cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Network Approaches to the Mechanical Failure of Soft Tissues: Implications for Disease and Tissue Engineering

Damage and mechanical failure of soft tissues can lead to diseases and even life threatening conditions including the failure of prosthetic heart valves, capillary stress failure, tissue destruction in pulmonary emphysema, and vessel wall aneurysms. Microscale damage occurs when mechanical forces in the tissue are sufficiently high to rupture intercellular connections or enzymatically weakened extracellular matrix (ECM) elements. When the microscale damage reaches a critical amount, tissue or organ failure can happen. In this chapter, we first briefly review the failure of the main constituents of tissues including molecules, cells, elastin, collagen, and proteoglycans. We then discuss failure of tissues modeled as complex networks of these constituents. A key concept here is percolation, a process where network elements reach from one boundary of the network to another. We show that when a certain type of fiber percolates the tissue, the rupture process of the network is primarily governed by the failure properties of the individual fibers. When the main fiber component does not percolate, the failure stress is still dominated by the stiffness of the fiber, but the failure strain emerges as a network phenomenon. Finally, we conclude by proposing some general concepts of how to potentially minimize the risk of failure and best repair a damaged network.
AC/DC: Portable diagnostics face the music

The unique cancer diagnostic challenges within resource-limited regions have catalyzed the creation of practical yet robust point-of-care (POC) platforms. Using microfluidics for these POC devices is attractive because flow is imperative for precise manipulation of reagents, solutions, or cells of interest. Such systems are often furnished with miniaturized valves and pumps that are prone to failure, so Phillips et al. focused instead on audible-frequency tones to generate controlled flow rates for fluid manipulation within microfluidic channels. Fluidic systems are like electrical circuits, with fluid molecules and volumetric flow rate being analogous to electrical charge and current, respectively. The electrical potential that gives rise to current is the pressure difference across the channel. Most fluidic systems are driven by constant pressure from external pumps, regarded as DC (direct current) mode. Yet, elementary circuit design depicts AC (alternating current) mode as a means for providing more diverse, frequency-dependent circuits, such as resonators and high- and low-pass filters. The authors exploited these principles to build fluidic networks through combinations of straight channels (representing resistance), flexible diaphragms (capacitors), and audio generators (current source). The researchers created multichannel pump networks controlled by audio tones from a smartphone and demonstrated that different colored fluids representing unique resonant frequencies could be pumped from their inlet reservoirs when their channels’ corresponding audio tones were played. Although their current AC model only applies to simple channel designs, the ability to generate and control flow rate using portable audio devices is highly promising for POC devices. Impressively, these AC fluidic networks can be custom-designed and frequency-controlled to drive flow through any channel arrangement. The authors only tested saline here and would need to investigate the movement of more complex biofluids, such as blood or urine, if setting sights on POC analyses. The multilayer fabrication and alignment steps they report could also be simplified for real field application and scalability. Modern smartphones are clearly poised to serve as integral hubs of the future, streaming not only your favorite rock songs, but also powering microfluidic sensors and communicating outputs remotely. R. H. Phillips et al ., Flow control using audio tones in resonant microfluidic networks: Towards cell-phone controlled lab-on-a-chip devices. Lab Chip 10.1039/C6LC00738D (2016). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2016/LC/C6LC00738D#!divAbstract
Differences in Medial and Lateral Posterior Tibial Slope: An Osteological Review of 1090 Tibiae Comparing Age, Sex, and Race.

Background:Injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are common, and a number of knee morphological variables have been identified as risk factors for an ACL injury, including the posterior tibial slope (TS). However, limited data exist regarding innate population differences in the TS.Purpose:To (1) establish normative values for the medial and lateral posterior TS; (2) determine what differences exist between ages, sexes, and races; and (3) determine how internal or external tibial rotation (as occurs during sagittal knee motion) influences the stereotactic perception of the TS.Study Design:Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:A total of 545 cadaveric specimens (1090 tibiae) were obtained from the Hamann-Todd osteological collection. Specimens were leveled in the coronal, sagittal, and axial planes using a digital laser. Virtual representations of each bone were created with a 3-dimensional digitizer apparatus. The TS of the medial and lateral tibial plateaus were measured using te...
The immunoendocrinology of systemic lupus erythematosus

Immunoendocrinology or the study of the effects of sex steroids and sex chromatin on immune diseases was pioneered by Henry G. Kunkel. In the disease lupus (SLE) the prevalence of female disease is high; the sex ratio is 10 females to every male after puberty. Since Kunkel's death the influences of triggering epitopes like viruses, histocompatibility, the hypothalamic pituitary-adrenocortical axis, nervous system and the effect of sex steroids are all recognized as contributing factors to pathogenesis. It is too simple to say that sex and genetics are the final reason for the female predominance of SLE. Today the likely cause of the disease involves the epigenetics of sex chromatin and the factors detailed above.
Precise and maximal race detection from incomplete traces

We present RDIT, a novel dynamic technique to detect data races in multithreaded programs with incomplete trace information, i.e., in the presence of missing events. RDIT is both precise and maximal: it does not report any false alarms and it detects a maximal set of true traces from the observed incomplete trace. RDIT is underpinned by a sound BarrierPair model that abstracts away the missing events by capturing the invocation data of their enclosing methods. By making the least conservative abstraction that a missing method introduces synchronization only when it has a memory address in scope that overlaps with other events or other missing methods, and by formulating maximal thread causality as logical constraints, RDIT guarantees to precisely detect races with maximal capability. RDIT has been applied in seven real-world large concurrent systems and has detected dozens of true races with zero false alarms. Comparatively, existing algorithms such as Happens-Before, Causal- Precedes, and Maximal-Causality which are known to be precise all report many false alarms when missing synchronizations.
New Technology for Education: Moodle

Moodle stands for Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment. Moodle is an open source learning management system (LMS), meaning it is free to anybody under the terms of the General Public License (Brandi, 2005). Many institutions have moved to the Moodle system and usage has grown since its introduction in 2003. Familiarity with Blackboard and WebCT helps with the transition, but Moodle possesses some unique characteristics that make it both better as well as more frustrating than alternative course management systems. Moodle provides a platform to facilitate interaction and create a dynamic learning environment for face-to-face classroom and blended course formats, as well as online courses. However, it can be time-consuming for instructors to learn how to utilize its various features.
Exact simulation vs exact estimation

This paper contrasts exact simulation against exact estimation in two different computational settings, namely that of numerical solution of stochastic differential equations and also in the context of equilibrium calculations for Markov chains. Both exact simulation and exact estimation methods can provide unbiased estimators capable of converging at square root rate in the computational effort c in problems in which conventional methods lead to sub-square root rates. We argue that the relaxation from exact simulation to exact estimation is often useful, because exact estimation algorithms can be easier to design and they can apply in settings in which exact simulation methods are currently unavailable.
Energetics of adsorbed formate and formic acid on Ni(111) by calorimetry

Abstract Surface carboxylates are common intermediates in many catalytic reactions and are also used for organo-functionalization of surface. Herein, adsorbed formate, the simplest carboxylate, was produced by dissociative adsorption of formic acid on the Ni(111) surface and the heats of adsorption were measured by single-crystal adsorption calorimetry (SCAC). At 240 K, the integral heat of dissociative adsorption to make adsorbed bidentate formate and adsorbed hydrogen is 117.1 kJ/mol at 1/7 ML. The estimated accuracy of measured heats is within 3 kJ/mol. Therefore, the standard enthalpy of formation of bidentate formate on Ni(111) is derived as −449.3 kJ/mol and the bond enthalpy to the Ni(111) surface is 319.6 kJ/mol. Comparison to our earlier results for Pt(111) shows that bidentate formate is 54 kJ/mol more stable on Ni(111). This is the first experimental measurement of the energy of any molecular fragment bonded to any Ni surface through metal-oxygen bonds, so it is an important benchmark for validating the accuracy of quantum mechanical calculations of a wide range of adsorbed oxygenates on Ni catalysts. Compared to previous density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we found that DFT calculations systematically underestimate the bond energy of formate to Ni(111), but correctly predict that it is stronger to Ni(111) than to Pt(111). The integral heat of HCOOH adsorption to make molecularly adsorbed formic acid was also measured and found to be 63.2 kJ/mol at 0.45 ML and 120–155 K.
The view from here: Emergence of graphical literacy

The purpose of this study is to describe upper elementary students' understandings of four graphical devices that frequently occur in social studies texts: captioned images, maps, tables, and timelines. Using verbal protocol data collection procedures, we collected information on students' metacognitive processes when they were explicitly asked to engage with these graphical devices. We investigate the degree to which these children were able to identify, describe, and utilize these four graphical devices, as well as students' emergent (i.e., not yet conventional) understandings and interpretations of these devices. Implications for research, teacher education, and teacher practice are addressed.
Obesity, adipokines, and C-peptide are associated with distinct plasma phospholipid profiles in adult males, an untargeted lipidomic approach

Obesity is associated with dysregulated lipid metabolism and adipokine secretion. Our group has previously reported obesity and adipokines are associated with % total fatty acid (FA) differences in plasma phospholipids. The objective of our current study was to identify in which complex lipid species (i.e., phosphatidylcholine, sphingolipids, etc) these FA differences occur. Plasma lipidomic profiling (n = 126, >95% Caucasian, 48–65 years) was performed using chromatographic separation and high resolution tandem mass spectrometry. The responses used in the statistical analyses were body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), serum adipokines, cytokines, and a glycemic marker. High-dimensional statistical analyses were performed, all models were adjusted for age and smoking, and p-values were adjusted for false discovery. In Bayesian models, the lipidomic profiles (over 1,700 lipids) accounted for >60% of the inter-individual variation of BMI, WC, and leptin in our population. Across statistical analyses, we report 51 individual plasma lipids were significantly associated with obesity. Obesity was inversely associated lysophospholipids and ether linked phosphatidylcholines. In addition, we identify several unreported lipids associated with obesity that are not present in lipid databases. Taken together, these results provide new insights into the underlying biology associated with obesity and reveal new potential pathways for therapeutic targeting.
Performance evaluation and comparison of multi-objective optimization algorithms for the analytical design of switched reluctance machines

This paper systematically evaluates and compares three well-engineered and popular multi-objective optimization algorithms for the design of switched reluctance machines. The multi-physics and multi-objective nature of electric machine design problems are discussed, followed by benchmark studies comparing generic algorithms (GA), differential evolution (DE) algorithms and particle swarm optimizations (PSO) on a 6/4 switched reluctance machine design with seven independent variables and a strong nonlinear multi-objective Pareto front. To better quantify the quality of the Pareto fronts, five primary quality indicators are employed to serve as the algorithm testing metrics. The results show that the three algorithms have similar performances when the optimization employs only a small number of candidate designs or ultimately, a significant amount of candidate designs. However, DE tends to perform better in terms of convergence speed and the quality of Pareto front when a relatively modest amount of candidates are considered.
CRT-200.04 Outcomes of Split Thickness Skin Grafting for Foot and Ankle Wounds in Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease

Tissue ischemia resulting from arterial insufficiency is a major contributing factor to lower extremity wound healing in patients with peripheral arterial diseases (PAD). Rapid wound closure provides a barrier to further infection and limb loss. Split thickness skin grafting (STSG) is relatively
Missed Opportunities for HIV Prevention: Individuals Who HIV Seroconverted Despite Accessing Healthcare.

Individuals with a negative HIV test before a positive one (seroconverters) may represent missed opportunities for prevention. To inform HIV prevention strategies, we aimed to characterize patients who seroconverted despite accessing care. We identified patients at a large, urban healthcare system who seroconverted between 2009 and 2014. Demographics, visits, and HIV-related variables were extracted from the medical records. We performed descriptive statistics, assessed for trends, and tested for associations according to sex. 220 seroconverters were identified: 45% were female, 87% were non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic, and median number of negative tests prior to diagnosis was 2 (IQR 1–3). Overall, 49% reported heterosexual contact as their risk factor and the proportion with heterosexual risk increased over time (24% in 2009 vs. 56% in 2014, p = 0.03). Compared to men, women were older at the time of diagnosis (35 vs. 26 years old, p < 0.01), had more visits between their latest negative and positive HIV test (4 vs. 2, p < 0.01), and were more likely to be diagnosed in the context of screening (64% vs. 56%, p = 0.05). We identified a population that became HIV-infected despite multiple healthcare encounters and undergoing HIV testing multiple times. Patients were mostly heterosexual and almost half were female. To avoid missed opportunities for those already accessing care, HIV prevention efforts should include strategies tailored to individuals with less frequently recognized risk profiles.
An inexpensive modified weight-bearing device assembled in-house for high throughput unbiased behavioral pain assessment in mice.

Abstract Assessment of pain in rodents is essential for analgesic development and investigations of fundamental neurobiology of pain. We have previously reported on a modified weight bearing apparatus we call VASIC (voluntarily accessed static incapacitance chamber) enabling unbiased and high throughput assessment of pain in rats. The present report provides a detailed description of the construction of the apparatus with all necessary computer assisted design files for the printed circuit board and the plastic components, and the required software for controlling the data capture and data analysis hosted in an online source file repository to allow assembly of the device in-house at a cost affordable to most academic laboratories. We extend the application of the apparatus to assess weight bearing in mice to enable the use of genetic mice models to study pain.
Electrical stimulation of renal nerves for modulating urine glucose excretion in rats

The role of the kidney in glucose homeostasis has gained global interest. Kidneys are innervated by renal nerves, and renal denervation animal models have shown improved glucose regulation. We hypothesized that stimulation of renal nerves at kilohertz frequencies, which can block propagation of action potentials, would increase urine glucose excretion. Conversely, we hypothesized that low frequency stimulation, which has been shown to increase renal nerve activity, would decrease urine glucose excretion. We performed non-survival experiments on male rats under thiobutabarbital anesthesia. A cuff electrode was placed around the left renal artery, encircling the renal nerves. Ureters were cannulated bilaterally to obtain urine samples from each kidney independently for comparison. Renal nerves were stimulated at kilohertz frequencies (1–50 kHz) or low frequencies (2–5 Hz), with intravenous administration of a glucose bolus shortly into the 25–40-min stimulation period. Urine samples were collected at 5–10-min intervals, and colorimetric assays were used to quantify glucose excretion and concentration between stimulated and non-stimulated kidneys. A Kruskal-Wallis test was performed across all stimulation frequencies (α = 0.05), followed by a post-hoc Wilcoxon rank sum test with Bonferroni correction (α = 0.005). For kilohertz frequency trials, the stimulated kidney yielded a higher average total urine glucose excretion at 33 kHz (+ 24.5%; n = 9) than 1 kHz (− 5.9%; n = 6) and 50 kHz (+ 2.3%; n = 14). In low frequency stimulation trials, 5 Hz stimulation led to a lower average total urine glucose excretion (− 40.4%; n = 6) than 2 Hz (− 27.2%; n = 5). The average total urine glucose excretion between 33 kHz and 5 Hz was statistically significant (p < 0.005). Similar outcomes were observed for urine flow rate, which may suggest an associated response. No trends or statistical significance were observed for urine glucose concentrations. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate electrical stimulation of renal nerves to modulate urine glucose excretion. Our experimental results show that stimulation of renal nerves may modulate urine glucose excretion, however, this response may be associated with urine flow rate. Future work is needed to examine the underlying mechanisms and identify approaches for enhancing regulation of glucose excretion.
Percentile-Based Journal Impact Factors: A Neglected Collection Development Metric.

Various normalization techniques to transform journal impact factors (JIFs) into a standard scale or range of values have been reported a number of times in the literature, but have seldom been part of collection development librarians' tool kits. In this paper, JIFs as reported in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) database are converted to percentiles (0%-100%) using Microsoft Excel's PERCENTRANK function. This permits a more intuitive evaluation of journal ranking within JCR subject categories and broader disciplines. The top journal by impact factor in any category is set to 100% while the lowest impact factor journal is set to 0% with all other journals on the list scaled according to their rank. Percentile-based impact factors (PIFs) also allow valid cross-disciplinary comparisons of impact factors, something not possible using JIFs. Finally, since a given journal title is often assigned to multiple subject categories, the relative impact of the same journal title can be compared and evaluated across each of those categories. This paper argues that PIFs should become a standard component of journal collection evaluation projects. The history, use, and misuse of impact factors are also discussed.
Multiple intermediates, diverse conformations, and cooperative conformational changes underlie the catalytic hydride transfer reaction of dihydrofolate reductase.

It has become increasingly clear that protein motions play an essential role in enzyme catalysis. However, exactly how these motions are related to an enzyme’s chemical step is still intensely debated. This chapter examines the possible role of protein motions that display a hierarchy of timescales in enzyme catalysis. The linkage between protein motions and catalysis is investigated in the context of a model enzyme, E. coli dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), that catalyzes the hydride transfer reaction in the conversion of dihydrofolate to tetrahydrofolate. The results of extensive computer simulations probing the protein motions that are manifest during different steps along the turnover cycle of DHFR are summarized. Evidence is presented that the protein motions modulate the catalytic efficacy of DHFR by generating a conformational ensemble conducive to the hydride transfer. The alteration of the equilibrium conformational ensemble rather than any protein dynamical effects is found to be sufficient to explain the rate-diminishing effects of mutation on the kinetics of the enzyme. These data support the view that the protein motions facilitate catalysis by establishing reaction competent conformations of the enzyme, but they do not directly couple to the chemical reaction itself. These findings have broad implications for our understanding of enzyme mechanisms and the design of novel protein catalysts.
Apoptosis in Viral Infections of Neurons: a Protective or Pathologic Host Response?

Apoptosis is an active process of cellular self-destruction that involves evolutionarily conserved genetic pathways and stereotypic morphologic and biochemical features. The central component of the cell death machinery is a proteolytic system involving a family of cysteine proteases called caspases (reviewed in Thornberry and Lazebnik 1998). Caspases are activated by cell death receptor signaling pathways or in response to mitochondrial signals and participate in a proteolytic cascade that culminates in disassembly of the cell. Bcl-2 and related family members are key regulators of apoptosis and include family members that either promote cell survival or cell death by mechanisms that include regulation of caspase activation (reviewed in Adams and Cory 1998). Hallmark events of apoptosis include movement of phosphatidyl-serine from the inner to the outer surface of the cell membrane, DNA fragmentation, chromatin condensation, membrane blebbing, cell shrinkage, and disassembly into membrane-enclosed vesicles termed apoptotic bodies.
Studies on Spontaneous In Vitro Autohemolysis in Hemolytic Disorders

Measurements of spontaneous lysis (autohemolysis) of red cells in sterile defibrinated blood after 48 or more hours of incubation at body temperature were found useful in the investigation of certain hemolytic states. Abnormally rapid autohemolysis was demonstrated most consistently in hereditary spherocytosis, but was also found in other types of spherocytosis and in several examples of non-spherocytic hemolytic anemia. Autohemolysis above the normal range can be regarded as strong presumptive evidence of a hemolytic disorder, but a normal rate of autohemolysis by no means excludes the possibility of a hemolytic process in any given case. Abnormalities of hereditary spherocytes causing increased autohemolysis were shown to be correlated with those responsible for spherocytosis as reflected in osmotic fragility tests. There appeared to be closer correlation with abnormalities causing increased osmotic fragility of the cells after 24 hours incubation. The autohemolysis test and the osmotic fragility test on incubated red cells were found to be equally sensitive in their capacity to detect spherocytosis of the hereditary type. Addition of adenosine, guanosine or inosine caused moderate to marked reduction in autohemolysis of nearly all types of red cells tested. Lysis of incubated spherocytes from active cases of autoimmune hemolytic disease was more markedly inhibited by a small amount of adenosine than was the lysis of hereditary spherocytes. Glucose regularly caused marked inhibition of autohemolysis of hereditary spherocytes and of red cells from patients with acute leukemia. The effect of glucose on HS red cells might have been due in part to a lowering of pH by formation of lactic acid since acidification of the blood with lactic, citric or hydrochloric acid also caused substantial reduction in autohemolysis. Glucose caused slight to marked increase in lysis of red cells in certain other cases of spherocytosis, notably in autoimmune hemolytic disease and in myeloid metaplasia. Addition of lactic acid to the blood from several of these patients had similar effect. In 2 atypical cases of chronic spherocytosis, with hematologically normal relatives, autohemolysis was accelerated by addition of glucose to the blood samples. Adenosine had little effect until after splenectomy when both glucose and adenosine inhibited hemolysis, much the same as in blood from typical cases of hereditary spherocytosis. It seems likely that when the abnormalities of carbohydrate metabolism of the red cells in certain hemolytic disorders are better understood, measurements of autohemolysis may be modified so as to enhance their usefulness in detecting and differentiating the various hemolytic states. It also seems likely that further studies on in vitro autohemolysis will help to elucidate some hemolytic mechanisms operating in vivo.
Ensemble Feature Selection for Plant Phenotyping: A Journey From Hyperspectral to Multispectral Imaging

Hyperspectral imaging is becoming an increasingly popular tool for high-throughput plant phenotyping, because it provides remarkable insights about the health status of plants. Feature selection is a key component in a hyperspectral image analysis, largely because a significant portion of spectral features are redundant and/or irrelevant, depending on the desired application. This paper presents an ensemble feature selection method to identify the most informative spectral features for practical applications in plant phenotyping. The hyperspectral data set contained the images of four wheat lines, each with a control and a salt (NaCl) treatment. To rank spectral features, six feature selection methods were used as the base for the ensemble: correlation-based feature selection, ReliefF, sequential feature selection, support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE), LASSO logistic regression, and random forest. The best results were achieved by the ensemble of ReliefF, SVM-RFE, and random forest, which drastically reduced the dimension of the hyperspectral data set from 215 to 15 features, while improving the accuracy in classifying the salt-treated vegetation pixels from the control pixels by 8.5%. To transform the hyperspectral data set into a multispectral data set, six wavelengths as the center of broad multispectral bands around the most prominent features were determined by a clustering algorithm. The result of salt tolerance assessment of the four wheat lines using the derived multispectral data set was similar to that of the hyperspectral data set. This demonstrates that the proposed feature selection pipeline can be utilized for determining the most informative features and can be a valuable tool in the development of tailored multispectral cameras.
School Contextual Factors and Race Differences in Adolescent Sexual Behaviors.

Although there exist a voluminous number of studies examining predictors of adolescent sexual behavior, few studies have explored the role of the school social context in influencing teen sexual ac...
Effect of molasses-based liquid supplements on digestibility of creeping bluestem and performance of mature cows on winter range.

Poor quality of tropical range forage leads to excessive weight loss and poor reproductive performance of beef cows. This research measured 1) the digestibility by steers fed creeping bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium var. stoloniferum) diets supplemented with cane molasses (0 or 20% of diet DM) and(or) added CP (no added CP, urea, or soybean meal) and 2) the performance of mature cows grazing creeping bluestem range and supplemented with 1.6 kg/(cow-d) (DM basis) of either molasses-urea or molasses-cottonseed meal-urea, each containing 30% CP (DM basis). Bluestem averaged 4.7% CP and 37.0% in vitro OM digestion. In the digestion trial, diets supplemented with molasses had greater (P .05) from the control. While grazing range, mature cows supplemented with molasses-urea lost less (P<.05) body condition (-1.7 vs -1.3) than cows supplemented with molasses-cottonseed meal-urea. Treatment did not affect cow weight loss on range (P=.85) or pregnancy rate (P=.51). Cows supplemented with molasses-urea tended to wean a heavier calf (P=.09). When fed at 1.6 kg/(cow-d) to mature cows grazing range, a molasses-based supplement containing urea was of equal value to one containing a natural protein
Long-term decline of native tropical dry forest remnants in an invaded Hawaiian landscape

Tropical dry forests are among the most threatened vegetation types as a result of human activities, yet relatively few datasets exist that give insight into the long-term impacts of human activity in these diverse biomes, especially in insular systems. In this study we revisited remnant dry forest patches previously surveyed in 1950 and 1970 in the Mokulēʻia Forest Reserve on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi to assess long-term native woody species’ persistence. Between June 2016 and May 2017 we resurveyed the seven original remnants and found that natives declined in basal area in every plot except one, and maintained basal area dominance over non-natives in only three of seven plots. There was a dramatic decline in the richness of native woody species in 2017 (10 species), when compared with observations in 1950 (27 species) and 1970 (32 species). Natives experienced substantial declines in densities, and the greatest reductions in basal area and species richness occurred in plots which previously had the highest native diversity. Only the most common native species were able to maintain their populations, and they are aging. At the same time, non-native woody species richness increased from 1950 (3 species) to 1970 (7 species) to 2017 (13 species). Non-native relative basal area also increased substantially from 1950 (9%) and 1970 (5%), to where it nearly equals native basal area currently (49%). These results indicate that despite there being no obvious change in disturbance levels since these areas were last surveyed, native Hawaiian dry forest remnants are being invaded by nearby non-natives, and will likely continue to decline if not supported by active management.
An efficient and cost-effective approach to kahalalide F N-terminal modifications using a nuisance algal bloom of Bryopsis pennata.

Abstract Background Kahalalide F (KF) and its isomer iso-kahalalide F (isoKF), both of which can be isolated from the mollusk Elysia rufescens and its diet alga Bryopsis pennata , are potent cytotoxic agents that have advanced through five clinical trials. Due to a short half-life, narrow spectrum of activity, and a modest response in patients, further efforts to modify the molecule are required to address its limitations. In addition, due to the high cost in producing KF analogues using solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), a degradation and reconstruction approach was employed using natural KF from a seasonal algal bloom to generate KF analogues. Methods N -protected KF was carefully hydrolyzed at the amide linkage between l -Thr12 and d -Val13 using dilute HCl. The synthesis of the C -terminal fragment began with the formation of hexanoic succinimide ester, followed by a reaction with dipeptides. The final coupling reaction was performed between the semisynthesized Fmoc–KF hydrolysis product and the C -terminal fragment, followed by the deprotection of the Fmoc group. Results Six KF analogues with an addition of an amino acid residue on the N -terminal chain, d -Val14–isoKF (2) , Val13–Val14–isoKF (3) , d -Leu14–isoKF (4) , d -Pro14–isoKF (5) , d -Phe14–isoKF (6) , and 3,4-2F- d -Phe14-isoKF (7) were prepared using semisynthesis at the exposed N -terminal chain. Conclusions The overall yield of the medication was 45%. This approach is economical, efficient and amendable to large-scale production while eliminated a nuisance algal bloom. General significance B. pennata blooms are capable of producing KF in good yields. The semisynthesis from the natural product produced N -terminal modifications for the construction of inexpensive semisynthetic KF libraries.
Teaching Video NeuroImages: Foix-Chavany-Marie syndrome.

A 75-year-old woman with a history of multiple resolved hemiparetic strokes presented with unilateral ischemic stroke causing sudden loss of volitional control of the musculature crucial for speaking and swallowing. Automatic movements, such as laughter and yawning, were preserved (video 1 and figure). She was diagnosed with Foix-Chavany-Marie syndrome (FCMS). Lesions of the operculum or its projections to brainstem nuclei can cause FCMS.1 Because these muscles receive bilateral innervation, a new unilateral lesion can produce sudden bilateral weakness if an old contralateral lesion was compensated by the intact hemisphere. Spontaneous movements, controlled by extrapyramidal pathways, are preserved.2
Postoperative Ketorolac Administration Is Not Associated with Hemorrhage in Cranial Vault Remodeling for Craniosynostosis.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been used as part of multimodal postoperative analgesic regimens to reduce the necessity of opioids. However, due to its effect on platelet function, there is a hesitation to utilize ketorolac postoperatively. The goal of this study is to analyze our experience utilizing ketorolac in patients who underwent major cranial vault remodeling (CVR) for craniosynostosis with an emphasis on postoperative hemorrhage and complications. Methods A retrospective review was performed for all patients undergoing CVR for craniosynostosis from 2013 to 2017. Primary outcomes were hemorrhagic complications. Secondary outcomes included length of stay, emesis, and doses of pain medication. Results Seventy-four consecutive patients met inclusion criteria. Forty-three (58.1%) received ketorolac. Seven in the ketorolac group (16%) and 9 in the control group (29%) received intraoperative blood transfusion (P = 0.25). One in the ketorolac group (2.3%) and 2 in the control group (3.1%) necessitated postoperative transfusion (P = 0.56). Patients who received ketorolac required less morphine doses (2.1 versus 3.3 doses; P = 0.02) and had a reduced length of stay (2.1 versus 2.6 nights; P = 0.04). Conclusions This is the first study to demonstrate that postoperative ketorolac is not associated with an increase in hemorrhagic complications or transfusion risk in children who underwent CVR for craniosynostosis. Patients administered ketorolac required less morphine and had a hospital length of stay. We hope this study stimulates more well-done prospective trials analyzing the role that ketorolac can play in an effective and safe postoperative analgesia regimen.
Home Visit Intervention Promotes Lifestyle Changes: Results of an RCT in Mexican Americans.

Introduction Hispanic populations are less likely that other ethnicities to meet physical activity guidelines. Community health worker (CHW) outreach is an effective delivery method for behavior change messages owing to shared culture, language, and life experience. This study examined the efficacy of a CHW-delivered intervention, Tu Salud iSi Cuenta! (Your Health Matters!) at Home Intervention, to promote physical activity among Mexican Americans. Study design RCT. Setting and participants Mexican Americans living along the Texas–Mexico border from June 2010 to April 2013. Intervention Eligible adults were randomized into intervention (n=250) or standard care (n=250). Intervention participants received 6 monthly CHW visits that included education, motivation, and support for lifestyle changes. Standard care was potentially exposed to a community-wide health promotion campaign. Data were collected at baseline and 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Main outcome measures Meeting physical activity guidelines was defined as ≥600 MET–adjusted minutes of moderate and vigorous exercise. Results Intervention participants were more likely to meet physical activity guidelines at 6 months (AOR=2.02, 95% CI=1.25, 3.26) than standard care, but the significance was not maintained at 12 months (AOR=1.53, 95% CI=0.92, 2.53). The results were similar in the as-treated and obesity-stratified analyses. The secondary analysis corroborated the primary results. Conclusions This study shows increases in physical activity among those exposed to a CHW intervention, including participants with obesity. It also indicates that the removal of CHW contact tapers the effect at 12 months. Trial registration NCT01168765.
Regional cluster of vanishing gastroschisis: A comparative study of antenatal and post-natal outcomes.

AIM Vanishing gastroschisis describes the in utero spontaneous closure of the periumbilical defect. It is usually associated with intestinal loss due to ischaemia, necrosis and atresia. This comparative study aims to investigate the spectrum of pathology, antenatal ultrasound characteristics and post-natal outcomes. METHODS Our tertiary centre provides antenatal and post-natal care of major congenital anomalies for a population of 1.6 million. Medical records were retrospectively evaluated for all cases of vanishing gastroschisis from May 2014 to May 2015. Cases of normal variant gastroschisis born during the same period were used for comparison. Maximum antenatael bowel diameter measurements were compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS Six infants with vanishing gastroschisis were born during the study period, representing 50% of all live-born gastroschisis. Antenatal ultrasound showed progressively increasing intra-abdominal bowel dilatation, with antenatal intra-abdominal bowel diameter significantly greater in vanishing, than normal, variant gastroschisis (23.2 vs. 4.1 mm, P 10 mm to prompt consideration of earlier delivery to improve morbidity and mortality.
Environmental Risk Assessment: Gordian Knots Untied

More often than not, engineering is subject to a bottom-line approach: save money while increasing project completion rates. The news is replete with engineering failures, identifying extremely difficult and involved projects that possibly were marred by expediency and poor planning. A noteworthy example was the levee failures in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina. The levees were designed only to handle a Level 2 hurricane and were therefore underdesigned to handle Level 3 Katrina as it barreled ashore. Bridge failures also greet us with underdesigned, economically deficient, and poorly maintained debacles, as was the case in Genoa, Italy, in 2018, when a major bridge collapsed after years of deferred maintenance (Pianigiani et al. 2018). In light of this, there is no doubt that more infrastructure is in harm’s way today, with more people living in flood plains, of fire-prone ecosystems, or along global coastlines (Stevens 1993). There are also more people working with a greater quantity of synthetic and toxic compounds or chemicals. Due to urban sprawl, there are greater chances of people being affected by episodic but dramatic environmental events such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, mudslides, and fires due to their immediate proximity to these large-scale conflagrations.
Client preferences for the personality characteristics of an ideal therapist

Client preferences can have an impact on psychotherapy; however, little is known about client preferences for therapists’ personality characteristics. The present study aimed to address this gap us...
Enhanced electroluminescence from WSe2 monolayers coupled to gold antenna arrays (Conference Presentation)

Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) monolayers are promising materials for nanoscale light emitters. By coupling TMDCs to optical antennas, the spontaneous emission rate can be greatly enhanced, yielding faster device modulation. However, achieving high rate enhancement is difficult with electrically-injected light emitters compared to optical injection. We demonstrate two device designs to overcome these challenges: 1) a light-emitting capacitor (LEC) coupled to a slot antenna array, and 2) a light-emitting diode (LED) coupled to a nanosquare antenna array. The LEC shows high polarization ratios >30x, while the LED shows >10x enhanced electroluminescence for the antenna coupled device relative to control devices.
Carp: A cost-aware relaxed protocol for encrypted data stores

Abstract Distributed data stores are critical to the success of applications in cloud. Massive volumes of user data are stored and processed with the support of underlying distributed data stores. With large amounts of data stored remotely in the cloud, security becomes a major concern. Authentication and access control are provided by cloud storage providers. But even with proper authentication and access control policies, storage systems are still vulnerable to attackers who have direct access to storage devices such as disks. Encryption makes it computational difficult to retrieve the original data even when the attackers have the access to the disks. However, there are many challenges in designing an encrypted distributed data store that is highly secure and cost-aware. In this paper, we show that security flexibility and cost efficiency can be achieved at the same time. We present Carp, a cost- aware relaxed protocol for encrypted data stores. Carp is a heuristic solution instead of an optimal one. The key idea is to reduce additional encryption operations for frequently accessed data. It is achieved by allowing data objects stay unencrypted for a short time period after the data are accessed. Reducing encryption operations eventually means reducing the computational cost and power consumption in the data store. Unlike conventional encrypted file systems which store data encryption keys on disks, we present a hybrid design of key generation and caching. Data encryption keys are generated for individual objects or a group of them using cryptographic hashing. We develop a prototype data store and conduct experiments. The experimental results show that Carp can reduce up to 20% encryption operations with high-level security.
Some Thoughts on the Relationship between Vitamin a and Cancer

Retinoids clearly show both prophylactic and therapeutic effects against many kinds of neoplasm. Vitamin A deficiency and vitamin A excess, which are very different states clinically and metabolically, should be separately considered relative to carcinogenesis. The anticancer effects of retinoids and related compounds may be more closely related to their chemical structure than to their similarity to the structure and function of vitamin A. Retinoids act on cells and tissues in a number of ways. Although many interesting ideas have been proposed to clarify their mode of action, no single hypothesis adequately explains their many molecular interactions and responses. Investigation of early molecular interactions between retinoids and cells and the subsequent metabolism of retinoids in neoplastic and normal cells may aid in the clarification of their action as antineoplastic agents.
Haroset: a taste of Jewish history

Haroset is one of the foods eaten at the Passover Seder to symbolize the Jewish captivity in Egypt. The holiday meals are accompanied by readings, ceremonies, songs, and precepts commemorating the ...
Interacting quantum plasmons in metal-dielectric structures

We develop a consistent quantum description of surface plasmons interacting with quantum emitters and external electromagnetic field. Within the framework of macroscopic electrodynamics in dispersive and absorptive medium, we derive, in the Markov approximation, the canonical Hamiltonian, commutation relations, and coupling parameters for the plasmon modes in metal-dielectric structures of an arbitrary shape whose characteristic size is well below the diffraction limit. We then develop a new quantum approach bridging the macroscopic and canonical schemes which describes the interacting plasmons in terms of bosonic modes with linear dispersion whose coupling to the electromagnetic field and quantum emitters is mediated by the classical plasmons. By accurately accounting for medium optical dispersion and losses in the interactions of surface plasmons with light and localized electron excitations, this approach can serve as a framework for studying non-Markovian effects in plasmonics.
The Medial Longitudinal Fasciculus and Internuclear Opthalmoparesis: There's More Than Meets the Eye.

Background and purpose The classic sign of a lesion in the medial longitudinal fasciculus is internuclear opthalmoplegia. However, clinical presentation may vary depending on the type of pathology and the lesion location. The purpose of this study was to identify and classify the different lesions of the medial longitudinal fasciculus on MRI and review their clinical presentations. We also offer an overview of the pertinent imaging anatomy of the medial longitudinal fasciculus. Materials and methods Patients with an abnormality affecting the medial longitudinal fasciculus were identified retrospectively using the keyword 'medial longitudinal fasciculus' included in radiology reports between 2010 and 2018 using the Nuance mPower software (Nuance Communications, Burlington, MA). The brain MRI examinations of these patients were reviewed by two neuroradiolgists. Detailed description of lesion location within the medial longitudinal fasciculus, pathology type, additional lesions, and clinical presentations were recorded along with pertinent demographic information. Results Five men and four women were identified with lesions in the medial longitudinal fasciculus on brain MRI. Five patients demonstrated demyelination in the medial longitudinal fasiculus and four patients demonstrated findings of an acute cerebrovascular accident. Two-thirds of medial longitudinal fasiculus lesions were located in the upper, mid, or lower pons with the remaining located in the midbrain. Of the patients presenting with a cerebrovascular accident, there was little to no additional evidence of acute stroke elsewhere in the brain. All patients were clinically symptomatic with 89% of patients demonstrating extraocular muscle dysfunction at presentation and 78% of patients experiencing dizziness. Additional symptoms included headache, weakness, and gait instability. Conclusions Lesions involving the medial longitudinal fasiculus may not always present with the classic sign of internuclear opthalmoplegia. Variations in lesion location may result in diplopia rather than internuclear opthalmoplegia, and additional brain lesions may produce clinical symptoms that confound extraocular muscle dysfunction. Lesions affecting the often-overlooked vestibular and otolithic reflexes, which run in the medial longitudinal fasiculus, may result in dizziness/weakness and mask the classic internuclear opthalmoplegia symptoms. The radiologist should carefully inspect the medial longitudinal fasiculus in all patients regardless of the supportive clinical history of extraocular muscle dysfunction since symptoms may be more general than classically described.