cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A dispersion free method for modeling space-charge physics in a circular pipe

When modeling the physics of space-charge in high-power microwave sources, such as klystrons, it is necessary to have an accurate description of the space-charge fields which are generated by the time-dependent beam charge and current densities. In general, the method for computing these fields is nontrivial since the motion of charged particles in the beam can be in all three directions and includes the effects of image charges and currents on the surrounding conductor wall. We present a novel theoretical approach and corresponding numerical results for a dispersion free time-dependent Green's function method which can be utilized for calculating electromagnetic space-charge fields due to arbitrary circularly symmetric beam currents in a circular conducting pipe. Since the Green's function can be expanded in terms of solutions to the wave equation, the numerical solutions to the space-charge fields also satisfy the wave equation yielding a completely dispersion free numerical method. This technique is adequately suited for modeling bunched space-charge dominated beams, such as those found in high-power microwave sources, for which the effects of numerical grid dispersion and numerical Cherenkov radiation are typically found when using FDTD type methods. In addition, we also demonstrate how this new method can be used in a parallel computing framework.
Concurrent Assessment of Eelgrass Beds (Zostera marina) and Salt Marsh Communities along the Estuarine Gradient of the South Slough, Oregon

Abstract Salt marshes, eelgrass beds (Zostera marina), and benthic macroalgae frequently occur in close proximity along the steep tidal channels of Pacific Northwest estuaries, where they constitute distinct patches of transitional land-margin habitat. The eelgrass beds and adjacent salt marshes within the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Oregon, provide an opportunity to investigate commonalities and differences between two ecological-indicator communities that are often separated by only a few meters. The principal objectives of this study are to establish a series of adjacent eelgrass and salt marsh assessment and monitoring sites within different hydrographic regions of the South Slough estuary and to characterize initial temporal and spatial changes in the composition of the plant communities in accordance with new field protocols developed by the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) and by SeagrassNet. Eelgrass beds and emergent salt marsh communities were sampled at t...
Wärmespannungen beim Anheizen und Abkühlen zylindrischer Bauteile

Es wird ein Naherungsverfahren zum raschen und einfachen Abschatzen der maximalen Warmespannung beim Anheizen oder Abkuhlen zylindrischer Bauteile entwickelt. Die Genauigkeit des Verfahrens ist fur die Praxis meist vollig ausreichend.
Mechanisms of PGF2α Action in Functional Luteolysis

Regression of the corpus luteum is pivotal in regulating the estrous and menstrual cycle since it permits follicular development and the ovulatory surge of pituitary gonadotropins in the subsequent cycle. Thus, in mammalian species mechanisms have developed which cause regression of the corpus luteum, a response marked by a precipitious decline of circulating progesterone.
Regulation of organic nutrient metabolism during transition from late pregnancy to early lactation

Conceptus energy and nitrogen de- mands in late pregnancy are mostly met by placental uptake of maternal glucose and amino acids. The resulting 30 to 50% increase in maternal requirements for these nutrients is met partly by increased volun- tary intake and partly by an array of maternal metabolic adaptations. The latter include increased hepatic gluconeogenesis from endogenous substrates, decreased peripheral tissue glucose utilization, in- creased fatty acid mobilization from adipose tissue, and, possibly, increased amino acid mobilization from muscle. Within 4 d of parturition, mammary demands for glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids are several- fold those of the pregnant uterus before term. Even unusual postparturient increases in voluntary intake cannot satisfy this increased nutrient demand. There- fore, rates of hepatic gluconeogenesis and adipose fat mobilization are greatly accelerated. Concomitant changes in amino acid metabolism include increased hepatic protein synthesis and, possibly, decreased amino acid catabolism, and increased peripheral mobilization of amino acids. Insulin resistance in adipose tissue and muscle, developed during late pregnancy, continues postpartum; adipose lipolytic responsiveness and sensitivity to adrenergic agents are increased postpartum beyond their levels during late pregnancy. Before parturition, these homeorhetic adjustments may be coordinated with lactogenesis by increased secretion of estradiol and prolactin. Their amplification and reinforcement at and soon after parturition may be regulated mostly by somatotropin.
Colorectal Bacteria in Colorectal Carcinogenesis

Although the importance of the gut bacterial flora to the general well-being of the host was recognised in the last century by Metchnikoff, detailed studies were hampered by the lack of equipment and techniques for cultivating the oxygen-sensitive components of the flora. Interest waned in the early decades of this century, and only the role of bacteria as intestinal pathogens was considered, the beneficial effects of the gut flora being ignored. The subject was revived in the 1960s with the development of anaerobic cabinet techniques for the culture of the vast majority of intestinal organisms, and our knowledge of the composition and the function of the gut bacterial flora has grown steadily since then.
Non-Aphasic Disorders of Speech

Edwin Weinstein (now at the Mount Sinai Medical School) was the first person to draw my attention to a whole array of remarkable phenomena which can readily be mistaken for primary disorders of memory or language. I should hasten to add that this should not suggest to the reader that Weinstein shares my interpretation of many of these phenomena, since there are many points on which he and I will continue to carry on a friendly argument for many years. Both this paper and the one later in the volume ‘The varieties of naming errors’ as well as my thinking on denial syndromes all reflect, however, my debt to Weinstein’s highly original observations. These were, and perhaps still are, neglected by neurologists who thought that Weinstein was advancing a purely psychiatric explanation of the syndromes of denial and their accompanying errors in naming and distortions of memory. This belief was a naive misinterpretation of Weinstein’s more refined argument, i.e., that a special type of motivated denial behavior is seen in patients with certain neurological disorders.
2016 update on eating disorders in athletes: A comprehensive narrative review with a focus on clinical assessment and management

Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, can have devastating effects on both the health and performance of athletes. Compared to non-athletes, both female and male athletes are at higher risk of developing an eating disorder. This is especially true for athletes participating in sports where low body weight or leanness confers a competitive advantage. Screening for disordered eating behaviours, eating disorders and for related health consequences should be a standard component of preparticipation examinations, and team physicians should be knowledgeable of the updated diagnostic criteria for eating disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-V. Athletes with eating disorders should undergo thorough evaluation and treatment by an experienced multidisciplinary team. Team physicians play a critical role in decision-making on clearance for participation and return to play. Using evidence-based guidelines for clearance and return to play encourages transparency and accountability between the sports medicine care team and the athlete. Efforts to prevent eating disorders should be aimed at athletes, coaches, parents and athletic administrators, and focused on expanding knowledge of healthy nutrition in support of sport performance and health.
Biochemical Analysis of the Regulation of Kv7 Channels by PIP2 and Calmodulin

Kv7 (M-type, KCNQ) channels produce an outward potassium current (M-current) and play dominant roles in control of neuronal excitability due to their threshold of activation at sub-threshold potentials. Kv7 channels have been identified as therapeutic targets to reduce neuronal excitability in certain brain disorders, such as epilepsy and chronic pain. We seek to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of Kv7-channel regulation by second-messengers used in their regulation by Gq/11-coupled receptors, and the structural determinants of the channels that are involved. Activation of Gq/11-mediated signals results in the hydrolysis of the membrane-bound lipid, PIP2 (phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate), and an increase in calcium-bound calmodulin (Ca2+/CaM) that is associated with M-current suppression and enhanced neuronal excitability. The structure of Kv7 channels consists of a 6-transmembrane-spanning region with an extended cytoplasmic carboxy-terminus containing a proximal “regulatory domain” with two alpha helices and two regions enriched in basic amino acids that are thought to be the principal sites of PIP2- and CaM-mediated binding. Recently, we examined the affinity of PIP2 to this regulatory domain spanning from the S6-TMD to the end of the B-helix domain (KCNQ-RD). By monitoring the shift in intrinsic protein fluorescence, we observed a change in the conformation of KCNQ-RD by the presence of the water-soluble analog, diC8-PIP2. Fluorescence polarization assays showed a reduction of anisotropy of a fluorescently labeled PIP2 analog with increasing KCNQ-RD titrations. These results support that PIP2 directly binds the KCNQ-RD. Since CaM also binds in this region, we hypothesize that the interactions of CaM and PIP2 with Kv7 channels are allosterically or sterically coupled, such that the binding of one molecule affects the affinity of binding of the other, or affects the efficacy of its action in modulating channel gating.
Entrenching Privacy: A Critique of Civil Remedies for Gender-Motivated Violence

In 2000, the Supreme Court in United States v. Morrison struck down a provision of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that enabled victims of gender-motivated violence to bring civil suits against their attackers in federal court. In the wake of that decision, several states and localities have created similar remedies, and there has been a great deal of scholarly discussion of ways to craft a federal civil rights remedy that comports with the Constitution. The decision to create the federal provision stemmed from Congress’s recognition that violent crimes against women are systematically under-enforced or unenforced: presumably, the comparable state remedies were also intended to address this problem. Such remedies have received considerable scholarly support. In this Note, I argue that this continued emphasis on civil remedies for victims of gender violence is both pragmatically and normatively problematic. I argue that reliance on private civil remedies to address law enforcement failure reinforces the traditional separation of women from civil society and their relegation to the private sphere. This same relegation of women to the private sphere, I posit, also underlies the continued failure of the state to protect women from violent crime. As such, any serious efforts to address the continued prevalence of gender-motivated violence must focus not on private alternatives to inadequate law enforcement, but on changing the understanding of the relationship between women and the state that underlies the state’s continued failure to protect them.
A Device for Producing Gaseous Mixtures in Incubation Chambers

A device, constructed from a desiccator jar, valve assembly, vacuum pump, and gas supply, allows for the convenient production of various gaseous mixtures in incubation chambers. It is inexpensive, easy to construct and operate, and has the potential for use in a variety of situations.
Current-Voltage Characteristics-What Do Experiments Really Tell Us?

Experimentally measured current-voltage measurements in amorphous silicon hydride pin diodes have been fit to computer simulations by Hack and den Boer [1] using relatively small values for the neutral and charged trap capture rates. Silver and Cannella [2] have proposed larger values for the capture rates, accompanied by larger electron and hole band mobilities. We discuss here the possible reasons for expecting the larger values for the capture rates, and their influence on current voltage measurements both with and without the higher mobilities. It is found that the simulated I-V results using only the larger capture rates are much smaller than those for Hack and den Boer’s parameters. However, when the large values are used for both the capture rates and the mobilities, the I-V relationship is quite similar to that for the smaller capture rates and mobilities. We also show the differences in the simulated transient currents for the different sets of parameters, and we discuss the causes of these differences.
Kinetics of the NCCO + NO2 reaction.

The kinetics of the NCCO + NO2 reaction was studied by transient infrared laser absorption spectroscopy. The total rate constant of the reaction was measured to be k = (2.1 ± 0.1) × 10–11 cm3 molecule–1 s–1 at 298 K. Detection of products and consideration of possible secondary chemistry shows that CO2 + NO + CN is the primary product channel. The rate constants of the NCCO + CH4 and NCCO + C2H4 reactions were also measured, obtaining upper limits of k (NCCO + CH4) ≤ 7.0 × 10–14 cm3 molecule–1 s–1 and k (NCCO + C2H4) ≤ 5.0 × 10–15 cm3 molecule–1 s–1. Ab initio calculations on the singlet and triplet potential energy surfaces at B3LYP/6-311++G**//CCSD(T)/6-311++G** levels of theory show that the most favorable reaction pathway occurs on the singlet surface, leading to CO2 + NO + CN products, in agreement with experiment.
Superconductivity on the edge

Standard superconductors consist of a condensate of paired electrons, called Cooper pairs. The transport behavior of these pairs at junctions can produce exotic effects that are of fundamental and practical interest. When two superconductors are in contact via a normal metal, the pairs must convert to single-particle states to traverse between superconductors. This occurs by the Andreev process, whereby a low-energy electron in the normal metal injects a Cooper pair into the superconductor and generates a hole that reflects back into the metal; coherent, opposite-momentum electron-hole pairs then carry the supercurrent across the metallic junction ( 1 ) (see the figure, panel A). In the case of superconductors connected to a quantum Hall state, there are only one-way paths along the junction edges. Here, a new type of Andreev process is predicted to occur, whereby electron and hole states on opposite sample edges carry the supercurrent. This prediction was made more than 20 years ago ( 2 ), but clear observation of the effect was frustrated by the difficulty of creating coexisting superconducting and quantum Hall states. On page 966 of this issue, Amet et al. ( 3 ) report on the interplay between these two states, finding evidence for the unconventional Andreev process. Their results confirm new physics that appears when two correlated states are connected, and opens the door to a range of novel excitations and exotic devices.
Cytokine-cytokine synergy and protein kinase C in the regulation of lung fibroblast leukemia inhibitory factor

Studies were undertaken to characterize the cytokines and cytokine-cytokine interactions that stimulate human lung fibroblast leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) production and the mechanisms of these regulatory effects were investigated. Unstimulated fibroblasts did not produce significant amounts of LIF, whereas recombinant interleukin-1 alpha (rIL-1 alpha), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), and recombinant tumor necrosis factor (rTNF) were dose-dependent stimulators of LIF production. TGF-beta and rIL-1 alpha also interacted in a synergistic fashion to further increase LIF elaboration. Under all conditions alterations in LIF production were associated with comparable alterations in LIF mRNA accumulation. The kinetics of mRNA induction, however, differed with rIL-1-induced LIF mRNA being readily detected after 2 h, TGF-beta 1 induction peaking after 16-24 h, and the induction caused by rIL-1 alpha plus TGF-beta 1 being most prominent after 2-4 h and decreasing with additional incubation. Protein synthesis was not required for LIF induction. In addition, even though A23187 was an effective stimulator of LIF production, the calmodulin antagonists W-7 and trifluoperazone dichoride (TFP) did not significantly alter the LIF-stimulatory effects of IL-1 and TGF-beta. PKC did appear to play an important role in this induction, however, since LIF was induced by PMA and cytokine induction of LIF production was markedly diminished by chronic phorbol ester preincubation, staurosporine, and H-7, but not by HA1004. These studies demonstrate that 1) rIL-1, TGF-beta, TNF, agents that increase intracellular calcium and agents that activate PKC, stimulate lung fibroblast LIF production; 2) rIL-1 and TGF-beta interact in a synergistic fashion to further increase fibroblast LIF production; and 3) rIL-1 and TGF-beta stimulate lung fibroblast LIF production via a pretranslational activation pathway that is largely PKC-dependent and protein synthesis-, cyclic nucleotide-, and calmodulin-independent. Cytokine-stimulated LIF production may play an important role in homeostasis and repair in the human lung.
Laser surface annealing and characterization of Ti2AlC plasma vapor deposition coating on zirconium-alloy substrate

Abstract Laser surface treatment of amorphous Ti-Al-C (50:25:25 at.%) coating deposited on Zircaloy-4 substrate by dc magnetron sputtering was parametrically investigated as a function of surface temperature and dwell time. The as-deposited coating was transformed to crystalline Ti 2 AlC without significant phase alteration of Zircaloy-4 substrate under optimized conditions (900 °C for 3 s). Thermal analysis via commercial finite element software was applied to guide the selection of parameters for laser surface treatment. Coating performance was evaluated with wear and scratch tests as well as high temperature steam oxidation tests. Although laser treatment led to the formation of microcracks, it was noted to improve the mechanical integrity of the coatings and the oxidation tests indicated the protective nature of the as-deposited and laser-annealed coatings. The oxide particulate morphology and size formed during the steam oxidation tests varied dramatically between the as-deposited and laser-annealed coatings.
Assessment of the Incubation Period for Invasive Listeriosis

We characterized incubation periods among outbreak-associated listeriosis cases, using a simulation model to account for patients with multiple exposure dates. The median was 11 days; 90% of cases occurred within 28 days, and incubation periods varied by clinical manifestation.
EPRS is a critical regulator of cell proliferation and estrogen signaling in ER + breast cancer

Aminoacyl tRNA synthetases (ARSs) are a class of enzymes with well-conserved housekeeping functions in cellular translation. Recent evidence suggests that ARS genes may participate in a wide array of cellular processes, and may contribute to the pathology of autoimmune disease, cancer, and other diseases. Several studies have suggested a role for the glutamyl prolyl tRNA synthetase (EPRS) in breast cancers, although none has identified any underlying mechanism about how EPRS contributes to carcinogenesis. In this study, we identified EPRS as upregulated in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) human breast tumors in the TCGA and METABRIC cohorts, with copy number gains in nearly 50% of samples in both datasets. EPRS expression is associated with reduced overall survival in patients with ER+ tumors in TCGA and METABRIC datasets. EPRS expression was also associated with reduced distant relapse-free survival in patients treated with adjuvant tamoxifen monotherapy for five years, and EPRS-correlated genes were highly enriched for genes predictive of a poor response to tamoxifen. We demonstrated the necessity of EPRS for proliferation of tamoxifen-resistant ER+ breast cancer, but not ER- breast cancer cells. Transcriptomic profiling showed that EPRS regulated cell cycle and estrogen response genes. Finally, we constructed a causal gene network based on over 2500 ER+ breast tumor samples to build up an EPRS-estrogen signaling pathway. EPRS and its regulated estrogenic gene network may offer a promising alternative approach to target ER+ breast cancers that are refractory to current anti-estrogens.
GreenDrive: a smartphone-based intelligent speed adaptation system with real-time traffic signal prediction

This paper presents the design and evaluation of GreenDrive, a smartphone-based system that helps drivers save fuel by judiciously advising on driving speed to match the signal phase and timing (SPAT) of upcoming signalized traffic intersections. In the absence of such advice, the default driver behavior is usually to accelerate to (near) the maximum legally allowable speed, traffic conditions permitting. This behavior is suboptimal if the traffic light ahead will turn red just before the vehicle arrives at the intersection. GreenDrive uses collected real-time vehicle mobility data to predict exact signal timing a few tens of seconds ahead, which allows it to offer advice on speed that saves fuel by avoiding unnecessary acceleration that leads to arriving too soon and stopping at red lights. Our work differs from previous work in three respects. First and most importantly, we tackle the more challenging scenario, where some phases (such as left-turn arrows) are added or skipped dynamically, in accordance with real-time traffic demand. Second, our approach can accommodate a low system penetration rate and low vehicle density. Third, GreenDrive treats user-specified travel time requirements as soft deadlines and chooses appropriate speed adaptation strategies according to the user time budget. Using SUMO traffic simulator with real and large-scale road network, we show that GreenDrive learns phase durations with an average error below 2s, and reduces fuel consumption by up to 23.9%. Real-world experiments confirm 31.2% fuel saving and the ability to meet end-to-end travel time requirements.
Sprigg Lane (a)

The president of a natural-resource exploration company has to decide whether to invest in a new drilling opportunity. He already has a spreadsheet that projects the most likely scenario for the well and calculates the NPV and internal rate of return. However, six uncertainties are discussed by the president and another potential investor. He also has prepared a spreadsheet for a couple of downside scenarios--one where gas is not able to be produced after the well is drilled and a second where gas is produced but all other uncertainties are at their 1% worst possible values. A student worksheet file is available for use with this case. Excerpt UVA-QA-0372 SPRIGG LANE (A) May 19, 1988, was a beautiful day in Charlottesville, Virginia. Tom Dingledine could see some cows grazing in the pasture on the rolling hillside outside his window. He was grateful for the bucolic setting, which was made possible by his doing well with the projects he managed, one of which now required some concentration. Dingledine was the president of Sprigg Lane Natural Resources, a subsidiary of the Sprigg Lane Investment Corporation (SLIC). The decision at hand was whether to invest in the Bailey Prospect natural gas opportunity. The Company Founded in 1961, Sprigg Lane was a privately held investment corporation. It had become a diversified corporation comprising two major groups. The first was devoted to manufacturing high-quality home furnishings. Its masthead company was Virginia Metalcrafters, which produced handcrafted brass giftware. Other companies in the group included an outdoor-lantern company in Maine and an antique-reproduction furniture company in Maryland. With the establishment of the National Legal Research Group in 1970, another major group, the Research Group, was started. Since then, four other research companies had been added in the fields of consumer-product marketing, computer software, tax research, and investment financial analysis. The recent formation of the Sprigg Lane Development Corporation, which was involved in the purchase and development of real estate, brought the total number of Sprigg Lane's subsidiaries to nine. SLIC sales for 1987 approximated $ 30 million, and it employed more than 525 people. . . .
Revising Psychology Misconceptions by Integrating a Refutation-Style Text Framework Into Poster Presentations:

Refutation-style texts have been considered a viable strategy for changing psychological misconceptions. The current study aims to integrate refutation-style texts into a classroom-based method of ...
Physician Burnout: The Hidden Health Care Crisis

Physician burnout is an under-recognized and under-reported problem. Characterized by a state of mental exhaustion, depersonalization, and a decreased sense of personal accomplishment, burnout may affect more than 60% of family practice providers and at least one third of gastroenterologists. Some studies have shown that younger physicians, physicians performing high-risk procedures, and physicians experiencing work-life conflicts are at greatest risk. If unrecognized, the costs to the physician and to the health care system can be enormous because physician burnout is associated with increased rates of depression, alcohol and drug abuse, divorce, suicide, medical errors, difficult relationships with coworkers, and patient dissatisfaction, as well as physician attrition. If properly recognized, appropriate treatments are available. This article presents a case study of a physician suffering from burnout, reviews how burnout is defined, identifies those providers at greatest risk, discusses root causes, and outlines a treatment program.
Towards Measurements of Chiral Effects Using Identified Particles from STAR

Abstract We report recent STAR results on searching for the Chiral Magnetic Effect via measurements of γ correlation and κ K parameter for charged hadrons and identified particle pairs ( ππ , pK , πK , pp , pπ ) in Au+Au collisions at 200 GeV. We compare the κ K parameters with expectations from the AMPT simulations. Sizable γ correlations for charged hadrons, using Time Projection Chamber event plane, in p+Au and d+Au 200 GeV have been observed, and the correlations in these small systems are reduced to near zero when the event planes from forward detectors are used. We will also present our results on the Chiral Magnetic Wave searches from p+Au collisions at 200 GeV.
Instant Replay — A Quarterback's View of Care Coordination

Care coordination is the backbone of new models of care that aim to improve quality and reduce costs. In replaying the highlights of a case involving a dozen clinicians, a general internist shares lessons learned about care coordination.
2017 Update in perioperative medicine: 6 questions answered

The authors performed a MEDLINE search to identify articles published between January 2016 and April 2017 that had significant impact on perioperative care. They identified 6 topics for discussion.
Diagnosis and Management of Rectal Neuroendocrine Tumors

The incidence of rectal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) has increased by almost ten-fold over the past 30 years. There has been a heightened awareness of the malignant potential of rectal NETs. Fortunately, many rectal NETs are discovered at earlier stages due to colon cancer screening programs. Endoscopic ultrasound is useful in assessing both residual tumor burden after retrospective diagnosis and tumor characteristics to help guide subsequent management. Current guidelines suggest endoscopic resection of rectal NETs ≤10 mm as a safe therapeutic option given their low risk of metastasis. Although a number of endoscopic interventions exist, the best technique for resection has not been identified. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has high complete and en-bloc resection rates, but also an increased risk of complications including perforation. In addition, ESD is only performed at tertiary centers by experienced advanced endoscopists. Endoscopic mucosal resection has been shown to have variable complete resection rates, but modifications to the technique such as the addition of band ligation have improved outcomes. Prospective studies are needed to further compare the available endoscopic interventions, and to elucidate the most appropriate course of management of rectal NETs.
Parallels between Postpartum Disorders in Humans and Preweaning Piglet Mortality in Sows.

Pregnancy and parturition in all mammals is accompanied with physical, psychological, social, and hormonal shifts that impact the mother physically and psychologically. Pre-weaning piglet mortality continues to be a major welfare and economic issue in U.S. swine production, running at 12–15% with crushing by the sow the major cause. Much research has focused on farrowing environment design, yet the fact that little progress has been made emphasizes that psychosocial factors may impact rates of postpartum disorders (PPD). There is a mismatch between evolved adaptations and contemporary psychosocial and management practices. Many factors associated with the development of PPD in humans are mirrored in sows that perform piglet crushing. These factors include poor mental welfare (anxiety, difficulty coping with stress), a lack of experience, a lack of social support, and individual differences in their sensitivity to hormone concentrations. Understanding what strategies are effective in preventing PPD in humans may have welfare and production benefits for sows—and sows may be a possible model for better understanding PPD in humans.
Tumor necrosis factor alpha reduces intestinal vitamin C uptake: a role for NF-κB-mediated signaling.

Our findings show that tumor necrosis factor-α inhibits intestinal ascorbic acid uptake in both in vitro and in vivo systems, and this inhibitory effect is mediated, at least in part, at the level ...
Adaptability of Closed-Loop during Labor, Delivery, and Postpartum—A Secondary Analysis of Data From Two Randomized Crossover Trials in Type 1 Diabetes Pregnancy

Background: Tight glucose control during labour and delivery is recommended for pregnant women with type 1 diabetes. This can be challenging to achieve using the current treatment modalities. The automated nature of closed-loop and its ability to adapt to real-time glucose levels make it well suited for use during labour, delivery and the immediate postpartum period. Methods: We report observational data of participants from two randomized crossover trials who chose to continue using closed-loop during labour, delivery and postpartum. Labour was defined as the 24 hours prior to delivery and postpartum as the 48 hours after delivery. The glucose target range during pregnancy was 3.5-7.8mmol/L (63-140mg/dL) and 3.9-10mmol/L (70-180mg/dL) after delivery. Results: Twenty-seven (84.4%) of the potential 32 trial participants used closed-loop through labor, delivery, and postpartum. Use of closed-loop was associated with 82.0% (IQR 49.3,93.0) time-in-target range during labor and delivery and a mean glucose of 6.9±1.4mmol/L (124±25mg/dL). Closed-loop performed well throughout vaginal, elective and emergency caesarean section deliveries. Postpartum, women spent 83.3% (IQR 75.2,94.6) time-in-target range (3.9-10.0mmol/L [70-180mg/dL]), with a mean glucose of 7.2±1.4mmol/L (130±25mg/dL). There was no difference in maternal glucose concentration between mothers of infants with and without neonatal hypoglycemia (6.9±1.6 and 6.8±1.1 mmol/L [124±29 and 122±20mg/dL] respectively; p=0.84). Conclusions: Automated closed-loop insulin delivery is feasible during hospital admissions for labour, delivery and postpartum. Larger scale studies are needed to evaluate its efficacy compared to current clinical approaches as well as understand how women and healthcare providers will adopt this technology.
Knowledge and Skills for Policy Making: Stories from Local Public Managers in Florida

Local public managers regularly participate in the legislative policy-making process and even play a leadership role in policy preparation and deliberation. This phenomenon challenges the dichotomy...
Intestinocystoplasty and Total Bladder Replacement in Children and Young Adults: Followup in 129 Cases

AbstractA review of 129 consecutive young patients (average age 13.4 years) who underwent intestinocystoplasty or total bladder replacement during a 6½-year period at our institution is presented. The most common diagnosis was myelodysplasia and the average followup was 44 months. The clinical and urodynamic aspects of 4 types of intestinocystoplasty (ileocecal, tubular sigmoid, sigmoid patch and ileal patch) are presented.All 4 operations resulted in a significant increase in bladder volume, with a decrease in filling pressure and, thus, improved vesical compliance. In combination with clean intermittent catheterization renal function was maintained or improved in 91 per cent and urinary continence was achieved in 82 per cent of the patients. Hyperchloremic acidosis requiring therapy was noted only in patients with pre-existing renal insufficiency, although mild hyperchloremia after cystoplasty was seen with all 4 types of cystoplasty. There were no operative mortalities. Significant surgical complicatio...
The Shallow Spherical Cap

Shallow spherical configurations, such as domes with small height-on-to spam ratios, can be subjected to sudden loads of various spatial distributions. Because of this, the designer of such systems is interested in their response and in particular in the level of the load under which snap-through can take place. This,of course, is a primary considerationin the design of these configurations.
Dimensionality Reduction based Transfer Learning applied to Pharmacogenomics Databases

Recent years have observed a number of Pharmacogenomics databases being published that enable testing of various predictive modeling techniques for personalized therapy applications. However, the consistencies between the databases are usually limited in spite of having significant number of common cell lines and drugs. In this article, we consider the problem of whether we can use the model learned from one secondary database to improve the prediction for the other target database. We illustrate using two pharmacogenomics databases that representing the databases using common basis vectors can improve prediction performance as compared to the naive application of a model trained on one database to another. We also elucidate the robustness of using PCA based basis vectors for scenarios with low correlated input features.
Economic Events and Processes

In this chapter, we learn how the systemic yoyo model and the new figurative analysis method (Chapter 13) can be applied to the study of economics. Because humans are involved in each economic situation and their desires and beliefs alter the evolution of the outcome, leading to unpredictable, chaotic consequences (Soros in The crisis of global capitalism: open society endangered. Public Affairs, New York, 1998), this chapter shows that when each economic entity is seen as a rotating yoyo with a spin field around it, the seemingly unpredictable, chaotic consequences of human desires, beliefs, and corresponding behaviors no longer look unpredictable and chaotic.
Psychophysiological evaluation of patients with transient consciousness loss of uncertain origin.

Background: Psychological profile (PsyP) of patients with transient loss of consciousness (TLoC) is evidence of high prevalence of anxiety and depression. However, the mechanistic link between abnormal PsyP and TLoC is still unclear. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate: 1) prevalence of abnormal PsyP in TLoC patients; 2) cardiac autonomic response to head-up tilt test (HUTT) in patients with (PsyP+) or without abnormal PsyP (PsyP–), developing syncope (HUTT+) or not (HUTT–). Methods: Forty-one patients (66% female, mean age 36 ± 15 years), with history of TLoC, underwent PsyP before HUTT. Short-term heart rate variability analysis was carried out under baseline rest condition and at peak heart rate and/or onset of syncope induced by nitroglycerine (NTG), during HUTT. Results: HUTT+ occurred in 17/41 patients, more frequently in females, who had higher levels of anxiety (p < 0.0001). PsyP+ was prevalent in 70.5% of HUTT+ patients (p < 0.05). Among PsyP+ patients HUTT+ had dominant sympathetic modulation (DSM) at rest, which increased at the onset of syncope, whereas in HUTT patients vagal modulation was prevalent at rest. Among NTG-induced HUTT+ patients, fourfold higher increases of very low frequency (VLF) power were found in PsyP– compared with PsyP+. Conclusions: 58% of patients with history of TLoC were PsyP+. In PsyP+ patients, DSM at rest correlates with higher prob­ability of NTG-induced syncope, which occurs with 60% increment of low frequency and 530% increment of VLF power. Conversely, in patients with prevalent vagal modulation at rest and a decrease in VLF power after NTG, syncope did not occur. This supports interpretation of VLF power as an index of stress-induced sympathetic activity.
Use of porcine factor VIII in the treatment of patients with acquired hemophilia

Data have been collected from 47 centers in Europe and North America on the treatment with porcine factor VIII concentrate of 74 acute bleeding episodes in 65 patients with acquired hemophilia. The median initial anti-human factor VIII auto-antibody inhibitor level was 38 Bethesda unit (BU)/mL (range 1.2 to 1,024) whereas that against porcine was 1 BU/mL (range 0 to 15). The mean initial dose of porcine factor VIII infused was 84 IU/kg, which increased the plasma factor VIII:C activity by 0.85 IU/mL. Therapy was continued for a mean of 8.5 days during which time the average number of infusions was 11. Objective clinical responses were rated as good or excellent in 78% of recipients. Side effects were uncommon; only one patient experienced a severe anaphylactic reaction necessitating the discontinuation of porcine FVIII therapy. After therapy, no increase in the median level of anti-human FVIII or anti-porcine antibody was noted in the group as a whole, although 13 patients showed individual increases in either anti-human or anti-porcine antibody levels or both of more than 10 BU/mL. Of the 7 patients who subsequently rebled, 5 were successfully re-treated and 2 did not respond to further porcine factor VIII treatment. Porcine factor VIII is safe and clinically effective treatment for bleeding episodes associated with acquired hemophilia and should be considered as first-line therapy for patients whose acquired anti-factor VIII:C antibody cross-reacts with porcine factor VIII:C at low levels.
Femtosecond X-Rays Generated via 90° Thomson Scattering

We have developed a unique source of femtosecond x-rays operating in the 300 fs, 0.4 A regime[l], which will allow us to apply x-ray techniques with ultrafast time resolution to directly probe the structural dynamics of materials. The study of atomic motion on the fundamental time scale of a vibrational period (~100 fs), is important for understanding processes such as chemical reactions, vibrational energy transfer, phase transitions, and surface dynamics. Our understanding of these processes has been limited by the lack of appropriate tools for probing the ultrafast motion of atoms. X-ray techniques such as diffraction and extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) are powerful probes of atomic structure, and are widely used with synchrotron x-ray sources. However, the time resolution provided by high-brightness synchrotrons is nearly three orders of magnitude too slow to directly observe fundamental atomic motion. Femtosecond x-ray pulses will allow us to directly probe atomic motion in condensed matter by applying x-ray techniques on an ultrafast time scale.
Design Defect Ghosts

Ghosts haunt design defect law across the land. Design defectiveness lies at the heart of products liability law, yet courts and legislatures around the nation, and increasingly the globe, disagree on how the fundamentally important concept of a design defect should be defined. Both textual and conceptual ghosts from times gone by continue to frustrate efforts to apply modern principles to this field of law. Halting progress toward sound liability tests for unsafe design is visible here and there, but movement toward workable design defect definitions remains slow and tortured. How design defects should be defined was the most explosive issue in the entire politically-charged Restatement (Third) of Torts: Products Liability project. When the Reporters (Professors Aaron Twerski and James Henderson, Jr.) offered their definition of design defect early in the Third Restatement project, most observers viewed it as a strange and radical departure from the straight-forward formulation of strict products liability in tort in section 402A of the Restatement (Second) of Torts. Yet, from the time the American Law Institute (ALI) approved section 402A in 1964 (and promulgated it in 1965), courts and lawyers struggled to apply its “strict” liability principles beyond manufacturing defects, a context where such principles comfortably grounded liability determinations, to the then-emerging context of design safety, where section 402A’s consumer expectations test proved increasingly inadequate. In addition to ingeniously diverting commotion away from the strict liability versus negligence debate that lay beneath, the Third Restatement Reporters’ functional, negligence-based definition of design defect reflected how courts and lawyers around the nation increasingly were framing and litigating this central issue of products liability law.
Decarboxylation of stearic acid over Ni/MOR catalysts

BACKGROUND: Oils derived from plants, animal fats, and algae contain both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. These fatty acids can be converted into liquid fuels and chemicals in the presence of active solid catalysts. RESULTS: Nickel‐based catalysts were supported on mordenite via ion exchange synthesis and evaluated for the deoxygenation of stearic acid to diesel fuels. By tuning the synthesis pH, loadings of over 20 wt% Ni were obtained. Catalysts synthesized at pH 8.5 displayed the highest Ni loading and the highest activity for the decarboxylation/decarbonylation of stearic acid under inert nitrogen gas atmospheres, yielding 47% heptadecane. Characterization included scanning transmission electron microscopy‐energy‐dispersive spectroscopy (STEM‐EDS), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP‐AES), N₂ physisorption and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), providing new insights into the recyclability of the catalyst. The observed loss of catalytic activity upon recycling was attributed to the agglomeration of Ni nanoparticles and the accumulation of carbonaceous coke. CONCLUSION: This work demonstrates that Ni‐based catalysts supported on mordenite zeolite can effectively convert stearic acid into heptadecane. Yields to heptadecane were as high as 47%. Mechanistically, the reaction proceeds by decarboxylation and decarbonylation pathways. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Quantum imaging and information

The maturity of fields such as optical physics and quantum optics has brought with it a new era where the photon represents a promising information resource. In the past few years, scientists and engineers have exploited multiple degrees of freedom of the photon to perform information processing for a wide variety of applications. Of particular importance, the transverse spatial degree of freedom has offered a flexible platform to test complex quantum information protocols in a relatively simple fashion. In this regard, novel imaging techniques that exploit the quantum properties of light have also been investigated. In this review article, we define the fundamental parameters that describe the spatial wavefunction of the photon and establish their importance for applications in quantum information processing. More specifically, we describe the underlying physics behind remarkable protocols in which information is processed through high-dimensional spatial states of photons with sub-shot-noise levels or where quantum images with unique resolution features are formed. We also discuss the fundamental role that certain imaging techniques have played in the development of novel methods for quantum information processing and vice versa.
Medical Imaging in Guyana, development and status

Medical imaging services have been rapidly advancing in Guyana over the last decade. It is time to look back, and state the todays’ situation.With a population, under 1 million, Guyana, according to the World Factbook (1), is the third smallest country in South America. Guyana was originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to settlement of urban areas by former slaves and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. Tropical rainforests cover over 80 percent, and its agricultural lands are fertile. A resulting ethno-cultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966. In 1992, the country is first free and fair election since independence. The economy is growing; still at a high unemployment. According to the World Factbook, it is (per 2018) a young population; mean age for both females and males are 28 years, and life expectancy 68y. Compared with other neighboring countries, Guyana ranks poorly concerning basic health indicators (2), basic health services in the interior are primitive to non-existent.
Decision Trees for Incorporating Hypothesis Tests of Hydrologic Alteration into Hydropower–Ecosystem Tradeoffs

AbstractShort streamflow records make it difficult to determine the extent to which discharge changes in excess of ecological thresholds are due to dam operations or natural variability. Unnecessar...
High-speed single molecule imaging datasets of membrane proteins in rat basophilic leukemia cells.

Abstract A high-speed fluorescence microscope operating at a 490 Hz frame rate was used to image two different membrane proteins- the high-affinity IgE receptor FcɛRI, a transmembrane protein, and an outer-leaflet GPI-anchored protein. The IgE receptor was imaged via IgE labeled with Janelia Fluor 646 and the GPI-anchored protein was imaged using a GPI-GFP fusion protein and an ATTO 647 N labeled anti-GFP nanobody. Data was collected for both proteins in untreated cells and cells that had actin stabilized by phalloidin. This dataset can be used for development and testing of single-particle tracking methods on experimental data and to explore the hypothesis that the actin cytoskeleton may affect the movement of membrane proteins.