cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advanced irradiation-resistant materials for Generation IV nuclear reactors

Abstract The high temperatures and displacement damage doses for Generation IV reactors constitute a harsh environment for in-core structural materials. Based on current understanding of radiation effects in materials, several new or previously unexplored structural materials systems are intriguing candidates that might offer improved radiation resistance for nuclear energy applications. In this chapter, the scientific basis for radiation-resistant materials is outlined in order to identify potential novel structural materials. In addition to mandatory minimum mechanical and thermophysical property requirements, these advanced material systems incorporate one or more of three general approaches for designing irradiation-resistant materials: high point defect sink strength, low vacancy mobility, and radiation-resistant matrix phase. The current status of these advanced material systems (next-generation steels designed using computational thermodynamics to achieve highly stable nanoscale precipitates, high-entropy alloys, multilayer metallic nanocomposites, SiC-, Si3N4-, or MgO-based ceramic composites, Ti3SiC2 MAX phase ceramics, and bulk metallic glasses) is summarized in terms of basic properties, fabrication, and potential applications.
Activation of human macrophages by the endogenous toll-like receptor 4 ligand high molecular weight hyaluronan (101.20)

Rheumatoid arthritis [RA] is caused in part by cytokines secreted by classically activated synovial macrophages. We reported that IFNγ, typically produced by CD4 T cells within synovitis, primes macrophages for activation by high molecular weight hyaluronan [HMW-HA], a major component of joint synovial fluid. HMW-HA is a ligand for both toll-like receptor 4 [TLR4] and CD44. The purpose of this study was to compare the molecular mechanism of HMW-HA (endogenous TLR ligand) versus LPS (exogenous TLR ligand) induced macrophage activation. Transcriptome bioprofiles were determined by cDNA arrays, and the roles of CD44 and TLR4 were determined using blocking antibodies and cytokine measurement by Milliplex®. Significant differences in gene expression profiles were revealed when comparing IFNγ priming versus mock priming under both LPS and HMW-HA activating conditions, although nearly identical gene expression profiles were observed when comparing HMW-HA to LPS stimulation under both mock and IFNγ priming conditions. Blockade of CD44 enhanced inflammatory cytokine secretion while blockade of TLR4 inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in response to either HMW-HA or LPS. HMW-HA provides the stimulus required for classical macrophage activation when cells are primed with IFNγ in a response that is essentially identical to the LPS response. Type 1 T cells in proximity to endogenous TLR ligands may provide sufficient signals to initiate classical macrophage activation in RA.
Health-Related Coping Behaviors and Mental Health in Military Personnel.

ABSTRACT Background: Our previous research has highlighted the important link between coping behaviors and mental health symptoms in military personnel. This study seeks to extend these findings by examining each coping behavior and mental health issue individually. This study has four specific aims: (1) test cross-sectional relationships between coping and mental health at baseline and follow-up, (2) examine stability of each variable over time, (3) determine the predictive nature of baseline mental health and coping on subsequent mental health and coping, (4) assess the magnitude of each effect to evaluate the differential predictive value of coping behaviors and mental health symptoms. Methods: A convenience sample of U.S. Army platoons of the 82nd Airborne was surveyed. We used a two-wave, cross-lagged autoregression design with structural equation modeling to disentangle elements of temporality and to examine the predictive value of mental health status vis-a-vis coping behaviors and vice versa. Sepa...
Linking existing instruments to develop a continuum of care measure: accuracy comparison using function-related group classification

To compare measurement accuracy of test forms with varied number of items (13, 8, and 4 items) generated from the self-care physical function item bank composed of Functional Independence Measure (FIM™) and the Minimum Data Set (MDS). Retrospective data analysis of 2499 Veterans who completed both FIM and MDS within 6 days. We compared measurement accuracy between the converted FIM (FIMc) motor score generated from the MDS and the original FIM (FIMa) motor score (13 items) at: (a) individual-level using point differences, and (b) group-level using function-related group (FRG). The differences of mean FIMa and FIMc scores were between 0.05 and 1.07 points for all test forms. Over 81% of FIMc from MDS_13 were within 15 points of the FIMa. 81–90% of FRGs generated by the FIM short forms was identical to those generated by the FIMa for stroke, lower limb amputation, knee and hip replacement; and 59.9–90.5% by all MDS test forms. All MDS test forms had above 74% agreement with same or adjacent FMGs (ICC 0.65-0.91). The accuracy is dependent on the comparison level (i.e., individual or group), length of the test and which FRG is used. Our results partially support using existing instruments—without decreasing the number of the items—to generate a continuum of care measurement.
An outlook on tunable superhydrophobic nanostructural surfaces and their possible impact on ice mitigation

Abstract For decades, there has been a demand for the fabrication of surfaces that could prevent ice accumulation or remove ice easily. Ice buildup on the surfaces of infrastructural equipment such as airplanes, cars, ships, dams, wind turbines, and off-shore platforms reduces their efficiency and imposes safety risks. Traditional anti-icing and de-icing equipment is costly and is often inadequate in terms of performance. Some methods also have a negative impact on the environment. The last decade’s intensive investigation of the non-wetting properties of superhydrophobic (SHP) surfaces has raised the possibility of using these surfaces as icephobic surfaces, as well. In this review, the fundamental wetting properties of solid surfaces and SHP surfaces in particular are described first. SHP fabrication techniques and the effect of surface texture on the mechanism of water droplet interaction with the SHP surfaces are also discussed. Next, a comprehensive review of SHP surfaces’ performance in ice mitigation is presented, particularly the bouncing mechanism of super-cooled water droplets on substrates at subzero temperatures and the subsequent reduction of ice adhesion strength. The robustness of these surfaces, as well as the limitations of their performance in various environmental conditions, is also considered. It is believed that SHP surfaces’ ability to retain the Cassie state of wetting, even during impact by high velocity droplets and during frost formation, is the key to their icephobic performance. The design and engineering of the surface’s rough textures, as well as understanding super-cooled water droplet surface kinetics at the microscopic level, are crucial in developing SHP-based icephobic surfaces.
Numerical study on simultaneous emission and transmission tomography in the MRI framework

Multi-modality imaging methods are instrumental for advanced diagnosis and therapy. Specifically, a hybrid system that combines computed tomography (CT), nuclear imaging, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be a Holy Grail of medical imaging, delivering complementary structural/morphological, functional, and molecular information for precision medicine. A novel imaging method was recently demonstrated that takes advantage of radiotracer polarization to combine MRI principles with nuclear imaging. This approach allows the concentration of a polarized Υ-ray emitting radioisotope to be imaged with MRI resolution potentially outperforming the standard nuclear imaging mode at a sensitivity significantly higher than that of MRI. In our work, we propose to acquire MRI-modulated nuclear data for simultaneous image reconstruction of both emission and transmission parameters, suggesting the potential for simultaneous CT-SPECT-MRI. The synchronized diverse datasets allow excellent spatiotemporal registration and unique insight into physiological and pathological features. Here we describe the methodology involving the system design with emphasis on the formulation for tomographic images, even when significant radiotracer signals are limited to a region of interest (ROI). Initial numerical results demonstrate the feasibility of our approach for reconstructing concentration and attenuation images through a head phantom with various radio-labeled ROIs. Additional considerations regarding the radioisotope characteristics are also discussed.
Strategic Programming for Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Shock Reduction: Following the Greatest Happiness Principle?

> The said truth is that it is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong . > > —Jeremy Bentham See Article by Thogersen et al Implantable cardioverter–defibrillator (ICD) therapy reduces mortality and increases longevity in patients with heart failure and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction by treatment of life-threatening tachyarrhythmias including sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF). As such, ICD implantation has long become the standard of cardiovascular care in appropriate patients based on detailed guidelines and backed by a broad literature base.1–3 However, we now know that nonessential ICD therapy, in particular, for nonsustained VT and inappropriate shocks for supraventricular tachycardias, atrial fibrillation, and noise may actually increase morbidity and mortality, yet the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood.4 Several large studies, including 4 randomized trials (MADIT-RIT, EMPIRIC, ADVANCE III and PROVIDE)5–9 and 2 prospective studies (PREPARE and RELEVANT),10,11 have examined the effect of ICD programming designed to reduce inappropriate shocks by increasing both detection duration and detection heart rates. Furthermore, manufacturer-driven technological improvements have aimed at reducing unnecessary ICD therapy by way of discriminators of supraventricular tachycardia and algorithms designed to reduce oversensing. In a meta-analysis of the above studies encompassing a total of 7687 patients, ICD therapy reduction strategy resulted in a significant 30% decrease in all-cause mortality when compared with conventional programming (total of 469 deaths [6.0%], 207 [5.0%] in therapy reduction group and 262 [7.3%] in conventional programming group).12 This mortality decrease can largely be attributed to a 50% reduction in inappropriate shocks. …
Ehrenfeucht-Fraïssé Games

We introduce combinatorial games that are useful for determining what can be expressed in various logics. Ehrenfeucht-Fraisse games offer a semantics for first-order logic that is equivalent to, but more directly applicable than, the standard definitions.
Barriers to program completion of a voluntary capacity-building group intervention for individuals living in poverty

Although poverty is a multifaceted social problem perpetuated by structural forces, interventions often require attendance and participation in programs that can be difficult for people exp...
Decoupling Solar Variability and Instrument Trends Using the Multiple Same-Irradiance-Level (MuSIL) Analysis Technique

The solar spectral irradiance (SSI) dataset is a key record for studying and understanding the energetics and radiation balance in Earth’s environment. Understanding the long-term variations of the SSI over timescales of the 11-year solar activity cycle and longer is critical for many Sun–Earth research topics. Satellite measurements of the SSI have been made since the 1970s, most of them in the ultraviolet, but recently also in the visible and near-infrared. A limiting factor for the accuracy of previous solar variability results is the uncertainties for the instrument degradation corrections, which need fairly large corrections relative to the amount of solar cycle variability at some wavelengths. The primary objective of this investigation has been to separate out solar cycle variability and any residual uncorrected instrumental trends in the SSI measurements from the Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) mission and the Thermosphere, Mesosphere, Ionosphere, Energetic, and Dynamics (TIMED) mission. A new technique called the Multiple Same-Irradiance-Level (MuSIL) analysis has been developed, which examines an SSI time series at different levels of solar activity to provide long-term trends in an SSI record, and the most common result is a downward trend that most likely stems from uncorrected instrument degradation. This technique has been applied to each wavelength in the SSI records from SORCE (2003 – present) and TIMED (2002 – present) to provide new solar cycle variability results between 27 nm and 1600 nm with a resolution of about 1 nm at most wavelengths. This technique, which was validated with the highly accurate total solar irradiance (TSI) record, has an estimated relative uncertainty of about 5% of the measured solar cycle variability. The MuSIL results are further validated with the comparison of the new solar cycle variability results from different solar cycles.
Modeling the Determinants of Residential Appliance Electricity Use Single-Family Homes, Homes with Electric Vehicles and Apartments

This study provides a data mining-based methodology for setting decision-making rules to identify determinants of appliance electricity consumption based on four years of data from 800 single-family homes and apartments in Austin, Texas. These data were collected from single-family homes (i.e., reference case), single-family homes that owned electric vehicles (EV) and apartments containing multiple families. Cluster analysis was performed to group homes based on their calculated average hourly appliance electricity use, resident building attributes, and socioeconomic characteristics of building residents. Results of regression analysis indicate that variables from all three building types are significantly correlated to appliance electricity consumption. Residents of reference homes and single-family homes with EV tend to spend more time at homes, resulting in higher appliance consumption. Residents that own EVs generally attain a higher education level but do not necessarily having a lower consumption of appliances. Residents with higher income tend to have higher electricity consumption. The results of the analysis can provide new insights and tools for policymakers governing community development and for the utility sector as they seek to deploy new programs to optimize electricity use with existing generation capacity and enhance customer service in response to the growing demand for distributed generation in communities across America.
β-Cell secretory defects are present in pancreatic insufficient cystic fibrosis with 1-hour oral glucose tolerance test glucose ≥155 mg/dL

BACKGROUND Patients with pancreatic insufficient cystic fibrosis (PI-CF) meeting standard criteria for normal glucose tolerance display impaired β-cell secretory capacity and early-phase insulin secretion defects. We sought evidence of impaired β-cell secretory capacity, a measure of functional β-cell mass, among those with early glucose intolerance (EGI), defined as 1-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) glucose ≥155 mg/dL (8.6 mmol/L). METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Penn and CHOP Clinical & Translational Research Centers. PI-CF categorized by OGTT as normal (PI-NGT: 1-hour glucose <155 mg/dL and 2-hour <140 mg/dL [7.8 mmol/L]; n = 13), PI-EGI (1-hour ≥155 mg/dL and 2-hour <140 mg/dL; n = 13), impaired (PI-IGT: 2-hour ≥140 and <200 mg/dL [11.1 mmol/L]; n = 8), and diabetic (cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, CFRD: 2-hour ≥200 mg/dL; n = 8) participated. Post-prandial glucose tolerance and insulin secretion, and β-cell secretory capacity and demand were derived from mixed-meal tolerance tests (MMTTs), and glucose-potentiated arginine (GPA) tests, respectively. RESULTS PI-EGI had elevated post-prandial glucose with reduced early-phase insulin secretion during MMTT compared to PI-NGT (P < .05). PI-EGI also exhibited impaired acute insulin and C-peptide responses to GPA (P < .01 vs PI-NGT), measures of β-cell secretory capacity. Proinsulin secretory ratios were higher under hyperglycemic clamp conditions in PI-IGT and CFRD (P < .05 vs PI-NGT), and correlated with 1-hour glucose in PI-CF (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS PI-CF patients with 1-hour OGTT glucose ≥155 mg/dL already manifest impaired β-cell secretory capacity with associated early-phase insulin secretion defects. Avoiding hyperglycemia in patients with EGI may be important for preventing excessive insulin demand indicated by disproportionately increased proinsulin secretion.
Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF)/Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Signaling in the Retina

Over a span of two decades, it has become increasingly clear that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of retinal diseases including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). Based on these observations, anti-VEGF therapies are being developed and approved for clinical use in the treatment of neovascular eye diseases. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are transcriptional factors that are stabilized and activated under hypoxic conditions and induce expression of gene products, including VEGF, that are required for cell survival under hypoxia. Here we discuss recent findings from our lab and others that define roles of the HIF-VEGF axis in the retina.
Advances and Some Novel Experiments Using Direct Numerical Simulation of Turbulence

Recent advances in direct numerical simulation methodology are reviewed. These include numerical methods for complex geometries, boundary conditions at the open boundaries, and applications to compressible flows. Some instructive numerical experiments that would be difficult to perform in the laboratory are described. The primary example is the isolation of the minimal flow unit near the wall and its application to the study of the flow over riblets, three-dimensional boundary layers, and active control of turbulent boundary layers.
Pre-pregnancy cardiovascular risk factors and racial disparities in birth outcomes: the Bogalusa Heart Study.

Racial disparities in birth outcomes are mirrored in cardiovascular health. Recently there have been calls for more attention to preconception and interconceptional health in order to improve birth outcomes, including as a strategy to reduce black-white disparities. As part of a larger study of cardiovascular and reproductive health (“Bogalusa Babies”), female participants were linked to their children’s birth certificates for Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas births from 1982 to 2009. Three thousand and ninety-five women were linked to birth certificate data. Birth outcomes were defined as low birthweight (LBW) birthweight 3 weeks early; small for gestational age (SGA), 90th percentile for gestational age]. Cardiovascular measures (blood pressure, lipids, glucose, insulin) at the visit closest in time but prior to the pregnancy was examined as predictors of birth outcomes using logistic models adjusted for covariates. Only a few cardiovascular risk factors were associated with birth outcomes. Triglycerides were associated with higher risk of LBW among whites (aOR 1.05, 95% 1.01–1.10). Higher glucose was associated with a reduction in risk of SGA for black women (aOR 0.85, 95% CI 0.76–0.95), but not whites (p for interaction = 0.02). Clear racial disparities were found, but they were reduced modestly (LBW/SGA) or not at all (PTB/LGA) after CVD risk factors were adjusted for. This analysis does not provide evidence for preconception cardiovascular risk being a strong contributor to racial disparities.
Electric Field Tuning of BaTiO 3 -on-Silicon Multi-Ring Resonators via the Pockels Effect

We demonstrate optical tuning in hybrid barium titanate-silicon photonic structures. Individual resonances of a multi-ring resonator are coalesced into a single resonance. Critically, device operation is stable in time. Our devices enable adjustable wavelength filters and offer a low power solution to compensate fabrication imperfections.
Clinical Instructional Methods Employed by Preceptors in the Clinical Setting

Context: Clinical education is critical to athletic training students' professional development. Instructional style can vary between preceptors, and little information is available regarding popul...
Gauge Fields (Lecture 2)

The magnetic monopole in quantum physics was first discussed in a brilliant paper1 by Dirac in 1931. Conceptually it is related to2 a topological property of the U(1) gauge field, (i.e. electromagnetism). Many experimental searches for the monopole have been made, and up to this year, the result3 has been negative. Recently, however, Cabrera4 reported an event which he interpreted as possibly due to the passage of a magnetic monopole of the Dirac magnetic charge $$g = \hbar c{\left( {2e} \right)^{ - 1}}$$ (1) .
Enhancing Diabetes Self-Management Through Collection and Visualization of Data From Multiple Mobile Health Technologies: Protocol for a Development and Feasibility Trial.

Background: Self-management is integral for control of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Patient self-management is improved when they receive real-time information on their health status and behaviors and ongoing facilitation from health professionals. However, timely information for these behaviors is notably absent in the health care system. Providing real-time data could help improve patient understanding of the dynamics of their illness and assist clinicians in developing targeted approaches to improve health outcomes and in delivering personalized care when and where it is most needed. Mobile technologies (eg, wearables, apps, and connected scales) have the potential to make these patient-provider interactions a reality. What strategies might best help patients overcome self-management challenges using self-generated diabetes-related data? How might clinicians effectively guide patient self-management with the advantage of real-time data? Objective: This study aims to describe the protocol for an ongoing study (June 2016-May 2019) that examines trajectories of symptoms, health behaviors, and associated challenges among individuals with T2DM utilizing multiple mobile technologies, including a wireless body scale, wireless glucometer, and a wrist-worn accelerometer over a 6-month period. Methods: We are conducting an explanatory sequential mixed methods study of 60 patients with T2DM recruited from a primary care clinic. Patients were asked to track relevant clinical data for 6 months using a wireless body scale, wireless glucometer, a wrist-worn accelerometer, and a medication adherence text message (short message service, SMS) survey. Data generated from the devices were then analyzed and visualized. A subset of patients is currently being interviewed to discuss their challenges and successes in diabetes self-management, and they are being shown visualizations of their own data. Following the data collection period, we will conduct interviews with study clinicians to explore ways in which they might collaborate with patients. Results: This study has received regulatory approval. Patient enrollment ongoing with a sample size of 60 patients is complete, and up to 20 clinicians will be enrolled. At the patient level, data collection is complete, but data analysis is pending. At the clinician level, data collection is currently ongoing. Conclusions: This study seeks to expand the use of mobile technologies to generate real-time data to enhance self-management strategies. It also seeks to obtain both patient and provider perspectives on using real-time data to develop algorithms for software that will facilitate real-time self-management strategies. We expect that the findings of this study will offer important insight into how to support patients and providers using real-time data to manage a complex chronic illness. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/13517
Queer Ecologies: Ballast Plants in the New World

During the second half of the nineteenth century, plant surveys of ballast grounds were executed in earnest at the commercial waterfront territories of Philadelphia and New York City. Botanists, led by Aubrey H. Smith of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia and Addison Brown of the Torrey Botanical Club, identified sites of reclaimed land formed by the deposition of merchant ships’ stone, sand, and gravel ballast as well as other debris. Colonies of plants emerged from these ballast lands, often from seeds that had inadvertently been transported by commercial ships. Dubbed “adventive flora” by the botanists and hailing from Great Britain, Europe, South America, and the West Indies, the ballast plant species were identified and tracked over a series of years to determine their success in their new environment. The botanists championed the novelty of the ballast plants, but by the late nineteenth century, federal legislation controlling the entry of plants into the United States was enacted. Interestingly, immigration reform acts also surged at this time, ostensibly to prevent disease transmission but also “racial taint.” The arguments legislating plants and defining “noxious weeds” were uncannily similar. However, the opportunistic adaptability of these ballast plants as well as their genetic diversity provides them with the very characteristics necessary to thrive in a changing climate.
The use of high resolution anterior segment optical coherence tomography for the characterization of conjunctival lymphoma, conjunctival amyloidosis and benign reactive lymphoid hyperplasia.

Conjunctival lymphoma, conjunctival amyloidosis and benign reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (BRLH) are conditions that often have a similar appearance on the ocular surface. The use of high resolution anterior segment optical coherence tomography (HR-OCT) enables clinicians to evaluate distinctive differences in tissue morphology and cellular patterns in various ocular surface conditions. In this study, we characterize the morphological differences seen in conjunctival lymphoma, conjunctival amyloidosis and BRLH on HR-OCT imaging. A retrospective chart review was performed of patients with biopsy proven conjunctival lymphoma, conjunctival amyloidosis and BRLH between 2012 and 2019 at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Patients were excluded if HR-OCT imaging was not performed on initial presentation. Thirty-four total eyes of 27 patients were identified. Twenty eyes had conjunctival lymphoma (16 patients), 8 eyes had conjunctival amyloidosis (6 patients) and 6 eyes had BRLH (5 patients). All conditions appeared clinically as pink, red or yellow subepithelial lesions but had different features on HR-OCT. In lymphoma, HR-OCT images typically showed homogenous, dark subepithelial lesions with smooth borders, containing monomorphic dot-like infiltrates. HR-OCT images of amyloidosis typically showed heterogeneous, dark lesions with irregular borders, often containing hyperreflective linear infiltrates. HR-OCT images of BRLH showed variable infiltration of the subepithelial tissue, at times with homogenous lesions containing dot-like infiltrates like lymphoma and other times with more hyperreflective, subepithelial tissue. Flow cytometry and gene rearrangement was needed for final differentiation between BRLH and lymphoma lesions. Distinctive features on HR-OCT of conjunctival lymphoma, conjunctival amyloidosis and BRLH can help characterize these lesions beyond what is apparent with the clinical examination. Future studies can further validate this technology’s use with more subtle and challenging lesions.
Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection in Levo-Transposition of the Great Arteries

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an uncommon form of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). With the increasing recognition of this condition…
Molecular profiling of single neurons of known identity in two ganglia from the crab Cancer borealis

Understanding circuit organization depends on identification of cell types. Recent advances in transcriptional profiling methods have enabled classification of cell types by their gene expression. While exceptionally powerful and high throughput, the ground-truth validation of these methods is difficult: If cell type is unknown, how does one assess whether a given analysis accurately captures neuronal identity? To shed light on the capabilities and limitations of solely using transcriptional profiling for cell-type classification, we performed 2 forms of transcriptional profiling—RNA-seq and quantitative RT-PCR, in single, unambiguously identified neurons from 2 small crustacean neuronal networks: The stomatogastric and cardiac ganglia. We then combined our knowledge of cell type with unbiased clustering analyses and supervised machine learning to determine how accurately functionally defined neuron types can be classified by expression profile alone. The results demonstrate that expression profile is able to capture neuronal identity most accurately when combined with multimodal information that allows for post hoc grouping, so analysis can proceed from a supervised perspective. Solely unsupervised clustering can lead to misidentification and an inability to distinguish between 2 or more cell types. Therefore, this study supports the general utility of cell identification by transcriptional profiling, but adds a caution: It is difficult or impossible to know under what conditions transcriptional profiling alone is capable of assigning cell identity. Only by combining multiple modalities of information such as physiology, morphology, or innervation target can neuronal identity be unambiguously determined.
Bovine jugular vein conduit versus pulmonary homograft in the Ross operation.

OBJECTIVES The Ross procedure involves using the native pulmonary valve for aortic valve replacement then replacing the pulmonary valve with an allograft or xenograft. We aimed to compare our age-matched experience with the bovine jugular vein conduit and the pulmonary homograft for pulmonary valve replacement during the Ross procedure in children. METHODS Between 1998 and 2016, 15 patients <18 years of age underwent a Ross procedure using the bovine jugular vein conduit (Ross-Bovine Jugular Vein Conduit) at our institution. These patients were age-matched with 15 patients who had the Ross operation with a standard pulmonary homograft for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction (Ross-Pulmonary Homograft). Paper and electronic medical records were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS The median age of the Ross-Bovine Jugular Vein Conduit and Ross-Pulmonary Homograft patients were 4.8 years (interquartile range 1.1-6.6) and 3.3 years (interquartile 1.2-7.6), respectively (p = 0.6). The median follow-up time for the Ross-Bovine Jugular Vein Conduit and Ross-Pulmonary Homograft groups were 1.7 years (interquartile range 0.5-4.9) and 6.8 years (interquartile range 1.9-13.4), respectively (p = 0.03). Overall, 5-year survival, freedom from redo aortic valve replacement, and freedom from pulmonary valve replacement were similar between groups. CONCLUSION The bovine jugular vein conduit and pulmonary homograft have favourable mid-term durability when used for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction for the Ross operation. The bovine jugular vein conduit may be a suitable replacement for appropriately sized patients undergoing a Ross aortic valve replacement, though longer follow-up is needed.
Non-Operating Room Anesthesia: Patient Selection and Special Considerations

Non-operating room anesthesia (NORA) represents a growing field of medicine with an increasing trend in the number of cases performed over the previous decade. As a result, anesthesia providers will need to enhance their familiarity with the resources, personnel, and environment outside of the operating room. Anesthesia delivery in NORA settings should be held with the same high-quality standards as that within the operating room. This review looks at special considerations in patient selection and the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods. In addition, there is a discussion on the unique aspects of specific NORA areas and the considerations that come with them.
Subformula caching for model counting and quantitative program analysis

Quantitative program analysis is an emerging area with applications to software reliability, quantitative information flow, side-channel detection and attack synthesis. Most quantitative program analysis techniques rely on model counting constraint solvers, which are typically the bottleneck for scalability. Although the effectiveness of formula caching in expediting expensive model-counting queries has been demonstrated in prior work, our key insight is that many subformulas are shared across non-identical constraints generated during program analyses. This has not been utilized by prior formula caching approaches. In this paper we present a subformula caching framework and integrate it into a model counting constraint solver. We experimentally evaluate its effectiveness under three quantitative program analysis scenarios: 1) model counting constraints generated by symbolic execution, 2) reliability analysis using probabilistic symbolic execution, 3) adaptive attack synthesis for side-channels. Our experimental results demonstrate that our subformula caching approach significantly improves the performance of quantitative program analysis.
Recording membrane potential in adult neural stem cells as readout for stem cell activation following neural circuit stimulation in mouse hippocampal slices.

Summary The transition from quiescence to activation in radial neural stem cells (rNSCs) is a key first step in the process of adult neurogenesis, which can be monitored in the context of circuit activation in live tissue by whole-cell patch-clamp recording of membrane potentials of rNSCs in acute brain slices. However, membrane recordings in small non-neuronal cells such as rNSCs can be challenging. Here, we describe the preparation of materials, recording and stimulation protocols, and analyses necessary to evaluate the efficacy of activity-dependent control of rNSC behavior. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Asrican et al. (2020) .
Design of Aircraft for Best Value

The effect of aircraft performance, quantity, and schedule on aircraft cost has been analyzed in order to create a method for making informed decisions about aircraft optimization. Operations analy...
How not to run out of oxygen: Primary FRCA forcibly put into practice by COVID-19 to maintain patient safety:

BackgroundSARS-CoV-2 is currently the cause of a global pandemic, putting significant strain on healthcare systems worldwide. Reports reaching the United Kingdom, ahead of the pandemic, and previou...
Why Do US Firms Choose Global Equity Offerings

This study examines the economic motivation for global seasoned equity offerings made by US firms. We find that firms announcing global offerings have significantly less negative market reactions than had they limited the issues to domestic only. The extent of the reduced price drop at issue announcement is found to be negatively associated with pre-announcement price run-up, firm size, and market-to-book equity, but positively associated with unsystematic risk. We also find that global issuing firms outperform their domestic counterparts for up to three years following the offerings.
Improving Mobilization of Foreign DNA into Zymomonas mobilis Strain ZM4 by Removal of Multiple Restriction Systems.

Zymomonas mobilis has emerged as a promising candidate for production of high-value bioproducts from plant biomass. However, a major limitation in equipping Z. mobilis with novel pathways to achieve this goal is restriction of heterologous DNA. Here, we characterized the contribution of several defense systems of Z. mobilis strain ZM4 to impeding heterologous gene transfer from an Escherichia coli donor. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that Z. mobilis ZM4 encodes a previously described mrr-like type IV restriction modification (RM) system, a type I-F CRISPR system, a chromosomal type I RM system (hsdMSc), and a previously uncharacterized type I RM system, located on an endogenous plasmid (hsdRMSp). The DNA recognition motif of HsdRMSp was identified by comparing the methylated DNA sequence pattern of mutants lacking one or both of the hsdMSc and hsdRMSp systems to that of the parent strain. The conjugation efficiency of synthetic plasmids containing single or combinations of the HsdMSc and HsdRMSp recognition sites indicated that both systems are active and decrease uptake of foreign DNA. In contrast, deletions of mrr and cas3 led to no detectable improvement in conjugation efficiency for the exogenous DNA tested. Thus, the suite of markerless restriction-negative strains that we constructed and the knowledge of this new restriction system and its DNA recognition motif provide the necessary platform to flexibly engineer the next generation of Z. mobilis strains for synthesis of valuable products. IMPORTANCE Zymomonas mobilis is equipped with a number of traits that make it a desirable platform organism for metabolic engineering to produce valuable bioproducts. Engineering strains equipped with synthetic pathways for biosynthesis of new molecules requires integration of foreign genes. In this study, we developed an all-purpose strain, devoid of known host restriction systems and free of any antibiotic resistance markers, which dramatically improves the uptake efficiency of heterologous DNA into Z. mobilis ZM4. We also confirmed the role of a previously known restriction system as well as identifying a previously unknown type I RM system on an endogenous plasmid. Elimination of the barriers to DNA uptake as shown here will allow facile genetic engineering of Z. mobilis.
A Theory of Religious Affiliation

This paper develops a theory of religious affiliation within a framework in which religious denominations are faith intermediaries and in which risk-averse laypeople consider both religious rewards and risks in making affiliation decisions. Necessary and sufficient conditions for laypeople to affiliate with denominations suggest that their perceptions of denominational trustworthiness and of the combination of risk and return implicit in the doctrinal paths denominations prescribe are key determinants. As such, denominations use doctrinal innovation to manage their affiliations. Overall, the theory is consistent with key empirical facts and yields testable implications on both aggregate and cross-denominational variation in religious affiliation.
Report on the Yale-Columbia Southern Proper Motion Program

This program is best introduced by saying that it constitutes the southern counterpart of the well known Lick proper motion program. In fact, it has been designed to be almost identical to that so that when the work on the materials from both hemispheres has been completed, a homogeneous set of data will be available for the entire celestial sphere.
Algorithmics of Checking Whether a Mapping Is Injective, Surjective, and/or Bijective

In many situations, we would like to check whether an algorithmically given mapping f:A → B is injective, surjective, and/or bijective. These properties have a practical meaning: injectivity means that the events of the action f can be, in principle, reversed, while surjectivity means that every state b ∈ B can appear as a result of the corresponding action. In this paper, we discuss when algorithms are possible for checking these properties.
Role of Endogenous Prostaglandins in Preventing Gastrointestinal Ulceration: Induction of Ulcers by Antibodies to Prostaglandins

Active immunization of rabbits with the principal, endogenous prostaglandins in the gastrointestinal mucosa induces gastrointestinal mucosal ulceration. Development of ulceration in prostaglandinimmunized rabbits appears to be a direct consequence of production of specific prostaglandin antibodies, as prostaglandin antibodies per se induce gastric ulceration within 9 days when administered intravenously to unimmunized rabbits. These studies suggest that endogenous prostaglandin E 2 , F 2#x03B1; , D 2 , and I 2 in the gastrointestinal tract play an important role in preventing mucosal ulceration. The mechanism of ulcer formation is not completely understood, but most evidence points toward prostaglandin antibodies inducing mucosal ulceration by binding to endogenous prostaglandins within the mucosa and thereby negating their mucosal protective effects. Gastric acid hypersecretion and complement fixation by prostaglandin-antiprostaglandin complexes are not likely involved in the development of mucosal ulceration in this model. Use of antibodies to interfere with prostaglandin action may be an alternative approach to investigate (a) the importance of endogenous prostaglandins in mediating mucosal protective mechanisms and (b) the role of prostaglandins in acute and chronic erosive/ulcerative diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Role of prostaglandin F2α in follicular development and subsequent luteal life span in early postpartum beef cows

In postpartum cows expected to have corpora lutea (CL) of normal (norgestomet-treated) compared to short (control) life spans, function of the largest follicle increases after an increase in concentrations of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF). To determine whether PGF alters follicular growth and subsequent life span of the CL, 43 crossbred beef cows (19 to 22 d postpartum) were assigned to one of four treatments: 1) control (C; n = 10), 2) control+PGF (CPGF; n = 10), 3) norgestomet (N; n = 13), 4) norgestomet+flunixin meglumine (NFM; n = 10). Flunixin meglumine inhibits prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase. On day 0, N and NFM cows received a 6 mg implant of norgestomet. From days 3 through 8, CPGF and NFM cows were injected every 8 hr with 10 mg PGF im or 1 g FM iv, respectively. Implants were removed on day 9. On day 11, each cow received 1000 IU of hCG im to induce formation of CL. Follicular growth was monitored by daily ultrasonography from days 6 through 11. In a majority of the cases (25/32), the largest follicle present on day 6 was still the largest on day 11; frequency of persistence did not differ with treatment. Rate of growth of the largest follicle was greater in CPGF than in N cows (.6 +/- .1 vs .3 +/- .1 mm/d, respectively; P less than .05) but did not differ between C and NFM cows (.4 +/- .1 and .5 +/- .1 mm/d, respectively). Concentrations of estradiol in NFM cows were higher (P less than .05) on day 3 and declined to concentrations similar to those of the other treatments on day 9.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A Retrospective Review of 61 Patients With Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Analysis of Factors Influencing Recurrent Thrombosis

Background: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a disorder of recurrent venous or arterial thrombosis, pregnancy losses, and thrombocytopenia. Recurrent thrombosis has particularly adverse effects on patient prognosis. The factors that influence recurrence and management techniques that prevent these events remain controversial. To add further insight regarding predisposing factors and the prevention of thrombotic recurrence, 61 wellcharacterized patients with APS were followed up for a median time of 77 months. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in which the following factors were examined to determine their influence on thrombotic recurrence: primary vs secondary syndrome; the presence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, or smoking; patient age, sex, and race; pregnancy and oral contraceptives use; and treatment with warfarin sodium, warfarin plus aspirin, aspirin alone, prednisone, or no treatment. Results: There was no difference between patients with primary and secondary APS with respect to recurrent arterial (55% vs 38%, respectively) or recurrent venous (47% vs 50%, respectively) thrombotic events. In all patients with APS, white race ( P =.02) was associated with recurrent arterial events. Venous thrombosis occurred during pregnancy or in the postpartum period in 16 (30%) of 53 women and in 8 women taking oral contraceptives. Recurrent arterial and venous thromboses were significantly decreased with prophylactic warfarin use when compared with prednisone use or no treatment. Recurrences were infrequent in patients with prothrombin ratios of 1.5 to 2.0. Conclusions: Treatment with warfarin was most effective in preventing recurrent arterial and venous thrombosis. Pregnancy and the use of oral contraceptives or prednisone may also influence recurrence. Arch Intern Med. 1997;157:2101-2108
Research Article: Predicting protein-protein interactions using graph invariants and a neural network

The PDZ domain of proteins mediates a protein-protein interaction by recognizing the hydrophobic C-terminal tail of the target protein. One of the challenges put forth by the DREAM (Discussions on Reverse Engineering Assessment and Methods) 2009 Challenge consists of predicting a position weight matrix (PWM) that describes the specificity profile of five PDZ domains to their target peptides. We consider the primary structures of each of the five PDZ domains as a numerical sequence derived from graph-theoretic models of each of the individual amino acids in the protein sequence. Using available PDZ domain databases to obtain known targets, the graph-theoretic based numerical sequences are then used to train a neural network to recognize their targets. Given the challenge sequences, the target probabilities are computed and a corresponding position weight matrix is derived. In this work we present our method. The results of our method placed second in the DREAM 2009 challenge.
Measuring outcomes of care for substance use and mental disorders.

One challenge in developing a system for routinely monitoring the outcomes of substance use and mental health treatment is the selection of measures for assessing outcomes.
Investigating the intermediates in the reaction of ribonucleoside triphosphate reductase from Lactobacillus leichmannii: An application of HF EPR–RFQ technology

Abstract In this investigation high-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (HFEPR) in conjunction with innovative rapid freeze-quench (RFQ) technology is employed to study the exchange-coupled thiyl radical–cob(II)alamin system in ribonucleotide reductase from a prokaryote Lactobacillus leichmannii. The size of the exchange coupling (Jex) and the values of the thiyl radical g tensor are refined, while confirming the previously determined (Gerfen et al. (1996) [20] ) distance between the paramagnets. Conclusions relevant to ribonucleotide reductase catalysis and the architecture of the active site are presented. A key part of this work has been the development of a unique RFQ apparatus for the preparation of millisecond quench time RFQ samples which can be packed into small (0.5 mm ID) sample tubes used for CW and pulsed HFEPR – lack of this ability has heretofore precluded such studies. The technology is compatible with a broad range of spectroscopic techniques and can be readily adopted by other laboratories.
Catalytic conversions of butenes on amorphous and amorphous-crystalline aluminosilicates☆

ISOMERIZATION of but-l-ene to but-2-enes is of considerable interest not only for indicating the catalytic action of zeolite catalysts, but also as a possible source of increasing but-2-ene content in industrial Ca fractions, in order to isolate them further from pure but-2-enes, which are a raw material for the production of high-octane gasoline, but-2-ene oxide, methylvinyl carbinol and methylvinyl ketone. Isomerization of but-l-erie on synthetic zeolites has been studied by the authors of previous studies [1-3]. Results of isomerization and other conversions of C4 olefins on new industrial cracking catalyst are not available in the literature.