cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microvascular Management of Systemic Insulin Sensitivity

Microvascular disease is a well-recognized complication of long-standing diabetes mellitus and is preceded by impaired vasoreactivity, a consequence largely of decreased endothelial cell (EC) generation of NO. This loss of normal vasodilation is evident particularly in EC responses to insulin and may arise early in states of obesity and insulin resistance.1–3 In addition, ECs serve as purveyors of other paracrine signals, with targets beyond vascular cells. Thus, a broader scope of endothelial function is being recognized, with increased attention now focused on the dynamic interactions between the microvasculature and surrounding tissues. Indeed, recent findings suggest that ECs might be critical metabolic mediators, obscuring a clear boundary between vascular biology and metabolism. Accordingly, dysregulated EC function may prove to be not only a sequela of diabetes mellitus but also a contributing factor to the pathogenesis and progression of metabolic disease. Article, see p 991 The role of ECs in regulating systemic insulin sensitivity has received relatively little attention to date because animals with EC-targeted deletion of proteins are required to observe such a role, and generation of such animals is time-consuming. However, mouse models expressing Cre recombinase under control of EC-selective promoters/enhancers, combined with mouse models with floxed target genes, are now becoming more routinely used for metabolic studies. The most commonly used promoter is the Tie2 promoter, which encodes endothelial-specific receptor tyrosine kinase,4 but other promoters are used as well. The Tie2 promoter is active in ECs but also in hematopoietic cells and female germ cells. Such mouse models have begun to reveal a metabolic role for ECs. Thus, when fed a high-fat diet, …
Use of Ligase Chain Reaction with Urine versus Cervical Culture for Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in an Asymptomatic Military Population of Pregnant and Nonpregnant Females Attending Papanicolaou Smear Clinics

Ligase chain reaction (LCR) (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Ill.) with first-catch urine specimens was used to detect Chlamydia trachomatis infections in 465 asymptomatic military women attending clinics for routine Papanicolaou smear tests. Results were compared to results of cervical culture to determine the sensitivity of the urine LCR and the possible presence of inhibitors of amplification in pregnant and nonpregnant women. Discrepant results for LCR and culture were resolved by direct fluorescent antibody staining of culture sediments, two different PCR assays, and LCR for the outer membrane protein 1 gene. The prevalence of Chlamydia in specimens by urine LCR was 7.3% compared to 5% by culture. For 434 women with matching specimens, there were 11 more specimens positive by LCR than were positive by culture, of which all but one were determined to be true positives. There were four culture-positive, LCR-negative specimens, all from nonpregnant women. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of urine LCR after discrepant results were resolved were 88.6, 99.7, 96.9, and 99.0%, respectively. The sensitivity of culture was 71.4%. From the 148 pregnant women (prevalence by LCR, 6.8%), there were no patients who were cervical culture positive and urine LCR negative to indicate the presence in pregnant women of inhibitors of LCR. Additionally, a subset of 55 of the LCR-negative frozen urine specimens from pregnant women that had been previously processed in LCR buffer were inoculated with 5 cell culture inclusion forming units of C. trachomatis each and retested by LCR; all tested positive, indicating the absence of inhibitors of LCR in urine from these pregnant women. The use of LCR testing of urine specimens from asymptomatic women, whether pregnant or not, offers a sensitive and easy method to detect C. trachomatis infection in women.
Optical properties of PbS nanocrystal quantum dots at ambient and elevated pressure.

We investigated pressure-dependent changes in the optical properties of PbS nanocrystal quantum dots (NQD) by combining X-ray scattering and optical absorption spectroscopy in a diamond anvil cell. We discovered that the excitonic absorption peak vanishes as the NQD crystal structure reversibly undergoes the pressure-induced phase transition from rock-salt to orthorhombic structure. In the rock-salt phase, the pressure coefficient of PbS NQD is negative and decreases in magnitude with decreasing NQD size. The basic theoretical model based on literature values of the PbS bulk modulus significantly overestimated the change in pressure coefficient with NQD size. We present a model that includes the size-dependence of both the pressure coefficient and bulk modulus to describe the experimentally observed optical and structural trends.
Microsporogenesis of Rps8/rps8 heterozygous soybean lines

Phytophthora root and stem rot caused by Phytophthora sojae, is one of the most damaging diseases of soybean, for which management is principally done by planting resistant cultivars with race specific resistance which are conferred by Rps (Resistance to Phytophthora sojae) genes. The Rps8 locus, identified in the South Korean landrace PI 399073, is located in a 2.23 Mbp region on soybean chromosome 13. In eight cv. Williams (rps8/rps8) × PI 399073 (Rps8/Rps8) populations, this region exhibited strong segregation distortion. In a cross between the South Korean lines PI 399073 (Rps8/Rps8) and PI 408211B (multiple Rps genes) this region segregated in a Mendelian fashion. In this study, microsporogenesis was evaluated to identify meiotic abnormalities that may be associated with the segregation distortion of the Rps8 region. Pollen was collected from greenhouse-grown plants of the parental genotypes: Williams, PI 399073, and PI 408211B; as well as selected Rps8/rps8 RILs from Williams × PI 399073 BC4F2:3 and PI 399073 × PI 408211B F4:5 populations. There were no differences for pollen viability among the genotypes. However, for PI 399073, a mix of dyads, triads, tetrads and pentads was observed. A high frequency of meiotic abnormalities including fragments, laggards, multinucleated microspores; and microcytes containing DNA was also observed in Rps8/rps8 Williams × PI 399073 BC4F2:3 RILs. These meiotic abnormalities may contribute to the high degree of segregation distortion present in the Williams × PI 399073 populations.
Guest Editors' Introduction: High-Performance Reconfigurable Computing

High-performance reconfigurable computers have the potential to exploit coarse-grained functional parallelism as well as fine-grained instruction-level parallelism through direct hardware execution on FPGAs.
Towards A Designed Experiments Approach to Tolerance Design

Traditional methods of tolerance analysis and allocation require the stackup function be known. In many instances, however, this is not the case. This paper explores the utility of applying experimental design techniques to tolerance design. Specifically, Taguchi’s parameter design concepts were applied to the tolerance design of a simple bench vise. The investigation showed that the method requires an excessive number of experiments. Further study to reduce the required number of experiments indicate the application of experimental design methods to tolerance design is not straightforward and the need for further research.
The Contributions of President Lucian W. Pye

Lucian W. Pye was born in 1921 in Fenchow, Shansi Province, China, where his parents were educational missionaries teaching in the Congregational Mission. He went through the fourth grade at the American school in China, then completed primary education at the Oberlin, Ohio, public school. In 1936, he returned to China with his family and, during the Japanese occupation, completed high school at the North China American School in Peking. After graduating from
NM23 Gene Expression in Human Prostatic Carcinomas and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasias: Altered Expression in Combined Androgen Blockaded Carcinomas

AbstractPurpose: To investigate whether NM23 (nm23-H1, nm23-H2), a metastasis suppressor gene family, is a molecular marker indicative of metastatic potential of localized carcinoma of the prostate (CaP). Previously, we found decreased nm23-H2 expression correlated with an increase in stage, and here we have expanded the cohort.Materials and Methods: Eighty prostate tissue samples from patients with CaP and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were examined by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for NM23 gene expression. Samples were grouped according to stage, grade and whether the patient received combined androgen blockade (CAB) prior to surgery.Results: We could not confirm our initial results of an inverse correlation of nm23-H2 expression levels with grade. However, two significant results were found after CAB: 1) nm23-H1 expression was reduced (p = 0.003), and 2) nm23-H2 expression across stage and grade was uniformly higher (p = 0.003) than in untreated samples.Conc...
Time Course of pH Regulation in Free Thyroxin Determinations in Serum

Vol 37: p. 1299: Left column: The HEPES buffer concentration on lines 12 and 24 should be 48 mmol/L. Middle column: References 2 and 7 cite J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Right column: The "many studies" in line 7, second paragraph, are references 5-7 in the response. The third sentence after this should read: Dialysis against this buffer resulted in a mean FT 4 concentration of 18.7 pmol/L in healthy subjects, compared with 14.8 pmol/L in our recent study, and 15.8 pmol/L reported by Ekins and Ellis ( 3 ); a different HEPES buffer and a greater dilution were used in the latter two studies.
Pathologic Quiz Case: A Man With Long-Standing Monoclonal Gammopathy and New Onset of Confusion

n 82-year-old man presented with progressive cogni- tive decline over a 2-month period. Fifteen years pre- viously, he had been diagnosed with Waldenstrom mac- roglobulinemia, and he had received immunosuppressive chemotherapy intermittently. During the past 2 years, he had noted gradually progressive weakness in the arms and legs, difficulty with fine-motor movements, and trou- ble getting out of a chair. Clinically, there was no muscle atrophy, pain, or fasciculation; a muscle biopsy showed only mild myofiber atrophy. The remainder of his medical history was unremarkable. He received gamma globulin infusions for 2 years, but his immunoglobulin (Ig) M gam- mopathy (levels .2000 mg/dL; normal, ,250 mg/dL) persisted. Because of persistent weakness, he was treated with 4 cycles of rituximab (375 mg/m 2 ), and his IgM levels fell to less than 2000 mg/dL. One month later, his family noted a cognitive decline, confusion, and irritability. Anal- ysis of cerebrospinal fluid indicated a slight increase in the protein level, but glucose levels and cell counts were normal; cytology was also normal. Cultures, serologies, and polymerase chain reaction for Epstein-Barr virus were all negative in the cerebrospinal fluid. Magnetic resonance imaging (Figure, A and B) dem- onstrated multiple lesions in the white matter that were isointense to brain on T1-weighted images, took up con- trast poorly with gadolinium (Figure, A), and were asso- ciated with white matter edema on T2-weighted and fluid- attenuated inversion recovery images (Figure, B). Positron emission tomography showed these lesions to be hypo- metabolic. Stereotactic biopsies failed to reveal a diagno- sis. His postoperative course was complicated by a large left-sided bronchial plug and declining respiratory status. One day prior to his death, he suffered acute development of a negative corneal reflex, a negative response to deep pain, and a negative gag reflex. At autopsy, gross examination of the brain showed a cystic lesion at the site of the previous biopsy (arrow in
Generation of magnetic macrostructures by electromagnetic drift turbulence

A system of equations for modulational interaction of the electromagnetic branch of drift waves with magnetic cells is constructed. The solution of these equations describes formation of a set of magnetic cells with oppositely directed magnetic fields at their boundaries.
An overview of the status of imaging screening technology for breast cancer

With breast cancer incidence rates showing no signs of abating, advances in risk stratification and increasing awareness of cancer control, there is interest in expanding the breast imaging arsenal. Mammography is still the standard of care, and a recent meta-analysis of seven large studies supports its value as a screening tool. There is, however, clear need for improved sensitivity and specificity. Imaging of function, metabolism and molecular activity in breast tissue is of potential benefit in addressing these issues. In this article we provide an overview of the current methods of imaging in breast cancer, including mammography, ultrasound, digital mammography, magnetic resonance, positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Screening and surveillance should, ideally, be tailored to an individual's cancer risk and breast tissue. Current evidence questions the recent move toward magnetic resonance imaging as a single or multimodality strategy for breast cancer screening. In a high-risk group, the cost effectiveness of technical innovations may be justified.
Stress Test For The Financial Optimization Models During The 2009 Recession

The Sub-prime Mortgage credit crisis has led to a major downturn in virtually all financial sectors and consequently the real estate sector received the brunt of the 2008 – 2009 financial crisis. However, this downturn undoubtedly has provided an opportunity to test what investment strategy could have deflected the shocking force of this crisis and specifically what method could have minimized the risk of the most negatively affected investment -- Equity Real Estate Trust funds . Using ex-post data of EREITs, this research examines the implications and benefits of employing optimal portfolio allocation methods to different size EREIT portfolios during current financial crisis. This study compares the returns of optimally weighted EREIT portfolios to equally weighted EREIT portfolios, against the Dow Jones Equity REIT Index (DJEREIT Index). The results indicate that a properly rebalanced risk-adjusted model portfolio (RAMP) outperforms both an equally weighted portfolio of identical assets and the DJEREIT Index. In fact, the twelve-asset optimized portfolio yields a superior return of 12.7% when compared to a return of an equally weighted portfolio of identical EREITs, and the DJEREIT Index during the three-year time period examined.
Parallel program = operator + schedule + parallel data structure

Multicore and manycore processors are now ubiquitous, but parallel programming remains as difficult as it was 30-40 years ago. In this talk, I will argue that these problems arise largely from the computation-centric abstractions that we currently use to think about parallelism. In their place, I will propose a novel data-centric foundation for parallel programming called the operator formulation in which algorithms are described in terms of unitary actions on data structures. This data-centric view of parallel algorithms shows that a generalized form of data-parallelism called amorphous data-parallelism is ubiquitous even in complex, irregular graph applications such as mesh generation and partitioning algorithms, graph analytics, and machine learning applications. Binding time considerations provide a unification of parallelization techniques ranging from static parallelization to speculative parallelization. We have built a system called Galois, based on these ideas, for exploiting amorphous data-parallelism on multicores and GPUs. I will present experimental results from our group as well as from other groups that are using the Galois system.
The Development and Evaluation of Countermeasures to Tactile Change Blindness

Objective:The goal of the present study was to develop and empirically evaluate three countermeasures to tactile change blindness (where a tactile signal is missed in the presence of a tactile tran...
Some Effects of Guthion Alone and in Combination with DDT and of a Dieldrin-DDT Mixture on Growth and Fruiting of the Cotton Plant

Cotton plants were grown under insect-free conditions in the Greenhouse and sprayed with Guthion at three rates, Guthion + DDT, and a dieldrin+DDT mixture. The plants sprayed with Guthion at 0.25 pound per acre produced more flowers than the untreated plants, whereas dieldrin+DDT retarded flower formation, boll set, and plant growth. All the insecticides reduced boll size. The time required for bolls to mature was essentially the same for all treatments. The period for plant maturation was lengthened slightly by the lower rates of Guthion and resulted in the production of a few more bolls. The chlorinated hydrocarbons hastened maturity by having an opposite effect on plant growth. No adverse effect due to any of the treatments was found on the fibers.
Effect of Prey Consumption on Foraging Activity of Northern Harriers

Etude du comportement alimentaire de Circus cyaneus. Par la recherche de correlations entre les longueurs des periodes d'inactivite et les temps de capture et les temps de consommation les causes du raccourcissement de la chasse realise par les busards sont testes. Ces causes sont principalement la diminution des ressources, les depenses en oxygene, la satiete et les contraintes de l'activite
Signalmittelung des Oberflächen-Elektrokardiogramms zur Erkennung von Spätpotentialen

Im letzten Jahrzehnt wurde von mehreren Arbeitsgruppen beschrieben, das Patienten und Tiere mit ventrikularen Tachykardien einen charakteristischen Befund im EKG wahrend Sinusrhythmus aufweisen: hochfrequente Signale im Mikrovolt-Bereich, die im QRS- Komplex beginnen und sich eine variable Zeit in die ST-Strecke ausdehnen (1–9). Diese Signale, die im allgemeinen nur im signalgemittelten EKG zu erfassen sind, scheinen in langsam leitenden Gebieten des Myokards zu entstehen (2, 10). Elektrogramme mit verzogerter und desorganisierter Erregung konnten in infarziertem Myokard nachgewiesen werden, und es gibt viele Hinweise, das langsame Leitung durch geschadigtes Gewebe kreisende ventrikulare Rhythmusstorungen durch Kreiserregung begunstigt (11–14). Diese Arbeit gibt einen Uberblick uber die Techniken der Signalmittelung des EKG und uber die Befunde bei Patienten mit ventrikularen Tachykardien (VT).
Chemistry of Alzheimer Disease

Slow, inexorable loss of cognitive function(s) is of enormous social and medical concern. The most frequently identified form of this process is known as Alzheimer disease. In addition to the clinical loss of cognitive skills, Alzheimer disease is notable for atrophy of brain cortex as well as the characteristic accumulation of so-called neurofibrillary tangles and ‘amyloid’ plaques in brain tissue. The basis for these changes is unknown but most likely a combination of factors initiates common physiologic and biochemical pathways that ultimately lead to nerve cell dysfunction and death.
The Antiviral Mechanism of an Influenza A Virus Nucleoprotein-Specific Single-Domain Antibody Fragment.

ABSTRACT Alpaca-derived single-domain antibody fragments (VHHs) that target the influenza A virus nucleoprotein (NP) can protect cells from infection when expressed in the cytosol. We found that one such VHH, αNP-VHH1, exhibits antiviral activity similar to that of Mx proteins by blocking nuclear import of incoming viral ribonucleoproteins (vRNPs) and viral transcription and replication in the nucleus. We determined a 3.2-A crystal structure of αNP-VHH1 in complex with influenza A virus NP. The VHH binds to a nonconserved region on the body domain of NP, which has been associated with binding to host factors and serves as a determinant of host range. Several of the NP/VHH interface residues determine sensitivity of NP to antiviral Mx GTPases. The structure of the NP/αNP-VHH1 complex affords a plausible explanation for the inhibitory properties of the VHH and suggests a rationale for the antiviral properties of Mx proteins. Such knowledge can be leveraged for much-needed novel antiviral strategies. IMPORTANCE Influenza virus strains can rapidly escape from protection afforded by seasonal vaccines or acquire resistance to available drugs. Additional ways to interfere with the virus life cycle are therefore urgently needed. The influenza virus nucleoprotein is one promising target for antiviral interventions. We have previously isolated alpaca-derived single-domain antibody fragments (VHHs) that protect cells from influenza virus infection if expressed intracellularly. We show here that one such VHH exhibits antiviral activities similar to those of proteins of the cellular antiviral defense (Mx proteins). We determined the three-dimensional structure of this VHH in complex with the influenza virus nucleoprotein and identified the interaction site, which overlaps regions that determine sensitivity of the virus to Mx proteins. Our data define a new vulnerability of influenza virus, help us to better understand the cellular antiviral mechanisms, and provide a well-characterized tool to further study them.
Disaster Recovery for Cloud-Hosted Enterprise Applications

We describe disaster protection and recovery of cloud-hosted enterprise applications both at the cloud infrastructure level and at the application level. We explore scenarios which favor one option over the other, and scenarios where a combination of both are required for effective and end-to-end protection. Through case studies grounded in the experience of implementing disaster recovery for IBM's Cloud Managed Services (CMS) platform, we highlight the complexities of protecting enterprise applications on the cloud. For recovery planning and execution, we present a scheduling algorithm that recovers machines hosted on cloud by taking into account application-level logical dependencies and the business criticalities of the applications.
Example Problems Related to Compressibility and Settlement of Soils

This chapter investigates the topic of compressibility in soils. This represents the first discussion of kinematic quantities such as settlement, deformation, and strain in soils.
Biocomposites from the reinforcement of a tung oil-based thermosetting resin with collagen

Collagen from three different sources has been added to a tung oil-based thermosetting resin in order to enhance its mechanical properties for possible applications in the biomedical field as materials directly derived from biological molecules. The thermosets prepared in this work are made using tung oil, divinylbenzene (DVB), n-butyl methacrylate (BMA), tert-butyl peroxide (TBPO), asolectin, and collagen types I and III. Composites containing up to 5.0 wt% of collagen have been successfully prepared and characterized by dielectric analysis (DEA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The structure of the collagen samples used in this work was investigated through circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was used to assess composites' mechanical properties and revealed an improvement in the storage modulus at room temperature with increasing amounts of collagen, reaching an impressive increase of ∼100% for composites containing 5.0 wt% of collagen extracted from beef tendons in comparison to the unreinforced resin. The results indicate that collagen exhibits a reinforcing behavior similar to that obtained with nanostructured materials, such as carbon nanotubes for instance, therefore working as an effective reinforcement for the preparation of biocomposites.
Curcumin-mediated regulation of intestinal barrier function: The mechanism underlying its beneficial effects

Curcumin has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-proliferative properties established largely by in vitro studies. Accordingly, oral administration of curcumin beneficially modulates many diseases including diabetes, fatty-liver disease, atherosclerosis, arthritis, cancer and neurological disorders such as depression, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. However, limited bioavailability and inability to detect curcumin in circulation or target tissues has hindered the validation of a causal role. We established curcumin-mediated decrease in the release of gut bacteria-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into circulation by maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier function as the mechanism underlying the attenuation of metabolic diseases (diabetes, atherosclerosis, kidney disease) by curcumin supplementation precluding the need for curcumin absorption. In view of the causative role of circulating LPS and resulting chronic inflammation in the development of diseases listed above, this review summarizes the mechanism by which curcumin affects the several layers of the intestinal barrier and, despite negligible absorption, can beneficially modulate these diseases.
Effects of feedback reliability on feedback-related brain activity: A feedback valuation account

Adaptive decision making relies on learning from feedback. Because feedback sometimes can be misleading, optimal learning requires that knowledge about the feedback's reliability be utilized to adjust feedback processing. Although previous research has shown that feedback reliability indeed influences feedback processing, the underlying mechanisms through which this is accomplished remain unclear. Here we propose that feedback processing is adjusted by the adaptive, top-down valuation of feedback. We assume that unreliable feedback is devalued relative to reliable feedback, thus reducing the reward prediction errors that underlie feedback-related brain activity and learning. A crucial prediction of this account is that the effects of feedback reliability are susceptible to contrast effects. That is, the effects of feedback reliability should be enhanced when both reliable and unreliable feedback are experienced within the same context, as compared to when only one level of feedback reliability is experienced. To evaluate this prediction, we measured the event-related potentials elicited by feedback in two experiments in which feedback reliability was varied either within or between blocks. We found that the fronto-central valence effect, a correlate of reward prediction errors during reinforcement learning, was reduced for unreliable feedback. But this result was obtained only when feedback reliability was varied within blocks, thus indicating a contrast effect. This suggests that the adaptive valuation of feedback is one mechanism underlying the effects of feedback reliability on feedback processing.
Absorption rates of carbon dioxide in amines in hydrophilic and hydrophobic solvents

Abstract The rate of absorption of CO2 into amines in hydrophilic and hydrophobic solvent mixtures was studied in this work using a stopped-flow apparatus and a stirred-tank reactor. Monoethanolamine (MEA, primary amine) and N-methyl benzylamine (NMBZA, aromatic secondary amine) are chosen for this study and diluted in hydrophobic or hydrophilic solvents at different temperatures (295–343 K) and concentrations (0.01–4 kmol.m−3). It was found that the reaction rate between the secondary amine and CO2 in water is faster than the reaction with the linear primary amine (MEA); however, in an ethereal hydrophobic non-aqueous system the NMBZA-CO2 reaction is slower than the reaction of CO2 with MEA. With respect to amine, the reaction orders were found to be 0.9 and 1.2 for hydrophilic systems (MEA + H2O, NMBZA + H2O). For hydrophobic system they were found to be 0.6 and 2.7 (NMBZA + ethereal hydrophobic solvent, NMBZA + MePhOH + ethereal hydrophobic solvent). When amine was mixed with hydrophilic solvent (H2O), the activation energy of amine (NMBZA) to react with CO2 was found to be 27.66 kJ.mol−1 and decreased to 10.37 kJ.mol−1 when mixed with hydrophobic solvent (ethereal hydrophobic solvent). The activation energy of hydrophobic solvent was found to increase by adding an alcohol to the solvent (MePhOH + ethereal hydrophobic solvent). Both the zwitterion and termolecular mechanism were applied to the experimental data. It was found that deprotonation of the zwitterion and deprotonation of the loosely bound complex was the rate limiting step for the zwitterion and termolecular mechanism, respectively. Additionally, activators such as water, piperazine (PZ), and 4-hydroxy piperidinol (HPIP) were added to the ethereal hydrophobic non-aqueous solvent to determine the effect on the reaction rate. It was found that the water- and amine-based activators lead to an increase in the observed reaction rates as the concentration of the activators increased. The reaction of NMBA with CO2 and PZ exhibited a higher reaction rate but the PZ was insoluble in the non-aqueous NMBZA system, whereas HPIP remained soluble and offered a similar reaction rate. The activation energy of ethereal hydrophobic non-aqueous solvent to react with CO2 increased from 27.98 to 32.83 kJ.mol−1 by adding PZ and 33.51 kJ.mol−1 by HPIP and remained by adding H2O (26.78 kJ.mol−1). From this work, it was found that the non-aqueous solvent plays an important role in the reaction rate of CO2 with amines. Activators and solvents can be selected to increase the reaction rate with CO2.
Psychological Interventions and Therapies for Children and Adolescents with Learning Disabilities

This article examines specific interventions for children and adolescents with learning disabilities. A multimodal and multidisciplinary approach to treatment is emphasized. Although parent and child education is a central component to treatment, psychodynamic and family-based treatment also can play a prominent role. Behavioral approaches and social skills training can address the behavioral excesses and interpersonal difficulties that are often associated with a child’s learning problems.
Technical consideration of the use of nuclear fuel spikants for proliferation deterrence

The use of a gamma active radionuclide with nuclear fuel has been proposed as a way to inhibit unauthorized diversion of the fuel and thus provide proliferation deterrence. Proposed dose rate ranges have varied from small additions to increase detectability of diverted material up to large additions to provide lethal doses in a relatively short exposure time. Some of the practical aspects of incorporating spikants into nuclear fuel are examined in an attempt to identify any technically adverse consequences of their use. The list of candidate spikants was narrowed to /sup 60/Co, /sup 106/Ru, and /sup 144/Ce. Following this, the practical aspects of the use of these three spikants in nuclear fuel were investigated. Among the subjects considered are dose rates available from fuel elements, fission product buildup, chemical behavior of spikants during reprocessing, and possible effects of spikants on refabrication and on the fuel properties. Neither /sup 106/Ru nor /sup 144/Ce is present in sufficient quantity to produce the maximum radiation dose rate level considered. Nonradioative nuclides of ruthenium and cerium dilute the radioactive nuclides to 2 to 4% of the total element in the fission products 2 yr after removal from the reactor. Recycling ruthenium and cerium willmore » result in dilution of the radionuclides even further by a buildup of stable isotopes of each of these elements. Approximately 50% of the fission product ruthenium and 3 to 5% of the cerium can be coprocessed with the fuel, while cobalt cannot be coprocessed at all. No single radionuclide was found to be preferred in all stages of reprocessing and refabrication. To provide deterrence in all stages of reprocessing and refabrication, a duplex spiking process appears necessary, in which two different spikants, /sup 106/Ru and /sup 60/Co, are used in different portions of reprocessing. The use of nominal amounts of ruthenium or cobalt as spikants is not expected to adversely affect fuel performance.« less
Group Summary: Boundary Layer Stability

The workshop participants hosted by this group were: David Ashpis (NASA Lewis Research Center), Fabio Bertolotti (Ohio State University), Jeffrey Crouch (Naval Research Laboratory), Russel Dahlburg (Naval Research Laboratory), William Lakin (Old Dominion University), Helen Reed (Arizona State University), Thorwald Herbert (Ohio State University), Peter Duck (Manchester University, England), Daniel Riahi (University of Illinois), and Gordon Erlebacher (NASA Langley Research Center).
Sustainable conversion of lignocellulose to high-purity, highly crystalline flake potato graphite.

The carbon net negative conversion of biochar, the byproduct of pyrolysis bio-oil production from biomass, to very high-purity (99.95%), highly crystalline flake graphite that is essentially indistinguishable from high-grade commercial Li-ion grade graphite, is reported. The flake size of the graphite is determined by the physical dimensions of the metal particles imbedded in the biochar, demonstrated in the range of micrometers to millimeters. “Potato”-shaped agglomerates of graphite flakes result when the flake diameter is in the 1–5 μm range. The process is shown to work with a variety of biomass, including raw lignocellulose (sawdust, wood flour, and corn cob) and biomass components (cellulose and lignin), as well as lignite. The synthesis is extremely rapid and energy efficient (0.25 kg/kWh); the graphite is produced with a very high yield (95.7%), and the energy content of its coproduct, bio-oil, exceeds that needed to power the process. The demonstrated process is a tremendous advance in the sustai...
Nuclear mechanics during and after constricted migration

Cell migration through very narrow spaces in tissues has been seen in both physiological and pathological contexts. For example, immune cells squeeze through the vasculature and the extracellular matrix to reach wound or disease sites, and similarly, cancer cells crawl through interstices in tissues to invade tumor-free regions. The bulky and stiff nucleus of a cell is a barrier to such constricted migration—with smaller pores exponentially more difficult for passage. Cells must actively deform their nuclei to squeeze through constrictions, and this involves the stress-generating cytoskeleton. Here we review: (1) nuclear structures and morphological regulation, (2) proposed mechanisms that drive constricted migration, (3) short-term consequences such as nuclear envelope (NE) rupture and DNA damage during such process, (4) biophysical factors that facilitate NE rupture, and (5) long-term consequences such as genomic variation caused by repetitive NE rupture. Both experimental results and modeling are provided with the intention to better understand constricted migration.
Evaluation of Information in the Context of Decision-Making

In a broad sense, solving a problem can be treated as deciding or making a decision what the solution to this problem is. In particular, decision-making with respect to a question means finding an answer to the question. Thus, solution of any problem can be treated as decision-making. However, traditionally decision-making is understood as making a choice from a set of alternatives, which are usually alternatives of actions. Here we consider decision-making in the traditional form exploring the role and features of information in this process. In section “The Process of Decision-Making”, we consider existing models and elaborate a more detailed model of decision-making. In section “Properties of Information and Their Evaluation”, we demonstrate that each stage and each step of decision-making involve work with information—information search, acquisition, processing, evaluation, and application. Evaluation of information is especially important for decision-making because utilization of false or incorrect information can result in wrong and even disastrous decisions. We show how to evaluate quality of information in the context of decision-making, what properties are important for information quality, and what measures can be useful for information evaluation. The obtained results are aimed at improving quality of information in decision-making by people and development of better computer decision support systems and expert systems.
HistoQC: An Open-Source Quality Control Tool for Digital Pathology Slides.

PURPOSEDigital pathology (DP), referring to the digitization of tissue slides, is beginning to change the landscape of clinical diagnostic workflows and has engendered active research within the ar...
Bit strings from Script N = 4 gauge theory

We present an improvement of the interacting string bit theory proposed in [1], designed to reproduce the non-planar perturbative amplitudes between BMN operators in = 4 gauge theory. Our formalism incorporates the effect of operator mixing and all non-planar corrections to the inner product. We use supersymmetry to construct the bosonic matrix elements of the light-cone hamiltonian to all orders in g2, and make a detailed comparison with the non-planar amplitudes obtained from gauge theory to order g22. We find a precise match.
DARTS - Multibody Modeling, Simulation and Analysis Software

This paper describes the Dynamics Algorithms for Real-Time Simulation (DARTS) software for multibody dynamics modeling, analysis and simulation. DARTS is in use for closed-loop simulation for aerospace, ground vehicle, robotics applications and large, multi-scale molecular dynamics applications. DARTS is designed for high-fidelity multibody dynamics, fast computational speed, to handle run-time configuration changes, and to provide a broad family of computational algorithms for analysis and model based control. This paper describes DARTS capabilities, novel aspects of its architecture and design, and application examples.
Changes in Perceptions of Discrimination in Health Care in California, 2003 to 2017.

Importance Research in the early 2000s in California demonstrated that racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants, and those with limited English proficiency (LEP) experienced high rates of discrimination in health care. Less is known about how patients’ perceptions of discrimination in health care have changed since then. Objective To determine whether perceptions of discrimination in health care have changed overall and for specific vulnerable populations. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study used data from the California Health Interview Survey for state residents aged 18 years and older for 2 periods, 2003 to 2005 and 2015 to 2017. χ2analyses and multivariate logistic regression were performed to compare recent discrimination in health care in late vs early periods controlling for race/ethnicity, poverty level, education, insurance status, usual source of care, self-reported health, and LEP. Additional subanalyses were performed by race/ethnicity, immigrant status, and LEP status. Jackknife replicate weights were provided by the California Health Interview Survey. Exposure Survey year was dichotomized as combined 2003 to 2005 and combined 2015 to 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures Survey respondents were identified as having experienced recent discrimination in health care if they responded “yes” to the question, “Was there ever a time when you would have gotten better medical care if you had belonged to a different race or ethnic group?” and reported that this occurred within the last 5 years. Results There were 84 088 participants in 2003 to 2005 (51.0% female; 14.7% aged ≥65 years) and 63 242 participants in 2015 to 2017 (51.1% female; 18.0% aged ≥65 years). Rates of recent discrimination in health care decreased from 6.0% to 4.0% (difference, 2.0%; 95% CI, 1.5%-2.5%;P Conclusions and Relevance This study suggests that perceptions of discrimination in health care in California decreased between 2003 to 2005 and 2015 to 2017 among Latino individuals, immigrants, and those with LEP. African American participants reported consistently high rates of discrimination, indicating that interventions targeting health care discrimination are still necessary.
Onset of regular cannabis use and adult sleep duration: Genetic variation and the implications of a predictive relationship

Abstract Background Limited evidence suggests that early cannabis use is associated with sleep problems. Research is needed to understand the developmental impact of early regular cannabis use on later adult sleep duration. Methods In a sample of 1656 adult twins (56% female, Mean age = 25.79yrs), linear mixed effects models were used to analyze the influence of retrospectively assessed age of onset of regular cannabis use on adult sleep duration controlling for sex, depression, and current substance use. Twin analyses provided genetic and environmental variance estimates as well as insights into the association and potential casual relationships between these traits. Results Earlier age of onset for regular cannabis use was significantly associated with shorter adult sleep duration on both weekdays (β = −0.13, 95% CI = [−0.23, −0.04]) and weekends (β = −0.18, 95% CI = [−0.27, −0.08]). Additive genetics significantly contributed to the onset of regular cannabis use (a2 = 76%, 95% CI = [68, 85]) and adult weekend sleep duration (a2 = 20%, 95% CI = [11, 32]). We found evidence of a significant genetic correlation (rA = −0.31, 95% CI = [−0.41, −0.15]) between these two traits and our best fitting model was consistent with early onset of regular cannabis use causing shorter adult weekend sleep duration (β = −0.11, 95% CI = [−0.18, −0.03]). Conclusions Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that early onset of regular cannabis use may have a negative impact on adult sleep duration.
Integrating precision medicine into the treatment of colorectal cancer

Abstract The management of colorectal cancer has undergone a dramatic revolution in the past 5 years. We have moved away from all patients being treated the same to a world where all patients are managed using an individualized treatment algorithm. Tumor sidedness has made its way into our treatment pathways. More recently broad molecular profiling has enabled us to identify patients with a variety of different driving mutations and other molecular abnormalities serving both as predictive and prognostic markers. In order to optimally manage patients with metastatic colon cancer a firm understanding of precision medicine techniques in the current clinical research and results is required. During this review we will provide an update of the latest data focused on molecular medicine and colorectal cancer. Specifically, we will review microsatellite instability, RAS, B raf, HER-2 and emerging targets.
Photo-accelerated fast charging of lithium-ion batteries

Due to their exceptional high energy density, lithium-ion batteries are of central importance in many modern electrical devices. A serious limitation, however, is the slow charging rate used to obtain the full capacity. Thus far, there have been no ways to increase the charging rate without losses in energy density and electrochemical performance. Here we show that the charging rate of a cathode can be dramatically increased via interaction with white light. We find that a direct exposure of light to an operating LiMn2O4 cathode during charging leads to a remarkable lowering of the battery charging time by a factor of two or more. This enhancement is enabled by the induction of a microsecond long-lived charge separated state, consisting of Mn4+ (hole) plus electron. This results in more oxidized metal centers and ejected lithium ions are created under light and with voltage bias. We anticipate that this discovery could pave the way to the development of new fast recharging battery technologies.
Mental Health Diagnostic Patterns in Behavioral Weight Loss Program Attendees

Introduction Individuals with obesity have higher rates of mental health disorders, both singly and in combination, than individuals of normal weight. Mental health disorders may negatively impact weight loss treatment outcomes; however, little is known about the mental health burden of individuals using weight loss programs. The current study identifies common mental health diagnostic profiles among participants of MOVE!-the Veterans Health Administration's behavioral weight loss program. Material and methods We used national VHA administrative data from fiscal year 2014 to identify veteran primary care patients who participated in at least one MOVE! session the previous year (n = 110,830). Using latent class analysis, we identified patient types (classes) characterized by the presence or absence of mental health diagnoses, both overall and stratified by age and gender. Results There were several patient types (classes), including psychologically healthy, predominantly depressed, depressed with co-occurring mental disorders, and co-occurring mental disorders with no predominant psychological condition. Additional patient types were found in men of different ages. The majority of patients had at least one psychiatric disorder, particularly younger patients. Conclusions Efforts to improve patients' engagement in the MOVE! program may need to address barriers to care associated with mental health disorders or incorporate care for both obesity and mental health diagnoses in MOVE! A holistic approach may be particularly important for younger patients who have a higher comorbidity burden and longer care horizons. Future work may address if patient types found in the current study extend to non-VHA obesity treatment seekers.
Principal Component Analysis for Extremes and Application to U.S. Precipitation

Author(s): Jiang, Y; Cooley, D; Wehner, MF | Abstract: We propose a method for analyzing extremal behavior through the lens of a most efficient basis of vectors. The method is analogous to principal component analysis, but is based on methods from extreme value analysis. Specifically, rather than decomposing a covariance or correlation matrix, we obtain our basis vectors by performing an eigendecomposition of a matrix that describes pairwise extremal dependence.We apply the method to precipitation observations over the contiguous United States. We find that the time series of large coefficients associated with the leading eigenvector shows very strong evidence of a positive trend, and there is evidence that large coefficients of other eigenvectors have relationships with El Nino-Southern Oscillation.
Analysis of human brucellosis monitoring results in Baotou city of Inner Mongolia in 2010

Objective To find out the prevalence of brucellosis in Baotou,and to provide a scientific basis for integrated control of brucellosis.Method In 2010,high-risk people 7 to 70 years of age engaged in livestock farming,grazing,slaughtering,processing and selling were investigated in 9 districts (banners,counties)of Baotou city.In accordance with the principle of informed consent,blood samples were collected,serum titer was tested using the rose bengal agglutination test and tube agglutination test(SAT),and serum titer of 1:100(+ +) was considered as positive brucellosis,and results were evaluated based on brucellosis monitoring standards(GB 16885-1997).Results A total of 5832 copy blood samples were collected,and 250 cases were tested positive,the positive rate was 4.25％.The number of new cases was 164,accounting for 2.81％ (164/5832).Age was mainly concentrated in the 40 to 60 years,accounting for 66.0％(165/250).Brucellosis infection in the livestock industry accounted for 80.87％ (4757/5882).From the regional distribution,DAMAOQI had the most detected cases,and the detection rate was 12.10％ (73/603).Conclusions Continue to increase the brucellosis prevention knowledge propaganda,carry out brucellosis surveillance of high-risk people,quarantine,and strengthen immunity is the only measure of effective control of brucellosis epidemic. Key words: Brucellosis; Epidemic; Data collection
Patients with Common Cold Coronaviruses Tested Negative for IgG Antibody to SARS-CoV-2.

The need for accurate antibody testing in patients following symptomatic or asymptomatic infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is well documented. How we best utilize the data obtained from these antibody studies is still a haunting question ([1][1]). There are