cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Future Expectations, Attitude Toward Violence, and Bullying Perpetration During Early Adolescence: A Mediation Evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Hopeful future expectations have been linked to positive developmental outcomes in adolescence; however, the association between future expectations and bullying perpetration has received less attention. OBJECTIVES: We examined the relationship between future expectations and physical and relational bullying perpetration and tested a mediation model that linked future expectations with bullying through attitude toward violence. METHODS: Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationship between future expectations and bullying perpetration (relational and physical) and to test whether these relationships were mediated by attitude toward violence in a sample of U.S. seventh-grade students (Mage = 12.86 years, N = 196, 60% female, 46% African American). RESULTS: Attitude toward violence fully mediated the relationship between future expectations and physical bullying (indirect effects = -0.08, 95% CI [-0.15, -0.01], R =.17). The relationship between future expectations and relational bullying was partially mediated by attitudes toward violence (indirect effects = -0.07, 95% CI [-0.14, -0.002], R =.20). DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that future expectations can play a role in reducing attitude toward violence and physical and relational bullying perpetration among youth. Interventions that help support the development of future goals and aspirations could play a vital role in bullying prevention efforts. Language: en
Emergence of Laricobius nigrinus (Fender) (Coleoptera: Derodontidae) in the North Georgia Mountains

Abstract Hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae Annand, is currently found throughout most of the range of eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere. Biological control agents have been released in attempts to control this pest, but how different climates influence the efficacy and survival of these agents has not been studied. One predatory beetle of A. tsugae, Laricobius nigrinus Fender, is native to the Pacific Northwest and, therefore, experiences a much different summer climate in the north Georgia mountains. To better understand survival of this predator as it aestivates in the soil, 5 mesh cages were set up at each of 16 sites with 4 sites located at an elevation below 549 m, 4 sites between 549 m – 732 m, 5 sites between 732 m – 914 m, and 3 sites over 914 m. At each site 30 larvae were placed inside one of the cages during March, April, or May on a bouquet of adelgid infested hemlock twigs, and emergence of adults was monitored in the fall. Of the 1440 larvae placed at the 16 sites, only 4 ...
Attenuated total reflectance-FT-IR spectroscopy for gunshot residue analysis: potential for ammunition determination.

The ability to link a suspect to a particular shooting incident is a principal task for many forensic investigators. Here, we attempt to achieve this goal by analysis of gunshot residue (GSR) through the use of attenuated total reflectance (ATR) Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) combined with statistical analysis. The firearm discharge process is analogous to a complex chemical process. Therefore, the products of this process (GSR) will vary based upon numerous factors, including the specific combination of the firearm and ammunition which was discharged. Differentiation of FT-IR data, collected from GSR particles originating from three different firearm–ammunition combinations (0.38 in., 0.40 in., and 9 mm calibers), was achieved using projection to latent structures discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). The technique was cross (leave-one-out), both internally and externally, validated. External validation was achieved via assignment (caliber identification) of unknown FT-IR spectra from unknown ...
Domestic violence in medical practice: a new approach for Louisiana physicians.

This article describes the role of the physician in reporting domestic violence, the current situation in Louisiana, and how California addressed this problem. The author advocates a statewide comprehensive domestic violence education program for medical students, residents, and physicians. She describes a program which would focus on awareness, screening, diagnosis, and referral. Language: en
A novel GBE1 gene variant in a child with glycogen storage disease type IV

Glycogen storage disease type IV is an autosomal recessive disorder of carbohydrates caused by deficiency of amylo-1-4-glycanoglycosyltransferase, which leads to accumulation of amylopectin-like polysaccharides in tissues including liver, heart and neuromuscular system. More than 40 different mutations in the glycogen branching enzyme gene (GBE1) have been described. In this study, we report a 2-year-old boy who presented with developmental delay and muscle weakness. He subsequently was diagnosed with glycogen storage disease type IV based on a liver biopsy histology and electron microscopy. Glycogen branching enzyme activity was in the low range. Genetic analysis demonstrated a novel heterozygous variant (c.760A>G; p.Thr254Ala) in exon 6 of the GBE1 gene, which is believed to be pathogenic. This variant was inherited from the patient's mother who was asymptomatic with normal glycogen branching enzyme activity. Whole-exome sequencing failed to reveal additional variations in the GBE1 gene.
Research on the manufacturing process collaborative management for resource optimal allocation

Some approaches and strategies of building a manufacturing process collaborative man-agement system in a digital enterprise environment are introduced.The system is based on resource optimal allocation and composed of five subsystems.Firstly,the structure of the whole system誷 framework and the function of every subsystem are discussed.Then the XML-based data exchange between different subsystems,data access interface specification,and the integration pattern based on XML Web Services are presented in detail.Finally,a successful enterprise application of the system is introduced.The application result proves that the system is practical and helpful to achieve the order-oriented manufacturing process collaborative management and the social manufacturing resources' optimal allocation.Furthermore,it can supply a reconfigurable solution for manufacturing industry.
Percutaneous Methods of Common Bile Duct Stone Retrieval

Percutaneous transhepatic stone removal, most commonly by expulsion into the duodenum through the papilla, is an effective and safe alternative to surgery particularly when endoscopic stone extraction has failed or is not possible. In specific patient populations, such as following Billroth II gastrectomy or laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, percutaneous approaches may be the best option for patients with symptomatic choledocholithiasis. With the increase in global obesity, the need for bariatric surgery will continue to incline in the future. Given the association of gallstones in bariatric patients following surgery, an increasing number of patients with surgically altered anatomy will require management for symptomatic stones. Therefore, an understanding of transhepatic percutaneous approaches is important to provide optimal care for these patients and those that are not candidates for ERCP.
Progessive diaphyseal dysplasia. Review of the literature and report of seven cases in one family

Seven cases of progressive diaphyseal dysplasia in three generations of one family were observed and data presented. The affected grandfather had six children, all but one of whom are described as documented cases, the other being probably affected. One of the grandchildren is documented as a definite case and three of thirteen other grandchildren probably were affected. The characteristic features of the dysplasia are the roentgenographic appearance of bilaterally symmetrical diaphyseal cortical thickening and autosomal dominant inheritance.
INFECTIOUS MONONUCLEOSIS. 2. RELATION OF BED REST AND ACTIVITY TO PROGNOSIS.

In this study of 131 patients with infectious mononucleosis, those whose activity was unrestricted improved more rapidly than those kept at strict bed rest during the acute stage of the disease.Only in unusually severe cases of infectious mononucleosis or in the presence of severe complications is strict bed rest or prolonged limitation of activity justified.
Anatomy of the external ear.

The anatomy of the ear in the child varies only slightly from that of the adult, since 85 per cent of ear growth occurs by the third year of life. Little growth occurs after the age of 10, although slight increase in size continues until old age. Anatomical aspects of the external ear are described and illustrated.
The utilization of smart trials in PCL retaining knees

Abstract Technical issues such as instability, mal-rotation, and mal-alignment continue to be issues leading to total knee replacement revision. Soft tissue balancing is critical to successful address these issues for successful total knee replacement outcomes. Intra-op sensors can now be used to dynamically balance knees in real time and mitigate negative outcomes.
Assessing the Structure of the Ways of Coping Questionnaire in Fibromyalgia Patients Using Common Factor Analytic Approaches

The Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ) is a widely used measure of coping processes. Despite its use in a variety of populations, there has been concern about the stability and structure of the WCQ across different populations. This study examines the factor structure of the WCQ in a large sample of individuals diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The participants were 501 adults (478 women) who were part of a larger intervention study. Participants completed the WCQ at their 6-month assessment. Foundational factoring approaches were performed on the data (i.e., maximum likelihood factoring [MLF], iterative principal factoring [IPF], principal axis factoring (PAF), and principal components factoring [PCF]) with oblique oblimin rotation. Various criteria were evaluated to determine the number of factors to be extracted, including Kaiser's rule, Scree plot visual analysis, 5 and 10% unique variance explained, 70 and 80% communal variance explained, and Horn's parallel analysis (PA). It was concluded that the 4-factor PAF solution was the preferable solution, based on PA extraction and the fact that this solution minimizes nonvocality and multivocality. The present study highlights the need for more research focused on defining the limits of the WCQ and the degree to which population-specific and context-specific subscale adjustments are needed.
A Public Choice Approach to the Unequal Treatment of Securities Market Participants and Home Borrowers

This article contrasts the protections provided to participants in U.S. securities markets with the protections provided to participants in the U.S. mortgage markets. Participants in securities markets purchase and sell equity and debt securities. Participants in the mortgage markets borrow money to buy homes, using those homes as collateral for the mortgage loans they receive. Even after Dodd-Frank, participants in securities markets are afforded significantly higher levels of protection than participants in mortgage markets. The doctrine of suitability is a prime example of this inequity. Exploring possible explanations for this odd asymmetry of treatment, I conclude that interest group politics is to blame for the anomaly.
Gender Differences in Bladder Cancer Treatment Decision Making.

Purpose/objectives To explore gender differences in bladder cancer treatment decision making. . Research approach Secondary qualitative analysis of interview transcripts. . Setting One multidisciplinary genitourinary oncology clinic (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) and two urology clinics (Brigham and Women's Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center) in Boston, MA. . Participants As part of the original study, 45 men and 15 women with bladder cancer participated in individual interviews. Participants were primarily Caucasian, and most had at least some college education. . Methodologic approach Word frequency reports were used to identify thematic differences between the men's and women's statements. Line-by-line coding of constructs prevalent among women was then performed on all participants in NVivo 9. Coding results were compared between genders using matrix coding queries. . Findings The role of family in the decision-making process was found to be a dominant theme for women but not for men. Women primarily described family members as facilitators of bladder cancer treatment-related decisions, but men were more likely to describe family in a nonsupportive role. . Conclusions The results suggest that influences on the decision-making process are different for men and women with bladder cancer. Family may play a particularly important role for women faced with bladder cancer treatment-related decisions. . Interpretation Clinical nurses who care for individuals with bladder cancer should routinely assess patients' support systems and desired level of family participation in decision making. For some people with bladder cancer, family may serve as a stressor. Nurses should support the decision-making processes of all patients and be familiar with resources that can provide support to patients who do not receive it from family.
Sex differences in physiological response to the combination of stress and smoking

Stressful situations are among the most commonly cited smoking triggers. Smoking and stress exposure each individually increase cardiovascular and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal measures with larger increases occurring when stress and smoking are combined. In this analysis, sex differences in the physiological response to the combination of stress and smoking are examined. Smokers (36 males; 34 females) completed a laboratory session in which systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), plasma epinephrine (Epi), norepinephrine and cortisol concentrations were measured at rest, while smoking a cigarette, during a speech task occurring immediately after smoking and at several time-points following the stressor. Significant period by sex effects were observed for HR, SBP, DBP and Epi but not for cortisol or norepinephrine concentrations. For SBP (p=0.002), the increase between resting and speech were larger in men than in women, primarily due to a larger increase between smoking and speech occurring in men. A similar pattern was observed for DBP and Epi with a significantly larger Epi increase from smoking to speech observed in men than in women (p=0.016). A different pattern emerged for HR - the total increase was larger in women (p<0.001), due to a larger rest to smoking increase (p<0.001). In most measures therefore, overall increases were greater in men than women, primarily due to larger smoking to speech increases. Additional research is needed to determine the clinical implications of these results as they apply to sex difference in smoking cessation success rates and in the cardiovascular risks of smoking.
A step function density profile model for the convective stability of CO $$_2$$ 2 geological sequestration

The convective stability associated with carbon sequestration is usually investigated by adopting an unsteady diffusive basic profile to account for the space and time development of the carbon-saturated boundary layer instability. The method of normal modes is not applicable due to the time dependence of the nonlinear base profile. Therefore, the instability is quantified either in terms of critical times at which the boundary layer instability sets in or in terms of long-time evolution of initial disturbances. This paper adopts an unstably stratified basic profile having a step function density with top heavy carbon-saturated layer (boundary layer) overlying a lighter carbon-free layer (ambient brine). The resulting configuration resembles that of the Rayleigh–Taylor problem with buoyancy diffusion at the interface separating the two layers. The discontinuous reference state satisfies the governing system of equations and boundary conditions and pertains to an unstably stratified motionless state. Our model accounts for anisotropy in both diffusion and permeability and chemical reaction between the carbon dioxide-rich brine and host mineralogy. We consider two cases for the boundary conditions, namely an impervious lower boundary with either a permeable (one-sided model) or poorly permeable upper boundary. These two cases possess neither steady nor unsteady unstably stratified equilibrium states. We proceed by supposing that the carbon dioxide that has accumulated below the top cap rock forms a layer of carbon-saturated brine of some thickness that overlies a carbon-free brine layer. The resulting stratification remains stable until the thickness, and by the same token, the density, of the carbon-saturated layer is sufficient to induce the fluid to overturn. The existence of a finite threshold value for the thickness is due to the stabilizing influence of buoyancy diffusion at the interface between the two layers. With this formulation for the reference state, the stability calculations will be in terms of critical boundary layer thickness instead of critical times, although the two formulations are homologous. This approach is tractable by the classical normal-mode analysis. Even though it yields only conservative threshold instability conditions, it offers the advantage for an analytically tractable study that puts forth expressions for the carbon concentration convective flux at the interface and explores the flow patterns through both linear and weakly nonlinear analyses.
ERRα Maintains Mitochondrial Oxidative Metabolism and Constitutes an Actionable Target in PGC1α-Elevated Melanomas

The uncontrolled growth of tumors provides metabolic dependencies that can be harnessed for therapeutic benefit. Although tumor cells exhibit these increased metabolic demands due to their rapid proliferation, these metabolic processes are general to all cells, and furthermore, targeted therapeutic intervention can provoke compensatory adaptation that alters tumors' characteristics. As an example, a subset of melanomas depends on the transcriptional coactivator PGC1α function to sustain their mitochondrial energy-dependent survival. However, selective outgrowth of resistant PGC1α-independent tumor cells becomes endowed with an augmented metastatic phenotype. To find PGC1α-dependent components that would not affect metastasis in melanomas, an unbiased proteomic analyses was performed and uncovered the orphan nuclear receptor ERRα, which supports PGC1α's control of mitochondrial energetic metabolism, but does not affect the antioxidant nor antimetastatic regulatory roles. Specifically, genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of ERRα reduces the inherent bioenergetic capacity and decreases melanoma cell growth, but without altering the invasive characteristics. Thus, within this particularly aggressive subset of melanomas, which is characterized by heighted expression of PGC1α, ERRα specifically mediates prosurvival functions and represents a tangible therapeutic target.Implications: ERRα, a druggable protein, mediates the bioenergetic effects in melanomas defined by high PGC1α expression, suggesting a rational means for therapeutic targeting of this particularly aggressive melanoma subtype. Mol Cancer Res; 15(10); 1366-75. ©2017 AACR.
How best to teach the cardinality principle

Abstract The cardinality principle (CP), which specifies that the last number word used in the counting process indicates the total number of items in a collection, is a critically important aspect of numeracy. Only one published study has focused on how best to teach the CP, and its results are uncertain (Mix, Sandhofer, Moore, & Russell, 2012). The present study was designed to investigate several modeling procedure to teach the CP. Forty-nine 2–5-year olds were randomly assigned to one of the three interventions: (a) label and then count (label-first), (b) count with an emphasis on the last word and label (count-first), and (c) counting only. At a delayed posttest, the count-first intervention was substantively more efficacious than the other interventions at promoting success on the CP task and a transfer task (as measured by effect size). The results underscore the need for early childhood educators and parents to reinforce the purpose of counting by building on children’s subitizing ability and explicitly labeling the total number of items after a collection is counted.
Ship azimuth prediction using supervised machine learning

Machine learning methods are applied to noise from the R/V Endeavor across several days during the SCEx17 experiment to predict the ship's azimuth. Sample Covariance Matrices (SCMs) are formed from received pressures on two vertical line arrays (VLA1, VLA2) and one horizontal line array (SWAMI). Previously, support vector machine (SVM), feed-forward neural network (FNN), and random forests (RF) machine learning methods have accurately estimated the range of a source towed in a linear geometry in shallow water (Niu et al., JASA 142, 1176–1188 (2017); Niu et al., JASA 142, EL455–460 (2017)) where the training and test tracks were close together in time. In this study, we investigate the robustness of SVM and FNN for circular track prediction when the training and test tracks are taken from different days with different sound speed profiles.
Survival of Halophilic Bacteria in Ancient Salts: Possibilities and Potentials

The Earth currently contains a large number of underground salt formations of significant size. These formations range in age from Jurassic (60,000,000 Million year of age [Ma]) to Cambrian (570,000,000 Ma). Most are Permian in age (230 — 280 Ma) (Javor 1989). Salt formations are distributed across nearly every continent, with the largest number in the northern hemisphere (Zharkov 1981)
The Art of Time

This paper argues that verbal descriptions of time limit our ability to measure and understand individuals’ perceptions of it. Using ideas from the emerging area of semiotics, an alternative methodology is proposed operationalizing the time construct through a non-linguistic method: drawings of time. This approach was tested using student samples at two universities. The results indicate preliminary support for this method, and are used to develop implications for managerial strategy and for further research.
Tolerance to N6-(L-phenylisopropyl) adenosine. Contribution of behavioral mechanisms and cross-tolerance profile.

The contribution of behavioral mechanisms to tolerance to N6-(l-rmphenylisopropyl)adenosine (l-PIA) was studied, along with the degree of cross-tolerance to other drugs active in the CNS. Rats were stabilized on a fixed-ratio of a 20 lever-pressing schedule for food reward and were then assigned to three daily-treatment groups. One group (saline-behavior associated) was injected with saline 15 min before the session, another (l-PIA-behavior associated) was injected with l-PIA (0.08 mg/kg) 15 min before the session and the last (l-PIA-behavior dissociated) was injected with l-PIA (0.08 mg/kg) immediately after the session. Tolerance developed to the decreasing effects of l-PIA on response rate in both groups, l-PIA-behavior associated and l-PIA-behavior dissociated. Behavioral mechanisms were thus not important in tolerance to l-PIA. In subsequent cross-tolerance tests, l-PIA-tolerant rats were crosstolerant to the adenosine A1 receptor agonist, N6-cyclohexyladenosine. The drugs 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo[5,4-c]pyridin-3-ol (THIP), diazepam, pentobarbital, ketamine, clonidine, d-amphetamine and caffeine did not produce differential effects in l-PIA-tolerant and non-tolerant subjects; however, l-PIA-tolerant subjects were more sensitive to the suppressive effects of chlorpromazine on the response-rate.
Imaging the Intensive Care Patient

The intensive care patient presents a challenge to both the clinician and the radiologist. These patients may have more than one cardiopulmonary problem that may progress or regress — simultaneously or in opposite directions. Most cardiopulmonary problems are the results of disease originating in the thorax, but a significant number are secondary to disease beyond the thorax. The limited quality of portable radiographs adds to the diagnostic difficulty. Many cardiopulmonary problems appear radiographically similar [1]. Careful attention to the radiographic appearance for progression and regression of the abnormalities often leads to the correct diagnosis [2, 3]. Although not every intensive care patient requires computed tomography (CT), the liberal use of CT often results in a more rapid and more accurate diagnosis and direction for management.
E-072 MRI in acute stroke treatment selection

Introduction/purpose MRI offers potential benefits over CT in selection for endovascular stroke thrombectomy. Despite this, only one-fourth of patients in the recently published DAWN and Defuse-3 trials were selected with MRI. Often, the major concern with MR utilization involves possibility of delayed treatment given the time associated with acquisition. Moreover, many patients being evaluated for acute ischemic stroke treatment will already have CT with CTA and possibly CTP and it is unclear whether additional information gleaned from an MR would change management. We present our single center experience in utilization of MRI for acute stroke. Materials and methods We retrospectively reviewed all stroke interventional radiology (SIR) activations at Stanford from February 2017 to February 2018. We assessed our breakdown of preprocedure imaging selection, the amount of time associated with obtaining imaging (looking at the arrival time to hospital, time of first image acquisition, and time to entering the angiography suite for each case). We paid particular attention to cases where patients had an outside CT and received an MR upon arrival to Stanford to see how often the MR acquisition changed management. We then selected a few representative cases for discussion. Results We identified 193 patients from February 2017 to February 2018 to be included in this study. In keeping with our practice pattern, the vast majority of cases (almost 85%) were through interfacility transfers from outside hospitals. Only a minority of our cases came through our institution’s emergency department. Almost all patients coming through interfacility transfers had CT and CTA prior to transfer. Patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy who had preprocedure MRIs did not experience delay in treatment. Door to first image time did not vary between CT and MR as expected. The average time from first image acquisition to cath lab arrival time also did not differ significantly (27 min with MRI versus 21 with CT/CTA/CTP). Approximately 38% of cases underwent endovascular treatment. Moreover, in cases where outside CT, CTA and/or CTP were available, MR at our institution often was helpful assessing for size of core infarct (which not infrequently hanged from time of initial outside CT imaging acquisition), provided better assessment of collaterals over CTA, and thereby frequently influenced management. Conclusion MRI offers advantages over CT in endovascular stroke therapy selection, particularly with regards to assessing size of core infarction (which does not infrequently change from the time a transfer is called to the time a patient arrives at a comprehensive stroke center) and determining collateral status. MRI selection also does not necessarily confer a delay in treatment if key stroke systems of care are in place. Disclosures A. Patel: None. U. Manzoor: None. A. Iyer: None. H. Do: None. M. Wintermark: None. M. Marks: None. R. Dodd: None.
NASA's GeneLab: An Integrated Omics Data Commons and Workbench

GeneLab (http://genelab.nasa.gov) is a NASA initiative designed to accelerate "open science" biomedical research in support of the human exploration of space and the improvement of life on earth. The GeneLab Data Systems (GLDS) were developed to help investigators corroborate findings from "omics" (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) assays and translate them into systems biology knowledge and, eventually, therapeutics, including countermeasures to support life in space. Phase I of the project (completed) emphasized developing key capabilities for submission, curation, storage, search, and retrieval of omics data from biomedical research in and of space environments. The development focus for Phase II (completed) was federated data search and retrieval of these kinds of data from other open-access repositories. The last phase of the project (in work) entails developing an omics analysis tool set, and a portal to visualize processed omics data, emphasizing integration with the data repository and search functions developed during the prior phases. The final product will be an open-access system where users can individually or collaboratively publish, search, integrate, analyze, and visualize omics data.
Histone H3 tail binds a unique sensing pocket in EZH2 to activate the PRC2 methyltransferase

Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2) is the catalytic subunit of Polycomb Repressor Complex 2 (PRC2), the enzyme that catalyzes monomethylation, dimethylation, and trimethylation of lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27). Trimethylation at H3K27 (H3K27me3) is associated with transcriptional silencing of developmentally important genes. Intriguingly, H3K27me3 is mutually exclusive with H3K36 trimethylation on the same histone tail. Disruptions in this cross-talk result in aberrant H3K27/H3K36 methylation patterns and altered transcriptional profiles that have been implicated in tumorigenesis and other disease states. Despite their importance, the molecular details of how PRC2 “senses” H3K36 methylation are unclear. We demonstrate that PRC2 is activated in cis by the unmodified side chain of H3K36, and that this activation results in a fivefold increase in the kcat of its enzymatic activity catalyzing H3K27 methylation compared with activity on a substrate methylated at H3K36. Using a photo-cross-linking MS strategy and histone methyltransferase activity assays on PRC2 mutants, we find that EZH2 contains a specific sensing pocket for the H3K36 methylation state that allows the complex to distinguish between modified and unmodified H3K36 residues, altering enzymatic activity accordingly to preferentially methylate the unmodified nucleosome substrate. We also present evidence that this process may be disrupted in some cases of Weaver syndrome.
Cell-Matrix Interactions in Cardiac Development and Disease

Cardiac development is a dynamic process in which cells and tissues experience a multitude of biophysical cues. The extracellular matrix, long thought to have a passive role throughout cardiac development, is now known to actively modulate cells during development via both chemical and mechanical cues. Throughout cardiac development and cardiac disease, the cardiac extracellular matrix remodels, changing its composition, organization, and mechanical properties in response to a variety of cues. Cardiac cells both initiate and respond to these changes in cardiac extracellular matrix properties to maintain homeostasis or promote either normal or pathological tissue development. In order to better understand this interplay, it is necessary to study how cardiac extracellular matrix and cardiac cells interact, and a number of specialized techniques have been utilized to study this complicated interaction. This chapter first provides a review of common techniques used to interrogate the bidirectional interaction between cardiac cells and cardiac extracellular matrix before discussing changes in the phenotype of the major cell populations of the heart in response to changes in cardiac extracellular matrix properties throughout cardiac development and cardiac disease.
Tubular GM-CSF Promotes Late MCP-1/CCR2-Mediated Fibrosis and Inflammation after Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury.

Background After bilateral kidney ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI), monocytes infiltrate the kidney and differentiate into proinflammatory macrophages in response to the initial kidney damage, and then transition to a form that promotes kidney repair. In the setting of unilateral IRI (U-IRI), however, we have previously shown that macrophages persist beyond the time of repair and may promote fibrosis. Methods Macrophage homing/survival signals were determined at 14 days after injury in mice subjected to U-IRI and in vitro using coculture of macrophages and tubular cells. Mice genetically engineered to lack Ccr2 and wild-type mice were treated ±CCR2 antagonist RS102895 and subjected to U-IRI to quantify macrophage accumulation, kidney fibrosis, and inflammation 14 and 30 days after the injury. Results Failure to resolve tubular injury after U-IRI results in sustained expression of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor by renal tubular cells, which directly stimulates expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (Mcp-1) by macrophages. Analysis of CD45+ immune cells isolated from wild-type kidneys 14 days after U-IRI reveals high-level expression of the MCP-1 receptor Ccr2. In mice lacking Ccr2 and wild-type mice treated with RS102895, the numbers of macrophages, dendritic cells, and T cell decreased following U-IRI, as did the expression of profibrotic growth factors and proimflammatory cytokines. This results in a reduction in extracellular matrix and kidney injury markers. Conclusions GM-CSF-induced MCP-1/CCR2 signaling plays an important role in the cross-talk between injured tubular cells and infiltrating immune cells and myofibroblasts, and promotes sustained inflammation and tubular injury with progressive interstitial fibrosis in the late stages of U-IRI.
Impact of multiple food environments on body mass index.

Background Although the relationship between residential food environments and health outcomes have been extensively studied, the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and multiple food environments have not been fully explored. We examined the relationship between characteristics of three distinct food environments and BMI among elementary school employees in the metropolitan area of New Orleans, LA. We assessed the food environments around the residential and worksite neighborhoods and the commuting corridors. Research methodology/principal findings This study combined data from three different sources: individual and worksite data (ACTION), food retailer database (Dunn and Bradstreet), and the U.S. Census TIGER/Line Files. Spatial and hierarchical analyses were performed to explore the impact of predictors at the individual and environmental levels on BMI. When the three food environments were combined, the number of supermarkets and the number of grocery stores at residential food environment had a significant association with BMI (β = 0.56 and β = 0.24, p < 0.01), whereas the number of full-service restaurants showed an inverse relationship with BMI (β = -0.15, p < 0.001). For the commute corridor food environment, it was found that each additional fast-food restaurant in a vicinity of one kilometer traveled contributed to a higher BMI (β = 0.80, p <0.05), while adjusting for other factors. No statistical associations were found between BMI and worksite food environment. Conclusions The current study was the first to examine the relationship between BMI and food environments around residential neighborhoods, work neighborhoods, and the commuting corridor. Significant results were found between BMI and the availability of food stores around residential neighborhoods and the commuting corridor, adjusted for individual-level factors. This study expands the analysis beyond residential neighborhoods, illustrating the importance of multiple environmental factors in relation to BMI.
Extracellular Matrix in Secondary Palate Development

The secondary palate arises from outgrowths of epithelia-covered embryonic mesenchyme that grow from the maxillary prominence, remodel to meet over the tongue, and fuse at the midline. These events require the coordination of cell proliferation, migration, and gene expression, all of which take place in the context of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Palatal cells generate their ECM, and then stiffen, degrade, or otherwise modify its properties to achieve the required cell movement and organization during palatogenesis. The ECM, in turn, acts on the cells through their matrix receptors to change their gene expression and thus their phenotype. The number of ECM-related gene mutations that cause cleft palate in mice and humans is a testament to the crucial role the matrix plays in palate development and a reminder that understanding that role is vital to our progress in treating palate deformities. This article will review the known ECM constituents at each stage of palatogenesis, the mechanisms of tissue reorganization and cell migration through the palatal ECM, the reciprocal relationship between the ECM and gene expression, and human syndromes with cleft palate that arise from mutations of ECM proteins and their regulators. Anat Rec, 2019. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy.
The Effects of Spinal Cord Stimulators on End Organ Perfusion: A Literature Review.

Spinal cord stimulators (SCS) have been gaining momentum in the last decade as their role in the management of chronic pain has become more apparent. Our intention was to search, analyze and highlight the effects of spinal cord stimulators on end-organ perfusion. We also looked at vascular diseases of atherosclerotic and nonatherosclerotic nature by examining objective evidence of improved circulation, pain control, limb salvage, and quality of life. We paid specific attention to disease processes such as cerebral hypoperfusion, Chronic-Critical Limb Ischemia, Intractable Angina Pectoris (IAP), Raynaud's syndrome and Thromboangiitis Obliterans. We performed a Medline database search for medical literature relevant to Spinal cord stimulators encompassing the years 1950 to 2019. Search terms included "Spinal cord stimulator," plus one of the following search terms: vasculopathy, stroke, cerebral blood flow, angina pectoris, diabetic ulcers, chronic critical leg ischemia, thromboangiitis obliterans and peripheral vascular disease. We included both clinical and experimental human studies that investigated the effect of SCS's on end-organ perfusion. We also investigated the pathophysiological mechanism of action of SCS's on the vasculature. We found 497 articles of which 43 more relevant and impactful articles investigating the hemodynamic effects of SCS and its possible mechanism were selected. Animal studies were excluded from the literature review as they provided heterogeneity. In addition to reporting literature supporting the use of stimulators for currently FDA approved uses, we also actively looked for potential future uses. Spinal Cord stimulators showed improvement in cerebral blood flow, increased capillary recruitment, and better quality of life in many studies. Patients also had increased exercise capacity and a significant reduction in the use of narcotic drug use and daily anginal attacks in patients suffering from IAP.
Krace: Data Race Fuzzing for Kernel File Systems

Data races occur when two threads fail to use proper synchronization when accessing shared data. In kernel file systems, which are highly concurrent by design, data races are common mistakes and often wreak havoc on the users, causing inconsistent states or data losses. Prior fuzzing practices on file systems have been effective in uncovering hundreds of bugs, but they mostly focus on the sequential aspect of file system execution and do not comprehensively explore the concurrency dimension and hence, forgo the opportunity to catch data races.In this paper, we bring coverage-guided fuzzing to the concurrency dimension with three new constructs: 1) a new coverage tracking metric, alias coverage, specially designed to capture the exploration progress in the concurrency dimension; 2) an evolution algorithm for generating, mutating, and merging multi-threaded syscall sequences as inputs for concurrency fuzzing; and 3) a comprehensive lockset and happens-before modeling for kernel synchronization primitives for precise data race detection. These components are integrated into Krace, an end-to-end fuzzing framework that has discovered 23 data races in ext4, btrfs, and the VFS layer so far, and 9 are confirmed to be harmful.
Cardiovascular risk as a moderator of associations among anxiety sensitivity, distress tolerance, PTSD and depression symptoms among trauma-exposed firefighters

Abstract Background Firefighters experience frequent and severe trauma exposure, which places them at elevated risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression. Cardiovascular issues may exacerbate the effects of mental health risk factors, such as anxiety sensitivity (AS) and distress tolerance (DT), on PTSD and depression. The current study investigated cardiovascular risk as a moderator of associations between risk factors (AS and DT) and psychiatric symptoms (PTSD and depression) among firefighters. Methods Participants were 836 trauma-exposed active duty firefighters (93.90% men; with mean age 38 years, [SD = 9]). Participants endorsing at least one of three cardiovascular risk items—experiencing current high blood pressure, history of heart problems, and experiencing chest pains in the past 2 years—were considered high in cardiovascular risk. Results A structural equation model indicated that higher AS was associated with greater PTSD (β = 0.38, p Conclusions High cardiovascular risk may contribute to PTSD symptoms among trauma-exposed firefighters with high AS. These results highlight the importance of considering physical and mental health vulnerabilities in first responder populations.
Educating Patients on Unnecessary Antibiotics: Personalizing Potential Harm Aids Patient Understanding

Introduction: Antibiotic resistance is a public health emergency fueled by inappropriate antibiotic use. Public education campaigns often focus on global antibiotic resistance or societal harm of antibiotic misuse. There has been little research into what messages have the greatest impact on patient preferences for nonindicated antibiotics in ambulatory clinics. Methods: We administered a survey at a primary care clinic in Baltimore, MD. A total of 250 participants rated 18 statements about potential harm from antibiotics on how each statement changed their likelihood to request antibiotics for an upper respiratory tract infection. Statements focused on potential harm either to the individual, to contacts of the individual, to society, and related or not to antibiotic resistance. Initial and final likelihood of requesting antibiotics was measured, and the impact of the statements in each category were compared using general linear models and Wilcoxon rank sum or Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results: All statements decreased patient likelihood to request antibiotics. Statements about harm to the individual or contacts of the individual decreased participant likelihood to request antibiotics significantly more than statements about societal harm of antibiotic misuse. Statements not discussing antibiotic resistance decreased participant likelihood of requesting antibiotics significantly more than statements discussing antibiotic resistance. Overall likelihood to request antibiotics decreased after the survey by 2.2 points on an 11-point Likert scale (P Conclusion: When dissuading patients from requesting nonindicated antibiotics, providers and public health campaigns should focus on potential harm of nonindicated antibiotics to the individual rather than societal harm or antibiotic resistance.
Unusually Strong Long-range Electronic Coupling Across Redox-Active Bridges in M3+/M4+ Mixed-Valence Complexes of Group 4 Congeners

Homobimetallic complexes of Group 4 metals, supported by the redox-active tetrakis(imino)pyracene (TIP) ligand were synthesized and isolated. The formation of these complexes resulted in LUMOs having significantly lower energies than the free ligand and the respective metal salts, MCl4 (M = Ti, Zr, Hf), whereby all three complexes were readily reduced by one electron using the mild reductant, Cp*2Fe (E0 = -0.59 V). Spectroscopic characterization and quantum chemical analyses of the reduced species revealed that the resulting complexes are delocalized, borderline Class II-III (Ti) and Class III (Zr, Hf) mixed valence complexes. All three complexes display surprisingly strong long-range electronic coupling between the metal centers, as M to M distances, rAB, are nearly 12 A. The coupling strengths of Zr and Hf were significantly stronger than those observed for the Ti complex, suggesting that better orbital overlap between the ligand and 4d or 5d metal centers helps to relieve the instability of the 3+ oxidation state via delocalization.
Different Safety Awareness and Route Choice between Frequent and Infrequent Bicyclists: Findings from Revealed Preference Study Using Bikeshare Data:

Understanding the factors influencing bicycling is important to improve educational and built-environment investments to increase bicycling rates. Although factors such as the physical environment,...
PR genes of apple: identification and expression in response to elicitors and inoculation with Erwinia amylovora

Background In the past decade, much work has been done to dissect the molecular basis of the defence signalling pathway in plants known as Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR). Most of the work has been carried out in model species such as Arabidopsis, with little attention paid to woody plants. However within the range of species examined, components of the pathway seem to be highly conserved. In this study, we attempted to identify downstream components of the SAR pathway in apple to serve as markers for its activation.
Built-in-self-testing techniques for programmable capacitor arrays

Programmable capacitor arrays (PCA) are frequently used in reconfigurable analog circuits. Since PCA can be programmed to numerous values, testing PCA by exhaustively examining all PCA values can lead to lengthy testing processes. To address this problem, we present an efficient built-in-self-testing (BIST) method for PCA used in reconfigurable analog circuits. The proposed BIST method takes advantage of existing programmable resources and, hence, introduces very small hardware overhead. Additionally, we present two simple and effective capacitor comparison techniques for implementing the proposed BIST method. The accuracy of the proposed circuit techniques is investigated and closed-form equations are derived for estimating comparison accuracy that can be achieved by the proposed techniques. Finally, circuit simulations are performed to validate the proposed techniques.
Visual cues and potential problems in flight simulation

Several potential problems related to visual cues in simulation are discussed. One problem involves the use of colors which are isoluminant. Another concerns distributed interactive simulation or networking, where there is sometimes a lack of a level playing field between simulators based on their ability to produce the same colors. Finally, attention is given to research which suggests that flicker or refresh rate in cathode-ray-tube devices used in some displays may contribute to simulator sickness. >
Energy and Uncertainty: Models and Algorithms for Complex Energy Systems

The problem of controlling energy systems (generation, transmission, storage, investment) introduces a number of optimization problems which need to be solved in the presence of different types of uncertainty. We highlight several of these applications, using a simple energy storage problem as a case application. Using this setting, we describe a modeling framework based around five fundamental dimensions which is more natural than the standard canonical form widely used in the reinforcement learning community. The framework focuses on finding the best policy, where we identify four fundamental classes of policies consisting of policy function approximations (PFAs), cost function approximations (CFAs), policies based on value function approximations (VFAs), and lookahead policies. This organization unifies a number of competing strategies under a common umbrella.