cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection and characterization of SiO2 and TiO2 nanostructures in dietary supplements.

Nanomaterials are beginning to enter our daily lives through various consumer products as the result of technology commercialization. The development of methodologies to detect the presence of nanomaterials in consumer products is an essential element in understanding our exposure. In this study, we have developed methods for the separation and characterization of silicon dioxide (SiO2) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanostructures in dietary supplements marketed in products specifically targeted for women. A total of 12 commercial products claiming the inclusion of SiO2 and TiO2, but not making any claims regarding the particle size, were randomly selected for purchase through various retailers. To isolate nanostructures from these products, a simple methodology that combines acid digestion and centrifugation was utilized. Once isolated, the chemical composition, size, morphology, and crystal structure were characterized using mass spectroscopy, light scattering, electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction t...
Risks and patterns of serious injury in motor vehicle crashes with pole and car side impacts

Background: Injury is the fifth leading cause of death in the US, and a large proportion of injury deaths result from Motor Vehicle Crashes (MVCs). Side impact collisions pose high risks of death and serious injury compared to other crash types, both for crashes with other vehicles and single-vehicle crashes with fixed objects, such as utility poles. However, few studies have appropriately compared the propensity for injury of these two types of side impact. Methods: The present study used 10 years of data abstracted from the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System (NASS-CDS) to analyze the risks of polytrauma in side impact crashes for two types of side impacts: pole-like fixed objects and other vehicles. Additionally, ratios comparing the relative risk of nearversus far-side occupants in the two types of crashes were calculated. These risk ratios were developed using a multi-variable general estimating equations (GEE) log-binomial model, with injury severity characterized using the injury severity score (ISS), a measure of the extent of polytrauma. Results & Conclusion: Relative to side impacts with other vehicles, pole-type side impacts are highly associated (RR = 1.53 [95% CI: 1.15, 2.03]) with ISS ≥ 16. After adjusting for other crash characteristics, near-side seating position relative to the side of the vehicle receiving the impact was also associated with a significant increase in risk of polytrauma (RR = 1.82 [95% CI: 1.36, 2.44]). The results of the present study inform vehicle and road design from the perspective of injury prevention. Apostolos Alexandridis! !
Self and Community

If self-knowledge is authoritative in that it is not corrigible by others, how can it be a goal of psychotherapy and Socratic self-examination ? The answer depends on what is meant by ‘self-knowledge’, which has at least three different meanings: 1. The special kind of knowledge conveyed by first-person avowals. This kind, as we have seen, is indeed authoritative, although one may forfeit his authority through insincerity, or divide it through self-deception and weakness of will. 2. Knowledge about oneself, that is, knowledge of one’s own habits, character traits, skills and potentialities, is self-knowledge of the kind that Gilbert Ryle must have had in mind when, in The Concept of Mind, he insisted that others know us better than we know ourselves, and this would seem to be the kind that is sought in psychotherapy. The concept of self involved in this sense of ‘self-knowledge’ is the grammatical reflexive use of ‘self’ that we earlier discounted as trivial on the ground that it can be replaced by the name of the person. My knowledge about myself is simply my knowledge about the person I happen to be, namely, R.A., and it is acquired in the same way that my knowledge of any person is acquired — by acquaintance with that person.
Rieske-Type Dioxygenases: Key Enzymes in the Degradation of Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Rieske non-heme iron oxygenases are key enzymes utilized by bacteria for the aerobic degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons and related compounds. These reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAD(P)H)-dependent multicomponent enzyme systems use molecular oxygen as a substrate, adding both atoms to the aromatic ring in a stereospecific reaction. The resulting cis -dihydrodiol products are substrates for cis -dihydrodiol dehydrogenases, which form dihydroxylated products that are subject to ring cleavage and further processing to generate compounds that enter central metabolism. Such Rieske-dioxygenase-initiated pathways allow a variety of aerobic microbes to utilize a wide range of toxic and recalcitrant aromatic compounds as carbon and energy sources.
Art in Engineering — The Need for a New Criticism

First comes a description of three categories of structures with esthetic appeal: those designed purely for utility (primitive rope suspension bridges), those designed for beauty (Sidney Opera House), and those designed consciously for both elegance and utility. The paper then gives the elements needed for their criticism: feeling or emotion, interpretation or analysis, and judgment based on theory. Three past theories of building are then described: (1) a geometric theory rising from Renaissance ideals of harmony; (2) a rational theory arising from Gothic ideals of structure; and (3) a sculptural theory coming both as a reaction to more disciplined ideals and as a romantic interpretation of the possibilities with modern construction materials. A more detailed discussion is given of a fourth theory that arose from the Dutch modern art group called de Stijl . An example of the latter is the Berenplaat Water Treatment Plant which is described.
Study of Neocortex Simulations with GENESIS on High Performance Computing Resources

One significant challenge in neuroscience is understanding the cooperative behavior of large numbers of neurons. Models of neuronal networks allow scientists to explore the impact of differential neuronal connectivity using analysis techniques and information not available experimentally. However, modeling realistic neurobiological processes and encoding them in computer simulations is challenging, as increasing computing and data requirements are all of concern. In this work we study the performance of neocortex simulations using GEneral NEural SImulation System (GENESIS), a well-known multi-function brain simulation package, supported by high performance computing resources. The contribution of our work is threefold. First, we study the impact of platforms (i.e., single fat nodes versus high-end clusters) and their features on the performance and data generation for a small scale model of neocortex. Second, we assess the impact of the model complexity (i.e., number of cells and cell connectivity)on the performance and data generation for increasingly large versions of the neocortex model on high-end clusters. Third, we provide selected scientific results obtained by increasing the model complexity. We show that the more realistic and rigorous modeling of neocortex functions is computationally feasible but requires high performance computing resources to mitigate the growing computing and data requests of the associated simulations.
The Rights-Focused, Interests-Focused Disputant: Empathy Gaps in Disputing Strategy

Decades of negotiation research suggest that deal-making negotiators and disputants achieve the best outcomes when they focus extensively on interests. However, research on whether and how they can actually do that is much more voluminous for deal-making negotiations than disputes. Integrating research on disputes and empathy gaps, we examine that possibility that disputants (naturally in a “hot state”) may have a distinctly hard time implementing their “cold state” intentions to focus on interests. After validating the importance of an interests focus in disputes, our second study documents the difficulty of implementing interest-focused intentions in disputes. Finally, we describe a third, planned study examining an intervention to help disputants implement their interest-focused intentions. These studies highlight a potential disconnect between disputants’ intentions and behavior, suggesting that disputing research may benefit from a new and unique set of theoretical assumptions.
On the universality of Maxwell’s equations

Einstein’s theory of relativity is based on the Principle of Equivalence, Hilbert’s on invariant theory and the calculus of variations. The two paradigms are not equivalent. Using the universality of Maxwell’s equations, Hilbert’s variational method is used to determine the energy–momentum tensor uniquely, and to show that general relativity can be formulated on the basis of Maxwellian, rather than specific physical force fields. A unified field theory is proved in which the Maxwellian force fields are all on an equal footing, distinct from the geometric field.
Using collaborative online drawing to build up distributed teams

Building up effective teams over a distance is a challenging but common problem in global software engineering. We propose an approach to help build up teams through collaborative online drawing. Our goal is to evaluate how drawing, as one activity that can facilitate expression of personal affective status, can benefit distributed teams. Preliminary results indicate positive effects of collaborative online drawing in increasing team cohesion and positive emotions. We discuss our approach and preliminary results in terms of design implications for future collaborative drawing systems for building up distributed teams.
Assessment of spatial variation in breast cancer-specific mortality using Louisiana SEER data.

Abstract Background Previous studies suggest spatial differences in mortality for many types of cancer, including breast cancer. Identifying explanations for these spatial differences results in a better understanding of what leads to longer survival time. Methods We used a Bayesian accelerated failure time model with spatial frailty terms to investigate potential spatial differences in breast cancer mortality following breast cancer diagnosis using 2000–2013 Louisiana SEER data. Results There are meaningful spatial differences in breast cancer mortality across the parishes of Louisiana, even after adjusting for known demographic and clinical risk factors. For example, the average survival time of a woman diagnosed in Orleans parish was 1.51 times longer than that of a woman diagnosed in Terrebonne parish. Additionally, there is evidence to suggest shorter survival times in lower income parishes along the Red and Mississippi Rivers, as well as parishes with lower socioeconomic status, less access to care and fresh food, worse quality of care, and more workers in certain industries. Conclusion The addition of spatial frailties to account for an individual's geographic location is useful when analyzing breast cancer mortality data. Our findings suggest that survival following breast cancer diagnosis could potentially be improved if socioeconomic status differences were addressed, healthcare improved in quality and became more accessible, and certain industrial situations were improved for individuals diagnosed in parishes identified as having shorter average survival times.
Range-dependent evaporation duct height estimation from a versatile ship-mounted X-band receiving array

As low-altitude atmospheric refractive conditions significantly affect the shipboard radars and radio communication conditions in the maritime environment, characterizing marine atmospheric boundary layer properties, ducting in particular, is thus crucial for air-sea interaction research. The CASPER-East at-sea experimental campaign conducted off the coast of Duck, NC, during October-November of 2015, provided an opportunity to measure EM propagation. A key part of the EM measurements is a specially designed X-band receiving array, which is deployed to measure the one-way propagation loss between emitters and receivers as a function of antenna height and range. The collected data from the receiving array at multiple ranges is be used to invert for the range-dependent evaporation duct height (EDH) by comparing with a library of propagation curves generated using the parabolic wave equation. The estimated EDH vs. range is compared with predictions from NAVSLaM using concurrent environmental measurements as input. The results show that EDH varies with range and time during data collection.
Using Reports of Latent Tuberculosis Infection Among Young Children to Identify Tuberculosis Transmission in New York City, 2006–2012

The presence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in young children indicates recent tuberculosis (TB) transmission. We reviewed surveillance reports of children with LTBI to assess whether more follow-up is needed to prevent TB in this high-risk population. Data on all children under 5 years of age who were reported by health-care providers or laboratories to the New York City Department of Health during 2006-2012 were abstracted from the TB surveillance and case management system, and those with LTBI were identified. Potential source cases, defined as any infectious TB case diagnosed in the 2 years before a child was reported and whose residence was within 0.5 miles (0.8 km) of the child's residence, were identified. Neighborhood risk factors for TB transmission were examined. Among 3,511 reports of children under age 5 years, 1,722 (49%) had LTBI. The children were aged 2.9 years, on average, and most (64%) had been born in the United States. A potential source case was identified for 92% of the children; 27 children lived in the same building as a TB patient. Children with potential source cases were more likely to reside in neighborhoods with high TB incidence, poverty, and population density. The high proportion of children born in the United States and the young average age of the cases imply that undetected TB transmission occurred. Monitoring reports could be used to identify places where transmission occurred, and additional investigation is needed to prevent TB disease.
Characterizing Protein Dynamics with NMR R 1 ρ Relaxation Experiments

The measurement of R1ρ , the longitudinal relaxation rate constant in the rotating frame, is one of the few available methods to characterize the μs-ms functional dynamics of biomolecules. Here, we focus on 15N R1ρ experiments for protein NH groups. We present protocols for both on- and off-resonance 15N R1ρ measurements needed for relaxation dispersion studies, and describe the data analysis for extracting kinetic and thermodynamic parameters characterizing the motional processes.
LEFT VENTRICULAR WALL MOTION FINDINGS IN MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION WITH NONOBSTRUCTIVE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE (MINOCA)

Myocardial infarction (MI) with non-obstructive CAD (MINOCA) occurs in 5-10% of MI and is more common in women. Takotsubo syndrome (TS) is a possible diagnosis in patients with MINOCA. Left ventricular (LV) wall motion abnormalities (WMA) are common in MINOCA, but patterns of WMA have not previously
Metal oxides and novel metallates coated stable engineered steel for corrosion resistance applications

Abstract Functional materials in the family of ternary metal oxides and metallates have seen surging interest in recent times due to their diverse applications. In this study, we report first-principle calculations and experimental characterization results for a variety of newly mixed metal tungstates and other oxides, which have the potential for corrosion protection of steel in extreme environments. These new mixed oxides/tungstate family have the chemical stoichiometry Fe0.375X0.4375O0.1875, WX0.33O2.66 and FeWX0.5O3.5 (Where X ≡ Ni , Mo , B ), exhibit high electrostatic binding forces resulting in high stabilities as revealed from DFT calculations. Different parameters like entropy, enthalpy, electrostatic forces, and solid solution formability were calculated from first principle calculations for the different stoichiometries, based on which the most stable structure and composition was predicted. By appropriate tuning of chemical composition, such novel mixed metal oxides and metallates were synthesized through a unique solution-based route and further coated on steels. After phase and morphological examination of these coatings, they were subjected to harsh extreme environments, and their corrosion resistive behavior was studied through polarization tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The corrosion resistance of many of these coated substrates was observed to be robust with high coating capacitance, and corrosion resistance was found to be highest in the case of boron mixed tungstate oxide, which is also consistent with first principle calculations that reveal high stability. Incorporation of these stable ternary mixed metal oxides/metallates (tungstates) can have great potential for preservation and the protection of steel in harsh environments.
Impact of New-Onset Postoperative Depression on Readmission Outcomes After Surgical Coronary Revascularization

Abstract Background Depression affects between 10% and 40% of cardiac surgery patients and is associated with significantly worse outcomes. The incidence and impact of new-onset depression beyond acute follow-up remain ill-defined. The present study aimed to evaluate the incidence, risk factors, and prognostic implication of depression on 90-d readmission rates after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed identifying adult patients without prior depression who underwent CABG surgery using the 2010-2014 National Readmissions Database. CABG patients who were readmitted more than 2 wk but within 90 d of discharge were categorized based on the presence of new-onset depression. Association between the development of new-onset depression and rehospitalization were morbidity, mortality, costs, and length of stay (LOS) and were examined using multivariable regression. Results During the study period, 1,001,945 patients underwent CABG. Of these, 11.7% of patients were readmitted after 14 d but within 90 d of discharge with 5.1% of these patients having a diagnosis of new-onset depression. Postoperative new-onset depression was not associated with increased readmission morbidity, costs, or LOS. Mortality in new-onset depression readmissions was 1.2%, compared with 2.3% in all readmitted patients (P = 0.014). Depression was associated with lower odds of mortality (OR = 0.56, P = 0.02). Conclusions New-onset depression following CABG discharge was not associated with increased odds of mortality, morbidity, costs, or increased LOS on readmission. Rather, new-onset depression is associated with decreased odds of readmission mortality. Overall, CABG readmissions are decreasing, whereas the rate of new-onset depression is slightly increasing. Implementation of routine depression screening tools in postoperative CABG care may aid in early detection and management of depression to enhance postoperative recovery and quality of life.
The structure and racemization of 1,2-bis(pentaphenylphenyl)benzene

Abstract 1,2-Bis(pentaphenylphenyl)benzene (2) was synthesized by the cycloaddition of 1,2-bis(phenylethynyl)benzene and tetracyclone. Its X-ray structure was determined, and the molecule adopts a C2-symmetric conformation in the crystal. Monomethoxy and dimethoxy derivatives of compound 2 were also prepared, and dynamic NMR studies of these compounds yielded a free energy of activation for racemization (ΔG‡rac) of 20.3 kcal/mol at 423 K. The results are compared with estimates of ΔG‡rac for 2 by various DFT methods.
Modelling and simulation of DNA-mediated self-assembly for superlattice design

Functionalisation of colloidal particles with DNA provides a powerful and flexible path towards self-assembly of ordered materials. Given the nearly limitless possibilities for constructing DNA-fun...
POEMS Syndrome: 2019 Update on diagnosis, risk-stratification, and management

Disease overview Polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein, skin changes (POEMS) syndrome is a paraneoplastic syndrome due to an underlying plasma cell neoplasm. The major criteria for the syndrome are polyradiculoneuropathy, clonal plasma cell disorder (PCD), sclerotic bone lesions, elevated vascular endothelial growth factor, and the presence of Castleman disease. Minor features include organomegaly, endocrinopathy, characteristic skin changes, papilledema, extravascular volume overload, and thrombocytosis. Diagnoses are often delayed because the syndrome is rare and can be mistaken for other neurologic disorders, most commonly chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. POEMS syndrome should be distinguished from the Castleman disease variant of POEMS syndrome, which has no clonal PCD and typically little to no peripheral neuropathy but has several of the minor diagnostic criteria for POEMS syndrome. Diagnosis The diagnosis of POEMS syndrome is made with three of the major criteria, two of which must include polyradiculoneuropathy and clonal PCD, and at least one of the minor criteria. Risk stratification Because the pathogenesis of the syndrome is not well understood, risk stratification is limited to clinical phenotype rather than specific molecular markers. Risk factors include low serum albumin, age, pleural effusion, pulmonary hypertension, and reduced eGFR. Risk-adapted therapy For those patients with a dominant sclerotic plasmacytoma, first line therapy is irradiation. Patients with diffuse sclerotic lesions or disseminated bone marrow involvement and for those who have progression of their disease 3 to 6 months after completing radiation therapy should receive systemic therapy. Corticosteroids are temporizing, but alkylators are the mainstay of treatment, either in the form of low dose conventional therapy or high dose with stem cell transplantation. Lenalidomide shows promise with manageable toxicity. Thalidomide and bortezomib also have activity, but their benefit needs to be weighed against their risk of exacerbating the peripheral neuropathy. Prompt recognition and institution of both supportive care measures and therapy directed against the plasma cell result in the best outcomes.
Analysis of Sources of Error in Headlamp Aim

The literature on headlamp aiming is surveyed in detail to pinpoint the various sources and magnitudes of aim variance. Four major sources of variance are identified (differences between beam and mounting plane, photometric changes in use, long axis alignment, and human factors), along with a number of others of lesser consequence. Illustrations are offered showing the expected population variance under a variety of conditions. It is apparent that, at the present state-of-the-art, a substantial percentage of the lamp population can be expected to be beyond the limits recommended in SAE J599c. It is further apparent that this would be true regardless of whether or not a vehicle inspection program is in operation. Recommendations are given regarding research emphasis in headlighting. Ways of reducing variance from the most significant sources are considered and recommendations offered.
Integrated Photonics of Transistor Laser, Detector and Active Load for All Optical NOR Gate

The transistor laser is a promising candidate for high-speed integrated optoelectronics for its capability to operate under both base current modulation and collector tunneling modulation simultaneously, which fundamentally enables the monolithic integration of electrical and optical signal processing on the device level. This work demonstrates one of such applications by building an optical-to-optical NOR gate with the transistor laser in an integrated form.
Implementation of GUI for OpenThread

Thread is an IPV6 based networking protocol for Internet-of-Things (IoT) that uses 6LoWPAN, IEEE 802.15.4 wireless at 2450MHz. OpenThread is an open source implementation of Thread Protocol released by Nest Labs that supports the Thread 1.1.1 specifications and currently used on Linux using command-line interface. This research focuses on building a Graphical User Interface (GUI) using TCL/TK for OpenThread. GUI helps researchers to manage and visualize Thread Protocol and its operations easier.
Interacting with the environment receiving and interpreting signals

Abstract In this chapter key sensory systems and their interactions with the environment are present. The sensory systems review include peripheral touch and pain sensory organs, hearing and vision. Structures and pathways related to pain sensation are also considered in the light of specific conditions characterized by absence of pain detection and increased sensitivity to pain. In considering hearing the anatomy of the ear, particularly the middle and inner ear are briefly reviewed. Key insights into gene products involved in hearing have been gained through molecular studies of congenital deafness and information on congenital deafness and related protein is reviewed. Aspects of early detection of hearing loss in infants is presented and specific therapies for deafness are presented. The section on vision includes information on the structure of the eye and on the visual cycle, retinal pigmentary epithelium and photoreceptor interactions are briefly presented. Different forms of blindness are reviewed.
Statistical inference for two-regime stochastic car-following models

Abstract This paper presents the formulation of a family of two-regime car-following models where both free-flow and congestion regimes obey statistically independent random processes. This formulation generalizes previous efforts based on Brownian and geometric Brownian acceleration processes, each reproducing a different feature of traffic instabilities. The probability density of vehicle positions turns out to be analytical in our model, and therefore parameters can be estimated using maximum likelihood. This allows us to test a wide variety of hypotheses using statistical inference methods, such as the homogeneity of the driver/vehicle population and the statistical significance of the impacts of roadway geometry. Using data from two car-following experiments, we find that (i) model parameters are similar across repeated experiments within the same dataset but different across datasets, (ii) the acceleration error process is closer to a Brownian motion, and (iii) drivers press the gas pedal harder than usual when they come to an upgrade segment. Additionally, we explain the cause of traffic oscillations traveling downstream, which were observed both in the field data and in our simulations. The model is flexible so that newer vehicle technologies can be incorporated to test such hypotheses as differences in the car-following parameters of automated and regular vehicles, when data becomes available.
Using a corpus in creating and evaluating a DCT

Abstract Discourse Completion Tasks (DCTs) have been one of the most popular tools in pragmatics research. Yet, many have criticized DCTs for their lack of authenticity (e.g., Culpeper, Mackey, & Taguchi, 2018; Nguyen, 2019). We propose that corpora can serve as resources in designing and evaluating DCTs. We created a DCT using advice-seeking prompts from the Q+A corpus (Baker & Egbert, 2016). Then, we administered the DCT to 33 participants. We evaluated the DCT by (1) comparing the linguistic form and the semantic content of the participants’ DCT responses (i.e., advice-giving expressions) with authentic data from the corpus; and (2) interviewing the participants about the instrument quality. Chi-square tests between DCT data and corpus data revealed no significant differences in advice-giving expressions in terms of both the overall level of directness (χ2 [2, N = 660] = 6.94, p = .03, V = .10) and linguistic realization (χ2 [8, N = 660] = 17.75, p = .02, V = .16), and showed a significant difference but small effect size in terms of semantic content (χ2 [6, N = 512] = 30.35, p < .01, V = .24). Taken together with the interview data, our findings indicate that corpora are useful in designing DCTs.
“Pagan Babies”: Orphan Imagery in the Passionist China Collection and the Emergence of American Sympathy for the Chinese in the Early Twentieth Century

Images of Chinese children generated by Christian missionaries played an important role in shaping American perceptions of China in the first half of the twentieth century. This article draws upon ...
Can Machines “Learn” Halide PerovskiteCrystal Formation withoutAccurate Physicochemical Features?

Discovery of new perovskite materials is motivated by a broad range of materials applications and accelerated by recent advances in machine learning (ML). We herein report dataset augmentation, ben...
Ranking and Rating Rankings and Ratings

Cardinal scores collected from people are well known to suffer from miscalibrations. A popular approach to address this issue is to assume simplistic models of miscalibration (such as linear biases) to de-bias the scores. This approach, however, often fares poorly because people's miscalibrations are typically far more complex and not well understood. It is widely believed that in the absence of simplifying assumptions on the miscalibration, the only useful information in practice from the cardinal scores is the induced ranking. In this paper we address the fundamental question of whether this widespread folklore belief is actually true. We consider cardinal scores with arbitrary (or even adversarially chosen) miscalibrations that is only required to be consistent with the induced ranking. We design rating-based estimators and prove that despite making no assumptions on the ratings, they strictly and uniformly outperform all possible estimators that rely on only the ranking. These estimators can be used as a plug-in to show the superiority of cardinal scores over ordinal rankings for a variety of applications, including A/B testing and ranking. This work thus provides novel fundamental insights in the eternal debate between cardinal and ordinal data: It ranks the approach of using ratings higher than that of using rankings, and rates both approaches in terms of their estimation errors.
Implications of Trap-Assisted Nongeminate Charge Recombination on Time- and Frequency-Domain Photocurrent Degradation Signatures of Organic Solar Cells

Charge transport and collection in organic solar cells are heavily influenced by traps which ultimately limit the ability to harvest all photogenerated carriers. We investigate photocurrent respons...
Duty to Warn in the Emergency Department: Three Medical Legal Cases That Illustrate Providers’ Broad Risk and Liability

Author(s): Pfaff, Rosemary; Berkeley, Ross P.; Moore, Gregory; Heniff, Melanie | Abstract: This article presents three medical-legal cases that define a physician’s duty to warn and include caveats on medical practice within the scope of the law. Some physicians may not recognize that these legal and liability requirements extend not only to physical danger, but also to infectious diseases, medical illness, and drug effects.
Sterols in an intramolecular channel of Smoothened mediate Hedgehog signaling.

Smoothened (SMO), a class Frizzled G protein-coupled receptor (class F GPCR), transduces the Hedgehog signal across the cell membrane. Sterols can bind to its extracellular cysteine-rich domain (CRD) and to several sites in the seven transmembrane helices (7-TMs) of SMO. However, the mechanism by which sterols regulate SMO via multiple sites is unknown. Here we determined the structures of SMO–Gi complexes bound to the synthetic SMO agonist (SAG) and to 24(S),25-epoxycholesterol (24(S),25-EC). A novel sterol-binding site in the extracellular extension of TM6 was revealed to connect other sites in 7-TMs and CRD, forming an intramolecular sterol channel from the middle side of 7-TMs to CRD. Additional structures of two gain-of-function variants, SMOD384R and SMOG111C/I496C, showed that blocking the channel at its midpoints allows sterols to occupy the binding sites in 7-TMs, thereby activating SMO. These data indicate that sterol transport through the core of SMO is a major regulator of SMO-mediated signaling. Cryo-EM structural work shows sterols binding at four adjacent locations within the class F GPCR Smoothened (SMO), where the transmembrane core functions as a sterol tunnel in which occupancy activates SMO for downstream Hedgehog signaling.
A Phase 2 Study of Dose-intensified Chemoradiation Using Biologically Based Target Volume Definition in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma

Purpose We hypothesized that dose-intensified chemoradiation therapy targeting adversely prognostic hypercellular (TVHCV) and hyperperfused (TVCBV) tumor volumes would improve outcomes in patients with glioblastoma. Methods and Materials This single-arm, phase 2 trial enrolled adult patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. Patients with a TVHCV/TVCBV >1 cm3, identified using high b-value diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced perfusion MRI, were treated over 30 fractions to 75 Gy to the TVHCV/TVCBV with temozolomide. The primary objective was to estimate improvement in 12-month overall survival (OS) versus historical control. Secondary objectives included evaluating the effect of 3-month TVHCV/TVCBV reduction on OS using Cox proportional-hazard regression and characterizing coverage (95% isodose line) of metabolic tumor volumes identified using correlative 11C-methionine positron emission tomography. Clinically meaningful change was assessed for quality of life by the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30, for symptom burden by the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory for brain tumor, and for neurocognitive function (NCF) by the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, the Trail Making Test, parts A and B, and the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test–Revised. Results Between 2016 and 2018, 26 patients were enrolled. Initial patients were boosted to TVHCV alone, and 13 patients were boosted to both TVHCV/TVCBV. Gross or subtotal resection was performed in 87% of patients; 22% were O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) methylated. With 26-month follow-up (95% CI, 19-not reached), the 12-month OS rate among patients boosted to the combined TVHCV/TVCBV was 92% (95% CI, 78%-100%; P = .03) and the median OS was 20 months (95% CI, 18-not reached); the median OS for the whole study cohort was 20 months (95% CI, 14-29 months). Patients whose 3-month TVHCV/TVCBV decreased to less than the median volume (3 cm3) had superior OS (29 vs 12 months; P = .02). Only 5 patients had central or in-field failures, and 93% (interquartile range, 59%-100%) of the 11C-methionine metabolic tumor volumes received high-dose coverage. Late grade 3 neurologic toxicity occurred in 2 patients. Among non-progressing patients, 1-month and 7-month deterioration in quality of life, symptoms, and NCF were similar in incidence to standard therapy. Conclusions Dose intensification against hypercellular/hyperperfused tumor regions in glioblastoma yields promising OS with favorable outcomes for NCF, symptom burden, and quality of life, particularly among patients with greater tumor reduction 3 months after radiation therapy.
Bigleaf Maple Within-Crown Leaf Morphology and Seasonal Physiology

We investigated the influences of height, light availability, leaf structure, and season on bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum Pursh) leaf physiology in northern California to improve our understanding of productivity and carbon sequestration in western forests. Using hydrated cuttings and lab-based measurements, we found that leaf mass-to-area ratio and maximum photosynthetic capacity increased with height and distance from the bole. In situ, we measured leaf physiology throughout tree crowns from June through September and found that predawn water potential was remarkably constant, indicating sustained access to water. We also found that midday water potential generally decreased with height and distance from the bole, noticeably decreased at the end of the growing season, and did not fall below –2 MPa, suggesting ample access to water and/or stomatal regulation to maintain hydrated water status. At midday, light availability and stomatal conductance of water vapor generally increased with height and distance from the bole. Stomatal conductance peaked in the treetop in June, in the mid-crown in July and August, and in the low-crown in September, demonstrating temporal and spatial optimization of crown resources in response to changing light quality, climatic conditions, and water status across the season to maximize carbon uptake at the tree level. Together, our water potential and light measurements suggest that light availability is a stronger determinant of leaf morphology and physiology than hydraulic limitation in this species. These findings provide information on seasonal physiology in a widespread deciduous hardwood species, thereby strengthening our understanding of forest productivity in a predominantly coniferous region.
Appointment of a Healthcare Power of Attorney Among Older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Adults in the Southern United States.

Background:The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) older adult population may have a heightened need of medical and supportive care while aging. This makes appointment of a healt...
Association of physical function and performance with peak VO2 in elderly patients with end stage kidney disease.

Physical function is impaired in end stage renal disease (ESRD). Various instruments have been used to assess the functional capabilities and health status of patients with ESRD, but it is not known which has the best association with peak VO2. To assess the association between functional measures in ESRD. Thirty nine elderly ESRD patients were evaluated with commonly used functional, health status, and quality of life measures, including maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), 6-min walk (6MWT), sit-to-stand test (STS), Veterans Specific Activity Questionnaire (VSAQ), upper and lower body strength, pulmonary function tests, and body composition determined by dual X-ray absorptiometry. The association between performance on these functional tools, clinical variables, and exercise test responses was assessed, and a non-exercise test multivariate model was developed to predict peak VO2. Peak VO2 was modestly related to VSAQ score (r = 0.59, p < 0.01), indices of upper and lower body strength (r = 0.45, p < 0.01 for both), and FEV1 (r = 0.51, p < 0.01). Functional and quality of life questionnaires were generally poorly related to one another and to peak VO2. In a multivariate model, 6MWT performance, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), and VSAQ score were the best predictors of peak VO2, yielding a multiple R = 0.82, accounting for 67% of the variance in peak VO2. Exercise capacity can be reasonably estimated using non-exercise test variables in patients with ESRD, including a symptom questionnaire (VSAQ), 6MWT and FEV1. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01990495. Registered Nov 21, 2013.
Quarters in the Court: How the Gender Pay Gap Affects Black Women in Law

Women constitute almost half of the national workforce. For half of American families, they are the sole source of income or they are a co-breadwinner. They earn more degrees than men. They work in a broad spectrum of professions and industries and they serve in a multitude of capacities, from administrators to upper management to laborers and everything between. Despite these things, women are paid significantly less than their male counterparts. Efforts to address this have been fodder for discussion for some time. Currently, less than 1% of elected prosecutors are Black women, less than 8% of judges are Black Women in State Trial Courts and State Appellate courts respectively, and a report from the National Association for Law Placement found that Black Women make up about 1.73% of all attorneys included in their survey. This paper seeks to address the ways that the Gender Pay Gap affects Black women in the legal field and how the legal profession can place equity in pay at the base of its mission.
Effects of Downwash from a 6-Rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) on Gas Monitor Concentrations

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are being explored by researchers to measure concentrations of gas emissions in situations where such measurements are otherwise extremely difficult to obtain, such as NO and NO2 (NOx) emissions from surface mine blasting. Recently, countries have imposed or are planning to impose surface blasting gas pollution regulations, which creates a need for an improved understanding of UAV-based gas measuring systems. The experiments detailed in this paper were performed to determine if airflow generated by the rotors, also known as downwash, unnaturally alters concentration measurements. Downwash turbulence could create locations of varying pressure, which could affect concentration. A UAV fitted with gas sensors was attached to a stand in a controlled environment containing a mixture of NOx. The gas sensor measuring points were placed at various distances on and from the UAV body to evaluate downwash effects on gas concentration. Results show that the presence of downwash turbulence causes no statistically significant changes to concentration measurements at any distance or direction from the UAV. Based on these results, it is possible to use a UAV-mounted gas monitor to measure concentrations without concern for downwash interference, provided the UAV and measuring point are entirely contained within the gas cloud.
Timing of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Acute Coronary Syndrome: A National Analysis

Abstract Background Timing of surgical revascularization for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains debated. We assessed the impact of timing to CABG on mortality and resource utilization in a national cohort. Methods Adults admitted for ACS in the 2009-2018 National Inpatient Sample were grouped by time from coronary angiography to CABG (Δt): 0, 1-3, 4-7, and >7 days. Generalized linear models were fit to evaluate associations between Δt and in-hospital mortality and hospitalization costs. Timing and mortality of CABG for ACS was compared between high-performing hospitals (below the median risk adjusted mortality for all CABG and valve operations) and others. Results Of 444,065 patients, time to CABG was Δt=0 in 12.3%, Δt=1-3 in 57.3%, Δt=4-7 in 26.3%, and Δt>7 in 4.2%. Risk-adjusted mortality was greatest at Δt=0 (4.5%, 95% confidence interval, CI, 4.1-4.9) and Δt>7 (4.0%, 95% CI 3.4-4.7), but similar for operations performed at Δt=1-3 (1.8%, 95% CI 1.7-1.9) and Δt=4-7 (2.1%, 95% CI 1.9-2.3). Compared to Δt=1-3, hospitalization costs were greater by $6,400 (95% CI 5,900-6,900) for Δt=4-7 and $21,200 (95% CI 19,800-22,600) for Δt>7. High-performing hospitals had similar time to CABG as others (2 vs 2 days, p=0.17), but lower mortality (0.9% vs 3.3%, p Conclusions Revascularization on day 1-3 and 4-7 led to comparable in-hospital mortality, with greater rates on day 0 and after day 7. Costs were greater for revascularization at day 4-7 compared to day 1-3. These findings support the reduction of time to revascularization to 1-3 days when deemed clinically appropriate and feasible.
Two human antibodies to a meningococcal serogroup B vaccine antigen enhance binding of complement Factor H by stabilizing the Factor H binding site.

Microbial pathogens bind host complement regulatory proteins to evade the immune system. The bacterial pathogen Neisseria meningitidis, or meningococcus, binds several complement regulators, including human Factor H (FH). FH binding protein (FHbp) is a component of two licensed meningococcal vaccines and in mice FHbp elicits antibodies that inhibit binding of FH to FHbp, which defeat the bacterial evasion mechanism. However, humans vaccinated with FHbp develop antibodies that enhance binding of FH to the bacteria, which could limit the effectiveness of the vaccines. In the present study, we show that two vaccine-elicited antibody fragments (Fabs) isolated from different human subjects increase binding of complement FH to meningococcal FHbp by ELISA. The two Fabs have different effects on the kinetics of FH binding to immobilized FHbp as measured by surface plasmon resonance. The 1.7- and 2.0-A resolution X-ray crystal structures of the Fabs in complexes with FHbp illustrate that the two Fabs bind to similar epitopes on the amino-terminal domain of FHbp, adjacent to the FH binding site. Superposition models of ternary complexes of each Fab with FHbp and FH show that there is likely minimal contact between the Fabs and FH. Collectively, the structures reveal that the Fabs enhance binding of FH to FHbp by altering the conformations and mobilities of two loops adjacent to the FH binding site of FHbp. In addition, the 1.5 A-resolution structure of one of the isolated Fabs defines the structural rearrangements associated with binding to FHbp. The FH-enhancing human Fabs, which are mirrored in the human polyclonal antibody responses, have important implications for tuning the effectiveness of FHbp-based vaccines.
The symbiotic relationship of solar power and energy storage in providing capacity value

Abstract Ensuring power system reliability under high penetrations of variable renewable energy is a critical task for system operators. In this study, we use a loss of load probability model to estimate the capacity credit of solar photovoltaics and energy storage under increasing penetrations of both technologies, in isolation and in tandem, to offer new understanding on their potential synergistic effects. Increasing penetrations of solar PV alter the net load profile on the grid, shifting the peak net load to hours with little or no solar generation and leading to diminishing capacity credits for each additional increment of solar. However, the presence of solar PV decreases the duration of daily peak demands, thereby allowing energy-limited storage capacity to dispatch electricity during peak demand hours. Thus, solar PV and storage exhibit a symbiotic relationship when used in tandem. We find that solar PV and storage used together make a more significant contribution to system reliability: as much as 40% more of the combined capacity can be counted on during peak demand hours compared to scenarios where the two technologies are deployed separately. Our test case demonstrates the important distinction between winter and summer peaking systems, leading to significantly different seasonal capacity values for solar PV. These findings are timely as utilities replace their aging peaking plants and are taking energy storage into consideration as part of a low carbon pathway.
Synthetically Generating Motion Blur in a Depth Map from Time-of-Flight Sensors

Motion blur is a common artifact that affects imaging systems. Synthetically creating motion blur in two-dimensional (2D) images is a well-understood process and has been used to develop deblurring systems. However, there are no well-established techniques for synthetically generating motion blur within three-dimensional (3D) images since the behavior of motion blur within 3D images, such as depth maps and point clouds, is not as well-understood. In this work, we develop a simple and accurate framework to synthetically generate motion blur within depth maps that accurately captures the behavior of the real motion blur that is encountered using a Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensor. We develop a probabilistic model that predicts the location of invalid pixels that are typically present within depth maps that contain real motion blur. We also introduce a method to quantify the performance of a synthetic motion blur filter for depth maps based on a comparison between a depth map with synthetic motion blur and a depth map with real motion blur. Our results indicate that our framework is able to achieve an average Boundary F1 (BF) score of 0.8864 for invalid pixels for synthetic radial motion blur and a BF score of 0.8401 for synthetic linear motion blur.