cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular dynamics simulations of microwave effects on water using different long-range electrostatics methodologies

Non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulations of water have been carried out in the presence of an external electromagnetic field of frequency 100 GHz and RMS intensity 0.1 V/A in the isothermal–isobaric ensemble from 260 to 400 K and in the pure Newtonian case from ambient temperatures to the supercritical state. The rigid, non-polarizable SPC, SPC/E, TIP4P, TIP4P-Ew and the polarizable TIP4P-FQ potentials were used for a system of 256 molecules, along with both the Lekner and Ewald techniques to handle long-range electrostatics, in an effort to assess the impact of different long-range electrostatics methodologies on the results. Significant alterations in molecular mobility and hydrogen bonding patterns were found relative to zero-field conditions. The heating profiles were compared to that predicted from a macroscopic energy balance, and the TIP4P-FQ model was found to be superior in this aspect. Although the Lekner and Ewald techniques yielded similar results in the case of the non-polarizabl...
Public Finance and the Compound-interest Principle

Pareto on the compound-interest principle, 641.— Increase of the foreign trade of the United States analyzed, 643.— The per capita figures, 647.— Increase of bank clearings, mining output, and manufacturing output, 649.—Increase of per capita expenditures of the federal government, 651.— Devaluation of the dollar, 652.— Increase of the national debt, 653.—Comparison with growth of foreign trade, 655.— Conclusion, 657.
Exercise training combined with angiotensin II receptor blockade limits post-infarct ventricular remodelling in rats

Aims Our aim was to test the hypothesis that angiotensin II receptor blockade combined with exercise training after myocardial infarction (MI) could attenuate post-MI left ventricular remodelling and preserve cardiac function. Methods and results Sprague–Dawley rats underwent ligation of the left descending coronary artery, resulting in MI, or a sham operation. Losartan treatment and exercise training were initiated 1 week after infarction and continued for 8 weeks, either as a single intervention or combined. Collagen volume fraction in the sedentary MI (MISed) group was significantly higher than other MI groups treated with exercise training and/or losartan. Compared with MISed group, hearts of rats receiving exercise and/or losartan treatment had lower tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP) 1. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 or MMP-9 did not differ among all groups. Additionally, the level of angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1) protein significantly decreased in response to exercise training. Furthermore, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) binding was markedly lower in hearts receiving exercise training than in the MISed hearts. Cardiac function was preserved in rats receiving exercise training, and the beneficial effect was further improved by exercise combined with losartan treatment in comparison to the MISed group. Conclusion Our results suggest that post-MI exercise training and/or AngII receptor blockade reduces TIMP-1 expression and mitigates the expressions of ACE and AT1 receptor. These improvements, in turn, attenuate myocardial fibrosis and preserve post-MI cardiac function.
Cyclometalated (boroxinato)gold(III) complexes from arrested transmetalation

Organic boroxines are ubiquitous, but metallaboroxine analogues remain rare. A new class of (boroxinato)gold species are demonstrated here, as are observations of phosphorescence from boroxinato complexes. Four new compounds are crystallographically characterized.
IMMUNITY, ANTIGENIC HETEROGENEITY, AND AGGREGATION OF HELMINTH PARASITES

Empirical studies of helminth parasites reveal that the distribution of parasite burdens in their host populations is highly aggregated. This aggregation is fundamental to the ecology and epidemiology of helminth parasites. Results from a stochastic model predict that aggregation of helminth parasites is inversely related to the intensity of host immunity. Aggregation also decreases with antigenic heterogeneity and increases with heterogeneity in transmissibility among parasite strains. It is also found that the degree of aggregation is greater when immunity affects parasite fecundity than when immunity acts on host susceptibility. Potential relevance of this result for assessing the influence of vaccines that target either host susceptibility or parasite fecundity on the level of aggregation and consequent effects on drug resistance and disease prevalence are discussed.
Future Alternatives to Synthetic Fungicides for the Control of Postharvest Diseases

Biological control practices have had a difficult time making it from the laboratory to the field. Having been developed and tested in controlled environments in the laboratory or greenhouse, most biological agents do not perform well when subjected to the “uncontrolled” environment of the field. Recent success with biological control in the postharvest milieu has been attributed to better environmental control (Wilson and Wisniewski, 1989). Post harvest conditions also make it easier to apply biocontrol agents effectively as commodities are being processed. The higher value of harvested commodities makes it economically feasible to utilize biological methods wich would be cost prohibitive in the field. New technologies and concepts will be explored in this paper which may lead to a new generation of control practices and reduce our dependency on synthetic fungicides.
ACUTE ST SEGMENT ELEVATION IN A PATIENT WITH MASSIVE PULMONARY EMBOLISM MIMICKING ACUTE LEFT MAIN CORONARY ARTERY OBSTRUCTION

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a great mimicker of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). ST elevation in lead aVR in PE predicts right ventricular dysfunction and is associated with worse clinical outcomes. A 62-year-old female with a history of hyperlipidemia, uncontrolled hypertension and recent right basal
Altered renal vascular responses in the aging rat kidney

Age-related renal functional changes may relate to alterations in the responsiveness to vasoconstrictors and vasodilators. Blood pressure and renal responses to angiotensin II (ANG II), endothelin-...
FOUR REBEL ORGANIZATIONS

During the Cold War, as the United States and the Soviet Union battled for influence in the developing world, violent civil conflict erupted in Uganda, Mozambique, and Peru. The war in Uganda, which began in 1981, followed the overthrow of Idi Amin and a flawed election that put Milton Obote, a disgraced former president, back in office. Violence came to Mozambique in 1976, less than a year after the Frente de Libertacao de Mocambique (Front for the Liberation of Mozambique, or Frelimo) succeeded in ejecting the Portuguese colonialists and just as it began to implement its radical socialist transformation in the countryside. Peru's more than decade-long civil war started quietly in the rural highlands in 1980, soon after the country's first democratic election in many years returned political parties dominated by coastal elites to power. This chapter introduces the four rebel organizations that emerged to fight these conflicts. It describes the political environments where these groups formed, which were characterized by the exclusion of southern ethnic groups in Uganda, of central and northern groups in Mozambique, and of the rural peasantry in Peru. It shows how the presence of the state and its role as a provider of public goods was limited in the regions that provided shelter to the rebel organizations. And it highlights the barriers that each group faced as it considered launching a violent campaign. Four groups that began on similar footings eventually took very different paths.
A concerted two-prong approach to the in situ allosteric regulation of bifunctional catalysis.

Herein, we report the reversible in situ “on–off” allosteric regulation of hydrogen-bond-donating (HBD)–Lewis base co-catalytic activity via a concerted two-prong methodology entailing cooperative acid–base chemistry and a structurally addressable coordination complex. Specifically, a heteroligated Pt(II) weak-link approach (WLA) tweezer complex containing both a hemilabile squaramide–piperidine-based catalytic ligand and a sodium sulfonate hydrogen-bond-accepting (HBA) ligand was synthesized. Due to the hemilabile nature of the catalyst-containing ligand, the heteroligated complex can be reversibly toggled in situ between a flexible, semi-open state and a rigid, fully closed state upon the addition of elemental ion cues. 1H NMR spectroscopy titration studies show that in the semi-open state interligand hydrogen-bonding prevents substrate recognition by the squaramide unit, while in the fully closed state ligand–ligand interactions are prevented. This results in a catalytically active closed state, whereas in the semi-open state, when the piperidine tertiary amine is deliberately protonated, no catalytic activity is observed. Reversible interconversion between the active fully closed state and the dormant protonated semi-open state is achieved in the presence of substrate upon the concerted addition and abstraction of both a proton and a coordinating elemental anion. In this work, allosteric regulation of catalytic activity is demonstrated for both the Michael addition of nitroethane to β-nitrostyrene and the ring-opening of L-(−)-lactide. Taken together, this work details a potentially generalizable platform for the “on–off” allosteric regulation of a family of HBD–Lewis base co-catalysts capable of catalyzing a broad scope of reactions, including the living ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters.
The role of testosterone and estrogen in consumer behavior and social & economic decision making: A review

A contribution to a special issue on Hormones and Human Competition.This manuscript reviews the current literature on the actions of the steroid hormones testosterone and estradiol in shaping humans' behavior within two applied contexts, specifically consumer behavior and decision making (both social and economic). The theoretical argument put forth is that steroids shape these everyday behaviors and choices in service to being more competitive in achieving long-term goals related to resource acquisition, mating success, and social dominance. In addition, a discussion of the increased research focus on the role of steroids in other applied business domains will highlight the relevant applications of basic science discoveries in behavioral endocrinology.
Ni Nanoindentation at the Nanoscale: Atomic Rearrangements at the Ni–C Interface

As mechanical testing proceeds toward ever-decreasing length scales, the ultimate limit is the atomic scale. Here, we investigate the atomic-scale interactions that occur at the diamond–nickel interface during the earliest stages of a Ni nanoindentation measurement. Using molecular dynamics with a custom-designed empirical potential, we found that, irrespectively of the Ni orientation, the same Ni–C interfacial structure always formed between the substrate and the diamond indenter. As the indenter digs deeper into the specimen, the location of the Ni–C interface changes, but its structure never does. In addition, the local formation of this structure produces longer-range disorder that may affect the local stresses and activation barriers to dislocation nucleation. As this process requires relatively large atomic displacements of the Ni atoms for some Ni orientations, we used density functional theory calculations to validate and understand the process.
Densities and Population Sizes of Clinch Dace Chrosomus sp. cf. saylori in the Upper Clinch River Basin in Virginia

Estimates of abundance and density for the imperiled Clinch Dace (Chrosomus sp. cf. saylori) are needed across its range to indicate where populations exist and estimate their long-term viability. We generated estimates of population extent, measured in km of potentially occupied habitat, based on 206 site visits from four fish surveys since 1999 within the Clinch Dace's putative range. Next, we used mark–recapture surveys to estimate Clinch Dace densities in five occupied streams. A linear regression model generated from these data was used to transform single-pass count data into estimated abundance with 90% prediction intervals (PI) for Clinch Dace in sampled reaches. We combined estimates of individual population sizes to estimate global abundance. Finally, we examined the correlation between habitat variables and Clinch Dace abundance in occupied streams. Clinch Dace populations at low densities potentially occupy 31.5 km of the approximately 351 km of 2nd- and 3rd-order streams in northern Russell a...
Differential Plasticity in Response to Simulated Climate Warming in a High-Elevation Amphibian Assemblage

Abstract Climate change is expected to increase amphibian extinction rates; however, little is known about the physiological responses of amphibian populations to climate change projections for their region. For the Cascade Mountain Range of the U.S. Pacific Northwest, high-resolution climate models predict temperature increases during summer months. We evaluated phenotypic plasticity in larval growth and development in response to this projected increase in temperature in three co-occurring Anuran species: Cascades Frogs (Rana cascadae), Western Toads (Anaxyrus boreas), and Pacific Chorus Frogs (Pseudacris regilla). We exposed each species to two temperature regimes: the control treatment simulated the historical summer temperatures for the decade of 2001–11; the warmed treatment mirrored this seasonal trend but simulated a 4°C average increase in temperature. To quantify the magnitude of plasticity and any consequences to body size, we measured growth characteristics throughout larval development and me...
Nanoscale chromatin structure characterization for optical applications: a transmission electron microscopy study (Conference Presentation)

Structural and biological origins of light scattering in cells and tissue are still poorly understood. We demonstrate how this problem might be addressed through the use of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). For biological samples, TEM image intensity is proportional to mass-density, and thus proportional to refractive index (RI). By calculating the autocorrelation function (ACF) of TEM image intensity of a thin-section of cells, we essentially maintain the nanoscale ACF of the 3D cellular RI distribution, given that the RI distribution is statistically isotropic. Using this nanoscale 3D RI ACF, we can simulate light scattering through biological samples, and thus guiding many optical techniques to quantify specific structures. In this work, we chose to use Partial Wave Spectroscopy (PWS) microscopy as a one of the nanoscale-sensitive optical techniques. Hela cells were prepared using standard protocol to preserve nanoscale ultrastructure, and a 50-nm slice was sectioned for TEM imaging at 6 nm resolution. The ACF was calculated for chromatin, and the PWS mean sigma was calculated by summing over the power spectral density in the visible light frequency of a random medium generated to match the ACF. A 1-µm slice adjacent to the 50-nm slice was sectioned for PWS measurement to guarantee identical chromatin structure. For 33 cells, we compared the calculated PWS mean sigma from TEM and the value measured directly, and obtained a strong correlation of 0.69. This example indicates the great potential of using TEM measured RI distribution to better understand the quantification of cellular nanostructure by optical methods.
Titanium redox catalysis: insights and applications of an earth-abundant base metal

π-Acid ancillary ligands, reactants, or products can stabilize reactive low valent Ti intermediates through backbonding, and present opportunities for the development of vast new classes of Ti-catalyzed redox reactions with practical applications.
Friends in Low Places: Intestinal Commensals Limit Colitis through Molecular Mimicry.

Inflammatory bowel disease is thought to arise from inappropriate inflammation to gut bacteria, yet mechanisms preventing these responses remain elusive. In this issue of Cell, Nanjundappa et al. report that Bacteroides share an epitope with a pancreas-specific peptide that induces protective CD8+ T cells, identifying molecular mimicry as a mechanism to enforce tolerance in the gut.
IRT Scoring and Test Blueprint Fidelity

This article focuses on the topic of how item response theory (IRT) scoring models reflect the intended content allocation in a set of test specifications or test blueprint. Although either an adaptive or linear assessment can be built to reflect a set of design specifications, the method of scoring is also a critical step. Standard IRT models employ a set of optimal scoring weights, and these weights depend on item parameters in the two-parameter logistic (2PL) and three-parameter logistic (3PL) models. The current article is an investigation of whether the scoring models reflect an intended set of weights defined as the proportion of item falling into each cell of the test blueprint. The 3PL model is of special interest because the optimal scoring weights depend on ability. Thus, the concern arises that for examinees of low ability, the intended weights are implicitly altered.
The effect of Baby-friendly status on exclusive breastfeeding in U.S. hospitals

In 2014, a leading hospital accreditation agency, mandated hospitals publicly report their exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates. This new regulation provided an opportunity to explore differences in EBF outcomes using a standardized definition across a large hospital sample in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between population demographics and the Baby-friendly (BF) hospital designation on EBF rates in hospitals throughout the United States. We obtained EBF rates from 121 BF hospitals and 1,608 hospitals without the BF designation. Demographic variables were computed using census tract data for the population surrounding each hospital. Relationships were explored using linear regression. We found that EBF rates were positively correlated with a bachelor's degree, log income, and those who identified as White or Asian and negatively correlated with those without college attendance, individuals living below the poverty line, and those who identified as African American or Hispanic. For all models, the BF designation of a hospital was associated with higher EBF rates (p < 0.01; effect sizes, 0.11-0.49) with the exception of the model containing log income. Using a multiple linear regression model that was allowed to contain more than one independent variable, we were able to explain 22% of the variability in EBF rates. The BF hospital designation was associated with significantly higher EBF rates independent of demographic variables. Support for hospitals to attain the BF hospital designation is a meaningful public health goal.
Introduction to Multiplicative Fourier Transform Algorithm (MFTA)

The Cooley-Tukey FFT algorithm and its variants depend upon the existence of non-trivial divisors of the transform size N. These algorithms are called additive algorithms since they rely on the subgroups of the additive group structure of the indexing set. A second approach to the design of FT algorithms depends on the multiplicative structure of the indexing set. We appealed to the multiplicative structure previously, in chapter 5, in the derivation of the Good-Thomas PFA.
The impact of unit cost reductions on gross profit: Increasing or decreasing returns?

Abstract We suggest that marketers actively participate in reducing unit costs during new product development, consistent with the theme of integrated marketing and manufacturing. Most marketing managers misjudge the impact on gross profit of reducing variable unit manufacturing costs, mistakenly believing that such cost reductions yield decreasing or linear returns while they actually generate increasing returns.
The 2013 Pew Report Through a Gender Lens

What can the Pew Report tell us about how American Jewish men and women “do” gender? What can it tell us about their gender differences in “doing Jewish”? Here’s a beginning snapshot.
Mineral-Catalyzed Formation of Natural Gas during Coal Maturation

Kinetic data from the literature were used to predict formation rates and product yields of oil and gas at typical low-temperature conditions of coal maturation. The data indicate that gas formation rates from hydrocarbon thermolysis reactions are several orders of magnitude too low to have generated known reserves of coalbed gas. By contrast, acid-mineral-catalyzed cracking, transition-metalcatalyzed hydrogenolysis of liquid hydrocarbons, and transition-metal-catalyzed CO2 hydrogenation form gas at sufficiently high rates in geologic time and at geologic conditions to account for formation of enormous reserves of coal-bed gas. Rates of gas production in these reactions are 5 to 10 orders of magnitude higher than those predicted from thermolysis. The gaseous product compositions for metal-catalyzed hydrogenolysis of hydrocarbon liquids and for CO2 hydrogenation are nearly the same as those of natural gases, while those from thermal and catalytic cracking are vastly different. From chemical analysis of a pair of gas-producing and non-gas-producing coals it was found that significant, comparable amounts of iron are present. The available data are consistent with a model involving thermal and catalytic cracking of kerogen to oil followed by iron-metal-catalyzed hydrogenolysis of oil to natural gas; in CO2-containing coal gases, natural gas may also be formed by iron-catalyzed CO2 hydrogenation.
Comparison of Main Group and Transition Metal Ion Chemistry

Abstract Reactions of both main group and transition metal atomic ions with H 2 , D 2 , and HD have been studied as a function of kinetic energy by using guided ion beam mass spectrometry. For most ions, the observed behavior falls into several distinct groups (statistical, direct and impulsive) that can be used to characterize the potential energy surfaces for the reactions. These categories facilitate the comparison of the reactivity of the main group metals to that for the transition metals.
Preformed GroES oligomers are not required as functional cochaperonins.

We have previously shown that the C-terminal sequence of GroES is required for oligomerization [Seale and Horowitz (1995), J. Biol. Chem.270, 30268–30270]. In this report, we have generated a C-terminal deletion mutant of GroES with a significantly destabilized oligomer and have investigated its function in the chaperonin-assisted protein folding cycle. Removal of the two C-terminal residues of GroES results in a cochaperonin [GroESD(96–97)] that is monomeric at concentrations where GroES function is assessed. Using equilibrium ultracentrifugation, we measured the dissociation constant for the oligomer–monomer equilibrium to be 7.3×10−34M6. The GroESD(96–97) is fully active as a cochaperonin. This mutant is able to inhibit the ATPase activity of GroEL to levels comparable to wild-type GroES. It is also able to assist the refolding of urea-denatured rhodanese by GroEL. While GroESD(96–97) can function at levels comparable to wild-type GroES, higher concentrations of mutant are required to produce the same effect. These results support the idea that the preformed GroES heptamer is not required for function, but they suggest that the oligomeric cochaperonin is most efficient.
A Tale of Two Eras: Mining Big Data from Electronic Health Records to Determine Limb Salvage Rates with Podiatry.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS Diabetic foot complications remain very prevalent in the US and worldwide, and a major risk for devastating amputations. We evaluated the impact of establishing a fully integrated and specialized Podiatry service into a large tertiary academic health system to implement structured and targeted preventative foot care on limb salvage rates. METHODS Cross-sectional cohorts' data mining analysis was conducted of all encounters for diabetes and any foot complications between 2000-2005 and 2010-2015, preceding and after full implementation of podiatry service, respectively. The primary outcome was the change in major non-traumatic lower extremity amputations. Secondary outcomes included minor non-traumatic lower extremity amputations, other diabetic foot complications, limb salvage procedures as documented by procedural coding, and location (outpatient, inpatient, ED) of service rendered. RESULTS We analyzed 100 million patient encounters that met the above criteria. Compared with the initial cohort, integration of specialized podiatry services resulted in a significant decrease in the number of major amputations from 127 to 85/year (p 0.10), while the rates of preventative procedures including foot ulcer debridement doubled (0.0002% to 0.0004% ; p<0.03). Diagnoses of diabetic foot complications increased significantly (p<0.05) and shifted toward the outpatient setting. CONCLUSION Full integration of specialized Podiatry service led to a significant decrease in major amputation rates, supporting teamwork between podiatry and diabetes health-care providers is essential to performing timely diabetic foot complications management, preventative procedures leading to limb salvage, and a shift in the care location.
Deficiency of the Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist (DIRA)

Deficiency of the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist IL-1Ra (DIRA) is a very rare and severe autoinflammatory disease associated with loss of function mutations in the IL1RN gene. Inflammation results from unopposed signaling by IL-1α and IL-1β. DIRA presents mostly in the neonatal period with systemic inflammation and characteristic skin pustulosis and multifocal osteomyelitis. Other features include premature birth, fever, arthritis, ballooning of epiphysis, periostitis, widening of ribs, osteopenia, and less frequent internal organ involvement with CNS vasculitis, interstitial lung disease, large vein thrombosis, and hepatosplenomegaly. The severe inflammation can lead to respiratory distress and systemic inflammatory response syndrome with a 25% mortality. Long-term sequelae include joint contractures and deformities, muscle atrophy, growth retardation, and developmental delay. The disease is highly and rapidly responsive to IL-1 blockade.
Hormone replacement therapy attenuates hearing loss: Mechanisms involving estrogen and the IGF-1 pathway

Estradiol (E) is a multitasking hormone that plays a prominent role in the reproductive system, and also contributes to physiological and growth mechanisms throughout the body. Frisina and colleagues have previously demonstrated the beneficial effects of this hormone, with E-treated subjects maintaining low auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds relative to control subjects (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2006;103:14246; Hearing Research, 2009;252:29). In the present study, we evaluated the functionality of the peripheral and central auditory systems in female CBA/CaJ middle-aged mice during and after long-term hormone replacement therapy (HRT) via electrophysiological and molecular techniques. Surprisingly, there are very few investigations about the side effects of HRT in the auditory system after it has been discontinued. Our results show that the long-term effects of HRT are permanent on ABR thresholds and ABR gap-in-noise (GIN) amplitude levels. E-treated animals had lower thresholds and higher amplitude values compared to other hormone treatment subject groups. Interestingly, progesterone (P)-treated animals had ABR thresholds that increased but amplitude levels that remained relatively the same throughout treatment. These results were consistent with qPCR experiments that displayed high levels of IGF-1R in the stria vascularis (SV) of both E and P animal groups compared to combination treatment (E + P) animals. IGF-1R plays a vital role in mediating anti-apoptotic responses via the PI3K/AKT pathway. Overall, our findings gain insights into the neuro-protective properties of E hormone treatments as well as expand the scientific knowledge base to help women decide whether HRT is the right choice for them.
Mg assisted flux growth and characterization of single crystalline Sm2Co17

This paper presents details of Mg-assisted flux growth of Sm2Co17 single crystals in a Ta crucible well below the melting temperature of binary Sm2Co17. Both the crushed single crystalline powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) and single crystalline XRD data revealed the Th2Zn17 type rhombohedral(R-3m) crystal structure. Ta atom is found to be statistically replacing the Co-Co dumbbell with its position being at the center of the dumbbell. The Curie temperature of our lightly Mg and Ta doped Sm2Co17 sample is determined to be ∼1100 K using method of generalized Bloch law fitting of easy axis spontaneous magnetization data.
Dosimetric comparison of intensity-modulated radiation therapy for early-stage glottic cancers with and without the air cavity in the planning target volume

Abstract For early-stage glottic cancers, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has been shown to have comparable local control to 3D-conformal radiotherapy with the advantage of decreased dose to the carotid arteries. The planning target volume (PTV) for early glottic cancers typically includes the entire larynx, plus a 3 to 5 mm uniform margin. The air cavity within the larynx creates a challenge for the inverse optimization process as the software attempts to “build up” dose within the air. This unnecessary attempt at dose build-up in air can lead to hot spots within the rest of the PTV and surrounding soft tissue. We hypothesized that removal of the air from the PTV would decrease hot spots and allow for a more homogeneous plan while still maintaining adequate coverage of the PTV. We analyzed 20 consecutive patients with early-stage glottic cancer, T1-2N0, who received IMRT at our institution from April 2015 to December 2016. Each patient received 63 to 65.25 Gy in 2.25 Gy per fraction. Two plans were created for each case: one in which the PTV included the laryngeal air cavity and one in which the air cavity was subtracted from the PTV to create a new PTV-air structure. Dosimetric variables were collected for PTV-air structure from both IMRT plans, including V100%, D98% D2%, and D0.2%. Dosimetric variables for spinal cord and the carotid arteries were also recorded. Homogeneity index (HI) defined as D98/D2 was calculated. Two-sided t-tests were used to compare dosimetric variables. The median PTV volume was 69.9 cc (standard deviation [SD] ± 28.7 cc) and the median air cavity volume removed was 11.0 cc (SD ± 3.4 cc). A 2-sided t-test revealed a statistically significant decrease in max dose (112.7% vs 108.8%, p value = 0.0002) and improvement of HI (0.93 vs 0.91, p value = 0.0023) for the PTV air in the IMRT plan optimized for PTV air, which had air excluded, compared to the IMRT plan optimized for PTV with air included. There was no significant worsening of PTV-air coverage or significant increase in doses to the organs at risk (OARs). The removal of the air cavity from the PTV for early-stage glottic cancers does not compromise PTV coverage or sparing of OARs and can result in a more homogeneous IMRT plan. A more homogeneous plan has the potential to reduce treatment morbidity, although further study is warranted to investigate the clinical impact of air cavity removal from the PTV.
An Ideal Dynamic User-Optimal Route Choice Model

In this chapter, we present an ideal dynamic user-optimal route choice model for a network with multiple origin-destination pairs. The model extends our previous instantaneous DUO route choice model in an important respect: route equilibrium is based on actual travel times rather than instantaneous travel times at the time of the choice. In Section 7.1, additional network flow constraints and the definition of ideal DUO state are presented. The equivalent equality constraints of the ideal DUO route choice conditions are developed in Section 7.2. Then, an optimal control formulation of the travel-time-based ideal DUO route choice problem is presented in Section 7.3. In Section 7.4, this model is reformulated as a discrete time NLP. Subsequently, penalty and diagonalization/Frank-Wolfe methods are suggested to solve this NLP.
Spinal Cord Stimulation for Failed Back Surgery Syndrome -- Patient Selection Considerations.

Author(s): Palmer, Nicole; Guan, Zhonghui; Chai, Nu Cindy | Abstract: BackgroundFailed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) refers to the condition where persistent pain is experienced by patients following back surgery. This condition is historically difficult to treat. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and its recent technical advances have opened the door to a promising treatment option for FBSS. However, critical appraisal of supporting and refuting data is necessary to identify the best patient population for this treatment modality.MethodsIn this systematic review, we review randomized controlled studies and cohort studies with matched controls to synthesize the data on the overall efficacy of spinal cord stimulation for FBSS. We further identify available data on outcome measurements based on working status, psychological status, smoking, sex, and race to provide insight on patient selection and identify needs for further research.ResultsThe literature search identified 34 publications, of which 23 were excluded due to duplication and inclusion/ exclusion criteria, yielding a total of 11 publications for review. Seven out of eleven studies reviewed had sources of potential funding or affiliation bias. Three out of 4 studies with radiating leg pain relief as their primary outcome showed statistically significant improvement with SCS treatment, while 2 out of 5 studies with mixed radiating leg pain and axial back pain as the primary outcome showed statistically significant improvement with SCS. All randomized controlled trials that included functional status and quality of life outcome measures showed improvement after SCS, though scales utilized in each study varied. Six studies included work status as a patient descriptor with only three reporting inclusion of workers' compensation patients. There was limited data on the effect of psychological status, smoking, sex or race on SCS outcomes based on the studies reviewed.ConclusionsEvidence for the efficacy of SCS in FBSS is accumulating, with most studies demonstrating its efficacy especially for those patients with leg pain as the predominant symptom. However, a significant weakness in the current data includes potential bias based on the funding source for most studies. Additionally, it is clear that SCS provides short-term benefit, yet there is no solid evidence that SCS provides any benefit beyond two years of implantation. Another major concern is the significant placebo effect, which makes the true therapeutic response difficult to judge. Further, it is increasingly important to focus future studies on refining patient populations to those that may best respond to both SCS therapy in general, as well as specific stimulation techniques.
Estimated Community Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies — Two Georgia Counties, April 28–May 3, 2020

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is ongoing in many communities throughout the United States. Although case-based and syndromic surveillance are critical for monitoring the pandemic, these systems rely on persons obtaining testing or reporting a COVID-19-like illness. Using serologic tests to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies is an adjunctive strategy that estimates the prevalence of past infection in a population. During April 28-May 3, 2020, coinciding with the end of a statewide shelter-in-place order, CDC and the Georgia Department of Public Health conducted a serologic survey in DeKalb and Fulton counties in metropolitan Atlanta to estimate SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in the population. A two-stage cluster sampling design was used to randomly select 30 census blocks in each county, with a target of seven participating households per census block. Weighted estimates were calculated to account for the probability of selection and adjusted for age group, sex, and race/ethnicity. A total of 394 households and 696 persons participated and had a serology result; 19 (2.7%) of 696 persons had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies detected. The estimated weighted seroprevalence across these two metropolitan Atlanta counties was 2.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.4-4.5). Non-Hispanic black participants more commonly had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies than did participants of other racial/ethnic groups (p<0.01). Among persons with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, 13 (weighted % = 49.9; 95% CI = 24.4-75.5) reported a COVID-19-compatible illness,* six (weighted % = 28.2; 95% CI = 11.9-53.3) sought medical care for a COVID-19-compatible illness, and five (weighted % = 15.7; 95% CI = 5.1-39.4) had been tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection, demonstrating that many of these infections would not have been identified through case-based or syndromic surveillance. The relatively low seroprevalence estimate in this report indicates that most persons in the catchment area had not been infected with SARS-CoV-2 at the time of the survey. Continued preventive measures, including social distancing, consistent and correct use of face coverings, and hand hygiene, remain critical in controlling community spread of SARS-CoV-2.
Management of malperfusion: New York approach and outcomes

BACKGROUND AND AIM Aortic branch malperfusion complicates up to one-third of acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD), and it is a strong predictor of poor outcomes. We analyzed our results for the surgical management of this high-risk cohort. METHODS We queried our aortic database for consecutive patients undergoing ATAAD repair. Those presenting with malperfusion were compared with those without. Outcomes were compared using univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS From 1997 to 2019, a total of 336 patients underwent ATAAD repair. A total of 97 ATAAD patients presented with malperfusion. Malperfusion patients were more likely to be male (54.8% vs. 75.3%; p = .001), have had a prior myocardial infarction (11.9% vs. 26.8%; p = .001), to present with preoperative renal dysfunction (22.2% vs. 54.6%; p < .001), and to present with shock (12.6% vs. 28.9%; p = .001). The malperfusion group more often underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (5.4% vs. 24.7%; p < .001), and required additional noncardiac procedures 10.3% of the time. Operative mortality (0.8% vs. 15.5%; p < .001) and major adverse events (MAEs) (7.6% vs. 20.6%; p = .001) were both greater for the malperfusion patients. Ejection fraction, diabetes, and malperfusion were predictors of MAEs. Cerebral, coronary, mesenteric, and multiple vascular bed malperfusion were predictors of MAEs, while extremity, renal, and spinal were not. CONCLUSION Improving outcomes for this high-risk cohort requires rapid diagnosis and reversal of ischemia while minimizing the risk of aortic rupture, irrespective of the strategic approach.
Pathway to Complete Energy Sector Decarbonization with Available Iridium Resources using Ultralow Loaded Water Electrolyzers

We present ultralow Ir-loaded (ULL) proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer (PEMWE) cells that can produce enough hydrogen to largely decarbonize the global natural gas, transportation, and electrical storage sectors by 2050, using only half of the annual global Ir production for PEMWE deployment. This represents a significant improvement in PEMWE's global potential, enabled by careful control of the anode catalyst layer (CL), including its mesostructure and catalyst dispersion. Using commercially relevant membranes (Nafion 117), cell materials, electrocatalysts, and fabrication techniques, we achieve at peak a 250× improvement in Ir mass activity over commercial PEMWEs. An optimal Ir loading of 0.011 mgIr cm-2 operated at an Ir-specific power of ∼100 MW kgIr-1 at a cell potential of ∼1.66 V versus RHE (85% higher heating value efficiency). We further evaluate the performance limitations within the ULL regime and offer new insights and guidance in CL design relevant to the broader energy conversion field.
Corrigendum to "Development of a one-step RT-PCR assay for detection of pancoronaviruses (α-, β-, γ-, and δ-coronaviruses) using newly designed degenerate primers for porcine and avian `fecal samples" [J. Virol. Methods 256 (2018) 116-122].

The authors regret to inform readers that there is an error in Figure 1 on page 118 in the above published paper. The corrected Figure 1 is displayed here.
Visuospatial functions in the rat following injuries to striate, peristriate, and parietal neocortical sites

The influence of lesions located generally within four regions of the rat#’s posterior neocortex upon the acquisition and retention of two-choice visual discriminations was assessed using a Thompson-Bryant apparatus. The ability to distinguish visual patterns was tested by utilizing stimuli composed of 45° versus 135° alternating black and white stripes (both total and local luminance cues were controlled). “Brightness” discrimination was assessed by using black and white card discriminanda. Posterior parietal injuries resulted in a dysfunction on each of the four tasks, but rats with this injury eventually attained criterion for each of the habits. Smaller, more anteromedial parietal lesions failed to disturb pattern discrimination and were not studied in the other paradigms. The only deficit observed in rats with medial peristriate injuries was a slight retardation in acquisition of the pattern discrimination. Since the effects of lateral peristriate and striate injuries upon pattern vision have been well described previously, the effects of these lesions on the retention and acquisition of the black-white discrimination were studied. Lateral peristriate lesions, but not striate lesions, were associated with a retention loss of the brightness problem. This loss was detected even with a recovery interval of 60 days. Both striate and lateral peristriate lesions retarded black-white discrimination acquisition. Discussion focuses on the probable natures of the visual dysfunctions associated with these injuries.
Tibet and the Media: Perspectives from Beijing

After the closing ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, I was having dinner with a group of scholars from the field of dispute resolution. We remarked how wonderful it was that a group of people from around the world could come together and share dialogue and respectfully exchange different points of view on some of the world’s most challenging conflicts. Over the course of dinner, I expressed my joy over how China had hosted the Olympic Games and the pride I felt at being Chinese. A colleague across the table, highly educated, very intelligent, and artfully articulate, shook her head furiously and launched into an impassioned speech about how China was destroying Tibet. She told me that I had been completely brainwashed by Communist propaganda, and if I ever could be blessed by the experience of having dinner with the Dalai Lama, as she herself had, I would understand that I should feel shame, not pride about being Chinese. Tibet is one of China’s most high-profile and controversial media issues. I have found it to be a topic that polarizes people and flares emotion. Extreme accusations fly, passionate arguments are used, and fiery language is invoked. Discussions about Tibet often expand to broader assertions about China’s human rights record, censorship in China, and Western bias against China. Inevitably, the media gets blamed for being a propagandist or a mouthpiece, or for distorting the truth. Addressing all of Tibet’s issues is beyond the scope of this Essay. This Essay focuses on opinions of the media’s portrayal of Tibet from the perspective of someone living in Beijing, and how the media can play a role
Behavioral response of spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, to aversive odors and a potential oviposition deterrent in the field

BACKGROUND Drosophilia suzukii Matsumura is an invasive pest insect that lays its eggs in the fruit of several commercially grown crops. An effective oviposition deterrent could contribute to its management. Repellant odors were evaluated in the laboratory and in the field. RESULTS Geosmin and 1-octen-3-ol were found to be aversive to seven-day-old female D. suzukii at concentrations of 10−1 and 10−2 in laboratory choice tests. Field experiments found that fewer eggs were observed in fruit on the day of harvest and fewer adult D. suzukii were reared from fruit associated with 1-octen-3-ol odors than control fruit in cultivated red raspberry. CONCLUSION Geosmin and 1-octen-3-ol induce aversive behaviors in Drosophila suzukii and are potential oviposition deterrents for its management in fruit crops. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
The soluble epoxide hydrolase as a novel target for chronic neuropathic pain (659.15)

Neuropathic pain remains an unmet clinical need. In addition to nerve injury cases of neuropathy diabetes is increasing worldwide and diabetic neuropathy, the most frequent secondary condition to diabetes, will increase with it. Recent investigations reveal lipids as signaling mediators and their functional significance in nociception is receiving attention. Notably, there is evidence of antihyperalgesia mediated by epoxy fatty acids (EpFAs), metabolites generated by cytochrome P450 epoxygenase in an arm of the arachidonic acid cascade. These endogenous lipid mediators are subsequently degraded by the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) enzyme to their mostly inactive diols. Metabolomic studies show that administration of sEH inhibitors (sEHI) stabilize EpFA to diol ratios in vivo and lead to decreased inflammation and pain related behavior in inflammatory pain models. Unexpectedly, the sEHI are also active against a model of type I diabetic neuropathy where the role of inflammation is minimal. The experiment...
Neurosurgery for Extracranial Carotid Disease

Extracranial carotid artery stenosis represents a local manifestation of systemic cardiovascular disease, specifically at the bifurcation of the common carotid artery. It affects roughly half of all patients over 60 years of age and has been strongly correlated with 10–20 % of all strokes. The first resort of extracranial carotid artery stenosis management must be prevention, including the treatment of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes, as well as smoking prevention/cessation. However, in the case of symptomatic and asymptomatic disease, several high-quality randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that aspirin and statins can reduce the risk of future ischemic events, while severe stenosis (>50 %) is best treated via carotid endarterectomy. For those patients who become candidates for carotid surgery, thorough perioperative workups must be tended to and vigilant postoperative care provided. In the hands of quality surgical teams, carotid endarterectomy offers the greatest 5-year reductions in extracranial carotid artery stenosis associated with cerebral ischemia and death.