cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Myopic Voters and Natural Disaster Policy

Do voters effectively hold elected officials accountable for policy decisions? Using data on natural disasters, government spending, and election returns, we show that voters reward the incumbent presidential party for delivering disaster relief spending, but not for investing in disaster preparedness spending. These inconsistencies distort the incentives of public officials, leading the government to underinvest in disaster preparedness, thereby causing substantial public welfare losses. We estimate that 15 in terms of the future damage it mitigates. By estimating both the determinants of policy decisions and the consequences of those policies, we provide more complete evidence about citizen competence and government accountability.
Vascular Compression of the Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla in Sympathetic Mediated Essential Hypertension

Abstract —The pathophysiological factors of neurogenic or sympathetically mediated essential hypertension are unknown. Neurons close to the surface of the ventrolateral medulla (specifically, in the retro-olivary sulcus [ROS]) are integrally involved in the control of blood pressure by means of efferent connections to presympathetic neurons in the spinal cord. It is hypothesized that vascular contact with the ROS is pathogenically involved in neurogenically mediated hypertension. We evaluated that theory in 20 subjects with uncomplicated stage 1 to stage 2 essential hypertension (EHTN) (18 of whom completed the study). The baseline supine plasma norepinephrine level served as an index of central sympathetic outflow. The response of blood pressure to clonidine was used as a surrogate marker for neurogenically mediated hypertension. We also examined the relationship between those markers and evidence of anatomic abnormalities in the area of the ROS that was provided by magnetic resonance imaging. A vessel contacted the left ROS in 5 of the 18 subjects. Those 5 subjects had higher plasma norepinephrine concentrations than did the 13 subjects without this vascular contact (358±46 versus 76±43 pg/mL, P
Barbiturate anticonvulsants in refractory affective disorders.

AbstractDespite an increasing literature demonstrating both acute and long-term positive psychopharmacological effects of both valproate and carbamazepine, phenytoin has remained a controversial intervention, and barbiturate anticonvulsants have generally received poor press with regard to psychotropic effects.In the present investigation, 27 seizure-free, affectively ill patients who received therapeutic trials of primidone and/or me-phobarbital after failing on antidepressants, lithium, carbamazepine, valproate, and phenytoin were analyzed with regard to effects on illness severity and affective cycle rate over a period of as long as four years.Nine (33%) of the patients had a sustained positive therapeutic effect on affective state and/or psychotic symptoms to primidone and three (11%) had positive effects on mephobarbital after primidone failure. Four (15%) had brief positive effects that were not sustained, and the remaining 11 (41%) had no effects or negative effects to these agents.The theoretical ...
The Effect of State Appropriations on Export-Related Employment in Manufacturing:

State governments use economic development programs to strengthen the economic bases of their states, increase tax revenues, and preserve and increase job opportunities. Export promotion organizations are a key element of these programs. This article attempts to partially address the lack of evaluative literature regarding the effectiveness of export promotion programs by providing an analysis of the relationship between state appropriations and export-related employment in manufacturing. The findings support the suggestion that state appropriations for export promotion result in higher employment for firms that are directly involved in exporting their products overseas. No evidence is found of a relationship between appropriations and employment in firms that produce the components of export products.
Isolation and sequence determination of a cDNA clone for rat peroxisomal urate oxidase: liver-specific expression in the rat.

Abstract Urate oxidase (UOxase; urate:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.7.3.3), which catalyzes the oxidation of uric acid to allantoin, is present in most mammals but is absent in humans and certain primates. A cDNA clone for UOxase containing an insert of 1.3 kilobases (kb) was isolated from a lambda gt11 cDNA library prepared from rat liver mRNA. This recombinant clone with a 1283-nucleotide insert has sequence for 97% of the coding region together with 401 nucleotides of the 3'-untranslated region of the mRNA. The identity of UOxase cDNA clone was verified by analyzing the fusion protein, immunocytochemical localization with epitope-selected antibody, and hybrid-select translation analysis and by comparing sequences of four CNBr-cleaved peptides of the protein. Blot analysis revealed that the probe hybridizes to a single 1.5-kb mRNA species in the rat liver and a transplantable hepatocellular carcinoma. No UOxase mRNA was detected in 11 nonhepatic tissues of rat, suggesting tissue specificity of expression of this UOxase gene. Blot analysis of RNA from livers of rats treated with a peroxisome proliferator showed 2- to 3-fold increase in UOxase mRNA content, whereas the fatty acyl-CoA oxidase mRNA increased over 30-fold. Southern blot analysis of restriction enzyme digests of rat DNA suggests that there is a single copy of UOxase gene. Analysis of human genomic DNA revealed restriction fragments that are homologous to rat UOxase cDNA, although no UOxase mRNA was detected in human liver.
A Comparison of Four Two-Dimensional Gate Matrix Layout Tools

A comparison of four layout tools is presented. The layout style is a two-dimensional gate matrix. The first layout tool discussed uses "standard" simulated annealing. Annealing on gate clusters instead of individual gates can be used to improve the layout results. Two different ways of determining good gate clusters for use in the annealing process are compared. The first way uses clusters derived from user specified gate hierarchies, while the second determines clusters based on gate connectivity. The fourth layout tool uses a decomposition scheme based on quadrisection. Layout results for a set of benchmark circuits are presented for each of the tools.
Factors Influencing Length of Stay in the Intensive Care Unit

Background: Long stays in the intensive care unit are associated with high costs and burdens on patients and patients' families and in turn affect society at large. Although factors that affect length of stay and outcomes of care in the intensive care unit have been studied extensively, the conclusions reached have not been reviewed to determine whether they reveal an organizational pattern that might be of practical use in reducing length of stay in the unit. Objective: To identify and categorize the factors associated with prolonged stays in the intensive care unit and to describe briefly the nonmedical interventions to date designed to reduce length of stay. Methods: Articles published between January 1990 and March 2005 in English-language journals indexed by MEDLINE were searched for studies on outcomes and costs of care in the intensive care unit and on care at the end of life. Results: The emerging consensus is that length of stay in the intensive care unit is exacerbated by several increasingly discernible medical, social, psychological, and institutional factors. At the same time, several nonmedical, experimental interventions have been designed to reduce length of stay. Conclusions: Interventions involving palliative care, ethics consultations, and other methods to increase communication between healthcare personnel, patients, and patients' families may be helpful in decreasing length of stay in the intensive care unit. Further studies are needed to provide a strategy for targeting specific risk factors indicated by the literature review.
Structural Optimization of Non-Nucleoside DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitor as Anti-Cancer Agent

Inhibition of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) can reverse the malignant behavior of cancer cells by restoring expression of aberrantly silenced genes that are required for differentiation, senescence, and apoptosis. Clinically used DNMT1 inhibitors decitabine and azacitidine inhibit their target by covalent trapping after incorporation into DNA as azacytidine analogs. These nucleoside compounds are prone to rapid enzymatic inactivation in blood, posing challenges to the development of purely epigenetic dosing schedules. Non-nucleoside compounds that suppress expression or function of DNMT1 may overcome this problem. Using a high-throughput PCR-based site specific chromatin condensation assay, we identified a compound that reactivated Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) in myeloma cells and suppressed expression of DNMT1 from a library of 5120 chemically diverse small molecules. Lead optimization was performed to generate 26 new analogs with lung cancer proliferation and DNMT1 expression as activity readout. Two of the new derivatives showed 2 fold improvement of growth inhibiting potency and also decreased DNMT1 protein levels in lung cancer cells.
Glucagon: its enhancement of cardiac performance in the cat with chronic heart failure.

Glucagon has been shown to exert a positive inotropic effect in patients with normal cardiac function as well as in patients with mild impairment of cardiac function. In the presence of chronic heart failure, however, the beneficial effects of treatment with glucagon have been somewhat less consistent. Previous in vitro studies had provided evidence to show that papillary muscles obtained from cats with chronic heart failure had lost their ability to develop a positive inotropic response to glucagon. Since it is difficult to apply in vitro papillary muscle data to the intact heart, studies were done to assess the effects of glucagon in the intact cat heart four months after the experimental induction of chronic heart failure due to surgical banding of the pulmonary artery. The cardiohemodynamic effects of glucagon were examined in 12 anesthetized cats (six normal, six with chronic heart failure). At the peak of the dose-response curve, glucagon significantly increased isometric left ventricular force (45.5%), right ventricular pressure (74.8%), right ventricular dP/dt (180%), cardiac output (14%), stroke volume (30%) and cardiac index (14%) in each of the six cats with chronic heart failure. The six normal cats likewise developed a positive inotropic response to the intravenous administration of glucagon. The heart rate in each of the groups was not altered significantly by glucagon. Thus, the augmentation in cardiac output was the result of an increase in stroke volume due to an augmentation of contractile force. Therefore, in contrast to previously reported in vitro observations, glucagon augments myocardial contractility in the intact cat heart in chronic failure.
The “Smart Dining Table”: Automatic Behavioral Tracking of a Meal with a Multi-Touch-Computer

Studying how humans eat in the context of a meal is important to understanding basic mechanisms of food intake regulation and can help develop new interventions for the promotion of healthy eating and prevention of obesity and eating disorders. While there are a number of methodologies available for behavioral evaluation of a meal, there is a need for new tools that can simplify data collection through automatic and online analysis. Also, there are currently no methods that leverage technology to add a dimension of interactivity to the meal table. In this study, we examined the feasibility of a new technology for automatic detection and classification of bites during a laboratory meal. We used a SUR40 multi-touch tabletop computer, powered by an infrared camera behind the screen. Tags were attached to 3 plates, allowing their positions to be tracked, and the saturation (a measure of the infrared intensity) in the surrounding region was measured. A Kinect camera was used to record the meals for manual verification and provide gesture detection for when the bites were taken. Bite detections triggered classification of the source plate by the SUR40 based on saturation flux in the preceding time window. Five healthy subjects (aged 20-40yo, one female) were tested, providing a total sample of 320 bites. Sensitivity, defined as the number of correctly detected bites out of the number of actual bites, was 67.5%. Classification accuracy, defined as the number of correctly classified bites out of those detected, was 82.4%. Due to the poor sensitivity, a second experiment was designed using a single plate and a Myo armband containing a 9-axis accelerometer as an alternative method for bite detection. The same subjects were tested (sample: 195 bites). Using a simple threshold on the pitch reading of the magnetometer, the Myo data achieved 86.1% sensitivity, vs. 60.5% with the Kinect. Further, the precision of positive predictive value was 72.1% for the Myo, vs. 42.8% for the Kinect. We conclude that the SUR40 + Myo combination is feasible for automatic detection and classification of bites with adequate accuracy for a range of applications.
Whence networking

Problems that are due to the lack of attention to human-factors engineering principles in the design of current networks are identified. The evolution of networks is compared with the evolution of the telephone system in the US and resulting lessons of history are identified. Sources for human-factors engineering expertise are listed. Network system and network component designers are admonished to observe sound human-factors principles and to evolve an integrated network system that has a uniform method of access from any terminal. >
Faculty Outreach: A Win-Win Proposition

Librarians at Northwest Vista College, a new community college, speculated that keeping faculty members informed about the library and its various resources would result in more instructors sending students to the library for library instruction and, ultimately, it would result in more students who were familiar with and comfortable using the library. This paper describes the librarians' comprehensive faculty outreach effort, which involved putting on special workshops for faculty, creating online forms, and Web links on the library Web page, and taking every opportunity to increase contact and collaboration between librarians and other faculty and staff.
Predation of Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Pupae by Invertebrates at Low Small Mammal Population Densities.

A census of small mammal populations was taken, and freeze-dried gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), pupae were placed at 6 sites near the leading edge of moth spread into the southeastern United States. Pupal predation was monitored during 3 consecutive nights and a significant relationship between the number of live small mammals and predation was observed. There was a significant inverse relationship between vertebrate and invertebrate predation levels. Pupal predation by vertebrates increased as small mammal density increased, but invertebrate predation apparently decreased with increasing small mammal density. At all sites, pupae were preyed on beginning the 1st night of exposure, suggesting that the native generalist predator complex should exhibit no time lag in recognizing and accepting gypsy moth pupae as a new food item. The percentage of intact pupae preyed on by vertebrates increased from day 1 to day 2 but then declined on day 3. In contrast, invertebrate predation increased from day 1 to day 2 and remained at the higher rate on day 3. These observations are discussed in relation to behavioral characteristics of the predator populations.
Phosphatase and ouabain-sensitive adenosine triphosphatase activities of the perfused frog heart.

An ATPase and p-nitrophenyl phosphatase activity has been characterized in the perfused frog ventricle. Addition of ATP and p-nitrophenyl phosphate to the perfusate results in their rapid hydrolysis upon contact with the ventricle. A spectrophotometric system was developed to monitor the perfusate continuously to determine the hydrolytic activity of the ventricle while also monitoring contraction. Ouabain at 3 µM significantly inhibits the ATPase durin the positive inotropic actions of the drug. This inhibition progressively increases as inotropism proceeds toward toxicity. Ten-fold higher concentrations of ouabain (30 µM) do not inhibit the p-nitrophenyl phosphatase. ATP increases the toxicity of digoxin and its binding to the ventricles. It is proposed that the ATPase activity of the ventricle might be associated with the (Na+ + K+)-dependent ATPase enzyme system
Blood-borne signals that induce anterior chamber-associated immune deviation after intracameral injection of antigen.

Purpose. Anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID) is elicited by an antigen-specific signal that escapes the antigen-containing eye and travels through the blood to the spleen. Two types of ACAID-inducing signals have been described: those associated with blood-borne monocytes, and a soluble factor found in serum. The authors sought to understand the basis for the existence of two distinct types of ACAID-inducing signals. Methods. Different kinds of antigens (soluble, cell associated, particulate) were injected into the anterior chamber (AC) of normal, presensitized, and immunodeficient mice. In addition, peritoneal exudate cells were pulsed in vitro with different kinds of antigen in the presence of transforming growth factor beta and then evaluated for the ability to induce ACAID in naive (nonsensitized) as well as T- and B-cell-deficient recipients. Results. Among antigens injected into the AC, inert particulate antigens could not induce ACAID, but soluble and cell-associated (minor histocompatibility) antigens generated cell-associated ACAID-inducing signals. In contrast, antigens injected into the AC of presensitized mice generated ACAID-inducing signals that were soluble and located in the plasma fraction of blood. All ACAID-inducing signals created in vitro with soluble, particulate, or cell-associated antigens induced ACAID in vivo. Conclusions. Cell-associated ACAID-inducing signals are generated in naive mice regardless of the kind of antigen, and these signals arise from mobile intraocular antigen-presenting cells. However, when antigen is injected into the AC of presensitized mice, a soluble signal emerges, perhaps derived from T cells that enter the antigen-containing eye. Together, these signals dictate that subsequent exposures to ocular antigen will not evoke immunogenic inflammation.
Local Patterns to Global Architectures: Influences of Network Topology on Human Learning

A core question in cognitive science concerns how humans acquire and represent knowledge about their environments. To this end, quantitative theories of learning processes have been formalized in an attempt to explain and predict changes in brain and behavior. We connect here statistical learning approaches in cognitive science, which are rooted in the sensitivity of learners to local distributional regularities, and network science approaches to characterizing global patterns and their emergent properties. We focus on innovative work that describes how learning is influenced by the topological properties underlying sensory input. The confluence of these theoretical approaches and this recent empirical evidence motivate the importance of scaling-up quantitative approaches to learning at both the behavioral and neural levels.
Assessing in-season crop classification performance using satellite data: a test case in Northern Italy

AbstractThis study investigated the feasibility of delivering a crop type map early during the growing season. Landsat 8 OLI multi-temporal data acquired in 2013 season were used to classify seven crop types in Northern Italy. The accuracy achieved with four supervised algorithms, fed with multi-temporal spectral indices (EVI, NDFI, RGRI), was assessed as a function of the crop map delivery time during the season. Overall accuracy (Kappa) exceeds 85% (0.83) starting from mid-July, five months before the end of the season, when maximum accuracy is reached (OA=92%, Kappa=0.91). Among crop types, rice is the most accurately classified, followed by forages, maize and arboriculture, while soybean or double crops can be confused with other classes.
Radiation therapy in the management of breast cancer brain metastases: the impact of receptor status on treatment response, intracranial recurrence, and survival

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer to metastasize in the brain. Little is known about how receptor subtype, including luminal A, luminal B, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) enriched, and triple negative (TN) affect response to radiation and distant intracranial recurrence (ICR) following radiation therapy. We conducted a single-institution retrospective analysis of 38 breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) patients who underwent 93 treatment courses of stereotactic radiosurgery, stereotactic radiotherapy, post-operative radiation, or whole brain radiation therapy. Endpoints included overall survival (OS), treatment response (partial/complete response, PR/CR, or progression), ICR after treatment, and time from breast cancer diagnosis to the first BCBM (time to metastasis, TTM). Subset analyses were performed for triple receptor subtype as well as estrogen receptor (ER) positive versus negative, HER2+ versus HER2-, and age ≤ 50 versus >50 years old. Median OS for the population was 22.5 months, with median follow-up after treatment of 20.5 months. TTM was shortest for HER2 enriched, TN, ER−, and younger patients. TN, HER2-, and younger patients showed the poorest OS. ICR was also greatest in TN and HER2− patients. Radiation failure at the treated BCBM was seen most prominently in HER2+ and ER− patients. Receptor subtypes that demonstrated poorer OS tended to demonstrate higher intracranial recurrence. A positive response to radiation was not associated with better OS or lower ICR. Identifying patterns based on receptor subtype may guide clinicians in management and surveillance for BCBM.
Replaceable Jejunal Feeding Tubes in Severely Ill Children

Long-term enteral nutrition in chronically ill, malnourished children represents a clinical challenge if adequate feeding via nasogastric or gastrostomy tubes fails. We evaluated the usefulness and complications of a new type of surgical jejunostomy that allows for easier positioning and replacement of the jejunal feeding tube in children. We surgically inserted replaceable jejunal feeding tubes (RJFT) connected to a guide thread which exited through a separate tiny opening of the abdominal wall. In a retrospective case series, we assessed the effectiveness and complications of this technique in severely ill children suffering from malnutrition and complex disorders. Three surgical complications occurred, and these were addressed by reoperation. Four children died from their severe chronic disorders within the study period. The RJFT permitted continuous enteral feeding and facilitated easy replacement of the tube. After the postoperative period, jejunal feeding by RJFT resulted in adequate weight gain. This feeding access represents an option for children in whom sufficient enteral nutrition by nasogastric tubes or gastrostomy proved impossible. Further studies are required to investigate the safety and effectiveness of this surgical technique in a larger case series.
Galectin-3 and incidence of atrial fibrillation: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.

Background Galectin-3, a β-galactoside binding lectin involved in important regulatory roles in adhesion, inflammation, immunity, and fibrosis, may be relevant to atrial fibrillation (AF) etiology. Methods We included 8,436 participants free of AF at baseline (1996-1998) and with measures of plasma galectin-3 from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. We ascertained incident AF through 2013 from study visit electrocardiograms, hospitalizations, and death certificates. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for AF risk factors plus incident heart failure (HF) and coronary heart disease (CHD), were used to estimate hazard ratios for the association between galectin-3 and incident AF. Results The mean age (SD) of participants was 62.6 (5.6) years, and the sample was comprised of 58.7% women and 21.2% blacks. During a median follow-up of 15.7 years, 1,185 incident cases of AF were observed. After adjusting for AF risk factors, participants with galectin-3 levels ≥90th percentile (19.5 ng/mL) had a significantly higher risk of incident AF when compared with the lowest quartile (4.4-11.9 ng/mL), with hazard ratios (95% CI) of 1.40 (1.04-1.89) for the 90th- Conclusions Elevated plasma galectin-3 is associated with increased risk of incident AF. Galectin-3 may increase AF risk via pathways involving CHD and HF.
Reprint of: Reaction measurements with the Jet Experiments in Nuclear Structure and Astrophysics (JENSA) gas jet target

Abstract Explosive stellar environments are sometimes driven by nuclear reactions on short-lived, radioactive nuclei. These reactions often drive the stellar explosion, alter the observable light curves produced, and dictate the final abundances of the isotopes created. Unfortunately, many reaction rates at stellar temperatures cannot be directly measured in the laboratory, due to the physical limitations of ultra-low cross sections and high background rates. An additional complication arises because many of the important reactions involve radioactive nuclei which have lifetimes too short to be made into a target. As such, direct reactions require very intense and pure beams of exotic nuclei. Indirect approaches with both stable and radioactive beams can, however, provide crucial information on the nuclei involved in these astrophysical reactions. A major development toward both direct and indirect studies of nuclear reactions rates is the commissioning of the Jet Experiments in Nuclear Structure and Astrophysics (JENSA) supersonic gas jet target. The JENSA system provides a pure, homogeneous, highly localized, dense, and robust gaseous target for radioactive ion beam studies. Charged-particle reactions measurements made with gas jet targets can be cleaner and display better resolution than with traditional targets. With the availability of pure and localized gas jet targets in combination with developments in exotic radioactive ion beams and next-generation detector systems, the range of reaction studies that are experimentally possible is vastly expanded. Various representative cases will be discussed.
NEMS-Based Infrared Metamaterial via Tuning Nanocantilevers Within Complementary Split Ring Resonators

Dynamic control of the electromagnetic properties of metamaterials requires wide modulation bandwidth. Tunable metamaterials with large tunability and fast speed are thus highly desirable. Due to the small dimensions, subwavelength meta-atoms or resonant elements that constitute a metamaterial in the mid-to-near-infrared (IR) wavelength range are often not easy to be tuned at a high rate of several tens of megahertz (MHz). Here, we report on a nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS)-based tunable IR metamaterial realized by unique embedding of nanocantilevers into complementary split ring resonators (c-SRRs) suspended over individual wells. The optical field confined in the air gap of the c-SRR is strongly influenced by electrostatically induced mechanical deflection of the nanocantilever, thus modulating the reflection spectrum of the metamaterial. With the easy-to-implement tunable meta-atom design, the IR metamaterial with 800-nm-long cantilevers provides an ultrahigh mechanical modulation frequency of 32.26 MHz for optical signal modulation at a wavelength of 2.1 $\mu \text{m}$ , and is rather easy to manufacture and operate. We envision a compact, efficient, and high-speed electrooptic modulation platform in the IR region using this NEMS tunable metamaterial technology. [2017–0012]
Mechanism behind dry etching of Si assisted by pulsed visible laser

Poly-Si films were etched using a 13.56 MHz capacitively coupled plasma source while simultaneously being exposed to a pulsed Nd:YAG laser using 266 and 532 nm lines, with Gaussian pulse durations of 100 Hz and 7 ns. For a fluorocarbon etch recipe of 50:8 sccm Ar:C4F8 with varying O2, a minimum laser intensity for the etch onset was necessary to overcome CFx polymer deposition. This etch onset occurred at 6 ± 1 mJ/cm2/pulse; beyond this onset, the etch rate increased linearly with laser intensity. Null results of laser etch enhancement using continuous wave diode sources demonstrated the necessity of the instantaneous application of the pulsed Nd:YAG source. To determine the mechanism of laser etch enhancement at 532 nm, highly doped Si samples were tested, with varying optical absorption depths while keeping the photon energy constant. It was shown that at phosphorus contents of 1019 cm−3 and 1021 cm−3, 532 nm etch enhancement trends were 1.7× and 3.7× higher than those on intrinsic Si, showing that inst...
Prostate Cancer Screening in African-American Men

African-American men exhibit higher-risk prostate cancer and exhibit worse outcomes when compared to other racial and ethnic groups. There remain important knowledge gaps specifically surrounding the implications of this observed outcome disparity with respect to appropriateness and intensity of active surveillance in African-American men. Only approximately a tenth of the men in most active surveillance programs are African-American, yet the results are generalized as applying to all men equally. Nevertheless, because even “very low-risk” prostate cancer appears different pathologically and epidemiologically, African-American men must understand these risks when they elect management for prostate cancer. Most specifically, they must be aware that if they decide on active surveillance, aggressive cancer may be missed.
Static measurements of vowel formant frequencies and bandwidths: A review

Abstract Purpose Data on vowel formants have been derived primarily from static measures representing an assumed steady state. This review summarizes data on formant frequencies and bandwidths for American English and also addresses (a) sources of variability (focusing on speech sample and time sampling point), and (b) methods of data reduction such as vowel area and dispersion. Method Searches were conducted with CINAHL, Google Scholar, MEDLINE/PubMed, SCOPUS, and other online sources including legacy articles and references. The primary search items were vowels, vowel space area, vowel dispersion, formants, formant frequency, and formant bandwidth. Results Data on formant frequencies and bandwidths are available for both sexes over the lifespan, but considerable variability in results across studies affects even features of the basic vowel quadrilateral. Origins of variability likely include differences in speech sample and time sampling point. The data reveal the emergence of sex differences by 4 years of age, maturational reductions in formant bandwidth, and decreased formant frequencies with advancing age in some persons. It appears that a combination of methods of data reduction provide for optimal data interpretation. Conclusion The lifespan database on vowel formants shows considerable variability within specific age-sex groups, pointing to the need for standardized procedures.
The dark side of neutrons

The agent responsible for the accelerated expansion of the Universe is completely unknown. Delicate interference measurements of the quantum transitions of very slow neutrons bouncing on a flat table have constrained an interesting theoretical possibility.
Abstract WP193: Genetic Polymorphisms Negatively Impact Upper Limb Motor Recovery After Stroke - A Meta-analysis

Upper limb (UL) hemiparesis is one of the most disabling consequences of a stroke. In addition to spontaneous recovery, post-stroke motor recovery is associated with adaptive neuroplasticity and mo...
UNIT 3.3 Topoisomerase Assays

Topoisomerases are nuclear enzymes that play essential roles in DNA replication, transcription, chromosome segregation, and recombination. All cells have two major forms of topoisomerases: type I enzymes, which make single-stranded cuts in DNA, and type II enzymes, which cut and pass double-stranded DNA. DNA topoisomerases are important targets of approved and experimental anti-cancer agents. The protocols described in this unit are for assays used to assess new chemical entities for their ability to inhibit both forms of DNA topoisomerase. Included are an in vitro assay for topoisomerase I activity based on relaxation of supercoiled DNA, and an assay for topoisomerase II based on the decatenation of double-stranded DNA. The preparation of mammalian cell extracts for assaying topoisomerase activity is described, along with a protocol for an ICE assay to examine topoisomerase covalent complexes in vivo, and an assay for measuring DNA cleavage in vitro. Curr. Protoc. Pharmacol. 57:3.3.1-3.3.27. © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: topoisomerase; topoisomerase I; topoisomerase II; camptothecin; etoposide; topoisomerase poison
Using Radar-Derived Parameters to Develop Probabilistic Guidance for Lightning Cessation within Isolated Convection near Cape Canaveral, Florida

AbstractThunderstorms in central Florida frequently halt outdoor activities, requiring that one wait some prescribed time after an assumed last flash before safely resuming activities. The goal of ...
Modulation of susceptibility to lung bacterial infection by engineered nanomaterials: In vitro and in vivo correspondence based on macrophage phagocytic function

Abstract The vast diversity of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) under development is driving demand for new approaches for predictive toxicological and hazard analysis, placing increased importance on rapid in vitro (cellular) test systems for nanotoxicology. While the potential health effects of engineered nanomaterials in humans remain uncertain, evidence links exposure to nanoscale particulates from ambient and occupational sources with increased susceptibility to lung infections, including pneumonia. Here, we applied an in vitro assay amenable to high throughput to evaluate the effects of pretreatment with 16 different ENP types on the ability of macrophages to phagocytize Streptococcus pneumoniae, the leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia. Hierarchical clustering analysis of the results revealed three major classes of ENPs, ranging from metal oxide ENPs which induce macrophage cytotoxicity and robustly inhibit phagocytic function (e.g., CuO, CoO), to ENPs that had no detectable adverse effects (e.g. SiO2, TiO2). Importantly, some ENPs that lacked bioactivity by conventional cytotoxicity measures, (e.g., Fe3O4) were found to significantly suppress macrophage phagocytic function. Lung infection studies in mice using three ENPs, representing the low, medium and high toxic groups, showed excellent correspondence with in vitro predictions of their inhibitory effects on lung clearance/survival of S. pneumonia in vivo. Structure-activity modeling and gene expression analysis suggest that the potential of an ENP to enhance susceptibility to S. pneumoniae is driven by its propensity to induce oxidative stress and reprogram macrophage activation responses. Our results demonstrate the important concept that adverse biological consequences of nanomaterials may not always be directly mediated, but can be manifested by altering susceptibility to other common environmental exposures. The current study warrants careful consideration of these biological endpoints of susceptibility from both a mechanistic and hazard assessment framework for engineered nanoparticles.
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy and Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy

This chapter describes esophagogastroduodenoscopy. The text includes an introduction that outlines the indications, risks, alternatives, essential steps, needed equipment, and variations in technique for the procedure in question. This is followed by a template operative dictation, which provides the reader with an operative report, such as is found in a patient chart or electronic medical record. A description is provided of the following critical concepts for this procedure: safe endoscopic evaluation with diagnostic tests as needed.
Lava Flows Erupted in 1996 on North Gorda Ridge Segment and the Geology of the Nearby Sea Cliff Hydrothermal Vent Field From 1-M Resolution AUV Mapping

Author(s): Clague, DA; Paduan, JB; Caress, DW; McClain, J; Zierenberg, RA | Abstract: The northernmost segment of the Gorda mid-ocean ridge is the site of a small-volume eruption in 1996 and the persistent off-axis Sea Cliff hydrothermal vent field. To better understand the geologic setting and formation of these features, 1-m resolution bathymetric mapping using autonomous underwater vehicles was completed in 2016. The mapped region covers 35 km2 and 15.6 km of the volcanic axis from south of the 1996 lava flows, and a cross section for ∼4.5 km perpendicular to the axis, that extends beyond the Sea Cliff hydrothermal vent field. A proposed 1996 flow ∼7 km south of previously mapped flows is an artifact from a poor pre-eruption survey. The 1996 flows consist of three discrete steep hummocky mounds of pillows and syneruptive talus. The Sea Cliff hydrothermal field is located a few km north of the narrowest, shallowest section of the ridge segment, 2.6 km east of the center of the neovolcanic zone, and ∼370 m above the average depth of the axial graben on the largest offset ridge-parallel fault. No evidence supports the prior hypothesis that the site is located where two fault systems intersect. The axial graben is asymmetrical with larger fault offsets on the east side. The ridge axis below the hydrothermal field and to the south toward the 1996 flows is constructed dominantly of hummocky flows of pillow basalt, many unusually steep-sided, with syneruptive talus at the base of their steep slopes. Three channelized flows ponded between steep hummocky flows, and then partially drained. Some low-eruption-rate hummocky flows and high-eruption-rate channelized flows have nearly identical compositions, supporting the idea that eruption rates on mid-ocean ridges vary because of different dike widths. Four volcanic structures with volumes between 0.18 and 0.25 km3 occur in the axial graben south of the 1996 flows. Two are flat-topped cones, another is a 1.5-km diameter inflated hummocky flow with 7 pit craters that demonstrate that the flow had a molten interior during growth. The fourth voluminous structure is a steep ridge with abundant syneruptive talus on its lower slopes. The North Gorda segment is an end-member, structurally and volcanically, compared with other Pacific intermediate-rate spreading ridges.
Design and development of a filament wound composite overwrapped pressure vessel

Abstract A detailed design optimization of a composite over wrapped pressure vessel (COPV) is performed through finite element analysis (FEA) and testing. The design optimization of a type IV polymer-lined composite overwrapped pressure vessel is performed by means of the finite element method using ABAQUS software. A plug-in named WCM in ABAQUS is used that automates the entire process of constructing a COPV FEA model. This work investigates the influence of winding angle, number of layers, and sequence of layers on the burst strength of COPV. Maximum stress, maximum strain, Tsai Hill, Tsai Wu and Hashin progressive failure criteria are used to find the burst strength of the COPV. Comparing all the results obtained using above the failure criteria, it is found that the maximum strain criterion is more conservative, and the Hashin criterion is the least conservative. Digital Image Correlation (DIC) was utilized during burst testing to quantify the failure strain in different directions. The numerical results were compared with the experimental burst testing results and a reasonably good comparison was found.
Deepdive: Using AI, Machine Learning, and Virtual Reality to Explore Ancient Submerged Civilizations

This paper provides an overview of the DeepDive system and its use to uncover ancient submerged sites. While this paper focuses on one example, the system is designed to be generally applicable to other environments that are difficult to access and contain unknown components. The incorporated AI tool learns to identify systematic patterns in the environment of an ancient civilization resources and can also provide an opportunity to generate and test Anthropological and Archaeological theories. This paper demonstrates some of these basic capabilities and their potential to aid in the generic exploration of ancient sites and the civilizations that produced them.
Early Post-Transplant Persistent Pneumothorax, Dehiscence or No Dehiscence?

Introduction Early pleural complications following lung transplantation (LT) are common, ranging from 22-34%. Persistent air leaks early after transplant have been associated with increased post-operative mortality. They can result from airway complications such as anastomosis dehiscence or from a peripheral communication between the lung and the pleura. Case Report A 66-year-old female with end stage hypersensitivity pneumonitis and a prior episode of right pneumothorax was admitted to the hospital with worsening hypoxemic respiratory failure. She was found to have a new right pneumothorax which improved following chest tube insertion. She was listed for LT and remained hospitalized until a donor become available. Routine bronchoscopy preformed on POD 2, prior to extubation, showed no evidence of airway ischemia. On POD 6, worsening bilateral pneumothorax with severe subcutaneous emphysema were observed on chest X ray as well as a new air leak on the right sided chest tube. CT chest demonstrated grossly intact anastomosis; however, air was seen approximating the right anastomotic site raising concern for dehiscence. An additional chest tube was inserted with no improvement. Bronchoscopy demonstrated intact anastomoses with no airway ischemia reperfusion injury, however, an open RUL accessory bronchus was noted to take off from the native trachea (Figure 1A). A 6 mm Spiration endobronchial valve was deployed at the accessory RUL bronchus (Figure 1B) with resolution of the air-leak and pneumothorax, and subsequent chest tube removal. Summary Tracheal bronchus is a known bronchial anomaly, prevalence ranging from 0.1- 2%. Persistent air leak early after transplantation raises concern for airway complications. Albeit rare, the possibility of tracheal tree abnormalities, should be considered, especially in a stable well oxygenated patient. Intrabronchial valve placement can yield good results avoiding further invasive intervention in this highly immunosuppressed population.
Recurrent Cutibacterium acnes prosthetic valve endocarditis.

A 29-year-old man with a history of congenital aortic stenosis and mechanical aortic valve replacement with previous Cutibacterium acnes prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) presented with a 2-week history of fevers and night sweats. Transoesophageal echocardiogram revealed a 0.6 cm×0.5 cm vegetation on the mechanical aortic valve. An anaerobic blood culture became positive for C. acnes 6 days after the blood cultures were obtained. He did not have any surgical intervention. He was successfully treated with 6 weeks of ceftriaxone, followed by chronic suppression with oral doxycycline. Despite its low virulence, a growing number of C. acnes PVE cases have been reported, owing to its biofilm production. When clinical suspicion is high, extending culture incubation duration beyond the standard 5 days might be helpful. Most cases are treated with surgical repair or replacement in conjunction with antibiotics, but medical therapy alone has been documented as being successful.
Can Vaccine Prioritization Reduce Disparities in Covid-19 Burden for Historically Marginalized Populations?

1. ABSTRACT Importance Nationally stated goals for distributing SARS-CoV-2 vaccines included to reduce COVID-19 mortality, morbidity, and inequity using prioritization groups. However, the impact of these prioritization strategies is not well understood, particularly their effect on health inequity in COVID-19 burden for historically marginalized racial and ethnic populations. Objective To assess the impact of vaccination prioritization and operational strategies on disparities in COVID-19 burden among historically marginalized populations, and on mortality and morbidity by race and ethnicity. Design We use an agent-based simulation model of North Carolina to project SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19-associated deaths (mortality), hospitalizations (morbidity), and cases over 18 months (7/1/2020-12/31/2021) with vaccine distribution beginning 12/13/2020 to frontline medical and people 75+, assuming initial uptake similar to influenza vaccine. We study two-stage subsequent prioritization including essential workers (“essential”), adults 65+ (“age”), adults with high-risk health conditions, HMPs, or people in low income tracts, with eligibility for the general population in the third stage. For age-essential and essential-age strategies, we also simulated maximal uptake (100% for HMP or 100% for everyone), and we allowed for distribution to susceptible-only people. Results Prioritizing Age then Essential had the largest impact on mortality (2.5% reduction from no prioritization); Essential then Age had the lowest morbidity and reduced infections (4.2% further than Age-Essential) without significantly impacting mortality. Under each prioritization scenario, the age-adjusted mortality burden for HMPs is higher (e.g., 33.3-34.1% higher for the Black population, 13.3%-17.0% for the Hispanic population) compared to the White population, and the gap grew under some prioritizations. In the Age-Essential strategy, the burden on HMPs decreases only when uptake is increased to 100% in HMPs. However, the Black population still had the highest mortality rate even with the Susceptible-Only distribution. Conclusions and Relevance Simulation results show that prioritization strategies have differential impact on mortality, morbidity, and disparities overall and by race and ethnicity. If prioritization schemes were not paired with increased uptake in HMPs, disparities did not improve and could worsen. Although equity was one of the tenets of vaccine distribution, the vaccination strategies publicly outlined are insufficient to remove and may exacerbate disparities between racial and ethnic groups, thus targeted strategies are needed for the future.