cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 Regulates Mitochondrial Membrane Potential and Myocardial Reperfusion Injury.

Background The transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) mediates cellular responses to pain, heat, or noxious stimuli by calcium influx; however, the cellular localization and function of TRPV1 in the cardiomyocyte is largely unknown. We studied whether myocardial injury is regulated by TRPV1 and whether we could mitigate reperfusion injury by limiting the calcineurin interaction with TRPV1. Methods and Results In primary cardiomyocytes, confocal and electron microscopy demonstrates that TRPV1 is localized to the mitochondria. Capsaicin, the specific TRPV1 agonist, dose‐dependently reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and was blocked by the TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine or the calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporine. Using in silico analysis, we discovered an interaction site for TRPV1 with calcineurin. We synthesized a peptide, V1‐cal, to inhibit the interaction between TRPV1 and calcineurin. In an in vivo rat myocardial infarction model, V1‐cal given just prior to reperfusion substantially mitigated myocardial infarct size compared with vehicle, capsaicin, or cyclosporine (24±3% versus 61±2%, 45±1%, and 49±2%, respectively; n=6 per group; P <0.01 versus all groups). Infarct size reduction by V1‐cal was also not seen in TRPV1 knockout rats. Conclusions TRPV1 is localized at the mitochondria in cardiomyocytes and regulates mitochondrial membrane potential through an interaction with calcineurin. We developed a novel therapeutic, V1‐cal, that substantially reduces reperfusion injury by inhibiting the interaction of calcineurin with TRPV1. These data suggest that TRPV1 is an end‐effector of cardioprotection and that modulating the TRPV1 protein interaction with calcineurin limits reperfusion injury.
Long-term surface temperature modeling of Pluto

Abstract NASA’s New Horizons’ reconnaissance of the Pluto system has revealed at high resolution the striking albedo contrasts from polar to equatorial latitudes on Pluto, as well as the sharpness of boundaries for longitudinal variations. These contrasts suggest that Pluto must undergo dynamic evolution that drives the redistribution of volatiles. Using the New Horizons results as a template, we explore the surface temperature variations driven seasonally on Pluto considering multiple timescales. These timescales include the current orbit (248 years) as well as the timescales for obliquity precession (peak-to-peak amplitude of 23° over 3 million years) and regression of the orbital longitude of perihelion (3.7 million years). These orbital variations create epochs of “Extreme Seasons” where one pole receives a short, relatively warm summer and long winter, while the other receives a much longer, but less intense summer and short winter. We use thermal modeling to build upon the long-term insolation history model described by Earle and Binzel (2015) and investigate how these seasons couple with Pluto’s albedo contrasts to create temperature effects. From this study we find that a bright region at the equator, once established, can become a site for net deposition. We see the region informally known as Sputnik Planitia as an example of this, and find it will be able to perpetuate itself as an “always available” cold trap, thus having the potential to survive on million year or substantially longer timescales. Meanwhile darker, low-albedo, regions near the equator will remain relative warm and generally not attract volatile deposition. We argue that the equatorial region is a “preservation zone” for whatever albedo is seeded there. This offers insight as to why the equatorial band of Pluto displays the planet’s greatest albedo contrasts.
Noninvasive pressue estimation using ultrasound methods: Preliminary in vitro results

Tumor interstitial pressure (TIP) inside a tumor is often high compared to normal tissues and can impede the delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs as well as decrease the effectiveness of radiation therapy. Recent efforts have focused on the development of a nanometer-sized phase-change contrast agent (PCCA) that can be activated from a liquid (nanodroplet) state using low energy ultrasound (US) pulses to form a larger highly echogenic microbubble (MB). Since PCCA activation is dependent on the hydrostatic pressure of the surrounding fluid, these same agents and custom US methods may permit TIP measurement in cancerous tissue, which is a new technology we have termed TIP estimation using US (TIPE-US). Lipid shelled decafluorobutane gas MBs were produced using mechanical agitation and then stable nanodroplets were produced by cooling and pressurizing the vial solutions. An US setup was used to deliver acoustic energy and activate nanodroplets from liquid to gaseous MB states. The effects of hydrostatic pressure on the US activation threshold of PCCA was studied by injecting PCCA into acoustically transparent sample holder preloaded with saline. Varying levels of hydrostatic pressure (0 to 39 mmHg) were applied by injecting air in the sample holders. Each sample was imaged using an US system while the acoustic pressure was progressively increased (0.3 to 3.6 MPa). From each image sequence, a modified contrast-to-tissue (CTR) metric was computed. The activation threshold required to convert PCCA from the liquid to gaseous state was taken as the US pressure needed to achieve a CTR at least two times that observed at baseline. PCCA sizes before and after US activation were measured using particle sizing systems. The greatest volume of liquid nanodroplets had a diameter of 150 nm whereas after activation into gaseous MBs the size of these same PCCA were considerably larger (majority of MBs > 1 µm) and suitable for US imaging. CTR values measured from US imaging studies of PCCA after exposure with varying levels of US energy clearly captured nanodroplet activation. Importantly, a strong correlation was found between the PCCA activation pressure and hydrostatic pressure on the nanodroplets (R2 = 0.99). This correlation could serve as a reference function for converting PCCA activation pressures to TIP estimates.
Instruments for the assessment of health-related quality of life in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Health -related quality of life is used as an outcome criterion to evaluate the quality and effect of different therapies. It's also frequently used in epidemiological studies, as well as health economic research.Instruments to assess health-related quality of life has been developed, mostly for adults. Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic debilitating disorder. Assessing health-related quality of life of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease is useful. Present paper briefly describes four internationally most widely used available generic instruments and inflammatory bowel disease specific health-related quality of life. All of the generic instruments comply with psychometric standards concering the reliability, validity, and sensitivity of the scales. Diseasespecific instruments, conforming with psychometric criteria, have test-retest stability, constructive validity and could be widely used. Key words: Children; Adolescent; Inflammatory bowel disease; Health-related quality of life; Instrument
Wooden heads and glass jaws: the long-term effects of recurrent concussion and american football exposure on resting state networks

Objective To elucidate the association between recurrent concussion and subconcussive head impacts andb the efficiency of resting state neural networks in retired American football athletes. Design Cross-sectional. Subjects 32 former college football athletes and 32 former professional football athletes matched on age, position, and self-reported concussion history (age: 58.5±3.6 y). Of those, 61 subjects had quality imaging data (31 College, 30 Professional). Subjects were stratified by concussion history (High, 3+, N=31; Low, 0–1, N=30). Outcome measures IVs: Concussion history (Low/High) and football exposure (College/Professional). DVs: Mean local efficiency (LE) and clustering coefficients (CC) for seven anatomically defined neural subnetworks: frontal, temporal, occipital, medial temporal, subcortical, parietal, and cerebellar. Outcomes were analysed across several correlational thresholds (r=0–0.9). Results The high concussion group had lower frontal LE and CC than the low concussion group (Effect size range: 0.260 – 0.437, P Conclusions These data challenge the notion that subconcussive head impact exposure is linked to long-term neurological dysfunction. Our data point to a potential heightened cerebellar network resiliency among retired professional athletes with a high number of concussions. Subconcussive head impact exposure alone does not appear to affect widespread cortical and cerebellar network function among retired American football athletes. Competing interests None. Member of the Mackey-White committee of the NFL Players Association and member of the Head, Neck, and Spine Committee of the NFL.
Multi-detector system approach for unattended uranium enrichment monitoring at gas centrifuge enrichment plants

Abstract Improving the quality of safeguards measurements at Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plants while reducing the inspection effort is an important objective given the number of existing and new plants that need to be safeguarded. A useful tool in many safeguards approaches is the on-line monitoring of enrichment in process pipes. One requirement of such a monitor is a simple, reliable and precise passive measurement of the 186-keV line from 235U. The other information required is the amount of gas in the pipe, which can be obtained by a transmission or pressure measurement. We describe our research to develop such a passive measurement system. Unfortunately, a complication arises in the interpretation of the gamma measurements, from the contribution of uranium deposits on the wall of the pipe to the 186-keV peak. A multi-detector approach to address this complication is presented where two measurements, one with signal primarily from gas and one with signal primarily from deposits, are performed simultaneously with different detectors and geometries. This allows a correction to be made to the 186-keV peak for the contribution from the deposit. We present the design of the multi-detector system and the results of the experimental calibration of the proof-of-principle prototype built at LANL.
Working with ArcGIS: Classification

The benefit from the use of geographic information system (GIS) software is tremendous and range from managing the transportation in a dense city, to finding and modeling sophisticated environmental problems. GIS is used all over the world to achieve various tasks from managing the environment, and offering better service. It allows the user to carry research, and studies practically everything such as land, climate, environment, natural resources, population, etc.
Biotin Synthase: Enzyme or Reactant?

Biotin synthase catalyzes formation of a thiophane ring through a radical mechanism that is difficult to reconstitute in vitro. Choi-Rhee and Cronan [1] measure a turnover of 20–60 equivalents of biotin in vivo, but also find that turnover renders the protein susceptible to proteolytic destruction.
Environmental Performance Index

The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranks 180 countries on nine priority environmental issues in two objectives including protection of human health and maintaining ecosystem vitality. The objective underlying the EPI is to move the environmental debate from emotional and rhetorical arguments to more data- and evidence-based action that facilitates performance tracking and accountability of decision makers. Now in its sixth iteration, the EPI was among the first tools of its kind and is now a standard bearer for comparing and tracking country performance on international policies, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Keywords: index; indicator; environmental performance; environmental policy making; sustainable development goals; environment; climate change; sustainable development
Spatial Analyses of Specialized Metabolites: The Key to Studying Function in Hosts

Microbial communities contribute to a wide variety of biological functions in hosts and have the ability to specifically influence the health of those organisms through production of specialized metabolites. However, the structures or molecular mechanisms related to health or disease in host-microbe interactions represent a knowledge gap. In order to close this gap, we propose that a combinatory approach, pulling from microbiology and analytical chemistry, be considered to investigate these interactions so as to gain a better understanding of the chemistry being produced. We hypothesize that bacteria alter their chemistry in order to survive and induce specific states in their host organisms. Our lab makes use of imaging mass spectrometry and other analytical techniques to study this chemistry in situ, which provides actionable information to test hypotheses.
Focused Ultrasound Ablation for Neurological Disorders

Abstract Focused ultrasound ablation is an emerging treatment for neurologic and psychiatric disorders. The ability to perform subthreshold sonications to evoke reversible clinical effects makes it suitable for functional neurosurgery. The integration of magnetic resonance imaging guidance allows for lesion shape and location monitoring with thermography and anatomical imaging. Thalamotomy for the surgical treatment of essential tremor is the first US Food and Drug Administration–approved indication for focused ultrasound ablation. Active research is under way to explore its application in other movement disorders (Parkinson disease, dystonia), epilepsy (lesional and nonlesional epilepsy), neuropathic pain, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Combined with microbubbles to pass through the blood–brain barrier, this technology is also an attractive option for targeted drug delivery for chemical (e.g., chemotherapy) or biological (e.g., growth factors) agents.
Iatrogenic obstructive hydrocephalus resulting from Gelfoam accumulation within the cerebral aqueduct: a case report

The authors present the case of a previously healthy 12-year-old male with intractable seizures localized to a right frontal area of encephalomalacia and porencephalic cyst who underwent resection of the seizure focus. The surgical resection cavity extended into the right lateral ventricle, and due to encountered hemorrhage, Gelfoam was used for optimal hemostasis. The patient did well following the procedure, but presented 5 months later with headaches and emesis and was discovered to have obstructive hydrocephalus on imaging studies. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) was performed, where Gelfoam was encountered in the third ventricle, obstructing the cerebral aqueduct. After the completion of the ETV, the patient did well and continues to be asymptomatic 1 year following the procedure.
Mathematical Learning Theory, History of

The middle of the twentieth century marks a watershed in the transition from almost purely qualitative treatments of learning to mathematical learning theory. Prior to about 1950, there had been isolated applications of mathematics to research on learning, mostly in the form of quantitative ‘learning curves’ describing changes in performance as a function of time or practice. In the most substantial effort toward integration, C. L. Hull's Principles of Behavior, published in 1943, basic concepts and assumptions were expressed quantitatively but unaccompanied by the use of mathematical reasoning to derive genuinely new predictions. Productive interactions between mathematics and experiment began to appear in the 1950s in new streams of research on simple learning and operant conditioning, steady-state behavior under various schedules of reinforcement, human perceptual-motor performance, category learning, and concept formation. Formalisms for theories that emerged include difference operators, stochastic processes, prepositional networks, and connectionist, or neural-network, structures.
Strategic Planning: Devising the Way of US Higher Education Institutions

Strategic planning is the lynchpin of all the internal and external forces that make up US institutions of higher education (IHEs) as they change to adapt to the dynamic environment of the market today. Effective strategic planning requires (1) creating an inclusive, collaborative process that accounts for all stakeholders’ input and (2) fostering an environment that reflects an ongoing commitment to collaboratively guide the institution toward meeting its goals.
The Effect of Flux Anisotropy on Neutron-Detector Foils

An integral form of the one-speed neutron-transport equation is applied to the case of a neutron-detecting foil placed in a homogeneous medium with an initially non-isotropic neutron population. A ...
Numerical simulation of pressure-driven adhesive penetration into realistic wood structures

The material point method (MPM) was used to numerically model pressure-driven flow of adhesive into hybrid poplar wood. The cellular structure of the hybrid poplar was discretized in an MPM model by converting X-ray computed tomography (XCT) voxels from 3D scans of actual wood–adhesive bond lines into material points in the model. In the MPM model, a slab of adhesive between two wood adherends was forced into the modeled wood structure. The wood material was modeled as a rigid material and the adhesive as a compressible, non-Newtonian fluid. MPM is well suited for these simulations because it can handle the large deformation of the adhesive fluid as well as adhesive–wood contact. The MPM fluid model with contact was verified by 2D simulations of a geometry with a known analytical solution using the same parameters and resolution as the full 3D simulations. Multiple 3D simulations were run, and the modeled adhesive penetration at the end of the simulations was compared to experimental penetration observations in the source XCT data. The simulation results correlated well with experimental results.
Abstract B55: Investigating the role of semaphorin 7a in triple-negative breast cancer cell invasion

Despite new targeted therapies and improved screening, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death of women in the United States. This emphasizes the need to better understand the molecular pathways contributing to breast cancer progression and metastasis and the need for identification of novel therapeutic targets. This is especially true for triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs), which in comparison to hormone receptor-positive (ER+/PR+) and HER2+ subtypes lack a targeted therapy. Without targeted therapy TNBC patients have limited options for treatment, resulting in decreased overall survival. Our lab identified semaphorin 7a (SEMA7A) as a novel protein that promotes TNBC progression. SEMA7A is a member of the semaphorin family, a group of proteins originally described for their developmental roles in axon guidance. SEMA7A is a unique member of the semaphorin family as it is the only GPI-linked semaphorin and can be shed into the extracellular space. Since breast cancer patients mainly die from metastatic disease, we aim to uncover the role of SEMA7A in TNBC cell invasion and metastasis. To study the role SEMA7A may have in promoting cellular invasion, we utilized an shRNA-mediated knockdown of SEMA7A in human TNBC cell lines. Our results show that SEMA7A plays an important role in many steps of the metastatic cascade, with shSEMA7A cells showing increased cell death in both attached and force suspension conditions (anoikis), reduced mesenchymal phenotypes, and less invasion in 3D matrices. We also observed decreased growth and invasion of shSEMA7A tumors in vivo and decreased synthesis of fibronectin and matrix-metalloproteinase 2 ex vivo from shSEMA7A tumors. Taken together, these results show that SEMA7A is a critical molecule for cellular invasion by modulating not only intrinsic cellular pathways, but also the tumor microenvironment. Citation Format: Sarah Elizabeth Tarullo, Alan Elder, Ryan Hill, Kirk Hansen, Traci Lyons. Investigating the role of semaphorin 7a in triple-negative breast cancer cell invasion [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Advances in Breast Cancer Research; 2017 Oct 7-10; Hollywood, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2018;16(8_Suppl):Abstract nr B55.
Particle Aggregation Modifies Crystallization: Extending the Hierarchical Order of a Polycrystalline Material to the Macroscale

Hierarchical architectures can transform inferior substances into high-performance materials. Although this effect is prevalent among biominerals, few examples in chemistry match the complexity of such ordered materials. One exception is the formation of “biomorphs”, which consist of co-aligned, crystalline nanorods that assemble into smoothly curved microstructures. These lifelike sheets, helices, and urns form when CO2 reacts with aqueous solutions of alkaline earth metals and silicate. For the case of SrCO3–silica biomorphs, micrometer-scale sheets form at the solution–air interface and begin to move due to convection with speeds of 1–10 μm/s. Short-range interaction via capillary forces induces the formation of clusters and eventually a single, centimeter-scale aggregate. Within this pattern, biomorphs are arranged into simple chains with some branching points yielding fractal dimensions of 1.2–1.3. Importantly, crystallization continues within the aggregate and diminishes internal motion. We show tha...
The Hysteresis Phenomenon and Q Factor Enhancement in Nonlinear NEMS Resonators Driven by Lévy Stable Stochastic Processes

Nonlinear damping has been experimentally observed in nanoelectromechanical (NEMS) resonators and proposed as a path to enhanced quality (Q) factors. Furthermore, considering a nonlinearly damped Duffing NEMS resonator, it has been shown that white noise excitation (Brownian motion) can shrink the hysteresis region in the frequency-amplitude plot of the resonator response leading to higher Q factors. In this paper the authors: (1) derive an analytical expression using the method of harmonic balance for the frequency-amplitude relationship of a nonlinearly damped Duffing NEMS resonator and numerically validate the analytical result, (2) show that additive white Gaussian noise of increasing noise intensity, when superimposed on deterministic excitation can eliminate the hysteresis peaks implying higher Q factors and, (3) show that the aforementioned effects are much more pronounced in a resonator driven by Levy flight excitation in contrast to Brownian excitation - the hysteresis peaks get eliminated at much lower levels of noise intensity with Levy flight excitation. Levy flights are non-Brownian stochastic processes characterized by occasional large departures from the mean. The results, in addition to providing insights into Q factor enhancement using Levy flights, indicate the importance of non-Brownian noise processes in NEMS dynamics.
Katalyst: development of a fifth-grade novel approach to health and science experiential learning

The Katalyst intervention program was piloted in fifth-grade classrooms at two Appalachian schools during the 2017-18 academic year as a potential educational resource to tackle the rising rates of obesity and chronic diseases in this region. The program consisted of four 60-minute modules, each based on a specific organ system. Each module incorporated hands-on lessons in physiology with an emphasis on preventing chronic disease through diet, nutrition, physical activity, and abstinence from drug and tobacco use. The modules were led by medical students and undergraduate volunteers who completed a two-day training. A 37-item survey assessing knowledge and perceptions regarding healthy lifestyles was administered to 5th grade participants prior to and following the intervention in order to assess the impact of the program. Additionally, educators at intervention schools were given a questionnaire post-intervention to provide feedback on the program. This paper describes the rationale, program design and execution, and conclusion of the Katalyst intervention program. It is anticipated that this program will reinforce current educational standards regarding diet, nutrition and physical activity in order to empower target students to establish healthy lifestyle behaviors and that programs modeled after the Katalyst curriculum may serve as a novel, viable option to health educators.
Why are monarch butterflies declining in the West? Understanding the importance of multiple correlated drivers

Understanding the factors associated with declines of at-risk species is an important first step in setting management and recovery targets. This step can be challenging when multiple aspects of climate and land use are changing simultaneously, and any or all could be contributing to population declines. We analyzed population trends of monarch butterflies in western North America in relation to likely environmental drivers. Unlike the larger eastern monarch population, past analyses of western monarchs have only evaluated the importance of climate (i.e., not land use) factors as drivers of abundance. We used partial least squares regression (PLSR) to evaluate the potential importance of changes in land use and climate variables. Trends in western monarch abundance were more strongly associated with land use variables than climate variables. Conclusions about importance of climate and land use variables were robust to changes in PLSR model structure. However, individual variables were too collinear to unambiguously separate their effects. We compared these conclusions to the more widely used technique of multiple regression, followed by multi-model inference (MRMI). Naive interpretation of MRMI results could be misleading, if collinearity were not taken into account. MRMI was also highly sensitive to variation in model construction. Our results suggest a two-pronged approach to monarch conservation, specifically, starting efforts now to restore habitat, while also using experiments to more clearly delineate separate effects of climate and land use factors. They also demonstrate the utility of PLSR, a technique that is growing in use but is still relatively under-appreciated in conservation biology.
Initial Management of Hip Fractures Prior to Surgical Intervention

Initial deliberate management of hip fractures is imperative to set the stage for a successful hospital course and surgical treatment. The hip fracture population can be separated into two groups: elderly patients that sustained low energy osteoporotic fractures and young patients following high-energy trauma. Low energy hip fracture patients require a focus on medical comorbidities with consultation of the appropriate services for perioperative optimization. The primary goal is early operative intervention in order to mobilize patients as quickly as possible. Regional nerve blocks may be beneficial, but traction is not. High-energy hip fracture management differs with a focus on resuscitation, identification of concomitant injuries, and emergent reduction. In both groups, attention should be paid to appropriate anticoagulation.
Traffic Analysis Resistant Network (TARN) Anonymity Analysis

We proposed a Traffic Analysis Resistant Network (TARN) that randomizes IP addresses in a fashion similar to Frequency Hop Spread Spectrum (FHSS), allowing users to blend into background traffic. IP hopping alone is not enough. TARN may still be susceptible to side-channel analysis. To remove the vulnerabilities, we introduce a SDX-based solution. In this work, we describe the design and implementation of TARN and experimental environment used to test TARN.
Intergenerational Coresidential Patterns by Young Adult's and Their Mother's Mental Health and Substance Use.

Intergenerational coresidence is at a 30-year high. Studies find that economic, familial, and demographic factors shape the likelihood of this arrangement. We use NLSY79 and NLSY79YA data (2000–201...
Maternal transport: an opportunity to improve the system of risk-appropriate care.

Objective To assess how often maternal transport preceded pregnancy-related deaths and describe contributing factors and recommendations related to maternal transport. Study design We used Ohio maternal mortality review committee (MMRC) data from 2010 to 2016. We defined two transport types among pregnancy-related deaths: field to hospital and hospital to hospital. We examined deaths determined by the MMRC to be potentially preventable by transfer to a higher level of care and described contributing factors and recommendations. Result Among 136 pregnancy-related deaths, 56 (41.2%) were transported. Among 15 deaths identified as potentially preventable by transfer to a higher level of care, 5 were transported between hospitals. Contributing factors for 14 deaths included inadequate response by Emergency Medical Services and lack of transport to a higher level of care. Conclusion Our results suggest opportunities for examining modification and adherence to existing protocols. Improving risk-appropriate maternal care systems is important for preventing pregnancy-related deaths.
Heartbeat: racial and ethnic healthcare disparities in cardiovascular care.

Racial and ethnic healthcare disparities in cardiovascular care have been magnified during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this issue of Heart , Rashid and colleagues1 compared admission rates, treatment and mortality of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in England in 2020 compared with the 3 previous years. Compared with white patients, a higher proportion of BAME patients were hospitalised with AMI during the pandemic (figure 1). However, in those with AMI, BAME patients less often underwent coronary angiography (86.1% vs 90.0%, p<0.001), had a longer median delay to reperfusion (4.1 hours vs 3.7 hours, p<0.001) and a higher in-hospital (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.27 to 2.28) and 7- day mortality (OR 1.81 95% CI 1.31 to 2.19). Figure 1 Time series plot of daily proportions of BAME patients hospitalised with diagnosis of AMI from 1 January 2017 to 27 May 2020 stratified according to the year of admission. Lines represent a 14-day simple moving average (indicating the mean number of daily admissions for that day and the preceding 13 days) up to and including 22 March 2020. For data from 23 March 2020, a 7-day moving average (indicating the mean number of admissions for that day and the preceding 6 days) up to and including 27 May 2020, adjusted for seasonality was plotted. AMI, acute myocardial infarction; BAME, black, Asian and minority ethnic. In the accompanying editorial, Cader et al 2 point out that although differences in patient acuity might account …
A Comprehensive Energetic and Exergetic Analysis of an Ejector Expansion Refrigeration Cycle Using R22 and R410A

In this paper, the performance characteristics of an ejector-expansion refrigeration cycle (EERC) using R410A are investigated in comparison with that using R22 based on first- and second-law persp...
Free oscillations in cavities with metallic surfaces

The problem of free oscillations in a cavity filled with real metallic lossy surfaces is studied in the time-domain in compliance with the principle of causality. The modal basis and the evolutionary equations (i.e., with time derivative) for the modal amplitudes are derived.
Chapter 10 Isolation and Culture of Protoplasts

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the isolation and culture of protoplasts. The use of protoplasts in somatic hybridization and genetic manipulation experiments is dependent on the ability to regenerate plants from isolated protoplasts, particularly in the species of agronomic and economic importance. Most of the attempts to culture protoplasts have also been limited to mesophyll protoplasts. In many cases, particularly in legumes, cell masses and callus tissues can be obtained from protoplasts. The physiological and morphogenetic status of the source material, whether plants or cultured cells, is of utmost value in determining not only the fate of the cultured protoplasts, but also the regeneration of plants from the resulting cell masses. Embryogenic tissue cultures obtained from immature embryos or other sources are the most significant source of protoplasts for plant regeneration. This proves to be the key factor in the successful regeneration of plantlets, through somatic embryogenesis, in protoplast-derived cell masses of the cereal, P. americanum .
On testing effective computability of magic programs

A sufficient condition is given for effective computability of a magic program, assuming that predicates satisfy some finiteness and monotonicity constraints. Effective computability means that a bottom-up evaluation is a finite process. This sufficient condition can show effective computability in cases that could not be handled by previous methods. Testing the condition is exponential in the arity of predicates.
The seasonal cycle of midlatitude static stability over land and ocean in global reanalyses

[1] Using a new reanalysis data set, the seasonal cycle of the midlatitude tropospheric static stability is examined. Dry and moist static stability measures are analyzed as a function of latitude, longitude, and season. It is shown that in both the Northern (NH) and Southern Hemispheres (SH), dry and moist static stability averaged over the midlatitudes maximizes in December–February. Examining the spatial structure of the stability changes indicates that the difference in the seasonal cycle between hemispheres is due to the behavior over land, which maximizes its stability in winter. Ocean surfaces have qualitatively similar cycles in both hemispheres. It is clear that moist processes are important in determining the static stability in both hemispheres. Although a previously derived moist scaling theory works fairly well to explain the seasonal changes in both hemispheres, it is argued that the large differences in seasonal cycles between land and ocean may indicate different mechanisms at play between the largely ocean-covered SH and the land-dominated NH.
Application of artificial neural networks for tissue classification from multispectral magnetic resonance images of the head

The suitability of artificial neural networks (ANNs) for the classification of multispectral magnetic resonance images (MSMRI) is explored. MSMRI feature space distributions of various tissues and phantoms were examined to determine if the data is more suitable for ANN classification, as opposed to classical Bayesian approaches for intensity-based classification. Additionally, MSMRI normalization methods were investigated to determine suitability for improving feature space distributions independent of classification methods. >
Sleep and Memory

Current behavioural evidence indicates that sleep plays a central role in memory consolidation. Neural events during post-learning sleep share key features with both early and late stages of memory consolidation. For example, recent studies have shown neuronal changes during post-learning sleep which reflect early synaptic changes associated with consolidation, including activation of shared intracellular pathways and modifications of synaptic strength. Sleep may also play a role in later stages of consolidation involving propagation of memory traces throughout the brain. However, to date the precise molecular and physiological aspects of sleep required for this process remain unknown. The behavioural effects of sleep may be mediated by the large-scale, global changes in neuronal activity, synchrony and intracellular communication that accompany this vigilance state, or by synapse-specific ‘replay’ of activity patterns associated with prior learning.
Effect of Temperature on the Properties of La2O3 Nanostructures

In recent years, the synthesis of Lanthanum oxide (La2O3) nanoparticles by using simple reflux method using Lanthanum nitrate (LaN3O9.6H2O), urea (NH2CONH2) and double distilled water as starting and strong materials. The solution obtained was transferred to a round bottom flask which was maintained at a constant reaction temperature and time. The effect of calcinations temperature on the properties of Lanthanum oxide (La2O3) nanoparticles have been explored and reported. The phase and structure of the lanthanum oxide has been identified using X-ray powder diffraction(XRD). The surface properties and morphology has been investigated using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique. The properties of the synthesized nanostructures have been investigated and reported. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis confirms the present of functional group. The vibrational behaviours of the bonds are further analyzed using FTIR. Thermal stability of the samples have been investigated using TG/DTA analysis and the UV-Vis spectroscopy technique has been exploited to study about the optical absorption of the samples.
Strategies to Increase After-School Program Staff Skills to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity

Standards targeting children's healthy eating and physical activity (HEPA) in after-school programs call for staff to display or refrain from HEPA-promoting or -discouraging behaviors that are linked to children's HEPA. This study evaluated strategies to align staff behaviors with HEPA Standards. Staff at four after-school programs serving approximately 500 children participated in professional development training from January 2012 to May 2013. Site leaders also attended workshops and received technical support during the same time frame. Changes in staff behaviors were evaluated using the System for Observing Staff Promotion of Activity and Nutrition in a pre- (fall 2011) multiple-post (spring 2012, fall 2012, and spring 2013), no-control group study design. A total of 8,949 scans were completed across the four measurement periods. Of the 19 behaviors measured, 14 changed in the appropriate direction. For example, staff engaging in physical activity with children increased from 27% to 40% of scans and staff eating unhealthy foods decreased from 56% to 14% of days. Ongoing training and technical assistance can have a measureable impact on staff behaviors linked to child-level HEPA outcomes. Future research should explore the feasibility of disseminating ongoing trainings to after-school program staff on a large scale.
Application of Weakest‐Link Fracture Statistics to Fiber‐Reinforced Ceramic‐Matrix Composites

The strength and reliability of fiber-reinforced ceramic-matrix composites (CMCs) are dependent on whether conditions of local or global load sharing prevail. Global load sharing is promoted by a low interfacial sliding stress and is manifested in a zero-tangent modulus at the point of tensile failure along with random fiber failures and extensive fiber pullout. In this paper, it is demonstrated that conditions of global load sharing are not present in two commonly studied CMCs, despite the fibrous appearance of their fracture surfaces. This behavior is manifested in a volume-dependent strength, as evidenced by strength differences measured in tension and flexure (accounting for the nonlinear stress distribution in flexure). Methods of weakest-link statistics are used to relate the strengths measured in the two test configurations. Estimates for the Weibull moduli of the two systems are obtained from the experiments and compared with values obtained through Monte Carlo simulations based on a three-dimensional-lattice Greens function method. The implications of these results on the strength of large components and of small regions of high stress concentration are discussed briefly.
Safe uniform proxies for Java

Abstract The proxy abstraction has a long-lasting tradition in object-oriented programming. From design patterns to inherent programming language support, and from remote method invocations to simple forms of behavioral reflection, incarnations as well as applications of proxies are innumerable. Since version 1.3, Java has supported the concept of a dynamic proxy. Such an object conforms to a set of types specified by the program and can be used wherever an expression of any of these types is expected, yet it reifies invocations performed on it. This ability has allowed dynamic proxies to be used to implement paradigms such as behavioral reflection, structural conformance, or multi-methods. Alas, these proxies are only available “for interfaces”. The case of creating dynamic proxies for a set of types including a class has not been addressed, meaning that it is currently not possible to create a dynamic proxy that conforms to an application-defined class type. This weakness strongly limits any application of dynamic proxies beyond the inherent limitations of proxies, which have motivated deeper programming language support for features such as behavioral reflection. In this paper, we unfold the current support for dynamic proxies in Java, assessing it in the light of a set of generic criteria for proxy implementations. We present an approach to supporting dynamic proxies “for classes”, consisting in transformations performed on classes at load-time, including a generic scheme for enforcing encapsulation upon field accesses. These transformations seamlessly extend the scope of the current support for dynamic proxies from the programmer’s perspective. We argue for the safety of our transformations, and discuss the precise benefits and costs of our extension in terms of the criteria introduced through an implementation of future method invocations balancing safety and transparency.
Constraints on early events in Martian history as derived from the cratering record

The shapes and densities of crater size-frequency distribution curves are used to constrain two major events early in Martian history: termination of high obliteration rates and viability of the multiple impact origin of the crustal dichotomy. Distribution curves of fresh craters superposed on uplands, intercrater plains, and ridged plains display shapes and densities indicative of formation prior to the end of heavy bombardment. This observation correlates with other geologic evidence, suggesting a major change in the erosional regime following the last major basin size impact (i.e., Argrye). In addition, the multisloped nature of the curves supports the idea that the downturn in the crater size-frequency distribution curves reflects the size-frequency distribution of the impactors rather than being the result of erosion. The crustal dichotomy formed prior to the heavy bombardment intermediate epoch based on distribution curves of knobby terrain; if the dichotomy resulted from a single gigantic impact, this observation places constraints on when this event happened. An alternate theory for dichotomy formation, the multiple-impact basin idea, is questioned: since distribution curves of large basins as well as heavy bombardment era units are not represented by a −3 differential power law function, this study finds fewer basins missing on Mars compare to the Moon and Mercury than previously reported. The area covered by these missing basins is less than that covered the northern plains.
Hybridization of Euglena RNA to the heavy and the light chloroplast DNA components separated in alkaline CsC1 gradients

Abstract Chloroplast DNA from Euglena gracilis was separated in an alkaline CsC1 density gradient into a heavy and a light component. The heavy and the light DNA components each contain 18 percent self-complementary nucleotide sequences. Equal masses of the heavy and the light components do not contain equal molar complementary nucleotide sequences. The light DNA component contains sequences complementary to the majority of the chloroplast DNA transcripts. The heavy DNA component contains sequences complementary to chloroplast ribosomal RNA.
Acute failure of distal biceps reconstruction: A case report

c w r t a F b urgical repair of distal biceps tendon ruptures allows he best chance of regaining biceps muscle function bout the elbow and forearm in younger, more active ndividuals. Multiple methods of distal biceps tendon epair have been described, involving either 1or -incision techniques with different attachment strateies. All are associated with potential complications, ncluding dysfunction of the lateral antebrachial cutaneus or posterior interosseous nerves and heterotopic ssification leading to motion loss. Furthermore, contined residual deficits in strength and power of the forerm are common. Rerupture of the distal biceps tendon after surgical epair is thought to be exceedingly rare and, to our nowledge, has never been reported. We present a ase of rerupture of a distal biceps tendon repair treated ith reconstruction.
Stem cell therapy for cardiovascular diseases: a progressive journey.

Purpose of reviewThis review presents the findings from a select group of clinical trials of stem cell therapy for both acute and chronic heart disease. These studies are used to highlight the insight gained through such investigations and the remaining challenges.Recent findingsClinical trials asse
Atmospheric Degradation of Holographic Images

The resolution of images formed from turbulence-degraded lensless Fourier-transform holograms is analyzed for gaussian and exponential refractive-index structure function models, first by a geometrical-optics method and then by Schmeltzer’s series-expansion method, under the assumption that the random log-amplitude and phase perturbations across the entrance pupil of the recording apparatus are locally stationary processes with gaussian statistics. Both long and short exposures are treated.The resolution of turbulence-degraded holographic images is governed primarily by a function m2(r1), for which analytical expressions are derived and results of experimental measurements are given. The analytical results obtained for m2(r1) by the geometrical-optics method are identical with those obtained by Schmeltzer’s series-expansion method. The measurements were made by an interferometric technique for horizontal atmospheric propagation paths of 86 and 542 m. In addition, holographic images of an extended object were obtained for the 86-m path.
SMA prenatal diagnosis: a modified protocol to help differentiation between deletions and gene conversion.

In SMA, unusual findings such as deletions restricted only to SMN1 exon 8, inspite of honozygous SMN1 exons 7–8 deletions in the family, may obscure final diagnosis. Application of a modified PCR procedure allowed discrimination between a deletion or a gene conversion event in a case of prenatal diagnosis.
Monitoring Hydration Status in Elderly Veterans

Dehydration is a common water and electrolyte disorder in long-term care residents. Practical methods to detect and monitor dehydration are needed. This study determined whether urine color measured by a urine color chart reflects hydration status. The study employed a repeated measures design with two observations during a 10-hour period. Urine color was compared to the criterion standard of urine specific gravity and osmolality. The sample included 89 participants from two Veterans’ Affairs facilities. Urine color was graded on an eight-level color chart. Urine specific gravity and osmolality, serum sodium and osmolality, hematocrit, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine were measured using standard laboratory procedures. Significant positive associations existed between urine color and both urine specific gravity and urine osmolality and between urine osmolality and serum sodium and the blood urea nitrogen to creatinine ratio. Although further testing is needed, the color chart has potential as a l...
Determination of sodium and other impurities in alkoxysilanes by square-wave voltammetry

Abstract The determination of sodium concentration in acetonitrile and in acetonitrile-alkylalkoxysilane mixtures was investigated by using the static mercury drop electrode and square-wave voltammetry. Direct square-wave voltammetry was used over the range 10–100 μM Na+, and square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry was used in the range 1–10 μM Na+. The detection limit in the anodic stripping mode was found to be 0.3 μM. Further, the behavior of impurities in acetonitrile-alklalkoxysilane mixtures was investigated qualitatively.