cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improving Patient-Clinician Conversations During Annual Wellness Visits

BACKGROUND Health risk assessments (HRAs) have been implemented and studied for decades in various settings, but little is known about the effect of introducing HRAs on the dynamics and content of patient-clinician conversations during Medicare Annual Wellness Visits (AWVs) and whether the effective use of HRAs requires additional training and resources. METHODS We used Conversation Analysis techniques to analyze 40 AWVs conducted in an academic family medicine residency practice. After a 3-month baseline period, a low-intensity intervention was implemented to explore improvements in the dynamics and content of conversations. Short exit interviews with patients and clinicians were evaluated by standard content analytic techniques. RESULTS Six overarching themes emerged that described the dynamics of AWV conversations. Patients and clinicians sub-optimally utilized the HRA report and missed many opportunities for promoting behavior change. However, a low-intensity, multi-component intervention significantly decreased the proportion of clinician talk time per visit by 9% (P < .001), while it increased the proportion of patient talk time by 7% (P < .001), robustly increased the number and duration of "change talk" by 639% (P = .0007), increased the number of patient cut-ins by 237% (P = .04) and tended to increase the number and duration of clinician "advice talk" (P = .065). Patients felt more informed, empowered, and motivated by the HRA-enhanced wellness visit. Clinicians found that the process helped them construct a more effective visit agenda and it facilitated the convergence of patient goals with evidence-based recommendations. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests that HRAs introduced without proper framing, education, and additional resources may not allow patients and clinicians to leverage AWVs for effective health planning and improvement. A targeted, low-intensity intervention may help patients and clinicians improve the quality of HRA-guided health conversations during AWVs.
Target residues from the reaction of 8 GeV Ne 20 with Ta 181 and Au 197

The cross sections for the production of 99 different target fragments from reactions of 8.0 GeV $^{20}\mathrm{Ne}$ with $^{181}\mathrm{Ta}$ and $^{197}\mathrm{Au}$ were measured. The target fragment radioactivities were measured by off-line gamma-ray spectroscopy. Details of the measurement as well as the calculation of the independent isotopic production cross sections and the integrated mass yields are given. Comparisons of these data to previously reported data for proton induced reactions show that the target residue production cross sections scale with the total projectile kinetic energy, not velocity. The total cross section for residue production indicates that some products result from collisions with significant overlap of the central densities of the two nuclei, in contrast to results obtained with low mass targets. Comparisons of the data with a Monte Carlo cascade calculation and an abrasion-ablation calculation verify the importance of ground state correlations of the neutrons and protons on the fragmentation isotopic cross sections.NUCLEAR REACTIONS $^{181}\mathrm{Ta}$($^{20}\mathrm{Ne}$, spallation), $^{197}\mathrm{Au}$ ($^{20}\mathrm{Ne}$, spallation), $E=8.0$ GeV; measured radionuclide production cross sections and isobaric yields; comparison to proton induced spallation of $^{181}\mathrm{Ta}$ and $^{197}\mathrm{Au}$; comparison to abrasion-ablation and Monte Carlo cascade models for residue production; Ge(Li) spectroscopy, radioanalytical mass and charge distributions; relativistic heavy ion nuclear reactions.
Patterns of Head Computed Tomography Abnormalities During Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation and Association With Outcomes.

Abstract Background We sought to classify type and distribution of acute infarction and hemorrhage on head computed tomography (CT) during pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). We also analyzed the occurrence of seizures on electroencephalography and outcomes between those with and without CT abnormalities. Methods We conducted a single center observational study in pediatric intensive care units. The medical records of 179 children who underwent ECMO between 2009 and 2013 were reviewed. No interventions were done. Results A total of 46% (82/179) of children underwent CT. Of these, 60% (49/82) had acute pathology. Cerebral infarction occurred in 55% (27/49) and hemorrhage in 41% (20/49). Infarction was arterial in 67% (18/27) with a preponderance in the middle cerebral artery territory (17 patients). Infarction was bilateral in 41% (11/27) and not specific to the side of cannulation in the rest. Sensitivity and specificity for head ultrasound in predicting infarction on CT were 100% and 53%, respectively. A total of 36% (65/179) underwent continuous encephalography monitoring; 22% (14/65) of these had electrographic seizures. Electrographic seizures were increased in those with infarction (odds ratio [OR], 6.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.98 to 23.43). Survival was reduced with both infarction (OR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.09 to 0.54) and hemorrhage (OR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.72). Children with CT abnormalities had more unfavorable outcomes ( P = 0.01). Conclusions Head ultrasound is insufficient to rule out infarction. Infarction is middle cerebral artery predominant and associated with an increased risk of electrographic seizures.
Switching from TNF-induced inflammation to death signaling

TNFR1-mediated cell signaling involves complex molecular pathways leading to inflammation and death. Cytosolic RARγ plays a pivotal role in converting TNF-induced inflammatory responses to RIP1 initiated cell death and this finely regulated function of RARγ serves as a checkpoint to engage death pathways in response to TNF.
Discharge to Inpatient Rehab Does Not Result in Improved Functional Outcomes Following Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background Monitored rehabilitation has long been considered an essential part of the recovery process in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, the optimal setting for rehabilitation remains uncertain. We sought to determine whether inpatient rehabilitation settings result in improved functional and patient-reported outcomes after primary TKA. Methods All patients undergoing primary TKA from May 2007 to February 2011 were identified from our institutional total joint registry. Propensity score matching was then performed, resulting in a final cohort of 1213 matched pairs for discharge destination to either home or a rehabilitation facility (inpatient rehab or skilled nursing facility). Length of stay, need for manipulation, 6-month complications, and 2-year Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, Lower Extremity Activity Scale, 12-item Short Form Health Survey, and Hospital for Special Surgery knee expectations surveys were compared. Results Patients discharged to a rehab facility were noted to have a shorter hospital length of stay (5.0 vs 5.4 days). Patients discharged to inpatient rehabilitation reported more fractures at 6 months postoperatively. However, no differences in manipulation rates, 2-year outcome scores, or changes in outcome scores were found between the 2 groups. Conclusion Inpatient rehabilitation settings did not result in lower complications at 6 months or improved functional or patient-reported outcomes at 2 years compared to discharge directly to home when patients are propensity matched for age, living situation, comorbidities, baseline functional status, and insurance status. This finding has important cost implications and calls into question whether the healthcare system should allow otherwise healthy patients to use inpatient rehabilitation services postoperatively after primary TKA.
Progress toward an enhanced vaccine: Eight marked attenuated viruses to porcine reproductive and respiratory disease virus

Recombinant viruses of strain Ingelvac® PRRS porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) modified live virus vaccine were produced with two individual small in-frame deletions in nonstructural protein 2 (nsp2; Δ23 and Δ87) and also the same deletions supplanted with foreign tags (Δ23-V5, Δ23-FLAG, Δ23-S, Δ87-V5, Δ87-FLAG, Δ87-S). The viruses, but one (Δ87-FLAG), were stable for 10 passages and showed minimal effects on in vitro growth. Northern hybridization showed that the Δ23-tagged probe detected intracellular viral genome RNA as well as shorter RNAs that may represent heteroclite species, while the Δ87-tagged probe detected predominantly only genome length RNAs. When the tagged viruses were used to probe nsp2 protein in infected cells, perinuclear localization similar to native nsp2 was seen. Dual infection of Δ23-S and Δ87-S viruses allowed some discrimination of individual tagged nsp2 protein, facilitating future research. The mutants could potentially also be used to differentiate infected from vaccinated animals.
Emergency department sepsis screening tool decreases time to antibiotics in patients with sepsis.

Abstract Recent literature has highlighted the importance of early identification and treatment of sepsis; however, limited data exists to help recognize sepsis in the emergency department (ED) through use of a screening tool. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a sepsis screening tool implemented in an academic medical center ED on compliance with the 3-hour sepsis bundle. This was a retrospective cohort study that included a total of 115 patients, of which 58 were in the pre-tool group and 57 were in the post-tool group. There was no difference in 3-hour bundle compliance between groups (36.2% vs. 47.4%, P = 0.26). There was no difference in the following bundle components: lactate (79.3% vs. 80.7%, P = 0.85), blood cultures (86.2% vs. 96.5%, P = 0.09), blood cultures before administering antibiotics (91.4% vs. 100%, P = 0.57) and adequate fluids administration (44.7% vs. 41.9%, P = 0.820). A significantly higher number of patients received antibiotics within 3 h in the post-tool group (58.6% vs. 89.5%, P 0.001), and ICU length of stay (P = 0.03). There was no difference in 30-day mortality, however mortality was numerically lower in the post-tool group (36.2% vs. 26.3%, P = 0.25). Although implementation of an ED sepsis screening tool did not increase 3-hour bundle compliance, it did increase the proportion of patients receiving timely antimicrobial therapy and demonstrated a trend towards decreased mortality.
Direct peritoneal resuscitation reduces inflammation in the kidney after acute brain death.

Brain death is associated with significant inflammation within the kidneys, which may contribute to reduced graft survival. Direct peritoneal resuscitation (DPR) has been shown to reduce systemic i...
Performance of jump connection neural networks applied to a simplified pattern recognition problem

In this note we present and discuss results of experiments comparing the performance of jump connection neural network architectures applied to a simplified multifont recognition problem. The experiments have been run for the increasing number of data elements in the training set and for varying number of nodes in the hidden layer.
Electromagnetic scattering from an aperture formed by a rectangular cavity recessed in a ground plane

The problem of electromagnetic scattering by a three-dimensional aperture formed by a cavity in a ground plane is formulated via the equivalence principle and integral equation approach. The result...
Use of a Novel Functional Electrical Stimulation Gait Training System in 2 Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy: A Case Series Exploring Neurotherapeutic Changes

Background and purpose Cerebral palsy (CP) is characterized by decreased passive joint range-of-motion and impaired walking, resulting in progressive loss of function. Typical gait training interventions for children with CP appear insufficient to mitigate these effects. The purpose of this case report is to describe the use of a new treadmill-based gait training intervention using active correction with functional electrical stimulation (FES) in 2 adolescents with CP. Case description Two participants with CP (13-year-old girls, Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] level II and III) trained by walking on a treadmill, with FES assistance, for 30 minutes, 3 times per week, for 12 weeks. The intervention used a feedback control system to detect all 7 phases of gait in real time and triggered FES to the appropriate muscle groups (up to 5 bilaterally) based on the detected gait phase. Joint kinematics, step width, stride length, walking endurance, peak oxygen uptake ($\dot{v}^{o}_{2}$), and oxygen (O2) cost of walking were evaluated preintervention and postintervention. Outcomes Both participants showed improved knee and ankle angles and step width relative to children who are typically developing, and both exhibited increased stride length. One participant (GMFCS III) improved peak $\dot{v}^{o}_{2}$and walking endurance but not O2 cost of walking at her original self-selected walking speed. The other participant (GMFCS II) improved O2 cost of walking but not peak $\dot{v}^{o}_{2}$ or walking endurance. These differences are partly explained by differences in gait type, functional abilities, and initial fitness levels. Most improvements persisted at follow-up, indicating short-term neurotherapeutic effects. Discussion Most improvements persisted at follow-up, suggesting short-term neurotherapeutic effects. This case series demonstrates the promising utility of FES-assisted gait-training interventions, tailored to target individual gait deviations, in improving walking performance.
TreeMerge: a new method for improving the scalability of species tree estimation methods.

MOTIVATION At RECOMB-CG 2018, we presented NJMerge and showed that it could be used within a divide-and-conquer framework to scale computationally intensive methods for species tree estimation to larger datasets. However, NJMerge has two significant limitations: it can fail to return a tree and, when used within the proposed divide-and-conquer framework, has O(n5) running time for datasets with n species. RESULTS Here we present a new method called 'TreeMerge' that improves on NJMerge in two ways: it is guaranteed to return a tree and it has dramatically faster running time within the same divide-and-conquer framework-only O(n2) time. We use a simulation study to evaluate TreeMerge in the context of multi-locus species tree estimation with two leading methods, ASTRAL-III and RAxML. We find that the divide-and-conquer framework using TreeMerge has a minor impact on species tree accuracy, dramatically reduces running time, and enables both ASTRAL-III and RAxML to complete on datasets (that they would otherwise fail on), when given 64 GB of memory and 48 h maximum running time. Thus, TreeMerge is a step toward a larger vision of enabling researchers with limited computational resources to perform large-scale species tree estimation, which we call Phylogenomics for All. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION TreeMerge is publicly available on Github (http://github.com/ekmolloy/treemerge). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Acute stress impairs children's sustained attention with increased vulnerability for children of mothers reporting higher parenting stress.

Despite evidence that acute stress impairs attention in adults, there has been minimal research in children. Here, the effects of acute stress on Go/No-go performance were examined in young children (M age = 5.41 years). Given the critical role of the parent-child relationship to children's self-regulatory development, the extent to which parenting stress predicts children's cognitive vulnerability to acute stress and autonomic reactivity was also investigated. A between-groups design (n = 58 stress, n = 26 control) was used with oversampling of the stressor-exposed children to examine individual differences. The Parenting Stress Index and subscales were employed as a measure of parenting stress. Acute stress impaired children's sustained attention, but not inhibitory control. Higher parenting stress was associated with vulnerability to attentional impairment. Parenting distress was also positively associated with sympathetic reactivity to acute stress, but neither sympathetic nor parasympathetic reactivity was associated with attentional impairment. A conceptual model of pathways through which repetitive acute stress may contribute to self-regulatory difficulties is presented, including the potential buffering role of caregivers.
A RARE CASE OF PRIMARY CARDIAC UNDIFFERENTIATED PLEOMORPHIC SARCOMA

Primary cardiac malignancies are extremely rare and often have non-specific presentations. Early recognition has significant implications on clinical decision making and prognosis. A 62-year old female with a remote history of esophageal adenocarcinoma treated with chemoradiation and surgery
Exploring differences between self-report and electrophysiological indices of drowsy driving: A usability examination of a personal brain-computer interface device

Abstract Introduction Impaired driving has resulted in numerous accidents, fatalities, and costly damage. One particularly concerning type of impairment is driver drowsiness. Despite advancements, modern vehicle safety systems remain ineffective at keeping drowsy drivers alert and aware of their state, even temporarily. Until recently the use of user-centric brain-computer interface (BCI) devices to capture electrophysiological data relating to driver drowsiness has been limited. Method: In this study, 25 participants drove on a simulated roadway under drowsy conditions. Results: Neither subjective nor electrophysiological measures differed between individuals who showed overt signs of drowsiness (prolonged eye closure) during the drive. However, the directionality and effect size estimates provided by the BCI device suggested the practicality and feasibility of its future implementation in vehicle safety systems. Practical applications: This research highlights opportunities for future BCI device research for use to assess the state of drowsy drivers in a real-world context.
Coherence model for building layover in interferometric SAR

The complex coherence function describes information that is necessary to create maps from interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR). This coherence function is complicated by building layover. This paper presents a mathematical model for this complex coherence in the presence of building layover and shows how it can describe intriguing phenomena observed in real interferometric SAR data.
CD4 Effectors Need to Recognize Antigen Locally to Become Cytotoxic CD4 and Follicular Helper T Cells [preprint]

T follicular helper (TFH) and Cytotoxic CD4 (ThCTL) are tissue-restricted CD4 effector subsets, functionally specialized to mediate optimal Ab production and cytotoxicity of infected cells. Influenza infection generates robust CD4 responses, including lung ThCTL and SLO TFH, that protect against reinfection by variant strains. Antigen (Ag) presentation after infection, lasts through the effector phase of the response. Here, we show that this effector phase Ag presentation, well after priming, is required to drive CD4 effectors to ThCTL and TFH. Using in vivo influenza models, we varied Ag presentation to effectors acutely, just at the effector phase. Ag presentation was required in the tissue of effector residence. We suggest these requirements contain unnecessary or potentially pathogenic CD4 responses, only allowing them if infection is uncleared. The results imply that providing effector phase Ag, would lead to stronger humoral and CD4 tissue immunity and thus can be applied to improve vaccine design.
Hospital Consultation From Outpatient Clinicians for Medically Complex Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance Children with medical complexity (CMC) frequently experience fragmented care. We have demonstrated that outpatient comprehensive care (CC) reduces serious illnesses, hospitalizations, and costs for high-risk CMC. Yet continuity of care for CMC is often disrupted with emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations. Objective To evaluate a hospital consultation (HC) service for CMC from their outpatient CC clinicians. Design, Setting, and Participants Randomized quality improvement trial at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston with an outpatient CC clinic and tertiary pediatric hospital (Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital). Participants included high-risk CMC (≥2 hospitalizations or ≥1 pediatric intensive care unit [PICU] admission in the year before enrolling in our clinic) receiving CC. Data were analyzed between January 11, 2018, and December 20, 2019. Interventions The HC included serial discussions between CC clinicians, ED physicians, and hospitalists addressing need for admission, inpatient treatment, and transition back to outpatient care. Usual hospital care (UHC) involved routine pediatric hospitalist care. Main Outcomes and Measures Total hospital days (primary outcome), PICU days, hospitalizations, and health system costs in skeptical bayesian analyses (using a prior probability assuming no benefit). Results From October 3, 2016, through October 2, 2017, 342 CMC were randomized to either HC (n = 167) or UHC (n = 175) before meeting the predefined bayesian stopping guideline (>80% probability of reduced hospital days). In intention-to-treat analyses, the probability that HC reduced total hospital days was 91% (2.72 vs 6.01 per child-year; bayesian rate ratio [RR], 0.61; 95% credible interval [CrI], 0.30-1.26). The probability of a reduction with HC vs UHC was 98% for hospitalizations (0.60 vs 0.93 per child-year; RR, 0.68; 95% CrI, 0.48-0.97), 89% for PICU days (0.77 vs 1.89 per child-year; RR, 0.59; 95% CrI, 0.26-1.38), and 94% for mean total health system costs ($24 928 vs $42 276 per child-year; cost ratio, 0.67; 95% CrI, 0.41-1.10). In secondary analysis using a bayesian prior centered at RR of 0.78, reflecting the opinion of 7 experts knowledgeable about CMC, the probability that HC reduced hospital days was 96%. Conclusions and Relevance Among CMC receiving comprehensive outpatient care, an HC service from outpatient clinicians likely reduced total hospital days, hospitalizations, PICU days, other outcomes, and health system costs. Additional trials of an HC service from outpatient CC clinicians are needed for CMC in other centers. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT02870387
Medication and Mental Structure

Freud wondered if brain mechanisms were involved in psychotic illness. Now we have powerful medications that act on the brain to affect the ability of the mind to interact with reality. It is clear, then, that the brain and its physiology are important in mental functioning, at least in the area of the intersection between mind and reality. Psychoanalysis has, in Hartmann’s ego psychology, a description of the areas of mental functioning that engage reality. Medication affects the same areas of mental structure that are affected by psychotic and near psychotic illnesses. These areas have their own developmental lines and autonomies from emotional dynamics, and therefore it is tempting to say descriptively that a known intersection between neurological functioning, reality, and mental functioning is through the area of the autonomous ego apparatuses and functionings.
Immune-Related Adverse Events with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: Polymyalgia Rheumatica

A syndrome resembling polymyalgia rheumatica has been described in the setting of checkpoint inhibitor therapy; however, little is known about this entity. It remains unclear whether checkpoint inhibitor-related polymyalgia rheumatica represents the occurrence of a classic rheumatic disease or a new clinical variant with potentially different pathogenesis, clinical course, and treatment responsiveness. While these patients can present classically, it seems they may also present with atypical clinical features and require higher than expected doses of glucocorticoids or even glucocorticoid-sparing agents.
QCD Correlation Functions and Topology

Before we embark on technical discussion of the correlation function, let us first summarize in the non-technical terms some pictures of the vacuum and hadronic structure, which result from what we learned about instantons. In particularly, we know that the QCD-like theories with light quarks have spontaneously broken SU(Nf) chiral symmetry.
Tracking Covid-19 Cases and Deaths in the United States Distribution of Events by Day of Pandemic

In this paper, we analyze the progression of COVID-19 in the United States over a nearly one-year period beginning March 1, 2020, with a novel metric representing the partial-average day-of-event, where events are new cases and new deaths. The metric is calculated as a function of date and location to illustrate patterns of disease, showing growing or waning cases and deaths. The metrics enable the direct comparison of the time distribution of cases and deaths, revealing data coherence and how patterns varied over a one-year period. We also compare different methods of estimating actual infections and deaths to better understand on the timing and dynamics of the pandemic by state. We used three example states to graphically compare metrics as functions of date and also compared statistics derived from all 50 states. Over the period studied, average case day and average death day vary by two to five months among the 50 states, depending on data source, with the earliest averages in New York and surrounding states, as well as Louisiana. The average day of death has preceded the average day of case in Centers for Disease Control (CDC) data for most states and most dates since June of 2020. In contrast, "COVID-19 Projections" more closely align deaths and cases, which are similarly distributed.
Perturbation Analysis of Nonlinear Stages in Hypersonic Transition

Linear theory continues to play a critical role in extracting the underlying primary instability dynamics of boundary layer transition. However, such methods have difficulty in isolating the dynami...
After Castañeda: a glotopolítica perspective and educational dignity paradigm to educate racialized bilinguals

In the U.S., programming for students classified as English Learners must adhere to the framework outlined in Castaneda v. Pickard (1981), which demands a basis in “legitimate educational theory,” implementation with “adequate techniques,” and regular evaluation (p. 1010), while remaining explicitly agnostic about which theoretical orientations should guide “language remediation” (p. 1009). Unsurprisingly, such minimal thresholds and deficit orientations still countenance assimilationist ideologies and practices that devalue students’ bi/multilingualism (Garcia and Sung in Bilingu Res J 41(4):318–333, 2018). Even in bilingual programming, colonialist approaches reinforce norms of language standardization that perpetuate linguistic racialization and marginalization (Grinberg and Saavedra in Rev Educ Res 70(4):419–441, 2000). Thus, Castaneda exemplifies the limitations of political victories subject to multitudinous interpretations and enactments. In this theoretical article, we harken to the calls for justice for minoritized communities that included demands for bilingual education during the civil rights movement (Flores and Garcia in Ann Rev Appl Linguist 37:14–29, 2017) to imagine criteria beyond adequacy and remediation. With a glotopolitica lens rooted in the work of Latin American sociolinguists (Arnoux in Lengua y politica en America Latina: perspectivas actuales, Univerzita Palackeho v Olomouci, Olomouc, Czech Republic, pp 19–43, 2014; Blanco in Cuad Sur Letr 35–36(11):26, 2005), we conduct a genealogical analysis of language education policy for racialized bilinguals in the U.S. Linked to other decolonial projects, we propose a framework of educational dignity (Espinoza et al. in Mind Cult Act, 2020) that engages scholars, advocates, and educators in the U.S. and internationally in constructing language education policies according to racialized bilingual students’ own dignified logic rather than that of the nation-state, enabling racialized bilinguals to develop into historical actors (Gutierrez et al. in Mind Cult Act 26(4):291–308, 2019) emancipated from the logic of regulations that offer inclusion in colonialist paradigms rather than true liberation (de Sousa Santos, in Epistemologies of the South: justice against epistemicide, Paradigm Publishers, London, 2014).
Daily egg production of Tetranychus urticae on metal chelate-treated leaves.

The daily number of eggs laid by the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, on bean leaves treated with either Fe-DTPA (sodium ferric diethylenetriamine pentaacctate) or Mg-EDTA (disodium magnesium ethylene diamine tetraacetate) was compared with that on untreated leaves. Both chelates caused an immediate reduction in number of eggs laid, and this effect persisted throughout the 7-day test period.
The Role of Mucosal Associated Invariant T Cells in Antimicrobial Immunity

Mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are an innate-like T cell subset prevalent in humans and distributed throughout the blood and mucosal sites. Human MAIT cells are defined by the expression of the semi-invariant TCRα chain TRAV1-2/TRAJ12/20/33 and are restricted by the non-polymorphic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-like molecule, MHC-related protein 1, MR1. MAIT cells are activated by small organic molecules, derived from the riboflavin biosynthesis pathway of bacteria and fungi, presented by MR1. Traditionally, MAIT cells were thought to recognize a limited number of antigens due to usage of an invariant TCRα chain and restriction by a non-polymorphic MHC molecule. However, recent studies demonstrate that the TCR repertoire of MAIT cells is more heterogeneous, suggesting there is a more diverse array of MR1 antigens that MAIT cells can recognize. In response to infected cells, MAIT cells produce the pro-inflammatory cytokines, IFN-γ and TNF, and are cytolytic. Studies performed in MR1-deficient mice suggest that MAIT cells can provide anti-bacterial control within the first few days post-infection, as well as contribute to enhanced adaptive immunity in murine models of respiratory infections. In humans, the role of MAIT cells is unclear; however, evidence points to interplay between MAIT cells and microbial infections, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Given that MAIT cells are pro-inflammatory, serve in early control of bacterial infections, and appear enriched at tissue sites where microbes interface and gain access to the body, we postulate that they play an important role in antimicrobial immune responses. In this review, we discuss the most recent studies on the function and phenotype of MAIT cells, including their TCR diversity and antigenic repertoire, with a focus on the contribution of human MAIT cells in the immune response to microbial infection.
Taylor dispersion in systems of sedimenting nonspherical Brownian particles: III. Time-periodic forces

Abstract An Aris-type moment scheme is employed to calculate the time-average mean velocity vector and Taylor-Aris dispersion tensor for the Stokes sedimentation of small homogeneous ellipsoidal (and other orthotropic) particles which simultaneously undergo translational and rotational Brownian motions while settling in an otherwise quiescent viscous fluid under the influence of a time-periodic external force. This generalizes to time-periodic forces prior dispersion results previously restricted to time-independent forces. Each harmonic component of the force independently gives rise to its own Taylor dispersion contribution, in which appears a dimensionless coefficient quantifying the effects of frequency and particle geometry—namely size and shape. This parameter vanishes identically for spherical and other hydrodynamically isotropic particles (e.g., cubes, tetrahedra, octahedra, etc.), whose translational hydrodynamic resistances are orientation independent. Advantages attaching to an experimental “wet” particle-shape characterization device based upon the principles developed herein are pointed out. In this context a novel experimental device is proposed based upon preventing any net (i.e., time-average) gravitational sedimentation of the nonneutrally buoyant particles by continuous rotation of the suspension about a horizontal axis.
Raman-Induced Interactions in a Single-Component Fermi Gas Near an s -Wave Feshbach Resonance

Ultracold gases of interacting spin-orbit-coupled fermions are predicted to display exotic phenomena such as topological superfluidity and its associated Majorana fermions. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a route to strongly interacting single-component atomic Fermi gases by combining an $s$-wave Feshbach resonance (giving strong interactions) and spin-orbit coupling (creating an effective $p$-wave channel). We identify the Feshbach resonance by its associated atomic loss feature and show that, in agreement with our single-channel scattering model, this feature is preserved and shifted as a function of the spin-orbit-coupling parameters.
A Modest Proposal for Fixing Delaware’s Broken Duty of Care

This paper proposes that Delaware could improve on existing, ineffective judicial mechanisms enforcing the duty of care by upgrading the ability of Delaware Chancery Court judges to comment on the quality of board decision processes. I suggest two possible reforms. First, Delaware Chancery Court judges could, in their discretion, award attorneys’ fees to unsuccessful plaintiffs in duty of care cases. Second, Delaware could authorize judicial inquiries into credible allegations of gross negligence in board decisions.
Comparison of Actigraphy with Polysomnography and Sleep Logs in Depressed Insomniacs

Actigraphy is increasingly used in the assessment and treatment of various clinical conditions, being a convenient and cost-effective method of capturing bodily movements over long periods of time. This study examined the use of actigraphy in the measurement of sleep of patients with depression and insomnia. Fifty four patients diagnosed with a current major depressive episode and chronic insomnia underwent a baseline overnight study with concurrent actigraphic and polysomnography (PSG) monitoring, as well as subjective sleep diaries. Agreement between PSG, actigraphy and sleep diary measurements was evaluated using two-tailed t-tests, Pearson’s correlations, and the Bland-Altman concordance technique. The only significant difference found between actigraphy and PSG was in latency to persistent sleep, in which actigraphy underestimated sleep latency relative to PSG (p<0.05). There were moderate positive correlations between actigraphy and PSG for all variables. In contrast, significant differences were observed between sleep diaries and PSG for all sleep variables. Bland-Altman concordance diagrams also demonstrated that, while bias was limited between PSG and the other two measurement types, there were somewhat broad 95% limits of agreement for all sleep variables with both sleep diaries and actigraphy. In summary, actigraphic measurements of sleep more closely approximated those of PSG than did sleep diaries in this sample of depressed insomniacs.
Effective algorithms for fusion gene detection

Chromosomal rearrangements which shape the genomes of cancer cells often result in fusion genes. Several recent studies have proposed using oligo microarrays targeting fusion junctions to detect fusion genes present in a sample. These approaches design a microarray targeted to discover known fusion genes by using a probe for each possible fusion junction. The hybridization of a sample to one of these probes suggests the presence of a fusion gene. Application of this approach is impractical to detect de-novo gene fusions due to the tremendous number of possible fusion junctions. In this paper we develop a novel approach related to string barcoding which reduces the number of probes necessary for de-novo gene fusion detection by a factor of 3000. The key idea behind our approach is that we utilize probes which match multiple fusion genes where each fusion gene is represented by a unique combination of probes.
European College of Orthodontics : Commission of Affiliation and Titularisation

Summary Date of birth: 29 November 1994; sex: female. A. Pretreatment records 9 years 6 months; 5/2006. Diagnosis Angle Class II; Tooth-arch discrepancy; Teeth missing prior to treatment: none. Treatment plan Extractions of 14-24-35-45; Appliances and devices: bimaxillary multibracket appliances. B. Post-treatment records 3/2008; 22 months. Duration of active treatment 22 months. Retention Maxillary: thermoformed slip-cover retainer; Mandibular: mandibular: wire bonded from 33 to 43. C. Post-retention records : 4/2013; 16 years 5 months; Duration of retention: 3 years 10 months.
When Horror and Loss Intersect: Traumatic Experiences and Traumatic Bereavement

Members of the clergy serve on the front lines as caregivers for individuals whose lives have been forever changed by life-threatening traumatic events, and by the sudden traumatic deaths of loved ones. This article is intended to provide useful information to clergy about the nature of traumatic experiences, predictable human reactions to them, and ways that clergy can be helpful in restoring psychological and spiritual equilibrium among their service recipients when bad things happen to good people. We first review several types of traumatic events, making a distinction between natural disasters and those that involve human perpetration. Next, two common pathologic reactions, PTSD and complicated or prolonged grief, are described. Current theoretical models for the disorders are discussed, along with description of the intersection of the two disorders. We then present aspects of spirituality as key resources in recovery from traumatic exposure and loss, emphasizing their role in making meaning of tragic experiences. Finally, key principles for clergy to follow in providing psychological first aid to those in crisis after a traumatic experience are discussed.
Deployment of Strategic Nuclear Weapons: Toward an Alternative Paradigm

With respect to the deployment of nuclear weapons, deep divisions separate citizens, policy makers, and analysts. It is reasoned that such divisions arise from different fundamental assumptions concerning how a nuclear war might occur. By addressing these assumptions, this paper suggests new alternatives for the deployment of nuclear weapons. The professional engineering community can provide an independent forum where such alternatives can be examined and discussed. Without such an independent forum, conflicts within society are likely to deepen and dangerous instabilities in policy could result.
Synthesis of Well-Defined Poly((vinyl alcohol)2-alt-methylene) via Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization

The synthesis of a new methylene−(vinyl alcohol) copolymer, poly((vinyl alcohol)_2-alt-methylene) (MVOH), by ring-opening metathesis polymerization with ruthenium catalysts is reported. Unsaturated cyclic 1,3-diols were protected with a di-tert-butylsilyl group to form strained cyclic olefins. The molecular weights of the polymers were controlled by varying the monomer-to-catalyst ratios or by the addition of a chain transfer agent. Hydrogenation and subsequent deprotection of the ROMP polymers yield the MVOH copolymer structure which was confirmed by ^1H NMR and ^(13)C NMR spectroscopies. Thermal properties of the corresponding MVOH copolymer are reported.
Acoustic Leak Detection Technology Assessment

Leak detection systems are a vital part of a pipeline integrity management program. For liquid hydrocarbon pipelines, these leak detection systems can take the form of measuring conditions inside the pipeline (internal detection) or by use of hardware installed outside of the pipe (external detection). One internally-based technology is acoustic leak detection, sometimes known as rarefaction-wave monitoring. This technology is based on detecting transient pressure waves that are generated when a sudden leak occurs. Acoustic pressure waves travel in the pipeline at the speed of sound of the fluid that is being transported and can be detected by dynamic pressure sensors. Various filters and algorithms can be used to identify this disturbance and distinguish it from other pressure events on the pipeline. This architecture can even be used for noise and for signal pattern recognition to allow for automatic alarming of potential leak events. Each manufacturer of such technology applies unique algorithms or processing methods to capture and analyze the pressure signals that are used to later predict leaks and their locations.This paper presents a comprehensive review of the technical basis and methodology employed by acoustic leak detection systems in order to further understand their capabilities and limitations. This work included a vast amount of hydraulic modeling aimed at understanding the physics of wave propagation caused by leak events. Diverse parameters, such as initial pressure wave amplitude, signal attenuation, flow and pressure dependence, speed of sound effects, and sensor locations were evaluated. This modeling was conducted for a variety of simulated fluids. A proportional relationship between leak rate and the initial pressure disturbance caused by a leak was obtained. This linear trend can be used in combination with an attenuation model to calculate sensor location limitations. The work determined that the uncertainty in the speed of sound for a pipeline fluid segment significantly impacts the error bands of leak location. The modeling was used to generate correlations for signal attenuation over distance as a function of pipeline conditions.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Evidence for the external validity of a social simulation measure of social skills

Two studies were conducted in order to obtain evidence regarding the external validity of a social simulation measure of social skills. The first study employed a contrasted group design, with the groups consisting of National Guardsmen and psychiatric patients. As predicted, trained judges rated the performances of the National Guardsmen in the simulations as more skillful and appearing less anxious than the psychiatric patients. In the second study, trained judges' ratings of psychiatric patients' performances in the simulations were found to be significantly related to ratings made by interviewers who had conducted a structured social history interview with the patients, nurses' ratings based on their observations of patients after 3 days on the psychiatric unit, a research assistant's ratings based on contact with the patient during the experiment, and finally, the subject's own self-ratings. In discussing the findings, it is hypothesized that one reason why support was found for the external validity of the simulation strategy in this study, in contrast to some previously reported studies, was the use of molar ratings in this study as opposed to the more molecular rating procedures used in those previous studies.
First-Order Design Of Optical Baffles

Optical systems which have stringent reouirements on stray light levels often need optical baffles. Some basic design principles and goals for baffles are Presented. Four generic optical designs and their advantages for stray light control are discussed: all reflective and all refractive reimaging and nonreimaging systems. The desirable shape and location of baffle vanes are shown, based on various design criteria. Presuming that the designer has the ability to control specular reflections from baffle surfaces, absorptive coatings which reflect specularly are preferred over those which reflect diffusely. Stray energy from edge diffraction can be controlled in a nonreimaging optical system by forcing light to undergo multiple diffractions.
Protein focusing in a conductivity gradient.

Conductivity gradient focusing (CGF) is one member of a family of gradient focusing techniques, characterized by two opposing forces which produce a dynamic equilibrium and which are able to simultaneously separate and concentrate proteins. In CGF, the two counteracting forces result from a constant convective flow of buffer opposed by an electric field gradient. This gradient in the electric field is formed by gradually decreasing buffer conductivity, i.e., when a slow-moving, relatively high conductivity buffer is dialyzed against a low conductivity purge buffer. This paper presents the design of an analytical-scale CGF device and the results of several experiments with colored proteins, both in free solution and with the use of a 45 μm size-exclusion (SEC) packing to decrease dispersion. Experimental results with hemoglobin suggest that CGF may one day be capable of resolving proteins with small charge differences. A linear computer model of conductivity gradient focusing is derived, and some suggestions are made for further development of this new electrophoretic method.
STEM CELLS AND PROTEOMICS

The distinctive features of proteomics are large-scale and high throughput. The key techniques of proteomics are two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry and bioinformatics. Stem cell can differentiate into all kinds of cells, tissues and organs. There are many proteins and cytokines involved in the process of differentiation. Applying proteomics techniques to the research of the complex process of stem cell differentiation is of great importance to study the mechanism and applications of stem cell differentiation.
Phorbol esters affect pituitary growth hormone (GH) and prolactin release: The interaction with GH releasing factor, somatostatin and bromocriptine

Phorbol esters are tumor promotors that directly stimulate protein kinase C activity. We asked whether these agents affect basal or receptor initiated alterations in growth hormone (GH) and prolactin release. In 4 h incubations of anterior pituitary cells, phorbol esters enhanced basal and GH releasing factor (GRF)-induced GH release. Somatostatin reduced by 38% the 4-fold stimulation of GH release induced by phorbol ester. These tumor promoters also reversed the ability of bromocriptine, a dopamine agonist, to inhibit prolactin release, with no apparent effect on basal prolactin secretion. When these agents were applied for 24 h, an increase in the basal release of both GH and prolactin was apparent. These data lead us to suggest that an intact protein kinase C system may be necessary for the full expression of GRF-stimulated GH release and dopaminergic inhibition of prolactin release.
PKC α mediates chemoresistance in acute lymphoblastic leukemia through effects on Bcl2 phosphorylation

Overexpression of protein kinase C alpha (PKC alpha) promotes Bcl2 phosphorylation and chemoresistance in human acute leukemia cells. The contribution of non-Bcl2 mechanisms in this process is currently unknown. In this report, overexpression of PKC alpha was found not to affect cell proliferation, cell cycle, or activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases. The failure of PKC alpha overexpression to activate non-Bcl2 survival pathways suggested that PKC alpha-mediated chemoresistance requires Bcl2. Supporting this notion, REH/PKC alpha transfectants were found to be as sensitive to HA14-1 (a drug that targets Bcl2 function) as parental cells. In addition, HA14-1 abrogated PKC alpha's ability to protect REH cells from etoposide. These findings suggested that Bcl2 is necessary for the protective function of PKC alpha in REH cells. Since Bcl2 phosphorylation status is negatively regulated by protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and PP2A regulates PKC alpha, we investigated whether PKC alpha can conversely regulate PP2A. Overexpression of PKC alpha was found to suppress mitochondrial PP2A activity by a mechanism that, at least in part, involves suppressed expression of the regulatory subunit comprising the Bcl2 phosphatase (ie the PP2A/B56 alpha subunit). The ability of PKC alpha to target both Bcl2 and the Bcl2 phosphatase represents a novel mechanism for chemoresistance.