cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Are different generations of CAD/CAM milling machines capable to produce restorations with similar quality?

Background Different CAD/CAM machines' generation may impact the restoration overall quality. The present study evaluated the marginal fit of CAD/CAM restorations manufactured with different generations of CEREC milling unit systems. Material and methods Sixteen typodont teeth were divided into two groups (n=8) according to the machine's generation assigned. These are control group (G1): Cerec AC with Bluecam/Cerec 3 milling unit and (G2): Cerec AC with Bluecam/MC XL Premium Package milling unit. Scanning of the preparation were performed and crowns were milled using the Vita Mark II blocks. Blocks were cemented using epoxy glue on the pulpal floor only and finger pressure applied for 1 min. Upon completion of the cementation step, misfits between the restoration and abutment were measured by microphotography and the silicone replica technique using light body silicon material on Mesial (M) and Distal (D) surfaces. Results Mean and SDs of marginal gaps in micrometers were: G1/M: 94.90 (±38.52), G1/D: 88.53 (±44.87), G2/M: 85.65 (±29.89), G2/D: 95.28 (±28.13). Two-way ANOVA indicated no significant differences among different groups (P>0.05); surface area (P>0.05) and the interaction (P>0.05). Overall, G2 had greater margin gaps than G1, however, without statistical difference (P>0.05). Conclusions Difference in milling unit generation did not significantly affect the marginal fit. Marginal gap means were in the range of the clinical acceptance levels for both generations of Cerec milling units, regardless the teeth site area. Key words:CAD/CAM, margin, ceramics.
Smooth muscle diversity in arterial wound repair.

Repair of arterial injury results in formation of a new structure, a neointima, that causes luminal narrowing. Smooth muscle cell (SMC) properties required for neointima formation are also found in nascent SMCs of developing blood vessels in the embryo (e.g., proliferation, extracellular matrix synthesis, cell migration). We isolated 2 distinct types of SMC from aortic media of newborn rats that were distinguished by cell shape, secretion of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and expression of PDGF-B and PDGF alpha-receptor genes. These two SMC types did not interconvert over many cell generations in vitro. Adult rat aorta yields only one SMC type, suggesting that the "pup" SMC variant is developmentally regulated. However, SMC with the "pup" phenotype reappear in the adult artery wall during neointima formation after balloon catheter injury. These observations raise the possibility that SMC proliferation and arterial remodeling during development, repair and disease of the artery wall might depend upon a SMC subpopulation with special properties.
A Systems Approach for Augmented Reality Design

Effective ways of presenting digital data are needed to augment a user's experience in the real world without distracting or overloading them. We propose a system of systems approach for the design, development, and evaluation of information presentation devices, particularly augmented reality devices. We developed an evaluation environment that enables the synchronized presentation of multimodal stimuli and collection of user responses in an immersive environment. We leveraged visual, audio, thermal, and tactile information presentation modalities during a navigation and threat identification task. Twelve participants completed the task while response time and accuracy data were collected. Results indicated variability among devices and pairs of devices, and suggested that information presented by some pairs of devices was more effective and easily acted upon than that presented by others. The results of this work provided important guidance regarding future design decisions and suggest the utility of our system of systems approach. Implications and future directions are discussed.
RealTime Operating Systems

Real-time operating systems must provide three specific functions with respect to tasks: scheduling, dispatching, and inter-communication and synchronization. In this chapter we examine various techniques for providing these services in real-time and embedded systems. Various aspects of commercial real-time operating systems are also discussed.
Externally visible thrombus partially predicts internal thrombus deposition in extracorporeal membrane oxygenators.

Aim:We sought to quantify the location and volume of thrombus in used hollow-fiber membrane oxygenators and correlate the volume of thrombus with patient demographics, flow characteristics and anti...
Laboratory fattening and dietary-fat effects on meadow voles ( Microtus pennsylvanicus )

When removed from the field and maintained under laboratory conditions, meadow voles exhibited significant change in body composition. Voles increased body mass due primarily to large gains in lipid mass combined with small losses in fat-free mass. Lipid deposition amounts increased as dietary fat was increased, and animals demonstrated a leveling of body mass instead of continuous unregulated obesity. When dietary fat content was changed, lipid deposition or utilization responded directly. Thus, meadow voles regulate overall body mass and body composition (lipid and fat-free mass) at levels that correspond to dietary quality (fat) and abundance in the laboratory, and they deposit considerably more lipid than do animals in the field. Our experiments demonstrate that food quality has a substantial effect on the body composition of wild-caught animals maintained in the laboratory.
The Viability of Using Rapid Judgments as a Method of Deception Detection

ABSTRACTRapid Judgments (RJs) are quick assessments based on indirect verbal and nonverbal cues that are known to be associated with deception. RJs are advantageous because they eliminate the need for expensive detection equipment and only require minimal training for coders with relatively accurate judgments. Results of testing on two different datasets showed that trained coders were reliably making RJs after watching both long and short interaction segments but their judgments were not more accurate than the expert interviewers. The RJs did not discriminate between truth and deception as hypothesized. This raises more questions about the conditions under which making RJs from verbal and nonverbal cues achieves accurate detection of veracity.
Structure–property relationships of blended polysaccharide and protein biomaterials in ionic liquid

Cellulose and silk blended biomaterial films were regenerated from ionic liquid solution and investigated to characterize and understand the effect of inter- and intra-molecular interactions upon the morphology and thermal properties. The blended films were dissolved in 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquid, coagulated and regenerated with water. Various characterization techniques were implemented to characterize structural, morphological and thermal properties: FTIR, SEM, TGA, DSC and X-ray scattering. The results showed that the cellulose microcrystalline structure and β-sheets from the silk can be disrupted by inter- and intra-molecular hydrogen bonds forming intermediate semicrystalline or amorphous structures. The SEM showed morphological effects of such interactions that cause varying thermal degradation and glass transition temperature. The X-ray scattering confirms such findings at the molecular level, demonstrating that the cellulose microfibril diameter decreases as the silk content increases. It also shows that the β-sheets size increases as the cellulose content increases. These various techniques provide evidence that suggest the hydrogen bonds between the β-sheets and the glucose units in the cellulose chains control the thermal and structural properties of the blended films, changing the morphology and physicochemical properties.
Enema Regimen in Pediatric Bladder Dysfunction

In this review, we will describe the techniques which we have developed to properly diagnose the constipation component of pediatric bowel and bladder disorders (BBD) in children and the treatment techniques that most rapidly and effectively resolve these issues. Constipation is commonly understood to be a major component of dysfunctional elimination syndrome in children. All methodologies described for the treatment of overactive bladder dysfunction in the pediatric population include the treatment of constipation as a critical component. Diagnostic techniques that remain inconclusive are best used to diagnose constipation and the treatment modalities most ideally suited to address bowel dysfunction in these patients.
Application of high-order numerical schemes and Newton-Krylov method to two-phase drift-flux model

Abstract This paper concerns the application and solver robustness of the Newton-Krylov method in solving two-phase flow drift-flux model problems using high-order numerical schemes. In our previous studies, the Newton-Krylov method has been proven as a promising solver for two-phase flow drift-flux model problems. However, these studies were limited to use first-order numerical schemes only. Moreover, the previous approach to treating the drift-flux closure correlations was later revealed to cause deteriorated solver convergence performance, when the mesh was highly refined, and also when higher-order numerical schemes were employed. In this study, a second-order spatial discretization scheme that has been tested with two-fluid two-phase flow model was extended to solve drift-flux model problems. In order to improve solver robustness, and therefore efficiency, a new approach was proposed to treating the mean drift velocity of the gas phase as a primary nonlinear variable to the equation system. With this new approach, significant improvement in solver robustness was achieved. With highly refined mesh, the proposed treatment along with the Newton-Krylov solver were extensively tested with two-phase flow problems that cover a wide range of thermal-hydraulics conditions. Satisfactory convergence performances were observed for all test cases. Numerical verification was then performed in the form of mesh convergence studies, from which expected orders of accuracy were obtained for both the first-order and the second-order spatial discretization schemes. At last, the drift-flux model, along with numerical methods presented, were validated with three sets of flow boiling experiments that cover different flow channel geometries (round tube, rectangular tube, and rod bundle), and a wide range of test conditions (pressure, mass flux, wall heat flux, inlet subcooling and outlet void fraction).
VPSfAV: A computational tool to aid the teaching of protection systems

A computational tool for overcurrent protection coordination in electric power distribution systems, with exclusively radial characteristics is developed in this paper. The tool is called Visual Protection System for Assisted Verification (VPSfAV). It is designed to provide students with a simple and visual program capable of verifying protection scheme projects, and to encourage students to develop their own programs. VPSfAV is capable of verifying overcurrent protection schemes in radial distribution systems which is the most common architecture for distribution networks. The computational tool has eight inverse operational time curves, permitting the verification of the protection scheme independent of the chosen relay. The development of VPSfAV focuses on visualization, allowing students to see all the parameters and variables used, as well as graphically plotting multiple overcurrent protection time curves with respect to the observed current in each individual relay. VPSfAV was developed in Visual Basic for Applications, in Microsoft Excel, because students are already used to the platform and majority of university computers already have Microsoft office packages.
State Sovereignty and International Relations in Pakistan: Analysing the Realism Stranglehold

In Pakistan, the field of international relations (IR) theory remains firmly embedded in the ‘realist’ tradition, to the detriment of a wider range of considerations. This stranglehold, strengthene...
The precursors of personal computing

I am compiling an anthology of historical papers which laid the groundwork for today's workstations and personal computers. The following list is preliminary, based mostly on personal recollection and a little library research and suggestions from others.
Care of the Elderly Patient with Infective Endocarditis

This review analyzes the presentation, manifestations, and management decisions for elderly patients with infectious endocarditis (IE). There are significant differences in IE across ages. Whereas the major risk factors for younger individuals include intravenous drug use and complex congenital heart disease, older adults tend to develop IE on prosthetic valves or in the setting of degenerative valve disease. Nosocomial disease is important regardless of age. The microbiology differs too for elderly patients. Although Staphylococcus aureus is universally an important pathogen, elderly patients are more likely to have IE from S. gallolyticus and Enterococci. New tools for risk stratification may better estimate true surgical risk for elderly patients with IE. The epidemiology of IE has shifted over the last several decades, making it increasingly a disease of the elderly, who tend to have worse outcomes. It is important to understand how IE manifests in elderly patients in order to manage it appropriately.
Active view planning for counting apples in orchards

We consider an agricultural automation scenario where a robot, equipped with a camera mounted on a manipulator, is charged with counting the number of apples in an orchard. We focus on the subtask of planning views so as to accurately estimate the number of apples in an apple cluster. We present a method to efficiently enumerate combinatorially distinct world models and to compute the most likely model from one or more views. These are incorporated into single and multi-step planners. We evaluate these planners in simulation as well as with experiments on a real robot.
A second mechanism for sodium extrusion in Halobacteriumhalobium: A light-driven sodium pump

Abstract Membrane vesicles from a red mutant of Halobacterium halobium R1 accumulate protons when illuminated causing the pH of the suspension to rise. Sodium is extruded from the vesicles and a membrane potential is formed. This potential and the proton uptake are abolished by valinomycin if K+ is present. In contrast, Na+-efflux is uninhibited by valinomycin even though no membrane potential is detectable and H+ influx does not occur. Bis (hexafluoracetonyl)acetone (1799) stimulates proton uptake but does not abolish membrane potential. We propose that a light-dependent sodium pump is present. Passive proton uptake occurs in response to the electrical gradient created by this light-driven Na+ pump in contrast to the active proton, and passive Na+ flux that occurs in response to the light-driven proton pump described in vesicles of the parent strain of H. halobium R1.
Droplet Concentration and Size Distribution in Haze and Fog

Fog (haze) droplet concentrations and size distributions were measured at five sampling sites representing rural and urban regions and a highly polluted marine-urban environment. Droplet imprints in a thin gelatine layer were evaluated and compared to the measurement by light scattering instruments. This enabled conditions for the application of the logarithmic-normal size distribution and for the classification of typical fog droplet size distributions to be established. In particular, the parameters featuring the width and asymmetry of a size distribution were suggested and calculated. Advantages and drawbacks of the applied droplet sampling and evaluation technique are discussed in more detail.
Remarks on Phrasing and Prosodic Attachment

This article, reflecting on Kuroda’s early work on “attachment transformations” (Kuroda, 1965), comments on some apparently common functions shared by the use of specific adverbials or particles (post-positions in Japanese) as discussed in his old proposal on the one hand, and certain intonational characteristics of sentence utterances in relation to phrasing patterns of the sentence on the other hand. Both are linguistic devices used for representing certain types of discourse effects on sentential expressions. Subtle intonational modulations in certain Japanese utterances, which seem to escape current theoretical accounts, are intuitively interpreted to manifest continuous shades of coherence between constituent accentual phrases within a large phrasal unit, suggesting “prosodic attachments” that introduce numerical or continuous modulations into the phonetic representations of a sentence. A question is raised how such a process of continuous intonational modulation can be related to the formal representation of phonological phrasing, since the intonational patterns may vary continuously between catathesis and accent deletion in Japanese.
Reef fish larvae visually discriminate coral diversity during settlement

To survive the pelagic stage, reef fish larvae need to find a settlement habitat and determine its suitability using a combination of environmental cues. Previous studies have shown that fish larvae are attracted by different components of their settlement habitat, such as conspecifics, algae, coral rubble, or living corals. However, it is not known whether larval fish use coral diversity as a settlement cue. Here, we tested the ability of presettlement reef fish larvae to discriminate coral diversity in laboratory experiments. We constructed coral assemblages of equal surface area, but with different coral species richness using live coral colonies of five species [Acropora cervicornis (Lamarck, 1816), Dichocoenia stokesii Milne-Edwards and Haime, 1848, Montastrea cavernosa (Linnaeus, 1767), Siderastrea siderea (Ellis and Solander, 1786), and Stephanocoenia intersepta (Lamarck, 1836)] and recorded the settlement choice of individual reef fish larvae. We found that reef fish larvae seem to prefer to settle on assemblages with higher coral diversity, regardless of the species used. We then used a two-choice tank to test the potential of reef fish larvae to visually perceive different coral species diversity and found that higher diversity attracts more settlement stage reef fish larvae, potentially changing the distribution of settlers at local scales. If preference for higher coral diversity stems from attraction to olfactory or other long-range cues—in addition to visual preference—coral diversity may play a role in connectivity among fish populations. This mechanism may further explain why degraded coral reefs do not maintain abundant fish populations.
Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition.

EndMT is an intricate cellular differentiation process whereby endothelial cells detach and migrate away from the endothelium and, to varying extents, decrease endothelial properties and acquire mesenchymal features. First described in developing heart valves as an epithelial mesenchymal transformation, EndMT begins in response to an external signal, often transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ). The endothelial cells lose luminal-abluminal polarity, extend filopodia and migrate into extravascular space where they take up residence, in the case of heart valves, as valve interstitial cells. Properly controlled EndMT is essential for heart valve development: too little and valves fail to form; too much and the valves thicken and cannot close properly. EndMT appears to persist past embryonic development as endothelial cells expressing EndMT markers can be detected in vivo in adult ovine and human valves. In vitro, valve endothelial cells treated with TGFβ undergo robust EndMT; hence valve endothelial cells can serve as a prototype for revealing regulators of EndMT. Reactivation of EndMT in post-natal settings has emerged as a potential mechanism for adaptation to new physiologic settings and at the same time for maladaptive responses to disease1. This is exemplified by EndMT in cardiac valves, which are lined with a specialized endothelium that originates from FLK1+ (a.k.a. VEGFR2+) progenitor cells in cardiac mesoderm, distinct from vascular endothelium2. Although endocardial and vascular endothelium are molecularly similar2, endocardial endothelial cells exhibit a distinct plasticity, which may provide valve endothelial cells with unique capabilities for adaptation and function over a lifetime.
Characterization of Vitamin B12 Supplementation and Correlation with Clinical Outcomes in a Large Longitudinal Study of Early Parkinson's Disease

Author(s): Dietiker, Cameron; Kim, Soeun; Zhang, Yunxi; Christine, Chadwick W | Abstract: ObjectiveIn Parkinson's disease (PD), vitamin B12 levels are lower, and comorbid B12 deficiency has been associated with the development of neuropathy and early gait instability. Because little is known about B12 supplement use in PD, we sought to evaluate its use in a large PD cohort and, as an exploratory analysis, to determine whether baseline characteristics or disease progression differed according to B12 supplementation.MethodsWe utilized data collected as part of the National Institutes of Health Exploratory Trials in PD (NET-PD) Long-term Study (LS-1), a longitudinal study of 1,741 participants. We stratified subjects into 4 groups according to daily supplement use: no B12, multivitamin (MVI) containing l 100 μg B12, B12 ≥ 100 μg, and MVI + B12 ≥ 100 μg. Clinical outcomes were assessed at 3 years for each group using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), its subscores, and selected individual questions.ResultsOf the 1,147 participants who completed the 3-year visit, 41% took an MVI, 2% took B12, 3% took MVI + B12, and 54% reported taking no supplements. At 3 years, no significant differences in clinical outcomes were observed. However, there was a trend toward lower hazard ratios for developing sensory symptoms (UPDRS Item 17) in the MVI (p = 0.08) and B12 + MVI (p = 0.08) groups compared to that in the no supplement group.ConclusionThese results show that supplementation with vitamin B12 ≥ 100 μg is uncommon in early PD. The finding of a trend toward a lower hazard ratio for the development of sensory symptoms in those taking an MVI or B12 + MVI warrants further study.
Functional and cellular adaptation to weightlessness in primates.

Considerable data has been collected on the response of hindlimb muscles to unloading due to both spaceflight and hindlimb suspension. One generalized response to a reduction in load is muscle fiber atrophy, although not all muscles respond the same. Our understanding of how muscles respond to microgravity, however, has come primarily from the examination of hindlimb muscles in the unrestrained rate in space. The non-human primate spaceflight paradigm differs considerably from the rodent paradigm in that the monkeys are restrained, usually in a sitting position, while in space. Recently, we examined the effects of microgravity on muscles of the Rhesus monkey by taking biopsies of selected hindlimb muscles prior to and following spaceflights of 14 and 12 day durations (Cosmos 2044 and 2229). Our results revealed that the monkey's response to microgravity differs from that of the rat. The apparent differences in the atrophic response of the hindlimb muscles of the monkey and rat to spaceflight may be attributed to the following: (1) a species difference; (2) a difference in the manner in which the animals were maintained during the flight (i.e., chair restraint or 'free-floating'); and/or (3) an ability of the monkeys to counteract the effects of spaceflight with resistive exercise.
Health Status of Female and Male Gulf War and Gulf Era Veterans: A Population-Based Study

Abstract Background The health of women Gulf War (deployed) and Gulf Era (nondeployed) veterans is understudied; although most studies examining the health effects of deployment to the Gulf War adjust for gender in multivariate analyses, gender-specific prevalence and effect measures are not routinely reported. The National Academy of Medicine recommended that the Department of Veterans Affairs assess gender-specific health conditions in large cohort studies of Gulf War veterans. Methods Data from this study come from the follow-up study of a national cohort of Gulf War and Gulf Era veterans. This study was conducted between 2012 and 2014, and was the second follow-up of a population-based cohort of Gulf War and Gulf Era veterans that began in 1995. Measures included self-reported medical conditions and frequency of doctor visits as well as validated screening instruments for mental health conditions. Results Overall, female veterans (both Gulf War and Era) reported poorer health than their male counterparts as measured by the prevalence of self-reported disease. The top five prevalent conditions in both Gulf War and Gulf Era veterans were migraine, hypertension, major depressive disorder, arthritis, and dermatitis. Female Gulf War veterans were found to have a higher prevalence of disease than male Gulf Era veterans. Conclusions Women veterans, particularly deployed veterans, from this era have significant medical needs that may justify increased outreach from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Our findings highlight the importance of asking about military service, particularly for women veterans, in the clinical setting, both in the Department of Veterans Affairs and in the private sector.
Comparison of Pedestrian Detection With and Without Yellow-Lens Glasses During Simulated Night Driving With and Without Headlight Glare.

Importance Some marketing materials for yellow-lens night-driving glasses claim that they increase nighttime road visibility and reduce oncoming headlight glare (HLG). However, there is no scientific evidence to support these claims. Objective To measure the association between yellow-lens glasses and the detection of pedestrians with and without an oncoming HLG, using a driving simulator equipped with a custom HLG simulator. Design, Setting, and Participants A single-center cohort study was conducted between September 8, 2016, and October 25, 2017, at the Schepens Eye Research Institute. A total of 22 individuals participated in the study, divided into groups to determine response to a pedestrian wearing a navy blue shirt by younger individuals and, to control for participant’s age and the interaction of the shirt color with the filter, response to a pedestrian wearing an orange shirt by a group of younger and older participants. Exposures Participants drove scripted night-driving scenarios, 3 times with 3 commercially available yellow-lens glasses and once with clear-lens glasses, with the HLG simulator turned on and off. A total of 8 conditions were used for each participant. Main Outcomes and Measures Pedestrian detection response time. Results The 22 participants who completed the study included 12 younger (mean [SD] age, 28 [7] years; 6 men) individuals who responded to a pedestrian wearing a dark navy blue shirt, as well as 6 younger (mean [SD] age, 27 [4] years; 4 men) and 4 older (mean [SD], 70 [11] years; all men) participants who responded to a pedestrian in an orange shirt. All participants had normal visual acuity (mean [SD], -0.05 [0.06] logMAR). No significant difference in response time with yellow lens was found in all experiment conditions; younger participants for dark navy blue shirt pedestrians (F1,33 = 0.59;P = .45), orange shirt pedestrians (F1,15 = 0.13;P = .72), and older participants for orange shirt pedestrians (F1,9 = 0.84;P = .38). Among all participants (n = 22), no significant main effect of yellow lenses was found (F1,63 = 0.64;P = .42). In all measuring conditions, the response times with the yellow lenses were not better than with the clear lenses. Significant main effects of HLG were found with dark navy blue shirt pedestrian condition for young participants (F1,33 = 7.34;P Conclusions and Relevance Using a driver simulator equipped with an HLG simulator, yellow-lens night-driving glasses did not appear to improve pedestrian detection at night or reduce the negative effects of HLG on pedestrian detection performance. These findings do not appear to support having eye care professionals advise patients to use yellow-lens night-driving glasses.
Feature Exploration and Causal Inference on Mortality of Epilepsy Patients Using Insurance Claims Data

Approximately 0.5-1% of the global population is afflicted with epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by repeated seizures. Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) is a poorly understood complication that claims the lives of nearly 1-in-1000 epilepsy patients every year. This paper aims to explore diagnosis codes, demographic and payment features on mortality of epilepsy patients. We design a mortality prediction model with diagnosis codes and non-diagnosis features extracted from US commercial insurance claims data. We present classification accuracy of 0.91 and 0.85 by using different feature vectors. After analyzing the aforementioned features in prediction model, we extend the work to causal inference between modified diagnosis codes and selected non-diagnosis features. The uplift test of causal inference using three algorithms indicates that a patient is more likely to survive if upgrading from a low-coverage healthcare plan into a high-coverage plan.
Rapid Consumption Surveys

Insecurity and conflict often prevent the administration of lengthy household consumption surveys that are used for measuring poverty. This chapter presents a new approach used to obtain unbiased estimates of poverty when the time to conduct interviews is limited. Consumption recall items are partitioned into a core module and into non-overlapping optional modules. Each household surveyed is assigned the core module and randomly but systematically an optional module. Multiple imputation techniques are then used to estimate total household consumption. The approach is applied to a survey conducted in Mogadishu, where interview time could not exceed 60 minutes due to security risks.
Mutual Mindsets: The Hassles and Hopes of Co-teaching in Teacher Preparation

Isolation between academic fields is an unfortunate reality in higher education and teacher education. Whereas current educational reforms invoke a need to collaborate, faculty are often unsure of how to design collaborative experiences. Research argues for the use of co-teaching to engage teacher candidates in beneficial learning experiences where instructors model the collaborative practices desired in those candidates. Additionally, the use of co-teaching in rural settings is shown to address some of the challenges associated with rural teacher preparation. With the hesitancy of many in higher education to engage in co-teaching in teacher preparation, it is crucial that those who do co-teach share the design, implementation, and perceptions of the process with others. This article presents the design, implementation, and reflections of students and teacher preparation faculty: one content methods instructor and one content literacy instructor. The authors present the hassles and hopes of using co-teaching in teacher preparation in rural regions to enhance course content and collaboration among teacher candidates.
Catalytic Oxidation of CO by N2O Enabled by Al2O2/3+: Temperature Dependent Kinetics and Statistical Modeling

The reactions of Al2O2+ + N2O and Al2O3+ + CO, forming a catalytic cycle oxidizing CO by N2O, have been investigated from 300 to 600 K in a variable ion source, temperature adjustable, selected-ion...
Disruptive Technologies, Sustainable Energy Generation and Storage as Forms of Green Economy

The role of disruptive energy technologies in Africa’s transition to sustainable energy generation and green economy is examined. The chapter shows that the prospects for disruptive energy technologies in Africa’s transition to sustainable energy generation and storage and green economy are good for several reasons. First, the sources of the energy these technologies generate are low carbon, more abundant, and renewable. Second, the technologies do not require expensive centralized grid systems that have created under-grid and off-grid market segments. Third, the flexible and modular nature of these technologies could allow countries to plan an energy program that would be more manageable with their budget. However, there are several problems that need to be addressed if the use of disruptive energy technologies can help Africa to transform. These include cost, low power generation, low demand and lack of investment, and no formal large-scale effort to deploy the technologies for sustainable energy generation. The chapter recommends the adoption of sustainable energy and green economy as national policy that will focus on the use of disruptive energy technologies and the supporting mechanisms that will make it successful.
One-Year Post Hoc Analysis of Renal Function for Live Kidney Donors That Were Enrolled in an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Pathway With Ketorolac.

Background and Objective Opioid exposure is a concern after live donation for kidney transplants (LDKT). We previously theorized that an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway for LDKT will reduce perioperative narcotic use. The aim of this post hoc analysis of merged data from two ERAS trials was to review the one-year follow-up to determine if the exposure to ketorolac versus placebo had any significant impact on long-term kidney function after LDKT. Methods One-year post hoc analysis of merged data from two ERAS LDKT, prospective, double-blind, randomized clinical trials were combined involving a total of 72 patients undergoing nephrectomy for LDKT. Kidney functions of both the ERAS groups' versus placebo were compared prospectively and blinded at one year using estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and total protein (TP) in the urine in compliance with United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) live donor requirements. Results There was no significant difference in postoperative eGFR at one year between ERAS and placebo groups. TP urine at one-year post-operative was significantly lower in the ERAS cohort by 4.7 mg/dl (95% CI 0.48 ~ 8.82, p = 0.025). Conclusions The ERAS groups' exposure to ketorolac did not negatively affect kidney function at one year after LDKT.
Polygenic transcriptome risk scores improve portability of polygenic risk scores across ancestries

Abstract Polygenic risk scores (PRS) are on course to translate the results of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) into clinical practice. To date, most GWAS have been based on individuals of European-ancestry, meaning that the utility of PRS for non-European populations is limited because SNP effects and LD patterns may not be conserved across populations. We hypothesized that cross population prediction at the level of genes rather than SNPs would be more effective, since the effect of genes on traits is likely to be more highly conserved. Therefore, we developed a framework to convert effect sizes at SNPs into effect sizes for genetically predicted transcript abundance, which we used for prediction in non-European populations. We compared this approach, which we call polygenic transcriptome risk scores (PTRS), to PRS, using data from 17 quantitative traits that were measured in multiple ancestries (European, African, East Asian, and South Asian) by UK Biobank. On average, PTRS using whole blood predicted transcriptome had lower absolute prediction accuracy than PRS, as we expected since not all regulatory processes were captured by a single tissue. However, as hypothesized, we found that in the African target set, the portability (prediction accuracy relative to the European reference set) was significantly higher for PTRS than PRS (p=0.03) with additional gain when transcriptomic prediction models ancestry matched the target population (p=0.021). Taken together, our results suggest that using PTRS can improve prediction in underrepresented populations and that increasing the diversity of transcriptomic data may be an effective way to improve portability of GWAS results between populations and help reduce health disparities.
Abstract 12850: Isolated and Assisted Transcatheter Coil Embolization of Coronary Artery Lesions: The Cleveland Clinic Experience

Introduction: Transcatheter coil embolization (TCE) has been introduced as a modality in treating several coronary artery lesions including coronary artery fistula (CAF), patent left internal mamma...
Coaching Parents of Children With Developmental Disabilities to Implement a Modified Dialogic Reading Intervention Using Low Technology via Telepractice.

Purpose Storybook reading provides a naturalistic context to promote bonding and increase oral communication between the reader and child. This study investigated the impact of modified dialogic reading procedures, which included a prompting component on the language skills of children with autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome in the children's homes. Method A multiple-probe-across-participants design was used to investigate the efficacy of the intervention for this population. Parent training and coaching were provided via telepractice. Maintenance and generalization sessions were also conducted. Results A functional relation was observed between parent implementation and telepractice coaching. Conclusion While the child responses to comprehension questions did not change, changes in the parent implementation of modified dialogic reading procedures in response to coaching via telepractice were noted in this study. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.13382831.
Art and the Christian intelligence in St. Augustine

Although it is widely acknowledged that St. Augustine was a consummate artist as well as a great philosopher, and that he was deeply concerned with art, beauty and human values, relatively little attention has been paid to his theory of aesthetics. Now a distinguished Augustine scholar turns to this important subject and offers a book that is at once engaging, comprehensive and complete. Father O'Connell begins with a paradox: how could so dedicated a literary artist propose, at times, a theory of art that amounts to the banishment of art? In attempting to answer this and other important questions, the author's purpose is not merely to recount but to retrieve St. Augustine's views. He suggests that Augustine's need to understand, and by understanding to exorcise, art's spell on him provides a key to all the philosophical and theological questions that absorbed him. Seen in this light, St. Augustine's aesthetic may lie at the very heart of his philosophy.
Cutting Edge: Expression of the Transcription Factor E74-Like Factor 4 Is Regulated by the Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Pathway in CD8+ T Cells

T cell receptor activation inhibits expression of the E74-like factor (ELF) 4 and Kruppel-like factor 4 genes to release naive CD8 + T cells from their quiescent state. In this study, we show that ELF4 controls the ERK-mediated proliferative response by maintaining normal levels of dual-specificity phosphatases 1 and 5 in CD8 + T cells. In activated CD8 + T cells, the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway inhibits ELF4 and Kruppel-like factor 4 expression downstream of ERK and PI3K signaling. Our findings demonstrate that rapamycin could be used to modulate expression of this transcriptional network involved in cell-cycle regulation.
Potential progenitor sequences of mink cell focus-forming (MCF) murine leukemia viruses: ecotropic, xenotropic, and MCF-related viral RNAs are detected concurrently in thymus tissues of AKR mice.

Abstract Leukemogenic mink cell focus-forming (MCF) viruses of AKR mice are believed to originate in thymic tissue via recombination between ecotropic, xenotropiclike, and endogenous MCF-related murine leukemia virus (MuLV) sequences. We have previously used a synthetic 16-base-pair MCF env-specific oligomer probe to identify subgenomic MCF-related mRNAs present in the thymus tissues of AKR mice prior to the appearance of full-length (8.4-kilobase [kb]) recombinant MCF viral RNAs (A. S. Khan, F. Laigret, and C. P. Rodi, J. Virol. 61:876-882, 1987). These potential MCF env precursors consisted of 7.2-, 3.0-, and 1.8-kb RNA species. In this study, we have determined the structure of the MCF-related mRNAs on the basis of Northern (RNA) blot hybridization analyses by using 10 different MuLV subgenomic DNA probes, determined the nucleotide sequence of a cloned cDNA segment representing the 3' portion of the 7.2-kb mRNA, and studied the expression of ecotropic and xenotropic MuLV sequences by using env-specific DNA probes. The results indicated that ecotropic, xenotropic, and MCF-related transcripts were constitutively and concurrently expressed exclusively in thymus tissue of 2-month-old AKR mice prior to detection of MCF viral RNAs. We have molecularly characterized these thymic MuLV RNAs, which may participate in formation of recombinant MCF viruses; a novel recombinant ecotropic viral RNA was identified as a putative intermediate in the stepwise generation of leukemogenic MCF MuLVs. We have also described the unique structure of the 6.0-kb MCF-related RNAs which were expressed specifically in liver and kidney tissues of AKR mice; these RNAs contained an upstream non-MuLV transcriptional regulatory element.
Effect of temperature and benzalkonium chloride on nitrate reduction

The effect of temperature and benzalkonium chloride (BAC) on nitrate reduction was investigated in batch assays using a mixed nitrate reducing culture. Nitrate was transformed completely, mainly through denitrification, to dinitrogen at 5, 10, 15 and 22 °C. In the absence of BAC, reduction of individual nitrogen oxides had different susceptibility to temperature and transient nitrite accumulation was observed at low temperatures. When the effect of BAC was tested up to 100 mg/L from 5 to 22 °C, denitrification was inhibited at and above 50 mg BAC/L with transient nitrite accumulation at all temperatures. The effect of BAC was described by a competitive inhibition model. Nitrite reduction was the denitrification step most susceptible to BAC, especially at low temperatures. BAC was not degraded during the batch incubation and was mostly biomass-adsorbed. Overall, this study shows that low temperatures exacerbate the BAC inhibitory effect, which in turn is controlled by adsorption to biomass.
On central muscle relaxants, strychnine-insensitive glycine receptors and two old drugs: zoxazolamine and HA-966.

Zoxazolamine is in the centrally-acting muscle relaxant class of drugs, which reportedly act by decreasing CNS interneuronal activity. These drugs, but not anxiolytics, decrease dopaminergic turnover and induce a pacemakerlike discharge pattern in dopaminergic neurons. A mechanism for these effects was not found in previous reports. We observed that (+)-HA-966, an inhibitor of the glycine modulatory site on the NMDA receptor, has a similar effect on dopaminergic impulse flow, which suggested that this may be the possible site of action of classical muscle relaxants. However, a competitive antagonist of NMDA receptors, NPC-12626, had little effect on impulse flow. Binding of 20 nM [3H]-glycine to cortical synaptosomal membranes was inhibited by (+)-HA-966, IC 50=3.16 μM, but only poorly by zoxazolamine, IC 50=474 μM, and chlorzoxazone, a related drug, caused no displacement. The drugs were then tested for protection from amphetamine neurotoxicity. Neither 50 mg/kg zoxazolamine nor 30 mg/kg (+)-HA-966 prevented (+)-amphetamine (0.1 mmol/kg plus 10 mg/kg iprindole) depletion of striatal dopamine (DA), but 3.0 mg/kg of MK-801, a non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, did protect DA content. Since baclofen induces a regular firing rate in DA neurons, zoxazolamine and (+)-HA-966 were tested for displacement of 10 nM [3H]-1-baclofen from cortical synaptosomal GABAb receptors, but were ineffective. Thus, the effects of these muscle relaxants on DA neurons are mediated by a mechanism other than strychnine-insensitive glycine or GABAb receptors.
Production and loss of N 2 + ions during the decay period of plasmas produced in helium-nitrogen mixtures

The time dependence of the number density of N2 + ions during the decay period of plasmas produced in helium containing 0.05, 0.17 and 0.5 percent nitrogen was studied in the pressure range from about 0.3 to 7 Torr by means of mass spectrometer techniques. During the early part of the afterglow period the time dependence of N2 + is controlled by ambipolar diffusion loss towards the plasma container walls. The product of the ambipolar diffusion coefficientD a and the reduced pressurep 0 wasD ap0=900± 50 cm2 Torr/sec. The production of N2 + by collisions between metastable nitrogen molecules determines the temporal behavior of the N2 + density during the late afterglow for extremely pure discharge conditions. From the data it follows that the metastable molecules involved are de-excited by collisions with ground state helium atoms with a rate constant of 3.4 × 10−15 cm3 sec−1, while the radiative lifetime of these metastable molecules is at least 20 msec. The surface catalytic efficiency for de-excitation upon striking the molybdenum covered plasma container walls was estimated to be smaller than 10−3. Energy and radiative lifetime requirements suggest that N2 + is produced during the plasma decay period by the process N2 (a′1 Σ u − )+N2 (a′1σ u − →N2 + (X2Σ u + )+N2(X)+e.
Cut-offs, norms and patterns of problem behaviours in children with developmental disabilities on the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits (BISCUIT-Part 3).

Purpose: Challenging behaviours present major impediments to a young child's life. Being able to properly assess these behaviours can lead to early intervention and remediation.Method: In the present study, the problem behaviours of 644 children 17–37 months of age who were at risk for developmental disabilities were studied using the BISCUIT-Part 3. In study one, norms and cut-off scores were established for this new scale using this sample. In study 2, the frequency and patterns of various challenging behaviours were evaluated.Results: The majority of developmentally delayed children who had severe challenging behaviours engaged in aggressive/destructive acts. However, severe problem behaviours were in the minority of occurrence.Conclusions: Outcomes suggest that these behaviours can be identified at an early age using a validated instrument tool. Implications are that pinpointing emerging problematic behaviours allows for a more accurate assessment of the delayed child's overall functioning. Being able...
Environmental scanning in U.S. corporations

Abstract Environmental scanning is a new activity among corporations because of its importance, corporations need to progress by stages to achieve a structured and formal system of scanning, and this takes time. This paper is based on a study examining the evolution and state of environmental scanning among corporations, and finds that the essential difference between scanning at the corporate and at the product/market level is not observed by all companies. Ideally, there should be a close liaison between the two levels so that each may reinforce the scanning effort of the other.