cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison by 1H-nmr spectroscopy of the conformation of the 2600 dalton antifreeze glycopeptide of polar cod with that of the high molecular weight antifreeze glycoprotein.

The antifreeze glycopeptide (AFGP-8) from polar cod, B. saida, is a 14-amino acid polypeptide having alternating glycotripeptide sequences of Ala-[Gal(β1 3)GalNAc(β1 O)]-Thr-Pro and Ala-[Gal(β1 3)GalNAc(β1 O)]-Thr-Ala, with alanyl residues at amino and carboxy terminals. Conformational studies of AFGP-8 have been carried out by 1H-nmr and empirical energy calculations to investigate the difference in its antifreeze behavior from that of the more active high-molecular weight AFGP 1-4 of P. borchgrevinki. The 1H-nmr spectra, including the resonances of the exchangeable amide protons, were assigned by two-dimensional correlated spectroscopy (COSY), one-dimensional difference decoupling, and nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) measurements. For the four threonyl residues, the amide proton coupling constants and the small coupling constants between Hα and Hβ indicate similar conformations, despite significant chemical shift differences. The strong NOE between the α protons and the amide protons of the residue following together with large temperature coefficients of chemical shifts, indicate an extended conformation not consisting of α-helix, turns or bends. Energy computations indicate several low-energy conformations consistent with the observed coupling constants for ϕ. Among these, a left-handed helical conformation with three repeating residues per turn has been proposed, which is in accordance with the observed NOE between the methyl group of the α-GalNAc and Ala Hβs. While the observed Overhauser effects in the threonyl side chain suggest a certain amount of conformational averaging, the effect involving the acetmido methyl of α-GalNAc and Hβs of Ala indicate that it as is a major conformer. In view of the close similarity between the conformations of AFGP-8 and the more active antifreeze polymer, AFGP 1-4, we propose that the difference in their activities is due to the length of the regular repeating structure with glycosylation at every third amino acid residue, and not due to any fundamental difference in their conformations.
Paper Electrophoresis and Albumin/Globulin Ratios of the Serum of Normal Chickens and Chickens Fed Free Gossypol in the Diet

Abstract CHANG (1955) reported the lowering of the blood hemoglobin of chicks due to free gossypol feeding and postulated that free gossypol in the diet leads to interference with the synthesis of the proteins of the blood in these chicks. In view of the useful information that has been obtained in recent years using the electrophoresis technique in the study of normal and pathological sera, an experiment was planned to study the electrophoretic patterns of serum samples obtained from birds fed a normal diet, as well as from birds fed free gossypol in the diet. An electrophoresis cell using filter paper strips, as originally designed by Durrum (1950) and marketed by Spinco, was employed. Later it was discovered that the resolution of the globulins of chick serum is very poor on filter paper. More serum samples were obtained from birds used in a study of the effect of protein level on …
An empirical examination of a mediated model of strategic information systems planning success

Based upon the strategic information systems planning (SISP) and contingency theories, a mediating model was developed to investigate the direct and indirect effects of top management support on SISP success. The model was tested using partial least squares analysis on a sample of 57 information systems executives from US organisations. Top management support was found to influence SISP success both directly and indirectly through the information systems plan usefulness, but not through the information technology (IT) infrastructure flexibility. The former was found, as predicted, to be a significant mediator of the effects of top management support on SISP success. By contrast, IT infrastructure flexibility was not found to be a significant mediator.
Magnetic-field-induced V-shaped quantized conductance staircase in a double-layer quantum point contact

We show that the low-temperature conductance (G) of a quantum point contact consisting of ballistic tunnel-coupled double-layer quantum well wires is modulated by an in-layer magnetic field B{sub {parallel}} perpendicular to the wires due to the anticrossing. In a system with a small g factor, B{sub {parallel}} creates a V-shaped quantum staircase for G, causing it to decrease in steps of 2e{sup 2}/{Dirac_h} to a minimum and then increase to a maximum value, where G may saturate or decrease again at higher B{sub {parallel}}'s. The effect of B{sub {parallel}}-induced mass enhancement and spin splitting is studied. The relevance of the results to recent data is discussed.
The Americanness of the Social Gospel; An Inquiry in Comparative History

In an essay of the early 1920s, the Swiss theologian Emil Brunner offered alternative phrasings for the Protestant liberalism against which his generation was in revolt: one could speak of “the evolutionistic optimism of world-betterment,” or simply of “Christian Americanism.”
Exact universal gravitational lensing equation

We first define what we mean by gravitational lensing equations in a general space-time. A set of exact relations are then derived that can be used as the gravitational lens equations in all physical situations. The caveat is that into these equations there must be inserted a function, a two-parameter family of solutions to the eikonal equation, not easily obtained, that codes all the relevant (conformal) space-time information for this lens equation construction. Knowledge of this two-parameter family of solutions replaces knowledge of the solutions to the null geodesic equations. The formalism is then applied to the Schwarzschild lensing problem.
Recent Developments in the Economics of Time Use

The proliferation of new data sets and their harmonization with the older data sets have allowed researchers to make significant progress in our understanding of how individuals allocate their time away from market work. We highlight how these new data can be used to test theories of time use and we review recent developments in long-run trends in time use, life-cycle patterns of expenditures and labor supply, and the allocation of time over the business cycle.
Lipocalin-13 Regulates Glucose Metabolism by both Insulin-Dependent and Insulin-Independent Mechanisms

Insulin sensitivity is impaired in obesity, and insulin resistance is the primary risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Here we show that lipocalin-13 (LCN13), a lipocalin superfamily member, is a novel insulin sensitizer. LCN13 was secreted by multiple cell types. Circulating LCN13 was markedly reduced in mice with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Three distinct approaches were used to increase LCN13 levels: LCN13 transgenic mice, LCN13 adenoviral infection, and recombinant LCN13 administration. Restoration of LCN13 significantly ameliorated hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and glucose intolerance in mice with obesity. LCN13 enhanced insulin signaling not only in animals but also in cultured adipocytes. Recombinant LCN13 increased the ability of insulin to stimulate glucose uptake in adipocytes and to suppress hepatic glucose production (HGP) in primary hepatocyte cultures. Additionally, LCN13 alone was able to suppress HGP, whereas neutralization of LCN13 increased HGP in primary hepatocyte cultures. These data suggest that LCN13 regulates glucose metabolism by both insulin-dependent and insulin-independent mechanisms. LCN13 and LCN13-related molecules may be used to treat insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Sculpting Organs: Mechanical Regulation of Tissue Development

The ramified architectures of organs such as the mammary gland and lung are generated via branching morphogenesis, a developmental process through which individual cells bud and pinch off of pre-existing epithelial sheets. Although specified by signaling programs, organ development requires integration of all aspects of the microenvironment. We describe the essential role of endogenous cellular contractility in the formation of branching tubes. We also highlight the role of exogenous forces in normal and aberrant branching.
Ideen I and Eugen Fink’s Critical Contribution

Husserl’s Ideas I is the first volume of a three-part work laying out the conception of how his phenomenology was to be realized as a transcendental philosophic undertaking. However, it left undone the final phenomenological task, adequate analysis of the genuinely ultimate absolute, temporalization. When this was finally taken up in the C-Mss of the early 1930s, the analyses pursued revealed serious methodological issues, while indicating the extent of reconsideration and recasting needed for the results in stages of work such achieved in Ideas I, among other materials.
Designing effective step-by-step assembly instructions

We present design principles for creating effective assembly instructions and a system that is based on these principles. The principles are drawn from cognitive psychology research which investigated people's conceptual models of assembly and effective methods to visually communicate assembly information. Our system is inspired by earlier work in robotics on assembly planning and in visualization on automated presentation design. Although other systems have considered presentation and planning independently, we believe it is necessary to address the two problems simultaneously in order to create effective assembly instructions. We describe the algorithmic techniques used to produce assembly instructions given object geometry, orientation, and optional grouping and ordering constraints on the object's parts. Our results demonstrate that it is possible to produce aesthetically pleasing and easy to follow instructions for many everyday objects.
A diabetes education program for pharmacy students

This paper describes a novel education program for doctor of pharmacy students about diabetes, a chronic disorder of glucose metabolism affecting an estimated 16 million people in the United States. The Diabetes Program (DP) incorporates didactic learning, web-based case evaluation, and role play into a two-week comprehensive module on diabetes care. In the DP, students are placed in the role of the diabetes patient for one week and the diabetes pharmacist for one week using clinical faculty as preceptors for this case-based learning. Classroom education is provided in lecture format with laboratory learning in the format of a standard outpatient diabetes education class. The DP has earned positive evaluations from students and faculty. Student knowledge and confidence in self-care management of diabetes were improved by the program.
Ozone-Induced Nasal Type 2 Immunity in Mice Is Dependent on Innate Lymphoid Cells

Epidemiological studies suggest that elevated ambient concentrations of ozone are associated with activation of eosinophils in the nasal airways of atopic and nonatopic children. Mice repeatedly exposed to ozone develop eosinophilic rhinitis and type 2 immune responses. In this study, we determined the role of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in the pathogenesis of ozone-induced eosinophilic rhinitis by using lymphoid-sufficient C57BL/6 mice, Rag2(-/-) mice that are devoid of T cells and B cells, and Rag2(-/-)Il2rg(-/-) mice that are depleted of all lymphoid cells including ILCs. The animals were exposed to 0 or 0.8 ppm ozone for 9 consecutive weekdays (4 h/d). Mice were killed 24 hours after exposure, and nasal tissues were selected for histopathology and gene expression analysis. ILC-sufficient C57BL/6 and Rag2(-/-) mice exposed to ozone developed marked eosinophilic rhinitis and epithelial remodeling (e.g., epithelial hyperplasia and mucous cell metaplasia). Chitinase-like proteins and alarmins (IL-33, IL-25, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin) were also increased morphometrically in the nasal epithelium of ozone-exposed C57BL/6 and Rag2(-/-) mice. Ozone exposure elicited increased expression of Il4, Il5, Il13, St2, eotaxin, MCP-2, Gob5, Arg1, Fizz1, and Ym2 mRNA in C57BL/6 and Rag2(-/-) mice. In contrast, ozone-exposed ILC-deficient Rag2(-/-)Il2rg(-/-) mice had no nasal lesions or overexpression of Th2- or ILC2-related transcripts. These results indicate that ozone-induced eosinophilic rhinitis, nasal epithelial remodeling, and type 2 immune activation are dependent on ILCs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that ILCs play an important role in the nasal pathology induced by repeated ozone exposure.
Role of central melanocortins in endotoxin-induced anorexia

Inflammation and microbial infection produce symptoms, including fever, anorexia, and hypoactivity, that are thought to be mediated by endogenous proinflammatory cytokines. Melanocortins are known ...
Space Correlations of 35-GHz Transmissions Over a 28-km Path

Experiments have been carried out in order to measure the spatial and temporal nature of amplitude fluctuations observed on a 35 GHz, 28-km line-of-sight transmission path. The fluctuations are typically 1 dB in amplitude, with spectral widths of up to 1 Hz, and apparently drift horizontally past the several receiving antennas. The velocity of this drift, as determined by cross-correlation analysis of the fluctuations at several points, correlates well with the spectral width of the fluctuations, and is also correlated with observed windspeeds, indicating that the observed drift of the amplitude fluctuations is the result of the gross motions of the atmosphere. No corresponding drift was observed for vertical antenna separation. The spatial scale length of the fluctuations remained approximately the same for all conditions encountered, in both the horizontal and vertical planes. It is concluded that the temporal characteristics of the received signal are largely the result of the horizontal drift of a relatively fixed spatial distribution of amplitude, rather than of temporal changes in this distribution.
Dynamic Modeling and Flight Control Simulation of a Large Flexible Launch Vehicle

This paper presents the preliminary study results of dynamic modeling and flight control simulation of large flexible launch vehicles such as the Ares-I Crew Launch Vehicle. A complete set of six-degrees-of-freedom dynamic models of the Ares-I, incorporating its propulsion, aerodynamics, guidance and control, and structural flexibility, is developed. NASA’s Ares-I reference model and the SAVANT Simulink-based program are utilized to develop a Matlab-based simulation and linearization tool for an independent validation of the performance and stability of the ascent flight control system of the Ares-I. A linearized state-space model as well as a non-minimum-phase transfer function model (which is of typical for flexible vehicles with non-collocated actuators and sensors) is validated for the ascent flight control design and analysis of the Ares-I.
A Two-Criterion Model for Microvascular Bio-Effects Induced In Vivo by Contrast Microbubbles Exposed to Medical Ultrasound.

The mechanical index (MI) is a theoretical exposure parameter for cavitational bio-effects of diagnostic ultrasound. The theory for the MI assumed that bubbles of all relevant sizes exist in tissue, a condition that is approximated for tissues that include a microbubble contrast agent. Therefore, the MI should allow science-based safety guidance for contrast-enhanced diagnostic ultrasound. However, theoretical predictions of bio-effects thresholds based on the MI typically do not concur with the frequency dependence of experimentally measured thresholds for bio-effects. For example, experimental thresholds for glomerular capillary hemorrhage in rats infused with contrast microbubbles increased approximately linearly with frequency, whereas the MI predicted a square root dependence. Here, cavitation thresholds were computed for linear versions of the acoustic pulses used in that study assuming bubbles containing either air, C3F8, or a 1:1 mixture of the two and surrounded by either blood or kidney tissue. Although no single threshold criterion was successful, combining results for one criterion that maximized circumferential stress in the capillary wall with another that ensured an inertial collapse produced thresholds that were consistent with experimental data. This suggests that a contrast-specific safety metric may be achieved following validation of this two-criterion model.
Strategies to Circumvent Testosterone Surge and Disease Flare in Advanced Prostate Cancer: Emerging Treatment Paradigms

The testosterone surge and disease flare is a feared complication from initiation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist treatment in advanced prostate adenocarcinoma. It is a common practice to start an average 7-day pretreatment regimen with an antiandrogen agent before initiating GnRH agonist therapy, to circumvent disease flare from testosterone surge. However, this might not be the best strategy and can be harmful, especially in patients at high risk of imminent organ damage from minimal testosterone surge. Surgical castration is a simple and cost-effective method that should be considered in these scenarios. But most patients refuse this procedure because of the permanent and psychologic impact of surgery. Novel GnRH antagonists, such as degarelix, and cytochrome P450 17 (CYP17) enzyme inhibitors, such as ketoconazole, achieve castrate-equivalent serum testosterone levels much faster than traditional GnRH agonists without the need for coadministration of antiandrogens. This article reports on 3 cases of impending oncologic emergencies in advanced prostate adenocarcinoma treated promptly with degarelix and ketoconazole without any disease flare related to testosterone surge. In the setting of symptomatic hormone-naive metastatic prostate cancer, the authors suggest clinical trials using abiraterone, orteronel, and other newer agents that target the CYP17 axis (eg, ketoconazole) for fine-tuning the emergent medical castration methods and avoiding the dangers from the flare phenomenon.
Total Synthesis of (+)-SCH 351448: Efficiency via Chemoselectivity and Redox-Economy Powered by Metal Catalysis

The polyketide natural product (+)-SCH 351448, a macrodiolide ionophore bearing 14 stereogenic centers, is prepared in 14 steps (LLS). In eight prior syntheses, 22–32 steps were required. Multiple chemoselective and redox-economic functional group interconversions collectively contribute to a step-change in efficiency.
Appeasement and War: the Commonwealth Rôle

In isolation these words might suggest that on the British side the whole process of redefinition had been an act of faith. Faith there was certainly and it was the more easily sustained in years when the prospect of world war appeared remote or, to the more ardent believers in the League, nonexistent. It was powerfully reinforced by an idealised concept of Commonwealth, to which much contemporary writing, not least Lionel Curtis’s Civitas Dei, bears heady witness, as well as by cooler appraisal which saw in the new relationship an escape from imperialism by way of an experiment in free and equal association between nations. Did not this last, alone, provide sufficient cause to proceed with magnanimity, courage and vision?
Word and Object: Museums and the Matter of Meaning

We often think of works of art as possessors of meaning, and we think of museums as places where that meaning can be exhibited and encountered. But it is precisely at this first step of thinking about artistic meaning that we too easily import a conceptually entrenched model or picture of linguistic meaning that then constrains our appreciation of artistic meaning and what museum exhibitions actually do. That model of linguistic meaning is atomism: the notion that the single, self-contained word is the ultimate building block of meaning. This picture was excavated with exacting precision in Wittgenstein's sustained reflections on the nature of meaning, and the new way of seeing linguistic meaning that those reflections usher in holds direct significance for our understanding of artistic meaning, as we see here in examples from Rembrandt, Rietveld, and others. A more complete understanding of a dynamic, interactive, contextual, and use-based conception of language better reveals what actually happens in museums and the nature of the meaning we find there.
Socially-Aware Virtual Agents: Automatically Assessing Dyadic Rapport from Temporal Patterns of Behavior

This work focuses on data-driven discovery of the temporally co-occurring and contingent behavioral patterns that signal high and low interpersonal rapport. We mined a reciprocal peer tutoring corpus reliably annotated for nonverbals like eye gaze and smiles, conversational strategies like self-disclosure and social norm violation, and for rapport (in 30 s thin slices). We then performed a fine-grained investigation of how the temporal profiles of sequences of interlocutor behaviors predict increases and decreases of rapport, and how this rapport management manifests differently in friends and strangers. We validated the discovered behavioral patterns by predicting rapport against our ground truth via a forecasting model involving two-step fusion of learned temporal associated rules. Our framework performs significantly better than a baseline linear regression method that does not encode temporal information among behavioral features. Implications for the understanding of human behavior and social agent design are discussed.
The Tumor Is Inoperable: Tell the Patient or Punt to the Surgeon?

You were somewhat acquainted with the lady. After all you had met her several times at the nail salon. She was probably in her early 40s and she had children about the same age as yours. You talked about them. They were only a couple of grades apart in the same school. In fact, after you told her you were an anesthesiologist and sometimes your cases ran late, she offered to pick up your children and bring them to her house until you got home. So perhaps it was not surprising that she asked you about the indigestion she was getting, and the bloating feelings, and the vague pains. You suggested that she should try some antacids and some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories. When that did not work, you gave her the name of a gastroenterologist friend of yours.
Converter selection for products of the HVDC network

• Bilateral sales and purchase for capacity and energy during a peak period at clearing prices or marginal cost • Implemented as an interchange with the HVDC Network • Probably in a Day Ahead forecast • May be adjusted in Real Time • Not a new market product
Oncometabolic Tracks in the Heart

The term cancer and the heart is readily associated with the cardiotoxicity of antineoplastic agents, such as anthracyclines or receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors. This Viewpoint offers a different perspective, drawing attention to the consequences of metabolic dysregulation in cancers for energy substrate metabolism and contractile function of the heart and to common cellular strategies present in cancers and in the failing heart. On the basis of his observations in proliferating ascites tumor cells, Otto Warburg1 proposed that cancer cells derive their energy from the glycolytic breakdown of glucose even in oxygen-rich conditions. Warburg postulated that this metabolic shift, or oncometabolism, arose from dysfunctional mitochondria, and the inability of cancer cells to carry out oxidative phosphorylation. The term oncometabolism refers to an ensemble of metabolic rearrangements that accompany oncogenesis and tumor progression. Recent advances in cancer cell metabolism research have amended Warburg’s seminal findings by showing, for example, that mitochondrial metabolism in cancer cells is not defective. Today’s system-oriented view is that the metabolism of cancer cells is reprogrammed to optimize the flux of glucose and amino acids into biosynthetic pathways supporting proliferation and cell division.2,3 In the context of cancer, metabolic rearrangements are required to enable tumor growth. Similar to cancer cells, cardiac metabolism is remodeled in response to stress, which allows fluxes of intermediary substrates to meet the challenges of energy demand and macromolecule synthesis. There are several lines of evidence for this hypothesis. First, the failing human heart reverts to the metabolic gene program of the fetal heart,4 which causes a shift from predominately utilization of fatty acids to glucose. Second, when stressed by pressure overload, the heart responds with an increase in glucose metabolism, as shown both ex vivo and in vivo.5 In other words, the metabolic remodeling …
Effect of fused layer modeling (FLM) processing parameters on impact strength of cellular polypropylene

Abstract Fused layer modeling (FLM) or fused deposition modeling (FDM) can be used to produce polymer components with a cellular structure. The existence of cells (voids) in FLM parts degrades mechanical properties. This study was done to understand the influence of two printing parameters, layer height (0.1 mm and 0.3 mm) and extrusion temperature (200 °C and 250 °C), on the Izod impact strength of polypropylene (PP). Morphological analysis showed that smaller layer height and higher extrusion temperature generally resulted in smaller cell size but larger cell density. Printed PP components were lighter than injection molded PP parts. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses confirmed that both α and β type crystals existed in printed PP. PP printed at 250 °C had lower impact strength while components printed at 200 °C had similar impact strength to injection molded PP.
Nurses on the move: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation nurse faculty scholars and their action on the social determinants of health

Objective: Medical care alone cannot adequately improve population health or eliminate inequities; social determinants of health (SDH) must be addressed. This study’s purpose was to describe the re...
Healthcare-Associated Infections in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

Pediatric hematology-oncology and hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients are at high risk of infections, including healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), resulting in a need to prevent these occurrences when possible. Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), and respiratory viral infections are of particular concern, and the incidence, definition, and other features are reviewed. Currently, standard prevention guidelines exist for selected HAIs, and so the prevention approach for each infection must be considered separately. Prevention strategies have emerged through collaborative efforts, as well as measurement of both process and outcome data. Measurement includes surveillance of infection occurrence; identification and reporting of prevention methods, such as bundles; and the outcomes associated with these approaches. These prevention and measurement approaches are only successful when approached collaboratively with engagement across the entire healthcare team. Through continued measurement and process improvement based on the data collected, more sustainable approaches to infection prevention can be developed. With systematic effort, the occurrence of HAI should be reduced, and patient harm will be prevented.
Wearable IoT data stream traceability in a distributed health information system

Abstract With the soaring interest in the Internet of Things (IoT), some healthcare providers are facilitating remote care delivery through the use of wearable devices. These devices are employed for continuous streaming of personal medical data (e.g., vitals, medications, allergies, etc.) into healthcare information systems for the purposes of health monitoring and efficient diagnosis. However, a challenge from the perspective of the physicians is the inability to reliably determine which data belongs to who in real-time. This challenge emanates from the fact that healthcare facilities have numerous users who own multiple devices; thereby creating an N x M data source heterogeneity and complexities for the streaming process. As part of this research, we seek to streamline the process by proposing a wearable IoT data streaming architecture that offers traceability of data routes from the originating source to the health information system. To overcome the complexities of mapping and matching device data to users, we put forward an enhanced Petri Nets service model that aids with a transparent data trace route generation, tracking and the possible detection of medical data compromises. The results from several empirical evaluations conducted in a real-world wearable IoT ecosystem prove that: 1) the proposed system’s choice of Petri Net is best suited for linkability, unlinkability, and transparency of the medical IoT data traceability, 2) under peak load conditions, the IoT architecture exhibits high scalability, and 3) distributed health information system threats such as denial of service, man-in-the-middle, spoofing, and masking can be effectively detected.
Viewer-Aware Intelligent Efficient Mobile Video Embedded Memory

Embedded memory is a critical component in today’s mobile video processing systems, increasingly dominating power consumption and shortening battery life of mobile devices. Traditional hardware-level power optimization techniques usually come with significant implementation overhead to solve the memory failure problem during low-voltage operations. This paper presents a novel mobile video memory to exploit the power saving opportunities provided by a viewer experience under environmental visual interference. The viewing contexts, in particular the ambient luminance, significantly influence the quality of the viewer experience, and in the context with higher luminance levels, mobile users have higher tolerance to the video degradation. Accordingly, the memory failures can be introduced adaptively to achieve power savings without influencing the viewer experience. To meet the silicon area constraint in mobile devices, a simple but an efficient hardware implementation scheme is developed to minimize area overhead. The experimental results based on a 45-nm CMOS technology show that, as compared with the conventional memory design, the proposed technique can achieve up to 48% power savings with good perceivable quality and negligible implementation overhead.
The SUMup Dataset: Compiled Measurements of Surface Mass Balance Components over Ice Sheets and Sea Ice with Analysis over Greenland

Abstract. Increasing atmospheric temperatures over ice cover affect surface processes, including melt, snowfall, and snow density. Here, we present the Surface Mass Balance and Snow on Sea Ice Working Group (SUMup) dataset, a standardized dataset of Arctic and Antarctic observations of surface mass balance components. The July 2018 SUMup dataset consists of three subdatasets, snow/firn density ( https://doi.org/10.18739/A2JH3D23R ), at least near-annually resolved snow accumulation on land ice ( https://doi.org/10.18739/A2DR2P790 ), and snow depth on sea ice ( https://doi.org/10.18739/A2WS8HK6X ), to monitor change and improve estimates of surface mass balance. The measurements in this dataset were compiled from field notes, papers, technical reports, and digital files. SUMup is a compiled, community-based dataset that can be and has been used to evaluate modeling efforts and remote sensing retrievals. Active submission of new or past measurements is encouraged. Analysis of the dataset shows that Greenland Ice Sheet density measurements in the top 1 m do not show a strong relationship with annual temperature. At Summit Station, Greenland, accumulation and surface density measurements vary seasonally with lower values during summer months. The SUMup dataset is a dynamic, living dataset that will be updated and expanded for community use as new measurements are taken and new processes are discovered and quantified.
Natural Gas Storage Industry Experience and Technology: Potential Application to CO2 Geological Storage

This chapter reviews the portfolio of technologies available within the underground gas storage industries and evaluates their applicability to geologic CO 2 storage. Gas storage operators have accumulated a significant knowledge base for the safe and effective storage of natural gas. While gas leakage has occurred due to well failures and geologic factors, overall gas storage has been effectively and efficiently performed. The chapter describes three types of gas movement—gas leakage, which is defined as unwanted gas movement through an intended cap rock; gas release that is defined as leaking gas having escaped to the atmosphere; and gas migration in which unwanted gas is moved within a reservoir but contained within the reservoir. Most gas leakage incidents in underground natural gas storage operations have occurred due to wellbore integrity problems. Poor cement jobs, casing corrosion, and improperly plugged wells in converted oil and gas fields have all contributed to gas leakage. Remedial action procedures and technologies to address these problems are well established in the oil and gas industry and have been proven to be effective.
Shi Xiaozhang’s Spirit Road Stele and the Rhetorical “Barbarization” of Late Tang Hebei

In 1943, Chen Yinke proposed the influential theory that the late Tang court’s inability to reestablish direct control over the provinces of Hebei was due to the latter’s transformation into an eth...
Phase 2 trial of pembrolizumab (PEM) plus granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in advanced biliary cancers (ABC): Clinical outcomes and biomarker analyses.

4087Background: The efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibition (CPI) has not been established in ABC. The combination of CPI plus the myeloid cytokine GM-CSF was safe with prolonged overall survival ...
Analysis of the INTERMACS post-LVAD RVF definition and Severe RVF in a Multi-Institutional Retrospective Cohort Study

Introduction Early RVF after LVAD implant has been studied using varying definitions. We set out to compare the new INTERMACS post-LVAD RVF criteria and traditional severe RVF definitions in our multi-institutional cohort. Hypothesis The INTERMACS RVF and severe RVF definition will both show increased mortality at 1-year. Methods We performed a dual-center retrospective study of 471 patients who received a continuous-flow durable LVAD and data available to assess RVF severity. The new INTERMACS RVF definition stratifies RVF into mild, moderate, severe, and acute-severe. Severe RVF was defined as meeting criteria for clinical RVF and having inotropes > 14 days after implant, inotropes re-started after 14 days of implant, RVAD placement during implant admission, and death from RVF during implant admission. A survival analysis of the INTERMACS RVF and severe RVF definitions was performed. A multivariate analysis using clinical markers associated with post-LVAD mortality was then completed to assess the independent effect of the RVF definitions. Results Of the 471 patients, 100 (21%) had severe RVF. Stratified by INTERMACS-RVF, 279 (59%) had no RVF, 37 (8%) had mild RVF, 53 (11%) had moderate RVF, 57 (12%) had severe RVF, and 47 (17%) had acute-severe RVF. Our multivariate model (adjusted for age, gender, and ethnicity) for predictors of 1-year mortality showed that PAPi Conclusion Our multi-institutional cohort shows that severe RVF and INTERMACS RVF severe and acute-severe predict mortality at 1-year, and notably shows that mild and moderate INTERMACS RVF do not predict mortality. The new INTERMACS classification of RVF provides more granularity in stratifying RVF and may be more clinically applicable.
Adsorption behavior of gold in ammoniacal solutions on activated carbon

The adsorption behavior of gold in ammoniacal solutions on activated carbon was studied. The gold adsorption capacity of the activated carbon and the recovery efficiency were examined. The parameters affecting the adsorption of gold on the activated carbon included temperature, agitation speed, the concentration of cation and anion and the concentration of ammonia. It was found that the maximum gold adsorption was about 10 kg/t of carbon. The recovery of gold by the adsorption from ammoniacal solutions was found to be dependent upon the initial gold concentration. Under experimental conditions, a gold recovery of 98% was obtained after 120 hrs of adsorption. It was also found that the initial adsorption rate was relatively fast, when compared to the entire adsorption period. The apparent activation energy for the adsorption was determined to be 15.8 kJ/mol. It was believed that the kinetics of gold adsorption on the activated carbon was controlled by pore diffusion.
Pancreaticoduodenectomy and placement of operative enteral access: Better or worse?

Abstract Background It is unclear whether placement of operative enteral access (OEA) during pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) correlates with decreased morbidity. Methods A retrospective chart review of patients undergoing PD with and without OEA placement between January 2016 and May 2018 was undertaken. Outcomes included length of stay (LOS), 30- and 90-day readmission, initiation of total parenteral nutrition (TPN), postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), delayed gastric emptying (DGE), and surgical site infection (SSI). Results 69 patients were evaluated; there was a trend toward decreased LOS for patients without OEA (9 vs. 7.5 days, p = 0.07). There were no significant differences in initiation of TPN (9.1% vs 19.4%, p = 0.311), POPF (21.2% vs 11.1%, p = 0.999), DGE (24.2% vs 22.2%, p = 0.999), organ/space SSI (12.1% vs 8.3%, p = 0.702). Conclusion OEA placement at the time of PD is not necessarily associated with improved perioperative morbidity and outcomes, suggesting that OEA may not be necessary and should be considered on a case by case basis. Summary It is unclear whether placement of operative enteral access (OEA) during pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) correlates with decreased morbidity. A retrospective review of patients undergoing PD with and without OEA placement between January 2016 and May 2018 was performed, demonstrating that there were no overall significant differences in postoperative complications and outcomes.
Kritische Fragen zu einer neuen diagnostischen Technologie: Computertomographie des Schädels als Fallstudie

Kontroversen unter Neurologen, Rontgenologen, Planern des offentlichen Gesundheitswesens, Krankenhausverwaltern und Politikern haben die Anwendung der Computertomographie (CT) seit ihrer Einfuhrung im Jahre 1973 gekennzeichnet. Einerseits wurde auf die hohen Kosten und die noch unbewiesene Wirksamkeit dieses Verfahrens hingewiesen und betont, das wegen seiner raschen Verbreitung und seines potentiell ubersteigerten Einsatzes Vorsicht geboten sei (OTA 1978). Andererseits wird auf die hohe Sicherheit der Technik, die den Patienten nicht belastet, und deren einzigartige Leistungsfahigkeit zur Bilddarstellung innerer Strukturen hingewiesen als Grunde fur die Forderung einer raschen Verbreitung und Verfugbarkeit dieses Verfahrens fur grose Teile der Bevolkerung (Blaker 1975). Beide Extreme haben 3 Schlusselfragen im Mittelpunkt, die bei jeder neuen medizinischen Technologie zu stellen sind: 1. Ist die Technologie wirksamer als existierende Alternativen (im vorliegenden Fall die bildgebenden Verfahren mit Radionukliden)? Wieviel wirksamer ist sie? 2. Kann die neue Technologie fur diejenigen Patienten eingesetzt werden, die sie am dringensten benotigen (bzw. von jenen ferngehalten werden, die sie am wenigsten brauchen)? Welche Nachteile („tradeoffs“) wurde es mit sich bringen, wenn wir in ihrer Anwendung selektiver waren? 3. Wieviel kostet die Technologie?
Risk factors for complications following decompression of non-traumatic compartment syndrome

Abstract Purpose To investigate the rate of and risk factors for complications following non-traumatic compartment syndrome decompression. Methods The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried from 2006 to 2016 for non-traumatic compartment syndrome diagnosis codes. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors for 30-day complications and hospital readmissions. Results Overall complication, major complication, minor complication, and hospital readmission rates were 4.5%, 2.5%, 2.3%, and 2.0%, respectively. Active smoking was identified as a risk factor for post-operative complication (95%CI 1.19–9.24). Conclusion The complication profile of non-traumatic compartment syndrome decompression is higher than that of traditional elective orthopaedic surgery. Level of evidence IV.
Reduced acquisition time for L-shell x-ray fluorescence computed tomography using polycapillary x-ray optics.

Purpose X-ray fluorescence computed tomography (XFCT) is an emerging molecular imaging modality for preclinical and clinical applications with high atomic number contrast agents. XFCT allows detection of molecular biomarkers at tissue depths of 4-9 mm at L-shell energies and several centimeters for K-shell energies, while maintaining high spatial resolution. This is typically not possible for other molecular imaging modalities. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate XFCT imaging with reduced acquisition times. To accomplish this, x-ray focusing polycapillary optics are utilized to simultaneously increase x-ray fluence rate and spatial resolution in L-shell XFCT imaging. Materials and methods A prototype imaging system using a polycapillary focusing optic was demonstrated. The optic, which was custom-designed for this prototype, provided a high fluence rate with a focal spot size of 2.6 mm at a source to isocenter distance of 3 cm with a ten times higher fluence rate compared to standard collimation. The study evaluates three different phantoms to explore different trade-offs and limitations of L-shell XFCT imaging. A low-contrast gold phantom and a high-contrast gold phantom, each with three target regions with gold concentrations of 60, 80, and 100 μg ml - 1 for low contrast and 200, 600, and 1000 μg ml - 1 for high contrast, and a mouse-sized water phantom with gold concentrations between 300 and 500 μg ml - 1 were imaged. X-ray fluorescence photons were measured using a silicon drift detector (SDD) with an energy resolution of 180 eV FWHM at an x-ray energy of 11 keV. Images were reconstructed with an iterative image reconstruction algorithm and analyzed for contrast to noise ratio (CNR) and signal to noise ratio (SNR). Results The XFCT data acquisition could be reduced from 17 h to under 1 h. The polycapillary x-ray optic increases the x-ray fluence rate and lowers the amount of background scatter which leads to reduced imaging time and improved sensitivity. The quantitative analysis of the reconstructed images validates that concentrations of 60 μg ml - 1 of gold can be visualized with L-shell XFCT imaging. For a mouse-sized phantom, a concentration of 300 μg ml - 1 gold was detected within a 66 min measurement. Conclusions With a high fluence rate pencil beam from a polycapillary x-ray source, a reduction in signal integration time is achieved. It is presented that subtle amounts of contrast agents can be detected with L-shell XFCT within biologically relevant time frames. Our basic measurements show that the polycapillary x-ray source technology is appropriate to realize preclinical L-shell XFCT imaging. The integration of more SDDs into the system will lower the dose and increase the sensitivity.
The Automatic Construction of Bootstrap Confidence Intervals

The standard intervals, for example, θ±1.96σ for nominal 95% two-sided coverage, are familiar and easy to use, but can be of dubious accuracy in regular practice. Bootstrap confidence intervals o...
What Factors Drive the Changes in Water Withdrawals in the U.S. Agriculture and Food Manufacturing Industries between 1995 and 2010

Climate change and increasing world population will directly impact the global food supply chain linkages. In the United States, agricultural production requires less irrigated water than before bu...
The Crisis of Overproduction Deferred by Credit, the Consequent Growth of the Finance Industry and the Housing Bubble, and Its Bursting

The crisis of overproduction, temporarily ameliorated by credit, mainly in the form of mortgages, boosted demand for, and thus the price of, housing. This brought speculative investors into the market, further increasing housing’s value, against which households could leverage secondary mortgages and collateralize further borrowing. This rendered not only the financial sector of the economy, but the real sector producing concrete goods and non-financial services, increasingly profitable. However, recognizing that speculatively fueled increase in housing prices rendered them increasingly unaffordable to potential occupants, upon whose demand prices ultimately depended, investors rushed to sell, glutting the housing market, leaving many householders underwater, and unwilling or/and unable to service the secondary mortgages and other credit/debt that had preciously enabled them to afford the goods and services of the real economy.
A Multi-Mode System for Myocardial Functional and Physiological Assessment during Ex Situ Heart Perfusion.

Ex situ heart perfusion (ESHP) has proven to be an important and valuable step toward better preservation of donor hearts for heart transplantation. Currently, few ESHP systems allow for a convenient functional and physiological evaluation of the heart. We sought to establish a simple system that provides functional and physiological assessment of the heart during ESHP. The ESHP circuit consists of an oxygenator, a heart-lung machine, a heater-cooler unit, an anesthesia gas blender, and a collection funnel. Female Yorkshire pig hearts (n = 10) had del Nido cardioplegia (4°C) administered, excised, and attached to the perfusion system. Hearts were perfused retrogradely into the aortic root for 2 hours before converting the system to an isovolumic mode or a working mode for further 2 hours. Blood samples were analyzed to measure metabolic parameters. During the isovolumic mode (n = 5), a balloon inserted in the left ventricular (LV) cavity was inflated so that an end-diastolic pressure of 6-8 mmHg was reached. During the working mode (n = 5), perfusion in the aortic root was redirected into left atrium (LA) using a compliance chamber which maintained an LA pressure of 6-8 mmHg. Another compliance chamber was used to provide an afterload of 40-50 mmHg. Hemodynamic and metabolic conditions remained stable and consistent for a period of 4 hours of ESHP in both isovolumic mode (LV developed pressure: 101.0 ± 3.5 vs. 99.7 ± 6.8 mmHg, p = .979, at 2 and 4 hours, respectively) and working mode (LV developed pressure: 91.0 ± 2.6 vs. 90.7 ± 2.5 mmHg, p = .942, at 2 and 4 hours, respectively). The present study proposed a novel ESHP system that enables comprehensive functional and metabolic assessment of large mammalian hearts. This system allowed for stable myocardial function for up to 4 hours of perfusion, which would offer great potential for the development of translational therapeutic protocols to improve dysfunctional donated hearts.
Accuracy of Urologic Conditions Portrayed on Grey’s Anatomy:

Despite the common prevalence of urologic diseases, studies have demonstrated that the general public often has little knowledge or insight into the field of urology or the role of an urologist. In this study, we investigated the context, frequency, and accuracy of urologic conditions on the television series Grey's Anatomy. We reviewed episodes from the first 15 seasons. Episodes with urologic references were then screened and the urologic conditions, outcomes, and treatments were recorded. We identified a total of only 21 urologic events across 15 seasons and 342 episodes of Grey's Anatomy. A total of 52% (11/21) of the conditions were related to external male genitalia. The portrayal of these conditions and the associated treatments were considered to be medically accurate within reason 62% (13/21) of the time. There is significant room for improvement to increase the portrayal of common urologic conditions and malignancies to improve the public's awareness and perception of our specialty.