cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Are the amino groups in the nucleic acid bases coplanar with the molecular rings? Ab initio HF/6‐31G* and MP2/6‐31G* studies

The molecular geometries of the amino-tautomers of cytosine, isocytosine, 1-methylcytosine, adenine, and guanine were studied using the ab initio LCAO–MO method at the Hartree–Fock level with the 6-31G* basis set. Also, MP2/6-31G* geometry optimization and vibrational frequency calculations were carried out for planar conformers of cytosine and isocytosine. All planar structures show one imaginary vibration for which the normal mode correspond to pyramidalization of the amino groups, whereas nonplanar conformers possess only real vibrational frequencies. The dependence of the predicted molecular properties upon planarity or lack of planarity of the studied systems as well as biological consequences of a flat potential energy surfaces for the pyramidalization of the NH2 groups are discussed. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A genetically encoded fluorescent reporter of ATP:ADP ratio

We constructed a fluorescent sensor of adenylate nucleotides by combining a circularly permuted variant of GFP with a bacterial regulatory protein, GlnK1, from Methanococcus jannaschii. The sensor's affinity for Mg-ATP was <100 nM, as seen for other members of the bacterial PII regulator family, a surprisingly high affinity given that normal intracellular ATP concentration is in the millimolar range. ADP bound the same site of the sensor as Mg-ATP, competing with it, but produced a smaller change in fluorescence. At physiological ATP and ADP concentrations, the binding site is saturated, but competition between the two substrates causes the sensor to behave as a nearly ideal reporter of the ATP:ADP concentration ratio. This principle for sensing the ratio of two analytes by competition at a high-affinity site probably underlies the normal functioning of PII regulatory proteins. The engineered sensor, Perceval, can be used to monitor the ATP:ADP ratio during live-cell imaging.
Mobile math: math educators and students engage in mobile learning

The public and educational communities are aware of the continuing crisis in math education in our middle schools and the convergence of technologies for teaching and learning. This paper presents a case study in which iPod Touch® was used to help middle school students learn about algebraic equations and, in particular, the concept of slope, absolute value, and elimination. The development of math movies for use on the iPod Touch provided students with a mobile means of informal math learning beyond the hours of the classroom. While the study explored the use of mobile devices in an eighth grade math classroom, the lessons learned are invaluable to those seeking to implement mobile technologies to support teaching and learning with typical software, such as iMovie, PowerPoint, and iTunes ® .
Using satellite‐derived ice concentration to represent Antarctic coastal polynyas in ocean climate models

The focus of this paper is on the representation of Antarctic coastal polynyas in global ice-ocean general circulation models (OGCMs), in particular their local, regional, and high-frequency behavior. This is verified with the aid of daily ice concentration derived from satellite passive microwave data using the NASATeam 2 (NT2) and the bootstrap (BS) algorithms. Large systematic regional and temporal discrepancies arise, some of which are related to the type of convection parameterization used in the model. An attempt is made to improve the fresh-water flux associated with melting and freezing in Antarctic coastal polynyas by ingesting (assimilating) satellite ice concentration where it comes to determining the thermodynamics of the open-water fraction of a model grid cell. Since the NT2 coastal open-water fraction (polynyas) tends to be less extensive than the simulated one in the decisive season and region, assimilating NT2 coastal ice concentration yields overall reduced net freezing rates, smaller formation rates of Antarctic Bottom Water, and a stronger southward flow of North Atlantic Deep Water across 30 S. Enhanced net freezing rates occur regionally when NT2 coastal ice concentration is assimilated, concomitant with a more realistic ice thickness distribution and accumulation of High-Salinity Shelf Water. Assimilating BS rather than NT2 coastal ice concentration, the differences to the non-assimilated simulation are generally smaller and of opposite sign. This suggests that the model reproduces coastal ice concentration in closer agreement with the BS data than with the NT2 data, while more realistic features emerge when NT2 data are assimilated.
Neural-humoral responses during head-up tilt in healthy young white and black women

Young black women have higher prevalence of hypertension during pregnancy compared to white women, which may be attributable to differences in blood pressure (BP) regulation. We hypothesized that young normotensive black women would demonstrate augmented muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and renal-adrenal responses to orthostasis. Fifteen white and ten black women (30±4 vs. 32±6 yrs; means±SD) had haemodynamics and MSNA measured during baseline (BL), 30° and 60° head-up tilt (HUT), and recovery. Blood was drawn for catecholamines, direct renin, vasopressin, and aldosterone. BL brachial systolic BP (SBP: 107±6 vs. 101±9 mmHg) and diastolic BP (DBP: 62±4 vs. 56±7 mmHg) were higher in white women (both p< 0.05). ΔDBP (60° HUT-BL) was greater in black women compared to white (p< 0.05). Cardiac output and total peripheral resistance was similar between groups. MSNA burst frequency was higher in whites (BL: 16±10 vs. 14±9 bursts/min, p< 0.05) and increased in both groups during HUT (60°: 39±8 vs. 34±13 bursts/min, p< 0.05 from BL). Noradrenaline was higher in white women (BL: 210±87 vs. 169±50 pg/ml; 60° HUT: 364±102 vs. 267±89 pg/ml, p< 0.05). Direct renin was higher and vasopressin and Δaldosterone tended to be higher in blacks (BL, direct renin: 12.1±5.0 vs. 14.4±3.7 pg/ml, p< 0.05; BL, vasopressin: 0.4±0.0 vs. 1.6±3.6pg/ml, p=0.065; Δaldosterone: -0.9±5.1 vs. 3.8±7.5 ng/ml; p=0.069). These results suggest that young normotensive white women rely on sympathetic neural more so than black women who have a tendency to rely on the renal-adrenal system to regulate BP during an orthostatic stress.
Fluorescent angular scattering emissions from dye-filled fibers.

Fluorescent angular scattering from laser dye-filled small-core-diameter fibers shows increased backscattered fluorescent emissions as the core diameter decreases below 23 μm. The fluorescent angular scattering from Coumarin 7 laser dye-filled hollow-core quartz fibers were measured at three different fluorescent wavelengths and compared with the elastic scattered incident radiation at 442 nm.
Investigating intuitive granularities of overlap relations

We present four human behavioral experiments to address the question of intuitive granularities in fundamental spatial relations as they can be found in formal spatial calculi that focus on invariant characteristics under certain (especially topological) transformations. Of particular interest to this article is the concept of two spatially extended entities overlapping each other. The overlap concept has been extensively treated in Galton's mode of overlap calculus [1]. In the first two experiments, we used a category construction task to calibrate this calculus against behavioral data and found that participants adopted a very coarse view on the concept of overlap, only distinguishing between three general relations: proper part, overlap, and non-overlap. In the following two experiments, we changed the instructions to explicitly address the possibility that humans could be swayed to adopt a more detailed level of granularity, that is, we encouraged them to create as many meaningful groups as possible. The results show that the three relations identified earlier (overlap, non-overlap, and proper part) are very robust and a natural level of granularity across all four experiments but that contextual factors gain more influence at finer levels of granularity.
Finding consensus stable local optimal structures for aligned RNA sequences and its application to discovering riboswitch elements

Many non-coding RNAs ncRNAs can fold into alternate native structures and perform different biological functions. The computational prediction of an ncRNA's alternate native structures can be conducted by analysing the ncRNA's energy landscape. Previously, we have developed a computational approach, RNASLOpt, to predict alternate native structures for a single RNA. In this paper, in order to improve the accuracy of the prediction, we incorporate structural conservation information among a family of related ncRNA sequences to the prediction. We propose a comparative approach, RNAConSLOpt, to produce all possible consensus SLOpt stack configurations that are conserved on the consensus energy landscape of a family of related ncRNAs. Benchmarking tests show that RNAConSLOpt can reduce the number of candidate structures compared with RNASLOpt, and can predict ncRNAs' alternate native structures accurately. Moreover, an application of the proposed pipeline to bacteria in Bacillus genus has discovered several novel riboswitch candidates.
Magnetic film phase-locked oscillator

The Phase-Locked Oscillator (PLO), also known as a parametron, was proposed almost simultaneously in 1954 by Von Neuman and Goto as a digital device [1], [2]. Since that time, much developmental of effort has been placed on parametrons utilizing ferrite cores and magnetic films. A comprehensive presentation of the use and application of the PLO can be found in the technical literature [3]-[8]. This paper is concerned with the mathematical analysis of the magnetic film PLO which is described by a nonlinear Mathieu equation. Although there are many analyses of the PLO, they all fall short of yielding a closed-form solution which quantitatively and explicitly relates circuit and film parameters to actual operation [2],[3],[7]-[12]. By establishing such a relationship, solutions for the transient response with limiting characteristics, operating frequency, and steady-state operation have been obtained.
Peripartum cardiomyopathy: post-transplant outcomes from the United Network for Organ Sharing Database.

Background Nearly 25% of patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) will require cardiac transplantation. Whether post-transplant outcomes differ among patients with PPCM compared with other recipients remains unsettled. Methods The United Network for Organ Sharing database was queried for cardiac transplants, comparing characteristics and outcomes for PPCM, other women, and all others. Results Between 1987 and 2010, 42,406 patients (9,419 women and 32,987 men) received a heart transplant. Of these, 485 women who had PPCM as the indication were younger ( p p p = 0.026), and had higher listing status ( p p p = 0.003). Comparing PPCM with other women and all others, graft survival was inferior ( p = 0.004 and p p p = 0.02, respectively). Conclusions This large report shows outcomes of graft failure and death are inferior for recipients with PPCM, which may be partly explained by younger age, higher allosensitization, higher pre-transplant acuity, and increased rejection. More research is needed to determine management strategies to improve outcomes in PPCM heart transplant recipients.
Excess carrier mapping technique — A new parameter extraction method for 4H-SiC ambipolar power devices

This paper proposes for the first time a novel characterization technique that can directly profile the spatial excess carrier in the voltage supporting drift region of a power device based on inductive switching waveforms. The theory this method is based on is to translate the dv/dt during inductive switching to the local excess carrier (from V(t)-t to 6p(x)-x). The information of the extracted profile can be used to obtain (i) ambipolar lifetime and (ii) Stored excess charge at given current in the device and (iii) estimate the carrier density near the side where majority carrier is injected. This model is used to extract carrier distribution of a high voltage SiC IGBT and GTO but the model can also be applied to other bipolar devices such as Si IGBT.
Diagnosing Plasmodium falciparum in a teenage traveler by peripheral blood smear

![Figure][1] A 17-year-old teenager presented with fever and jaundice for 1 week that was preceded by 3 weeks of abdominal pain and malaise. The patient was born in The Gambia but had lived in the United States for most of his life except for the last 2 years, when he had returned to The
Cosmological Redshift in FRW Metrics with Constant Spacetime Curvature

Cosmological redshift z grows as the Universe expands and is conventionally viewed as a third form of redshift, beyond the more traditional Doppler and gravitational effects seen in other applications of general relativity. In th is paper, we examine the origin of redshift in the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker metrics with constant spacetime curvature, and show that—at least for the static spacetimes—the interpretation of z as due to the “stretching” of space is coordinate dependent. Namely, we prove that redshift may also be calculated solely from the effects of kinematics and gravitational acceleration. This suggests that its dependence on the expansion factor is simply a manifestation of the high degree of symmetry in FRW, and ought not be viewed as evidence in support of the idea that space itself is expanding.
Cardiovascular and sympathetic effects of leukotriene D4 in renovascular and spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Leukotriene D4 (LTD4), a constituent of slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A), elicits a pressor response followed by prolonged hypotension in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) but not in Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. In order to investigate whether the depressor response to LTD4 in SHR rats is related to hypertension itself, we have studied the cardiovascular and sympathetic effects of LTD4 in 1-kidney, 1-clip hypertensive rats and 1-kidney, normotensive rats. In all groups of conscious rats, intra-arterial administration of LTD4 (0.2 − 20μg/kg) caused dose-dependent pressor responses of similar degree except in WKY rats, which responded less. Only SHR rats developed a significant and progressive hypotension (−58 ± 5 mm Hg) following pressor phase. In all but WKY rats, the response phase was attended by an increase in plasma levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine. Only SHR rats showed marked and persistent hemoconcentration following pressor effect.Thus, depressor response of SHR rats to systemic ad...
Paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma in childhood.

AbstractThe clinical and morphologic features of 18 patients with paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma are reviewed. Although medical attention was sought frequently within 2 months the lesion was mistaken initially for other more common scrotal conditions in more than a third of the patients, delaying a correct diagnosis for 3 weeks to 4 months. Half of the patients had retroperitoneal lymph node metastases. However, with multimodal therapy 61 per cent remain free of disease at a median of 6 years from diagnosis.
The value of observing an autopsy in clergy and pastoral care education.

The value of observing an autopsy for clergy and students training to provide pastoral care is that it raises consciousness about death and dying, assists in the participants' healing from loss, pr...
Counseling Women About Breast Cancer Screening.

Practical strategies can help family physicians and women in their 40s make more informed decisions about breast cancer screening.
The Tale of Chicxulub

After reviewing the character of asteroids, we now turn to the story of the discovery of the remains of the great Chicxulub object that fell to Earth, some 65.5 million years ago. Piecing together the data, scientists discovered worldwide evidence in the K-Pg Boundary portraying the mass extinction of 60–80 % of the life on Earth. Some 20 years later, further findings exposed the crater along with evidence of the effects of the impact from outcrops in ancient Gulf of Mexico and deep bore holes around the world. Also, described is the controversy in which claims that Chicxulub’s extinctions were caused partly or only by the eruptions in the Indian Deccan plateaus.
Type I IFN Signaling Is Dispensable during Secondary Viral Infection.

Innate immune responses in general, and type I interferons (T1IFNs) in particular, play an important and often essential role during primary viral infections, by directly combatting the virus and by maximizing the primary adaptive immune response. Several studies have suggested that T1IFNs also contribute very substantially to the secondary (recall) response; they are thought (i) to be required to drive the early attrition of memory T cells, (ii) to support the subsequent expansion of surviving virus-specific memory cells, and (iii) to assist in the suppression and clearance of the infectious agent. However, many of these observations were predicated upon models in which T1IFN signaling was interrupted prior to a primary immune response, raising the possibility that the resulting memory cells might be intrinsically abnormal. We have directly addressed this by using an inducible-Cre model system in which the host remains genetically-intact during the primary response to infection, and in which T1IFN signaling can be effectively ablated prior to secondary viral challenge. We report that, in stark contrast to primary infection, T1IFN signaling is not required during the recall response. IFNαβR-deficient memory CD8+ and CD4+ memory T cells undergo attrition and expansion with kinetics that are indistinguishable from those of receptor-sufficient cells. Moreover, even in the absence of functional T1IFN signaling, the host’s immune capacity to rapidly suppress, and then to eradicate, a secondary infection remains intact. Thus, this study shows that T1IFN signaling is dispensable during the recall response to a virus infection. Moreover, two broader implications may be drawn. First, a T cell’s requirement for a cytokine is highly dependent on the cell’s maturation / differentiation status. Consequently, second, these data underscore the importance of evaluating a gene’s impact by modulating its expression or function in a temporally-controllable manner.
Palaeoecology, Preservation and Taxonomy of Encrusting Ctenostome Bryozoans Inhabiting Ammonite Body Chambers in the Late Cretaceous Pierre Shale of Wyoming and South Dakota, USA

The straight ammonite Baculites is locally abundant in the Pierre Shale deposited across the Western Interior Seaway (WIS) of North America during the Late Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian). Fossils of Baculites are commonly preserved with body chambers filled by fine-grained sediment. Removal of the ammonite shell occasionally exposes the undersurfaces of runner-like bryozoan colonies embedded within this sediment. These bryozoans encrusted inner shell surfaces of empty body chambers of ammonites that apparently floated for some interval after death, before dropping to the seafloor where they were grazed by chitons, crustaceans and limpets and further encrusted by brachiopods and other bryozoans. SEM studies show that the runner-like bryozoans, previously identified in the literature as ‘pyriporoid’ or ‘pyriporid’ cheilostomes, are in fact ctenostomes belonging to a new genus and species, Pierrella larsoni. The ctenostome identity of these Pierre Shale bryozoans is evident from not only distorted zooid shapes and the lack of a calcareous skeleton, but also the remarkable preservation of some zooids with setigerous, or pleated, collars. The mode of preservation of these ctenostomes is enigmatic, although epibiont shadowing due to dissolution of surrounding shell played a role in most instances. As there is only minor overgrowth by organisms with mineralized skeletons, it is clear that the colonies are not preserved by bioimmuration. Most or all of the encrusted ammonites are concretionary so it is possible that rapid growth of authigenic calcite, which has been shown to be present by laser Raman spectroscopy, preserved the ctenostome zooids through a process of lithoimmuration before complete decay of their body walls.
WEARING OUT YOUR WELCOME: EXAMINING DIFFERENTIAL MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY OF NEW ENTRANTS AND CONTINUING RECIPIENTS

Until recently, states were permitted to have different “new entrant” and “continuing recipient” income limits for parental Medicaid eligibility by implementing income disregards that changed with spell length. Some states utilized this option—either tightening income limits for the same family over time or loosening them. In this article, we construct a theoretical model of utility-maximizing workers facing different time-dependent eligibility thresholds to predict the Medicaid participation and employment behavior of workers with varying wage levels. The model reveals some inter-temporally perverse incentives created by linking eligibility thresholds to Medicaid duration. Then, we empirically test these predictions using the Survey of Income and Program Participation and a unique compilation of state-by-family size Medicaid thresholds for both new and continuing recipients. We find that patterns of Medicaid participation and spell duration are consistent with the predictions of our model. There is also evidence that the individuals predicted by our model to lower their work hours may supply fewer hours of labor. As of January 2014, the Affordable Care Act disallows time-varying income disregards; our findings suggest that states previously using this strategy will experience an adjustment in Medicaid caseloads and possibly labor market outcomes because of the change. (JEL H4, I1, J2)
Hypoeutectic Aluminum–Silicon Alloy Development for GMAW-Based 3-D Printing Using Wedge Castings

Alloy development can simplify low-cost gas metal arc weld (GMAW)-based 3-D printing by making it easier to print quality parts with minimal metallurgical or welding experience. Previous work found good properties in aluminum alloys, particularly in the aluminum–silicon 4943 (Al–5.5%Si–0.4%Mg) and 4047 (Al–11.6%Si) alloys. These alloys were easy to print, but could benefit from alloying to increase ductility and to minimize or redistribute porosity. The purpose of this study was to modify 4943 and 4047 alloys and rapidly screen their performance for use as feedstock for improved 3-D printability. The 4047- and 4943-based alloys were modified with additions of magnesium, strontium, titanium boride, and combinations thereof. Wedge-shaped castings were used to efficiently screen alloying additions over the same ranges of solidification rates as those observed in GMAW-based 3-D printing. The alloying additions were most effective at modifying the high-silicon 4047 alloy, whereas no change in microstructure was observed in the low-silicon 4943 alloy. Strontium was an effective modifier of the high-silicon alloy. Titanium boride was not observed to have a grain-refining effect on aluminum dendrites on its own, although the combination of strontium and titanium boride produced the most refined eutectic structure in the high-silicon alloy. Future work should evaluate the singular effects of strontium, titanium boride, and the combination of strontium and titanium boride additions in weld-based 3-D printing.
Bacillus subtilis: Wild and Tame

My dear friend Linc Sonenshein introduced me to Bacillus subtilis forty years ago when he was a graduate student with Salvador Luria. The remarkable capacity of B. subtilis to transform itself into a spore has been the focus of my research ever since. Before too long, Sonenshein and I focused on 168 and related strains, the E. coli K12 of the B. subtilis world. We did so for the reason that, thanks to the pioneering work of John Spizizen (with some magic from Charley Yanofsky and Norm Giles sprinkled in), strain 168 exhibited the remarkable capacity to take up DNA from its environment and recombine the DNA into its chromosome. This discovery of genetic competence opened the way to traditional and, eventually, molecular, genetics in B. subtilis and made the bacterium a premier model organism. At the same time, and what I did not realize until many years later, we also paid a price for using a strain that had been passaged many times in the laboratory.
The V word - and the value of breaking news on social media : journalism next

Every minute, according to recent figures, 300 hours of footage is uploaded to YouTube, 350 000 tweets are shared and 150 000 images uploaded to Instagram. Ninety-nine percent of this content is ephemeral: pictures of people's coffee, updates from holidays and honeymoons, and videos of giggling babies. But within all of this noise, there is valuable news content.
X-ray CT characterization and fracture simulation of ASR damage of glass particles in alkaline solution and mortar

Abstract The alkali-silica reaction (ASR) damage in reactive aggregates affects the long-term durability of the concrete infrastructure. The generated ASR gel can expand by imbibing water from the pore solution and the resulting expansion pressure causes the aggregate fracture. This study aims to simulate the development of ASR damage in glass particles of two types of samples (glass in alkali solution and glass mortars). The dynamic micro X-ray CT technique was conducted to monitor the crack propagation in glass aggregates at different reaction stages (up to 64 h). The Boundary Element Method (BEM) and Displacement Discontinuity Method (DDM) were used to efficiently simulate the crack propagation within irregular glass particles under gel expansion pressures. The aggregate boundaries were built with the BEM elements and the initial cracks were meshed with the DDM elements. The estimated expansion pressure was applied to the initial crack surfaces. The discontinuous displacements and stresses were calculated along the crack path and crack tip. The mixed-mode Stress Intensity Factors (SIFs) were calculated based on plane stress conditions. The maximum circumferential stress criteria were used to simulate the propagation of cracks along a specific angle. The simulation results include the simulated crack path and the combined SIFs changing with the increments. With the estimate expansion pressure, the glass particle damages were simulated within conditions of alkali solution and confined mortar samples. The predicted crack propagation path was compared with the X-ray CT imaging data. The comparison results demonstrate the DDM has the ability to predicting the ASR damage propagation inside aggregates.
The Hurst Exponent of Precipitation: England and Wales 1766-2016

Month by month analysis of precipitation in England and Wales 1766-2016 is carried out at an annual time scale for all twelve calendar months. No evidence of dependence, long term memory, or persistence is found. All twelve of the observed Hurst exponents of precipitation are found to be H≈0.5 indicative of Gaussian randomness. Therefore, non-periodic clusters of flood years observed in this area are more likely to be irregular cyclical phenomena of nature than effects of the Hurst phenomenon.
Mental disorders among undocumented Mexican immigrants in high-risk neighborhoods: Prevalence, comorbidity, and vulnerabilities.

Objective This study aimed to: (a) provide population-based estimates for the prevalence of mental disorders, including substance use, among undocumented Mexican immigrants; (b) assess for relevant comorbidities; and (c) identify sociodemographic, immigration and contextual vulnerabilities associated with meeting criteria for a disorder. Method This cross-sectional study used Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) to collect and analyze data from clinical interviews with 248 undocumented Mexican immigrants residing near the California-Mexico border. The M.I.N.I. Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview was used as the primary outcome of interest. For all analyses, inferential statistics accounted for design effects and sample weights to produce weighted estimates. Logistic regression was used in multivariate analyses. Results Overall, 23% of participants met criteria for a disorder (95% CI = 17.1; 29.0). The most prevalent disorders were Major Depressive Disorder (14%, 95% CI = 10.2; 18.6), Panic Disorder (8%, 95% CI = 5.0; 11.9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (7%, 95% CI = 3.4; 9.8). Approximately 4% of participants met criteria for a substance use disorder (95% CI = 1.2; 6.1). After controlling for covariates, being 18 to 25 years and experiencing distress from postmigration living difficulties were significantly associated with meeting criteria for a disorder. Conclusion Undocumented Mexican immigrants are an at-risk population for mental disorders, particularly depression and anxiety disorders. Given that distress from postmigration living difficulties is associated with meeting criteria for a disorder, revisiting policies and developing new alternatives to facilitate access and provision of context-sensitive mental health services for this population is necessary to protect the human rights of these immigrants and that of their U.S. families. (PsycINFO Database Record
A Systematic Review of Antiamyloidogenic and Metal-Chelating Peptoids: Two Structural Motifs for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an incurable form of dementia affecting millions of people worldwide and costing billions of dollars in health care-related payments, making the discovery of a cure a top health, societal, and economic priority. Peptide-based drugs and immunotherapies targeting AD-associated beta-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation have been extensively explored; however, their therapeutic potential is limited by unfavorable pharmacokinetic (PK) properties. Peptoids (N-substituted glycine oligomers) are a promising class of peptidomimetics with highly tunable secondary structures and enhanced stabilities and membrane permeabilities. In this review, the biological activities, structures, and physicochemical properties for several amyloid-targeting peptoids will be described. In addition, metal-chelating peptoids with the potential to treat AD will be discussed since there are connections between the dysregulation of certain metals and the amyloid pathway.
Stepping up to Summit

The Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facilitys newest supercomputer, Summit, will supply five to ten times more computing power than current leadership-class systems. From facility enhancements to hardware procurement and application development, the project serves as a blueprint for advancing whats possible in scientific discovery.
Efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban compared to enoxaparin in treatment of cancer-associated venous thromboembolism.

Background Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is the guideline-endorsed treatment for cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (cVTE). Study objectives were to compare the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban and enoxaparin in cVTE. Methods Using a cohort study design, consecutive patients with cVTE (3/1/2013-7/31/2016), enrolled in the Mayo Thrombophilia Clinic Direct Oral Anticoagulants Registry, were compared to contemporary cancer patients receiving enoxaparin. The cumulative incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence, major and clinically relevant non-major bleeding, and survival were assessed at 3 and 12 months. Results Ninety-eight patients received rivaroxaban (51% female, mean age 63 ± 12 years) and 168 enoxaparin (34.5% female, mean age 62 ± 15 years). The most common cancers included gastrointestinal/pancreatic, genitourinary and hematologic cancers. More than half of patients had pulmonary emboli at presentation. More than half had metastases, and two-thirds were receiving chemotherapy. At 3 months, there were no differences in VTE recurrence (rivaroxaban 1.0% vs enoxaparin 4.2%; P = .15), major bleeding (rivaroxaban 5.1% vs enoxaparin 3.6%; P = .55), or all-cause mortality (rivaroxaban 4.1% vs enoxaparin 8.9%; P = .14). At 12 months, these outcomes did not differ by treatment strategy. Conclusion The results of this "real-world" experience with cVTE suggest that rivaroxaban may offer a safe and effective alternative to LMWH.
Mesenchymal stromal cells and macrophages in sepsis: new insights.

A better understanding of the effects of mesenchymal stromal cells on the function of macrophages may open up new therapeutic opportunities for treating sepsis http://ow.ly/8eRx30j28iH
The preliminary design of the G-CLEF spectrograph instrument device control system

The Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT)-Consortium Large Earth Finder (G-CLEF) is a fiber-fed, precision radial velocity optical echelle spectrograph. The preliminary software design incorporates a hierarchical, multi-level state machine. At the lowest level, the state machine utilizes GMT-provided frameworks to communicate with the hardware. At higher levels of abstraction, the design makes extensive use of State Chart Extensible Markup Language (SCXML) representations to define the operation of the instrument. The functionality of the design can be validated by executing these representations. The incorporation of an interpreter to directly execute the SCXML as a component of the control system is being investigated. The approaches used to develop the preliminary software design concept are described, the use and utility of SCXML for instrument control is discussed, and the application of the preliminary design to a subset of G-CLEF subsystems is demonstrated.
Ultrafilters on ω

In this final section, perhaps the least complete of all, we collect a number of results about ultrafilters on ω whose proofs do not seem to generalize in any obvious way to proofs of results about ultrafilters on arbitrary cardinals. The first sub-section (16.1–16.11) analyses the similarities and the differences between the notion of a Rudin-Keisler minimal ultrafilter and the (more general) notion of a P-point. The results here depend on the continuum hypothesis; among them are these: for every P-point p of s(ω)\ω there is a P-point q whose type is strictly greater in the Rudin-Keisler order than the type of p (Theorem 16.1); and, there is a P-point p of s(ω)\ω such that |φ−1 ({〈p,p〉})|=22ω (where φ:s(ω × ω)→s(ω) × s(ω) is the canonical function) (Theorem 16.11), while as we know |φ−1 ({q,q})|= 3 for every Rudin-Keisler minimal ultrafilter q (Theorem 9.6). From either of these results it follows that there are P-points of s(ω)\ω that are not Rudin-Keisler minimal (in s(ω)\ω). We note that the difficulty in generalizing the results of this sub-section is mainly due to the inductive method used in the proof of existence of ultrafilters with specific properties.
Rhizomatics and the Arts

For the past 150 years metrocentric research into rural education in Australia has produced “evidence” of the deficits in rural education. Many of these studies have, unknowingly, silenced rural voices by creating questions and representing data in the hegemonic, metro-centric language of urban based research. The study discussed in this paper (Noone, 2007) was an attempt to bring rural voices to the centre and present an alternative discussion of the “problem” of rural education: one which acknowledged the nature of rural place and the importance of teacherplace relations in rural education. The research explored the nature of the relations between place and becoming-teacher for five graduate teachers in rural schools in northern New South Wales, Australia.
In Vitro Models for Studying Invasive Transitions of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ

About one fourth of all newly identified cases of breast carcinoma are diagnoses of breast ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Since we cannot yet distinguish DCIS cases that would remain indolent from those that may progress to life-threatening invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), almost all women undergo aggressive treatment. In order to allow for more rational individualized treatment, we and others are developing in vitro models to identify and validate druggable pathways that mediate the transition of DCIS to IDC. These models range from conventional two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cultures on plastic to 3D cultures in natural or synthetic matrices. Some models consist solely of DCIS cells, either cell lines or primary cells. Others are co-cultures that include additional cell types present in the normal or cancerous human breast. The 3D co-culture models more accurately mimic structural and functional changes in breast architecture that accompany the transition of DCIS to IDC. Mechanistic studies of the dynamic and temporal changes associated with this transition are facilitated by adapting the in vitro models to engineered microfluidic platforms. Ultimately, the goal is to create in vitro models that can serve as a reproducible preclinical screen for testing therapeutic strategies that will reduce progression of DCIS to IDC. This review will discuss the in vitro models that are currently available, as well as the progress that has been made using them to understand DCIS pathobiology.
Mass Migration, Humanitarian Assistance and Crisis Management: Embracing Social Innovation and Organizational Learning

As described by Moore and Westley [47] ‘complex challenges demand complex solutions. By their very nature, these problems are difficult to define’. During the past 10 years the number of international migrants has been increasing. By 2015 there were 244 million international migrants and in 2015 alone upwards of 28 million people were displaced in 127 countries stemming from issues pertaining to conflict, violence and disasters [3]. In Asia/Pacific region, extreme weather disasters and climate change have been cited as influencing factors in mass migration of ‘climate refugees’. In fact it has been projected that over the next century there will be tens of millions of such “climate refugees”. The current surge in migration to the European Union (EU) is rapidly becoming the largest and most complex facing Europe since the Second World War. Between January 2015 and February 2016, over 1.1 million people made their way to the EU, escaping conflict and poverty in their countries. Moore and Westley [47] argue that ‘urgent calls for “innovation” have become increasingly frequent as people begin to recognize both the need for fundamental change in human beings’ relationships with each other and their environment, and the catastrophic ramifications of inaction or ill-informed decisions as to how such change might be effected’. This chapter examines the complex causality regarding mass migration of refugees and leverages social innovation and organizational learning as theoretical frameworks to support the design of humanitarian assistance and crisis management.
Choosing a Study

In choosing studies for the clinical research team, there are many considerations that can lead to success. Of course, studies are only offered for the most promising medications/devices/procedures. The second most important consideration will be to choose studies for which the team can recruit well. The talents and opportunities for the team and institution must then be evaluated. Finally, the studies to be chosen should expand team horizons and have the potential to change the world.
Sparse Matrix to Matrix Multiplication: A Representation and Architecture for Acceleration

Accelerators for sparse matrix multiplication are important components in emerging systems. In this paper, we study the main challenges of accelerating Sparse Matrix Multiplication (SpMM). For the situations that data is not stored in the desired order (row/column order), we propose a compact high performance sparse format, which allows for random access to a dataset with low memory access overhead. We show that using this format results in a 14-49 times speedup for SpMM. Next, we propose a high performance systolic architecture for SpMM, which uses a mesh of comparators to locate the useful (non-zero) computation. This design maximizes data reuse by sharing the input data among a row/column of the mesh. We also show that, with similar memory access assumptions, the proposed architecture results in a 9-30 times speedup in comparison with the state of the art.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Cytokine Storm

SLE is the prototype of autoimmune diseases and can manifest with a plethora of clinical signs and symptoms associated with a myriad of laboratory abnormalities. An infrequent but potentially lethal complication of SLE is macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). The diagnosis of MAS in SLE can be very challenging due to similarities in presentation of both flares and infections, such as fever, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, and cytopenias. These aggravating factors contribute to the increased risk of poor outcome in SLE-associated MAS. Indeed, MAS at the moment remains invariably lethal if untreated and still has high mortality rate with treatment. In this chapter, we discuss several aspects of MAS in the context of SLE. In particular, we discuss the pathogenesis of MAS in SLE, how MAS presents in pediatric versus adult SLE, and, finally, MAS treatment in SLE and future directions.
CSPoweR-Watch: A Cyber-Resilient Residential Power Management System

Modern Energy Management Systems (EMS) are becoming increasingly complex in order to address the urgent issue of global energy consumption. These systems retrieve vital information from various Internet-connected resources in a smart grid to function effectively. However, relying on such resources results in them being susceptible to cyber attacks. Malicious actors can exploit the interconnections between the resources to perform nefarious tasks such as modifying critical firmware, sending bogus sensor data, or stealing sensitive information. To address this issue, we propose a novel framework that integrates PowerWatch, a solution that detects compromised devices in the smart grid with Cyber-secure Power Router (CSPR), a smart energy management system. The goal is to ascertain whether or not such a device has operated maliciously. To achieve this, PowerWatch utilizes a machine learning model that analyzes information from system and library call lists extracted from CSPR in order to detect malicious activity in the EMS. To test the efficacy of our framework, a number of unique attack scenarios were performed on a realistic testbed that comprises functional versions of CSPR and PowerWatch to monitor the electrical environment for suspicious activity. Our performance evaluation investigates the effectiveness of this first-of-its-kind merger and provides insight into the feasibility of developing future cybersecure EMS. The results of our experimental procedures yielded 100% accuracy for each of the attack scenarios. Finally, our implementation demonstrates that the integration of PowerWatch and CSPR is effective and yields minimal overhead to the EMS.
Water turnover among human populations: Effects of environment and lifestyle

Objectives To discuss the environmental and lifestyle determinants of water balance in humans and identify the gaps in current research regarding water use across populations. Methods We investigated intraspecific variation in water turnover by comparing data derived from a large number of human populations measured using either dietary survey or isotope tracking. We also used published data from a broad sample of mammalian species to identify the interspecific relationship between body mass and water turnover. Results Water facilitates nearly all physiological tasks and water turnover is strongly related to body size among mammals (r2=0.90). Within humans, however, the effect of body size is small. Instead, water intake and turnover vary with lifestyle and environmental conditions. Notably, despite living physically active lives in conditions that should increase water demands, the available measures of water intake and turnover among small-scale farming and pastoralist communities are broadly similar to those in less active, industrialized populations. Conclusions More work is required to better understand the environmental, behavioral, and cultural determinants of water turnover in humans living across a variety of ecosystems and lifestyles. The results of such work are made more vital by the climate crisis, which threatens the water security of millions around the globe.
Eponyms are here to stay: Usage in the literature and among current neurology trainees.

Objective To assess the historical trends of medical eponym use in neurology literature and knowledge and attitudes among current trainees related to eponyms. Methods A comprehensive list of medical eponyms compiled from multiple online and print sources was queried against the titles and abstracts of PubMed articles authored by neurologists to assess historical prevalence in the literature from 1988 to 2013. We also surveyed current neurology trainees and trainees who have matched for residency in neurology, but not yet started neurology training, on their familiarity and attitudes toward eponyms. Results The yearly prevalence of eponyms among neurologist-authored publications ranged from 15% and 25%, with a mean of 21%. The total number of unique eponyms appearing in titles and abstracts increased from 693 in 1988 to 1,076 in 2013, representing 1.8% average annual growth. Our survey showed that residents with at least 1 year of neurology training reported familiarity with significantly more eponyms than those before neurology training (p Conclusions Eponyms will remain a cornerstone in medical education and communication moving forward. Educators in neurology should consider how best to integrate useful eponyms and alternative descriptors into residency training to enhance knowledge acquisition and retention.
Studying What Happens in the Operating Room

The majority of surgical adverse events may be traced to the operating room (OR). However, traditional surgical health services research approaches are limited in their ability to assess what is happening in the OR. In this chapter, we present an overview of point-of-care research, including strategies for data collection and analysis. Seminal papers in the field of intraoperative research are discussed.
Predictive Modeling for Estimating the Limits for Nonpersistent Effects in MOSFET Response Under Large Signal Gate Injection

In this article, we focus on developing predictive upset models to characterize the nonpersistent effects of large-signal gate-side injection on n-type and p-type metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors ( mosfet s). By “nonpersistent,” we refer to a set of conditions that do not affect the physical characteristics of the device or exhibit any memory effects, i.e., the device will operate normally once the injected large signal stimulus is removed. We present predictive models that determine the maximum limits for large-signal gate-side injection in terms of the device's I ON/ I OFF ratio prior to degradation or damage to the device. A function based on the mosfet technology device parameters, such as its threshold voltage and its power supply rating, is developed and presented. We then validate our predictive models against experimentally measured data for complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) mosfet devices fabricated using 350, 180, 130, and 65 nm standard Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) CMOS processes. Based on our validated predictive models, we show how the maximum limits for large-signal gate-side injection at 10-MHz change with technology scaling, from ∼9.7 dBm for 350 nm to ∼−1.7 dBm for 65-nm technology nodes for n-type mosfet s; and, from ∼11.0 dBm for 350 nm down to ∼1.2 dBm for 65-nm technology nodes for p-type mosfet s. We anticipate that our predictive models can be leveraged by CMOS circuit designers and electromagnetic interference/compatibility (EMI/EMC) engineers as quick “rule of thumb” guidelines to estimate device and circuit level susceptibility for the injected large signals.
Modification and Optimization of a Two-Step Oxidation-Oxime Experiment for Sophomore-Level Laboratory Course

A new two-step experiment has been designed and developed for the curriculum of the Organic Chemistry Laboratory 2 (CHEM2240L) sophomore course at Xavier University of Louisiana, in New Orleans. In...