cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Echocardiography-Defined Pulmonary Hypertension in Multiple Myeloma: Risk Factors and Impact on Outcomes.

Objectives Survival of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) has improved as a result of therapeutic advances. There is evidence that some patients with MM develop pulmonary hypertension (PH). The objective of this study was to identify risk factors of echocardiographic PH and its impact on outcomes of patients with MM. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of patients with MM (N = 359) diagnosed between 2000 and 2011 within the Geisinger Medical Center. Chart review was conducted on the subgroup of patients who underwent a transthoracic echocardiogram within 2 years of being diagnosed as having MM. Results A total of 34% of patients (N = 123/359) underwent transthoracic echocardiogram and 32% (N = 39/123) had echocardiography-defined PH. PH was significantly associated with older age (70.5 vs 65.3 years; P = 0.019), greater left atrial diameter (4.0 vs 3.7 cm; P = 0.025), and a trend toward decreased renal function. PH was not associated with myeloma-specific features. Fewer patients with PH underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation compared with those without PH (10% vs 30%; P = 0.018). There was no significant difference in survival between the PH and non-PH groups (P = 0.2775). Conclusions Echocardiography-defined PH was found in a sizeable minority of our MM cohort. Although the specific etiology of PH can be determined only through a prospective clinical evaluation, including right heart catheterization, our results suggest that PH in patients with MM is secondary to left heart disease and perhaps impaired renal function. Patients with PH were significantly less likely to undergo hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Future studies should assess the etiology of PH, its impact on treatment decisions, and prognosis of patients with MM.
An investigation of cluster outbreak of gastroenteritis due to norovirus infection in a primary school

Objective To investigate the causes of a cluster outbreak of gastroenteritis with symptoms of vomitting,diarrhea, fever in a primary school. Methods Based on the formulated case definition, 11 patients were assigned into cases group and 51 classmates without symptoms as control group. With a history investigation of drinking and feeding, patients' specimens of water, food was collected for the detection of norovirus and other pathogenic bacterias. Results There were 2norovirus-positve cases. No pathogens were detected in food and water samples, hand- washing for more than 3 times was a protective factor for the disease. Conclusion The cluster outbreak of gastroenteritis was due to delayed detection of first case, closed doors and windows in the cold weather and close contact by droplets.
The Survival of Escherichia Coli and Salmonella Dublin in Slurry on Pasture and the Infectivity of S. Dublin for Grazing Calves

SUMMARY Slurry, contaminated with either Escherichia coli or Salmonella dublin (strain 51), was applied under varying climatic conditions to growing pasture. Survival was measured by daily assessment of the number of viable organisms per gram of grass or soil. It was found that under the conditions of the test E. coli survived for up to 7 or 8 days. S. dublin persisted for 18 days on the lower levels of grass and up to 12 weeks in the soil. When the grass was cropped, however, no recoveries were made after 7 days. An assessment was made of the palatability for calves of slurry-polluted pasture. Calves were allowed to graze a pasture, half of which had been heavily polluted with slurry. For two days they rejected the polluted area but by seven days had grazed it well. Calves that grazed pasture to which 10 6 S. dublin /ml of slurry had been applied on the previous day became infected but no cases resulted when the contamination rate was reduced to 10 3 /ml.
Paracrine mediation of calcium signaling in human SK-N-MCIXC neuroepithelioma cells

Paracrine-mediated Ca2+ signaling in SK-N-MCIXC neuroepithelioma cells was evaluated by means of two experimental paradigms. In the first, single SK-N-MCIXC cells were microinjected with inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] and cytoplasmic Ca2+ was monitored by fura 2 digital-imaging microfluorometry. In response to Ins(1,4,5)P3 or CaCl2, but not inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate, an increase in cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) was observed in injected cells and also in neighboring cells. The direction of intercellular propagation of Ca2+ signals was influenced by the presence of a flow in the extracellular medium and occurred in the absence of any detectable gap-junctional communication. The P2 purinoceptor antagonist suramin, but not antagonists of other phosphoinositide-linked receptors, blocked cell-to-cell Ca2+ signaling initiated by microinjections of Ins(1,4,5)P3. In the second paradigm, conditioned medium (CM) obtained from monolayers of SK-N-MCIXC cells elicited increases in [Ca2+]i when reapplied to cells on coverslips. The Ca(2+)-mobilizing activity of CM was reversibly antagonized by suramin and abolished by pretreatment with apyrase. The presence of nucleotide di- and triphosphates in CM was confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography. We conclude that SK-N-MCIXC cells release nucleotides that then activate specific receptors on neighboring cells. A rise in [Ca2+]i in these cells, and subsequent additional release of nucleotides, serves to further the propagation of intercellular Ca2+ signals.
Quantitative degradation studies of coal derived jet fuel using statistical analysis

The paper describes a study of the deposition process for a coal-derived fuel jet, using statistical methods and quantitative chemical analysis to correlate deposition kinetics. The base fuel is JP-8C, to which a small amount of tetradecane was added
Study on the prevalence of diabetes mellitus among acute coronary syndrome inpatients in a multiprovincial study in China

Objective To demonstrate the current prevalence and treatment status of diabetes mellitus (DM) among inpatients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in China. Methods Sixty-four hospitals, including 32 secondary hospitals and 32 tertiary hospitals were selected for baseline survey. Fifty inpatients diagnosed with ACS were recruited consecutively from hospitals participated in this study. This paper focused on the prevalence and treatment status of DM among inpatients with ACS. Results (1)Clinical data of 3223 inpatients (average age 65±11 ) with ACS were collected during baseline survey,including 2183(67.7%) males and 1040(32.3%) females. Among them,39.8% were diagnosed as ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction ( MI), 9.2% as non-ST-segment elevation MI, 51.0% as unstable angina,and 27.1% with ACS history. (2) DM was found in 22.6% ACS patients. The prevalence rate of DM was higher in female (26.3%) patients than that in males (20.8%). The rate of DM was the highest(28.0%) in northeast area and lowest (17.7%) in southwest among 7 geographic districts (north, east,south,central,northeast,northwest and southwest parts of the country). Significant difference was observed among these areas. (3) Rate of awareness on DM was 73.1% among patients with DM, with significant differences among various areas. Treatment rate was 62.1% among patients with DM, with the highest(88.6%) seen in northwest and the lowest (78.4%) in central part of China. (4) Rates of prevalence(27.1%), awareness (82.3%) and treatment (86.7%) of DM were higher in recurrent ACS patients than in those without ACS history, Conclusion Nearly one-forth of the ACS inpatients were having DM, and 15% of the patients with known DM were not on anti-diabetic treatment. It is essential to pay more attention on the treatment of DM for the purpose of secondary prevention on cardiovascular disease. Key words: Acute coronary syndrome; Diabetes mellitus; Prevalence rate; Awareness; Treatment
A high-speed, multithreaded TCP offload engine for 10 Gb/s ethernet

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is a connection-oriented reliable protocol accounting for over 80 percent of network traffic. This chapter presents an architecture designed to address the most significant issues in achieving full TCP termination for multigigabit Ethernet traffic. In addition to high-speed protocol processing requirements, the efficient handling of Ethernet traffic involves addressing several issues at the system level, such as transfer of payload and management of CPU interrupts. This implies that a TCP offload engine is only part of the solution and a system-level approach has to be taken to achieve significant improvements in TCP processing. The approach used here incorporates a high-speed processing engine with a DMA controller and other hardware assist blocks as well as system-level optimizations. A detailed architectural description of this solution is given and the results of preliminary performance analysis, to gauge the capability of this architecture, are described in this chapter. Analysis reinforces that architecture, featuring a specialpurpose multithreaded processing engine, optimal hardware assist blocks, and streamlined interfaces, coupled with a simplified programming model, provides the necessary performance and flexibility.
Initial texture effects on the thermal stability and grain growth behavior of nanocrystalline Ni thin films

Abstract Nanocrystalline Ni thin films with different as-deposited textures were synthesized by varying the substrate temperature during pulsed-laser deposition. The influence of initial texture variations on the thermal stability and annealing behavior of the thin films was studied via in situ transmission electron microscopy annealing and transmission Kikuchi diffraction analysis. It was found that, as the substrate temperature during deposition was increased, the initial microstructure varied from a random distribution of grains to one almost entirely composed of (001) – oriented grains, with the volume fraction of (001) – oriented grains increasing with increasing substrate temperature. The (001) – oriented grains increased thermal stability and constrained grain growth during annealing, resulting in a bimodal grain size distribution in the annealed films. Despite different surface orientations after annealing, the misorientation distribution functions for the films were similar, suggesting that the boundary state is a primary factor in dictating equilibrium.
Arachnoid Cyst Decompression and Cognitive Recovery

A 20-year-old right-handed male with a large left temporal arachnoid cyst, discovered incidentally by CT following a kick to the head with brief loss of consciousness, is reported from the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galvestan, TX.
Symbolic Violence and Landscape Pedagogy: An Illustration from the Irish Countryside

Archaeologists know that landscapes can provide powerful clues about past social interaction. Landscapes are never truly passive because they offer many socially relevant services to the individuals and social groups who inhabit them. Much of what landscapes do is symbolic. Pedagogy can constitute an important function of a landscape, particularly in the hierarchical societies investigated by historical archaeologists. The demesne constitutes an especially evocative pedagogic landscape in an Irish setting. A detailed examination of Coopershill demesne in County Sligo, Ireland, demonstrates the power of landscape pedagogy and the role of symbolic violence in helping to shape it.
Successful Management of Zoon’s Balanitis with Topical Mupirocin Ointment: A Case Report and Literature Review of Mupirocin-Responsive Balanitis Circumscripta Plasmacelluaris

Introduction Zoon’s balanitis, also referred to as balanitis circumscripta plasmacellularis (BCP), is an idiopathic, benign inflammatory condition of the glans penis and foreskin most often seen in elderly uncircumcised men. A patient with a biopsy-confirmed diagnosis of BCP who was successfully treated with topical mupirocin ointment is described.
Tilting at Windmills: The D.C. Circuit Again Stalls Cape Wind's Offshore Turbines Due to Failure to Comply with Federal Environmental Safeguards

For the third time in five years, a federal court has dealt a major setback to the Cape Wind Project — once hailed as “America’s first offshore wind farm” — for its lack of compliance with federal laws designed to ensure environmental protection. This ruling sends a strong message that renewable energy companies should not expect to receive special treatment under the law and that, as is the case with all forms of energy development, they too must ensure that their activities will minimize environmental and ecosystem impacts to the extent possible in order to avoid delays and protracted regulatory processes.
Social Facilitation of Feeding in Chickens: Control for Response Inhibition

A social facilitation design was utilized in which early rearing and feeding experiences of subjects were independently manipulated. This procedure was necessary because the presence of novel components increases the subject’s level of emotionality and thus inhibits ongoing behavior. Subjects were 112 chicks. Subjects placed in a novel social condition exhibited significantly less feeding behavior than subjects in a familiar social condition. In addition, when emotionally induced response inhibition was controlled, increased feeding behavior in a social condition was obtained. Finally, no evidence was obtained to support interpretations postulating a learned factor in social facilitation. The arousal interpretation, which hypothesizes that the presence of a conspecific increases general arousal and thus energizes dominant responses, was invoked to account for the present data. The need to control for the effect of emotionally induced response inhibition was strongly suggested.
Thermodynamically complete equation of state of MgO from true radiative shock temperature measurements on samples preheated to 1850 K

Plate impact experiments in the 100--250 GPa pressure range were done on a $\ensuremath{\langle}100\ensuremath{\rangle}$ single-crystal MgO preheated before compression to 1850 K. Hot Mo(driver)-MgO targets were impacted with Mo or Ta flyers launched by the Caltech two-stage light-gas gun up to 7.5 km/s. Radiative temperatures and shock velocities were measured with 3%--4% and 1%--2% uncertainty, respectively, by a six-channel pyrometer with 3-ns time resolution, over a 500--900-nm spectral range. MgO shock front reflectivity was determined in additional experiments at 220 and 248 GPa using $\ensuremath{\approx}50/50$ high-temperature sapphire beam splitters. Our measurements yield accurate experimental data on the mechanical, optical, and thermodynamic properties of B1 phase MgO from 102 GPa and 3900 K to 248 GPa and 9100 K, a region not sampled by previous studies. Reported Hugoniot data for MgO initially at ambient temperature, $T=298$ K, and the results of our current Hugoniot measurements on samples preheated to 1850 K were analyzed using the most general methods of least-squares fitting to constrain the Gr\"uneisen model. This equation of state (EOS) was then used to construct maximum likelihood linear Hugoniots of MgO with initial temperatures from 298 to 2400 K. A parametrization of all EOS values and best-fit coefficients was done over the entire range of relevant particle velocities. Total uncertainties of all the EOS parameters and correlation coefficients for these uncertainties are also given. The predictive capabilities of our updated Mie-Gr\"uneisen EOS were confirmed by (1) the good agreement between our Gr\"uneisen data and five semiempirical $\ensuremath{\gamma}(V)$ models derived from porous shock data only or from combined static and shock data sets, (2) the very good agreement between our 1-bar Gr\"uneisen values and $\ensuremath{\gamma}(T)$ at ambient pressure recalculated from reported experimental data on the adiabatic bulk modulus ${K}_{s}(T)$, and (3) the good agreement of the brightness temperatures, corrected for shock reflectivity, with the corresponding values calculated using the current EOS or predicted by other groups via first-principles molecular dynamics simulations. Our experiments showed no evidence of MgO melting up to 250 GPa and 9100 K. The highest shock temperatures exceed the extrapolated melting curve of Zerr and Boehler by $g3300$ K and the upper limit for the melting boundary predictions of Aguado and Madden by $g2600$ K and those of Strachan et al. by $g2100$ K. We show that the potential for superheating in our shock experiments is negligible and therefore out data put a lower limit on the melting curve of B1 phase MgO in $P\text{\ensuremath{-}}T$ space close to the set of consistent independent predictions by Sun et al., Liu et al., and de Koker and Stixrude.
Men’s Ministries and Patriarchy: From Sites of Perpetuation to Sites of Resistance

In this chapter, Robert Berra discusses the patriarchal strands running through the fabric of Christian theology, history, and practice; these strands, he suggests, bear significant responsibility for creating conditions that allow men to feel entitled to control and access others’ bodies (particularly women’s bodies). Berra argues that men’s Christian ministries may play a role in perpetuating these strands, urging men to live up to the expectations of a dominant and cis-heteronormative masculinity that propagates patriarchal norms in family and civic life. As such, these ministries—intentionally or not—can sustain narratives of control over women as well as the propagation of rape myths that help to sustain rape cultures. Berra considers the appeal and theoretical underpinnings of men’s ministries, analysing their request that churches “invite men back” in order to correct what they refer to as “the feminization of the church.” Critiquing David Murrow’s bestselling book Why Men Hate Going to Church as an example of the ambient level of sexism within some men’s ministry movements, Berra then sketches the difficulties and prospects—both practical and theological—of developing a men’s ministry as a site of resistance to rape culture.
The Selfishness Questionnaire: Egocentric, Adaptive, and Pathological Forms of Selfishness

Despite its importance in society, there is virtually no standardized research on the personality trait of selfishness, in part due to the absence of an assessment instrument. The central aim of th...
Training Theory-Builders: Coursework in Visitor Behavior

The successful management of recreation, leisure and tourist facilities requires an understanding of the attitudes, needs, knowledge, and actions of visitors - those users, clients, and customers w...
Telephone and Cell Phone Adoptions in Latin American and Caribbean Nations

This study discusses some empirical findings on telephone and cell phone adoptions in Latin American and Caribbean nations. Exhaustive pooled regressions are undertaken for this set of nations, using data from the World Bank for the period of 1989-1999. The results show that telephone and cell phone adoptions are different in nature, and cell phone adoption complements telephone adoption. Country effects and year effects are also discernible.
The Role of Antifreeze Glycopeptides and Peptides in the Freezing Avoidance of Cold-Water Fish

The Antarctic and Arctic oceans are perennially at about −1.9 °C, the freezing point of seawater, and ice-covered in their shallow waters (Littlepage 1965). The near-shore waters of the north temperate oceans reach this freezing temperature during the winter seasons. This is well below the freezing point of between −0.5 to −0.9 °C of a typical marine teleost (Black 1951). In the presence of ice, supercooling is impossible, and therefore a 1 °C difference between the freezing point of the fish’s body fluids and the environment would lead to freezing. Freezing or even partial freezing has been shown in all cases to result in death (Scholander et al. 1957). However, many fish living in these freezing environments frequently come into contact with ice (DeVries and Wohlschlag 1969; DeVries 1970, 1971, 1974), yet do not appear to freeze (Hargens 1972). In fact, some use the abundant ice crystal formations as a habitat and spend their entire lives there to forage for food and to escape predators (Andriashev 1970; DeVries and Lin 1977a). Freezing in these fish does not occur unless they are exposed to temperatures below −2.2 ° C in the presence of ice (Scholander et al. 1957; DeVries and Lin 1977a).
Keratoconus: Challenges and Emerging Trends.

Keratoconus (KC) is a bilateral corneal dystrophy that affects 1:400 – 1:2000 people worldwide. It is thought to be multifactorial with the onset linked to genetic, environmental, biomechanical, and hormonal cues. Because of the multiple factors involved, KC pathophysiology remains a mystery. KC is known to manifest during puberty and develop at different, unexplained rates amongst individuals. KC affects both males and females, as well as different ethnicities with a higher prevalence towards Asian populations. There are several ocular associations reported in literature including; retinitis pigmentosa, microcornea, ectopia lentis, lenticonus, macular coloboma, and floppy eyelid syndrome. Systemic associations are also known including; Down’s syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and mitral valve prolapsed. Several approaches have been deployed, in vitro and in vivo in order to determine the reason(s) that the human keratoconic cornea thins and protrudes. Genetic studies are perhaps the largest, in terms of participants/patients. Multiple genes have been proposed, including, VSX, COL1A1, COL5A1, and LOX, but studies remain inconclusive [1–13]. As a result, we have yet to see the development of an animal model that recapitulates the KC phenotype. These hurdles have hampered our progress towards unravelling the key molecular mechanisms responsible for the KC onset and progression. Perhaps the biggest gap in our knowledge about KC is that very few studies have attempted to link in vitro findings to those in vivo.
A Four Part Communication Skills Training Curriculum for Neurology Residents (P1.035)

Objective: To develop an interactive communication skills curriculum for neurology residents to improve comfort with end of life care discussions. Background: Neurology residents are often confronted with acute, devastating injuries as well as chronic progressive illnesses that present difficult treatment considerations. Although the ACGME has deemed communication skills a core resident physician competency, training is highly variable, leaving many residents poorly equipped to manage such conversations. Design/Methods: We created four one-hour interactive training sessions adapted for neurology residents derived from the Goals of Care Conversations Training Program (National Center for Ethics in Health Care of the Veterans Administration) and integrated it into the didactic curriculum of a neurology residency. The initial session presented a framework for discussing serious news and the next three sessions guided residents successively through the three major components of “goals of care” conversations: articulating prognosis, eliciting priorities, and formulating a treatment plan. These training sessions incorporated a multi-modal teaching approach using video clips or mini role-play with immediate feedback. A retrospective pre- and post-intervention survey was developed to assess perceived self-efficacy and satisfaction with the intervention. Results: Of 19 neurology residents, participants reported significant improvement in 1) recognizing/responding to emotion, 2) guiding decision-makers in exploring the values and goals of the incapacitated patient, and 3) recommending a treatment plan to match patient goals. All agreed that this or a similar training series should be offered to future residents, and 80% agreed that the training changed their approach to difficult conversations. Conclusions: Communication skills for end of life discussions are integral components of the postgraduate educational experience. Among neurology residents, participation in an interactive communication skills curriculum led to improved self-efficacy in the provision of primary palliative care. This four-part curriculum based on a publicly available resource is a convenient, replicable, and effective means of equipping residents to deliver patient-centered, goal-directed care. Disclosure: Dr. Lyerly has nothing to disclose. Dr. McElwain has nothing to disclose. Dr. Barnett has nothing to disclose.
Experiences Participating in Community Physical Activity by Families with a Child on the Autism Spectrum: a Phenomenological Inquiry

Families with a child on the autism spectrum face challenges to participating in physical activity in the community. Yet, little research has examined these families’ experiences and perspectives on such participation. This phenomenological study used semistructured interviews to collect data from 13 families with a child on the autism spectrum to understand their experiences as a family attempting to access physical activity opportunities. Families discussed four overall themes related to participating in physical activity in the community: (1) safety outside the home, (2) lack of acceptance, (3) behavior affecting the family participation, (4) and limited opportunity for activity. Evidence suggests that physical activity can provide tremendous opportunities to build better connections within the community and improve quality of life, but the barriers discussed by parents in the present study suggest that families and their children on the autism spectrum might not yet have the same opportunities for access or support.
(280) Trends in Opioid Use for Chronic Joint Pain in Mid- and Late-Life Black Adults: Results from a Mixed Methods Inquiry

Before the height of the opioid crisis, research had well-established older Blacks’ reluctance to use opioids due to concerns about side effects, addiction, and overdose. Our study found that 30% of Blacks used opioid medications within the past 30 days to manage joint pain. Given this proportion of users, we investigated demographic, social, clinical, and behavioral patterns distinguishing opioid consumers and non-consumers. Descriptive statistics, chi-square, one-way ANOVA, and qualitative content analysis summarize data for community-dwelling Black adults (≥50 years age) with symptomatic osteoarthritis. Although non-significant, opioid users (N= 33) were younger (50-64 years), female, unmarried, and lived in rural and urban areas. A marginal trend toward significance emerged for users without social support (p = .082). Interestingly, adults without a high school diploma or with a graduate degree (≥Master's) were significantly less likely to use opioids (p = .026) compared to those with a high school or college education (≤Bachelor's). Not surprisingly, opioid consumers suffered more intense chronic joint pain (=6.33±2.12, p = .003) than non-consumers (=5.10±1.87) and greater interference on physical function (p = .003). Opioids were primarily used daily (16.4%) or ‘as needed’ (11.8%). Despite greater pain, most opioid users did not use behavioral or medical strategies, such as massage (p = .023), assistive mobility aides (p = .014), or joint injections (p = .044). Both consumers and non-consumers shared concerns that providers give “more of this narcotic type medication to cover the pain up, blocks the brain from thinking it's pain.” “After so many years takin’ the medicine, you don't wanna get addicted to it… really it [managing pain] is mental, and although they can give you non-narcotic pain medicine, medicine is not the key.” Findings suggest that opioids are used by a very specific sub-group of Black adults who are middle-aged with mid-level education, no social support, more pain, and worse physical function.
Paraganglioma of the spermatic cord: A case report and literature review.

Abstract Introduction Neuroendocrine tumors are a diverse and well-described entity with most arising from the gastrointestinal tract. A clinically significant example is the paraganglioma, or an extra-adrenal catecholamine-producing tumor. Presentation of case Herein we describe and review a paraganglioma arising from the spermatic cord in a 55 year old asymptomatic man. Discussion Paragangliomas are rare, with an incidence of 3–8 cases per million population. To date there are only 12 cases found in the literature. Conclusion In this article, we review our patient’s presentation, follow-up, and screening followed by a review of the literature of this fascinating tumor. Although rare, paraganglioma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unusual groin masses. This work has been reported in line with the SCARE criteria (Agha et al., 2018).
Near-infrared temperature-switchable fluorescence nanoparticles.

Background Near infrared (NIR) environment-sensitive fluorophores are highly desired for many biomedical applications because of its non-invasive operation, high sensitivity and specificity, non-ionizing radiation and deep penetration in biological tissue. When the fluorophores are appropriately encapsulated in or conjugated with some thermal-sensitive polymers, they could work as excellent temperature-sensing probes. Methods In this study, we synthesized and characterized a series of NIR temperature-switchable nanoparticles based on two series of NIR fluorophores aza-BODIPY (ADP is used for abbreviation in this work) and Zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and four pluronic polymers (F127, F98, F68 and F38). Encapsulating the fluorophores in the polymers by sonication, we synthesized the nanoparticles that showed switch-like functions of the fluorescence intensity (and/or lifetime) as the temperature, with high switch on-to-off ratio. We also investigated various factors that might change the temperature thresholds (Tth) of the switch functions, in order to control Tth during synthesis. Results These nanoparticles showed excellent temperature-switchable properties of fluorescence intensity and/or lifetime. Meanwhile, some factors (i.e., pluronic categories and nanoparticles' concentration) significantly affected the nanoparticles' Tths while other (i.e., fluorophore categories) that weakly affected Tths. Conclusions By selecting appropriate pluronic categories and adjusting the nanoparticle's concentration, we can synthesize the nanoparticles with a wide range of Tths. These temperature-switchable fluorescence nanoparticles can be used for biomedical imaging and in vivo tissue temperature sensing/imaging.
Influence of physiological and psychological factors on cognitive dysfunction in heart failure patients

AIM Our study aimed to examine factors that contribute to cognitive dysfunction in patients with heart failure (HF). BACKGROUND Although a majority of patients with HF have mild to moderate cognitive impairment, little is known about factors that influence progressive cognitive decline in this population. METHODS We examined the influence of physiological factors (NYHA functional class II - IV, ejection fraction, co-morbidity burden, polypharmacy), psychosocial factors (anxiety, depression, evaluation for advanced therapy), and associated toxicities (anticholinergic drug burden), on cognitive dysfunction. Data were analyzed using mean (SE) for continuous variables and frequency and percent for categorical variables. Differences between NYHA functional classification (Class II vs. Class III/IV) were examined using Chi Square. Linear regression models were used to assess associations among model variables. RESULTS Of the 113 participants with HF, Class III-IV HF were more cognitively impaired than those with NYHA Class II (p < 0.0001), had higher anxiety (p = 0.002), and depression (p = 0.003), and lower EF (p = 0.041). A majority of participants had a moderate anticholinergic drug burden, and NYHA Class III/IV participants had significantly higher medication counts than Class II participants (p = 0.034). Regression analysis found that NYHA Class III/IV, anxiety, depression and evaluation for advanced therapy significantly influenced cognitive dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS Findings support a high prevalence of cognitive dysfunction, anxiety, and depression in NYHA class II-IV with a greater level of cognitive dysfunction in class III/IV patients.
The Einstein–Maxwell Equations and Conformally Kähler Geometry

Page’s Einstein metric on \({{\mathbb{CP}}_2\#\overline{\mathbb{CP}}_2}\) is conformally related to an extremal Kahler metric. Here we construct a family of conformally Kahler solutions of the Einstein–Maxwell equations that deforms the Page metric, while sweeping out the entire Kahler cone of \({{\mathbb{CP}}_2\#\overline{\mathbb{CP}}_2}\). The same method also yields analogous solutions on every Hirzebruch surface. This allows us to display infinitely many geometrically distinct families of solutions of the Einstein–Maxwell equations on the smooth 4-manifolds \({S^2 \times S^2}\) and \({{\mathbb{CP}}_2\#\overline{\mathbb{CP}}_2}\).
When Prosecutors Politick: Progressive Law Enforcers Then and Now

A new and recognizable group of reform-minded prosecutors has assumed the mantle of progressive prosecution. The term is hard to define in part because its adherents embrace a diverse set of policies and priorities. In comparing the contemporary movement with Progressive Era prosecutors, this Article has two related goals. First, it seeks to better define progressive prosecution. Second, it uses the historical example to draw some lessons for the current movement. Both groups of prosecutors were elected on a wave of popular support. Unlike today’s mainstream prosecutors who tend to campaign and labor in relative obscurity, these two sets of prosecutors received a good deal of popular attention and support. The Progressive Era reformers introduced the notion promoted by current progressive prosecutors that crime is a social phenomenon, which community services are better equipped to address than prisons. The Progressive Era movement also sought to implement professional norms and practices to promote the values of fairness and proportionality. Contemporary progressive prosecutors inherit this legacy but tend not to emphasize these professional values. The Article concludes that the professional values championed in the Progressive Era are critical, in conjunction with new programs and policies, to ensure that as innovation helps achieve social justice, prosecution remains in the hands of those committed to fair and even-handed justice.
A Retrospective Study of Foot Biomechanics and Injury History in Varsity Football Athletes at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Introduction The six-item Foot Posture Index (FPI-6) was previously developed as an assessment tool to measure the posture of the foot across multiple segments and planes. It was derived from a criterion-based observational assessment of six components of each foot during static standing. The association between abnormal foot posture and musculoskeletal injuries remains unclear and is in of need further exploration. Hypothesis/purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the association between foot biomechanics and self-reported history of musculoskeletal pain or injury. Study design Retrospective, cross-sectional study of collegiate football players at the U.S. Naval Academy. Materials and methods For each athlete, data were recorded on height, weight, self-reported history of pain or injury, and foot posture, which was measured using a FPI-6 with each item measuring the degree of pronation/supination. The primary outcome was each athlete's maximum deviation from neutral posture across the six-item index (FPImax). The prespecified primary analysis used generalized linear models to measure the association between FPImax and self-report history of pain or injury. Exploratory analyses measured the association using penalized regression (L1-norm) and a type of tree-based ensemble known as extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). Results Data were collected on 101 athletes, 99 of whom had sufficient body mass index (BMI) data to be included for analysis. Among the 99 athletes, higher FPImax was associated with a prior history of musculoskeletal pain (odds ratio [OR] 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.97 to 1.35), although the sample size was too small for the association to be significant with 95% CI (P = .107). FPImax was not associated with a history of knee injury/pain (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.15, P = .792), nor with a history of ankle/foot injury or pain (OR 1.04, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.21, P = .599). From the L1-penalized model, the FPI components with the strongest linear associations were the L6, R2, R1-squared, and FPImax. From the XGBoost model, the most important variables were FPItotal, BMI, R1, and R2. Conclusions The U.S. Naval Academy football players whose foot postures deviated from neutral were more likely to have reported a previous history of musculoskeletal pain. However, this deviation from normal was not strongly associated with a specific history of pain or injury to the knee, ankle, or foot. Clinical relevance The information ascertained from this study could be used to better inform clinicians about the value of the FPI in predicting or mitigating injuries for varsity football athletes.
Modeling of Creep and Tensile Behavior at High Homologous Temperature Using the Viscoplasticity Theory Based on Overstress (VBO)

In the modeling of welding and casting processes, the transition from the fluid to the solid state of a metal or alloy must be represented in a constitutive model so that appropriate stress and damage analysis as well as process simulation can be performed. It is assumed that the molten metal behaves as Newtonian fluid and the constitutive equation of the fluid has to result from the constitutive equation of the rate (time)-dependent solid as the temperature passes the solidus temperature. When the temperature decreases the fluid becomes a solid whose properties initially are close to a fluid. As the temperature decreases further solid properties dominate. These features include work hardening, cyclic hardening and the ability to withstand a nonzero stress at rest after prior inelastic deformation.
Identical 371-Base-Pair Deletion Mutations in the LAT Genes of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 McKrae and 17syn+ Result in Different In Vivo Reactivation Phenotypes

The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) LAT gene is the only viral gene abundantly transcribed during latency. LAT null mutants created with strains McKrae and 17syn+ are impaired for both in vivo spontaneous and in vivo-induced reactivation. Thus, LAT is essential for efficient in vivo-induced and spontaneous reactivation. Different investigators have studied two LAT mutants containing a StyI-StyI region deletion corresponding to LAT nucleotides 76 to 447. One mutant, dLAT371 (parent strain, McKrae), had parental high frequencies of spontaneous reactivation. In vivo-induced reactivation was not examined. The other mutant, 17DeltaSty (parent strain, 17syn+), had parental frequencies of in vitro reactivation following cocultivation of explanted ganglia but reduced frequencies of in vivo-induced reactivation. Spontaneous reactivation frequency was not reported for 17DeltaSty. These combined results suggested the possibility that in vivo spontaneous reactivation and in vivo-induced reactivation may map to different regions within the LAT domain. We now report that dLAT371 has in vivo-induced reactivation frequencies of the parent and that 17DeltaSty has reduced frequencies of in vivo spontaneous reactivation. Thus, dLAT371 demonstrated the parental phenotype for both in vivo spontaneous and -induced reactivation while the apparently identical 17DeltaSty was impaired for both in vivo spontaneous and -induced reactivation. These results suggest that one or more differences between the genetic backgrounds of McKrae and 17syn+ result in different in vivo reactivation phenotypes of otherwise identical deletion mutations and that McKrae may have compensating sequences sufficient to overcome the loss of the StyI-StyI region of the LAT transcript.
Inhibitory properties of full-length and truncated recombinant tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI). Evidence that the third Kunitz-type domain of TFPI is not essential for the inhibition of factor VIIa-tissue factor complexes on cell surfaces.

Human tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) is a plasma protease inhibitor that consists of three tandem Kunitz-type inhibitor domains flanked by a negatively charged NH2 terminus and a positively charged COOH-terminal tail. Previous studies have shown that the first and second Kunitz-type domains in TFPI are involved in the inhibition of factor VIIa and factor Xa activity, respectively. In the present study, we have compared the inhibitory properties of full-length recombinant TFPI and a truncated form of TFPI lacking the third Kunitz-type domain and COOH-terminal tail (TFPI1-161) with respect to inhibition of factor VIIa-tissue factor complexes on the surface of a human bladder carcinoma cell line J82. Full-length TFPI and TFPI1-161 were kinetically indistinguishable with respect to neutralization of the proteolytic activity of preformed complexes of factor VIIa-tissue factor on the J82 cell surface in the absence of factor Xa. Equimolar amounts of factor Xa augmented the anticoagulant activity of both preparations of TFPI to the same extent, and both preparations of TFPI were equally effective in inhibiting factor VIIa-tissue factor amidolytic activity in solution phase. In addition, plasma concentrations of both forms of TFPI, in stoichiometric complex with factor Xa, inhibited cell surface factor VIIa-tissue factor proteolytic activity markedly faster than plasma levels of antithrombin III, even in the presence of 1 unit/ml heparin. The results of displacement studies suggested slight differences in the affinity of the two TFPI molecules for the cell surface in that approximately 5% of a VIIa.TF.Xa.TFPI1-161 quaternary complex on J82 cells was displaceable from the cell surface by high concentrations of factor VIIa (10-100 nM), whereas only 1-2% of a VIIa.TF.Xa.TFPI complex was displaceable under comparable conditions. Pretreatment of the cells with TFPI/Xa alone or together with R152E factor VII, followed by factor VIIa treatment, revealed significant differences in the two TFPI forms with respect to the degree with which offered factor VIIa could restore factor X activation on the cell surface. These differences notwithstanding, our collective findings indicate that the third Kunitz-type domain and/or COOH-terminal tail of TFPI is not essential for the inhibition of cell surface factor VIIa-tissue factor complexes and suggests that TFPI1-161 may be a useful therapeutic agent in the treatment of thromboembolic episodes.
The analysis of the proton magnetic resonance spectra of monosubstituted benzenes. Alkyl benzenes and an empirical interpretation of the ring proton chemical shiffts

Abstract The PMR spectra of alkyl benzenes, i.e., toluene and t -butyl benzene, were analyzed to determine the precise values of chemical shifts at infinite dilution in CCl 4 and spin-spin coupling constants between the ring protons. Using the chemical shifts hitherto obtained for typical monosubstituted benzenes at infinite dilution in CCl 4 , the linear relations of each ring proton chemical shifts are made between Taft's σ I and σ R constants. Although there are a few exceptions, the main changes of the ring proton chemical shifts due to the substituent may be interpreted by the two common factors.
Pioneering entrepreneurial software engineers

The majority of undergraduate software engineering courses are taught by presenting theoretical background, reinforced by group or individual work on in-class projects. However, exposure to real-world projects would greatly improve a student's performance in industry. So far, attempts at involving students in real-world projects have been focused on large software products. This approach almost never succeeds in producing a final workable product because of the short period and provides little satisfaction to the customer or to the students. Hence, a fundamental question arises: can we develop a one-semester undergraduate software engineering course where we teach software engineering concepts and methodologies, and at the same time, have each student experience every software engineering phase, work in teams on a real-world project, interact with a real-world customer, and develop a marketable product which can be used, as is, by the customer? In this paper, we answer this question in the affirmative by presenting a novel approach for teaching software engineering to undergraduates
Evolutionary convergence of digit loss by overlapping mechanisms in multiple species of mammals (919.6)

Since the origin of tetrapod limbs about 450 million years ago, every Class of land vertebrate - reptiles, birds, amphibians, and mammals - has undergone some degree of digit loss from the ancestral count of five. Even within mammals many species have independently reduced the number of digits as a locomotor adaptation. The repeated convergence on digit loss indicates it is perhaps mechanistically simple, yet little is known of the mechanisms or whether developmental constraints ensure the same mechanisms are re-deployed in divergent species. Here we show in the three-toed jerboa, horse, camel, and pig that the mechanisms of digit loss are varied and yet utilize recurring themes. Common characteristics of digit loss include downregulated expression of the growth factor fgf8 in the apical ectodermal ridge in the anterior and posterior limb of all species with reduced digits. We also see massively upregulated cell death in tissue that fails to become digits in the jerboa, horse, and camel. In the three-toed...
Differential polyamine sensitivity in inwardly rectifying Kir2 potassium channels.

Recent studies have shown that Kir2 channels display differential sensitivity to intracellular polyamines, and have raised a number of questions about several properties of inward rectification important to the understanding of their physiological roles. In this study, we have carried out a detailed characterization of steady-state and kinetic properties of block of Kir2.1–3 channels by spermine. High-resolution recordings from outside-out patches showed that in all Kir2 channels current–voltage relationships display a ‘crossover’ effect upon change in extracellular K+. Experiments at different concentrations of spermine allowed for the characterization of two distinct shallow components of rectification, with the voltages for half-block negative (V11/2) and positive (V21/2) to the voltage of half-block for the major steep component of rectification (V01/2). While V11/2 and V21/2 voltages differ significantly between Kir2 channels, they were coupled to each other according to the equation V11/2−V21/2= constant, strongly suggesting that similar structures may underlie both components. In Kir2.3 channels, the V21/2 was ∼50 mV positive to V01/2, leading to a pattern of outward currents distinct from that of Kir2.1 and Kir2.2 channels. The effective valency of spermine block (Z0) was highest in Kir2.2 channels while the valencies in Kir2.1 and Kir2.3 channels were not significantly different. The voltage dependence of spermine unblock was similar in all Kir2 channels, but the rates of unblock were ∼7-fold and ∼16-fold slower in Kir2.3 channels than those in Kir2.1 and Kir2.2 when measured at high and physiological extracellular K+, respectively. In all Kir2 channels, the instantaneous phase of activation was present. The instantaneous phase was difficult to resolve at high extracellular K+ but it became evident and accounted for nearly 30–50% of the total current when recorded at physiological extracellular K+. In conclusion, the data are consistent with the universal mechanism of rectification in Kir2 channels, but also point to significant, and physiologically important, quantitative differences between Kir2 isoforms.
Network Flow and Congestion Control

The sections in this article are 1 Issues and Mechanisms for Congestion Control 2 Flow Control in Practice 3 Advanced Issues