cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Biomechanical Effects of Resuscitation Colloids on the Compromised Lung Endothelial Glycocalyx.

BACKGROUND The endothelial glycocalyx is an important component of the vascular permeability barrier, forming a scaffold that allows serum proteins to create a gel-like layer on the endothelial surface and transmitting mechanosensing and mechanotransduction information that influences permeability. During acute inflammation, the glycocalyx is degraded, changing how it interacts with serum proteins and colloids used during resuscitation and altering its barrier properties and biomechanical characteristics. We quantified changes in the biomechanical properties of lung endothelial glycocalyx during control conditions and after degradation by hyaluronidase using biophysical techniques that can probe mechanics at (1) the aqueous/glycocalyx interface and (2) inside the glycocalyx. Our goal was to discern the location-specific effects of albumin and hydroxyethyl starch (HES) on glycocalyx function. METHODS The effects of albumin and HES on the mechanical properties of bovine lung endothelial glycocalyx were studied using a combination of atomic force microscopy and reflectance interference contrast microscopy. Logistic regression was used to determine the odds ratios for comparing the effects of varying concentrations of albumin and HES on the glycocalyx with and without hyaluronidase. RESULTS Atomic force microscopy measurements demonstrated that both 0.1% and 4% albumin increased the thickness and reduced the stiffness of glycocalyx when compared with 1% albumin. The effect of HES on glycocalyx thickness was similar to albumin, with thickness increasing significantly between 0.1% and 1% HES and a trend toward a softer glycocalyx at 4% HES. Reflectance interference contrast microscopy revealed a concentration-dependent softening of the glycocalyx in the presence of albumin, but a concentration-dependent increase in stiffness with HES. After glycocalyx degradation with hyaluronidase, stiffness was increased only at 4% albumin and 1% HES. CONCLUSIONS Albumin and HES induced markedly different effects on glycocalyx mechanics and had notably different effects after glycocalyx degradation by hyaluronidase. We conclude that HES is not comparable with albumin for studies of vascular permeability and glycocalyx-dependent signaling. Characterizing the molecular and biomechanical effects of resuscitation colloids on the glycocalyx should clarify their indicated uses and permit a better understanding of how HES and albumin affect vascular function.
Participation levels in 25 Community-based participatory research projects

This analysis describes the nature of community participation in National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded community-based participatory research (CBPR) projects, and explores the scientific and social implications of variation in community participation. We conducted in-depth interviews in 2012 with professional and community researchers from 25 CBPR projects in the Southeast US. Interview topics focused on participants' experiences with the nature and conduct of their CBPR project. Projects were rated on community participation in 13 components of research. Projects varied substantially in community participation. Some projects had community participation in only two to three components; others had participation in every component. Some professional researchers were deliberate in their inclusion of community participation in all aspects of research, others had community participation in some aspects, and others were mainly concerned that community members had the opportunity to participate in the study. Findings suggest a need for a standardized rubric for community-based research that facilitates delineation of approaches and procedures that are effective and efficient. Little actual community participation may also result in negative social impacts for communities.
When Should You Operate on Major Hepatic Trauma

Hepatic trauma causes a significant amount of morbidity and mortality. The decision to on whether or not to operate is a key step in managing this problem. Operative management carries with it a higher rate of morbidity and mortality than non-operative management. However, clear indications do exist when an operation is needed. These include hemodynamic instability, continued bleeding, peritonitis, and other abdominal injuries requiring operation. Operative management involves a graded response to the injury. Selected angioembolization can be a useful adjunct to both operative and non-operative approach to hepatic trauma.
Dynamic Cure Analysis of Thermosetting Polymers

A number of articles have been published which deal with the dynamic differential thermal analysis of chemical reaction kinetics.1,2,3 In addition, there are publications which treat the polymerization kinetics of epoxy resins by dynamic differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).4,5 One of these5 contains a detailed treatment for obtaining the kinetic parameters from dynamic DSC data. The determination of epoxy cure kinetics from adiabatic calorimetry measurements has also been reported.6 Inherent in all of the previous treatments is the tacit assumption that the isothermal rate is equivalent to the temperature variant or dynamic rate; i.e. $${\left( {\frac{{\partial \alpha }}{{\partial t}}} \right)_T} \equiv \frac{{d\alpha }}{{dt}}$$ (1) where α is the fraction reacted, t the time, and T the absolute temperature.
Genetic Testing for Pituitary Disease

Pituitary dysfunction is characterized by increased or decreased production of the anterior or posterior pituitary hormones as a result of activating or inactivating mutations of the genes encoding the various pituitary hormones. Additionally, a state of hypopituitarism can be caused by pituitary hormone inactivity at the end-organ level.
New Organ Allocation System for Combined Liver-Kidney Transplants and the Availability of Kidneys for Transplant to Patients with Stage 4–5 CKD

A new proposal has been created for establishing medical criteria for organ allocation in recipients receiving simultaneous liver-kidney transplants. In this article, we describe the new policy, elaborate on the points of greatest controversy, and offer a perspective on the policy going forward. Although we applaud the fact that simultaneous liver-kidney transplant activity will now be monitored and appreciate the creation of medical criteria for allocation in simultaneous liver-kidney transplants, we argue that some of the criteria proposed, especially those for allocating a kidney to a liver recipient with AKI, are too liberal. We call on the nephrology community to follow the consequences of this new policy and push for a re-examination of the longstanding policy of allocating kidneys to multiorgan transplant recipients before all other candidates. The charge to protect our system of equitable organ allocation is very challenging, but it is a challenge that we must embrace.
Off Limits to Asian Americans? Predicting the Pursuit of Higher Education Administration.

AbstractAsian/Pacific Islanders (APIs) in the U.S. have experienced an increase in population, and higher education faculty, rates over the past two decades. However, a parallel increase among API higher education administrators is absent. To explore this disparity, this study surveyed all 180 Asian/ Asian North American (AANA) faculty in graduate schools and seminaries affiliated with the Association of Theological Schools, focusing on faculty perspectives and experiences related to personal and leadership preference, mentors/role models, leadership training, cultural differences, and institutional fit, and the predictive strength of these on faculty pursuit of administrative roles. A total of 84 faculty responded to the survey, corresponding to a 47% response rate. Results indicate that, while at a general level, AANA faculty have considered pursuing administration, cultural and structural obstacles keep these faculty from the pursuit. Comparisons of frequency data and multivariate analysis reveal impor...
Female Leadership and Role Congruity within the Clergy: Communal Leaders Experience No Gender Differences Yet Agentic Women Continue to Suffer Backlash

Role congruity theory predicts that female leaders will experience prejudice because the role of leader aligns more closely with the stereotypic male gender role than it does with the stereotypic female role. Yet the theory also states that the context of leadership matters. Female leaders in communal contexts often do not experience prejudice because the communal role is congruent to the female role. The purpose of my study is to examine female leadership within the context of the religious congregation and the profession of the clergy. Using multilevel models to analyze Wave 2 of the U.S. Congregational Life Survey (50,595 congregants in 255 congregations), I tested two competing hypotheses about whether the role of clergyperson is congruous or incongruous for women based on congregants’ perceptions of their leaders. I also hypothesized that female clergy using a more masculine leadership style would experience more prejudice. Results offer support for the hypothesis that female clergy experience role congruity, yet, I also found that they experience prejudice if they use a more masculine leadership style. These findings have implications that suggest that, even though there are behavioral restrictions for women, the profession of clergy is an amenable profession for female leaders.
Anti-Leftist Populism in McCarthyism and the Tea Party

This chapter presents an analysis of McCarthyite and the Tea Party political discourse and explores the possibilities of utilizing populism as an analytic construct for making comparisons between the political and economic projects envisaged by these two conservative movements. Relying on a definition of populism as a universal discursive formation, this chapter argues that there is a similar structure to the discourses of McCarthyism and the Tea Party, which relies on the construction of a “left-oriented enemy” posed as a threat to the American values of freedom and independence historically tied to the nation’s “founding moment.” With this comparative discursive structure established, the chapter then explores the ideological differences between the movements and attempts to interpret them within a historical framework. This chapter concludes by asserting that cases of populism in the immediate postwar period such as McCarthyism were short lived compared to new cases of populism such as the Tea Party, insofar as the universal discursive structure of populism, which once proved to be an exceptional phenomenon within modern forms of political rule is now becoming part of the institutionalized structure of democratic politics, evidenced by a number of cases taken from a comparative-historical perspective.
The effects of school-related and home-related optional science experiences on science attitudes and knowledge

Science learning is most often examined within formal education contexts, even though students spend more of their lives outside of the classroom. Students may interact with scientific phenomena during these out-of-school experiences, providing additional opportunities for learning to take place. Prior studies have found that optional science experiences have positive effects on science knowledge and attitudes. However, these studies do not always account for initial differences between students who are able to participate in many optional experiences and those who cannot. Moreover, many studies focus on high-quality science programs, which may not be representative of the average out-of-school experience. Using a longitudinal dataset of 3,700 6th and 8th grade students in urban and suburban schools from two regions in the United States, the current study investigates the effects of typically occurring optional science experiences during the school year on the development of science knowledge and attitudes. Using propensity score matching, we matched participating and nonparticipating students for characteristics that drive self-selection into these experiences, then analyzed separately for effects of school-related versus home-related science learning experiences. Stable patterns across analytic models reveal growth in science attitudes with both school- and home-related science experiences, but a greater relative decline in science knowledge with school-related science experiences. Thus, typically occurring optional science experiences can influence students’ attitudes and knowledge, but the effects can vary by the type of experience that students attend. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved)
Rural‐Urban Differences in Costs of End‐of‐Life Care for the Last 6 Months of Life Among Patients with Breast, Lung, or Colorectal Cancer

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine rural‐urban differences in utilization and expenditures in the last 6 months of life for patients with breast, lung, or colorectal cancer. METHODS: The study used a 5% sample of the 2013 Medicare Research Identifiable Files to study utilization and expenditures for beneficiaries with breast, lung, or colorectal cancer during the last 6 months before death (n = 6,214). End of life expenditures were calculated as the sum of total Medicare expenditures for inpatient, outpatient, physician, home health, hospice, and skilled nursing facility costs during the last 6 months of life. FINDINGS: For each type of cancer, total Medicare expenditures in the last 6 months of life were lower for rural decedents compared to their urban counterparts. During the last 6 months of life, median Medicare expenditures were lower for rural decedents for breast cancer ($21,839 vs $25,698), lung cancer ($22,814 vs $27,635), and colorectal cancer ($24,156 vs $28,035; all differences significant at P < .05). In adjusted models, care for rural decedents was less costly than urban decedents for breast, lung, and colorectal cancer, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that Medicare expenditures are lower for rural beneficiaries with each type of cancer than urban beneficiaries, even after adjusting for age, gender, race, dual eligibility, region, chronic conditions, and type of service utilization. The findings from this study can be useful for policymakers in developing programs and resource allocation decisions that impact rural beneficiaries.
Rapid Fire: Acute Blast Crisis/Hyperviscosity Syndrome

Emergency providers are likely to encounter patients with acute and chronic leukemias. In some cases, the first presentation to the emergency department may be for symptoms related to blast crisis and leukostasis. Making a timely diagnosis and consulting a hematologist can be life saving. Presenting symptoms are caused by complications of bone marrow infiltration and hyperleukocytosis with white blood cell counts over 100,000. Presentations may include fatigue (anemia), bleeding (thrombocytopenia), shortness of breath, and/or neurologic symptoms owing to hyperleukocytosis and subsequent leukostasis. Treatment of symptomatic cases involves induction chemotherapy and/or leukapheresis. Asymptomatic hyperleukocytosis can be treated with hydroxyurea.
Suicide in the Age of Reason

My objective is to understand how the morality of suicide was framed in the leading writings on the subject in the Age of Reason, with primary but not exclusive reference to the views of Donne, Hume, and Kant. Strikingly diverse attitudes toward suicide developed as Christianity triumphed over paganism, but I shall not explain the different historical forces producing change or survey the variety of viewpoints. Fortunately, the three thinkers on whom I concentrate are representative of important aspects of this development and diversity. Certainly it would be a mistake to group them as libertine or libertarian thinkers. Donne, Hume, and Kant are all lovers of liberty in their own distinct ways, but only Hume holds revolutionary views about suicide that are genuinely libertine.
Exploring the histogenesis of ovarian mucinous and transitional cell (Brenner) neoplasms and their relationship with Walthard cell nests: a study of 120 tumors.

Abstract Context.—The origin of and relationship between ovarian mucinous and transitional cell (Brenner) neoplasms are enigmatic. The reported association ranges from 1% to 16%, and whether there ...
Radiation Response of AlGaN-Channel HEMTs

We present heavy ion and proton data on AlGaN high-voltage HEMTs showing single event burnout (SEB), total ionizing dose, and displacement damage responses. These are the first such data for materials of this type. Two different designs of the epitaxial structure were tested for SEB. The default layout design showed burnout voltages that decreased rapidly with increasing LET, falling to about 25% of nominal breakdown voltage for ions with LET of about 34 MeV $\cdot $ cm2/mg for both structures. Samples of the device structure with lower AlN content were tested with varying gate–drain spacing and revealed an improved robustness to heavy ions, resulting in burnout voltages that did not decrease up to at least 33.9 MeV $\cdot $ cm2/mg. Failure analysis showed that there was consistently a point, location random, where gate and drain had been shorted. Oscilloscope traces of terminal voltages and currents during burnout events lend support to the hypothesis that burnout events begin with a heavy ion strike in the vulnerable region between gate and drain. This subsequently initiates a cascade of events resulting in damage that is largely manifested elsewhere in the device. This hypothesis also suggests a path for greatly improving the susceptibility to SEB as development of this technology goes forward. Testing with 2.5-MeV protons showed only minor changes in device characteristics.
Repetitive mild concussion in subjects with a vulnerable cholinergic system: lasting cholinergic-attentional impairments in CHT+/- mice.

Abstract Previous research emphasized the vulnerability of forebrain cholinergic systems and associated cognitive functions to the consequences of traumatic brain injury. Here we addressed the reverse question: Considering accumulating evidence indicating elevated cognitive and neuronal vulnerabilities in humans expressing low-capacity cholinergic systems or with declining cholinergic systems, do even relatively mild injuries cause more severe cognitive decline in such subjects, and what cholinergic mechanisms contribute to such an interaction? Using mice heterozygous for the choline transporter (CHT+/− mice) as a model for a limited cholinergic capacity, we investigated the cognitive and neuronal consequences of repeated, mild concussion injuries (rmCc). Following five rmCc, and compared with WT mice, CHT+/− mice exhibited severe and lasting impairments in sustained attention performance, consistent with effects of cholinergic losses on attention. However, rmCc did not affect the integrity of neuronal cell bodies and did not alter the density of cortical synapses. As a cellular mechanism potentially responsible for the attentional impairment in CHT+/− mice, we found that rmCc nearly completely abolished CHT-mediated choline transport. These results predict that subjects with an already vulnerable cholinergic system will experience severe and lasting cognitive-cholinergic effects following even relatively mild injuries. If confirmed in humans, such subjects may be excluded from, or receive special protection against, activities involving injury risk. Moreover, the treatment and long-term outcome of traumatic brain injuries may benefit from determining the status of cholinergic systems and closely associated functions.
Disseminated Gonococcal Infection

Disseminated Gonococcal Infection A 20-year-old woman presented with erythematous pustules on her arms and legs and joint pain in both ankles. Blood cultures were positive for Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
Sequence-specific recognition of structured RNA by triplex-forming peptide nucleic acids.

While 70% is transcribed into RNA. Although the function of most RNA transcripts is unknown, such non-coding RNAs are attractive targets for molecular recognition because of the potentially important roles they play in regulation of gene expression and development of disease. In this chapter, we describe peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) that form sequence-specific triple helices with double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). We provide protocols for sequence design and biophysical characterization of PNAs and discuss first examples where such PNAs have been used for functional modulation of dsRNA. The triplex-forming PNAs represent a new approach for RNA recognition that may find future applications in fundamental science, biotechnology and medicine.
Characterization and Mitigation of Fragmentation Enzyme-Induced Dual Stranded Artifacts

High-throughput short-read sequencing relies on fragmented DNA for optimal sampling of input nucleic acid. Several vendors now offer proprietary enzyme cocktails as a cheaper and more streamlined method of fragmentation when compared to acoustic shearing. We have discovered that these enzymes induce the formation of library molecules containing regions of nearby DNA from opposite strands. Sequencing reads derived from these molecules can lead to artifact-derived variant calls appearing at variant allele frequencies less than 5%. We present Fragmentation Artifact Detection and Elimination (FADE), software to remove these artifacts from mapped reads and mitigate artifact-related effects on downstream analysis. We find that the artifacts principally affect downstream analyses that are sensitive to a 1-3% artifact bias in the sequencing reads, such as targeted resequencing and rare variant discovery.
1 – The Expanding World of hCG

Publisher Summary In the years from 1975 to 1985 and 1986 to 2009, there were more publications and citations on clinical applications of hCG than in any other category; followed by receptor activity and biological functions of hCG. In contrast, there were no publications or citations prior to 1986 on hyperglycosylated hCG, degradation products of hCG, or diet/sports/HIV, and only two publications devoted to hCG standards and reference preparations. The lack of publications in these areas of emphasis underscores the timeliness and relevance of the reviews for each of these areas. The emphasis of the Department of Ob/Gyn at MCW on treatment of patients with trophoblast disease and the study of hCG in patients, as well as in hCG-secreting cell lines, led to the need to quantitatively measure hCG in large numbers of samples. In the areas of hCG biosynthesis, hCG genes/mRNA, hCG structure, and hCG receptor/biological functions, there was a jump in research activity in 1991–1994 with a corresponding increase in the number of citations starting in 1992. Several of these topics are being reviewed for the first time; others are continuously updated with new information emanating from the rapidly expanding field of hCG research.
Linguistic Delight Promotes Eating Right: Figurative Language Increases Perceived Enjoyment and Encourages Healthier Food Choices

The link between poor diet and poor health is well-known. Nevertheless, 90% of Americans are not meeting current dietary guidelines, avoiding nutrient dense foods like vegetables, and opting for hi...
Effectiveness of behavioral parent training in the outpatient setting for preschoolers at risk for ADHD

Abstract In 2019, the American Pediatric Association released updated guidelines regarding assessing and treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These guidelines prescribe behavioral parent training (BPT) as the first line of treatment for preschool-aged children with ADHD symptomatology. However, there are few studies documenting the effectiveness of BPT administered in real-word settings, outside the context of controlled research trials. Further, many available BPT programs are lengthy and costly. Here we investigate the effectiveness of an 8-session group-based BPT, previously shown effective in school-aged children with ADHD, in an outpatient clinic. Ratings of parental confidence, child impairment, number and severity of non-compliance in multiple situations, and ADHD and oppositional symptoms, were collected from 132 parents of preschoolers at risk for ADHD before and after the BPT groups. Improvements with a large effect size were observed for overall severity of impairment and parental confidence ratings. Improvements with a moderate effect size were observed for academic progress, severity of non-compliance, and ADHD symptom ratings. Small effect sizes were observed for reduced impairment in family functioning, peer and parental relationships, and self-esteem, frequency of non-compliance, and oppositional defiant symptom ratings. Together these findings support the effectiveness of a BPT program to treat preschool ADHD and ADHD-like behaviors that is accessible to families and clinicians.
Age-dependent increase in α-tocopherol and phytosterols in maize leaves exposed to elevated ozone pollution.

Tropospheric ozone is a major air pollutant that significantly damages crop production. Crop metabolic responses to rising chronic ozone stress have not been well studied in the field, especially in C4 crops. In this study, we investigated the metabolomic profile of leaves from two diverse maize (Zea mays) inbred lines and the hybrid cross during exposure to season-long elevated ozone (~100 nl L-1) in the field using free air concentration enrichment (FACE) to identify key biochemical responses of maize to elevated ozone. Senescence, measured by loss of chlorophyll content, was accelerated in the hybrid line, B73 × Mo17, but not in either inbred line (B73 or Mo17). Untargeted metabolomic profiling further revealed that inbred and hybrid lines of maize differed in metabolic responses to ozone. A significant difference in the metabolite profile of hybrid leaves exposed to elevated ozone occurred as leaves aged, but no age-dependent difference in leaf metabolite profiles between ozone conditions was measured in the inbred lines. Phytosterols and α-tocopherol levels increased in B73 × Mo17 leaves as they aged, and to a significantly greater degree in elevated ozone stress. These metabolites are involved in membrane stabilization and chloroplast reactive oxygen species (ROS) quenching. The hybrid line also showed significant yield loss at elevated ozone, which the inbred lines did not. This suggests that the hybrid maize line was more sensitive to ozone exposure than the inbred lines, and up-regulated metabolic pathways to stabilize membranes and quench ROS in response to chronic ozone stress.
Making the maker movement more inclusive: Lessons learned from a course on accessibility in making

Abstract Making and the ”maker movement” have been growing in popularity as a progressive educational approach. However, researchers have leveled critiques of making as being exclusionary toward people with disabilities. In this paper, we present results from the iterative design, implementation and evaluation of Inclusive Making, an undergraduate and graduate level course on accessibility in making. Students in the course went through a ten-week process, culminating in the design of accessibility solutions to include communities with disabilities in making. Using qualitative methods, we chronicle students’ design products, processes and learning in relation to the course iterations. Results show that when students worked with external stakeholders, their designs and learning improved. Moreover, designing for neurodiverse children required students to grapple with existing literature about making in education. We discuss insights from our work regarding the need for more accessibility research in making, and the potential of university students to promote accessible making by engaging with external stakeholders.
REPLY TO LETTER TO THE EDITOR: POTENTIAL USE OF RADIOLABELED ANTIBODIES FOR IMAGING AND TREATMENT OF COVID-19.

REPLY: We are happy to respond to the 4 concerns raised by Dr. Ekaterina Dadachova in her letter to the editor commenting on our Brief Communication “Oncology-Inspired Treatment Options for COVID-19” ([ 1 ][1]). Regarding the first 2 points, we would like to emphasize that these experiments
Angle chains and pinned variants

We study a variant of the Erd\H os unit distance problem, concerning angles between successive triples of points chosen from a large finite point set. Specifically, given a large finite set of $n$ points $E$, and a sequence of angles $(\alpha_1,\ldots,\alpha_k)$, we give upper and lower bounds on the maximum possible number of tuples of distinct points $(x_1,\dots, x_{k+2})\in E^{k+2}$ satisfying $\angle (x_j,x_{j+1},x_{j+2})=\alpha_j$ for every $1\le j \le k$ as well as pinned analogues.
Sarcoidosis as a Risk Factor for Atrial Fibrillation

Objective: To test the hypothesis that sarcoidosis would be associated with the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). Background: Most studies investigating cardiac manifestations of sarcoidosis have described the risks of heart failure, conduction system disease, and ventricular arrhythmias. The relationship between AF and sarcoidosis has been scarcely investigated. Methods: We analyzed a population-based cohort study of California residents aged ≥ 21 years in the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development ambulatory surgery, emergency, or inpatient databases from 2005-2015 investigating risk and predictors of incident AF diagnoses in those with and without sarcoidosis. Those with prevalent AF were excluded. Linkage to the social security death index was utilized to ascertain mortality. Results: Among 21,969,699 California residents, 19,225 (0.09%) patients with sarcoidosis were identified. AF developed in 2,283 (11.6%) of those with sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis was the strongest predictor of incident AF (HR 10.5, 95% CI 9.9-11.1) identified among all risk factors, including conventional AF predictors. The presence of evidence of cardiac involvement, namely heart failure and ventricular tachycardia, best predicted incident AF among those with sarcoidosis, while traditional risk factors better predicted incident AF in those without sarcoidosis. Approximately 44% (95 CI 31%-57%) of the increased mortality associated with sarcoidosis was statistically explained by the presence of AF. Conclusions: Sarcoidosis is a more potent predictor of incident AF than other well-established risk factors, underscoring the need for surveillance for AF among this population. These data suggest that AF in the absence of an identifiable cause should arouse suspicion for the disease.
A Simple Ventilator Designed To Be Used in Shortage Crises: Construction and Verification Testing.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the possibility of severe ventilator shortages in the near future. Objective: We aimed to develop an acute shortage ventilator. Methods: The ventilator was designed to mechanically compress a self-inflating bag resuscitator, using a modified ventilator patient circuit, which is controlled by a microcontroller and an optional laptop. It was designed to operate in both volume-controlled mode and pressure-controlled assist modes. We tested the ventilator in 4 modes using an artificial lung while measuring the volume, flow, and pressure delivered over time by the ventilator. Results: The ventilator was successful in reaching the desired tidal volume and respiratory rates specified in national emergency use resuscitator system guidelines. The ventilator responded to simulated spontaneous breathing. Conclusions: The key design goals were achieved. We developed a simple device with high performance for short-term use, made primarily from common hospital parts and generally available nonmedical components to avoid any compatibility or safety issues with the patient, and at low cost, with a unit cost per ventilator is less than $400 US excluding the patient circuit parts, that can be easily manufactured. Trial Registration:
The Stochastic Calculus of Diffusion Theory

Let (E, ℱ, P) be a probability space and (β(t), ℱ t , P) a d-dimensional Brownian motion. The purpose of this section is to point out some of the properties that (β(t), ℱ t , P) possesses in common with a much larger class of stochastic processes which we will be calling Ito processes. Since we are going to be giving a completely rigorous derivation of these properties in the more general context of Ito processes, our treatment here will be somewhat informal and proofs will not be complete.
Contraction integral equation method in three‐dimensional electromagnetic modeling

[1] The integral equation method has been proven to be an efficient tool to model three-dimensional electromagnetic problems. Owing to the full linear system to be solved, the method has been considered effective only in the case of models consisting of a strongly limited number of cells. However, recent advances in matrix storage and multiplication issues facilitate the modeling of horizontally large structures. Iterative methods are the most feasible techniques for obtaining accurate solutions for such problems. In this paper we demonstrate that the convergence of iterative methods can be improved significantly, if the original integral equation is replaced by an equation based on the modified Green's operator with the norm less or equal to one. That is why we call this technique the Contraction Integral Equation (CIE) method. We demonstrate that application of the modified Green's operator can be treated as a preconditioning of the original problem. We have performed a comparative study of the convergence of different iterative solvers applied to the original and contraction integral equations. The results show that the most effective solvers are the BIGGSTAB, QMRCGSTAB, and CGMRES algorithms, equipped with preconditioning based on the CIE method.
An improved Q-tuning scheme and a fully symmetric OTA

An improved tuning scheme for continuous-time high-Q biquad filters is proposed. An improvement over the existing implementation of the modified-LMS Q-tuning scheme is combined with frequency tuning using PLL. The scheme has less area overhead, consumes less power and is more robust to offsets in the building blocks without compromising the accuracy achieved previously. A new architecture for a pseudo-differential fully-symmetric high frequency transconductor is also proposed. It combines CMFF and CMFB to achieve a faster common mode response. A bandpass filter with center frequency 100 MHz and Q of 20 is built using the proposed OTA. The proposed tuning scheme is used to tune the filter. The circuit is fabricated in standard CMOS 0.5/spl mu/m technology and the experimental results show that the Q tuning error is around 1%.
Simulations of a plasma-filled pinched electron beam diode

Plasma-filled diode (PFD) experiments on the Gamble II pulsed-power generator show three phases of PFD behavior: a low impedance phase followed by a phase of rapidly growing impedance which culminates in a vacuum impedance phase. One-dimensional (1-D) and two dimensional (2-D) simulations of the low impedance phase and the transition to high impedance in the PFD have been performed which show good agreement with the electrical measurements. The 1-D simulations show the formation of multiple virtual cathodes in the diode along with the trapping and heating of the emitted electrons during the low impedance phase. Similar behavior is also observed in the 2D PFD simulations during the low-impedance phase. In the 1-D simulations, the low impedance phase ends when the position of the virtual cathode exceeds the anode-cathode gap size. This is accompanied by a growing bipolar sheath which is responsible for the rapid voltage growth observed in the 1-D simulations. In the 2-D simulations, the low impedance phase seems to end when the diode current exceeds critical current. The transition to high impedance occurs as the electron flow becomes strongly pinched.
Different polyamine pathways from bacteria have replaced eukaryotic spermidine biosynthesis in ciliates Tetrahymena thermophila and Paramecium tetaurelia

Abstract The polyamine spermidine is absolutely required for growth and cell proliferation in eukaryotes, due to its role in post-translational modification of essential translation elongation factor eIF5A, mediated by deoxyhypusine synthase. We have found that free-living ciliates Tetrahymena and Paramecium lost the eukaryotic genes encoding spermidine biosynthesis: S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) and spermidine synthase (SpdSyn). In Tetrahymena, they were replaced by a gene encoding a fusion protein of bacterial AdoMetDC and SpdSyn, present as three copies. In Paramecium, a bacterial homospermidine synthase replaced the eukaryotic genes. Individual AdoMetDC-SpdSyn fusion protein paralogues from Tetrahymena exhibit undetectable AdoMetDC activity; however, when two paralogous fusion proteins are mixed, AdoMetDC activity is restored and spermidine is synthesized. Structural modelling indicates a functional active site is reconstituted by sharing critical residues from two defective protomers across the heteromer interface. Paramecium was found to accumulate homospermidine, suggesting it replaces spermidine for growth. To test this concept, a budding yeast spermidine auxotrophic strain was found to grow almost normally with homospermidine instead of spermidine. Biosynthesis of spermidine analogue aminopropylcadaverine, but not exogenously provided norspermidine, correlated with some growth. Finally, we found that diverse single-celled eukaryotic parasites and multicellular metazoan Schistosoma worms have lost the spermidine biosynthetic pathway but retain deoxyhypusine synthase.
Antimycobacterial Effect of Lysates Prepared from Immunologically Activated Macrophages

Lysates or heptane extracts of peritoneal (P) and alveolar (A) normal macrophages (N-M), immune macrophages (I-M), and immune-activated macrophages (IA-M) were examined for antimycobacterial activity by the agar-plate diffusion test. This test has been found suitable to reveal the antibacterial activity in 3-day incubated, but not in freshly prepared, lysates. Results showed that materials of IA-AM or I-AM and of IA-PM exerted antimycobacterial effects, whereas materials of N-PM, I-PM, and of N-AM were usually inactive. Antimycobacterial activity of lysates of AM was stronger than that of PM. The formation of antibacterial factors during an incubation of M lysates, the solubility of the factors in heptane, and various other characteristics suggested that the antimycobacterial effect was caused by the formation of toxic levels of non-esterified fatty acids. M lysates exerted equal activities against BCG, H37Ra, and H37Rv strains of tubercle bacilli. The presence of antimycobacterial activity in lysates prepared from IA-M of either BCG- or BCG-sensitized animals indicated that the potential to generate antimycobacterial activity is associated with the state of delayed hypersensitivity and the state of activation of M.
Multichannel sense-and-avoid radar for small UAVs

To unlock the economic and societal benefits of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), they must possess an acceptable level of situation awareness so as not to become a public safety hazard. Implementation of a system to provide this awareness will surely involve a sense-and-avoid radar due to its capability and robustness. This paper focuses on the development of a sense-and-avoid radar system being developed for operation on a 40% scale Yak-54 UAV that will provide range, Doppler, and angle-of-arrival information of targets which might cause a collision. A two-dimensional (2-D) fast-Fourier transform (FFT) is implemented which maps targets of interest to a single range-Doppler cell. Phase differences in the target signal from an array of receiving antennas are used to determine the target echo's three-dimensional angle-of-arrival. The complete radar system consumes slightly less than 20 W. While the investigation is still underway, initial results indicate that a frequency-modulated, continuous-wave radar system using a 2-D FFT processing algorithm is one viable solution to improve UAV situation awareness.
A Study of the Scintillation Properties of Various Hydrogenous and Non-Hydrogenous Solutes Dissolved in Hexafluorobenzene

To enhance the gamma-ray sensitivity relative to that of fast neutrons, haxafluorobenzene (C6F6), was substituted for the primary solvent in a standard hydrogenous scintillator solution. The solutes used included p-terphenyl, ?-NPO, PPO, POPOP, DM-POPOP and decafluorobiphenyl. Optical absorption and emission spectra were measured. The sensitivity relative to NE-211 was determined for Co60 radiation, 14 MeV neutrons and 2.6 MeV neutrons as a function of solute concentration ranging between 0.03 g/liter and 3.0 g/liter. Sensitivity measurements were carried out by measuring the total integrated light output from the scintillators. For all samples studied, the relative sensitivity to Co60 gamma radiation was greater than that for fast neutrons by factors ranging between 5 and 15.
O-022 A New Protocol for Anticoagulation with Tirofiban during Stenting of Intracranial Aneurysms

Introduction Stenting techniques such as stent-assisted coiling and flow diversion are increasingly used for treatment of intracranial aneurysms. In previous reports, patients were pretreated were aspirin and clopidogrel prior to the intervention for prevention of thromboembolic complications. Prior studies also often rely on aspirin response and P2Y assessment, which often delays treatment in non-responders. The present study assesses the safety and efficacy of a new protocol for anticoagulation using tirofiban during stent-assisted coiling and flow diversion of intracranial aneurysms. Methods In this prospective study, all patients received a 0.10 mcg/kg/min maintenance infusion of tirofiban intraoperatively without a loading dose. The infusion was started immediately after deployment of the stent or flow diverter and continued for 12 h following the procedure. No patient was pretreated with aspirin or clopidogrel. Data on procedural safety was prospectively collected. Results A total of 128 aneurysms were treated with this protocol. Mean patient age was 56.2 years. Of these patients, 82 underwent stent-assisted coiling and 46 underwent flow diversion with the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED). Twenty-eight patients (22%) were treated in the setting in subarachnoid haemorrhage. There were only 2 (1.6%) thromboembolic complications and 2 (1.6%) haemorrhagic complications (1 subclinical worsening of the computed tomographic appearance of a subarachnoid haemorrhage and 1 post-PED parietal haemorrhage that was managed conservatively) in the series. The rate of treatment-related permanent morbidity and mortality were only 0.8% and 0%, respectively. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that a protocol of anticoagulation with a maintenance infusion of tirofiban during stent-assisted coiling and flow diversion of intracranial aneurysms has an excellent safety profile. This protocol provides a reasonable alternative to pre-treating with aspirin and clopidogrel. The protocol is also particularly useful in patients with ruptured aneurysms or when the use of a stent was unexpected. Disclosures N. Chalouhi: None. M. Zanaty: None. R. Starke: None. P. Jabbour: None. D. Hasan: None.
Customized Laboratory Experience in Physical Chemistry

A new physical chemistry laboratory experience has been designed for upper-level undergraduate chemistry majors. Students customize the first 10 weeks of their laboratory experience by choosing their own set of experiments (from a manual of choices) and setting their own laboratory schedule. There are several topics presented in the accompanying lecture course that students should explore in the laboratory, but there are generally many good experiments that could be used to help them reach the same learning goals. Students in this laboratory are required to complete at least one experiment from each of several categories but have flexibility in exactly which experiments they will perform. Because the experiments are all designed to be the first introduction of new concepts from the course, they can be performed at any time during the semester and in any order. In the last four weeks of the semester, each student is given the opportunity to extend his or her specific interests by designing and carrying out a special laboratory project.
Adapted Gaussian models for image classification

A general formulation of “Bayesian Adaptation” for generative and discriminative classification in the topic model framework is proposed. A generic topic-independent Gaussian mixture model, known as the background GMM, is learned using all available training data and adapted to the individual topics. In the generative framework, a Gaussian variant of the spatial pyramid model is used with a Bayes classifier. For the discriminative case, a novel predictive histogram representation for an image is presented. This builds upon the adapted topic model structure, using the individual class dictionaries and Bayesian weighting. The resulting histogram representation is evaluated for classification using a Support Vector Machine (SVM). A comparative evaluation of the proposed image models with the standard ones in the image classification literature is provided on three benchmark datasets.
Multiple solutions for a class of nonlinear Sturm-Liouville problems when nonlinearities are not odd

Abstract This article concerns a Sturm-Liouville problem whose nonlinearity is not odd. A variational method is used to obtain the existence of infinitely many solutions which are distinguished by their nodal properties. However, an example shows some nodal classes can have no solutions while others do.
Effects of annealing on deformation textures in galena

Experimental annealing of galena samples with known deformation histories shows that this mineral has the necessary properties to be a valuable source of information about low-grade deformational environments. An- nealed galena displays recovery and/or recrystallization features dependent upon the type of texture inherited from the tectonic event, which in turn is closely linked to deformation temperatures. In samples deformed at temperatures less than 200 ~ C in the laboratory, later annealing produced subgrains, mosaics of new grains, or rapid grain boundary migration as the annealing temperatures were varied from 200 ~ C to 700 ~ C. Kink bands maintained characteristic straight simple boundaries inherited from the deformation event. Samples deformed above 300 ~ C devel- oped "syntectonically" recrystallized textures. Kink bands had been converted to elongate grains with complex sutured grain boundaries during deformation, and mosaics of new grains were found in highly deformed regions. These textures were extremely stable through later annealing. Despite our changing annealing temperatures through 500 ~ C, we did not produce similar textures from both low and high temperature deformation runs. Examination of polished and etched galena from low-grade tectonic set- tings may well be worth the effort since galena textures appear to display features indicative of deformational evironments, even after being subjected to considerable post-tectonic thermal perturbations.
CONFORMATIONAL ANALYSIS OF QUINONE ANION RADICALS IN PHOTOSYSTEM II AND PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIA

Using density functional theory (DFT) techniques, we have investigated possible conformers of the radical anions of plastoquinone (psQ), ubiquinone (ubQ), and menaquinone (mnQ), which are formed in ...