cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural and functional characterizations of mung bean mitochondrial nucleoids

Mitochondrial nucleoids isolated from mung bean seedlings exhibited a chromatin-like structure associated with a membrane component. A similar structure, which underwent discrete changes during cotyledon development, was identified in situ. Isolated nucleoids consisted of essentially the same phospholipids, including cardiolipin, as whole mitochondria and proteins of inner- and outer-mitochondrial-membrane origin. Actin was consistently found with mitochondrial nucleoids prepared with different detergent concentrations. Formaldehyde cross-linking of cytochalasin B- and proteinase K-treated mitochondria further revealed that actin was associated with DNA in nucleoids. Mitochondrial nucleoids were self-sufficient in directing DNA synthesis in vitro in a pattern mimicking mtDNA synthesis in isolated mitochondria. In pulse-field gel electrophoresis, newly synthesized mtDNA separated into two major components, well-bound and fast-moving forms. Nucleoids DNA synthesis was resistant to aphidicolin but sensitive to N-ethylmaleimide, which indicates that a γ-type DNA polymerase was responsible for this activity. Mitochondrial nucleoids were capable of self-directed RNA transcription in a non-random fashion in vitro. Consistent with and complementary to results from fungi and human cells done mostly in situ, our present work helps to establish the important paradigm that mitochondrial nucleoids in eukaryotes are more than mere mtDNA compaction and segregation entities but are centers of mtDNA maintenance and expression.
A Search for Transit Effects in Spectra of 51 Pegasi and HD 209458

ABSTRACT We have used high‐resolution optical spectra to search for obvious absorption or emission lines from the planets orbiting HD 209458 and 51 Pegasi. For each star, two spectra were obtained during inferior conjunction, enabling the detection of absorption lines from the planetary atmosphere. Spectra were also examined at a full range of orbital phases. The search involved subtracting spectra during transit from reference spectra taken out of transit. We found no significant variations in the spectra of HD 209458 and 51 Peg at any orbital phase, with typical detection thresholds of several percent. Velocity measurements of HD 209458 taken 40 minutes after midtransit fall ∼20 m s−1 below the Keplerian fit, presumably due to the planet removing flux from the receding hemisphere of the rotating stellar surface. This is consistent with the planet orbiting in the same direction as the star spins, in agreement with recent work by D. Queloz and coworkers.
Characterization of Kinins in Wasp Venom

In mammals, kinins are formed from inactive protein precursors by the action of specific proteases at or near the site of their action. Wasp and hornet venoms are in interesting contrast to the mammalian system in that they contain free kinins which act immediately upon injection (Jacques and Schachter, 1954; Schachter and Thain, 1954: Holdstock et al., 1957; Mathias and Schachter, 1958; and Bhoola et al., 1961). In Vespa vulgaris a single major and two minor components were resolved on columns of Amberlite (XE-64). All three kinin activities were completely destroyed by chymotrypsin and greatly reduced by trypsin. Bradykinin and kallidin are not inactivated by trypsin and could be distinguished chromatographically from the wasp kinins (Mathias and Schachter, 1958). Hornet venom contains a single, different kinin which is not inactivated by trypsin (Bhoola et al., 1961). Peptides from wasps and hornets have pharmacological actions very similar to bradykinin and kallidin; they contract isolated smooth muscle preparations, lower arterial blood pressure, increase capillary permeability, and cause pain when applied to an exposed blister base on human skin.
An undifferentiated variant derived from the human acute myelogenous leukemia cell line (KG-1)

A variant subline (KG-1a) of the human acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) cell line (KG-1) has been isolated. The cells retain the same constitutive markers as the parent line, including HLA antigens, isoenzymes, and karyotype. The cells from the subline are morphologically and histochemically undifferentiated blast cells, while the parent cells and several of its clones are at the myeloblast and promyelocyte stages of development. The variant cells do not respond to colony-stimulating factor (CSF), and they do not express the human la antigen, nor a recently characterized AML antigen. The parent KG-1 cells are stimulated to proliferate in the presence of CSF and the cells express the la and AML antigen. Variant AML cell lines, such as KG-1a, will be useful in vitro models for investigating cellular response to CSF and for studying antigen expression in leukemic cells.
Numerical Exploration of Flow Control for Delay of Dynamic Stall on a Pitching Airfoil

A flow control strategy for the delay of the onset of unsteady separation and dynamic stall on a constantrate pitching airfoil is explored by means of high-fidelity large-eddy simulations. The flow fields are computed employing a previously developed and extensively validated high-fidelity implicit large-eddy simulation (ILES) approach based on 6th-order compact schemes and 8th-order low-pass spatial filters which provide an effective alternative to standard sub-grid-stress model closures. A NACA 0012 airfoil is pitched about its quarter-chord axis from a small angle of attack (αo = 4◦) to an incidence beyond the onset of dynamic stall. The flow and kinematic parameters are: non-dimensional pitch rate Ωo = 0.05, freestream Mach number M∞ = 0.1 and chord Reynolds numbers Rec = 2 × 10 and 5 × 10. For the baseline case, dynamic stall is analyzed and found to be initiated with the bursting of a contracted laminar separation bubble (LSB) present in the leading-edge region. This observation motivated a flow control of the LSB employing high-frequency pulsed actuation imparted through a zero-net mass flow blowing/suction slot located on the airfoil lower surface just downstream of the leading edge. Both 2D and spanwise-nonuniform forcing are considered at a very high nondimensional frequency Stf = fc/U = 50.0 which corresponds to a sub-harmonic of the dominant natural LSB fluctuations for the baseline static case. This approach is first tested for a static angle of attack α = 8◦ and found to significantly reduce the LSB size. Application to the pitching airfoil demonstrates that a significant delay in the onset of dynamic stall is achievable. This delay results in a stronger suction peak near the leading edge and in an increase in maximum lift. High-frequency forcing energizes the LSB allowing the flow to remain attached in the leading-edge region. Instead of the abrupt LSB bursting and dynamic stall vortex formation found for the baseline situation, the control cases exhibit the upstream propagation of a trailingedge separation region which eventually precipitates stall but at a much higher incidence. Both spanwise uniform and non-uniform modes of actuation were found to be effective suggesting that control effectiveness relies primarily on the very high actuation frequency to which the LSB is receptive.
Hemolysin production in young rabbits.

The antibody-forming capacity of newborn rabbits to various antigens, such as protein and bacterial antigens and foreign red cells, has been studied by a series of investigators (Freund, 1930; Baumgartner 1934a, b; Sterzl and Trnka, 1957; Bridges et al, 1959; Eitzman and Smith, 1959; Riha, 1961; Bellanti et al, 1963; Sterzl et al, 1965). In general, antibody-forming capacity is absent in newborn rabbits but appears in a week or two in varying degrees, depending on the amount of antigen injected and the route of injection. The development of this capacity from neonate to adult, however, has not so far been reported. This aspect of hemolysin-forming capacity has been explored in the current work by injecting 5 groups of rabbits from 1 day to 24 weeks of age intravenously with a standard amount of sheep red cells. Two of the groups were reinjected with the same antigen 27 or 28 days later. This procedure gave the following results in adult rabbits, as reported by Taliaferro and Taliaferro (1963). In intact rabbits intravenously injected with 108-3 sheep red cells per kg, a latent period of 3.2 + 0.11 days ensues after which hemolysin usually rises rapidly (k = 1.3 ? 0.05)
Who Applies an Intervention to Influence Cultural Attributes in a Quality Improvement Collaborative

Objectives Organizational culture change has been recognized as one of the promising ways to reduce error and increase safety. However, it is still unclear what factors support health care teams implementing interventions aimed to influence the cultural attributes that bolster continuous quality improvement. This study aimed to identify factors related to teams' adoption of the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP), an approach to improving patient safety culture among intensive care units (ICUs) participating in a bloodstream infection reduction collaborative. Methods We analyzed data from the 103 ICUs participating in the Keystone ICU project. We conducted logistic regressions to assess baseline factors associated with ICU teams' use of CUSP. Predictors included safety climate scales (teamwork climate, safety climate, job satisfaction, stress recognition, perceptions of management, and working conditions) as measured by the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire, central line-associated bloodstream infection rates, bloodstream infection prevention intervention phase, ICU type, hospital bed size, and hospital teaching status. Results Intensive care units with lower perceived safety climate, greater stress recognition, higher perceptions of management, and better working conditions were more likely to adopt CUSP. Intensive care units that implemented the infection prevention interventions late were less likely to adopt CUSP. Mixed ICUs and ICUs in large hospitals were also less likely to use CUSP. Conclusions Staff-perceived safety climate, ICU type, and hospital size were related to ICUs' implementation of CUSP. Better baseline safety climate or lower perceived organizational support reduced uptake. The findings can help hospital leaders and collaborative experts identify units that are less likely to implement cultural interventions.
Smoothness and geometry of boundaries associated to skeletal structures, II: Geometry in the Blum case

A skeletal structure ( M , U ) in ${\mathbb R}^{n+1}$ is a special type of n -dimensional Whitney stratified set M on which is defined a multivalued ‘radial vector field’ U . This is an extension of the notion of the Blum medial axis of a region in ${\mathbb R}^{n+1}$ with generic smooth boundary. For such a skeletal structure an ‘associated boundary’ $\mathcal{B}$ is defined. In part I of this paper, we introduced radial and edge shape operators, which are geometric invariants of the radial vector field U on M , and a ‘radial flow’ from M to $\mathcal{B}$ . In this paper, in the partial Blum case we derive formulas for the differential geometric shape operator of the boundary (and hence all curvature invariants) in terms of the shape operators on the medial axis. We further derive the effects of a diffeomorphism of the skeletal structure on the radial and edge shape operators using a distortion operator which is computed from the second derivative of the diffeomorphism evaluated on the unit radial vector field. This allows one to compute the geometry of the boundary associated to a deformed skeletal structure purely in terms of operators defined on the original skeletal set.
Hemilabile β-aminophosphine ligands derived from 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane: application in aqueous ruthenium catalyzed nitrile hydration.

A series of β-aminophosphines derived from 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA) are described. PTA-CHPhNHPh (1), PTA-CH(p-C6H4OCH3)NHPh (2), and PTA-CPh2NHPh (3) were prepared in good yield (62–77%) by reaction of lithiated PTA with the corresponding imine followed by hydrolysis. Compounds 1 and 2 were synthesized as pairs of diastereomers which were separated by successive recrystallization from THF/hexane. Compounds 1–3 are somewhat soluble in water (S25o = 4.8 (1), 4.9 (2), 2.7 (3) g/L). Upon coordination to Ru(II) arene centers both monodentate (κ1-P) [RuCl2(η6-toluene)(1–3)] and bidentate (κ2-P,N) [RuCl(η6-toluene)(1–3)]Cl coordination modes were observed. Ru(II) arene complexes 4–6 exhibited hemilabile behavior transitioning between κ1-P and κ2-P,N coordination upon change in solvent or addition of a coordinating ligand such as Cl– or CH3CN. Complexes (4–6) were found to be active air stable catalysts for the aqueous phase hydration of various nitriles with TOF up to 285 h–1 and TON of up to 97 00...
Juvenile curfew effects on criminal behavior and victimization: a Campbell Collaboration systematic review

Objectives The aim of this review was to synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of juvenile curfews in reducing criminal behavior and victimization among youth. Methods To be eligible, a study must have tested the effect of an official juvenile curfew ordinance instituted as a general preventive measure directed at all youth within a certain age range. All quantitative research designs that assessed the effect of the curfew on criminal behavior or victimization were eligible with the exception of simple pre–post designs with only a single crime rate pre and post the start of the curfew ordinance. To accommodate design differences, the effect size used in this synthesis was the percent change in the crime or victimization rate during the period of time with a curfew relative to a baseline period, adjusting for any linear time trend. The systematic search was conducted between January 20, 2014 and March 5, 2014. Thirteen documents representing ten unique studies were eligible and coded. Results The pattern of evidence suggests that juvenile curfews are ineffective at reducing crime and victimization. The mean effect size for juvenile crime during curfew hours was slightly positive (reflecting a slight increase in crime), whereas it was essentially zero for crime during all hours. Similarly, juvenile victimization also appeared unaffected by the imposition of a curfew ordinance.
On A Special Sentence Patttern

Predicative adjective plusing the infinitive is a basic structure in English. Chinese students learning English tend to make some mistakes when they use the structure if they do not exactly understand the implied meaning and usage of predicative adjective and have a vague concept of the logical relationship between the infinitive and the subject in the sentence. This paper is designed to tell readers how to correctly use a special sentence pattern made up of predicative adjective plusing the verb\|object infinitive, which is greatly different from the other similar one consisting of predicative adjective plusing the subject\|predicate infinitive.
Transrectal Aspiration Biopsy Versus Transperineal Core Biopsy for the Diagnosis of Carcinoma of the Prostate

Abstract Transrectal aspiration and transperineal core biopsies were performed on 38 patients with suspicious prostatic examinations. The false negative rate was 14 per cent by the core method but no cancer was missed by the aspiration technique. There was insufficient material for diagnosis in 14 per cent of the biopsies obtained by the core technique but in only 3 per cent with the aspiration biopsy method. Malignant cells were confirmed by cytology in 1 patient who had had 2 normal core biopsies. The cytological grade was only moderately consistent with the Gleason sum. No complications developed after either procedure. Transrectal aspiration biopsy offers several advantages over conventional biopsy methods and should be used regularly to diagnose abnormalities of the prostate.
Effects of School Accountability and Autonomy on Malaysian Student Performance

School accountability — the process of evaluating school performance based on student performance measures — is increasingly prevalent across countries around the world. This study uses survey data from the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009 to assess how various student and schools characteristics, as well as system level factors such as accountability and autonomy, affect learning in mathematics and science in Malaysia. We provide analytical results on the importance of accountability, autonomy, and transparency on school performance to understand the significant factors in the education reform that could enhance success in student academic achievement.
Les Mémoires de Madame de la Guette ou l’art de se reconstruire une vie

The Memoires de Madame de la Guette (1613–1676) constitute a major historical document on the series of crises that hit France in the middle of the seventeenth century. Beyond its status as an historical document, however, the author’s account of her struggles, successes and setbacks also reveals the everyday life of a woman who aspires to become noble. If Micheline Cuenin sees in the memoirs of Madame de la Guette the story of a woman who writes to remember (in contrast to men, who write memoirs to defend themselves), the aim of this article is to demonstrate, through an historical and literary perspective, her desire to justify herself and her choices (in particular, her choice of a husband against her father’s wishes) and to prove that her life had purpose.
Risk for asthma is associated with higher BMI, but not with obesity?

Introduction: Asthma and obesity impact the public health and their prevalence has increased in recent years. Studies show that obesity is a risk factor for asthma. Obesity is capable of reducing pulmonary compliance, lung volumes and the increase in adipose tissue metabolism in the obese leads to a systemic proinflammatory state. Aims and objectives: To assess the effect of increased BMI on the risk for asthma and levels of inflammation in asthmatic children. Methods: Of 2000 children, a cohort of 475 children and adolescents with asthma, was recruited. The participants underwent physical examination, blood sampling and lung function tests for detection of biomarkers of inflammation. We clinically assessed their health status and treatment outcome over the period of 12 months at 3 time points. Results: Participants were categorized into 4 groups according to BMI percentile: underweight, normal, overweight and obese. Increased BMI was more prevalent in male participants, both overweight and obese. At baseline, levels of hsCRP were elevated both in overweight and obese, compared to children with normal BMI. When treatment success was assessed by changes in airway inflammation after 6 months,FeNO levels were higher in bad responders, compared to good responders. Finally, we assessed the risk for asthma in all 4 groups: it was higher in overweight children compared to those with normal BMI, but not in obese. Conclusions: Although obesity is capable of increasing the prevalence of asthma in children, this effect appears to be insufficient alone. Increased BMI (overweight) increases the risk for asthma. Obesity rather increases the level of inflammation and affects the level of disease control and response to treatment.
The Type III Transforming Growth Factor (TGF)-β Receptor Regulates Growth, Proliferation and Adhesion in Multiple Myeloma Cells

Abstract The TGF-β signaling pathway has an important role in regulating normal hematopoeisis, inhibiting proliferation while stimulating differentiation when appropriate. TGF-β ligands regulate cellular processes by binding to three high affinity cell surface receptors: the type I TGF-β receptor (TβRI), the type II TGF-β receptor (TβRII) and the type III TGF-β receptor (TβRIII or betaglycan). TβRIII has essential and non-redundant roles in mediating and regulating TGF-β signaling. Our laboratory has demonstrated that TβRIII serves as a novel tumor suppressor in epithelial-derived solid tumors. Like most human cancers, multiple myeloma (MM) cells develop resistance to the homeostatic functions of the TGF-β signaling pathway. While loss of TβRIII expression correlates with tumor progression in many epithelial-derived tumors, the role of this receptor in MM is unknown. Analysis of TβRIII expression in MM specimens revealed loss of TβRIII expression, which correlated with disease progression from monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance to MM. Consistent with results in MM specimens, TβRIII expression was decreased at the mRNA and protein levels in MP399, NCI-H929, OPM2, and RPMI-8226 human MM cell lines, with only the U266 MM cell line expressing significant levels of TβRIII. To investigate whether decreased expression of TβRIII contributes to the pathogenesis of MM, we examined the effect of TβRIII on cell growth, apoptosis, proliferation, and cell-matrix adhesion. Restoring TβRIII expression in RPMI-8226 cells by adenoviral-mediated infection significantly (>50%, p 50%, p 30%, p
Anesthesia for Esophageal Surgery

Patients presenting for esophageal surgery frequently have comorbidities including cardiopulmonary disease which should be evaluated per published ACC/AHA guidelines. Particular attention should be paid to symptoms and signs of esophageal obstruction, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and malnutrition which may affect the risk of perioperative complications. Postoperative pain control strategies are dictated by the surgical approach to the esophagus. Use of thoracic epidural analgesia in patients undergoing transthoracic esophageal surgery provides optimal pain control, permits early patient extubation and mobilization, and may improve outcomes. Patients presenting for esophageal surgery commonly have pathology which increases their risk of regurgitation and aspiration. This is particularly true for patients with achalasia and other motor disorders of the esophagus, patients with high-grade esophageal obstruction, and those with severe GERD. Consideration should be given to pharmacologic prophylaxis, awake or rapid sequence induction in a head-up position, and appropriate postoperative care, including gastric drainage. Excessive perioperative intravenous fluid administration, especially crystalloid, may lead to exaggerated fluid shifts toward the interstitial space causing increased complications such as poor wound healing, slower return of GI function, abdominal compartment syndrome, impaired anastomotic healing, increased cardiac demand, pneumonia, and respiratory failure. The ideal fluid regimen for major esophageal surgery should be individualized, optimizing cardiac output and oxygen delivery while avoiding excessive fluid administration. Patients presenting for emergent repair of esophageal disruption, rupture or perforation may present with hypovolemia, sepsis, and shock. Anesthetic management strategies should be based on the severity of these presenting conditions and the nature of the planned procedure. Esophageal anastomotic leak is a frequent complication associated with high morbidity and mortality and is likely to be a function of numerous surgical, systemic, and possibly anesthetic factors. Since anastomotic integrity is dependent upon adequate blood flow and oxygen delivery, the development of anastomotic leak may be related to intraoperative management variables, particularly systemic blood pressure, cardiac output, and oxygen delivery and may thus be modifiable by anesthetic management.
Harvesting biofuel grasslands has mixed effects on natural enemy communities and no effects on biocontrol services

Summary Perennial bioenergy systems, such as switchgrass and restored prairies, are alternatives to commonly used annual monocultures such as maize. Perennial systems require lower chemical input, provide greater ecosystem services such as carbon storage, greenhouse gas mitigation and support greater biodiversity of beneficial insects. However, biomass harvest will be necessary in managing these perennial systems for bioenergy production, and it is unclear how repeated harvesting might affect ecosystem services. In this study, we examined how repeated production-scale harvesting of diverse perennial grasslands influences vegetation structure, natural enemy communities (arthropod predators and parasitoids), and natural biocontrol services in two states (Wisconsin and Michigan, USA) over multiple years. We found that repeated biomass harvest reduced litter biomass and increased bare ground cover. Some natural enemy groups, such as ground-dwelling arthropods, decreased in abundance with harvest, whereas others such as foliar-dwelling arthropods increased in abundance. The disparity in responses is likely due to how different taxonomic groups utilize vegetation and differences in dispersal abilities. At the community level, biomass harvest altered community composition, increased total arthropod abundance and decreased evenness but did not influence species richness, diversity or biocontrol services. Harvest effects varied with time, diminishing in strength both within the season (for total abundance and evenness), across seasons (for evenness) or were consistent throughout the duration of the study (for community composition). Greater functional redundancy and compensatory responses of the different taxonomic groups may have buffered against the potentially negative effects of harvest on biocontrol services. Synthesis and applications. Our results show that in the short-term, repeated harvesting of perennial grasslands (when insect activity is low) consistently altered vegetation structure but had mixed effects on natural enemy communities and no discernible effects on biocontrol services. However, the long-term effects of repeated harvesting on vegetation structure, natural enemies and other arthropod-derived ecosystem services such as pollination and decomposition remain largely unknown.
Arsenic and mercury contamination related to historical gold mining in the Sierra Nevada, California

Arsenic (As) is a naturally occurring constituent in low-sulphide gold-quartz vein deposits, the dominant deposit type for lode mines in the Sierra Nevada Foothills (SNFH) gold (Au) province of California. Concentrations of naturally occurring mercury (Hg) in the SNFH Au province are low, but extensive use and loss of elemental Hg during amalgamation processing of ore from lode and placer Au deposits led to widespread contamination of Hg in the Sierra Nevada foothills and downstream areas, such as the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay. This review paper provides an overview of As and Hg contamination related to historical Au mining in the Sierra Nevada of California. It summarizes the geology, mineralogy, and geochemistry of the Au deposits, and provides information on specific areas where detailed studies have been done in association with past, ongoing, and planned remediation activities related to the environmental As and Hg contamination.
Fosfomycin tromethamine for the Treatment of Cystitis in Abdominal Solid Organ Transplant Recipients With Renal Dysfunction.

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) after abdominal solid organ transplantation (SOT) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Fosfomycin tromethamine (FOS), a uroselective ant...
Error bounds for stochastic shortest path problems

For stochastic shortest path problems, error bounds for value iteration due to Bertsekas elegantly generalize the classic MacQueen–Porteus error bounds for discounted infinite-horizon Markov decision problems, but incur prohibitive computational overhead. We derive bounds on these error bounds that can be computed with little or no overhead, making them useful in practice—especially so, since easily-computed error bounds have not previously been available for this class of problems.
Microbial communities in soils with different population densities of soybean cyst nematode

The relationship of abiotic factors with soybean cyst nematode (SCN), the most damaging pathogen of soybean, has been studied extensively, but characterization of microbial communities in infested ...
Unwanted Sexual Experiences among Christian College Women: Saying no on the Inside:

Of 332 female college students who responded to a survey, 51% indicated that they had experienced an unwanted sexual incident. Twenty percent of the incidents occurred in childhood and 72% in adolescence or young adulthood. The stories fell into several categories: 15% were rated as sexual assault by a stranger, 11% as date rape, 13% as incest, and 55% as “lost voice.” Extent of the sexual involvement ranged from mild (7%), to kissing (14%), petting (45%), and intercourse (20%). The majority of situations involved a boyfriend, friend, or family member. Subjects also assessed their parents’ attitudes on gender roles. Those subjects who reported unwanted sexual experiences rated their fathers’ and mothers’ views of women as significantly more traditional than subjects who had not reported such experiences. These data suggest that parents’ attitudes about gender roles may be related to vulnerability and lead to unwanted sexual experiences.
Principles for the Communications Act of 2034: The Superstructure of Infrastructure

But can we expect the future "network of networks" to be totally self-regulating, with no rules by government? On the one hand, the more complex and advanced any network system becomes, the less one can guide it centrally. On the other hand, diversity does not assure optimality when different participants pursue different strategies and private and public objectives diverge. Some traditional subjects of regulation, such as price and entry controls will become unnecessary. But issues involving free flow of information, interconnectivity, universality of service, and international asymmetry will not vanish with competition.(note 1) Thus, rules and regulations will change, but not disappear entirely. Liberalization does not mean libertarianism. Therefore, what kind of rules should we expect to provide in the emerging "network of networks" interconnecting presently widely disparate types of communications systems?
Modelling Neurodegenerative Diseases Using Pluripotent Stem Cells

In order to gain greater insight into the molecular basis of neurological disease, scientists have been restricted primarily to genetically malleable animal models. However, for a number of reasons including genetic differences between humans and animals, the field has needed additional systems to better recapitulate the human condition. In this chapter we will review the use of human pluripotent stem cells as an unlimited source of affected tissue that can be used to model disease. In addition, we will discuss how these models may allow us to better understand the mechanism of these diseases as well as influence the generation of treatments.
Learning in Search

This chapter focuses on the recent improvements in solution search that are based on learning. We will describe some learning methods applied in areas such as mixed-integer programming, constraint programming, and those used for satisfaction problems. Instead of being exhaustive, we will concentrate on some of the most exciting advances. In particular, we will focus on pseudo-cost strategies used in general-purpose mixed-integer programming solvers, on the strategy learning used for automatic search in constraint programming, and on no-good generation in SAT solvers. Several examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of learning in these areas. Some practical results are also given using the integration of different learning techniques.
Tumor response dynamics of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients (pts) treated with commercial PD-1 inhibitors in the clinical setting.

9087Background: PD-1 inhibitors have shown promising activity in advanced NSCLC, with increasing clinical use. We evaluated tumor burden dynamics in advanced NSCLC pts treated with commercial PD-1 ...
Risk Factors for New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Sepsis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective Atrial fibrillation frequently develops in patients with sepsis and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, risk factors for new-onset atrial fibrillation in sepsis have not been clearly elucidated. Clarification of the risk factors for atrial fibrillation during sepsis may improve our understanding of the mechanisms of arrhythmia development and help guide clinical practice. Data sources Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane CENTRAL. Study selection We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify risk factors for new-onset atrial fibrillation during sepsis. Data extraction We extracted the adjusted odds ratio for each risk factor associated with new-onset atrial fibrillation during sepsis. For risk factors present in more than one study, we calculated pooled odds ratios (meta-analysis). We classified risk factors according to type and quantified the factor effect sizes. We then compared sepsis-associated atrial fibrillation risk factors with risk factors for community-associated atrial fibrillation. Data synthesis Forty-four factors were examined as possible risk factors for new-onset atrial fibrillation in sepsis, 18 of which were included in meta-analyses. Risk factors for new-onset atrial fibrillation included demographic factors, comorbid conditions, and most strongly, sepsis-related factors. Sepsis-related factors with a greater than 50% change in odds of new-onset atrial fibrillation included corticosteroid use, right heart catheterization, fungal infection, vasopressor use, and a mean arterial pressure target of 80-85 mm Hg. Several cardiovascular conditions that are known risk factors for community-associated atrial fibrillation were not identified as risk factors for new-onset atrial fibrillation in sepsis. Conclusions Our study shows that risk factors for new-onset atrial fibrillation during sepsis are mainly factors that are associated with the acute sepsis event and are not synonymous with risk factors for community-associated atrial fibrillation. Our results provide targets for future studies focused on atrial fibrillation prevention and have implications for several key areas in the management of patients with sepsis such as glucocorticoid administration, vasopressor selection, and blood pressure targets.
Association of Mandatory Disclosure Policies and Laws With Physician-Industry Financial Relationships.

Importance Beside the goal of increasing transparency to the public, disclosure policies and laws have been established with a goal to also reduce ethically questionable financial relationships between physicians and the medical industry. Data on these relationships should be reviewed to understand the association between these policies and laws and the attainment of reduced relationships. Objective To assess whether disclosure policies and laws have been associated with a decrease in financial disclosure reporting by physicians. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study uses yearly data from 2008 through 2015 from the participants in the American Academy of Ophthalmology's Annual Meeting. Trends in financial disclosures over time were investigated for the association of disclosure policies and laws with potentially beneficial, as well as ethically questionable physician-industry ties. Linear regression models were used to estimate the annual change in financial disclosures and are reported with 95% CIs. Exposures Disclosure policies and laws. Main Outcomes and Measures The annual aggregate financial disclosures by type (ie, consultant, lecturer, employee, grant support, equity owner, patent holder). Results Financial disclosures increased from 3966 in 2008 to 5266 in 2015 (P < .001). The number of disclosures reported in the categories consultant, equity owner, patents, and grant support all increased from 2008 to 2015 (consultant disclosures, 121 [95% CI, 88-155] per year; P < .001; equity owner disclosures, 32 [95% CI, 22-42] per year; P < .001; patent disclosures, 19 [95% CI, 13-26] per year; P < .001; grant support disclosures, 78 [95% CI, 48-107] per year; P < .001), while the employee and lecturer categories did not change significantly. The percentage of financial disclosures in the lecturer category decreased relative to the total (estimate, -1.1% [95% CI, -1.3% to -0.8%] per year; P < .001), owing to the number of financial disclosures for this category remaining stable while most other types increased. Conclusions and Relevance Disclosure was not associated with a chilling effect (decrease in financial disclosures associated with potentially beneficial physician-industry ties). Disclosure was associated with a possible disinfecting effect, whereby the percentage of ethically questionable disclosures (ie, lecturers) decreased, although the frequency remained stable. A permissive effect (physicians becoming more inclined to having industry relationships) was also observed. Thus, disclosure rules should be enhanced or alternative approaches to disclosure reconsidered to promote a decrease in ethically questionable relationships.
We Don’t Have a Lot of Healthy Options: Food Environment Perceptions of First-Year, Minority College Students Attending a Food Desert Campus

First-year college students are at particular risk of dietary maladaptation during their transition to adulthood. A college environment that facilitates consistent access to nutritious food is critical to ensuring dietary adequacy among students. The objective of the study was to examine perceptions of the campus food environment and its influence on the eating choices of first-year students attending a minority-serving university located in a food desert. Focus group interviews with twenty-one first-year students were conducted from November 2016 to January 2017. Students participated in 1 of 5 focus groups. Most interviewees identified as being of Hispanic/Latino or Asian/Pacific Islander origin. A grounded theory approach was applied for inductive identification of relevant concepts and deductive interpretation of patterns and relationships among themes. Themes related to the perceived food environment included adequacy (i.e., variety and quality), acceptability (i.e., familiarity and preferences), affordability, and accessibility (i.e., convenience and accommodation). Subjective norms and processes of decisional balance and agency were themes characterizing interpersonal and personal factors affecting students' eating choices. The perceived environment appeared to closely interact with subjective norms to inform internal processes of decision-making and agency around the eating choices of first-year students attending a minority-serving university campus located in a food desert.
Deleted File Fragment Dating by Analysis of Allocated Neighbors

Abstract Timestamps play a substantial role during digital forensic investigations and address two main objectives. First, they serve as a primary culling criterion to reduce the amount of digital evidence subject to analysis. Second, timestamps are the sole feature that allows reliable reconstruction of time-lines and they assist in locating temporal anomalies. File fragments, typically from previously deleted or relocated content, are often useful, especially when intact files are unavailable. Such fragments rarely contain embedded timestamps or have file-system timestamp information, which renders them less useful. In this work, we investigate and propose a framework for determining a time-window for deleted file fragments that are typically found in un-allocated space and file slack. We hypothesize that using the known temporal state of neighboring clusters allows us to derive a date-and-time range for when the file fragment was first written to media until it was subsequently deleted.
Numerical analysis of screw swirling effects on fiber orientation in large area additive manufacturing polymer composite deposition

Abstract Large Area Additive Manufacturing (LAAM) polymer deposition employs a single screw extruder to deliver pelletized feedstock resulting in significantly higher flow rates as compared to conventional filament-based extrusion additive processes. Swirling kinematics in LAAM melt flow that result from the screw rotation generate unique particle alignment patterns within the fiber-filled polymer during deposition processing. This paper investigates the effect of the single screw swirling motion on the resulting fiber orientation in a short fiber polymer composite extrudate. An axisymmetric non-Newtonian viscoelastic flow is simulated with the finite element method, where the flow nearby the extruder screw tip, within the printing nozzle, and a short section of free extrudate compose the flow domain. Fiber orientation tensors within the flow domain are evaluated using the Wang-O’Gara-Tucker Reduced Strain Closure (RSC) fiber orientation diffusion model with the orthotropic fitted closure. The results indicate that swirling kinematics yield a longer flow path for fibers to travel and orientate within the flow domain, yielding orientation tensor results that are notably different as compared to a non-swirl event. The predicted principal elastic constant from the swirling flow and non-swirling flow models exhibit 21% difference, and those from the swirling model using the RSC closure shows a good agreement with reported experimental data for a similar material system.
Hybrid lunar inflatable structure

Abstract Before humans had even stepped foot on the lunar surface, the idea of establishing a base was discussed extensively, with design possibilities and environmental studies. The lunar environment presents numerous challenges to surface structural designs as well as human survival. This paper reviews concepts and challenges and proposes a new design concept based on a hybrid-inflatable framework.
Innovative End of Life Education to Improve Patient Experience

Our institution is fortunate to have few full codes and infrequent DNR cases occurring outside the intensive care unit. As a result of this localized experience, many of our pediatric nurses have not received sufficient training or support to help them feel competent when end of life cases occur. Needs assessments were sent out to our pediatric nurses along with additional staff. The results identified a gap in education as well as a low level of comfort and fear/anticipation of experiencing their first code or death. …
Preventable patient acute mortality after EMR-generated QTc alerts.

e19359Background: EMR generated QTc prolongation alerts are ubiquitous in cancer patients. Their significance and impact on mortality is unknown. Methods: From 2006-2018, 19,223 adult cancer patien...
Persistent sex disparity in liver transplantation rates.

Abstract Background Studies have demonstrated that there are sex disparities in the rate of liver transplantation. However, little is known statistically about whether this disparity is caused by liver compartment size, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease adjustments, or regional differences. Methods We use retrospective data from the United Network for Organ Sharing Standard Treatment Analysis and Research data files for liver transplantation from 1995 through 2012. The final sample consists of 150,149 patients. These data contain information on all individuals who registered for the liver transplant waiting list as well as updated outcome data. Linear probability and logistic regression models were both used. Results Women were 4.8 percentage points less likely to receive a transplant. Adjustment for race, weight, body mass index, region, education, and other characteristics attenuated the sex difference by roughly 19% (from 4.8 to 3.9 percentage points). The disparity was consistent across the 11 United Network for Organ Sharing allocation regions. Comparing the heaviest women to the lightest men, the disparity flipped. Pairwise comparisons between men and women of various sizes suggest that disparities in favor of men increase with the ratio of male-to-female size. Conclusion Our results document persistent sex disparity in liver transplantation, only 19% of which is explained by size differentials between men and women. Differences in rates of transplantation are increasing in the ratio of male-to-female height and weight, suggesting that some of the disparity is explained by differences in liver compartment size.
Synthetic Blood Substitutes

In damage control resuscitation (DCR) management of traumatic hemorrhage and coagulopathy, timely transfusion of whole blood (WB) or blood components (platelets, RBCs, plasma in controlled ratios) can significantly reduce mortality. WB or component transfusion is also clinically important in managing bleeding dysfunctions and risks in surgery, myelosuppression, and congenital coagulation defects. However, donor-derived blood products suffer from many logistical challenges including shortage in supply due to limited donor availability, need for type matching, high risks of pathogenic contamination, limited portability and shelf-life, and various biological side effects. A robust volume of research is being directed to resolve these issues, including pathogen reduction technologies (PRT), low temperature storage, and bioreactor-based technologies to produce blood cells from stem cells in vitro. In parallel, significant clinical interest has developed toward bioengineering of synthetic blood substitutes that can provide blood’s functions while circumventing the above logistical challenges associated with natural blood products. Research in this field over the last few decades have primarily focused on the development of semisynthetic and synthetic RBC substitutes for enabling oxygen transport and platelet substitutes for enabling rapid hemorrhage control. This chapter provides a comprehensive review of the various “synthetic blood substitute” approaches, along with a critical discussion of successes, challenges, and current state-of-the-art and future opportunities in this field.
Gradient Projection Memory for Continual Learning

The ability to learn continually without forgetting the past tasks is a desired attribute for artificial learning systems. Existing approaches to enable such learning in artificial neural networks usually rely on network growth, importance based weight update or replay of old data from the memory. In contrast, we propose a novel approach where a neural network learns new tasks by taking gradient steps in the orthogonal direction to the gradient subspaces deemed important for the past tasks. We find the bases of these subspaces by analyzing network representations (activations) after learning each task with Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) in a single shot manner and store them in the memory as Gradient Projection Memory (GPM). With qualitative and quantitative analyses, we show that such orthogonal gradient descent induces minimum to no interference with the past tasks, thereby mitigates forgetting. We evaluate our algorithm on diverse image classification datasets with short and long sequences of tasks and report better or on-par performance compared to the state-of-the-art approaches.
COVID-19 epidemic response in Ghana

The year 2020 has looked like a fairy tale as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world with devastating socio-economic and health consequences. The impact of the pandemic has depended, largely, on preparedness and response of countries, and their ability to adjust to the fast-evolving pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on 30th January 2020, and Ghana reported its first two confirmed cases on 12th March 2020.