cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
2-D Numerical Simulation of Differential Viscoelastic Fluids in a Single-Screw Continuous Mixer: Application of Viscoelastic Finite Element Methods

Viscoelastic effects on mixing flows obtained with kneading paddles in a single-screw, continuous mixer were explored using 2-D finite element method numerical simulations. The single-mode Phan-Thien Tanner nonlinear, viscoelastic fluid model was used with parameters for a dough-like material. The viscoelastic limits of the simulations were found using elastic viscous stress splitting, 4 × 4 sub-elements for stress, streamline upwind, and streamline upwind Petrov-Galerkin (SUPG). Mesh refinement and comparison between methods was also done. The single-screw mixer was modeled by taking the kneading paddle as the point of reference, fixing the mesh in time. Rigid
Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Without an Antireflux Procedure in Neurologically Disabled Children

In children with major neurologic impairment, gastrostomies are often used to alleviate malnutrition and feeding difficulties. There has been a trend toward performing "protective" antireflux surgery in these children. Nineteen children with major neurologic impairment and feeding failure were prospectively evaluated and followed up after placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) without any antireflux procedure. Mean age at PEG placement was 34 months with mean follow-up of 20.7 months. All parents would recommend PEG to families with disabled children, and if given the chance, 95% would elect PEG again for their child. No child developed choking, gagging, or retching postoperatively. At the time of follow-up, postoperative gastroesophageal reflux did not appear to be a major clinical problem.
Performance prediction methodology for biometric systems using a large deviations approach

In the selection of biometrics for use in a recognition system and in the subsequent design of the system, the predicted performance is a key consideration. The realizations of the biometric signatures or vectors of features extracted from the signatures can be modeled as realizations of random processes. These random processes and the resulting distributions on the measurements determine bounds on the performance, regardless of the implementation of the recognition system. Given the underlying random processes, two techniques are applied to determine performance bounds. First, large deviation analysis is applied to bound performance in (M+1)-ary hypothesis testing problems, where the number of hypotheses is fixed as a measure of the fidelity of the measurements increases. Second, the capacity of a recognition system as a function of the desired error rate is explored. The recognition system is directly analogous to a communication problem with random coding. The recognition reliability function then determines the error rate as a function of the exponential growth rate of the number of hypotheses. Gaussian and binary examples are considered in detail. Performance prediction in the binary example is compared with performance prediction results for iris recognition systems using Daugman's IrisCode.
Physical activity limitation as measured by accelerometry in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background: The 6-min walk test, commonly used to assess exercise capacity and response to therapy in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), has many well-described limitations. Sedentary time is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes and reduced quality of life, and measuring sedentary time and physical activity using accelerometry is another potential way to quantify exercise capacity in PAH. Whether sedentary time is different in patients with PAH vs control subjects is unknown. Methods: Physical activity was measured in 20 patients with PAH and 30 matched healthy control subjects using accelerometry for 7 consecutive days. Patients with PAH completed standard 6-min walk testing, and baseline demographics were recorded for all study participants. Total daily activity counts, sedentary time, and proportion of time at various activity levels were compared between groups. Results: Sedentary time was signifi cantly higher in patients with PAH (mean, 92.1% daily activity; 95% CI, 89.5-94.8%) than in control subjects (mean, 79.9% daily activity; 95% CI, 76.4%-83.5%; P , .001), and all levels of physical activity were reduced in the PAH group compared with the control group ( P , .01 for all). Daily moderate to vigorous physical activity was reduced in the PAH group (7.5 min; 95% CI; 0.8-15.6 min) compared with the control group (mean, 64.7 min; 95% CI, 51.1-78.2 min; P , .001). Activity counts correlated with 6-min walk distance in the PAH group (Spearman rank correlation 5 0.72, P , .001). Conclusions: Sedentary time is increased in patients with PAH and may lead to increased risk for metabolic and cardiovascular morbidity. Quantitation of daily activity and sedentary time using accelerometry may be a novel end point for PAH management and clinical trials. CHEST 2012; 142(6):1391–1398
Expression of L protein of vesicular stomatitis virus Indiana serotype from recombinant baculovirus in insect cells: Requirement of a host factor(s) for its biological activity in vitro

The 241-kDa large (L) protein of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) Indiana serotype, a multifunctional catalytic subunit of the viral RNA polymerase, has been expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda cells infected with recombinant baculovirus BacPAK6-L containing the L gene under the control of a polyhedrin promoter. The recombinant L protein was biologically active and supported viral mRNA synthesis in vitro. When the expressed L protein was purified by phosphocellulose column chromatography, it eluted in two peaks, one at 0.4 M NaCl (peak I) and the second at 0.75 M NaCl (peak II). The L protein in peak I showed significant transcriptional activity in an in vitro transcription reconstitution experiment, whereas the L protein in peak II was inactive. Interestingly, the addition of cytoplasmic extract from uninfected Sf21 cells to peak II completely restored transcription in vitro, indicating the requirement of a host factor(s) for the activity of the L protein. This factor is relatively heat stable and is dissociable from the recombinant L protein. It is also present in BHK, COS, and HeLa cells in detectable levels. The role of the putative host protein(s) in the activation of the L protein is discussed.
The effects of Pilates training on flexibility and body composition: an observational study.

Abstract Segal NA, Hein J, Basford JR. The effects of Pilates training on flexibility and body composition: an observational study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004;85:1977–81. Objective To assess claims regarding the effects of Pilates training on flexibility, body composition, and health status. Design An observational prospective study. Setting A community athletic club. Participants A sample of 47 adults (45 women, 2 men) who presented for Pilates training. Interventions Not applicable. Main outcome measures Fingertip-to-floor distance, truncal lean body mass by bioelectric impedance, health status by questionnaire and visual analog scale were assessed at baseline, 2, 4, and 6 months (±1wk). Results Thirty-two of 47 enrolled subjects met the protocol requirements of missing no more than 1 weekly 1-hour session Pilates mat class during each 2-month period. Investigators were blinded to measurements from previous time points. Median (interquartile range [IQR]) fingertip-to-floor distance improved from baseline by 3.4cm (1.3–5.7cm), 3.3cm (0.3– 7.8cm), and 4.3cm (1.5–7.6cm) at 2, 4, and 6 months, respectively (paired nonparametric analysis, all P Conclusions Pilates training may result in improved flexibility. However, its effects on body composition, health status, and posture are more limited and may be difficult to establish. Further study might involve larger sample sizes, comparison with an appropriate control group, and assessment of motor unit recruitment as well as strength of truncal stabilizers.
Precise Computer Controlled Positioning of Robot End Effectors Using Sensory Feedback

A preliminary study of the combined position/force control using sensory feedback for a one-dimensional manipulator model, which may count for the spacecraft docking problem or to be extended to the multi-joint robot manipulator problem, has been performed. The additional degrees of freedom introduced by the compliant force sensor is included in the system dynamics in the design of precise position control. State-feedback based on pole placement method and with integral control is used to design the position controller. A simple constant gain force controller is used as an example to illustrate the dependence of the stability and steady-state accuracy of the overall position/force control upon the design of the inner position controller. Supportive simulation results are also provided.
Self-Help and Minimal-Contact Therapies for Anxiety Disorders: Is Human Contact Necessary for Therapeutic Efficacy?

Self-help materials, brief therapies, and treatments involving minimal therapist contact have all been proposed as effective and low-cost interventions for anxiety disorders. However, research suggests that the therapeutic alliance is a central predictor of therapy outcome. Interestingly, amounts of therapist contact within and across "self-help" interventions vary greatly. It is therefore unclear how much therapist contact is necessary for a positive anxiety disorder treatment outcome. The present article reviews the literature on anxiety disorder treatments using self-help, self-administered, and decreased therapist contact interventions. Treatment studies are grouped together by anxiety diagnostics as well as amount of therapist contact. It is concluded that self-administered treatments are most effective for motivated clients seeking treatment for simple phobias. Predominantly self-help therapies are efficacious for panic disorder and mixed anxiety samples. On the other hand, minimal contact therapies have demonstrated efficacy for the greatest variety of anxiety diagnoses.
Benign Intracranial Hypertension and Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: Theoretical Considerations

In recent years large amounts of data have accumulated on CSF dynamics in benign intracranial hypertension (BIH) and normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), yet we still have no clear understanding of the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of either condition. Both disorders are attributed by many to obstruction of CSF outflow at the arachnoid villi, but obviously these very different disorders cannot possibly share the same cause.
Sparing a little may save a lot: lessons from the Studies of Left Ventricular Dysfunction (SOLVD).

Over the past 20 years, attention to the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system has brought marked success in the treatment of heart failure (HF). With the publication of the Randomized Aldactone Evaluation Study (RALES) trial, spironolactone became another cornerstone of therapy for the treatment of
Parasite infection and caloric restriction induce physiological and morphological plasticity

To investigate the effects of parasitism and caloric restriction on morphology (body composition, organ mass) and physiology (resting metabolism, intestinal glucose transport capacity), we gave laboratory mice intestinal parasites (Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Nematoda), 30% caloric restriction, or both. Calorically restricted mice had smaller body mass, enhanced glucose transport capacity, and lower resting metabolism than ad libitum-fed mice. Parasitized mice maintained body mass, had diminished intestinal glucose transport capacity, and greater resting metabolism than unparasitized mice. Parasitized, calorically restricted mice had smaller organ masses than parasitized, ad libitum-fed mice and did not increase their glucose uptake rate as much as unparasitized, calorically restricted mice. There was a significant interaction between caloric restriction and parasite status for morphological variables but not for physiological variables. Knowing the types of phenotypic changes that occur with simultaneous parasitism and caloric restriction will provide insight into understanding human helminthiasis in food-restricted communities and also how wild animals cope with environments where parasitism and seasonal food restriction are common.
Studies of 1,2-Dihalo Shifts in Carbon–Carbon, Carbon–Silicon, and Silicon–Silicon Systems: A Computational Study

Ab initio exploration of the two unusual silicon-containing transition-state structures has been carried out to determine their bonding characteristics. Each has features that are unprecedented in ...
Resonant Coupling of the 2(1), 4(1) and Spectroscopy of the 33Π Excited States of Ultracold KRb Molecules.

Photoassociative formation of ultracold KRb molecules and subsequent detection by resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization has provided new spectroscopic information about 33Π state along with information about the resonantly coupled 2(1), v′=165 and 4(1), v′=61 states.
A Philosopher in the Locker Room: Sportsmanship and the Honorary Coach Program at St. John Fisher College

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph. In a recent ad for Under Armour sneakers, the actor Jamie Foxx intones the following: “You know, the Greek philosopher Aristotle said ‘You are what you repeatedly do.’ Huh – but in our book, we take it a little deeper. We say, ‘You are what you repeatedly do when things get hard’” (Under Armour 2015). Foxx goes on to say, “My apologies to Aristotle, but excellence doesn’t become a habit by running the same path over and over. No, No, No! You know what the excellent ones do? They reinvent the rules altogether. The excellent ones just step up to the line and ask ‘What’s the record?’” (Under Armour 2015). This faculty essay is available in Verbum: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/verbum/vol13/iss1/13
Immunization with Cultured Cell-BCG Mixtures

In 1965, [5] initiated exploratory trials of immunotherapy for chronic myeloid leukemia. Patients with leukemia under satisfactory control were immunized with cultured cells, believed to be myeloblasts, in the hope that this would prevent or delay myeloblastic transformation. There was some evidence that this line of cultured cells possessed an antigen in common with the buffy coat of patients with myeloid leukemia, but not with leukocytes from normal individuals. The goal of immunization was to induce strong delayed hypersensitivity against antigens of these cultured cells. The first trial was with irradiated cells injected i.m. This resulted in antibody production, but not delayed hypersensitivity to the target cells. Our present immunization technique was then adopted. This uses living BCG organisms as adjuvant, and i.d. vaccination.
Authorization Required: Veterans Treatment Courts, the Need for Democratic Legitimacy, and the Separation of Powers Doctrine

What limits do judges have when creating specialty courts such as Veterans Treatment Courts (“VTCs”)? Many states have virtually no limits. I argue that states should enact legislation authorizing the creation of VTCs to maintain democratic legitimacy and ensure that the judiciary respects the separation of powers doctrine.VTCs represent an innovative and courageous approach to treat and rehabilitate veterans who have committed certain crimes by acknowledging the underlying mental health effects that can result after combat experiences and trigger criminal behavior. In many states, however, judges create these courts without legislative authorization. Without legislative authorization, judges have almost unlimited power to establish these courts, as well as to determine their structures, rules, and procedures. Allowing for unlimited judicial power diminishes democratic legitimacy and often creates separation of powers issues.First, legislation lends VTCs democratic legitimacy. Legislation allows a democratically elected legislature to set forth basic requirements and procedures for the courts, thereby ensuring that judges do not have unlimited power in establishing them. Legislation also helps usher in the systematic changes that these courts achieve as specialized problem-solving courts that aim to treat veterans who have committed certain crimes. Second, legislation ensures separation of powers between the legislative and judicial branches of our government. Legislation acknowledges the historic tradition of separation of powers by setting forth a change in the criminal justice system pursuant to public advocacy. Separation of powers also requires distinct law-making power in the legislative branch. Legislation, therefore, prevents judges from usurping that law-making power by setting up these courts independently and without oversight.
Diagnosis of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis in childhood and their differential diagnosis

Objective Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) and multiple sclerosis (MS) are both common demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system(CNS). This paper was to study the clinical and lab test features of ADEM and MS so as to improve clinical and differential diagnosis.Methods The clinical features and experimental results were analyzed in 34 cases with ADEM and 17 cases with MS compatible with the established criteria.Results ADEM cases included 19 boys and 15 girls and MS cases 7 boys and 10 girls. Certain clinical features were helpful to differentiate ADEM and MS, such as fever (64.7 %;29.4 %), headache (58.8 %;23.5 %), consciousness change ( 64.7 %;5.9 %) including coma (17.6 %;0 %); and seizures (35.3 %;0 %). ADEM often produced widespread CNS disturbance, but MS usually presented monosymptomatic syndrome, such as 6 cases of myelopathy,5 hemiplegia , and 33 optic neuritis, etc. It was impossible tomake a certain distinction on CSF immunological examinations. Cranial MRI revealed thalamic involvement (ADEM 32.4 %; MS 0 %); ADEM and EMG examination showed peripheral nerve damage in ADEM whereas not any in MS.Conclusion It is suggested that ADEM be considered in the patients presenting previous history of an infection or vaccination, widespread CNS disturbance and alteration of consciousness or seizures in particular, and multifocal white matter lesion on MRI especially with thalamic involvement and that MS be considered with onset of monosymptomatic syndrome, at least two non-associated lesions in white matter, and relapses and remittence.
Ileocolic Neobladder Post-Cystectomy: Continence and Potency

Incontinence and impotence are 2 of the primary complications associated with total bladder reconstruction after cystectomy for carcinoma. These and other features are addressed in 25 patients who underwent total neobladder reconstruction following cystectomy for transitional cell carcinoma. Of these patients 20 had a urethral anastomosis. No patient had to wear a pad or device. Enuresis was rare. When the radical cystoprostatectomy population was contrasted with a radical prostatectomy patient population, continence was achieved more rapidly in the neobladder group. Potency was maintained in 15 of 21 (71%) evaluable patients. This ileocolic neobladder produces a large volume and low pressure, and provides excellent day and night continence. With preservation of the neurovascular bundle potency can be maintained in the majority of patients.
Adenitis, Adenopathy, and Abscesses of the Head and Neck

SUMMARY The emergency clinician will continue to be called on to evaluate inflammatory processes of the head and neck on a regular basis. We have attempted to describe the broad range of these problems, as well as our current considerations for diagnosis and management. Our goal has been to promote accurate diagnosis to allow early detection of situations calling for prompt medical or surgical intervention.
The First Reported Successful Treatment of Intractable Burning Pain in Erythromelalgia Using OnabotulinumtoxinA: A Case Report (P01.144)

OBJECTIVE: To report the first successful reduction in burning erythromelalgia pain by onabotulinumtoxinA (BoNTA) in a patient refractory to all other treatments. BACKGROUND: A patient with intractable burning pain of legs and face from sporadic erythromelalgia failed to respond to or had unacceptable adverse reactions to multiple treatments, including anti-convulsants, the gabapentinoids,GABA agonists, analgesics, NMDA inhibitors. Topical lidocaine gave partial relief.The patient then developed excruciating, unilateral upper-extremity burning pain that did not respond to any treatment. This change led to a trial of BoNTA, based on the successful outcome of treatment of migraine headache and trigeminal neuralgia. The intention was to block peripheral neurotransmitter release. DESIGN/METHODS: Treatment: BoNTA was administered 5 times over 7 months by subcutaneous injection in the left upper extremity on days 0, 44, 121 194 and 216 as follows (BoNTA units): the left upper extremity 40, 80, 85, 81 and 16 units respectively. RESULTS: Pain reduction occurred 1-10 days after injection on each occasion. Pain was completely relieved in the left upper extremity (no pain at all) for 2 weeks after the 1st injection, for 3 weeks after the 2nd injection, for 9 weeks after the 3rd injection, and remained completely relieved 5 weeks after the 4th injection. Adverse Effects: transient weakness of wrist and finger extension. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of successful BoNTA treatment of intractable burning pain in erythromelalgia when conventional treatment failed. The mechanism of action may be the blockage of neurotransmitter release from peripheral nerve, but is not known for certain. Disclosure: Dr. Gerwin has received personal compensation for activities with Pfizer.
H2O2 causes endothelial barrier dysfunction without disrupting the arginine-nitric oxide pathway.

We have previously demonstrated that nitric oxide (⋅ NO) donors attenuate and that inhibition of endogenous nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enhances hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-mediated porcine pulmonary ...
Efficacy of a Bilingual Screening Tool in L1 Kannada and L2 English to Differentiate Between Language Differences and Disorders in English Language Learners

A bilingual screening tool was developed in L1 Kannada and L2 English to provide teachers with an initial classification system in order to differentiate between language differences and disorders in English Language Learners. The study was conducted in Bangalore, India, and the sample consisted of 104 participants in grades 2–5 from low-cost, middle-cost and high-cost English-medium private schools. Teachers identified 33 persistent low achievers from the sample based on current English-only assessments. Contrasted to this generic classification, the bilingual screening tool was efficacious in classifying 15 students as dominant in L1 and delayed in L2; 4 students as dominant in L1 but not at risk of a disability; and 14 students as being at risk of a language learning disability.
Legal Aspects of Protecting Intellectual Property in Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing has emerged as a transformative technology that will play a significant role in the future. Also broadly known as 3D printing, additive manufacturing creates 3D objects by incrementally adding successive layers of materials. Whereas traditional manufacturing requires materials and customized components, molds and machinery, additive manufacturing merely requires materials and a 3D printer. Without the need for expensive customization, the entrance barriers for additive manufacturing are drastically lower than those for conventional manufacturing; overhead and maintenance costs are reduced, allowing for smaller, flexible and competitive business models. The decentralized market for production is also a decentralized market for piracy. In traditional manufacturing, the copying of a design can be readily traced to a source because an infringer would require an infrastructure for fabrication and a marketing platform for sales. However, in the decentralized additive manufacturing environment, there is neither a need for a specific infrastructure nor a marketing platform. This chapter focuses on legal solutions available to intellectual property owners in the United States for blueprints, objects and processes used in additive manufacturing. Also, it establishes a baseline for the current federal protection environment and outlines the principal issues encountered in protecting intellectual property.
Can recursive partitioning empirically derive a pulmonary function test interpretive algorithm

Background: Electronic decision support (EDS) tools are time consuming to develop and validate. A classification and regression tree technique (CART) known as recursive partitioning (RP) has proven beneficial in the development of EDS tools. In this study, we wanted to determine whether RP could be used to validate the logic of an EDS tool for Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) interpretation, ePFT. Objectives: Determine whether Recursive Partitioning (RP) can be used to empirically derive a PFT interpretive algorithm. Compare the derived decision tree to the current published guidelines, on which ePFT was based. Methods: 4,906 PFTs obtained as part of clinical care at Intermountain and their ePFT interpretations were analyzed using RP. We selected 55 input variables from the PFT database. The output variable was the PFT interpretation by ePFT. Results: The preferred tree exhibited the same logic as the published ATS/ERS PFT interpretation schema. Additionally, it reflects real-world clinical PFT interpretations and accounted for PFT interpretations where TLC was not measured and restriction could not be definitively diagnosed. Conclusions: Recursive partitioning can derive PFT interpretation logic based solely on input PFT variables and the final PFT interpretation. This approach may facilitate development and validation of EDS tools.
Symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in a patient with unilateral pulmonary vein atresia

A 52-year-old man with symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation was offered an atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation procedure. His echocardiogram indicated that he had no structural heart disease. A cardiac computed tomographic (CT) scan showed enlargement of the right pulmonary veins, absence of the left pulmonary veins, a prominent left atrial appendage, and a hypoplastic left lung. Cardiac CT with an electroanatomic mapping system confirmed a prominent left atrial appendage and the absence of the left pulmonary veins. Due to the limited number of patients with this condition, information about ablation remains very limited, and his ablation was deferred. Unilateral pulmonary vein atresia is a rare condition in adults which results from failure of incorporation of the common pulmonary vein into the left atrium. This case demonstrates the clinical importance of preprocedural imaging prior to AF ablation.
Can Natural Resource-Related Social and Economic Maladies Be Avoided in Africa?

This chapter seeks to capture key trends in the literature on the nexus between natural resources and development in general, with a particular focus on oil and gas (OG) in Africa. It also draws attention to contentious issues linked to resource extraction and its impact in resource-rich African nations. Issues raised include whether or not the adverse phenomena collectively referred to as the resource curse are inevitable, the circumstances under which they occur and how they can be managed—if, in fact, they are unavoidable. The cases depicted in this book in addition to Ghana (our main study)—Nigeria, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and Equatorial Guinea—may reveal some of the calamitous events connected to abundant natural resources in developing countries.
Insights into the function of opioid receptors from molecular dynamics simulations of available crystal structures.

The opioid receptors are key targets in the treatment of acute and chronic pain, and the development of novel analgesics with reduced side effects is crucial in the search for more effective medications. The crystal structures of opioid receptors have provided a wealth of knowledge on many aspects of opioid receptor pharmacology and function, including ligand binding poses, location of the sodium allosteric binding site, conformational changes associated with activation and putative dimeric interfaces. These crystal structures also offer a starting point for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to capture one aspect of drug design that static structures cannot resolve, namely protein dynamics. With the increase in computing power, MD simulations of crystal structures have become an influential tool in understanding the function of GPCRs in general. Here, we discuss lessons learned from MD simulations of opioid receptor crystal structures with reference to (i) the binding pathway of sodium to its crystallographic allosteric site, (ii) the dynamics of ligand-receptor and receptor-receptor interactions, both at the ligand- and G protein-binding sites, (iii) the binding pathway and binding pose of novel ligands, and (iv) opioid receptor oligomerization. Linked articles This article is part of a themed section on Emerging Areas of Opioid Pharmacology. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v175.14/issuetoc.
Marginal Food Insecurity is Associated with Increased Sodium and Decreased Fruit Consumption in Mothers and Toddlers from Low-income Households

OBJECTIVEFew studies have examined the relationship between food insecurity and dietary intake. The objective was to evaluate associations between food insecurity and dietary intake among mother-to...
Optimal prescribed burn frequency to manage foundation California perennial grass species and enhance native flora

Grasslands can be diverse assemblages of grasses and forbs but not much is known how perennial grass species management affects native plant diversity except in a few instances. We studied the use of late-spring prescribed burns over a span of 11 years where the perennial grass Poa secunda was the foundation species, with four additional years of measurements after the final burn. We evaluated burn effects on P. secunda, the rare native annual forb Amsinckia grandiflora and local native and exotic species. Annual burning maintained P. secunda number, resulted in significant expansion, the lowest thatch and exotic grass cover, the highest percentage of bare ground, but also the lowest native forb and highest exotic forb cover. Burning approximately every 3 years maintained a lower number of P. secunda plants, allowed for expansion, and resulted in the highest native forb cover with a low exotic grass cover. Burning approximately every 5 years and the control (burned once from a wildfire) resulted in a decline in P. secunda number, the highest exotic grass and thatch cover and the lowest percentage of bare ground. P. secunda numbers were maintained up to 4 years after the final burn. While local native forbs benefited from burning approximately every 3 years, planted A. grandiflora performed best in the control treatment. A. grandiflora did not occur naturally at the site; therefore, no seed bank was present to provide across-year protection from the effects of the burns. Thus, perennial grass species management must also consider other native species life history and phenology to enhance native flora diversity.
RING finger protein 113A regulates C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 stability and signaling

As an α-chemokine receptor specific for stromal-derived-factor-1 (SDF-1, also called CXCL12), C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) plays a vital role in chemotactically attracting lymphocytes du...
Attitude Correction Using Corner Landmarks in 3-D SLAM

This paper discusses the use of three-dimensional (3-D) corner features extracted from a 2-D laser scanner as landmarks in a simultaneous localization and mapping solution. The corner landmarks can be identified and tracked using their angles, and the observations of the corners are directly used to correct attitude errors. The proposed method can be used to navigate a small unmanned aerial vehicle in urban and indoor environments.
CRT-700.06 The Association Between Contrast Dose and Renal Function in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is recommended for high and intermediate risk severe aortic valve stenosis (AS). The impact of contrast volume reduction during TAVR on creatinine (Cr) and estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) is not well studied. We did a retrospective analysis of
The time course of ATP cleavage by contracting amphibian and mammalian skeletal muscles.

The purpose of this paper is to describe our current understanding of the factors affecting the rate of energy utilitization, or ATP hydrolysis, by contracting muscles. While there are a variety of ways in which this question might be approached, historically the most productive methods have been the measurement of the enthalpy (heat+work) production and the measurement of changes in the high energy phosphate content of contracting muscles. The former technique involves the recording of heat and work production by thermopiles and work by force and displacement transducers. This technique has the advantage that it has a good frequency response (resolving changes in the rate of energy liberation in 10 msec) is quantitatively very accurate (to a fraction of a mW/g), and is non-destructive. Its primary disadvantage is its non-specificity; i.e., the myothermal recording represents the sum of all the rections taking place. The latter technique involves the measurement of the change in chemical content of acid extracts of paired whole muscles (one a control and the other an experimental muscle) which are rapidly frozen at specific times during a contraction.
Differential metabolism of tetrahydrobiopterin in monoamine neurons: a hypothesis based upon clinical and basic research.

Neurons that synthesize and secrete monoamines have been extensively studied because of their hypothetical involvement in the symptomology associated with certain neurological and Psychiatric disorders, and, by inference, their possible involvement in the disease process itself. 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is the essential cofactor for the family of pterin-dependent enzymes that includes tyrosine and tryptophan hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzymes in the biosynthesis of catechol and indoleamines1. The family of nitric oxide synthases, enzymes that convert arginine to nitric oxide, also require BH4 for activity, although at extremely low concentrations2. While the concentration of BH4 within monoaminergic neurons is unknown, it appears to be subsaturating with respect to these enzymes3,4. Increases or decreases in BH4 levels might therefore be expected to alter basal enzyme activity and, in some cases, also modify allosteric regulatory mechanisms. The capacity of monoaminergic and possibly nitric oxide-producing neurons to synthesize neurotransmitter and thereby perform their physiological functions is thus highly dependent upon the intracellular concentration of BH4.
Introduction and a Land-Use Framework for the Non-Energy Sectors

Chapters 10 through 14 of this book cover the three main land-based sectors—forestry, agriculture, and rangelands and grasslands—and waste management. The land-based sectors are responsible for emissions of CO2 associated with land-use changes, and they can also sequester carbon through photosynthetic processes. Together with the waste management sector, these sectors are also responsible for most of the anthropogenic emissions of the GHG methane, non-methane hydrocarbons, NOx, and oxides of N2. These sectors therefore provide opportunities for mitigating climate change through reduction of GHG emissions and/or through increased absorption and storage of carbon in perennial vegetation, detritus, soils, and in long-term biomass products.
Aging in Grace: The Spiritual Journey of Henri Nouwen

Henri Nouwen (1932–1996), author of The Wounded Healer and dozens of other books, is best known for his religious meditations and his guides to spiritual development. The Dutch-born priest was also a pioneering religious gerontologist. Early on, Nouwen recognized that the joys and vicissitudes of aging were a relatively unexplored pathway to maturity. This article explores Nouwen's increasing sophistication and candor as he probed the dimensions of aging—his own inner torments and hopes, his relationships with others (particularly his father), and his acceptance of life's finitude. The author, who considers Nouwen a mentor, insinuates his own voice into the conversation to highlight the paradoxical extent to which the particular markers of one's journey define a life ultimately give way to an identity grounded in the commonalities of human existence.
Delayed Rectification in the Heart: Regulation and Physiology

In heart cells, as in other excitable tissues, potassium channel currents are important in maintaining the normal cell resting potential and controlling the duration of the action potential. These channels have particularly important roles in heart because of the complex pattern of electrical activity that exists in different cell types ranging from the sino-atrial (SA) node in the right atrium to the Purkinje fiber in the ventricle. The regular pattern of impulse conduction and muscle activation must be maintained over a wide range of stimulation frequencies because heart rate is under direct sympathetic and parasympathetic control, and under these conditions proper relationships must be maintained between diastolic filling times and systolic ejection.
An exploratory study: using Danmaku in online video-based lectures

This exploratory study investigated the use of Danmaku in video-based lectures as a method to enhance learners’ interactions and course engagement in online instruction. Visually, Danmaku is real-t...
Fast Health Interoperability Resources (FHIR): Current Status in the Healthcare System

The inception of EHR has shown a lot of potentials and virtually eliminated the drawbacks of paper-based medical notes. However, the transition has not been seamless due to various technical and po...
LAP2 Proteins Chaperone GLI1 Movement between the Lamina and Chromatin to Regulate Transcription

Understanding transcription factor navigation through the nucleus remains critical for developing targeted therapeutics. The GLI1 transcription factor must maintain maximal Hedgehog pathway output in basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), and we have previously shown that resistant BCCs increase GLI1 deacetylation through atypical protein kinase Cι/λ (aPKC) and HDAC1. Here we identify a lamina-associated polypeptide 2 (LAP2) isoform-dependent nuclear chaperoning system that regulates GLI1 movement between the nuclear lamina and nucleoplasm to achieve maximal activation. LAP2β forms a two-site interaction with the GLI1 zinc-finger domain and acetylation site, stabilizing an acetylation-dependent reserve on the inner nuclear membrane (INM). By contrast, the nucleoplasmic LAP2α competes with LAP2β for GLI1 while scaffolding HDAC1 to deacetylate the secondary binding site. aPKC functions to promote GLI1 association with LAP2α, promoting egress off the INM. GLI1 intranuclear trafficking by LAP2 isoforms represents a powerful signal amplifier in BCCs with implications for zinc finger-based signal transduction and therapeutics.
Testing Novel Payment and Delivery Approaches Through the Veterans Health Administration's New Center for Innovation.

The recently established Center for Innovation for Care and Payment will give the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the ability to test novel payment and service delivery models; will facili...
Stochastic Wave Inputs for Extreme Roll in Near Head Seas

An approach to generate the extreme value distribution of parametric roll in near head sea conditions is presented using a Design Load Generator (DLG) , a process to approximate the extreme value distribution of a Gaussian random variable. Statistics of the roll amplitudes of a Joint High Speed Sealift (JHSS) concept hull calculated from the DLG and the Large Amplitude Motion Program (LAMP) are compared in Weibull space with the results from limited Monte Carlo simulations. The interpretation of the exposure period of the DLG results is included.
Key regression from constrained pseudorandom functions

Abstract Key regression is a primitive that allows a content publisher to give a small amount of keying material, for time stamp i, to a party such that they can derive key k i and all keys k j for time stamps j i , but not for time stamps j > i . Existing key-regression schemes based on random oracles, pseudorandom permutations, and pseudorandom generators require a publisher to maintain state of size linear in the number of potential keys. In previous work, constant sized publisher state has only been accessible through the use of trapdoor permutations (e.g., RSA). This paper presents a novel key-regression scheme where the publisher must store only a constant amount of state information without trapdoor permutations. This is achieved through the use of constrained pseudorandom functions, a primitive that allows for the delegation of partial evaluation without revealing the key.
Leaf Segmentation by Functional Modeling

The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is a recent trend in field based plant phenotyping data collection. However, UAVs often provide low spatial resolution images when flying at high altitudes. This can be an issue when extracting individual leaves from these images. Leaf segmentation is even more challenging because of densely overlapping leaves. Segmentation of leaf instances in the UAV images can be used to measure various phenotypic traits such as leaf length, maximum leaf width, and leaf area index. Successful leaf segmentation accurately detects leaf edges. Popular deep neural network approaches have loss functions that do not consider the spatial accuracy of the segmentation near an object's edge. This paper proposes a shape-based leaf segmentation method that segments leaves using continuous functions and produces precise contours for the leaf edges. Experimental results prove the feasibility of the method and demonstrate better performance than the Mask R-CNN.
On M-decomposable sets

Abstract According to Goberna, Gonzalez, Martinez-Legaz, and Todorov (2010), an M-decomposable set in R n is a closed convex set which is the sum of a compact convex set and a closed convex cone. Complementing the existing results on M-decomposable sets, we study their extreme, exposed, and asymptotic properties. Also, we consider M-polyhedral sets which are sums of compact convex sets and polyhedral cones and establish some characteristic properties of such sets.
Ultrasound is superior to palpation for thyroid cancer detection in high-risk childhood cancer and BMT survivors.

Thyroid cancer is a common subsequent malignant neoplasm in childhood cancer survivors (CCS). Patients who received radiotherapy (RT) to the head, neck, upper thorax, or total body irradiation (TBI) are considered to be at risk for subsequent thyroid cancer. Current Children’s Oncology Group screening guidelines recommend annual neck palpation. Our objective was to determine if ultrasound (US) is more sensitive and specific than palpation to detect thyroid cancer in high-risk CCS and bone marrow transplant (BMT) survivors. Electronic medical records of patients followed in a longitudinal survivorship clinic from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2017 were reviewed. Inclusion criteria included history of RT to the head, neck, upper thorax, or TBI for primary therapy or preparation for BMT prior to the age of 20 years. Two hundred and twenty-five patients had documented palpation and 144 (64%) also had US evaluation. Mean radiation dose was 28.6 Gy. Sixteen of 225 patients (7.1%) developed a subsequent thyroid cancer at a mean of 9.7 years from the completion of RT. Sensitivity of US was 100% compared with 12.5% for palpation. US demonstrated higher accuracy, with a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area under the curve (AUC) of 0.87 versus 0.56 for palpation (P < 0.0001). Routine screening with US was more sensitive than palpation for detection of subsequent thyroid cancer after high-risk RT in CCS and BMT survivors. Screening US may lead to earlier detection of thyroid cancer in this population. Earlier diagnosis has the potential to decrease operative complexity, and earlier definitive therapy reduces the likelihood of metastatic disease.
Benthic fluxes of dissolved oxygen and nutrients across hydrogeomorphic zones in a coastal deltaic floodplain within the Mississippi River delta plain

We tested the hypothesis that benthic fluxes will increase spatially in a coastal deltaic floodplain as sediment organic matter increases in response to developing hydrogeomorphic zones along a chronosequence of the active Mississippi River Delta. A continuous flow-through core system was used to incubate intact sediment cores from three hydrogeomorphic zones along a chronosequence in the emerging Wax Lake Delta (WLD). Organic matter content increased from younger to older deltaic sediments from subtidal to supratidal hydrogeomorphic zones, which were coupled with increasing benthic oxygen and nitrogen fluxes. Mean net denitrification rate in spring was 100 µmol N2–N m−2 h−1 with significantly lower rates occurring in the younger intertidal zones (T4 transect, − 22 µmol N2–N m−2 h−1) and higher rates occurring in the older supratidal zones (T2 and T1 transects, 330 and 262 µmol N2–N m−2 h−1, respectively). Mean net denitrification rate in summer was 397 µmol N2–N m−2 h−1 without significant site-to-site variability except for the supratidal-T2 site (911 µmol N2–N m−2 h−1) showing higher denitrification rate than the other sites. Based on seasonal temperature and inundation time, annual rates of benthic NO3− removal varied from − 0.5 to − 3.4 mol m−2 y−1 and N2–N production rates varied from 1.0 to 3.2 mol N m−2 y−1 across WLD. The subtidal zone had the lowest fluxes associated with lower organic matter content, but was the hydrogeomorphic zone with the largest area and longest flood duration, and therefore contributed over half of N removal in WLD. The estimated annual NO3− removal of 896 Mg N y−1 in WLD accounts for 10 to 27% of total NO3− load to WLD, most of which is converted to N2 through denitrification. As a small prograding coastal deltaic floodplain under early stages of delta development, WLD is a continuously emerging ecosystem where the capacity of N removal increases by 0.2 to 2% per year prior to riverine NO3− is export to coastal ocean. These results highlight the contribution of the coastal deltaic floodplain in an active coastal basin in processing elevated riverine NO3− at continental margins with coastal ocean. The potential loss of this ecosystem service in N removal may increase in global significance as delta areas decline as result of accelerated relative sea level rise and decreased sediment loading in major river basins around the world.
Changing the Conversation: A Capabilities Approach to Disordered Consciousness

Fischer and Truog propose deemphasizing questions pertaining to consciousness in the care of patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) (Fischer and Truog 2017). They critique the conceptual ba...