cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Filoviruses: Marburg and ebola

Since the emergence of Marburg virus in 1967 and Ebola viruses in 1976 the history of the disease, outbreaks and the viruses has been hindered by the episodic nature of their appearance and the restrictions of working with these high hazard pathogens. More recent outbreaks have facilitated more in depth study of the epidemiology of the viruses and have allowed a better understanding of the nature of transmission of the virus. Similarly more recent intensive laboratory study of the viruses and the disease they cause in laboratory animals has revealed much of the molecular basis of their high pathogenicity as well as the development of vaccines and other medical countermeasures. The reservoir host for Marburg virus has now been revealed and efforts continue to determine the zoonotic source for Ebola viruses. Tables and Maps of Marburg and Ebola virus outbreaks are presented.
Can demographic and anthropometric characteristics predict clinical improvement in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain?

Abstract Objective To identify potential prognostic factors that may predict clinical improvement of patients treated with different physical therapy interventions in the short-term. Methods This is a prospective cohort study. A total of 616 patients with chronic non-specific low back pain treated with interventions commonly used by physical therapists were included. These patients were selected from five randomized controlled trials. Multivariate linear regression models were used to verify if sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, and marital status), anthropometric variables (height, body mass, and body mass index), or duration of low back pain, pain intensity at baseline, and disability at baseline could be associated with clinical outcomes of pain intensity and disability four weeks after baseline. Results The predictive variables for pain intensity were age (β = 0.01 points, 95% CI = 0.00 to 0.03, p = 0.03) and pain intensity at baseline (β = 0.23 points, 95% CI = 0.13 to 0.33, p = 0.00), with an explained variability of 4.6%. Similarly, the predictive variables for disability after four weeks were age (β = 0.03 points, 95% CI = 0.00 to 0.06, p = 0.01) and disability at baseline (β = 0.71 points, 95% CI = 0.65 to 0.78, p = 0.00), with an explained variability of 42.1%. Conclusion Only age, pain at baseline and disability at baseline influenced the pain intensity and disability after four weeks of treatment. The beta coefficient for age was statistically significant, but the magnitude of this association was very small and not clinically important.
Endothelium: a new target for cardiovascular therapeutics.

During the past two decades, it has been well establishedthat vascular endothelium plays a pivotal role in maintainingvascular tone. It is of interest to note that the initialdiscovery of endothelial-dependent vasodilation by Furch-gott and Zawadzki (1) in 1980 occurred as a result of anaccidental ﬁnding due to an error of a research assistant. Intheir seminal paper, Furchgott and Zawadzki (1) reportedthat the thoracic aorta and a variety of other arteriesobtained from experimental animals exhibited relaxation inresponse to acetylcholine (ACh) only if the endotheliumwas intact (1). Subsequent investigations in their laboratoryrevealed that ACh stimulated the release of a diffusiblerelaxing substance from endothelial cells, later referred to asendothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) (2). It was notuntil 1986 that Furchgott and coworkers, as well as Ignarroet al., independently proposed that EDRF is nitric oxide(NO) (3,4).The discovery of NO and other mediators released by theendothelium has subsequently led to tremendous interest ofinvestigators in this ﬁeld throughout the world. During thelast 10 years, we have seen an exponential growth in ourknowledge and understanding of the role of endothelialdysfunction in a variety of cardiovascular conditions (5–20).It has been demonstrated that endothelial dysfunctionmight indeed be the initiating event in the process ofatherosclerosis and vascular remodeling, which subsequentlyleads to clinical coronary artery disease (CAD) (21,22).Accordingly, there has been an ongoing, aggressive searchfor therapeutic choices suitable for reversing endothelialdysfunction with the hope that such therapeutic interven-tion, if instituted early in the course of the disease, mightprevent and/or modify the subsequent risk of clinical diseaseand related cardiac events (6–25). The magnitude of inter-est in this area can be best illustrated by the large number ofarticles published on the endothelium and related issuesfrom 1997 to 1999. A recent Medline search revealed that,on average, during this period in excess of 1,200 articles peryear were published in the English language regardinginvestigations dealing with vascular endothelium in humans,and, of these, nearly 550 articles speciﬁcally describe theeffects of various cardiovascular therapeutic agents on theendothelium. Indeed, the time has come to recognize theendothelium as an important and new target for cardiovas-cular therapeutics. The article by Anderson et al. (26) in this
Cocaine and Opioid Abuse/Dependence Disorders

This chapter is concerned primarily with the consequences of cocaine and opioid use, with the psychopathology associated with cocaine and opioid dependence, and with the available treatments to address these disorders. These two disorders are associated, directly or indirectly, with very serious biomedical and psychosocial consequences, particularly because both often involve intravenous drug administration and intercourse with multiple sex partners, the two primary modalities for transmitting the AIDS virus. Significant involvement in criminal behavior may also be associated with drug procurement. These patients generally are very difficult to treat because by the time they are seen for treatment, many of them have multiple biomedical problems, directly or indirectly traceable to their substance dependence, as well as psychosocial problems and psychiatric disorders including polysubstance abuse. Thus, a treatment model that considers that substance dependence disorders are chronic over the lifetime in the same sense as diabetes or hypertension is in-
Measuring the duration of last scattering

The cosmic microwave background (CMB) fluctuations effectively measure the basic properties of the Universe during the recombination epoch. CMB measurements fix the distance to the surface of last scatter, the sound horizon of the baryon-photon fluid, and the fraction of the energy density in relativistic species. We show that the microwave background observations can also very effectively constrain the thickness of the last scattering surface, which is directly related to the ratio of the small-scale E-mode polarization signal to the small-scale temperature signal. The current cosmological data enable a $\ensuremath{\sim}0.1%$ measurement of the thickness of the surface of last scatter: $19\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.065\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{Mpc}$. This constraint is relatively model independent, so it can provide a new metric for systematic errors and an independent test of the $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}\mathrm{CDM}$ model. On the other hand, it is a sensitive tool for testing models which affect the reionization history of the Universe such as models with annihilating dark matter and varying fundamental constants (e.g., the fine-structure constant, ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\mathrm{EM}}$, and electron rest mass, ${m}_{\mathrm{e}}$) and as such can provide a viable method to constrain them.
Rotationally induced failure of irregularly shaped asteroids

Abstract Many asteroids are rubble piles with irregular shapes. While the irregular shapes of large asteroids may be attributed to collisional events, those of small asteroids may result from not only impact events but also rotationally induced failure, a long-term consequence of small torques caused by, for example, solar radiation pressure. A better understanding of shape deformation induced by such small torques will allow us to give constraints on the evolution process of an asteroid and its structure. However, no quantitative study has been reported to provide the relationship between an asteroid’s shape and its failure mode due to its fast rotation. Here, we use a finite element model (FEM) technique to analyze the failure modes and conditions of 24 asteroids with diameters less than 30–40 km, which were observed at high resolution by ground radar or asteroid exploration missions. Assuming that the material distribution is uniform, we investigate how these asteroids fail structurally at different spin rates. Our FEM simulations describe the detailed deformation mode of each irregularly shaped asteroid at fast spin. The failed regions depend on the original shape. Spheroidal objects structurally fail from the interior, while elongated objects experience structural failure on planes perpendicular to the minimum moment of inertia axes in the middle of their structure. Contact binary objects have structural failure across their most sensitive cross-sections. We further investigate if our FEM analysis is consistent with earlier works that theoretically explored a uniformly rotating triaxial ellipsoid. The results show that global shape variations may significantly change the failure condition of an asteroid. Our work suggests that it is critical to take into account the actual shapes of asteroids to explore their failure modes in detail.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors as a bridge to allogeneic transplantation with posttransplant cyclophosphamide

Published reports suggest that immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) before allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (alloBMT) may increase the incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), immune-related adverse events, and nonrelapse mortality (NRM); this led to the US Food and Drug Administration issuing a “Warning and Precaution” regarding the potential for life-threatening immune-mediated complications associated with alloBMT after nivolumab and pembrolizumab. We retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of 14 consecutive patients who received ICIs as their final salvage therapy before T-cell–replete alloBMT using reduced-intensity conditioning. All patients received posttransplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy), which significantly limits severe GvHD, even in the mismatched-donor setting. There was no grade 3-4 acute GvHD (aGvHD), and all 6 cases of grade 2 aGvHD readily resolved with immunosuppression. No patient experienced veno-occlusive disease of the liver, other immune-related adverse events, chronic GvHD, or NRM. There have been 2 relapses (15-month median follow-up), with 12 of 14 patients remaining alive, well, and progression-free. The only death was a result of disease relapse. Although more experience is needed, our data suggest that concerns over immunologic complications associated with ICIs should not preclude allogeneic bone marrow transplantation with PTCy as GvHD prophylaxis.
MELD-Na score associated with postoperative complications in hernia repair in non-cirrhotic patients

In patients with cirrhosis, the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease Sodium (MELD-Na) score is a validated predictor of outcomes after transplant and non-transplant surgical procedures. This study investigates the association of MELD-Na score with complications following elective ventral hernia repair in non-cirrhotic patients. The ACS NSQIP database was queried (2005–2016) for all elective laparoscopic and open ventral hernia procedures in patients without ascites or esophageal varices. Postoperative outcomes were compared by MELD-Na score using Chi-square tests. Multivariate logistic regression was used to control for potentially confounding variables. A total of 48,955 elective hernia repairs were identified; 68.7% were open repairs. The overall complication rate (Clavien–Dindo ≥ 1) was 14.3%, with a wound complication rate of 5.5%, and major complication rate (Clavien–Dindo ≥ 3) of 4.3%. A preoperative MELD-Na score ≥ 10 was present in 29.4%. Incremental increases in MELD-Na score (10–14, 15–19, and ≥ 20) were associated with increased overall complications (OR 1.25, CI 1.31–1.37; OR 1.53, CI 1.30–1.80; OR 1.70, CI 1.24–2.31, respectively), major complications (OR 1.42, CI 1.20–1.69; OR 1.85, CI 1.43–2.39; OR 2.13, CI 1.35–3.38, respectively), 30-day mortality (OR 1.58, CI 1.05–2.37; OR 2.34, CI 1.39–3.96; OR 3.16, CI 1.37–7.28, respectively), and return to the operating room (OR 1.19, CI 1.01–1.41; OR 1.38, CI 1.05–1.81; OR 1.78, CI 1.10–2.90, respectively). MELD-Na score is independently associated with postoperative complications in ventral hernia repair. As an objective and simple predictive model, it may be useful in preoperative risk calculations for complex patients.
The Relationship Between Pathogen-induced Systemic Resistance (ISR) and Multigenic (horizontal) Resistance in Plants

Plants have developed mechanisms to successfully co-exist in the presence of pathogenic organisms. Some interactions between plants and pathogens are based on recognition of specific elicitor molecules from avirulent pathogen races (avr gene products), which is described in the gene-for-gene resistance theory. Another type of resistance, multigenic (horizontal) resistance, is a less well-studied phenomenon that depends upon multiple genes in the plant host. All plants possess resistance mechamisms which can be induced upon pre-treatment of plants with a variety of organisms or compounds. This general phenomenon is known as induced systemic resistance (ISR). At least in some plant species, ISR depends on the timely accumulation of multiple gene products, such as hydrolytic enzymes, peroxidases or other gene products related to plant defences. The pre-treatment of plants with an inducing organism or compound appears to incite the plant to mount an effective defense response upon subsequent encounters with pathogens, converting what would have been a compatible interaction to an incompatible one. Our studies in three plant–pathogen systems clearly document that multigenic-resistant plants constitutively express specific isozymes of hydrolytic enzymes that release cell wall elicitors, which in turn may activate other defense mechanisms. ISR induces constitutive accumulation of these and other gene products prior to challenge. ISR is known to function against multiple organisms, and there is no specificity observed in the accumulation patterns of defense-related gene products when ISR is induced. It is therefore hypothesized that the constitutive accumulation of specific isozymes of hydrolytic enzymes, or other defense related gene products, is an integral part of both multigenic resistance and the phenomenon of ISR. Further, plants in which ISR has been activated appear to move from a latent resistance state to one in which a multigenic, non-specific form of resistance is active.
New Zealand Police Cultural Liaison Officers: Their Role in Crime Prevention and Community Policing

Ethnic Liaison Officers are a part of the Police Maori, Pacific and Ethnic Services, which has staff in each police district, but is managed and coordinated from New Zealand Police National Headquarters. The role of this unit, the advice it gives, and the performance of its Liaison Officers has not been evaluated or examined. This article examines the role of Maori, Pacific and Ethnic Services Liaison Officers, the reasons why these officers choose to enter this specialized area of policing and their understanding of their role. The article begins by describing criminal offending by Maori and then discusses the strategic response of the New Zealand Police to this major social issue. The main strategies used as a response by the police are examined, and the findings of a survey of Maori, Pacific and Ethnic Service officers, which was conducted in early 2016, are presented and discussed.
Trends in the risk of second primary malignancies among survivors of chronic lymphocytic leukemia

With improving survivorship in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the risk of second primary malignancies (SPMs) has not been systematically addressed. Differences in risk for SPMs among CLL survivors from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (1973–2015) were compared to risk of individual malignancies expected in the general population. In ~270,000 person-year follow-up, 6487 new SPMs were diagnosed with a standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of 1.2 (95% CI:1.17–1.23). The higher risk was for both solid (SIR 1.15; 95% CI:1.12–1.18) and hematological malignancies (SIR 1.61; 95% CI:1.5–1.73). The highest risk for SPMs was noted between 2 and 5 months after CLL diagnosis (SIR 1.57; 95% CI:1.41–1.74) and for CLL patients between 50- and 79-years-old. There was a significant increase in SPMs in years 2003–2015 (SIR 1.36; 95% CI:1.3–1.42) as compared to 1973–1982 (SIR 1.19; 95% CI:1.12–1.26). The risk of SPMs was higher in CLL patients who had received prior chemotherapy (SIR 1.38 95% CI:1.31–1.44) as compared to those untreated/treatment status unknown (SIR 1.16, 95% CI:1.13–1.19, p < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, the hazard of developing SPMs was higher among men, post-chemotherapy, recent years of diagnosis, advanced age, and non-Whites. Active survivorship plans and long-term surveillance for SPMs is crucial for improved outcomes of patients with a history of CLL.
Building Within Space: Thoughts Towards an Environmental Ethics

The need for constructing an environmental ethics that keeps sustainability in mind is the result of a collision of the realization that the natural environment is neither limitless nor impervious to actions with a view of nature that has been fundamentally instrumentalist and anthropocentric. This paper will borrow from architectural theory in an effort to do two things: First, it will point to some of the limitations of an anthropocentric view of nature and how it impacts efforts to influence environmental policy; second, it will suggest that ideas from Aristotle and Actor Network Theory can help to provide a paradigm within which we can think about nature in a way that offers an alternative framing of questions about the environment.
Mechanism of Ni-Catalyzed Reductive 1,2-Dicarbofunctionalization of Alkenes.

Ni-catalyzed cross-electrophile coupling reactions have emerged as appealing methods to construct organic molecules without the use of stoichiometric organometallic reagents. The mechanisms are com...
Hierarchical nanotwins in single-crystal-like nickel with high strength and corrosion resistance produced via a hybrid technique

High-density growth nanotwins enable high-strength and good ductility in metallic materials. However, twinning propensity is greatly reduced in metals with high stacking fault energy. Here we adopted a hybrid technique coupled with template-directed heteroepitaxial growth method to fabricate single-crystal-like, nanotwinned (nt) Ni. The nt Ni primarily contains hierarchical twin structures that consist of coherent and incoherent twin boundary segments with few conventional grain boundaries. In situ compression studies show the nt Ni has a high flow strength of ∼2 GPa and good deformability. Moreover, the nt Ni has superb corrosion behavior due to the unique twin structure in comparison to coarse grained and nanocrystalline counterparts. The hybrid technique opens the door for the fabrication of a wide variety of single-crystal-like nt metals with unique mechanical and chemical properties.
Anxiety and imagery in Attilâ Ilhan’s poetry

The article offers a detailed study of the twentieth-century Turkish poet Attilâ Ilhan’s early work by focusing on the use of imagery and atmosphere. The critical term in Turkish literary studies f...
Compressive sensing in practice and potential advancements

Abstract Technological advances in wearable sensing systems and data visualization mechanisms provide the opportunity of data driven immersive and real time mobile computing applications. The age of big data presents several challenges one of which is resource efficient collection of high resolution data. State of the art data compression schemes often do not rise up to the challenge. As an example, compression schemes for brain sensors often have unsatisfactory compression at the loss of valuable information. Compressive sensing (CS) is a paradigm shift in information theory, which utilized sparsity in some transformed domain to accurately recover signals sampled below the Nyquist rate. According to recent studies, CS techniques are often limited in their efficiency in accurately representing shape properties of signals. The problem is that for signal recovery CS optimizes objectives such as mean square error in replicating the time series. For signals with complex shape properties, such as heart signals, often such metrics are not adequate, since the error might be imposed on certain shape features, which are important for decision making. Signals with complex shape characteristics are often sparse in non-linear domain. Compression techniques that take advantage of non-linear sparsity, however, often fail to achieve a good compression ratio. In this chapter, we will critically analyze the performance and compression efficacy of different CS approaches and will also discuss the possibility of combining traditional compressive sensing techniques with non-linear compression mechanisms to reap the benefits of both approaches.
Making Mice Mighty: recent advances in translational models of load-induced muscle hypertrophy

The ability to genetically manipulate mice allows for gain- and loss-of-function in vivo, making them an ideal model for elucidating mechanisms of skeletal muscle mass regulation. Combining genetic models with mechanical muscle loading enables identification of specific factors involved in the hypertrophic response as well as the ability to test the requirement of those factors for adaptation, thereby informing performance and therapeutic interventions. Until recently, approaches for inducing mechanically mediated muscle hypertrophy (i.e., resistance-training analogs) have been limited and considered "nontranslatable" to humans. This mini-review outlines recent translational advances in loading-mediated strategies for inducing muscle hypertrophy in mice, and highlights the advantages and disadvantages of each method. The skeletal muscle field is poised for new breakthroughs in understanding mechanisms regulating load-induced muscle growth given the numerous murine tools that have very recently been described.
Design-Based Covariate Adjustments in Paired Experiments:

In paired experiments, participants are grouped into pairs with similar characteristics, and one observation from each pair is randomly assigned to treatment. The resulting treatment and control gr...
Electrochemical Energy Conversion in Fuel Cells

This chapter is focused on the properties of a direct energy conversion in fuel cells. Here a free energy of a chemical reaction is converted directly into electrical energy. Basic thermodynamics of that reaction is given, and relation of energy and reversible potential, Er, of the cell carrying out chemical reaction. The main properties of energy conversion resulting from its direct feature include the highest conversion efficiency. Possible fuels are discussed, and with H2 as a fuel, the reaction product is H2O. The possibility that fuel cells will be the major source of clean energy, particularly important for automotive application, is analyzed, considering hydrogen, ethanol, and methanol fuels. An overview of the properties of low temperature fuel cells is given. These include: Low-temperature fuel cells are the Proton Exchange Membrane or Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), Alkaline Fuel Cell (AFC), the Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC), Direct Ethanol Fuel Cell (DMFC), and the Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell (PAFC). The high-temperature fuel cells operate at temperatures approx. 600–1000 °C, and two different types have been developed: Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC) and the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC). Typical polarization curves for anode and cathode and the cell, i.e., anode and cathode potentials and cell voltage as a function of current density, are given. The cell losses under current flow are identified.
Using UMLS for electronic health data standardization and database design.

OBJECTIVE Patients that undergo medical transfer represent 1 patient population that remains infrequently studied due to challenges in aggregating data across multiple domains and sources that are necessary to capture the entire episode of patient care. To facilitate access to and secondary use of transport patient data, we developed the Transport Data Repository that combines data from 3 separate domains and many sources within our health system. METHODS The repository is a relational database anchored by the Unified Medical Language System unique concept identifiers to integrate, map, and standardize the data into a common data model. Primary data domains included sending and receiving hospital encounters, medical transport record, and custom hospital transport log data. A 4-step mapping process was developed: 1) automatic source code match, 2) exact text match, 3) fuzzy matching, and 4) manual matching. RESULTS 431 090 total mappings were generated in the Transport Data Repository, consisting of 69 010 unique concepts with 77% of the data being mapped automatically. Transport Source Data yielded significantly lower mapping results with only 8% of data entities automatically mapped and a significant amount (43%) remaining unmapped. DISCUSSION The multistep mapping process resulted in a majority of data been automatically mapped. Poor matching of transport medical record data is due to the third-party vendor data being generated and stored in a nonstandardized format. CONCLUSION The multistep mapping process developed and implemented is necessary to normalize electronic health data from multiple domains and sources into a common data model to support secondary use of data.
Disparate air quality impacts from roadway emissions on schools in Santa Clara County (CA)

Abstract Vehicle emissions are major sources of air pollution linked to negative health outcomes in children. Consequently, California State Bill 352 stipulates that new schools may not be sited within 500 ft of major roadways. However, the exposure of existing schools to roadway emissions and the uneven distribution of the burden of air pollution have not been systematically explored for most cities. IN response, the objectives of our study were twofold: We used spatial analysis and an evaluation of traffic count data to develop a proximity-based approach to assessing school exposure to roadway air pollution emissions. Second, we applied our method to ask whether the risk of exposure to high concentrations of roadway emissions is equally distributed for schools in Santa Clara County (SCC; USA), and which demographic or spatial patterns emerge. In the process, our proximity-based approach estimated total annual traffic counts throughout SCC, identified major roadways, and assessed cumulative emission burdens and socio-economic indicators for each school in the study area. Results were compared to output from a physically-based model and to county asthma data. Our results suggest that (i) 14% of schools in SCC are potentially exposed to high levels of air pollution from roadways, a rate that is higher than the national average, and (ii) students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and receiving aid are more likely to be educated in schools with higher risk of exposure to elevated levels of roadway vehicle emissions. Asthma hospitalization rates are highest in socio-economically disadvantaged areas with a higher density of major roadways. Areas of higher vehicle emissions determined by the physically-based model are in general agreement with those of the distance-based approach. We propose a combination of short- and long-term mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of exposure to vehicle emissions for school children.
Age-associated increase in postural variability relate to greater low-frequency center of pressure oscillations

Abstract Background Postural control is impaired in older adults, as evidenced from greater variability of the center of pressure (COP) during postural tasks. Although COP variability associates with low-frequency COP oscillations ( Research question Do low-frequency oscillations contribute to greater postural sway (center of pressure (COP) variability) in older adults when attempting to voluntarily maintain posture in a forward leaning position compared to young adults? Methods Seven young (25.7 ± 4.8) and seven older (71.0 ± 7.0) adults performed a postural lean forward task and attempted to match a COP target in the anterior-posterior direction as steady as possible. We quantified the COP variability as the standard deviation (SD) of COP displacements in the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions and quantified the frequency modulation of COP as the power in COP displacement spectra from 0-1 Hz. Results We found that older adults had significantly greater anterior-posterior SD of COP (p = 0.027) and power below 0.5 Hz (p = 0.048) than young adults, but power from 0.5-1 Hz was similar (p = 0.083). In contrast, the medial-lateral SD of COP (p = 0.5) and power from 0-1 Hz (p = 0.228) was similar for the two age groups. For both the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral direction, the SD of COP was related to low frequency oscillations below 0.5 Hz. Significance For the first time, we show that the age-associated increase in postural variability relates to greater COP oscillations below 0.5 Hz.
Exercise-induced late preconditioning in mice is triggered by eNOS-dependent generation of nitric oxide and activation of PKCε and is mediated by increased iNOS activity.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess whether short-term, mild exercise induces protection against myocardial infarction and, if so, what role the eNOS-PKCe-iNOS axis plays. Mice were subjected to 2 bouts/day of treadmill exercise (60 min at 15 m/min) for 2 consecutive days. At 24 h after the last bout of exercise, mice were subjected to a 30-min coronary artery occlusion and 24 h of reperfusion. In the exercise group (group III, wild-type mice), infarct size (25.5 ± 8.8% of risk region) was significantly (P ) and in wildtype mice given the selective iNOS inhibitor 1400 W prior to ischemia (group X 62.0 ± 8.8% of risk region). We conclude that 1) even short, mild exercise induces a delayed PC effect that affords powerful protection against infarction; 2) this cardioprotective effect is dependent on activation of eNOS, eNOS-derived NO generation, and subsequent PKCe activation during PC; 3) the translocation of PKCe is dependent on eNOS; 4) the protection 24 h later is dependent on iNOS activity. Thus, eNOS is the trigger and iNOS the mediator of PC induced by mild exercise.
COVID-19-Associated Mortality among Kidney Transplant Recipients and Candidates in the United States.

Background and objectives The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a profound effect on transplantation activity in the United States and globally. Several single-center reports suggest higher morbidity and mortality among candidates waitlisted for a kidney transplant and recipients of a kidney transplant. We aim to describe 2020 mortality patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States among kidney transplant candidates and recipients. Design, setting, participants, & measurements Using national registry data for waitlisted candidates and kidney transplant recipients collected through April 23, 2021, we report demographic and clinical factors associated with COVID-19-related mortality in 2020, other deaths in 2020, and deaths in 2019 among waitlisted candidates and transplant recipients. We quantify excess all-cause deaths among candidate and recipient populations in 2020 and deaths directly attributed to COVID-19 in relation to prepandemic mortality patterns in 2019 and 2018. Results Among deaths of patients who were waitlisted in 2020, 11% were attributed to COVID-19, and these candidates were more likely to be male, obese, and belong to a racial/ethnic minority group. Nearly one in six deaths (16%) among active transplant recipients in the United States in 2020 was attributed to COVID-19. Recipients who died of COVID-19 were younger, more likely to be obese, had lower educational attainment, and were more likely to belong to racial/ethnic minority groups than those who died of other causes in 2020 or 2019. We found higher overall mortality in 2020 among waitlisted candidates (24%) than among kidney transplant recipients (20%) compared with 2019. Conclusions Our analysis demonstrates higher rates of mortality associated with COVID-19 among waitlisted candidates and kidney transplant recipients in the United States in 2020.
An engineered construct of cFLIP provides insight into DED1 structure and interactions

Cellular FLICE-like inhibitory protein (cFLIP) is a member of the Death Domain superfamily with pivotal roles in many cellular processes and disease states, including cancer and autoimmune disorders. In the context of the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC), cFLIP isoforms regulate extrinsic apoptosis by controlling procaspase-8 activation. The function of cFLIP is mediated through a series of protein-protein interactions, engaging the two N-terminal death effector domains (DEDs). Here, we solve the structure of an engineered DED1 domain of cFLIP using solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and we define the interaction with FADD and calmodulin, protein-protein interactions that regulate the function of cFLIP in the DISC. cFLIP DED1 assumes a canonical DED fold characterized by six α helices and is able to bind calmodulin and FADD through two separate interfaces. Our results clearly demonstrate the role of DED1 in the cFLIP/FADD association and contribute to the understanding of the assembly of DISC filaments.
Dangerous Frames: How Ideas about Race and Gender Shape Public Opinion

In addition to their obvious roles in American politics, race and gender also work in hidden ways to profoundly influence the way we think - and vote - about a vast array of issues that don't seem related to either category. As Nicholas J. G. Winter reveals in "Dangerous Frames", politicians and leaders often frame these seemingly unrelated issues in ways that prime audiences to respond not to the policy at hand but instead to the way its presentation resonates with their deeply held beliefs about race and gender.Winter shows, for example, how official rhetoric about welfare and Social Security has tapped into white Americans' racial biases to shape their opinions on both issues for the past two decades. Similarly, the way politicians presented health care reform in the 1990s divided Americans along the lines of their attitudes toward gender. Combining cognitive and political psychology with innovative empirical research, "Dangerous Frames" ultimately illuminates the emotional underpinnings of American politics.
Computation of Bed Load Using Bathymetric Data

A method of calculating bed-load transport is presented. This method takes advantage of the rapid bathymetric surveys that can be made in large rivers. The proposed equation is based on sediment continuity and an assumption for the base level of zero transport. Experimental data were obtained in a series of flume tests and the measured transport rates are compared with the calculated transport rates using the proposed equation. Comparisons are also made with the Ackers-White Equation.
STUDIES ON THE INTERACTION BETWEEN BOVINE SERUM ALBUMIN AND NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC POLYRIBONUCLEOTIDES. II. STUDY OF THE INTERACTION BY MEANS OF DENSITY GRADIENT ULTRACENTRIFUGATION.

Abstract The technique of density gradient ultracentrifugation in a sucrose medium has been used to study the conditions governing complex formation between bovine serum albumin and various natural and synthetic polynucleotides. Soluble complex formation between native bovine serum albumin and polynucleotide occurs in 0.0015 M citrate buffer (pH 5.5, I 0.005). If the concentration of citrate is kept constant, and the pH is raised to 6.5 complex formation is abolished. If the pH is maintained at 5.5, but the ionic strength is raised to 0.165 (0.05 M citrate buffer) complex formation is again prevented. Low concentrations of Mg 2+ will also prevent complex formation. No native bovine serum albumin-polynucleotide complexes were found in phosphate-saline buffer (pH 7.4, I 0.184). Study of heated mixtures of bovine serum albumin and polynucleotide prepared in phosphate-saline buffer showed no evidence of complex formation. Complex formation in the heated mixtures was noted in 0.0015 M citrate buffer (pH 5.5). These complexes were easily dissociated by raising the ionic strength and pH of the heated mixtures to 0.184 and 7.4 respectively. Following dissociation of the heated complexes, no protein with the sedimentation properties of native bovine serum albumin could be detected. It is concluded that stabilization of polynucleotide-bovine serum albumin complexes, both native and heated, is due mainly to electrostatic forces; if hydrogen-bonding does occur, it appears to play a minor role in bovine serum albumin-polynucleotide interaction.
RAOUL HAUSMANN'S REVOLUTIONARY MEDIA: DADA PERFORMANCE, PHOTOMONTAGE AND THE CYBORG

This article argues that Hausmann's poetry and performance practices of 1918 and 1919 prepared the ground for the cybernetic imagery that became prevalent in his caricatures, photomontages and assemblages of 1920. Through an examination of Hausmann's poetry and performance strategies, his concept of human identity, and his understanding of the relationship between sexuality and social revolution, a new understanding of Hausmann's visual concerns is developed. In particular, this article investigates why Hausmann's portraits often undermined their sitter's identity; why Hausmann sometimes emphasized sexuality in his representations; and why, in addition to reminding their viewers of mechanized war, Hausmann's images of the human–machine interface anticipated many of the ideas inherent in the concept of the cyborg developed in the later twentieth century.
What does it take to get undergradautes involved

Rahman Tashakkori received his Ph.D. in computer science in May 2001 from Louisiana State University. From 1996--2000, he worked as an instructor/research associate in the Timbuktu Academy/Department of Physics at Southern University in Baton Rouge. During these years, he mentored both the NASA Sharp and Timbuktu Academy scholars. Since August 2000, he has joined the Department of Computer Science at Appalachian State University in Boone North Carolina. He is a Co-PI on a NSF supported CSEMS program. He is also a Co-PI of a High Performance grant that is supported by the University of North Carolina Office of the President. He was the recipient of the 2004--2005 Strickland Outstanding Young Faculty Award in the College of Arts and Sciences at Appalachian. He encourages undergraduate research as a mechanism to enhance learning.
The Role of Motivation and Psychopathology in Understanding the IQ–Adaptive Behavior Discrepancy*

Publisher Summary This chapter briefly reviews motivational research in persons with mental retardation and explores the relations among motivation, adaptive behavior, and psychopathology. The chapter presents the concept of IQ–adaptive behavior discrepancy and report on the preliminary results of a pilot study that explored this phenomenon. The IQ–adaptive behavior discrepancy refers to the phenomenon that occurs when an individual with mental retardation fails to perform up to his/her capability. The chapter operationally define the IQ–adaptive behavior discrepancy as the difference between the IQ standard score and the Adaptive Behavior standard score (IQ–AB). Relatively few motivation researchers have studied the IQ–adaptive behavior discrepancy in persons with mental retardation. The chapter presents the study on discrepancies between the performance of adaptive behavior and the individual's intellectual functioning to demonstrate the interplay of individual motivational variables in explaining the direction and magnitude of performance discrepancies.
Antarctic marine geology

1. Antarctica's environment 2. Geological history of Antarctica 3. Continental shelf geomorphology and relief-forming processes 4. Sedimentology 5. Continental margin evolution 6. Antarctica's glacial history Bibliography Index.
Does dexmedetomidine prevent emergence delirium in children after sevoflurane-based general anesthesia?

Summary Background : Emergence agitation or delirium (ED) is a frequent phenomenon in children recovering from general anesthesia (GA). Dexmedetomidine, an alpha2 receptor agonist, has analgesic and sedative properties that might be helpful in the management of ED. We studied the effects of a continuous perioperative infusion of 0.2 μg·kg−1·h−1 dexmedetomidine on the incidence of ED in 50 children aged 1–10 years scheduled for sevoflurane-based GA. Methods : Following inhalation induction of GA, the children were randomly assigned into dexmedetomidine or placebo Groups D and S, respectively. The infusion of 0.2 μg·kg−1·h−1 dexmedetomidine or equal volume of saline was started after securing the airway. Depth of anesthesia was maintained by adjusting the concentration of sevoflurane to achieve a Bispectral Index Score of 40–60. Intraoperative hemodynamics were recorded every 5 min and the trachea was extubated at the end of the procedure. Perioperative pain management was determined by the blinded anesthesia team, and the study drug infusion was maintained for 15 min following the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) admission. ED and pain scores were evaluated by a blinded observer. Results : The incidence of ED was statistically significantly different between the two groups, 26% in Group D Vs 60.8% in Group S (P = 0.036). Additionally, the number of episodes of ED was lower in Group D (P < 0.017). Pain scores and the times to extubate and discharge from PACU were the same. Conclusions : The perioperative infusion of 0.2 μg·kg−1·h−1 dexmedetomidine decreases the incidence and frequency of ED in children after sevoflurane-based GA without prolonging the time to extubate or discharge.
Lipid Metabolism of Arterial Smooth Muscle

The sections in this article are: 1 Uptake of Plasma Lipids and Lipoproteins 1.1 Uptake of Cholesterol 1.2 Uptake of Lipoproteins 1.3 Uptake of Fatty Acids and Triglyceride, and Oxidation of Fatty Acids 2 Synthesis of Lipids 2.1 Synthesis of Fatty Acid 2.2 Synthesis of Phospholipid and Other Glycerolipids 2.3 Synthesis of Cholesterol 2.4 Synthesis of Cholesteryl Ester 3 Hydrolysis of Lipids 3.1 Hydrolysis of Cholesteryl Ester 3.2 Hydrolysis of Phospholipid 3.3 Hydrolysis of Triglyceride 4 Summary
Robust testing a subset of paths - untested paths in the circuit

In this paper we analyze the coverage of distributed delay defects, on untested but functionally sensitizable paths, achieved by robustly testing a subset of paths in the circuit. This is measured by translating the information gained from robust testing into a set of linear constraints on edge delays and then using these to bound the circuit delay. Surprisingly, the results of our experiments on ISCAS benchmark circuits show that robust testing of a subset of paths in the circuit, may not cover distributed delay defects on the remaining paths very well at all.
Self-doped Ti3+–TiO2 as a photocatalyst for the reduction of CO2 into a hydrocarbon fuel under visible light irradiation

Self-doped TiO2 shows visible light photocatalytic activity, while commercial TiO2 (P25) is only UV responsive. The incorporation of Ti3+ into TiO2 structures narrows the band gap (2.90 eV), leading to significantly increased photocatalytic activity for the reduction of CO2 into a renewable hydrocarbon fuel (CH4) in the presence of water vapour under visible light irradiation.
OBESITY IS ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER MORTALITY FOLLOWING ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROMES: A META-ANALYSIS

Higher Body Mass Index (BMI) is associated with decreased mortality in heart failure patients; a phenomenon termed the ‘Obesity Paradox’. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate BMI (kg/m2) as a predictor of 1-year mortality in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). We searched MEDLINE using
A general expression for the Voigt profile

Abstract All derivations of the speed dependence of the Voigt profile are found to be special cases of a general Voigt profile, which can be expressed in terms of very general width and shift functions depending on the perturber mass and the relative speed of the perturber and radiator. The asymptotic behavior of the general Voigt profile is rigorously derived and specific cases are presented. The profile is found to provide asymptotic limits consistent with curve-of-growth requirements for specified width and shift functions.
Results and patterns of failure in patients treated with adjuvant combined chemoradiation therapy for resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Although adjuvant chemoradiation is used commonly in the United States for the treatment of resected pancreatic cancer, there is no consensus on the benefit of this therapy, because the results from randomized trials are conflicting. The authors of this report reviewed their experience in a consecutive, unselected series of patients who received adjuvant 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and radiation therapy (RT) for resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma. METHODS: Eighty-six patients with resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma who received adjuvant therapy from 1998 to 2005 were identified, and their medical records were reviewed. Ninety-three percent of patients were treated with external beam RT to ≥50.4 grays, and 91% of patients received concurrent 5-FU by continuous infusion. Forty-five percent of patients went on to receive adjuvant gemcitabine. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 31 months (range, 21-62 months) among the 20 patients who remained alive. Less than half of patients had positive (33%) or close (<1 mm; 15%) resection margins, 81% of tumors were classified as T3, and 66% of patients had involved lymph nodes. The median overall survival (OS) for all patients was 22 months. Negative lymph node status (P = .016) was a significant prognostic factor for improved OS, whereas treatment with gemcitabine trended toward improved OS (P = .080). The median disease-free survival (DFS) for all patients was 10 months: Treatment with gemcitabine (P = .044) and the receipt of any chemotherapy (P = .047) were significant predictors of DFS. Seventy-five patients (87%) had disease recurrence, and the majority recurred with peritoneal metastases (55%) or liver metastases (53%). Patients who had negative lymph nodes trended toward a lower rate of distant failure (P = .060). CONCLUSIONS: The median survival of the current cohort was greater than that of the chemoradiation arms of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer trials and European Study Group for Pancreatic Cancer 1 trials and was comparable to the survival observed on the Gastrointestinal Tumor Study Group chemoradiation arm. Lymph node status and treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy were significant predictors of OS and DFS, respectively. Future survival improvements should be directed at reducing peritoneal and liver metastases. Further randomized trials will be required to define the role of adjuvant therapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society.
Differential Expression of Neuronal Genes in Müller Glia in Two- and Three-Dimensional Cultures

Purpose. Muller glia in the mammalian retina have some stem cell-like characteristics, although their capacity for neurogenesis remains limited both in vivo and in vitro. In vitro studies to date have used traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture to assess neuronal differentiation of Muller glia. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of 2D and three-dimensional (3D) environments on Muller glial gene expression after growth factor stimulation.