cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Analysis of Nucleation-Rate Type of Curves in Glass As Determined by Differential Thermal Analysis

The nucleation rate (I) versus temperature type of curves for a Na2O2·CaO·3SiO2 (NC2S3) glass doped with 0.1 wt% platinum, 0.5 wt% Ag2O, and 2.0 wt% P2O5 were determined using a previously developed differential thermal analysis (DTA) technique. In this DTA technique, a constant amount of glass sample was nucleated at selected temperatures for a specific time, followed by a DTA scan at a fixed heating rate. The functional dependence of the maximum intensity of the exothermic DTA crystallization peak ((deltaT)p) or the inverse temperature at the DTA peak maximum (Tp−1) on the nucleation temperature (Tn) was used to determine the nucleation rate versus temperature type of curves. Calculations for qualitatively assessing the dependence of (deltaT)p on Tn were performed using I and crystal growth rate (U) curves for a hypothetical system. Values of (deltaT)p calculated for different degrees of overlap between the I and U curves were compared with those measured experimentally. The (deltaT)p vs Tn curves depended strongly on the overlap of I and U, whereas the Tp−1 vs Tn curves were unaffected by the overlap.
Native BuNchgrass respoNse to prescriBed Fire iN uNgrazed MouNtaiN Big sageBrush ecosysteMs

Fire was historically a dominant ecological process throughout mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. vaseyana [Rydb.] Beetle) ecosystems of western North America, and the native biota have developed many adaptations to persist in a regime typified by frequent fires. Following spring and fall prescribed fires conducted in sites of different ecological conditions at the Lava Beds National Monument, California, USA, we examined the reproductive, density, and cover responses of four native bunchgrasses: bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata [Pursh] A. Love), Thurber’s needlegrass (Achnatherum thurberianum [Piper] Barkworth), squirreltail (Elymus elymoides [Raf.] Swezey), and Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda J. Presl). High rates of survival and fire-enhanced flowering were measured following fires. Thurber’s needlegrass density decreased following spring burns in sites dominated by cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) (from 3.3 plants m− 2 to 0.8 plants m− 2; P < 0.05). Density of bluebunch wheatgrass decreased following spring fires (from 3.7 plants m− 2 to 1.9 plants m− 2; P = 0.02) and cover was reduced in both spring and fall burn treatments (P = 0.04) in native dominated sites. Fire-enhanced flowering (increases in reproductive efforts) occurred in bluebunch wheat-grass in cheatgrass dominated sites (244% increase in reproductive culms following fire), native dominated sites (350% increase), and woody encroachment sites (500% increase) sites following fall fires. These results show that these native bunchgrasses positively respond to prescribed fire through increases in reproductive efforts and high rates of survival following fires. This suggests that fire can be an important tool for the restoration and conservation of these fire adapted bunchgrasses.
Rule-Based Forecasting

Fuzzy rule-based systems and related techniques, chiefly fuzzy basis functions expansions, are applied to time series forecasting and anomaly detection in temporal and spatial patterns. The usefulness of different techniques is compared using the simple parity classification problem as an example. Forecasting of a time series is analyzed, together with a brief discussion of chaotic and noisy patterns. As a by-product of the rule-based forecasting, an edge detection algorithm for digital images is obtained.
New Alignments? The Geopolitics of Gas and Oil Cartels and the Changing Middle East

The ongoing democratic movements and civil wars in the Middle East have challenged the stability of regimes across the region. On the other hand, the commercial exploitation of large reserves of unconventional oil and gas in the United States is poised to significantly change the current equilibrium in energy markets. What are the implications of these developments on Saudi Arabia’s energy policy? Will the long-standing U.S.-Saudi alliance remain the cornerstone of the kingdom’s relationship with the outside world? We study these questions using a game-theoretic approach. Specifically, we investigate whether the new political and economic trends may warm the Saudi regime to a workable energy cartel with Russia. We analyze the outcomes from different coalitions that could form among major energy suppliers and show that this is indeed a possibility. We discuss the implications of our results for U.S. policy toward Saudi Arabia.
Levels in Gd 158 from the ( d, p ) reaction

The nuclear spectroscopy of Gd158 has been investigated by deuteron stripping with magnetic analysis of the resulting protons. Over fifty levels have been observed. Comparison is made of observed and theoretical relative cross sections. Two new rotational bands have been observed; one band based on the 2+ two-quasiparticle state [521 +] – [521−] at 2333.6 keV and a second band based on the 1 + two-quasiparticle state [521 +] – [521−] at 2494 keV. The ground state (d,p)Q-value was found to beQo=5706± 5 keV.
Regenerative liver surgeries: the alphabet soup of emerging techniques

New surgical procedures taking advantage of the regenerative abilities of the liver are being introduced as potential curative therapies to these patients either to provide auxiliary support while the native liver recovers or undergoes hypertrophy. For patients with hepatocellular carcinoma outside of the Milan criteria or bilobar colorectal metastases liver transplantation is not an option. Fulminant hepatic failure can be treated but requires life-long immunosuppression. These complex surgical procedures require high quality and directed imaging.
Beyond Po-Mo: The “Auto-Fiction” Documentary

Abstract:Categorizing documentary film has always been difficult, and it has become increasingly so in recent decades as more filmmakers have employed increasingly diverse approaches. Some of these films are postmodern, some are first-person documentaries. But there may be a subgenre of both of these categories: the “auto-fiction” documentary.
Testing Attestations U.S. Unemployment and Immigrant Work Authorizations

Each year, hundreds of thousands of immigrants seek legal employment in the United States. Similar to many developed countries, the United States has established immigration policies to protect its citizens’ employment. This study empirically assesses, for the first time, the relationship between U.S. workers’ unemployment rates and immigrant work authorization outcomes, as determined by one key U.S. immigration program—the labor certification process. This program explicitly requires that no willing and qualified U.S. worker be available for the job position offered to a foreign worker. Through the analysis of 40 months of labor certification requests evaluated by U.S. Department of Labor agents, the authors find that, ironically, immigrant labor certification approvals are more likely when the quantity of unemployed U.S. workers within an occupation is high, ceteris paribus. Further, because of the U.S. government’s procedure of auditing applications, the authors are able to assess approval differences ...
Anatomical and Physiological Aspects of Cardiovascular Function in Wistar—Kyoto and Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats at Birth

1. The present study was designated to determine whether there are any detectable differences in cardiovascular anatomy or physiology between Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) pups at birth. 2. It was found that mean arterial pressures were significantly higher, heart rates were slightly higher, and heart weight/body weight ratios were higher in SHR. 3. Vascular dimensions were determined in a small sample of those rats, and the data there also indicate hypertrophy to some degree: the ratio of wall thickness/lumen radius was higher in SHR, tangential wall tension and number of cell layers in the media were increased. 4. It is concluded that some of the concomitant features of hypertension, such as left ventricular wall hypertrophy and arterial wall hypertrophy, may be genetically determined to some extent in SHR.
Effect of Diurnal Fasting on Broiler Performance Reared under Summer Condition

発生予測が困難な暑熱ストレス(HS)によるブロイラーの生産性低下に対する昼間の周期的絶食処置の有効性,ならびに絶食処置方法の差がその軽減に及ぼす影響について,2試験を実施し検討した。試験1は21日齢のブロイラー800羽を供試し,22日齢より11:00から5, 6および7時間(各5, 6および7時間区)の絶食処置区および不断給餌区を設定し,49日齢までの28日間実施した。試験2は試験1と同様,21日齢のブロイラー800羽を供試し22, 29および36日齢(各22, 29および36日齢区)より11:00から6時間の絶食処置区および不断給餌区を設定し,56日齢までの35日間実施した。両試験とも艶死率,平均増体量,飼料要求率および1m2当たり増体量について比較検討した。試験1では不断給餌区において4.5%のHSによる発死が認あられた。5, 6および7時間区はそれぞれ1.0, 1.5および0.5%に軽減され,7時間区は不断給餌区と比較し有意に低い驚死率を示した。6時間区の1m2当り増体量は不断給餌区と比較し16%多く,有意に改善された。試験2においても不断給餌区では18.0%のHSによる発死が認められた。22, 29および36日齢区はそれぞれ11.0, 9.0および13.0%に軽減され,29日齢区は不断給餌区と比較し有意に低かった。22および28日齢区の1m2当り増体量は不断給餌区と比較し16および17%多く,有意に改善された。以上の結果,絶食処置はその時間および開始日齢を問わず,周期的に施すことにより不測のHSによる生産性低下の軽減に有効であり,1m2増体量を指標にすると,特に22もしくは29日齢から6時間絶食処置を施すことがより有効であることが示された。
Clinical study of the prognosis of the patient with transient ischemic attack with abnormal diffusion-weighted imaging results

Objective To analyze the prognosis of the patient with transient ischemic attack(TIA) with abnormal diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI) results.Methods Clinical data,neuroimaging findings of 120 patients were studied retrospectively.The clinical characteristics between 46 patients with and 76 patients without DWI abnormalities were compared.Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the rate of stroke or recurrent TIA of the 2 groups within 2 months.Results There were 9 recurrent TIAs and 6 strokes among patients with abnormal DWI results(32.6%) and 3 recurrent TIAs and 1 strokes among patients with normal DWI results(5.4%) within 2 months.The rate of stroke or recurrent TIA with abnormal DWI results was higher than that with normal DWI results(P0.05).Conclusions TIA with abnormal DWI results is associated with a greater rate of early recurrent TIA and stroke.
Model of Staphylococcus aureus central venous catheter-associated infection in rats.

Background and purpose Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of intravascular catheter-associated bacteremia. We developed a rat central venous catheter (CVC)-associated infection model to study pathogenesis and treatment. Methods A silastic lumen-within-lumen catheter and rodent-restraint jacket were designed. Subcutaneously tunneled catheters were inserted in the jugular vein of 20 male Sprague Dawley rats. Twelve rats (group 1) were inoculated with S. aureus via the CVC; three rats (group 2) were inoculated with S. aureus via the tail vein, five rats (group 3) served as uninfected controls; and three rats (group 4) were inoculated with S. aureus via the tail vein but did not undergo CVC insertion. Five to eight days after inoculation, animals were euthanized, CVCs were aseptically removed, and quantitative culture was done. Quantitative culture also was performed on blood, heart, liver, lungs, and kidneys. Results Infection, characterized by bacteremia and metastatic disease, was observed in all rats inoculated via the CVC with as few as 100 colony-forming units (CFU) of S. aureus. Rats of group 2 were not as likely to develop CVC-associated infection, and none of the animals of groups 3 or 4 developed infection. Conclusions This model of CVC-associated infection should prove suitable for studying pathogenesis and treatment of the condition.
Lambeth Prophecies II: History of the Universe

Especially in the early 1790s, Blake’s writings reflect the sense of urgency that typifies the prophetic books of the Bible and that finds its parallel in English society generally in the cresting during these years of the tide of millenarian enthusiasm. One facet of this millenarian ferment was the conviction that the English were the Chosen People designated in Genesis, and that the French Revolution was the precipitating event that would trigger the millennium by which England would assume worldly and divine precedence. This is one reason why a self-proclaimed prophet like Blake labored to create an anglicized universal myth that would ultimately — in poems like Milton and Jerusalem — reveal that the entire Judaeo-Christian tradition pointed to an apocalyptic culmination in Great Britain: “All things Begin & End in Albions Ancient Druid Rocky Shore.” (E 171; J 27: “To the Jews”) It was “in Englands green & pleasant Land” that “in ancient time” “was Jerusalem builded”, and it was there too that it was now to be not simply built but rebuilt (E 95-96; Milton 1). This is a covenantal view of the restoration of salvation and God’s promise, but with a significant difference. Blake postulated a humanized gnostic God, epitomized in his declaration in The Marriage that “All deities reside in the human breast” (E 38; MHH 11), a claim amplified in Jerusalem by Jesus: I am in you and you are in me, mutual in love divine: I am not a God afar off, I am a brother and friend; Within your bosoms I reside, and you reside in me: Lo! we are One; forgiving all Evil; Not seeking recompense. (E 146; J 4:7–20)
Retinal Hypercholesterolemia Triggers Cholesterol Accumulation and Esterification in Photoreceptor Cells.

The process of vision is impossible without the photoreceptor cells, which have a unique structure and specific maintenance of cholesterol. Herein we report on the previously unrecognized cholesterol-related pathway in the retina discovered during follow-up characterizations of Cyp27a1−/−Cyp46a1−/− mice. These animals have retinal hypercholesterolemia and convert excess retinal cholesterol into cholesterol esters, normally present in the retina in very small amounts. We established that in the Cyp27a1−/−Cyp46a1−/− retina, cholesterol esters are generated by and accumulate in the photoreceptor outer segments (OS), which is the retinal layer with the lowest cholesterol content. Mouse OS were also found to express the cholesterol-esterifying enzyme acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT1), but not lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), and to differ from humans in retinal expression of ACAT1. Nevertheless, cholesterol esters were discovered to be abundant in human OS. We suggest a mechanism for cholesterol ester accumulation in the OS and that activity impairment of ACAT1 in humans may underlie the development of subretinal drusenoid deposits, a hallmark of age-related macular degeneration, which is a common blinding disease. We generated Cyp27a1−/−Cyp46a1−/−Acat1−/− mice, characterized their retina by different imaging modalities, and confirmed that unesterified cholesterol does accumulate in their OS and that there is photoreceptor apoptosis and OS degeneration in this line. Our results provide insights into the retinal response to local hypercholesterolemia and the retinal significance of cholesterol esterification, which could be cell-specific and both beneficial and detrimental for retinal structure and function.
BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM | Functional Morphology of the Brains of Ray-Finned Fishes

Ray-finned (actinopterygian) fish are an extremely diverse radiation, as reflected in the wide range of variation in the development and structure of various parts of their brains. Variation in the numbers of neurons that are generated by the germinal zone, which lies along the ventricular surface, and variation in the degree to which the neuron cell bodies migrate away from that zone results in marked differences in brain structure and organization. Many structures in the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain of ray-finned fish are similar across this taxon and also regarding those in the other major groups of vertebrates, including many of the cranial nerve nuclei and the various sensory and motor system pathways. Specializations in the hindbrain include marked hypertrophy of some of the sensory regions, including the regions involved in the gustatory system in cyprinids and catfish and the cerebellum and its related structures in electroreceptive ray-finned fish, such as mormyrids. In the midbrain, specializations include those of the oculomotor nucleus and the extraocular muscles they innervate for generation of electric impulses in the stargazer, and some pretectal specializations occur in relation to feeding behaviors in some species. The eversion process that the telencephalon undergoes during development in ray-finned fish makes comparison with other major vertebrate groups difficult, but some sensory system inputs appear comparable, and some of the functional capabilities are surprisingly like other vertebrates, including mammals.
Identification of STS-1 as a novel ShcA-binding protein.

Abstract ShcA is a cytoplasmic signaling protein that supports signal transduction by receptor protein-tyrosine kinases by providing auxiliary tyrosine phosphorylation sites that engage additional signaling proteins. The principal binding partner for tyrosine phosphorylation sites on ShcA is Grb2. In the current study, we have used phosphotyrosine-containing peptides to isolate and identify STS-1 as a novel ShcA-binding protein. Our results further show that the interaction between STS-1 and ShcA is regulated in response to EGF receptor activation.
Downregulated Translation Initiation Signaling Predisposes Low-Birth-Weight Neonatal Pigs to Slower Rates of Muscle Protein Synthesis

Low-birth-weight (LBWT) neonates experience restricted muscle growth in their perinatal life. Our aim was to investigate the mechanisms that contribute to slower skeletal muscle growth of LBWT neonatal pigs. Twenty-four 1-day old male LBWT (816 ± 55 g) and normal-birth-weight (NBWT; 1,642 ± 55 g) littermates (n = 12) were euthanized to collect blood and longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle subsamples. Plasma glucose, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) were lower in LBWT compared with NBWT pigs. Muscle IGF-I mRNA expression were lower in LBWT than NBWT pigs. However, IGF-I receptor mRNA and protein abundance was greater in LD of LBWT pigs. Abundance of myostatin and its receptors, and abundance and phosphorylation of smad3 were lower in LBWT LD by comparison with NBWT LD. Abundance of eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 4E binding protein 1 and mitogen-activated protein kinase-interacting kinases was lower in muscle of LBWT pigs compared with NBWT siblings, while eIF4E abundance and phosphorylation did not differ between the two groups. Furthermore, phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) was less in LBWT muscle, possibly due to lower eIF3e abundance. In addition, abundance and phosphorylation of eIF4G was reduced in LBWT pigs by comparison with NBWT littermates, suggesting translation initiation complex formation is compromised in muscle of LBWT pigs. In conclusion, diminished S6K1 activation and translation initiation signaling are likely the major contributors to impaired muscle growth in LBWT neonatal pigs. The upregulated IGF-I R expression and downregulated myostatin signaling seem to be compensatory responses for the reduction in protein synthesis signaling.
Elucidating the in vivo interactome of HIV-1 RNA by hybridization capture and mass spectrometry

HIV-1 replication requires myriad interactions between cellular proteins and the viral unspliced RNA. These interactions are important in archetypal RNA processes such as transcription and translation as well as for more specialized functions including alternative splicing and packaging of unspliced genomic RNA into virions. We present here a hybridization capture strategy for purification of unspliced full-length HIV RNA-protein complexes preserved in vivo by formaldehyde crosslinking, and coupled with mass spectrometry to identify HIV RNA-protein interactors in HIV-1 infected cells. One hundred eighty-nine proteins were identified to interact with unspliced HIV RNA including Rev and Gag/Gag-Pol, 24 host proteins previously shown to bind segments of HIV RNA, and over 90 proteins previously shown to impact HIV replication. Further analysis using siRNA knockdown techniques against several of these proteins revealed significant changes to HIV expression. These results demonstrate the utility of the approach for the discovery of host proteins involved in HIV replication. Additionally, because this strategy only requires availability of 30 nucleotides of the HIV-RNA for hybridization with a capture oligonucleotide, it is readily applicable to any HIV system of interest regardless of cell type, HIV-1 virus strain, or experimental perturbation.
Causation as Property Acquisition

Persistence theories of causation – such as transference theory, conserved-quantity theory, and Douglas Ehring's theory – attempt to analyzecausation in terms of some persisting entityconnecting cause and effect. While mostpersistence accounts are intended as empiricaltheories, this article develops a persistenceanalysis of the concept of causation. The basic idea is that the central concept ofdirect causation can be analyzed in terms ofproperty acquisition. The analysis cohereswith our ordinary causal judgments andprovides a straightforward explanation of thedirection of causation. It also explains whybackwards causation is conceptually problematic.
Dynamic cytoplasmic projections connect mammalian spermatogonia in vivo.

ABSTRACT Throughout the male reproductive lifespan, spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) produce committed progenitors that proliferate and then remain physically connected in growing clones via short cylindrical intercellular bridges (ICBs). These ICBs, which enlarge in meiotic spermatocytes, have been demonstrated to provide a conduit for postmeiotic haploid spermatids to share sex chromosome-derived gene products. In addition to ICBs, spermatogonia exhibit multiple thin cytoplasmic projections. Here, we have explored the nature of these projections in mice and find that they are dynamic, span considerable distances from their cell body (≥25 μm), either terminate or physically connect multiple adjacent spermatogonia, and allow for sharing of macromolecules. Our results extend the current model that subsets of spermatogonia exist as isolated cells or clones, and support a model in which spermatogonia of similar developmental fates are functionally connected through a shared dynamic cytoplasm mediated by thin cytoplasmic projections.
Muscarinic Receptors, Phosphoinositide Hydrolysis, and Neuronal Plasticity in the Hippocampus

Previous studies have suggested that muscarinic cholinergic receptors in the hippocampus are associated with memory processes. Antimuscarinic drugs, well known for their amnestic effects, support the cholinergic hypothesis of memory (Bartus et al„ 1982). Several biochemical and electrophysiological responses to muscarinic agonist stimulation have been described in the hippocampus, including reduction of a calcium-dependent potassium current (IKca) that is responsible for after-hyperpolarization (AHP) (Bernado and Prince, 1982), reduction of a time- and voltage-dependent non-inactivating potassium current termed the M-current (IKm) (Halliwell and Adams, 1982), inhibition of cyclic-AMP (Olianas et al., 1983), stimulation of cyclic-GMP (Snyder et al., 1984), and stimulation of phosphoinositide (PI) turnover (Gonzales and Crews, 1985; Fisher and Bartus, 1985). This multiplicity of responses has obscured the relationship between biochemical and electrophysiological responses to muscarinic agonists. In addition, the relationship between muscarinic action on specific membrane ionic conductances, especially IKm, and neuronal action potential generation, is not clear.
Evaluation of vancomycin target trough attainment with published dosing regimens in the neonatal intensive care unit population.

BACKGROUND Study aims to evaluate whether vancomycin dosing from published dosing algorithms correlate with the attainment of target troughs of 10 to 20 mg/L. METHODS NICU patients who received minimum three doses of vancomycin and had a trough level met inclusion criteria. Dosing information was retrospectively evaluated to determine which published dosing regimen was followed. Dosing algorithms used were matched to NeoFax/Harriet Lane, renal-function directed dosing, and weight-directed dosing, in which the latter two can be found in Pediatric and Neonatal Lexi-Drugs. Primary outcome was percentage of troughs within therapeutic (10 to 20 mg/L) and subtherapeutic (less than 10 mg/L) levels. RESULTS Of 97 troughs evaluated, NeoFax/Harriet Lane accounted for 86.6%, renal-function directed accounted for 5.1%, and weight-directed dosing accounted for 18.5% of dosing algorithms. NeoFax/Harriet Lane, renal-function directed, and weight-directed dosing attained therapeutic levels between 10 to 20 mg/L at a rate of 60.7%, 60%, and 50% of the time, respectively. With respect to initiation of therapy, a higher dose of 15 mg/kg versus 10 mg/kg attained therapeutic levels (p < 0.001; OR 11.22; 95% CI, 3.96 to 31.81), while a serum creatinine value below 0.5 mg/dL attained subtherapeutic levels (p = 0.028; OR 0.068; 95% CI, 0.006 to 0.74). CONCLUSIONS NeoFax, Harriet Lane, and renal-directed dosing from Pediatric and Neonatal Lexi-Drugs achieved target troughs within the 10 to 20 mg/L range more often than weight-directed dosing from Pediatric and Neonatal Lexi-Drugs. Initiating therapy at a higher dose and patient serum creatinine value above 0.5 mg/dL were factors significantly associated with a 10 to 20 mg/L range.
The State of Studying the Taiwanese Economy: Retrospect and Prospect

The study of Taiwan’s economy began to flourish in the 1960s right up until in the late 1980s. Most early publications discussed the larger issues or macro aspects of economic development during this time. After the 1990s, most publications on Taiwan’s economy covered other applied fields in micro aspects of the economy. The shift of research focus is probably due to: decelerated economic growth; the rising of new research topics due to socioeconomic and political developments such as environmental, labour and health economics; the availability of statistical data; and the advancement of applied econometrics for empirical studies. This article contends that future study of the Taiwanese economy will be more fruitful if the country is compared with other countries at a similar stage of development—in other words, if it is looked at from a comparative perspective.
Thyroidectomy Complications in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

ObjectiveTo (1) analyze postoperative thyroidectomy outcomes in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), who are prone to deleterious effects of glucose dysmetabolism, and (2) apply findings to optimi...
Splenectomy is not associated with a higher tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity in people with sickle cell anemia.

BACKGROUND Vascular complications such as pulmonary hypertension (PH) occur at an increased rate following splenectomy in patients with various hemolytic blood disorders including thalassemia. The goal of this retrospective cross-sectional analysis was to assess the independent association of splenectomy with an elevated tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV) in people with homozygous sickle cell disease (HbSS). TRV is a noninvasive screening test for PH and a surrogate marker of prognosis in sickle cell disease (SCD). PROCEDURE Data were obtained from the multicenter Walk-PHaSST (treatment of pulmonary hypertension and sickle cell disease with sildenafil therapy) study of PH (NCT00492531). We compared TRV in the cohort of patients with HbSS who were surgically splenectomized with patients who were not surgically splenectomized. RESULTS We found no significant differences in TRV between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS The lack of difference in TRV between the two groups is most likely because members of the comparator nonsurgical group in many cases experienced autoinfarction of the spleen in childhood. Splenectomy does not seem to confer additional risk for the development of a higher TRV in HbSS, unlike in patients with thalassemia or other hemolytic anemias. This could be an important consideration when weighing the risks and benefits of splenectomy in patients with HbSS.
Improving Patient Safety Through Enhanced Communication Between Nurses and Physicians

Purpose Timely and reliable communication between nurses and physicians is imperative for patient safety. At our hospital, communication was widely variable, with nurses paging personal devices, searching workstations, and/or looking through hallways to reach physicians. We assembled a multidisciplinary team of nurses, residents, and attending physicians to implement a consistent, dependable communication method. We identified an underutilized tool within the Cerner electronic medical record, CORES, which allows a …
Mapping the RNA structural landscape of viral genomes.

Abstract Functional RNA structures are prevalent in viral genomes, and have been shown to play roles in almost every aspect of their biology. However, the majority of viral RNA remains structurally uncharacterized. This is likely to remain true as the cost of sequencing decreases much faster than the cost of structural characterizations. Because of this, there is a need for rapid, inexpensive methods to highlight regions of viral RNA which are ideal candidates for structure-function analyses. The ScanFold method was developed as a single sequence alternative to traditional RNA structural motif pipelines, which rely heavily on well curated sequence alignments to identify conserved RNA structures. ScanFold focuses on identifying (based on their more stable than expected folding energies) the most likely functional structures encoded within a single large RNA sequence, while allowing predicted motifs to be tested for evidence of structural conservation later. Decoupling these processes can be a benefit to researchers studying viruses lacking the ideal phylogenetic depth to yield evidence of structural conservation. Here, we demonstrate how the most significant ScanFold predicted structures correspond to higher base pairing probabilities, SHAPE reactivities, and predict known functional structures within the ZIKV and HIV-1 genomes with accuracy. Best practices and examples are also shown to aid users in utilizing ScanFold for their own systems of interest. ScanFold is available as a Webserver or can be downloaded ( https://github.com/moss-lab/ScanFold ) and run locally.
Customer Segmentation in Business-to-Business Markets

The purpose of this note is to help students better understand the concept of customer segmentation in a business-to-business (B2B) context, focused on such topics as the role segmentation plays in the larger marketing strategy of which it is a part, the process, primary approaches, and variables. Excerpt UVA-M-0792 Mar. 18, 2011 CUSTOMER SEGMENTATION IN BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS MARKETS Introduction The purpose of this note is to help students better understand the concept of customer segmentation in a business-to-business (B2B) context. Although a number of the issues in business-to-consumer (B2C) segmentation are similar, there are some distinct differences in approaches. Our attention will be focused on such topics as the role segmentation plays in the larger marketing strategy of which it is a part, the process, primary approaches, and variables. Here are two definitions of segmentation: Segmentation is the process of partitioning markets into [groups] of potential customers with similar characteristics who are likely to exhibit similar purchase behavior…The [process] of segmentation is to analyze markets, find a [defensible] niche, and develop and capitalize on this superior competitive position. This can be accomplished by selecting one or more groups of consumers/users as targets for marketing activity and developing a unique marketing program to reach these prime prospects [market segments]. Segmentation means the splitting of a market into groups of end-users who are (1) maximally similar within each group and (2) maximally different between groups. . . .
Preparation of β2-Homologous Amino Acids Bearing Polar Side Chains via a Collective Synthesis Strategy

β-Homologous amino acids (βhAAs) are a valuable class of building blocks for novel analogues of bioactive peptides. Thus, practical methods to synthesize enantiopure βhAAs are desirable. We report the application of a collective synthesis strategy to prepare protected β2-homologous amino acids with polar side chains. In this approach, a core structure is constructed via proline-catalyzed Mannich reaction and subsequently derivatized to furnish more than one protected β2-homologous amino acid with a proteinogenic side chain.
Demonstration of a 2 ps, 5 TW peak power, long-wave infrared laser based on chirped-pulse amplification with mixed-isotope CO 2 amplifiers

We report generation of 5 TW peak power in a 2 ps pulse at 9.2 µm via chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) in mixed-isotope high-pressure CO2 laser amplifiers. This represents the highest peak power in a single picosecond pulse format and the shortest pulse at terawatt peak power ever achieved in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) spectral range. Maximum demonstrated energy of the compressed pulse is 14 J and minimum period between shots is 20 s. The successful implementation of the chirped pulse amplification technique in a short-pulse gas laser opens a route to development of LWIR laser facilities with tens of terawatts of peak power, thus approaching the number of photons per optical cycle of current near-infrared laser systems based on solid-state active media.
On the Communication Latency of Wireless Decentralized Learning

We consider a wireless network comprising $n$ nodes located within a circular area of radius $R$, which are participating in a decentralized learning algorithm to optimize a global objective function using their local datasets. To enable gradient exchanges across the network, we assume each node communicates only with a set of neighboring nodes, which are within a distance $R n^{-\beta}$ of itself, where $\beta\in(0,\frac{1}{2})$. We use tools from network information theory and random geometric graph theory to show that the communication delay for a single round of exchanging gradients on all the links throughout the network scales as $\mathcal{O}\left(\frac{n^{2-3\beta}}{\beta\log n}\right)$, increasing (at different rates) with both the number of nodes and the gradient exchange threshold distance.
John Lennon Out and In: “Revolution,” the Beatles, and the Movement in 1968

John Lennon’s singing “you can count me out … in” on the Beatles’ White Album track “Revolution 1” seems like an embarrassing attempt to placate different audiences. But, in historical perspective,...
Double Defibrillation for Refractory In- and Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Abstract Background Double/dual defibrillation (DD) has been proposed as an alternative treatment for refractory ventricular fibrillation (VF). This topic has been poorly researched and data on survival rates are limited. Objective This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates whether DD improves outcomes among patients with refractory VF in- and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest compared with standard defibrillation. Methods A literature search was conducted on July 20, 2019 using MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. We gave all results as a pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Heterogeneity was assessed by calculating the I2 statistic and was deemed significant for a p value of Results We included 27 records, of which 4 cohort studies totaling 1061 patients were included in the quantitative analysis. Of these, 20.5% (n = 217) received the intervention. DD had no effect on return of spontaneous circulation (OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.44–1.04; I2 = 41%, p = 0.08) (GRADE: Very low), survival to admission (OR 0.77; 95% CI 0.51–1.17; I2 = 18%, p = 0.22) (GRADE: Very low), or survival to discharge (OR 0.66; 95% CI 0.38–1.15; I2 = 0%, p = 0.14) (GRADE: Very low). Conclusions DD did not improve any outcomes of interest. Therefore, it is imperative that a well-designed study in this area be conducted. Ideally, conducting a randomized controlled trial in this population should be attempted to obtain a higher level of scientific evidence.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Atypical and Anaplastic Meningiomas.

Background Although most meningiomas will be benign, a small proportion will have atypical or anaplastic histologic features and will exhibit more aggressive behavior. The treatment of these tumors has been controversial, especially for patients with recurrence after resection and radiotherapy. We have presented a large series of atypical and anaplastic meningiomas treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Methods We performed a retrospective review of a single-institution radiosurgery database and identified 48 patients with 183 lesions who had undergone 99 SRS sessions from 1999 to 2019. The median dose was 15 Gy prescribed to the 50% isodose line. The center of the failures was plotted, and the distance from the treated tumor to the center of the failure was measured. Simulated treatment volumes for external beam radiotherapy were generated according to the target, and failures were characterized as local, marginal, or distant according to the simulated volume. Results The 5-year disease-free and overall survival rate measured from the initial SRS session was 45.8% and 74.7%, respectively. The 5-year lesional control rate was 68.9%. The most common pattern of first failure was isolated distant failure, followed by isolated local or marginal failure. The incidence of distant failure was significantly greater after treatment of >2 lesions in a single SRS session. Isolated local/marginal failure was associated with grade III tumors and an increasing tumor size. Conclusions High-risk meningiomas are a heterogeneous group of tumors with a propensity for multiple failures. The most common pattern of relapse after SRS was distant. However, local control remains an issue. Further studies evaluating dose-escalation strategies are warranted.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in Children and Adolescents

Child and adolescent patients who are diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), both of B-cell or T-cell phenotype, have excellent outcomes when treated with various multiagent chemotherapy regimens. The presentation and early medical management of these young patients are remarkably similar to the initial management of newly diagnosed adult ALL patients, though the eventual chemotherapy may be quite different. Subgroups of childhood and adolescent ALL with poor prognosis are now regularly recognized by cytogenetic and molecular studies as well as by flow cytometry. Minimal residual disease measured at various times in therapy is highly prognostic and may be used to guide therapy. Very high risk patients as well as patients with relapsed or refractory disease may benefit from newer antibody and cell therapies.
RNNbow: Visualizing Learning Via Backpropagation Gradients in RNNs

We present RNNbow, an interactive tool for visualizing the gradient flow during backpropagation in training of recurrent neural networks. By visualizing the gradient, as opposed to activations, RNNbow offers insight into how the network is learning. We show how it illustrates the vanishing gradient and the training process.
Detection of Bulk Motions in the Intracluster Medium of the Centaurus Cluster

Several recent numerical simulations of off-center cluster mergers predict that significant angular momentum with associated velocities of a few ?103 km?s-1 can be imparted to the resulting cluster. Such gas bulk velocities can be detected by the Doppler shift of X-ray spectral lines with ASCA spectrometers. Using two ASCA observations of the Centaurus cluster (Abell 3526), we produced a velocity map for the gas in the cluster's central regions. We also detected radial and azimuthal gradients in temperature and metal abundance distributions, which seem to be associated with the infalling subgroup centered at NGC 4709 (Cen 45). More importantly, we found a significant (>99.8% confidence level) velocity gradient along a line near-perpendicular to the direction of the incoming subgroup and with a maximum velocity difference of ~3.4 ? 1.1 ? 103 km s-1. It is unlikely (P < 0.002) that the observed velocity gradient is generated by gain fluctuations across the detectors. While the observed azimuthal temperature and abundance variations can be attributed to the interaction with Cen 45, we argue that the intracluster gas velocity gradient is more likely due to a previous off-center merging event in the main body of the Centaurus cluster.
Evaluation of a warfarin bait for controlling invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa).

BACKGROUND Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) cause widespread environmental and economic damage, and as a result are subjected to extensive control. Current management strategies have proven insufficient, and there is growing interest in use of toxicants to control invasive populations of this species. In 2017 a low-dose warfarin bait was federally approved for use in controlling wild pigs in the United States. However, no states have allowed use of this bait due to unanswered questions regarding welfare concerns, field efficacy, and non-target impacts. RESULTS All captive wild pigs fed 0.005% warfarin baits in no choice feeding trials succumbed in an average of 8 days from exposure. Behavioral symptoms of warfarin exposure included vomiting, external bleeding, abnormal breathing, incoordination, and limping. Postmortem examinations revealed hemorrhaging in organs and muscles, particularly the legs, gastrointestinal tract, and abdomen. Warfarin residues in tissues averaged 1.0 mg kg-1 for muscle, 3.9 mg kg-1 for liver, and 2.8 mg kg-1 for small intestines. Field testing revealed wild pigs required extensive training to access bait within pig-specific bait stations, and once acclimated, exhibited reluctance to consume toxic baits, resulting in no mortalities across two separate field deployments of toxic bait. CONCLUSION Our results suggest wild pigs are susceptible to low-dose warfarin, and warfarin residues in pig tissues postmortem are generally low. However, although warfarin-based baits are currently approved for use by the US Environmental Protection Agency, further improvements to pig-specific bait delivery systems and bait palatability are needed, as well as additional research to quantify efficacy, cost, and non-target impacts prior to widespread implementation. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
Habitat influences skeletal morphology and density in the snailfishes (family Liparidae)

We tested the hypothesis that deep-sea fishes have poorly mineralized bone relative to shallower-dwelling species using data from a single family that spans a large depth range. The family Liparidae (snailfishes, Cottiformes) has representatives across the entire habitable depth range for bony fishes (0 m–> 8000 m), making them an ideal model for studying depth-related trends in a confined phylogeny. We used micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scanning to test three aspects of skeletal reduction in snailfishes (50 species) across a full range of habitat depths: 1) reduction of structural dimensions, 2) loss of skeletal elements, and 3) reduction in bone density. Using depth data from the literature, we found that with increasing depth, the length of the dentary, neurocranium, and suborbital bones decreases. The ventral suction disk decreases width with increasing maximum habitat depth and is lost entirely in some deeper-living taxa, though not all. Although visual declines in bone density in deeper-living taxa were evident across full skeletons, individual densities of the lower jaw, vertebra, suction disk, hypural plate, and otoliths did not significantly decline with any depth metric. However, pelagic and polar taxa tended to show lower density bones compared to other species in the family. We propose that skeletal reductions allow snailfishes to maintain neutral buoyancy at great depths in the water column, while supporting efficient feeding and locomotion strategies. These findings suggest that changes in skeletal structure are non-linear and are driven not only by hydrostatic pressure, but by other environmental factors and by evolutionary ancestry, calling the existing paradigm into question.
Gastric Mucosal Immune Profiling and Dysregulation in Idiopathic Gastroparesis

Introduction It is unclear how immune perturbations may influence the pathogenesis of idiopathic gastroparesis, a prevalent functional disorder of the stomach which lacks animal models. Several studies have noted altered immune characteristics in the deep gastric muscle layer associated with gastroparesis, but data are lacking for the mucosal layer, which is endoscopically accessible. We hypothesized that immune dysregulation is present in the gastroduodenal mucosa in idiopathic gastroparesis and that specific immune profiles are associated with gastroparesis clinical parameters. Methods In this cross-sectional prospective case-control study, routine endoscopic biopsies were used for comprehensive immune profiling by flow cytometry, multicytokine array, and gene expression in 3 segments of the stomach and the duodenal bulb. Associations of immune endpoints with clinical parameters of gastroparesis were also explored. Results The gastric mucosa displayed large regional variation of distinct immune profiles. Furthermore, several-fold increases in innate and adaptive immune cells were found in gastroparesis. Various immune cell types showed positive correlations with duration of disease, proton pump inhibitor dosing, and delayed gastric emptying. Discussion This initial observational study showed immune compartmentalization of the human stomach mucosa and significant immune dysregulation at the level of leukocyte infiltration in idiopathic gastroparesis patients that extends to the duodenum. Select immune cells, such as macrophages, may correlate with clinicopathological traits of gastroparesis. This work supports further mucosal studies to advance our understanding of gastroparesis pathophysiology.
Heat shock protein A12B gene therapy improves perfusion, promotes neovascularization, and decreases fibrosis in a murine model of hind limb ischemia

Abstract Background Heat shock protein A12B expressed in endothelial cells is important and required for angiogenesis to form functional vessels in ischemic tissue. We have previously shown the cardioprotective effects of heat shock protein A12B overexpression in a rat model of diabetic myocardial infarction. In this study, we aim to explore the role of heat shock protein A12B in a surgically-induced murine hind-limb ischemia model. Materials and Methods Adult 8- to 12-week-old C57BL/6J mice were divided into 2 groups: treated with Adeno.LacZ (control group) and with Adeno.HSPA12B (experimental group) and, with both groups subjected to right femoral artery ligation. Immediately after surgery, mice in both groups received either Adeno.HSPA12B or Adeno.LacZ (1 × 109 plaque forming units) in both the semimembranosus and gastrocnemius muscles of the right limb. The left limb served as the internal control. Both groups underwent serial laser Doppler imaging preoperatively, and again postoperatively until 28 days. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed 3 and 28 days post-surgery. Results Mice in the Adeno.HSPA12B gene therapy group showed improved motor function and a significantly higher blood perfusion ratio on postoperative days 21 and 28, along with better motor function. Immunohistochemical analysis showed increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, thioredoxin-1, heme oxygenase, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, along with a decreased expression of A-kinase-anchoring protein 12 and thioredoxin-interacting protein levels. The Adeno.HSPA12B-treated group also showed increased capillary and arteriolar density and an increased capillary-myocyte ratio, along with reduced fibrosis compared to the Adeno.LacZ group. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that targeted Adeno.HSPA12B gene delivery into ischemic muscle enhances perfusion and angiogenic protein expression. This molecule shows promise for the management of peripheral vascular disease as a potential target for clinical trials and subsequent drug therapy.