cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cutaneous dermatomyositis in the era of biologicals

Dermatomyositis (DM) is a systemic inflammatory condition characterized by cutaneous and muscle findings, in addition to potential involvement of other organ systems. A distinct subtype of DM exists that is categorized by cutaneous findings with absent or minimal muscle involvement, referred to as clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis or dermatomyositis sine myositis. A variety of topical, immunosuppressive, and immunomodulatory therapies have been utilized to treat cutaneous DM. The advent of biological agents including tumor necrosis factor-α antagonists, intravenous immunoglobulin, rituximab, and others has allowed for the use of these agents with varying degrees of success for the treatment of cutaneous DM.
A Functional Inequality Arising in Combinatorics

In this paper, we discuss the functional inequality \( p(n + m){\kern 1pt} \le {\kern 1pt} (_{n}^{{n + m}}){\kern 1pt} p(n){\kern 1pt} p(m) \), which arises in tournament theory and other parts of combinatorics. A simple transformation removes the binomial coefficient, and then the solution set divides naturally into three classes of functions. One class consists of all the nonpositive functions since this inequality puts no restriction on such functions. The counting-function solutions, i.e., the nonnegative solutions, all lie in the other two classes and satisfy easily obtainable exponential growth bounds. This set of solutions also possesses a structure in the sense that various combinations of these solutions, e.g., sums and products, are again in the set. Various solution functions and properties of solutions are obtained by introducing a slack function to convert the functional inequality to a functional equation. The general solution to this functional equation is obtained by transforming it to another functional equation whose general solution is known. Solution functions found in this manner occur in pairs and are sometimes even from different solution classes. This slack-function concept has modifications, so it can be applied in other ways to the functional inequality and to other inequalities.
Star Background Cancellation for Deep Space Surveillance

In deep space surveillance missions using high-sensitivity infrared sensor systems, satellite targets must be detected among a background scene of thousands of stars. Data stream processing must provide early rejection in the processing stages of the star scene to permit target detection and to meet the downlink data transmission capacity constraint. Two star-elimination techniques are formulated ? a multicolor elimination concept, and a moving target indicator (MTI) technique ? and their performance analyzed. Multicolor elimination methods reduce the star scene to a star leakage rate of about 39 stars/deg2; the MTI technique reduces the star scene to a dramatically low star leakage rate ? to <0.05 stars/deg2.
Alcoholism in Women

The present women’s liberation movement has an important historical link with alcohol problems and the Temperance Movement. From about 1880 on, there was a vigorous struggle for legal, educational and occupational rights of “the new woman.” The Temperance Movement had been going for some time, but late in the nineteenth century, under the leadership of Frances Willard, the Women’s Christian Temperance Union became an aggressive, militant organization with radical positions on a variety of social issues: It supported labor unions, prison reform, universal education, and women’s rights. The Temperance Movement withered away, largely destroyed by its own success, the prohibition amendment, but like all movements—women’s liberation included—it encompassed a variety of people with a variety of motives, ascetic, religious, or radical (Bacon, 1967).
Shock Wave Response of Iron-based In Situ Metallic Glass Matrix Composites

The response of amorphous steels to shock wave compression has been explored for the first time. Further, the effect of partial devitrification on the shock response of bulk metallic glasses is examined by conducting experiments on two iron-based in situ metallic glass matrix composites, containing varying amounts of crystalline precipitates, both with initial composition Fe49.7Cr17.7Mn1.9Mo7.4W1.6B15.2C3.8Si2.4. The samples, designated SAM2X5-600 and SAM2X5-630, are X-ray amorphous and partially crystalline, respectively, due to differences in sintering parameters during sample preparation. Shock response is determined by making velocity measurements using interferometry techniques at the rear free surface of the samples, which have been subjected to impact from a high-velocity projectile launched from a powder gun. Experiments have yielded results indicating a Hugoniot Elastic Limit (HEL) to be 8.58 ± 0.53 GPa for SAM2X5-600 and 11.76 ± 1.26 GPa for SAM2X5-630. The latter HEL result is higher than elastic limits for any BMG reported in the literature thus far. SAM2X5-600 catastrophically loses post-yield strength whereas SAM2X5-630, while showing some strain-softening, retains strength beyond the HEL. The presence of crystallinity within the amorphous matrix is thus seen to significantly aid in strengthening the material as well as preserving material strength beyond yielding.
Jock Young and the Criminological Imagination as a Life Force

The work of the incomparable Jock Young has had an enormous impact on the development of critical criminology and of criminology more generally. In this important volume I discuss the impact of his latter works (principally his trilogy) on the development of my own research in subfields that have become virtual industries in the global praxes of contemporary criminal (in)justice: gangs and deportation. I draw on my extensive experience with ethnographic fieldwork and the resulting analyses to show how major themes in Young’s work have been used to illuminate complex social processes and provide much-needed alternative theoretical frameworks with which to disentangle our data. I conclude that his radical oeuvre as well as his example of the socially engaged social scientist offer us a way out of the impasse we now face.
Monitoring and Analysis on Cases of Rash and Fever Illness in Yuxi City during 2005—2008

[Objective]To completely master the epidemic regularty of rash and fever illness(RFIs) in Yuxi City through epidemiological monitoring on RFIs,and provide scientific evidence for developing control measures.[Methods]Descriptively epidemiological analysis was performed on monitoring data of RFIs in Yuxi City from 2005 to 2008.[Results]Totally 554 suspected cases of RFIs were reported from 2005—2008,among which 305(55.05%)were detected IgM antibody positive in laboratory;67(11.91%)were confirmed as rubella IgM antibody positive;measles IgM and rubella IgM were not detected in 182 cases(32.85%).[Conclusion]The current cases of RFIs in Yuxi City mainly are measles cases in all age groups.Most measles cases appear in winter and spring,with a number of rubella cases and other types of RFIs.
Survival of Salmonella enteritidis phage type 30 on inoculated almonds stored at -20, 4, 23, and 35°C

To evaluate the survival of Salmonella on raw almond surfaces, whole almond kernels were inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis phage type (PT) 30 collected from a 24-h broth culture or by scraping cells from an agar lawn. Kernels inoculated with lawn-collected cells to 8, 5, 3, and 1 log CFU per almond after a 24-h drying period were stored for 161 days at 23 ± 3°C. Calculated rates of reduction were similar for the four inoculum levels (0.22, 0.28, 0.29, and 0.22 log CFU/month, respectively). Kernels inoculated to 7.1 or 8.0 log CFU per almond after drying were stored for 171 or 550 days, respectively, at selected temperatures, including −20 ± 2°C, 4 ± 2°C, 23 ± 3°C, and 35 ± 2°C. No significant reductions of Salmonella were observed during storage at −20 and 4°C over 550 days. At 35°C, a biphasic survival curve was observed, with calculated reductions of 1.1 log CFU/month from days 0 to 59 and no significant reduction from days 59 to 171. At 23°C, reductions of 0.18 and 0.30 log CFU/month were calculat...
Structural Impairment Detection Using Deep Counter Propagation Neural Networks

Abstract Structural systems may deteriorate under normal operating conditions during their service life. In many situations, damage is not easily observed through traditional visual inspection techniques. The need for detecting subtle structural damage and assessing the level of impairment presents opportunities to develop innovative solutions beyond typical inspections. One method for monitoring and evaluating structures is to measure responses and assess the impairment condition of structures using those responses. This paper presents an inverse static assessment method for evaluating structures using this concept. Solutions to such an inverse problem are difficult; data streams from structural measurements may be noisy and sometimes incomplete. Additionally, finding an exact, explicit, closed-form solution to this problem is often impossible. This paper details a neural network approach to solve the inverse impairment detection problem. The approach presented utilizes a deep counter propagation neural network that is capable of modeling input-output functional relations even when mathematically explicit formulas are unavailable or data is noisy and/or corrupt.
A Combined Experimental and Computational Approach to Subject-Specific Analysis of Knee Joint Laxity.

Modeling complex knee biomechanics is a continual challenge, which has resulted in many models of varying levels of quality, complexity, and validation. Beyond modeling healthy knees, accurately mimicking pathologic knee mechanics, such as after cruciate rupture or meniscectomy, is difficult. Experimental tests of knee laxity can provide important information about ligament engagement and overall contributions to knee stability for development of subject-specific models to accurately simulate knee motion and loading. Our objective was to provide combined experimental tests and finite-element (FE) models of natural knee laxity that are subject-specific, have one-to-one experiment to model calibration, simulate ligament engagement in agreement with literature, and are adaptable for a variety of biomechanical investigations (e.g., cartilage contact, ligament strain, in vivo kinematics). Calibration involved perturbing ligament stiffness, initial ligament strain, and attachment location until model-predicted kinematics and ligament engagement matched experimental reports. Errors between model-predicted and experimental kinematics averaged <2 deg during varus-valgus (VV) rotations, <6 deg during internal-external (IE) rotations, and <3 mm of translation during anterior-posterior (AP) displacements. Engagement of the individual ligaments agreed with literature descriptions. These results demonstrate the ability of our constraint models to be customized for multiple individuals and simultaneously call attention to the need to verify that ligament engagement is in good general agreement with literature. To facilitate further investigations of subject-specific or population based knee joint biomechanics, data collected during the experimental and modeling phases of this study are available for download by the research community.
Essay on Criticism in the Face of Campus Carry

Now that the student-professor relationship has been confirmed, I’m anxiously awaiting what tomorrow’s media coverage will look like. Since we don’t seem to know anything concrete about the shooter...
Severe Hypotension, Hypoxia, and Subcutaneous Erythema Induced by Indigo Carmine Administration during Open Prostatectomy.

Indigo carmine (also known as 5,5′-indigodisulfonic acid sodium salt or indigotine) is a blue dye that is administered intravenously to examine the urinary tract and usually is biologically safe and inert. Indigo carmine rarely may cause adverse reactions. We treated a 66-year-old man who had general anesthesia and radical retropubic prostatectomy for prostate cancer. He had a previous history of allergy to bee sting with nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. Within 1 minute after injection of indigo carmine for evaluation of the ureters, the patient developed hypotension to 40 mmHg, severe hypoxia (the value of SpO2 (peripheral capillary oxygen saturation) was 75% on 40% inspired oxygen concentration), poor air movement and bilateral diffuse wheezing on auscultation, and marked subcutaneous erythema at the upper extremities. After treatment with 100% oxygen, epinephrine (total, 1.5 mg), hydrocortisone (100 mg), diphenhydramine (50 mg), albuterol nebulizer (0.083%), and continuous infusion of epinephrine (0.15 μg/kg/min), the vital signs became stable, and he recovered completely. In summary, indigo carmine rarely may cause life-threatening anaphylactic or anaphylactoid reaction that may necessitate rapid treatment to stabilize cardiovascular, hemodynamic, and pulmonary function.
Anatomy, Physiology, and Behavior

Publisher Summary Chinchillas possess several key anatomic, physiologic, and behavioral characteristics which in many ways are adaptations derived from their evolution in the high Andean mountains of South America. Chinchillas are useful animal models for a number of human diseases. This chapter discusses certain features in detail such as biological characteristics and behavioral patterns of chinchillas while treating other attributes only briefly, so that key differences can be explored in sufficient detail while leaving other sources to discuss systems in common with other mammals. Chinchillas weigh an average of 400–600 gm and their bodies, about 12–14 inches long, are short, stocky, and compact. The organ systems of chinchillas are essentially similar to those of most other mammals. However, they have unique biological attributes, which may either influence approaches to their medical care or demonstrate their value as research animals. Chinchillas are described as gentle, docile, quiet, and timid. They use their mouths to explore, and may perform trial bites when exploring an object or person. They also gnaw regularly similar to other rodents. Chinchillas are naturally nocturnal, being active at dusk and at night in the wild, but in captivity they can adapt to a diurnal lifestyle. They are active and agile, and enjoy climbing and jumping.
Recovery and adaptation after wildfire on the Colorado Front Range (2010-12)

Following the loss of homes to wildfire, when risk has been made apparent, homeowners must decide whether to rebuild, and choose materials and vegetation, while local governments guide recovery and rebuilding. As wildfires are smaller and more localised than other disasters, it is unclear if recovery after wildfire results in policy change and adaptation, decreasing assets at risk, or if recovery encourages reinvestment in hazard-prone areas. We studied three wildfires on the Colorado Front Range from 2010 to 2012 that each destroyed over 150 homes, describing policy response and characterising the built environment after wildfire. In each location, we found some adaptation, through better-mitigated homes and stronger building and vegetation mitigation standards, but also extensive reinvestment in hazard-prone environments, with governmental support. Despite suggestions that disaster can lead to substantial policy change and elevate the role of land-use planning, we saw only modest reforms: local governments did not revise land-use regulations; a statewide task force considered but did not require standards for building and vegetation mitigation; and only one jurisdiction strengthened its building and vegetation mitigation standards. Experiences in Colorado suggest that time after wildfire either does not provide extensive opportunities for adaptation in the built environment, or that these opportunities are easily missed.
Fever and Seizure in a Young Infant: A Simulation Case

Abstract Introduction Fever in early infancy is a common problem for which management can be challenging. All residents need to be able to recognize critical illness such as meningitis in febrile i...
Nutritional Influence on Epigenetic Marks and Effect on Livestock Production

Nutrition represents one of the greatest environmental determinants of an individual’s health. While nutrient quantity and quality impart direct effects, the interaction of nutrition with genetic and epigenetic modifications is often overlooked despite being shown to influence biological variation in mammals. Dissecting complex traits, such as those that are diet or nutrition related, to determine the genetic and epigenetic contributions towards a phenotype can be a formidable process. Epigenetic modifications add another layer of complexity as they do not change the DNA sequence itself but can affect transcription and are important mediators of gene expression and ensuing phenotypic variation. Altered carbohydrate metabolism and rates of fat and protein deposition resulting from diet-induced hypo- or hyper-methylation highlight the capability of nutritional epigenetics to influence livestock commodity quality and quantity. This interaction can yield either products tailored to consumer preference, such as marbling in meat cuts, or potentially increasing productivity and yield both in terms of carcass yield and/or offspring performance. Understanding how these and other desirable phenotypes result from epigenetic mechanisms will facilitate their inducible potential in livestock systems. Here, we discuss the establishment of the epigenome, examples of nutritional mediated alterations of epigenetics and epigenetic effects on livestock production.
Reimarochloa (Gramineae: Panicoideae) en América Central: notas fitogeográficas y citológicas

The genus Reimarochloa was previously not known from the North American continent. Reimarchloa brasiliensis is reported from El Salvador and Honduras. The plants are entirely cIeistogamous. Their foliar anatomy is panicoid. The somatic chromosome number is 2n = 20, this being the first count for the genus.
TACI Signaling and Its Role in Immunity

Transmembrane activator and CAML interactor (TACI) was initially described 10 years ago. Since that time, it has been increasingly recognized as an important regulator of immunity in both mice and humans. Although much has been learned about its signaling and physiological functions, its complexity in terms of ligand binding, cell-type-specific effects, as well as potential roles in human disease dictates that much work remains to be done in this area. In this chapter, the basic signaling and physiologic role of TACI will be discussed.
Nanoindentation of high performance semicrystalline polymers: A case study on PEEK

Abstract Semicrystalline high performance polymers (HPPs) exhibit desirable thermomechanical properties which make them suitable materials in several industries. However, when their mechanical characteristics are investigated at nanoscale, the inhomogeneous nature of semicrystalline HPPs results in measurement of localized properties which might not represent the overall material response. In this paper, the nanomechanics of poly(ether-ether-ketone) (PEEK) as a tough HPP is scrutinized using the nanoindentation technique. It is demonstrated how surface properties of this polymer can affect the nanoindentation measurements and reveal significant anomalies compared to the nanoindentation of fully crystalline or amorphous solids. In addition, polishing and annealing procedures are introduced as simple techniques that can be used for eliminating the inhomogeneity of the mechanical response of PEEK. Lastly, the capability of depth sensing indentation for determining the distribution of crystalline and amorphous sub-regions within semicrystalline solids is scrutinized and critically discussed.
Striking Diversity in Holoenzyme Architecture and Extensive Conformational Variability in Biotin-Dependent Carboxylases

Biotin-dependent carboxylases are widely distributed in nature and have central roles in the metabolism of fatty acids, amino acids, carbohydrates, and other compounds. The last decade has seen the accumulation of structural information on most of these large holoenzymes, including the 500-kDa dimeric yeast acetyl-CoA carboxylase, the 750-kDa α6β6 dodecameric bacterial propionyl-CoA carboxylase, 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase, and geranyl-CoA carboxylase, the 720-kDa hexameric bacterial long-chain acyl-CoA carboxylase, the 500-kDa tetrameric bacterial single-chain pyruvate carboxylase, the 370-kDa α2β4 bacterial two-subunit pyruvate carboxylase, and the 130-kDa monomeric eukaryotic urea carboxylase. A common theme that has emerged from these studies is the dramatic structural flexibility of these holoenzymes despite their strong overall sequence conservation, evidenced both by the extensive diversity in the architectures of the holoenzymes and by the extensive conformational variability of their domains and subunits. This structural flexibility is crucial for the function and regulation of these enzymes and identifying compounds that can interfere with it represents an attractive approach for developing novel modulators and drugs. The extensive diversity observed in the structures so far and its biochemical and functional implications will be the focus of this review.
‘Epistemological diversity’ in education: Philosophical and didactic considerations

A recent but widespread view holds that ethnic or cultural groups have their own distinctive epistemologies, that epistemologies are also gendered, and that these have been largely ignored by the dominant social group. A corollary of this view states that educational research is pursued within a framework that represents particular assumptions about knowledge and knowledge production that reflect the interests and historical traditions of this dominant group. The call for epistemological diversity becomes problematic when it conflates epistemological pluralism and epistemological relativism. More often than not, in such arguments for different, diverse, alternative, decolonized or demasculinized epistemologies some relevant philosophical issues remain unresolved, if not unaddressed altogether. What exactly do these claims about epistemological diversity mean? Do these ways of establishing knowledge stand up to critical interrogation? Moreover, how do they relate to traditional epistemological distinctions, e.g. between knowledge and belief and between descriptive and normative inquiry, and to epistemologically essential components like warrant/justification and truth? This paper examines some of the mistakes and misconceptions involved in appeals to diverse epistemologies. The concern is not just whether or not a word (‘epistemology’) is being misused, but also (and importantly) whether or not the issues dealt with in epistemology (a complex field that has evolved over a long period of time) are being given short shrift, if not ignored altogether.
A Thermo-Poro-Viscoelastic Model for the Behavior of Polymeric Porous Separators

This paper presents a continuum formulation for thermo-viscoelastic behavior of fully saturated porous media. Two-phase mixture with solid and fluid phases is considered. Governing and balance equations of the mixture, including the balance of mass, balance of linear momentum and balance of energy are presented. The displacement of the solid skeleton, pore fluid pressure, and temperature of the mixture are considered as independent state variables. The stress-strain relationship of the solid skeleton is described by a linear viscoelastic model. The fluid flow is described by the Darcy's law. Numerical examples are presented to show the performance of the model.
Design and characterization of the OpenWrist: A robotic wrist exoskeleton for coordinated hand-wrist rehabilitation

Robotic devices have been clinically verified for use in long duration and high intensity rehabilitation needed for motor recovery after neurological injury. Targeted and coordinated hand and wrist therapy, often overlooked in rehabilitation robotics, is required to regain the ability to perform activities of daily living. To this end, a new coupled hand-wrist exoskeleton has been designed. This paper details the design of the wrist module and several human-related considerations made to maximize its potential as a coordinated hand-wrist device. The serial wrist mechanism has been engineered to facilitate donning and doffing for impaired subjects and to insure compatibility with the hand module in virtual and assisted grasping tasks. Several other practical requirements have also been addressed, including device ergonomics, clinician-friendliness, and ambidextrous reconfigurability. The wrist module's capabilities as a rehabilitation device are quantified experimentally in terms of functional workspace and dynamic properties. Specifically, the device possesses favorable performance in terms of range of motion, torque output, friction, and closed-loop position bandwidth when compared with existing devices. The presented wrist module's performance and operational considerations support its use in a wide range of future clinical investigations.
Quality Of End-Of-Life Care Is Higher In The VA Compared To Care Paid For By Traditional Medicare

Congressional and Veterans Affairs (VA) leaders have recommended the VA become more of a purchaser than a provider of health care. Fee-for-service Medicare provides an example of how purchased care differs from the VA’s directly provided care. Using established indicators of overly intensive end-of-life care, we compared the quality of care provided through the two systems to veterans dying of cancer in fiscal years 2010–14. The Medicare-reliant veterans were significantly more likely to receive high-intensity care, in the form of chemotherapy, hospital stays, admission to the intensive care unit, more days spent in the hospital, and death in the hospital. However, they were significantly less likely than VA-reliant patients to have multiple emergency department visits. Higher-intensity end-of-life care may be driven by financial incentives present in fee-for-service Medicare but not in the VA’s integrated system. To avoid putting VA-reliant veterans at risk of receiving lower-quality care, VA care-purcha...
Rechtes mittellappensyndrom der lunge bei Marfan-syndrom: Ein fallbericht

Das Marfan-Syndrom (MFS) manifestiert sich klinisch als Folge der herabgesetzten Zugfestigkeit des Bindegewebes. Bronchiektasen als pulmonale Manifestationen des MFS sind beschrieben. Bekannt ist weiterhin, dass Bronchiektasen zum Mittellappensyndrom der rechten Lunge fuhren (RMLS), aber die Assoziation von MFS mit RMLS wurde noch nicht beschrieben. Wir berichten von einem Fall von MFS mit RMLS.
Package and product development testing in a microwave oven

Abstract: Variability stands in the way of delivering consistent product quality from microwave ovens. A good microwave product developer takes into account all the sources of variability in the test system that an end user may see. The two largest sources of variability are the differences in microwave ovens in the marketplace and the end users themselves. This chapter outlines a test procedure that aids the developer in determining the robustness of a product/package design and if an applied fix improves performance in all of the variability found in the marketplace.
Cancer Risk, Risk Reduction, and Screening and Treatment Access among U.S. South Asians

This chapter is a brief survey of cancer risk, risk reduction, and screening and treatment access among South Asians in the U.S. A combination of biological factors, including genetics, infections and environmental exposures, microbiota, and lifestyle factors shape vulnerability to cancer among South Asians in the U.S., including South Asian immigrant populations. This chapter highlights these as areas that require further, in-depth examination and advises epidemiologically, culturally and linguistically responsive service delivery to improve cancer outcomes among the large and growing U.S. South Asian immigrant communities. This chapter reflects the work of a dedicated group of researchers, service delivery providers, and community members who came together as part of the yearlong effort, South Asian Health: From Research to Practice and Policy, funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD R13 MD007147-01A1).
A class of event-triggered coordination algorithms for multi-agent systems on weight-balanced digraphs

This paper revisits the multi-agent average consensus problem on weight-balanced directed graphs. In order to reduce communication among the agents, many recent works have considered event-triggered communication and control as a method to reduce communication while still ensuring that the entire network converges to the desired state. One common way to do this is to design events such that a specifically chosen Lyapunov function is monotonically decreasing; however, depending on the chosen Lyapunov function the transient behaviors can be very different. Consequently, we are instead interested in considering a class of Lyapunov functions such that each Lyapunov function produces a different event-triggered coordination algorithm to solve the multi-agent average consensus problem. The proposed class of algorithms all guarantee exponential convergence of the resulting network and exclusion of Zeno behavior. This allows us to easily consider the implementation of different algorithms that all guarantee correctness to be able to meet varying performance needs. Simulations are provided to illustrate our findings.
A least mean square based active disturbance rejection control for an inertially stabilized platform

Abstract Inertially stabilized platform (ISP) is widely used in aerial remote sensing for stabilizing imaging sensors to improve imagery quality. Due to the nonlinearity, time variation, and disturbances of the ISP system, conventional feedback control algorithms cannot achieve precise attitude control. To realize the control performance with fast dynamic response and high stabilization precision, a least mean square based active disturbance rejection control (LMS-ADRC) system is designed to reject multiple disturbances. In particular, the servo system model of the ISP is firstly established. Then, based on the model, the LMS-ADRC controller is designed, in which a least mean square based approach is proposed to estimate the control loop gain. The applicability of the proposed method is validated by a series of simulations and vehicle experiments, and significant improvements are observed in the presence of model uncertainties and external disturbances comparing to the traditional ADRC and PID controllers.
Acoustogenic Probes: A New Frontier in Photoacoustic Imaging.

ConspectusPhotoacoustic imaging (PAI) is a powerful imaging modality capable of mapping the absorption of light in biological tissue via the PA effect. When chromophores are optically excited, subsequent energy loss in the form of heat generates local thermoelastic expansion. Repeated excitation from a pulsed laser induces pressure fluctuations that propagate through tissue and can be detected as ultrasound waves. By combining ultrasonic detection with optical excitation, PAI enables high-resolution image acquisition at centimeter depths. PAI is also relatively inexpensive and relies on safe, nonionizing excitation light in the near-infrared window, making it an attractive alternative to other common biomedical imaging modalities.Research in our group is aimed at developing small-molecule activatable probes that can be used for analyte detection in deep tissue via PAI. These probes contain reactive triggers that undergo a selective chemical reaction in the presence of specific stimuli to produce a spectra...
Ly6C+ Inflammatory Monocyte Differentiation Partially Mediates Hyperhomocysteinemia-Induced Vascular Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetic db/db Mice

Objective: Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is a potent risk factor for diabetic cardiovascular diseases. We have previously reported that hyperhomocysteinemia potentiates type 1 diabetes mellitus-induc...
COMPARISON OF PRIMARY PRODUCTS WITH RESPECT TO ENERGY CONVERSION

Photosynthesis represents an exploitable renewable resource for the production of materials and energy. Woody and nonwoody plants constitute a raw materials resource for a myriad of organic products through appropriate bacterial, enzymatic and chemical conversions.
The effect of grain boundary carbon on the hydrogen-assisted intergranular failure of nickel-copper alloy K-500 fastener material

A recent failure analysis of nickel-copper K-500 fasteners that failed in air associated the rate-dependent, intergranular fracture mode with the presence of grain boundary carbon films and precipitates. The exact mechanism of rate-dependent fracture in that instance was unknown. However, mechanisms such as hydrogen-assisted cracking and creep are known to be consistent with the circumstances of that failure. To determine whether hydrogen-assisted cracking could be affected by grain boundary carbon amount and morphology, the present study examines the influence of intergranular carbon precipitates and various levels of hydrogen on the fracture behavior of nickel-copper Alloy K-500. Dichotomous results indicate that hydrogen-assisted intergranular fracture associated with carbon precipitates may occur in this alloy at lower bulk hydrogen levels than previously reported, yet carbon precipitates may inhibit susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement under cathodic charging conditions. The latter result is discussed with respect to a possible competitive interaction between hydrogen-assisted and carbon-precipitate-induced intergranular fracture modes.
A Striped Newt Population at the Southern Extent of its Range in Osceola County, Florida

We discovered Notophthalmus perstriatus (Striped Newt) in 9 wetlands on Triple N Ranch Wildlife Management Area in Osceola County, FL, 57 km south of the nearest known breeding pond. Predominant habitats within 300 m of breeding ponds are mesic flatwoods (44%), dry prairie (24%), scrubby flatwoods (11%), and wet prairie (10%). One pond is 425 m from the nearest patch of xeric habitat (scrub or scrubby flatwoods), and 4 xeric upland patches closest to breeding ponds are 2 ha or smaller, suggesting that some newts may reside in surrounding atypical mesic habitats. Five breeding ponds are relatively large (>0.8 ha), and 7 ponds contained 3 or 4 fish species. Existing prescribed fire practices are apparently favorable for survival of 3 possible metapopulations.
Optical imaging using an oil droplet and a cellphone camera

We introduce a cost-effective imaging method using droplets of consumer-grade cooking oil and a cell phone camera. While cooking oil droplets are not specifically designed for imaging, we found that, similar to immersion oil, they were more resistant to evaporation than water, thereby enabling long-term imaging. We harnessed their close refractive index to immersion oil and demonstrated their use as lenses for cell phone microscopy. Our new method enables stable droplet-based optical imaging primarily using household materials without specialized setups or manufacturing processes.
The Evolution of Ultrasound in Medicine: A Case Report of Point-of-care Ultrasound in the Self-diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis.

Author(s): Knapp, Barry; Feyzeau, Kean; Smith, Austin; Byars, Donald; Goodmurphy, Craig; Jones, Matt | Abstract: Introduction: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) education during medical school develops physicians who are properly prepared for the next generation of medicine. The authors present the case of a first-year medical student who self-diagnosed appendicitis using POCUS.Case Report: A 25-year-old, first-year medical student presented to the emergency department with lower abdominal pain. What seemed like a straightforward appendicitis presentation came with a twist; the student brought self-performed ultrasound imaging of his appendix.Conclusion: The student’s ultrasound skill set reflects favorably on the rapid evolution of ultrasound teaching in medical education.
Altered erythropoiesis in newborns with congenital heart disease.

BACKGROUND Fetal hypoxia has been implicated in fetal growth restriction in congenital heart disease (CHD) and leads to stress erythropoiesis in utero. The objective is to assess erythropoiesis and its association with growth in newborns with CHD. METHODS Fetuses with prenatally diagnosed CHD from 2013 to 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Pregnancies with multiple gestation, genetic abnormalities, major extra-cardiac anomalies, and placental abruption were excluded. Complete blood count tests at birth were compared to published normative values. Spearman correlation assessed associations of red blood cell (RBC) indices with birth anthropometrics and prenatal Doppler measures. RESULTS A total of 160 newborns were included. Median gestational age was 38.3 (37.3, 39.0) weeks. Infants ≥37 weeks gestation had lower hemoglobin (Hgb), hematocrit, and elevated nucleated RBC (nRBC), mean corpuscular volume, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin compared to reference. No differences in RBC indices were observed in infants <34 and 34-37 weeks gestation. There was no difference in Hgb and nRBC between CHD subgroups. Neither Hgb nor nRBC were associated with birth anthropometrics or Doppler patterns. CONCLUSIONS Term infants with CHD demonstrated multiple alterations in erythrocyte indices suggesting ineffective stress erythropoiesis in late gestation resulting in lower Hgb at birth. Altered erythropoiesis was not correlated to growth or Doppler patterns. IMPACT Newborns with congenital heart disease (CHD) born at term gestation demonstrated altered erythropoiesis. Term newborns with CHD have decreased hemoglobin levels despite having red blood cell indices consistent with stress erythropoiesis, suggesting an incomplete compensatory response to in utero physiologic disturbances associated with CHD. The etiology is unknown; however, it may be influenced by multiple risk factors during pregnancy in the maternal-fetal dyad. Alterations in red blood cell indices were not associated with outcomes of fetal growth.
Comparison of mortality, stroke, and relapse for methicillin-resistant versus methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis: a retrospective cohort study.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to compare survival, relapse, and stroke for patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) vs methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) infective endocarditis (IE). In this retrospective study, the primary outcome of death and secondary outcomes of stroke and relapse were compared using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression. Surgical treatment was adjusted for as a time-dependent variable. In total, 355 patients with at least one episode of IE caused by S. aureus were included. Patients with MRSA IE had higher mortality than those with MSSA IE (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.01-1.77), but did not have a higher risk of stroke (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.43-1.32) or relapse (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.26-3.05). The cumulative incidence of relapse was very small. Among patients with IE caused by S. aureus MRSA infection is associated with higher mortality than MSSA infection.
Revenue Implications of Alternative Personal Income Tax Structures in Illinois

This report provides background information and evidence-based answers in response to questions posed by an Illinois legislator. The questions are: (1) Can you describe the income distribution in Illinois and how this has evolved over the recent past? (2) Can you project out the income distribution in Illinois for the next five years and project personal income tax revenue with: (a) Illinois’ current personal income tax system? (b) a graduated rate personal income tax system comparable to other Midwestern states (i.e. Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa or Missouri)? (3) What personal income tax revenue would Illinois’ economy generate if it adopted the personal income tax structure of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa or Missouri? (4) How are tax burdens distributed in the current tax system and how would they be different under alternative tax systems in the question above? Our empirical analyses suggest that, compared to the four neighboring states, Illinois’ tax system collects less revenue and the revenue that Illinois does collect comes disproportionately from the lowest income categories compared to the other states. Allowing for behavioral change in response to tax-policy changes does not alter, and under some assumptions reinforces, this conclusion.
Woodsmoke particulates alter expression of antiviral host response genes in human nasal epithelial cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 in a sex-dependent manner

We have previously shown that exposure to particulate air pollution, both from natural and anthropogenic sources, alters gene expression in the airways and increases susceptibility to respiratory viral infection. Additionally, we have shown that woodsmoke particulates (WSP) affect responses to influenza in a sex-dependent manner. In the present study, we used human nasal epithelial cells (hNECs) from both sexes to investigate how particulate exposure could modulate gene expression in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We used diesel exhaust particulate (DEP) as well as WSP derived from eucalyptus or red oak wood. HNECs were exposed to particulates at a concentration of 22 μg/cm 2 for 2 h then immediately infected with SARS-CoV-2 at a MOI (multiplicity of infection) of 0.5. Exposure to particulates had no significant effects on viral load recovered from infected cells. Without particulate exposure, hNECs from both sexes displayed a robust upregulation of antiviral host response genes, though the response was greater in males. However, WSP exposure before infection dampened expression of genes related to the antiviral host response by 72 h post infection. Specifically, red oak WSP downregulated IFIT1, IFITM3, IFNB1, MX1, CCL3, CCL5, CXCL11, CXCL10 , and DDX58 , among others. After sex stratification of these results, we found that exposure to WSP prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection downregulated anti-viral gene expression in hNECs from females more so than males. These data indicate that WSP, specifically from red oak, alter virus-induced gene expression in a sex-dependent manner and potentially suppress antiviral host defense responses following SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Education and Lifetime Earnings in the United States

Differences in lifetime earnings by educational attainment have been of great research and policy interest. Although a large literature examines earnings differences by educational attainment, research on lifetime earnings—which refers to total accumulated earnings from entry into the labor market until retirement—remains limited because of the paucity of adequate data. Using data that match respondents in the Survey of Income and Program Participation to their longitudinal tax earnings as recorded by the Social Security Administration, we estimate the 50-year work career effects of education on lifetime earnings for men and women. By overcoming the purely synthetic cohort approach, our results provide a more realistic appraisal of actual patterns of lifetime earnings. Detailed estimates are provided for gross lifetime earnings by education; net lifetime earnings after controlling for covariates associated with the probability of obtaining a bachelor’s degree; and the net present 50-year lifetime value of education at age 20. In addition, we provide estimates that include individuals with zero earnings and disability. We also assess the adequacy of the purely synthetic cohort approach, which uses age differences in earnings observed in cross-sectional surveys to approximate lifetime earnings. Overall, our results confirm the persistent positive effects of higher education on earnings over different stages of the work career and over a lifetime, but also reveal notably smaller net effects on lifetime earnings compared with previously reported estimates. We discuss the implications of these and other findings.
Paper and Board, 8. Finishing

The article contains sections titled: 1. Introduction 2. Reel-Slitting 2.1. Objective and General Description of Reel-Slitting 2.2. The Different Winder Types and Their Suitability for the Various Paper Grades 2.2.1. Classical Two-Drum Winders 2.2.2. Modified Two-Drum Winders 2.2.3. Single-Drum Winders 2.3. Automatic Functions 2.4. Automation/Operation 3. Roll Handling 3.1. Objective and General Description of Roll Handling 3.2. Roll Wrapping 3.2.1. Wrapping Material 3.2.2. The Different Types of Wrapping Machines 3.3. Roll Conveying 3.4. Automation
The Changing Structure of the Global Wine Industry

This paper examines the distinctive economic structures that exist in the wine industry in various regions of the world, and it identifies the critical forces driving changes in the structure of this industry. The paper accomplishes these objectives by applying concepts from industrial organization economics, agency theory, and the field of competitive strategy.
Availability of ferric iron for microbial reduction in bottom sediments of the freshwater tidal potomac river

The distribution of Fe(III), its availability for microbial reduction, and factors controlling Fe(III) availability were investigated in sediments from a freshwater site in the Potomac River Estuary. Fe(III) reduction in sediments incubated under anaerobic conditions and depth profiles of oxalate-extractable Fe(III) indicated that Fe(III) reduction was limited to depths of 4 cm or less, with the most intense Fe(III) reduction in the top 1 cm. In incubations of the upper 4 cm of the sediments, Fe(III) reduction was as important as methane production as a pathway for anaerobic electron flow because of the high rates of Fe(III) reduction in the 0- to 0.5-cm interval. Most of the oxalate-extractable Fe(III) in the sediments was not reduced and persisted to a depth of at least 20 cm. The incomplete reduction was not the result of a lack of suitable electron donors. The oxalate-extractable Fe(III) that was preserved in the sediments was considered to be in a form other than amorphous Fe(III) oxyhydroxide, since synthetic amorphous Fe(III) oxyhydroxide, amorphous Fe(III) oxyhydroxide adsorbed onto clay, and amorphous Fe(III) oxyhydroxide saturated with adsorbed phosphate or fulvic acids were all readily reduced. Fe3O4 and the mixed Fe(III)-Fe(II) compound(s) that were produced during the reduction of amorphous Fe(III) oxyhydroxide in an enrichment culture were oxalate extractable but were not reduced, suggesting that mixed Fe(III)-Fe(II) compounds might account for the persistence of oxalate-extractable Fe(III) in the sediments. The availability of microbially reducible Fe(III) in surficial sediments demonstrates that microbial Fe(III) reduction can be important to organic matter decomposition and iron geochemistry. However, the overall extent of microbial Fe(III) reduction is governed by the inability of microorganisms to reduce most of the Fe(III) in the sediment.