left( {p,a} \right)} \right) = {\delta _N}\left( {f\left( p \right),a} \right) \in {Q_M},\;a \in \sum {} ,\;and$$ $$p \in {F_M}\quad iff\quad f\left( p \right) \in {F_{N.}} $$
Chapter 3 Ab initio Molecular Dynamics: Dynamics and Thermodynamic Properties

Publisher Summary Molecular dynamics is a powerful technique to simulate classical many-body systems. It amounts to solving numerically the equations of motion. Molecular dynamics simulations have become possible with the advent of high-speed digital computers, and, from the early pioneering papers, molecular dynamics simulations have gained vast popularity and are now common in physics, chemistry, materials science, and biochemistry/biophysics. Molecular dynamics assumes that the atoms behave like classical particles. Given the value of the atomic masses, this is usually a good approximation in materials and molecules when the temperature is not too low. With presently available computational resources, it is possible to generate ab initio molecular dynamics trajectories spanning tens of picoseconds. These times are longer than molecular vibration periods and are also longer than typical relaxation times in a liquid. Significantly longer times, the order of hundreds of nanoseconds, are ordinarily accessible in simulations based on empirical potentials. Yet, all these times are very short on a macroscopic scale. Many physical phenomena involve collective molecular motions that occur on time scales inaccessible to direct molecular dynamics simulation.
Fluid ‘rope trick’ investigated

Buckling instabilities can arise from competition between axial compression and bending in slender objects. These are not restricted to solids, but also occur with fluids with free surfaces1,4, in geophysics5 and in materials processing6. Here we consider a classic demonstration of fluid buckling7.
The extremal volume ellipsoids of convex bodies, their symmetry properties, and their determination in some special cases

A convex body K in R n has associated with it a unique circumscribed ellipsoid CE(K) with minimum volume, and a unique inscribed ellipsoid IE(K) with maximum volume. We first give a unified, modern exposition of the basic theory of these extremal ellipsoids using the semi–infinite programming approach pioneered by Fritz John in his seminal 1948 paper. We then investigate the automorphism groups of convex bodies and their extremal ellipsoids. We show that if the automorphism group of a convex body K is large enough, then it is possible to determine the extremal ellipsoids CE(K) and IE(K) exactly, using either semi–infinite programming or nonlinear programming. As examples, we compute the extremal ellipsoids when the convex body K is the part of a given ellipsoid between two parallel hyperplanes, and when K is a truncated second order cone or an ellipsoidal cylinder.
Mechanism for early failure in Cu dual damascene structure

An infrared microscope and a convergent electron beam technique have been applied to detect and analyze the weak via in a Cu dual Damascene contact chain. It is shown that the early failure is due to cracking in the barrier metal layer, which opens up a fast diffusion path along the interface between the barrier metal and the dielectric. The subsequent opening and, in some cases, self-recovery of the via is also discussed. This early failure mode may impose severe limitation on the scalability of the dual Damascene structure.
When Seeing The Same Physician, Highly Activated Patients Have Better Care Experiences Than Less Activated Patients

Measures of the patient care experience are now routinely used in public reports and increasingly influence health provider payment. We examined data from 5,002 patients of forty-nine primary care providers to explore the relationship between patient activation—a term referring to the knowledge, skills, and confidence a patient has for managing his or her health care—and the patient care experience. We found that patients at higher levels of activation had more positive experiences than patients at lower levels seeing the same clinician. The observed differential was maintained when we controlled for demographic characteristics and health status. We did not find evidence that patients at higher levels of activation selected providers who were more patient-centric. The findings suggest that the care experience is transactional, shaped by both providers and patients. Strategies to improve the patient experience, therefore, should focus not only on providers but also on improving patients’ ability to elicit ...
Stability of ionically bonded surfaces in ionizing environments

Abstract We present criteria for the stability of ionic materials in ionizing environments, confining ourselves to cases where the core hole Auger decay mechanism of Knotek and Feibelman is applicable. The main result is that Auger induced decomposition will not occur unless the cation species in the solid is ionized down to a relatively deep filled shell. This shell must be sufficiently deep that an Auger decay starting from it will release the energy necessary for decomposition. The degree to which covalency in bonding affects stability is discussed. We show how these concepts can be applied by examination of the periodic table and a table of electron binding energies.
TM4SF1: a tetraspanin-like protein necessary for nanopodia formation and endothelial cell migration

Transmembrane-4-L-six-family-1 (TM4SF1) is a tetraspanin-like membrane protein that is highly and selectively expressed by cultured endothelial cells (EC) and, in vivo, by EC lining angiogenic tumor blood vessels. TM4SF1 is necessary for the formation of unusually long (up to a 50 μm), thin (~100–300 nm wide), F-actin-poor EC cell projections that we term ‘nanopodia’. Immunostaining of nanopodia at both the light and electron microsopic levels localized TM4SF1 in a regularly spaced, banded pattern, forming TM4FS1-enriched domains. Live cell imaging of GFP-transduced HUVEC demonstrated that EC project nanopodia as they migrate and interact with neighboring cells. When TM4SF1 mRNA levels in EC were increased from the normal ~90 mRNA copies/cell to ~400 copies/cell through adenoviral transduction, EC projected more and longer nanopodia from the entire cell circumference but were unable to polarize or migrate effectively. When fibroblasts, which normally express TM4SF1 at ~5 copies/cell, were transduced to express TM4SF1 at EC-like levels, they formed typical TM4SF1-banded nanopodia, and broadened, EC-like lamellipodia. Mass-spectrometry demonstrated that TM4SF1 interacted with myosin-10 and β-actin, proteins involved in filopodia formation and cell migration. In summary, TM4SF1, like genuine tetraspanins, serves as a molecular organizer that interacts with membrane and cytoskeleton-associated proteins and uniquely initiates the formation of nanopodia and facilitates cell polarization and migration.
CLEAR : A NOVEL FAMILY OF HIGHLY CROSS-LINKED POLYMERIC SUPPORTS FOR SOLID-PHASE PEPTIDE SYNTHESIS

Cross-Linked Ethoxylate Acrylate Resin (CLEAR) supports were prepared by radical copolymerization, either in the bulk or suspension mode, of the branched cross-linker trimethylolpropane ethoxylate (14/3 EO/OH) triacrylate (1) with one or more of allylamine (2), 2-aminoethyl methacrylate·HCl (3), poly(ethylene glycol-400) dimethacrylate (4), poly(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether methacrylate (5), and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (6). The resultant highly cross-linked copolymers by the bulk procedures were ground and sieved to particles, whereas the suspension polymerization procedure gave highly cross-linked spherical beaded supports. CLEAR polymeric supports showed excellent swelling properties in an unusually broad range of solvents, including water, alcohols, tetrahydrofuran, dichloromethane, and N,N-dimethylformamide. To demonstrate their usefulness for peptide synthesis, CLEAR supports were derivatized with an “internal reference” amino acid [norleucine] and a handle [5-(4-Fmoc-aminomethyl-3,5-dimet...
A necessary condition for effective performance of the multiple model adaptive estimator

Effective adaptive estimation for a general linear system driven by an input modeled by a randomly switching Gaussian process is considered. The performance of the multiple model adaptive estimator (MMAE) is, in some cases, unexpectedly hampered by a necessary condition not satisfied by the linear system. This key dependency for effective MMAE performance is based on a particular property of the DC gain of the linear system. >