cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photoluminescence Excitation Spectroscopy (PLE) of Porous Silicon

PLE spectroscopy was performed on samples of porous Si at temperatures of 300 and 4.2 K. PLE provides information about the absorption coefficient in the limit of optically thin samples and is an alternative method for determining absorption data on porous Si without removal of the substrate. The spectra obtained correspond closely to the relative changes in absorption coefficient for bulk Si between 2.0 and 3.5 eV, with a strong increase above 3.0 eV which is due to the direct bandgap transition.
Investigations of MgF 2 Optical Thin Films with Ultra-Low Refractive Indices Prepared from Autoclaved Sols

We have confirmed that our porous MgF2 coatings can be uniformly formed on φ 300 mm substrates as a single coating and as a hybrid coating with sublayers formed by physical vapor deposition.
Interferon Induction in Normal and Leukemic Human Lymphocyte Cultures by Tilorone Hydrochloride

SummaryLymphocytes recovered from normal donors and from patients with CLL were examined for interferon-producing capacity, following treatment with tilorone hydrochloride in vitro. The interferon response observed in normal lymphocyte cultures appeared to be correlated with the toxic effect of the inducer. The effect observed in the leukemic lymphocyte cultures was delayed, but of a similar magnitude. The data indicate that leukemic cells are either more resistant to the toxic effects of this agent, or their metabolic activity is less than observed in normal lymphocytes.
Mass spectrometry data for in vitro protein profiles in early and late stages of Douglas-fir xylogenesis

A Douglas-fir tissue culture system was developed [1] that could be induced to differentiate into tracheary elements (fibers) making it possible to monitor xylogenesis in vitro by a proteomics approach. Two proteomes, one from an early and one from a late stage of fiber differentiation process were analyzed and compared. Obtained mass spectrometry proteomics data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange Consortium (http://proteomecentral.proteomexchange.org) via the PRIDE partner repository [2] with the dataset identifiers PXD001484 and DOI:10.6019/ PXD001484 [3].
Novel device and technique for minimally invasive intracerebral hematoma evacuation in the same setting of a ruptured intracranial aneurysm: combined treatment in the neurointerventional angiography suite.

BACKGROUND The presence of intracerebral hematoma from aneurysm rupture is an indication for craniotomy for clot evacuation and aneurysm clipping. Some centers have begun securing aneurysms with coil embolization followed by clot evacuation in the operating room. This approach requires transporting a patient from the angiography suite to the operating room, which can take valuable time and resources. OBJECTIVE To report our experience with 3 cases in which a novel technique for minimally invasive evacuation of intracerebral hematomas after endovascular treatment of ruptured intracranial aneurysms was used. The Penumbra Apollo system can be used in the angiography suite in conjunction with neuroendovascular techniques to simultaneously address a symptomatic hematoma associated with a ruptured aneurysm. METHODS Standard preoperative computed tomography angiography was performed on arrival to the emergency department. The patients underwent diagnostic cerebral angiography followed by balloon-assisted coil embolization and then remained in the neurointerventional suite for intracerebral hematoma evacuation with the Apollo system. RESULTS All patients tolerated coil embolization and hematoma evacuation well. The combined procedures lasted <3 hours in both cases. Two patients were eventually discharged to acute rehabilitation facilities less than a month after their initial insult, and 1 has been cleared to return to work. The other patient was transferred to hospice care. CONCLUSION The Apollo aspiration system appears to be a safe and effective minimally invasive option for intracerebral hematoma evacuation, particularly when coupled with endovascular embolization of ruptured intracranial aneurysms. Future work will address which patient population is most likely to benefit from this promising technique.
Acute aortic dissection.

The sometimes confusing picture of aortic dissection can be understood best if one relates the symptoms and signs either to the dissection itself or to the consequent occlusion of arteries arising from the aorta. Mortality is high, particularly when the dissection involves the ascending aorta. Surgery may be necessary for any of a number of reasons. Antihypertensive drugs have been the mainstay of nonoperative management.
Application of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance(NMR) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI) in Food Industry

NMR and MRI are widely applied into foods by the advantages of quickness,no injury and no invade.Five major aspects of their application in the food processing were summarized in this paper,including measuring the content of water in the biological and food system,study on distribution and mobility of water in food,study on degree of maturity and injuries of fruits and vegetables,studyon fat in food and study on glass transition temperature of food.
Hemorrhage-Induced Alterations in Cell-Mediated Immune Function

Hemorrhage resulting from trauma is a major problem facing many clinicians on a daily basis, and the resulting sepsis and multiple organ failure [1–6] is responsible for 60% of the deaths in the surgical intensive care units [7]. Although the improved resuscitation of such patients has resulted in increased short-term survival, the fact remains that late septic complications continue to prevail [2]. It is encouraging, however, that the complex pathophysiology of hemorrhagic shock is becoming better understood as more studies are being reported [8–15]. Through such studies, information might be forthcoming that would lead to the better management of trauma victims.
Interactions of Microfungi and Plant-Parasitic Nematodes

Plant-parasitic nematodes and microfungi inhabit many of the same ecological habitats and interact in almost every conceivable way. Nematodes can feed on fungi, and conversely fungi can use nematodes as a food source. Fungi have been widely studied as biological controls of plant-parasitic nematodes. Fungi can attract or repel nematodes, and nematodes and fungi can interact to either directly or indirectly increase or even decrease plant disease. Nematodes can also feed on fungi and act as biological controls of plant disease. Plant-parasitic nematodes likely obtained the cell wall-degrading enzymes necessary to successfully feed on plants from fungi through horizontal gene transfer. Finally, plant-parasitic nematodes can interact with fungal pathogens or even nonpathogenic or weakly pathogenic fungi to increase plant disease.
Causation and the Temporal Regularity of Subjunctive Conditionals

Many counterfactual subjunctive conditionals are true because of a causal relationship which holds between events mentioned in their antecedents and consequents. In fact, our understanding of causation, subjunctive conditionals, and laws or law statements are inextricably intertwined. Because of this, we might expect that we could use an analysis of subjunctive conditionals to explicate certain causal notions or the notion of a physical law. Certain authors have attempted this recently, two of these being David Lewis and Marshall Swain. Both of these attempts make use of an account of subjunctive conditionals in explaining what are the conditions for one event to be a cause of another. Of the two, Lewis includes the unanalysed notion of a law in his analysis of causation as well. Both of these very similar accounts fail, I think, for reasons which make it very unlikely that any such explication of causation will succeed. To show this will be the primary task for the next section of this chapter.
Dendritic cells from the human female reproductive tract rapidly capture and respond to HIV.

Dendritic cells (DCs) throughout the female reproductive tract (FRT) were examined for phenotype, HIV capture ability and innate anti-HIV responses. Two main CD11c+ DC subsets were identified: CD11b+ and CD11blow DCs. CD11b+CD14+ DCs were the most abundant throughout the tract. A majority of CD11c+CD14+ cells corresponded to CD1c+ myeloid DCs, whereas the rest lacked CD1c and CD163 expression (macrophage marker) and may represent monocyte-derived cells. In addition, we identified CD103+ DCs, located exclusively in the endometrium, whereas DC-SIGN+ DCs were broadly distributed throughout the FRT. Following exposure to GFP-labeled HIV particles, CD14+ DC-SIGN+ as well as CD14+ DC-SIGN− cells captured virus, with ∼30% of these cells representing CD1c+ myeloid DCs. CD103+ DCs lacked HIV capture ability. Exposure of FRT DCs to HIV induced secretion of CCL2, CCR5 ligands, interleukin (IL)-8, elafin, and secretory leukocyte peptidase inhibitor (SLPI) within 3 h of exposure, whereas classical pro-inflammatory molecules did not change and interferon-α2 and IL-10 were undetectable. Furthermore, elafin and SLPI upregulation, but not CCL5, were suppressed by estradiol pre-treatment. Our results suggest that specific DC subsets in the FRT have the potential for capture and dissemination of HIV, exert antiviral responses and likely contribute to the recruitment of HIV-target cells through the secretion of innate immune molecules.
Differential Effects of Inflammation on Bone and Response to Biologics in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Spondyloarthritis

We review the pathways, cytokines, and concepts important to the pathogenesis of bone resorption and formation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA). Research in bone biology has shed light on the pathogenesis of the joint destruction that occurs in RA and in peripheral SpA. However, understanding the mechanisms behind the bone formation seen in peripheral and axial SpA has been challenging. Mouse models have been used to gain an understanding of key signaling pathways, cytokines and cells regulating inflammation in these diseases. Biologic therapies directed against these targets have been developed to control both inflammation and effects on bone. Although biologic therapies improve joint inflammation in both RA and SpA, leading to a decrease in pain and improving quality of life for patients, the long-term effects of such therapies must also be evaluated by assessing their impact on structural progression. Inhibition of radiographic progression in both RA and peripheral SpA has been easier to demonstrate than in axial SpA. Here, we discuss the similarities and differences among biologic therapies as they pertain to radiographic progression.
Examination of Imported Cheeses for Aflatoxin M1.

A total of 118 imported cheeses from 13 countries were analyzed for aflatoxin M1. Six were very hard types that included Parmesan, Romano and Sapsago; 74 were hard types that included Swiss and Cheddar; and 38 were soft or semisoft types, mainly Camembert and cheese spreads. Eight (6.8%) contained aflatoxin M1 at levels of 0.1 to 1.0 ng/g (limit of determination was 0.05 ng/g).
What drivers will influence global immunizations in the era of grand convergence in global health

Abstract Recent projections suggest that by 2035 global health will look dramatically different than it does today. In what’s called a ‘grand convergence’ the world is likely to be characterized by far more similarities than differences in the prevailing health and medical problems across populations. This manuscript considers how key drivers for vaccine use and uptake might change as a result of the grand convergence and how decisions taken now might anticipate those changes in ways that position immunizations to continue playing an important role in the future.
The power- p Steiner tree problem

This paper introduces the power-p Steiner tree problem, which is to find a geometric Steiner tree that minimizes the sum of the edge lengths each raised to the p power. A number of results are presented on computing optimal and approximate power-p Steiner trees. Specifically, a linear-time numerical algorithm is presented for computing optimal Euclidean power-2 Steiner trees with respect to a given topology, and the algorithm is proved to be numerically stable. It is conjectured, and strong evidence given, that the power-p Steiner tree problem is not finitely solvable for p ≥ 5. Finally, bounds are given on the power-p Steiner ratio, which measures the quality of a minimum spanning tree as an approximation of an optimal power-p Steiner tree.
Raiding and Alliances: Indigenous Educational Sovereignty as Social Justice

This article addresses the ways scholar activists interrupt Indigenous marginalization in institutional education. Grounded in our personal and professional experiences as public scholar educators, and speaking from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous positionalities, we approach everyday social justice through an interactional framework. Our collaborative vison of power appropriation and power-sharing—raiding and alliances—conceptualizes efforts to enact Indigenous sovereignties in the academy as an enduring struggle. Our personal vignettes offer on-the-ground instances of interrupting the marginalization of Indigenous peoples are engaged through social justice scholarship and teaching. We propose that the raiding and alliances framework broadens our understanding of the local negotiations to respond to historic tensions with a view of scholarship and teaching as daily opportunities for interrupting entrenched inequities. The end goal of this work is to humanize educational processes from an Indigenous and intercultural perspective.
Emotion Display as a Strategy for Identity Negotiation

Affect control theory provides a formal model of emotions, behavior, and identity shifts during social interaction. According to the theory, emotions provide information about both the identity of an emoting actor and how well current social events are confirming that identity. Actors can avoid or mitigate identity damage resulting from inappropriate behaviors by displaying certain emotions (e.g. remorse). Alternately, actors can expose their identities to social damage by displaying inappropriate affect while behaving otherwise normatively. Here we present experimental tests of eight hypotheses based on affect control-based simulations. We find that (1) display of emotions that are affectively congruent with behaviors can reduce damage to identity from harmful behaviors; (2) display of evaluatively incongruent emotions can actually contribute to a spoiled identity, even in the context of socially positive behaviors; and (3) emotions that are evaluatively congruent with behaviors make actors seem more powerful. Respondents feel that they understand and like actors more when they display normative, affectively congruent emotions. These results are complicated somewhat by responses to the emotion of anger. One hypothesis—that low potency emotions will make actors seem more powerful—is not confirmed. We interpret these results and suggest avenues for future research.
Relationship between assistive torque and knee biomechanics during exoskeleton walking in individuals with crouch gait

Crouch or “flexed knee” gait is a pathological gait pattern affecting many individuals with cerebral palsy. One proposed method to alleviate crouch is to provide robotic assistance to knee extension during walking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how the magnitude of knee extensor torque affects knee kinematics, kinetics, and muscle activity. Motion capture, ground reaction force and electromyography data were collected while four participants with crouch gait from cerebral palsy walked with assistance from a novel robotic exoskeleton on an instrumented treadmill. Different magnitudes of knee extensor torque were provided during the stance (range: 0.09–0.38 Nm/kg) and swing (range: 0.09–0.29 Nm/kg) phases of the gait cycle. Using a linear regression analysis, we found that greater torque from the exoskeleton was positively associated with increased knee extension (reduction in crouch) at foot contact and mid-stance, negatively associated with the biological knee extensor moment, and positively associated with knee flexor muscle activity. Determining the relationships between exoskeleton assistance and knee kinematics and kinetics will benefit the continued investigation of robotic treatment strategies for treating crouch gait. Our findings indicate the importance of properly tuned robotic control strategies for gait rehabilitation.
Sparsity of Linear Discrete-Time Optimal Control Problems With $l_1$ Objectives

This paper explores optimal control problems with $l_1$ objectives involving linear discrete-time systems. These problems can be efficiently solved as linear programs. They also have previously been shown to yield sparse solutions, including idle or deadbeat solutions where the input or output is respectively zero along the entire control horizon. The main contribution of this paper is to derive conditions on the problem parameters that specify when idle or deadbeat solutions occur. These results, based on analyzing the dual problem, demonstrate how different types of sparse solutions result from the choice of the problem parameters and, as a consequence, may guide the design of controllers employing $l_1$ objectives.
Cooperative interactions between VEGFR2 extracellular Ig-like subdomains ensure VEGFR2 dimerization

Abstract Background Prior studies have suggested that the interactions occurring between VEGFR2 extracellular domains in the absence of ligand are complex. Here we seek novel insights into these interactions, and into the role of the different Ig-like domains (D1 through D7) in VEGFR2 dimerization. Methods We study the dimerization of a single amino acid mutant and of three deletion mutants in the plasma membrane using two photon microscopy and fully quantified spectral imaging. Results We demonstrate that a set of cooperative interactions between the different Ig-like domains ensure that VEGFR2 dimerizes with a specific affinity instead of forming oligomers. Conclusions The contributions of subunits D7 and D4 seem to be the most critical, as they appear essential for strong lateral interactions and for the formation of dimers, respectively. General significance This study provides new insights into the mechanism of VEGFR2 dimerization and activation.
David Oliver: Caveats about collaborative health

In July, Fiona Godlee asked whether we were ready for collaborative care,1 highlighting an essay by a US author, Michael Millenson, that elegantly argued for moving beyond “person centred” healthcare to collaborative approaches.2 UK public health services have their own advocates in this movement—notably, the Royal College of General Practitioners, the Coalition for Collaborative Care,3 and NHS England’s House of Care framework.4 I generally support this movement. As more people live with long term medical conditions, it surely makes sense for them to be more informed and more involved in identifying their own treatment plans and goals. It also makes sense for them to manage these in collaboration with clinicians, while …
Dynamic optical networks based on digital subcarrier multiplexing

Digital subcarrier multiplexing (DSCM) is a frequency division multiplexing (FDM) technique which makes use of multiple digitally created subcarriers on each wavelength. This circuit-based approach combined with elastic optic networking has the potential to provide high bandwidth efficiency, sub-wavelength level flexible data-rate granularity, and electronic compensation of transmission impairments. We present our study and testbed development about a DSCM crossconnect which allows dynamic bandwidth, frequency and power level assignment of each individual digital subcarrier channel in order to achieve the desired data rate granularity as well as the quality of transmission.
Naloxone formulation for overdose reversal preference among patients receiving opioids for pain management

Abstract Background Opioid-related overdose has increased 137% in the past decade. Training nonmedical bystanders to administer naloxone (Narcan™) is a widely-researched intervention that has been associated with decreases in overdose rates in the communities in which it has been implemented. A recent review advocated for noninjectable formulations of naloxone, however patient preference for naloxone formulations has not yet been examined (Strang et al., 2016). Methods Two cohorts of respondents (N 1 = 501, N 2 = 172) who reported currently being prescribed an opioid for pain management were recruited through the crowd-sourcing program Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) to assess their preference for naloxone formulations. All respondents were provided a description of different formulations and asked to indicate all formulations they would be willing to administer for overdose reversal and to then rank formulations in order of preference. Results Results were remarkably similar across both cohorts. Specifically, respondents preferred noninjectable formulations (intranasal, sublingual, buccal) over injectable (intravenous, intramuscular) formulations. A small percent (8.9%–9.8%) said they would never be willing to administer naloxone. An identical percent of respondents in both cohorts (44.9%) rated intranasal as their most preferred formulation. Conclusions Two independent cohorts of respondents who were receiving opioid medications for pain management reported a preference for noninjectable over injectable formulations of naloxone to reverse an opioid overdose. Though initial preference is only one of many factors that impacts ultimate public acceptance and uptake of a new product, these results support the additional research and development of noninjectable naloxone formulations.
The Relationship of the Succinylcholine-Induced Ocular Position to the Postoperative Alignment: A Preliminary Report

A video-data system was developed to record the response of the extraocular muscles to a 2 mg/kg intravenous bolus of succinylcholine, under anesthesia, pre and postsurgically. The ocular position ...
The anticipation of ecopoetics in Muriel Rukeyser’s The Life of Poetry

The inclusion of excerpts from Muriel Rukeyser’s long poem ‘The Book of the Dead’ (1938) in the ‘Historical’ section of The Ecopoetry Anthology (2013) testifies to the eco-ethical prescience of Ruk...
8.5 Ice Properties and Glacier Dynamics

Glaciers and ice sheets gain material through accumulation of snow above the equilibrium line; they lose mass through ablation and meltwater runoff at lower elevations below the equilibrium line, and through iceberg calving where the terminus is in contact with the ocean or proglacial lakes. Additionally, mass may be gained or lost through freezing or melting at the glacier base; but for grounded ice masses, this component of the mass balance is generally small. The objective of modeling glaciers is to develop quantitative models to describe the transfer of mass from the accumulation zone to the ablation region.
Authentic tart cherry juice reduces markers of inflammation in overweight and obese subjects: a randomized, crossover pilot study.

Subclinical inflammation is frequently noted in chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and obesity. Accumulating epidemiological evidence demonstrates that diets rich in vegetables and fruits, e.g., cherries, may significantly reduce the risk of chronic disease, in part, via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In this randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study, we recruited 10 at-risk participants (38.1 ± 12.5 years; 8 females, 2 males) with BMI >25.0 kg m−2 (32.2 ± 4.6 kg m−2; 5 obese, 5 overweight) to consume 240 mL (8 ounces) daily of either 100% tart cherry juice (TCJ) or an alternate placebo beverage, for 4 weeks with a 2-week intervening washout period before switching to the alternate beverage for four weeks. Fasting blood samples were collected at the beginning and end of each arm for measurement of biomarkers of inflammation. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), an indicator of chronic inflammation, was significantly (p < 0.05) lower with TCJ than with the placebo beverage, which increased ESR by 19%. Mean baseline hsCRP, an indicator of acute inflammation, was 7.0 ± 5.2 mg L−1 and consumption of TCJ did not affect hsCRP levels. The chemokine MCP-1 and cytokine TNF-alpha were lower in participants after consuming TCJ compared to those consuming the placebo beverage. Plasma IL-6 and IL-l0 were not different between treatments. Collectively, the data suggest that authentic 100% TCJ may reduce biomarkers of inflammation often noted in chronic disease and may be a preferable dietary selection compared to artificially flavored beverages with added sugars.
Ultimate Boundedness and Invariant Measure

We study ultimate boundedness in the m.s.s. of solutions to SDE’s, namely the following property, \(E\| X^{x}(t)\|^{2}_{H}\leq c\mathrm{e}^{-\beta t}\| x\|_{H}^{2}+M\), \(c,\; \beta >0\), M<∞.
Evaluating Aid Agencies: Challenges, Comparisons, and Causes of Best Aid Practices

How can foreign aid be more effective? The development community has found one such answer in a movement to identify best aid practices, and to monitor, evaluate, and rank the performance of different aid donors along these measures. Although foreign aid donors have committed to implementing these best aid practices, the research on donor performance and rankings show that donors are still not reaching their stated goals. This chapter summarizes the findings in the literature on donor performance and examines the research surrounding the factors that influence donors’ decisions to engage in best aid practices. Questions of donor motivation and the political economy of donor strategies and performance have come under scrutiny for influencing ineffective aid strategies.
Applying the Challenge-Hindrance Stressor Framework to Doctoral Education.

Doctoral education is inherently stressful for students. While the implications of stress on employees has been heavily investigated within the management literature, what we know about stress has ...
Disparities in Mortality and Health Care Utilization for 460,851 Hospitalized Patients with Cirrhosis and Hepatic Encephalopathy.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common cause of hospitalizations and readmissions for patients with decompensated cirrhosis. In this study, we proposed to investigate recent trends in in-hospital mortality and utilization for patients with cirrhosis and HE and to explore the effect of various sociodemographic, hospital, and clinical factors on mortality. We performed an observational study using serial cross-sectional data from the 2009–2013 National Inpatient Sample to examine hospitalizations of patients with cirrhosis and HE. We collected data on in-hospital mortality, length of stay, and total hospital costs. We used negative binomial regression and logistic regression to investigate trends in utilization and multilevel modeling to examine the association between sociodemographic, hospital, and clinical factors and in-hospital mortality. The annual total number of hospitalizations from HE has steadily risen from 75,475 in 2009 to 106,915 in 2013 (P < 0.001). Annual in-hospital mortality (11.9–10.2%, P < 0.001) and length of stay (7.5–7.1 days, P = 0.015) have significantly decreased over this timeframe. The presence of septicemia, GI bleeding, and being uninsured were associated with 29.6%, 16.7%, and 15.7% of in-hospital death, respectively. Patients hospitalized in the South, Medicare beneficiaries, and patients hospitalized in the Midwest had a 9.8%, 9.2%, and 8.9% chance of dying in the hospital. The number of hospitalizations from HE has increased while in-hospital mortality has concomitantly decreased from 2009 to 2013. Both traditional risk factors (sepsis and GI bleeding) strongly influence the probability of in-hospital death. However, disparities in mortality by sociodemographic factors (insurance status and geography) also exist.
The effect of oxygen on the PaO2/FiO2-ratio and shunt fraction in patients on mechanical ventilation: a physiological study

Background: Clinicians and researchers use the P/F-ratio, the ratio between PaO2 and the fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2), to assess lung injury severity. Ideally, the P/F-ratio should depend solely on a patient9s pulmonary condition. Preclinical studies, however, suggest that FiO2 might influence the P/F-ratio by affecting ventilation/perfusion (V/Q)-matching. In this study, we investigated the effect of FiO2 modulation on P/F-ratio and V/Q-matching in mechanically-ventilated postoperative patients. Methods: We recruited 10 invasively-ventilated patients after cardiac surgery with a pulmonary-artery catheter in situ. FiO2 was increased stepwise from 0.21 to 1.0. Arterial and mixed venous blood was drawn at each level to calculate the P/F-ratio and shunt fraction. Cardiac output was measured at lowest and highest FiO2. Results: The relation between FiO2 and the P/F-ratio was U-shaped (Fig 1), with the largest differences between FiO2 0.5 and 1.0 (mean 280 vs 390 mmHg, p Conclusion: The set FiO2 significantly influences the P/F-ratio in mechanically-ventilated patients. This might lead to incorrect assessment of lung injury. We suggest that the P/F-ratio should be assessed at a standardized oxygen level.
Thalamic organization in essential tremor patients with neuropathy: implication for functional neurosurgery

Abstract Background Mechanisms underlying the suboptimal effect of ventral intermediate nucleus deep brain stimulation in patients with essential tremor and co-morbid peripheral neuropathy remain unclear. Objectives We compared disease-related (location and extension of the ventral intermediate nucleus) and surgery-related (targeting, intraoperative testing) factors in essential tremor patients with and without peripheral polyneuropathy treated with deep brain stimulation of the ventral intermediate nucleus, testing whether the overlap between volume of tissue activated and ventral intermediate nucleus (target coverage) was associated with clinical outcomes. Methods Preoperative diffusion magnetic resonance imaging was used for thalamic segmentation, based on preferential cortical connectivity. The target coverage was estimated using a finite element model. Tremor severity was scored at rest, posture, action, and handwriting at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Tremor improvement Results 9.7% (18/185) of essential tremor patients treated with deep brain stimulation had co-morbid polyneuropathy. These patients showed a more medial (p=0.03) and anterior (p=0.04) location of the ventral intermediate nucleus, lower target coverage (p=0.049), and worse clinical outcomes (p=0.006) compared to those without polyneuropathy. No differences were observed in the volume of tissue activated between the two groups. Optimal clinical outcomes were associated with greater target coverage (optimal coverage >48%). Conclusions In essential tremor, co-morbid polyneuropathy may result in suboptimal deep brain stimulation outcomes and lower target coverage, likely related to a reorganization of the ventral thalamic nuclei.
An examination of the effectiveness of virtual reality technology for intercultural competence development

Abstract This study examines the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) technology as an innovative learning platform in developing intercultural competence, including intercultural knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs. The research was based on data from undergraduate STEM students in a first-year technology course at a large public university in the Midwestern U.S. (n = 101). Online questionnaires measuring the universality-diversity dimension, tolerance of ambiguity, intercultural sensitivity, and cultural knowledge were used to collect pre-posttest data pre- and post-intervention. Paired sample t-tests assessing various components of intercultural competence yielded mean score increases from directly before (T1) to two weeks after (T2) the VR intervention. Furthermore, the study tested the specific relationship of participants’ Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) scores to intercultural competence measures. A linear regression revealed that students’ pre-training IDI and cultural knowledge scores were significant predictors of their MGUDS score change, controlling for demographic variables such as gender, ethnicity, international student status, travel, and life history. Since objective measures of knowledge increased while self-report instruments such as the MGUDS showed mean decreases, the VR-based learning environment seems to have encouraged learners to develop a more realistic self-assessment of their level of intercultural competence. Results from this study suggest the importance of immersion (even when mobility is not possible) in developing intercultural competence and the potentials of VR technology in advancing intercultural learning. Implications for research and practice of intercultural competence development are discussed.
An assessment of dexmedetomidine as an opioid-sparing agent after neonatal open thoracic and abdominal operations.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of dexmedetomidine as an opioid-sparing agent in infants following open thoracic or abdominal operations. Methods Retrospective review of postoperative neonates who received IV acetaminophen with or without dexmedetomidine. The primary outcome was opioid dosage within the first ten postoperative days. Secondary outcomes included times to extubation, full feedings and discharge. Results 112 infants met inclusion criteria. Those managed with dexmedetomidine received 1.8-4.3 times more opioid on postoperative days 1-3, had longer times to extubation and trended towards longer lengths of hospital stay than infants who were not. Opioid was dosed >0.2 ME/kg on only 23% of days when the acetaminophen dose was >40 mg/kg/day and 10% of days when the acetaminophen dose was >45 mg/kg. Conclusion Dexmedetomidine may not be opioid sparing after major operations in neonates and its use delays recovery. IV acetaminophen dosed at 40 mg/kg/day or greater may yield the most substantial opioid-sparing effect.
Flux in tilted potential systems: negative resistance and persistence

Many real-world systems are well-modeled by Brownian particles subject to gradient dynamics plus noise arising, e.g., from the thermal fluctuations of a heat bath. Of central importance to many applications in physics and biology (e.g., molecular motors) is the net steady-state particle current or "flux" enabled by the noise and an additional driving force. However, this flux cannot usually be calculated analytically. Motivated by this, we investigate the steady-state flux generated by a nondegenerate diffusion process on a general compact manifold; such fluxes are essentially equivalent to the stochastic intersection numbers of Manabe (1982). In the case that noise is small and the drift is "gradient-like" in an appropriate sense, we derive a graph-theoretic formula for the small-noise asymptotics of the flux using Freidlin-Wentzell theory. When additionally the drift is a local gradient sufficiently close to a generic global gradient, there is a natural flux equivalent to the entropy production rate---in this case our graph-theoretic formula becomes Morse-theoretic, and the result admits a description in terms of persistent homology. As an application, we provide a mathematically rigorous explanation of the paradoxical "negative resistance" phenomenon in Brownian transport discovered by Cecchi and Magnasco (1996).
Soil and Sanskriti

The ancient civilization of India is based on belief in the fundamental laws governing the stewardship and sustainable management of soil and other natural resources. The ancient philosophical and religious concepts are complemented by modern scientific principles of soil and water conservation, nutrient cycling, restoration of soil quality and improvement in soil biodiversity. The strategic consideration of combining modern science with spiritual concepts is more important now than ever before because of the need for widespread adoption of recommended management practices (RMPs) to replace the extractive farming techniques characterized by low productivity and negative nutrient budget, and depleted/degraded soil and water resources. Such a transformation is also highlighted by an unprecedented growth in population, increase in affluence, and change in climate characterized by uncertainty and high frequency of extreme events (drought and flood). Whereas the historic success in agronomic and per capita production is commendable, there is no scope for complacency because even greater challenges lie ahead. The problem of food insecurity and environmental degradation are exacerbated by rapidly expanding megacities, urban encroachment, decreasing per capita arable land area, increasingly affluent lifestyle, and growing preference towards animal-based diet. With major challenges of enhancing production while improving the environment, there is a strong need for a paradigm shift, and for considering all options of promoting the adoption of RMPs. Certainly, combining science with religion is an important option worthy of serious consideration.
A daily global mesoscale ocean eddy dataset from satellite altimetry

Mesoscale ocean eddies are ubiquitous coherent rotating structures of water with radial scales on the order of 100 kilometers. Eddies play a key role in the transport and mixing of momentum and tracers across the World Ocean. We present a global daily mesoscale ocean eddy dataset that contains ~45 million mesoscale features and 3.3 million eddy trajectories that persist at least two days as identified in the AVISO dataset over a period of 1993–2014. This dataset, along with the open-source eddy identification software, extract eddies with any parameters (minimum size, lifetime, etc.), to study global eddy properties and dynamics, and to empirically estimate the impact eddies have on mass or heat transport. Furthermore, our open-source software may be used to identify mesoscale features in model simulations and compare them to observed features. Finally, this dataset can be used to study the interaction between mesoscale ocean eddies and other components of the Earth System.
Family Management Style: Concept Analysis and Development

Consistent with nursing's ongoing emphasis on theory development is the recognition of concept analysis's contribution to the advancement of theory. Following Sartori's framework for concept analysis, the authors analyzed the concept family management styles (FMS) as it relates to families in which there is a chronically ill or disabled child. The analysis includes both a review of existing conceptualizations of FMS and a model for reconceptualizing the concept. The systematic conceptualization of family response to chronic illness provides an essential foundation for developing effective, sensitive interventions that promote the growth of individual family members and the family unit as a whole.
Gender Differences: Mortgage Credit Experience

This study examined gender differences in the mortgage credit experience. Home Mortgage Disclosure Data Act (HMDA) data along with Lending PatternsTM generated rates for originations, denials, and fallouts from 2004 to 2013. The gender effect on these rates was examined for statistical differences using the independent t-test, ANOVA, and one sample t-test. Across the country, the results showed no statistical gender effect on origination, denial or fallout rates in the post-housing crisis era. Within the race, this relationship held up, with exclusions. The white females had a lower fallout rate than white males, and Asian females had a higher denial rate than Asian males. Within gender, controlling for race, white females had higher origination and lower denial rates than Black, Hispanic, and Native Americans but were not statistically different from Asian females. Comparing white males to females by race, the results indicated that 53% of the time white males had higher origination, lower denial, or lower fallout rates than females. While 40% of the time, the white male’s mortgage experience was not statistically different from females. Seven percent of the time the white male’s origination rate was lower than white females. In the final analysis, at no time did minority females have a better mortgage experience than white males, but they did 33% of the time experience no statistical difference. Given these points, the applicant’s gender had less of an effect on the mortgage credit experience than the applicant’s race.
Bone-grafting and bone-graft substitutes.

The treatment of delayed unions, malunions, and nonunions requires restoration of alignment, stable fixation, and in many cases adjunctive measures such as bone-grafting or use of bone-graft substitutes.Bone-graft materials usually have one or more components: an osteoconductive matrix, which suppor
Critical analysis of the potential for targeting STAT3 in human malignancy

The signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) family of proteins was originally discovered in the context of normal cell biology where they function to transduce intracellular and extracellular signals to the nucleus, ultimately leading to transcription of specific target genes and downstream phenotypic effects. It was quickly appreciated that the STATs, especially STAT3, play a fundamental role in human malignancy. In contrast to normal biology in which transient STAT3 signaling is strictly regulated by a tightly coordinated network of activators and deactivators, STAT3 is constitutively activated in human malignancies. Constitutive STAT3 signaling has been associated with many cancerous phenotypes across nearly all human cancers, including the upregulation of cell growth, proliferation, survival, and motility, among others. Studies involving candidate preclinical STAT3 inhibitors have further demonstrated that the reversal of these phenotypes results from pharmacologic or genetic inhibition of STAT3, suggesting that STAT3 may be a promising target for clinical interventions. Indeed, a Phase 0 clinical trial involving a STAT3 decoy oligonucleotide demonstrated that STAT3 is a drug-gable target in human tumors. Because of the ubiquity of overactive STAT3 in cancer, its role in promoting a wide variety of cancerous phenotypes, and the strong clinical and preclinical studies performed to date, STAT3 represents a promising target for the development of inhibitors for the treatment of human cancers.
A combined lidar and radar retrieval of cloud optical properties

A method of retrieving cloud microphysical properties using combined observations from both cloud lidar and radar is introduced. This retrieval makes use of a variation on the traditional optimal estimation retrieval method, whereby a series of corrections are applied to the state vector during the search for an iterative solution. The retrieval method is applied to lidar and radar observations from the CRYSTAL-FACE experiment, and vertical profiles of ice crystal characteristic diameter, number concentration, and ice water content are retrieved for a cirrus cloud layer observed during the experiment.
Activation of the Proteolytic Activity of ADAMTS4 (Aggrecanase-1) by C-terminal Truncation

Proteolysis of the hyalectans (aggrecan, versican, brevican) in vivo appears to result from the activity of ADAMTS4 (aggrecanase-1, herein referred to as an hyalectanase). To examine the mode of activation of ADAMTS4, a human chondrosarcoma cell line, JJ012, has been stably transfected with the full-length c-DNA for human ADAMTS4. The cells synthesized a high molecular weight form of the enzyme (p100), which in serum-free culture was processed to three truncated forms, p75, p60, and p50. Treatment of the p100 form with recombinant furin indicated that the p75 form is generated by the removal of the prodomain by a furin-like activity. Analysis with domain-specific antisera showed that the p60 and p50 forms are generated by C-terminal truncation of the p75 form. The appearance of the p60 and p50 forms in culture medium was prevented by inclusion of a furin inhibitor, inhibitors of glycosylphosphatidylinositol synthesis, glucosamine, a hydroxamate-based matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor, and TIMP-1, but not by AEBSF (4-(2-aminoethyl)benzenesulfonyl fluoride) or E64. Only medium samples containing the p60/p50 forms exhibited aggrecanase activity, and isolation of the p75, p60, and p50 forms by preparative SDS-PAGE showed that only p60 and p50 were active in aggrecanase and versicanase assays. Pig synovium and human cartilages also contained ADAMTS4 in the p75, p60, and p50 forms. We suggest that in vivo production of proteolytically active ADAMTS4 requires not only removal of the prodomain by a furin-like activity but also MMP-mediated removal of a portion of the C-terminal spacer domain.
Fine tuning of blood glucose concentrations

Abstract Blood glucose homeostasis is maintained by the correct balance between phosphorylation of glucose and hydrolysis of glucose 6-phosphate in the liver. The enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase can synthesize glucose 6-phosphate as well as degrade it, and its synthetic activity therefore acts as an adjunct to glucokinase activity. The ratio of this phosphotransferase activity of glucose-6-phosphatase to the activity of glucokinase may adjust to maintain the steady-state blood glucose concentration as the physiological circumstances demand.
HIV-1 nef leads to inhibition or activation of T cells depending on its intracellular localization

Abstract Nef of primate lentiviruses is required for viremia and progression to AIDS in monkeys. Negative, positive, and no effects of Nef have also been reported on viral replication in cells. To reconcile these observations, we expressed a hybrid CDS-Nef protein in Jurkat cells. Two opposite phenotypes were found, which depended on the intracellular localization of Nef. Expressed in the cytoplasm or on the cell surface, the chimera inhibited or activated early signaling events from the T cell antigen receptor. Activated Jurkat cells died by apoptosis, and only cells with mutated nef genes expressing truncated Nefs survived, which rendered Nef nonfunctional. These mutations paralleled those in other viral strains passaged in vitro. Not only do these positional effects of Nef reconcile diverse phenotypes of Nef and suggest a role for its N-terminal myristylation, but they also explain effects of Nef in HIV infection and progression to AIDS.
Rocking rotation of a rigid disc in a half-space

Abstract An analysis is presented for the determination of the rotational response of a rigid circular disc embedded in a semi-infinite elastic medium under the action of a rocking moment. With the aid of Hankel transforms, a relaxed treatment of the mixed boundary value problem is formulated as dual integral equations. On reduction of the dual integral equations to a Fredholm integral equation which features a closed-form kernel, solutions to the inclusion problem are computed. In addition to providing a unified view of existing solutions for zero and infinite embedments, the present analysis reveals a severe boundary-layer phenomenon which is apt to be of significance to this class of problem in general. As illustrations, numerical results on the load-displacement relation and the response of the embedding medium, as well as the contact load distribution, are included.
Anterior lentiplane associated with posterior lenticonus and microcornea

We report a 12-year-old boy with a rare condition consisting of familial bilateral anterior lentiplane (a flat anterior lens capsule) posterior lenticonus, and microcornea.