cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Survey of ancient water technologies in semi-arid and arid regions: traditional knowledge for the future

There are many people on Earth today that live with severe water shortages and severe lack of sanitation, particularly among the poor. These people for the most part do not understand the knowledge base of methodologies of harvesting and conveying water and sanitation methods that have been around for thousands of years. A survey of ancient water technologies used in semi-arid and arid regions is presented in this paper. The survey will include methodologies used by Mesopotamians, the Persians, the Egyptians, and the Nabataeans. The attempt here is to explore how these traditional methods developed by the ancients in semi-arid and arid regions of the world could possibly be used to help solve the present-day water resources sustainability problems, especially in developing parts of the world. The advantages of the traditional knowledge of ancient water technologies are explored with the goal of determining ways to help poor people with water shortages and sanitation.
Is Low FMR1 CGG Repeat Length in Males Correlated with Family History of BRCA-Associated Cancers? An Exploratory Analysis of Medical Records

The FMR1 gene has been studied extensively with regard to expansions and premutations, but much less research has focused on potential effects of low CGG repeat length. Previous studies have demonstrated that BRCA1/2 positive women are more likely to have an FMR1 genotype with one low CGG allele, and that women with both FMR1 alleles in the low CGG repeat range are more likely to have had breast cancer compared to women with normal numbers of CGG repeats. However, there has been no research as to whether low CGG repeat length impacts cancer risks in men. Therefore, this study aimed to examine cancer incidence and related risk factors in men with low CGG repeat length in the FMR1 gene. We utilized subject data from the Marshfield Personalized Medicine Research Project to compare cancer-related diagnoses between 878 males with low CGG repeat length (< 24 repeats) and 368 male controls with CGG repeats in the normal range (24 to 40 repeats). We utilized ICD-9 codes to examine various cancer diagnoses, family histories of cancer, other non-malignant neoplasms, cancer surveillance, and genetic susceptibility. Men with low CGG repeats were identified to have significantly higher rates of family history of any cancer type (p = 0.011), family history of any BRCA-associated cancer (p = 0.002), and specifically, family history of prostate cancer (p = 0.007). The mean number of BRCA-associated cancer diagnoses (breast, prostate, pancreatic, and melanoma) per individual in the low CGG group was slightly higher than that of the control group, with this difference trending toward significance (p = 0.091). Additionally, men with low CGG repeats had significantly higher rates of connective/soft tissue neoplasms (p = 0.026). Additional research is needed to replicate the observations reported in this preliminary exploratory study, particularly including verification of ICD-9 codes and family history by a genetic counselor.
Abstract 314: Development of a Nanotube-coated Nitinol Stent for Delivery of Resolvin D1

Introduction: As part of a Vascular Innovation and Therapeutic Advances (VITA) contract from NHLBI, we sought to optimize a nitinol drug eluting stent to deliver a novel bioactive lipid mediator Resolvin D1 (RvD1). Methods: Nitinol stents were secured as the anode in an ethylene glycol-based anodization setup to create nanotubes on the stent surface. Scanning electron microscopy was used to evaluate the quality of the coatings where an iterative process was utilized to optimize anodization conditions (70V, 5min). To ascertain structural integrity of the coatings, stents were observed under SEM after compression in a crimping device followed by self-expansion. Nanotube-coated (NT) and unmodified bare metal (BM) nitinol stents were loaded with RvD1 by dip-coating (with sonication) followed by hanging drop evaporation of RvD1 (in ethanol). Stents were eluted in media and RvD1 levels were analyzed by EIA. An ex vivo model of vascular stent implantation was created using a 3D printer and RvD1 delivery to the vessel wall (segment of rabbit aorta) and circulating flow medium was quantified after 3 hrs of stent implantation. Results: NT stents released significant amounts of RvD1 (1273ng cumulative at day 9), where 1177ng (± 238) of RvD1 was released within 3hr and 0.111ng (± 0.014) of RvD1 was released between day 7 and day 9. Net amount of RvD1 released was 0.2nM - 2000nM, which is physiologically relevant and within the milestone goal. NT stents released much higher levels of RvD1 (9.7 pg/mg vessel; ±1.39) to the vessel wall compared to standard BM stent controls (3.9 pg/mg vessel; ±2.0) and native vessel (1.3 pg/mg vessel; ±0.5). Conclusion: We have developed optimized anodization conditions for creating a uniform coating of titania nanotubes on nitinol stents that is able to survive crimping and self-expansion. NT stents demonstrate improved loading and elution of the lipid mediator RvD1 in an ex-vivo artery flow model.
Hot-wire and PIV characterisation of a novel small-scale turbulent channel flow facility developed to study premixed expanding flames

ABSTRACTWe demonstrate a small-scale channel flow facility with passive and active turbulence generators for the study of spherically expanding turbulent flames. Traditionally, this canonical flame type is investigated in stagnant cylindrical combustion chambers with imposed turbulence. Incorporating a convective flow allows for a wider variety of flowfields and turbulence conditions to be studied. We compare the turbulence properties of our novel facility with cylindrical chambers and large-scale wind tunnels, discussing the design and validation strategy along with quantifiable turbulence properties. Measurements are made utilising hot-wire anemometry (HWA) and particle image velocimetry (PIV). The turbulent properties are analysed for a range of Reynolds numbers ( 130–480, computed from streamwise RMS velocities and transverse Taylor microscales). Comparing PIV results with HWA, emphasise is put on the achievement of sensible estimates for small-scale quantities relevant to mixing. The facility is demo...
Fluorescent nanoparticle for bacteria and DNA detection.

Using bioconjugated dye-doped silica nanoparticles (NPs), we have developed a bioassay for the accurate determination of a single bacterial cell within 20 minutes without any signal amplification or sample enrichment. The antibody-conjugated NPs can specifically and quantitatively detect bacteria, such as Escherichia coli O157∶H7 from beef through antibody-antigen recognition. Dye-doped silica NPs have also been successfully used for DNA detection at sub-fentomolar concentrations. Our results demonstrate the potential of dye-doped silica NPs for broad applications in practical biotechnological and medical applications in various biodetection systems. The ultimate goal of integrating bionanotechnology into complex biological systems will emerge as a revolutionary tool for ultrasensitive detection of disease markers and infectious agents.
Visualization of higher genus carbon nanomaterials: free energy, persistent current, and entanglement entropy

The goal of this project is to explore computational nanoscience. We theoretically investigate the fascinating quantum structures, as well as electrical and chemical properties of carbonbased nanomaterials.We examine the toroidal topology of a tightbinding model of carbon-based nanomaterials with magnetic flux using visualization and simulation with applications of nanoelectronics and beyond Moores Law computing. Our method starts with constructing a 3D structure with molecular editing and modeling program, such as Avogadro and Visual Molecular Dynamics (VMD). Then we generate an adjacency matrix of each structure using C++ code and determine the eigenvalues from the adjacency matrix. Finally, we animate these nanomaterials properties at a finite temperature, density, and flux potential to observe how the free energy, persistent current, and entanglement entropy changes shape for each of the carbon-based nanomaterial structures such as ring, double rings, M¨obius strip, nanotorus, and double nanotorus. Additionally, each illustrative calculation will be exported as a 3D animated plot video, and the geometry of each material will be 3D printed and view on virtual reality (VR) headsets using UnityMol as well as high resolution displays.
Federal Laboratories of Democracy

Facilitating state policy experimentation is an oft-cited justification for the U.S. federalism system. Despite growing recognition of risk aversion, free riding, and other disincentives to state-led experimentation, the mythology of state laboratories still dominates these accounts. We propose a framework that counters this entrenched assumption and enables more productive analysis of policy experimentation. The Article explores a continuum of experimental approaches that differ in terms of the degree of experimental rigor that they incorporate — such as the extent to which they control for confounding variables — and the governance levels at which they are designed and implemented. We apply this new analytical framework to case studies from divergent policy areas, including agricultural, natural resources, and education law. These examples highlight rigorous experiments designed and largely administered by federal agencies. Our framework and case studies turn the concept of the “laboratories of the states” on its head, showing that experimentation can and often does occur at multiple levels, including the federal level. In countering and adding nuance to traditional experimentation accounts, the Article also reveals the benefits of federal involvement in policy experiments, and thus the perils of weakening federal authority in an effort to enhance core federalism values like experimentation. Federal expertise and resources — and even the simple availability of experimental platforms, such as federally-owned and managed lands — often give the federal government a comparative advantage in the policy experimentation field. This is not to say that the federal government should consistently lead and implement experiments, but it calls attention to the importance of understanding experimentation as a multi-level endeavor that extends well beyond the states.
Evaluating the Impact of Elder Cottage Housing on Residents and their Hosts

Family members who wish to have their older relatives live with them often encounter obstacles that make such an arrangement unworkable. Proponents of the Elder Cottage, and its variant, the Homecare Suite, suggest that many of these obstacles can be avoided with Elder Cottage use. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of Elder Cottages on a variety of resident and host outcomes. A nonequivalent comparison group design was used. Thirty-one treatment group residents and their hosts received Elder Cottages whereas 24 comparison group residents and their hosts remained on a waiting list. Results showed that residents using Elder Cottages reported significantly greater satisfaction with their housing, increased independence, more telephone contacts with friends and family, improved relationships with hosts, more accessible housing, and less formal service use than those in the comparison group. Similarly, hosts in the treatment group reported significantly greater satisfaction with the residents' housing and less stress in their caregiving roles than those in the comparison group. In addition, fewer Elder Cottage hosts than comparison group hosts engaged in caregiver-related driving. Answers to short-answer questions mirrored the quantitative findings. These results provide substantial optimism with respect to the Elder Cottage as a housing option for older adults, although interviews with housing specialists suggested that families will need financial and caregiving assistance for this option to be viable.
Multiple Meanings of “Phoneme” (Articulatory, Acoustic, Perceptual, Graphemic) and Their Confusions

Publisher Summary Psycholinguistics has been closely linked to phonetics, and this intimate relation has been a source of both strength and weakness. The concept that speech can be considered as a sequence of basic units, or phonemes, has enriched the humankind understands of speech, but also has resulted in serious confusions and conflicts. While the analysis of speech into consonants and vowels has led to the development of the alphabet, and more recently to the powerful tool of phonetic analysis, the use of phonetic units has been extended into inappropriate areas. This chapter discusses that there are four different uses of the single term phoneme, such as: (1) Phoneme 1 referring to an articulatory unit; (2) Phoneme 2 referring to an acoustic unit; (3) Phoneme 3 referring to a perceptual unit; and (4) Phoneme 4 referring to a unit employed by phoneticians to transcribe speech. The transcription Phoneme 4 is based upon the articulatory gestures of Phoneme 1 . The acoustic Phoneme 2 has been the subject of extensive investigation. The perceptual Phoneme 3 has been employed widely in models and theories of speech perception, but there is at present experimental evidence that identification of Phoneme 3 by listeners can be accomplished only if they have had training in alphabetic writing.
RanDroid: Structural Similarity Approach for Detecting Ransomware Applications in Android Platform

The worldwide epidemic of ransomware monetary gains has grown astonishingly. This crimeware form is emerged to extort innocent users under the threat of locking their devices and/or encrypting their files. To mitigate the growth of ransomware attacks, cybersecurity researchers have proposed various solutions based on the functionalities of those attacks. However, this polymorphic type is kept refined to increase the appearance of new families and survive against mitigation approaches. This paper introduces RanDroid, a new automated lightweight approach for detecting ransomware variants in Android platform by measuring the structural similarity between a set of collected information from an inspected application and a set of predefined threatening information collected from known ransomware variants. Furthermore, RanDroid performs a linguistic analysis on the app's code as well as image textural strings to enhance further revelation. RanDroid was evaluated using 950 ransomware samples. In addition, this approach is capable of extracting threatening messages from samples that use evasion techniques such as sophisticated codes or dynamic payloads.
Water-Use Efficiency: Advances and Challenges in a Changing Climate

Water use efficiency (WUE) is defined as the amount of carbon assimilated as biomass or grain produced per unit of water used by the crop. One of the primary questions being asked is how plants will respond to a changing climate with changes in temperature, precipitation, and carbon dioxide (CO2) that affect their WUE At the leaf level, increasing CO2 increases WUE until the leaf is exposed to temperatures exceeded the optimum for growth (i.e., heat stress) and then WUE begins to decline. Leaves subjected to water deficits (i.e., drought stress) show varying responses in WUE. The response of WUE at the leaf level is directly related to the physiological processes controlling the gradients of CO2 and H2O, e.g., leaf:air vapor pressure deficits, between the leaf and air surrounding the leaf. There a variety of methods available to screen genetic material for enhanced WUE under scenarios of climate change. When we extend from the leaf to the canopy, then the dynamics of crop water use and biomass accumulation have to consider soil water evaporation rate, transpiration from the leaves, and the growth pattern of the crop. Enhancing WUE at the canopy level can be achieved by adopting practices that reduce the soil water evaporation component and divert more water into transpiration which can be through crop residue management, mulching, row spacing, and irrigation. Climate change will affect plant growth, but we have opportunities to enhance WUE through crop selection and cultural practices to offset the impact of a changing climate.
Modeling oil production with new empirics

ABSTRACTThis article first provides an overview of some stylized features of upstream oil production in light of recent developments in the US shale industry. Empirical observations motivate the fo...
LOPERAMIDE CARDIOTOXICITY: A BYPRODUCT OF THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC

In the midst of the opioid epidemic, the over the counter anti-diarrheal, Loperamide, has seen a major increase in off-label use for treatment of opioid withdrawal. The cardiac effects of Loperamide are frequently underappreciated by both patients and providers. A 33 year old male with a history of
Student Perspectives on Burnout.

Context: While burnout has received a great deal of attention within the athletic training profession, there is little data on how it affects athletic training students (ATSs). Objective: To determine what factors influence burnout among ATSs enrolled in accredited athletic training education programs. Design and Setting: Basic, interpretive qualitative study employing on-line interviews with students enrolled in Commission on Accrediting Athletic Training Education (CAATE) athletic training programs. Patients or Other Participants: Each of the 14 (7 males, 7 females) ATSs, who represented 3 NATA districts, had completed at least one full academic semester of coursework and a clinical assignment. The average age of the participants was 21.4 +/− 1.5 , eight of the ATSs were seniors, and six were junior level students. Data Collection and Analysis: All interviews were conducted electronically with three separate days of postings using an on-line platform. Interviews were cut and pasted verbatim and analyzed...
Communities of support: social support exchange in a HIV online forum

Analysis of social support in online forums for people living with HIV has been relying, for the most part, on self-report instrumentation and manual coding of data. Our study applies a fully automated data analysis method based on clustering and network embedding of the largest online support forum (POZ forum)for people living with HIV. Results show that there are three sub communities of members within the forum differing in terms of member engagement, topics discussed, and types of support exchanged. This paper analyses the similarities and differences among these communities as a way to identify members that comprise each community and how they exchange support. The result can be generalized to show current situation of HIV discussion online and how social supports change in different group of people related to HIV. Therefore, better social support plans can be applied to help HIV patients relief their pain.
Typical electronegative electroretinography and nyctalopia as a presenting feature of systemic malignant melanoma

We report a unique case of a female who presented with unilateral disk edema, melanoma-associated retinopathy symptoms, and suggestive electroretinography findings preceding a diagnosis of metastatic melanoma of the pelvis. A 63-year-old female presented with complaints of seeing shimmering lights and nyctalopia, and underwent an extensive ophthalmological and electrophysiological examination. Best-corrected visual acuity was 20/20 in both eyes. Visual fields showed relative central scotomata and concentric narrowing. Slit-lamp and fundus examinations were normal. Rod-specific electroretinography responses were severely reduced, with electronegative maximal combined rod-cone responses and delayed cone responses with normal amplitude. Melanoma-associated retinopathy was suspected. Extensive systemic and internal evaluation revealed occult metastatic melanoma of the pelvis of unknown primary site.
Positive Feedback Through Inflammation Creates Bistable Behavior in HIV Tissue Sanctuaries

Combination Antiretroviral Therapy (cART) consists of a cocktail of drugs administered to HIV-infected patients that can suppress the amount of HIV in the patient's blood plasma to an undetectable level. Our previous work has suggested that some HIV-infected patients, despite being placed on cART, can still have ongoing viral replication occurring in self-sustaining inflamed lymph node follicle sanctuary sites. Spatial models of the putative sites show that inflammation is a necessary condition for ongoing HIV replication. In this study, we model the hypothesis that ongoing HIV replication may provide a sufficiently strong pro-inflammatory signal to maintain inflammation levels consistent with continued HIV replication. A system of ordinary differential equations integrated with a reactive-diffusion system is used to model the HIV dynamics and the diameter of a lymph node follicle as a function of time and external influence. The estimates of the parameters in our model come from prior data when available. The results of our study show that these dynamics have two stable steady-state solutions, one with low inflammation and no ongoing HIV replication in the site, and one with high inflammation and high levels of ongoing HIV replication in the site. We furthermore show that the system can transition between the two outcomes in response to a transient exogenous addition of pro-inflammatory signaling, consistent with the antigenic stimulus of a secondary infection. The spatial isolation of the sites results in a low viral load in the blood plasma for both conditions.
Minimally Invasive Gastrectomy

There are many variations in techniques that can be used for laparoscopic and robotic gastrectomy. While no single approach is superior, this chapter describes a safe and effective technique whereby performing a majority of the procedure laparoscopically provides full visualization of the upper abdomen. Celiac lymphadenectomy is performed with the robot for precise dissection.
Immunoepidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is the number one cause of death from an infectious agent in the world, and about a quarter of the global population has latent MTB. Among people carrying infection, about 10% will progress to active disease, and 20% of these will have infection spreading beyond the lungs. The mechanisms underlying this clinical diversity have been an area of interest for decades, and a number of contributing factors have been discovered. This chapter explores the immunoepidemiology of MTB through discussions of foundational immunology and associated risk factors that influence disease presentation. Specifically, we examine how regional infectious diseases interact with the human immune system and influence its response to MTB. We discuss the role of nutrition and nutrient response in host defense through a case study of vitamin D and its receptor. We highlight important inherited immunological diversity through the example of human leukocyte antigens (HLA). Finally, we discuss how polymorphisms in the human genome can alter the activity of critical immune proteins and explain some of the disease diversities observed in MTB. Overall, the immunoepidemiology of MTB provides a framework for discussions of molecular medicine and how it has deepened our understanding of disease phenotype. In time, we expect this knowledge will inform a medical future where detailed genetic information can contribute to targeted prognostics and therapeutics.
High-Energy Time-Resolved Electron Diffraction

This chapter reviews the application of relativistic energy ultrashort electron beams to the direct investigation of structural changes in matter at atomic length scale with sub-picosecond (sub-ps) resolution by time-resolved electron diffraction (). There are many benefits of using higher-energy electron beams for time-resolved electron scattering instrumentation, due mainly to the space charge force suppression at relativistic energies, which enables more intense and shorter electron bunches. Speed-of-light probes, higher penetration, and shorter de Broglie wavelength are other advantages associated with MeV electron energy.
Distribution and function of LMW glutenins, HMW glutenins, and gliadins in wheat doughs analyzed with ‘in situ’ detection and quantitative imaging techniques

Abstract The different gluten subunits, gliadins, LMW glutenins, and HMW glutenins have been reported to play different key roles in different type of wheat products. This paper studied the interaction between gliadin, LMW and HMW glutenins in soft, hard and durum semolina flour doughs during different stages of mixing. In order to see how do the gluten subunits (gliadin, LMW glutenin and HMW glutenin) redistribute during mixing, dough samples were taken at maximum strength and 10 min after maximum strength. The doughs have been mixed with the same level of added water (55%), therefore they all have different strengths values due to their changes in proteins content. Oscillatory rheological measurements were performed on the doughs. It has been found that HMW glutenins are relatively immobile because of their less molecular mobility and do no redistribute themselves especially at high strength for doughs such as hard wheat flour. LMW glutenins and gliadins on the other hand redistribute themselves at even at high dough strengths forming a more stable network. In weaker doughs such as soft wheat, the breakdown of the three proteins subunits is responsible for the decay in dough strength. We have also visualized how the greater amount of LMW glutenins in semolina is in constant interaction with HMW glutenins and gliadins allowing the dough to maintain a stable strength for an extended mixing time. Finally, we have found the ‘in situ’ detection and quantitative analysis techniques to be more sensitive to the changes occurring in the gluten network of the dough than the oscillatory rheological analysis.
Advanced fibrosis is associated with incident cardiovascular disease in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. It is not well understood, however, which individuals with NAFLD are at highest risk for cardiovascular disease. AIMS To determine the factors associated with incident cardiovascular events in a prospective cohort of individuals with biopsy-proven NAFLD without pre-existing cardiovascular disease. METHODS From 2011 to 2018, adults with biopsy-proven NAFLD without cardiovascular disease were enrolled in a tissue repository and were followed prospectively to the first recorded date of incident cardiovascular disease, death or the end of follow-up (11/1/2018). Competing risks analysis was performed to identify predictors of incident cardiovascular disease. RESULTS After a median follow-up time of 5.2 years, 26/285 (9.1%) individuals experienced an incident cardiovascular event. Advanced fibrosis (stage 3-4) on biopsy was a significant predictor of incident cardiovascular disease, and this persisted on multivariable analysis (SHR 2.86, 95% CI 1.36-6.04) after considering relevant covariates, including cardiovascular risk scores, which were not independent predictors. Of the non-invasive indicators of fibrosis, the NAFLD fibrosis score was the only independent predictor of cardiovascular disease. Other histologic features, including steatohepatitis, were not associated with incident cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS In adults with biopsy-proven NAFLD, advanced fibrosis on biopsy and higher NAFLD fibrosis score were significant and independent predictors of incident cardiovascular disease, even after considering traditional risk factors and cardiovascular risk scores. These findings should be considered when evaluating NAFLD patients for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, and further evaluation into the link between advanced fibrosis and cardiovascular disease is needed.
Corrections to “GlacierNet: A Deep-Learning Approach for Debris-Covered Glacier Mapping”

In the above article [1] , Figure 2 was incorrect. Unfortunately, we mixed the color label of “CONV $\to $ BN $\to $ ReLu” and “Unpooling” in the CNN structure section of Figure 2 . The color label of “CONV $\to $ BN $\to $ ReLu” should be orange while the color label of “Unpooling” should be green. Also, the word “Decoder” is misspelled. That same figure with the same error is also used for the graphic abstract. The corrected figure is given here. None of the sections in the figure is modified. The only change is in the color label of “CONV $\to $ BN $\to $ ReLu” and “Unpooling,” which were mixed in the original figure. The correct legend should show orange color for “CONV $\to $ BN $\to $ ReLu” and green color for “Unpooling.” In the same legend column, misspelled word “Decdoer ” has also been corrected to “Decoder.” The correct figure is shown here.
Taming behavioral backward incompatibilities via cross-project testing and analysis

In modern software development, software libraries play a crucial role in reducing software development effort and improving software quality. However, at the same time, the asynchronous upgrades of software libraries and client software projects often result in incompatibilities between different versions of libraries and client projects. When libraries evolve, it is often very challenging for library developers to maintain the so-called backward compatibility and keep all their external behavior untouched, and behavioral backward incompatibilities (BBIs) may occur. In practice, the regression test suites of library projects often fail to detect all BBIs. Therefore, in this paper, we propose DeBBI to detect BBIs via cross-project testing and analysis, i.e., using the test suites of various client projects to detect library BBIs. Since executing all the possible client projects can be extremely time consuming, DeBBI transforms the problem of cross-project BBI detection into a traditional information retrieval (IR) problem to execute the client projects with higher probability to detect BBIs earlier. Furthermore, DeBBI considers project diversity and test relevance information for even faster BBI detection. The experimental results show that DeBBI can reduce the end-to-end testing time for detecting the first and average unique BBIs by 99.1% and 70.8% for JDK compared to naive cross-project BBI detection. Also, DeBBI has been applied to other popular 3rd-party libraries. To date, DeBBI has detected 97 BBI bugs with 19 already confirmed as previously unknown bugs.
Amyloidogenic and anti-amyloidogenic properties of presenilin 1

Presenilin 1 (PS1) is an intramembrane protease, the active subunit of the γ-secretase complex. Its well-studied function is the amyloidogenic cleavage of the C-terminal fragment of the amyloid precursor protein, also known as C99, to produce the Abeta peptide. Recent findings from the Greengard laboratory suggest that PS1 also have anti-amyloidogenic activities, which reduce Abeta levels. First, it redirects APP-C99 toward autophagic degradation, lowering the amount that can be converted into Abeta. The protein kinase CK1γ2 phosphorylates PS1 at Ser367. Phosphorylated PS1 at this position interacts with Annexin A2, which, in turn, interacts with the lysosomal N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) Vamp8. Annexin A2 facilitates the binding of Vamp8 to the autophagosomal SNARE Syntaxin 17 to modulate the fusion of autophagosomes with lysosomes. Thus, PS1 phosphorylated at Ser367 has an anti-amyloidogenic function, promoting autophagosome-lysosome fusion and increasing C99 degradation. Second, it enhances the ability of microglia to phagocyte and degrade extracellular Abeta oligomer, through regulating the expression of the lysosomal master regulator TFEB. Thus, PS1 has a role in both the production and the clearance of Abeta. Drugs designed to activate CK1γ2 and increase the level of PS1 phosphorylated at Ser367 should be useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
WBG Fractional Power Processing: A New Si-SiC Hybrid Voltage Source Inverter Design

The adoption of wide bandgap (WBG) power semiconductors can improve the performance of power converters at the expense of significantly higher cost than Si at present time. In this paper, a WBG Fractional Power Processing (WFPP) design concept is introduced where silicon devices process the base power at a low switching frequency (2kHz or lower) while WBG devices are judiciously used to process only a fraction of the total power at a much higher frequency (tens of kHz). A 150W Si and SiC hybrid voltage source inverter is investigated as a case study to demonstrate the WFPP concept. A full-power Si inverter and a fractional power SiC inverter operate together to deliver an optimal system performance at a significantly reduced cost than a full-power WBG inverter. Both detailed simulation and experimental results are presented to confirm the benefits of the proposed WFPP concept.
3ʹ-UTR shortening disrupts ceRNA crosstalk of housekeeping genes resulting in subtype-specific breast cancer development

ABSTRACT Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is a post-transcriptional mechanism that regulates gene expression. In human cancer, shortening of the 3ʹ-untranslated region (3ʹ-UTR) through APA is widespread affecting thousands of genes[1]. We previously identified that 3ʹ-UTR shortening (3ʹUS) disrupts the competing-endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network (3ʹUS-ceRNA effect) to promote breast cancer[2]. As different breast cancer subtypes are associated with different molecular mechanisms[3], we identified distinct 3ʹUS profiles of different breast cancer subtypes in this work, calling for the characterization of subtype-specific 3ʹUS-ceRNA effect in the ceRNA network. A quantitative challenge is that different sample sizes available for the different breast cancer subtypes can result in a systematic bias on size and topology of the constructed ceRNA networks. We addressed the bias by normalizing the networks in two-way, first between and second within the subtypes. Using the two-way network normalization, we built comparable ceRNA networks for estrogen receptor negative (ER-) and positive (ER+) subtype breast tumor samples of different size. Functional enrichment analyses associated subtype-specific 3ʹUS-ceRNA effect with ER-’s aggressive phenotype[4] and unique growth mechanism[5]. Especially, for ER-specific growth mechanism, subtype-specific 3ʹUS-ceRNA effect disrupts ceRNA crosstalk of housekeeping genes, which help maintain similar ceRNA network topology for ER- and ER+ normal samples. As ER-specific 3ʹUS-ceRNA effect is associated with ER-’s pathological features, aggressive phenotype and unique growth mechanism, our study provides new insights into the interactive mechanism of 3ʹUS and ceRNA for ER-specific cancer progression.
Thromboelastography Parameters and Platelet Count on Admission to the ICU and the Development of Venous Thromboembolism in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019.

Objectives: Determine if thromboelastography parameters and platelet count on the day of ICU admission are associated with the development of venous thromboembolism in patients with coronavirus disease 2019. Design: Prospective, observational cohort study. Setting: Tertiary-care, academic medical center in Nashville, TN. Patients: Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia and acute respiratory failure admitted to the adult ICU without venous thromboembolism at the time of ICU admission. Intervention: None. Measurements and Main Results: The primary outcome was development of venous thromboembolism during the index hospitalization. Venous thromboembolism was defined by clinical imaging or autopsy, demonstrating deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Forty consecutive critically ill adults with laboratory-confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 were enrolled; 37 (92.5%) were hypercoagulable by at least one thromboelastography parameter at the time of ICU admission and 12 (30%) met the primary outcome of venous thromboembolism during the index hospitalization. Patients who developed venous thromboembolism had decreased measures of clotting (maximum amplitude, alpha angle, shear elastic modulus parameter, and clotting index) on ICU admission thromboelastography compared with patients who did not develop venous thromboembolism (p < 0.05 for all measures). For each individual thromboelastography parameter used to dichotomize patients as hypercoagulable, the rate of venous thromboembolism was not higher in those identified as hypercoagulable; in fact, the venous thromboembolism rate was higher in patients who were not hypercoagulable by thromboelastography for maximum amplitude (p = 0.04) and alpha angle (p = 0.001). Platelet count was positively correlated with maximum amplitude, alpha angle, G parameter, and clotting index, and significantly lower in patients who developed venous thromboembolism than those who did not (median 186 vs 278 103/µL, p = 0.046). Venous thromboembolism was associated with inhospital mortality (odds ratio, 6.3; 95% CI, 1.4-29; p = 0.02). Conclusions: Our data do not support the use of thromboelastography to risk stratify critically ill adults with coronavirus disease 2019 for the development of venous thromboembolism or to guide decisions about anticoagulation. Lower platelet count on ICU admission, which may reflect platelet aggregation, was associated with venous thromboembolism.
Tranexamic acid does not affect intraoperative blood loss or in-hospital outcomes after acetabular fracture surgery.

Tranexamic acid (TXA) reduces need for transfusion in total joint arthroplasty, though findings in acetabular surgery are conflicting. We compared outcomes after acetabular fracture surgery with or without perioperative intravenous (IV) TXA administration. We performed a retrospective review of 305 patients with acetabular fractures that underwent open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). Eighty-nine patients received TXA, and 216 did not. The primary outcome was rates of intraoperative and postoperative allogeneic blood transfusion. Baseline demographics and characteristics were similar. Time from injury to surgery and estimated blood loss were comparable. Operative time (p < 0.01) and intraoperative IV fluids (p < 0.01) were greater in the non-TXA group. The proportion of patients who received blood transfusion and mean units transfused intraoperatively and postoperatively did not differ. Mean differences in preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit, hospital length of stay, and perioperative complications also did not differ. In a multivariable regression model, age 60–70 years, Charlson Comorbidity Index, Injury Severity Score, and fracture patterns likely to bleed were independently associated with intraoperative transfusion. Anterior surgical approaches and intraoperative transfusion requirement were independently associated with postoperative transfusion. In this study, perioperative IV TXA did not decrease blood loss, need for transfusion, or improve in-hospital outcomes of acetabular fracture surgery. Age 60–70, CCI, ISS, and fracture patterns likely to bleed were independently associated with intraoperative transfusion. Anterior surgical approach and need for intraoperative transfusion were independently associated with postoperative transfusion. Further prospective trials are warranted to confirm these findings
Factors Influencing Level of Stress During the Nursing Home Decision Process

This investigation examined whether characteristics of elders and their caregivers and facets of the nursing home decision-making context were associated with recalled levels of stress during nursing home decision-making. Employing a conceptual framework based upon the literature on caregiver stress and nursing home decision-making, we considered a number of factors that might influence sponsors' stress as decisions were being made about nursing home placements. We examined data from telephone interviews with a sample of 142 sponsors (responsible parties) of first-time, recently admitted nursing home residents. Higher levels of reported stress were directly associated with more factors triggering the decision to admit, higher levels of competing demands, and limited time. Employment was indirectly related to higher stress through its impact on demands. Hospitalization and being the spouse or an adult child of the resident were indirectly related to stress because they were associated with limited available time. The results offer some insights into the types of individuals who may be vulnerable to higher levels of stress and the kinds of interventions that might avert high stress in the nursing home decision process.
Science and Religion in Mamluk Egypt: Ibn al-Nafis, Pulmonary Transit and Bodily Resurrection

1 Towards a Contextualist Approach 2 Ibn al-Nafis: A Rational Traditionalist 3 Reason, Revelation, Mystical Insight and Theological Certainty Chapter 4 'The Soul is Connected to the Entire Body': Hylomorphic Psychology and Nafisian Physiology 5 Fruits of a New Physiology Conclusion
Bypass of venous obstruction

Despite remarkable advances in arterial reconstructive surgery, venous bypass grafting has yet to be established as a standard approach in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency. In selected instances, however, bypass procedures can help to reduce unrelenting swelling. Procedures commonly used are the crossover vein graft for iliac vein thrombosis and the saphenopopliteal bypass for femoral vein occlusion. The former was first described by Palma et al. of Montevideo in 19581 and was subsequently popularized by Dale of Nashville, Tennessee2. Saphenofemoral bypass was first devised by Palma and Warren independently and applied by Husni3 in the USA and by Gruss4 and May5 in Europe. Unlike arterial bypass, venous bypass grafting remains a highly selective surgical procedure.
Slowing the Rates of Innovation: How the Second Circuit Ban on No-Challenge Clauses in Pre-Litigation Settlement Agreements Hinders Business Growth

On July 10, 2012, in Rates Technology Inc. v. Speakeasy, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held that no-challenge clauses in pre-litigation settlement agreements are unenforceable. In its ruling, the court determined that sharing ideas and discovering invalid patents are policy considerations that supersede spurring innovation and settling litigation. This Comment argues that spurring innovation and settling litigation are policy considerations better aligned with modern business. As a result, this Comment asserts that no-challenge clauses should be enforce-
Americans Recaptured: Progressive Era Memory of Frontier Captivity

It was on the frontier, where ""civilized"" men and women confronted the ""wilderness,"" that Europeans first became Americans - or so authorities from Frederick Jackson Turner to Theodore Roosevelt claimed. But as the frontier disappeared, Americans believed they needed a new mechanism for fixing their collective identity; and they found it, historian Molly K. Varley suggests, in tales of white Americans held captive by Indians. For Americans in the Progressive Era (1890-1916) these stories of Indian captivity seemed to prove that the violence of national expansion had been justified, that citizens' individual suffering had been heroic, and that settlers' contact with Indians and wilderness still characterized the nation's ""soul."" Furthermore, in the act of memorializing white Indian captives - through statues, parks, and reissued narratives - small towns found a way of inscribing themselves into the national story. By drawing out the connections between actual captivity, captivity narratives, and the memorializing of white captives, Varley shows how Indian captivity became a means for Progressive Era Americans to look forward by looking back. Local boosters and cultural commentators used Indian captivity to define ""Americanism"" and to renew those frontier qualities deemed vital to the survival of the nation in the post-frontier world, such as individualism, bravery, ingenuity, enthusiasm, ""manliness,"" and patriotism. In Varley's analysis of the Progressive Era mentality, contact between white captives and Indians represented a stage in the evolution of a new American people and affirmed the contemporary notion of America as a melting pot. Revealing how the recitation and interpretation of these captivity narratives changed over time - with shifting emphasis on brutality, gender, and ethnographic and historical accuracy - Americans Recaptured shows that tales of Indian captivity were no more fixed than American identity, but were consistently used to give that identity its own useful, ever-evolving shape.
Aligning Needs, Expectations, and Learning Outcomes to Sustain Self‐Efficacy Through Transfer Learning Community Programs

This chapter addresses strengths and difficulties encountered in implementing transfer learning community models and how efficacy is supported through transfer learning community programming. Transfer programming best practices and recommendations for program improvements are presented.
Clay modified electrodes: Part IV. The electrochemistry and electron spin resonance of methyl viologen incorporated into montmorillonite films

Abstract The electrochemical behavior of methyl viologen (N,N′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium or MV2+) incorporated into montmorillonite modified electrodes was studied. The first reduction to the cation radical (MV +) leads to the formation of a dimer that is not oxidizable within the clay film at potentials near the MV2+/MV + wave. The presence of the dimer was confirmed by spectroelectrochemistry and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. The dimeric viologen could be reoxidized via a mediation or charge from the electrode surface by Fe(CN)3−6. The equilibrium constant for the dimerization reaction 2 MV + ⇆ (MV +)2 was estimated as 5 x 104M−1 based on the ESR data compared to ca. 380 M−1 for this reaction in aqueous solution.
Abstract W P226: Pre-Notification of Stroke Symptoms Reduces Decision Times in Acute Stroke

Introduction: Both the American Heart and American Stroke Associations recommend pre-notification of potential stroke patients to receiving facilities. Although Emergency Medical Services (EMS) may identify stroke symptoms in the field, initiation of the stroke code process is often postponed until after the patient arrives in the Emergency Department (ED). This could lead to unnecessary delays in assessment and intervention during an acute stroke. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that initiating a stroke code based on advanced notification of stroke symptoms via EMS and a Stroke Code Pit Stop (SCPS) would lead to decreased time of assessment, diagnosticssitics and IV tPA initiation. Methods: A pre- and post-intervention study of 733 patients presenting to 2 EDs in a 5 campus hospital system. Both EDs initiated a SCPS, with pre-notification of stroke symptoms via EMS and stroke code activation prior to patient arrival. Data were reviewed from January 2013-April 2014, comparing code stroke metrics pre- and post...