cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PACAP Expression and Plasticity in the Peripheral Nervous System

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (Adcyap1; PACAP) is a well-studied neural and endocrine pleiotropic peptide important in development and the homeostatic regulation of many physiological systems. Accordingly, PACAP and its cognate PAC1 receptor (Adcyap1r1) are localized in many central nervous system (CNS) regions and widely distributed in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). PACAP has been identified in a population of small nociceptive neurons in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) targeting many peripheral tissues. PACAP-immunoreactive preganglionic sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibers densely innervate a variety of autonomic and enteric ganglia. Furthermore, a small fraction of the autonomic and enteric postganglionic neurons also endogenously express PACAP. Notably, PACAP belongs to a cohort of neuroplasticity peptides, and PNS insult invariably induces PACAP expression in the affected neurons. Axotomy, nerve crush, inflammation, and neural tissue explant paradigms can dramatically induce neuronal PACAP transcripts, immunoreactivity, content, and cell numbers. This plasticity in PACAP expression has been best appreciated in studies using the PACAP-EGFP transgenic mouse line. The mechanisms driving PACAP expression after insults are not well understood, but likely reflect the aggregate effects of cytokine/inflammatory activation signals at the injury site and an abrogation of retrograde signaling from the target tissues. The few comparative studies suggest that the mechanistic signatures for peptide induction may differ among the various neural systems. This induction of PACAP expression in physiological insults has been implicated to participate in fiber regeneration and anti-inflammatory responses, but PACAP neuroplasticity may also have broader roles in maintaining neurocircuit homeostasis.
Motor planning flexibly optimizes performance under uncertainty about task goals.

In an environment full of potential goals, how does the brain determine which movement to execute? Existing theories posit that the motor system prepares for all potential goals by generating several motor plans in parallel. One major line of evidence for such theories is that presenting two competing goals often results in a movement intermediate between them. These intermediate movements are thought to reflect an unintentional averaging of the competing plans. However, normative theories suggest instead that intermediate movements might actually be deliberate, generated because they improve task performance over a random guessing strategy. To test this hypothesis, we vary the benefit of making an intermediate movement by changing movement speed. We find that participants generate intermediate movements only at (slower) speeds where they measurably improve performance. Our findings support the normative view that the motor system selects only a single, flexible motor plan, optimized for uncertain goals. It is thought that, when goals are uncertain, actions are generated by averaging multiple possible movement plans. Here the authors show that movement planning under uncertainty instead varies flexibly depending on the speed of the movement in order to maximize success.
Comparison and Performance Analysis of Machine Learning Algorithms for the Prediction of Human Actions in a Smart Home Environment

In this paper, we present a set of experiments to compare the performance of machine learning algorithms for the prediction of human actions in a smart home environment. These experiments use data from the MavPad dataset which was gathered from a real-world environment and tracks the activities of an individual over a 49-day period. We investigated the use of single and multiple groups of sensors for prediction and employed four different machine learning approaches with both accuracy and execution time performance used for the comparisons. The results showed that a group of seven sensors produces the most accurate results and that the Support Vector Machine approach was more accurate over all combinations of input data.
Anemia in the Patient with Chronic Lung Disease

Chronic lung disease is sometimes associated with erythrocytosis, especially when chronic hypoxemia is present. Anemia, even in the presence of hypoxemia, is also relatively common in chronic lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Recognizing anemia in these patients is essential as anemia may exacerbate symptoms of dyspnea, limit patients’ functioning, raise health care costs, and worsen overall prognosis. The most common type of anemia in chronic lung disease is anemia of chronic disease (ACD). Identifying other types or causes of anemia in the patient with chronic lung disease is critical because treatment of the underlying lung disease remains unsatisfactory in lung diseases like emphysema, chronic bronchitis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and cystic fibrosis. After describing some of the unique factors driving ACD as well as other causes of anemia in patients with chronic lung disease, we will review the available evidence on which to base decisions concerning anemia management in this population.
Suicidality Protective Factors for African American Adolescents: A Systematic Review of the Research Literature.

Overall rates of African American adolescent suicide have been increasing for the past 50 years; however, the research literature examining factors related to suicide for these vulnerable youth is sparse. The shortage of research literature on suicidality protective factors is particularly significant. Little is known about the impact of protective factors on African American youth, especially within subgroups (e.g., gender and socioeconomic status). Approximately 40% of African American youth live in poverty, exposing them to contextual stressors that place them at increased risk for suicidality. Females are significantly more likely to have suicidal ideation and make attempts, whereas males surpass females in their rates of completions. To better understand suicidality protective factors, we conducted a systematic review of the research literature on protective factors for African American adolescents, with a focus on gender differences and urban, low-income youth. This review yielded 26 articles that met inclusion criteria and identified protective factors in the following categories: familial, religiosity-based, relational/social, personal, and socioecological. Gender differences and protective factors for urban, low-income youth are discussed, regarding their role in the prevention of suicidality. This review highlights a need for further research to identify and clarify suicidality protective factors for African American adolescents.
Multiple Object Tracking on Smart Embedded Camera For Automated Conveying Systems

In this paper we present an embedded smart cameras system that performs multiple objects tracking for the control of an automated conveying system. The smart cameras automatically extract scene description models of the conveying environment from underlying motion structure, as observed over time. In particular, the ROI mask and the conveyor's pathways model are used to improve the tracking performance during on-line inference. An efficient parallelization strategy of background subtraction is proposed. Our approach takes advantage of multi-core embedded platforms. We provide an evaluation of the proposed method on videos coming from an industrial application.
A new paradigm for personalized cancer screening

A series of distinct histologic lesions precedes the onset of malignancy in many common cancers, yet early detection remains a major challenge. Many patients still experience late (stage IV) diagnoses and thus poor prognosis and limited options for therapeutic intervention. For cancers with known biomarkers of premalignant progression, optimized patient-specific screening protocols would minimize the risk of undetected progression to advanced stage disease. Here, we propose simple, cost-effective mathematical and statistical approaches to forecasting disease progression that could guide the personalization of optimal screening times for high-risk patients.
Transverse myelitis secondary to coexistent Lyme disease and babesiosis.

Objective: To describe transverse myelitis secondary to coexistent Lyme disease and babesiosis.Method: Case report.Background: A 7 4-year-old man presented with rapid onset of weakness, numbness, a...
Dietary grape seed proanthocyanidins and skin cancer

Grapes (Vitis vinifera) are one of the most widely consumed fruits in the world. Grape seeds are the rich source of proanthocyanidins, and have been shown to have antioxidant, antiinflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties. Dietary grape seed proanthocyanidins (GSPs) inhibit ultraviolet radiation-induced skin cancer in mice in terms of tumor incidence and tumor multiplicity. Supplementation of diet with GSPs inhibited ultraviolet radiation-induced depletion of antioxidant defense enzymes, and ultraviolet radiation-induced oxidative stress-mediated phosphorylation of proteins of mitogen-activated protein kinase family and NF-κB signaling pathways in mouse skin. Dietary GSPs inhibit ultraviolet radiation-induced inflammation in the mouse skin, which includes the inhibition of infiltration of proinflammatory leukocytes and the levels of myeloperoxidase, cyclooxygenase-2, prostaglandin E2 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in the skin and skin tumors compared to non-GSPs-treated ultraviolet irradiated mouse skin and skin tumors. As ultraviolet radiation-induced immune suppression has been implicated in the development of skin cancer, the effect of dietary GSPs on ultraviolet radiation-induced immunosuppression was also investigated. Treatment of mice with dietary GSPs inhibits ultraviolet radiation-induced suppression of immune system, which was associated with the enhancement of the levels of interleukin-12 cytokine. The administration of GSPs did not prevent ultraviolet radiation-induced immunosuppression in interleukin-12 knockout mice but prevent it in their wild-types. Cell populations responsible for the GSPs-mediated inhibition of ultraviolet radiationinduced immunosuppression have been characterized. Adoptive transfer experiments revealed that naive mice that received either CD8+ effector T cells or CD4+ regulatory T cells from GSPstreated, ultraviolet radiation-exposed mice were able to show immunological responses after sensitization and subsequent challenge with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene. Studies suggest that GSPs inhibit ultraviolet-induced immunosuppression through interleukin-12-dependent stimulation of CD8+ effector T cells and to diminish the development of regulatory CD4+ T cells in mice.
Aided Augmentative and Alternative Communication: An Overview

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is a form of communication appropriate for people with complex communication needs, people who cannot use conventional speech effectively due to a disability or medical condition. AAC serves to replace or supplement speech. This chapter reviews aided AAC, or AAC involving external equipment, including high-tech and low-tech options; provides summaries of those used most frequently with people with ASD; and reviews the research regarding the effectiveness of aided AAC for people with ASD.
MUC1 expression in hematopoietic tissues.

The MUC I gene encodes the core protein of episialin, which is recognized by several antibodies. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) detection of MUC 1 transcripts has been proposed for the detection of micrometastases from breast cancers. MUC 1 expression in hematopoietic tissues has been reported but not confirmed. Our preliminary RT-PCR studies confirmed MUC I expression by MDA-231 breast cancer cells. Western blots of MDA-231 proteins stained with anti-MUC 1 core gave one 68-kd (core protein) band, with an additional high molecular weight (HMW) band in blots stained with anti-epithelial membrane antigen (EMA). MUC 1 expression was detectable by RT-PCR in 4 samples each of peripheral blood, bone marrow, and lymph node. MUC expression was detectable by Western blot analysis using anti-MUC 1 core and anti-EMA in 2 peripheral blood samples and all bone marrow samples. Western blots from all lymph node samples stained positively with anti-EMA for the HMW product, but the 68-kd product was less prominent. Separated peripheral blood lymphocytes and granulocytes showed similar levels of MUC 1 expression. RT-PCR studies demonstrated MUC expression in various hematopoietic cell lines. Western blots showed the 68-kd and HMW products in a granulopoietic line, with only the 68-kd product in 3 lymphoblastoid lines. MUC 1 is expressed ubiquitously in hematopoietic tissues and is unsuitable for use as a marker for epithelial micrometastases.
How Do We Make Sense of Platform State

Knowing what code is executing on a platform does not necessarily translate into knowing whether that code can be trusted. In this section, we elaborate on this problem (5.1) and then review solutions that fall into two broad categories: solutions that provide only the identity of security-relevant code (5.2), and those that convey higher-level information (5.3).
Coking resistance of Pt–Sn alloys probed by acetylene chemisorption

Acetylene (C2H2) is a reactive molecule with a low C : H stoichiometry that can be used to evaluate aspects of the resistance of metal-based catalysts to the formation of carbonaceous residue (coking). Herein we summarize our results for C2H2 chemisorption and thermal reaction on four well-defined, ordered surface alloys of Pt–Sn prepared by Sn vapor deposition on Pt(100) and Pt(111) single crystals under UHV conditions. While chemisorption of C2H2 under UHV conditions on Pt is completely irreversible, i.e., thermal decomposition leads to complete conversion of the chemisorbed monolayer into surface carbon, alloying with Sn strongly reduces the amount of carbon thus formed. In addition, the temperature for complete dehydrogenation of the carbonaceous residue formed from acetylene decomposition (polymerization) is increased by up to 100 K, from 760 to 860 K. Both of these phenomena are consistent with observations of increased lifetimes and decreased coking for technical Pt–Sn bimetallic catalysts compared to Pt catalysts used for hydrocarbon conversion reactions.
Applications of Out of Body Lung Perfusion.

Rationale and Objectives Out of body organ perfusion is a concept that has been around for a long time. As technology has evolved, so have the systems available for out of body perfusion making whole organ preservation for extended evaluation, resuscitation, and discovery routine. Materials and Methods Clinical use of ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) systems has continued to expand as evidence has accumulated to suggest EVLP transplants experience similar mortality, ICU length of stay, length of mechanical ventilation, hospital length of stay, and rates of primary graft dysfunction as conventional lung transplants. In 2017, more lung transplants were performed than any previous year in the US history. Results Early success of EVLP has motivated groups to evaluate additional donor types and methods for expanding the donor pool. The ability to keep a lung alive in a physiologically neutral environment opens the ability to better understand organ quality, define pathophysiology in certain disease conditions, and provides a platform for interventions to prevent or repair injury. Conclusion The next several years will usher in significant changes in understanding and interventions focused on lung injury. This manuscript highlights applications of EVLP to clarify how this system can be used for basic and translational research.
FDA Approval of Angiotensin II for the Treatment of Hypotension in Adults with Distributive Shock.

Distributive shock is a subset of shock marked by decreased systemic vascular resistance, organ hypoperfusion and altered oxygen extraction. Despite the use of intravenous fluids and either higher dose of catecholamines or other additional exogenous vasopressors to maintain blood pressure in the target range, the rate of mortality remains higher in patients with septic shock. Therefore, there is clearly an unmet need for additional safe and effective treatments. The use of angiotensin II to raise the mean arterial pressure (MAP) could provide additional therapy and the opportunity to evaluate a catecholamine-sparing effect by decreasing the dose of concomitant catecholamines while maintaining a target MAP. ATHOS-3 (Angiotensin II for the Treatment of High-Output Shock phase 3; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02338843) was an adequate and well-controlled trial. The primary endpoint was the rate of MAP response at hour 3 of treatment with study drug, defined as either a 10-mmHg increase from baseline in MAP or a MAP of at least 75 mmHg. The secondary endpoints were changes from baseline in Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores (total and cardiovascular). Mortality was an exploratory endpoint. The trial provided substantial evidence of the effectiveness of angiotensin II in raising blood pressure over placebo in patients with distributive shock, while keeping catecholamine levels constant. There was no change in the secondary endpoint of total SOFA scores relative to placebo when catecholamine use was reduced in lieu of angiotensin II treatment. There was a slight decrease in the secondary endpoint of cardiovascular SOFA score relative to placebo during the catecholamine-sparing phase, reflecting the catecholamine-sparing effect. There was a consistent trend in decreased mortality relative to placebo over the 28-day study period. Based on the agreements emanating from the special protocol assessment to assess blood pressure effects, the data from this single study supported approval of angiotensin II by the Food and Drug Administration for marketing in the USA.
Multi-value Rule Sets for Interpretable Classification with Feature-Efficient Representations

We present Multi-value Rule Sets (MRS) for interpretable classification with feature efficient presentations. Compared to rule sets built from single-valued rules, MRS adopts a more generalized form of association rules that allows multiple values in a condition. Rules of this form are more concise than classical single-valued rules in capturing and describing patterns in data. Our formulation also pursues a higher efficiency of feature utilization, which reduces possible cost in data collection and storage. We propose a Bayesian framework for formulating a MRS model and propose an efficient inference method for learning a maximum a posteriori, incorporating theoretically grounded bounds to iteratively reduce the search space and improve the search efficiency. Experiments on synthetic and real-world data demonstrate that MRS models have significantly smaller complexity and fewer features than baseline models while being competitive in predictive accuracy.
Utilization of Apatinib-Loaded Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Ocular Neovascularization

Background The current treatment of ocular neovascularization requires frequent intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents that cause severe side effects. Objective The purpose of this study is to prepare and characterize a novel nanoscale delivery system of apatinib for ocular neovascularization. Methods The optimized formulation showed a particle size of 135.04 nm, polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.28 ± 0.07, encapsulation efficiency (EE) of 65.92%, zeta potential (ZP) of -23.70 ± 8.69 mV, and pH of 6.49 ± 0.20. In vitro release was carried out to demonstrate a 3.13-fold increase in the sustainability of apatinib-loaded nanoparticles versus free apatinib solution. Result Cell viability and VEGFA and VEGFR2 expression were analyzed in animal retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE-19) cells. Conclusion The results confirmed the hypothesis that apatinib nanoparticles decreased toxicity (1.36 ± 0.74 fold) and efficient VEGF inhibition (3.51 ± 0.02 fold) via VEGFR2 mediation.
Comparison of a novel, endoscopic chest tube insertion technique versus the standard, open technique performed by novice users in a human cadaver model: a randomized, crossover, assessor-blinded study

The technique of tube thoracostomy has been standardized for years without significant updates. Alternative procedural methods may be beneficial in certain prehospital and inpatient environments with limited resources. We sought to compare the efficacy of chest tube insertion using a novel, endoscopic device (The Reactor™) to standard, open tube thoracostomy. Novice users were randomly assigned to pre-specified sequences of six chest tube insertions performed on a human cadaver model in a crossover design, alternating between the Reactor™ and standard technique. All subjects received standardized training in both procedures prior to randomization. Insertion site, which was randomly assigned within each cadaver’s hemithorax, was marked by the investigators; study techniques began with skin incision and ended with tube insertion. Adequacy of tube placement (intrapleural, unkinked, not in fissure) and incision length were recorded by investigators blinded to procedural technique. Insertion time and user-rated difficulty were documented in an unblinded fashion. After completing the study, participants rated various aspects of use of the Reactor™ compared to the standard technique in a survey evaluation. Sixteen subjects were enrolled (7 medical students, 9 paramedics) and performed 92 chest tube insertions (n = 46 Reactor™, n = 46 standard). The Reactor™ was associated with less frequent appropriate tube positioning (41.3% vs. 73.9%, P = 0.0029), a faster median insertion time (47.3 s, interquartile range 38–63.1 vs. 76.9 s, interquartile range 55.3–106.9, P < 0.0001) and shorter median incision length (28 mm, interquartile range 23–30 vs. 32 mm, interquartile range 26–40, P = 0.0034) compared to the standard technique. Using a 10-point Likert scale (1-easiest, 10-hardest) participants rated the ease of use of the Reactor™ no different from the standard method (3.8 ± 1.9 vs. 4.7 ± 1.9, P = 0.024). The Reactor™ received generally favorable scores for all parameters on the post-participation survey. In this randomized, assessor-blinded, crossover human cadaver study, chest tube insertion using the Reactor™ device resulted in faster insertion time and shorter incision length, but less frequent appropriate tube placement compared with the standard technique. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy, safety and potential advantages of this novel device.
Characterization of a Small Electro-Mechanical Contact Using LDV Measurement Techniques

Numerically modeling chatter behavior of small electrical components embedded within larger components is challenging. Reduced order models (ROMs) have been developed to assess these components’ chatter behavior in vibration and shock environments. These ROMs require experimental validation to instill confidence that these components meet their performance requirements. While achieving conservative results, experimental validation is required, especially considering that the ROMs neglect the viscous damping effects of the fluid that surrounds these particular components within their system. Dynamic ring-down data of the electrical receptacles in air will be explored and will be assessed as to whether that data provides a validation data set for this ROM. Additional data will be examined in which dynamic ring-down data was taken on the receptacle while submerged in an oil, resulting in a unique experimental setup that should prove as a proof of concept for this type of testing on small components in unique environments.
Ploidy determines the consequences of antifungal-induced mutagenesis in Candida albicans, a human fungal pathogen

Organismal ploidy state and environmental stress impact the mutational spectrum and the mutational rate. The human fungal pathogen Candida albicans , serves as a clinically relevant model for studying the interaction between eukaryotic ploidy and stress-induced mutagenesis. In this study, we compared the rates and types of genome perturbations in diploid and tetraploid C. albicans following exposure to two classes of antifungal drugs, azoles and echinocandins. We measured mutations at three different scales: point mutation, loss-of-heterozygosity (LOH), and genome size changes in cells treated with fluconazole and caspofungin. We find that caspofungin induced higher rates of mutation than fluconazole, likely an indirect result from the stress associated with cell wall perturbations rather than an inherent genotoxicity. Furthermore, we found disproportionately elevated rates of LOH and genome size changes in response to both antifungals in tetraploid C. albicans compared to diploid C. albicans , suggesting that the magnitude of stress-induced mutagenesis results from an interaction between ploidy state and the environment. These results have both clinical and evolutionary implications for how fungal pathogens generate mutations in response to antifungal drug stress, and may facilitate the emergence of antifungal resistance.
Preconception and Prenatal Nutrition and Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Preconception and prenatal nutrition is critical for fetal brain development. However, its associations with offspring neurodevelopmental disorders are not well understood. This study aims to systematically review the associations of preconception and prenatal nutrition with offspring risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. We searched the PubMed and Embase for articles published through March 2019. Nutritional exposures included nutrient intake or status, food intake, or dietary patterns. Neurodevelopmental outcomes included autism spectrum disorders (ASD), attention deficit disorder-hyperactivity (ADHD) and intellectual disabilities. A total of 2169 articles were screened, and 20 articles on ASD and 17 on ADHD were eventually reviewed. We found an overall inverse association between maternal folic acid or multivitamin supplementation and children’s risk of ASD; a meta-analysis including six prospective cohort studies estimated an RR of ASD of 0.64 (95% CI: 0.46, 0.90). Data on associations of other dietary factors and ASD, ADHD and related outcomes were inconclusive and warrant future investigation. Future studies should integrate comprehensive and more objective methods to quantify the nutritional exposures and explore alternative study design such as Mendelian randomization to evaluate potential causal effects.
SLAM dunk for myelofibrosis

In this issue of Blood, Maekawa et al reveal that signaling lymphocyte activation molecule F7 (SLAMF7) may be a potential therapeutic target for modifying the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment in patients with myelofibrosis (MF).1
A High-Sensitivity Low-Power Vital Sign Radar Sensor Based on Super-Regenerative Oscillator Architecture

A new kind of noncontact vital sign radar sensor based on super-regenerative oscillator (SRO) architecture is presented in this work. The proposed SRO vital sign radar sensor is designed to operate at the center frequency of 2.32 GHz, where two different quench signals, 100 Hz and 20 kHz, are employed to control the SRO radar sensor for target detection. By using the proposed SRO architecture, experimental results demonstrate that the displacement frequency of an actuator as well as human vital sign signals, including heartbeat and respiration rates, can be easily identified and extracted. Furthermore, compared with the self-injection-locked (SIL) detection scheme, the proposed SRO radar sensor exhibit superior characteristics, such as lower power consumption, higher sensitivity, and reduced circuit complexity.
Gaucher disease and SARS-CoV-2 infection: Experience from 181 patients in New York

SARS-CoV-2 infection carries high morbidity and mortality in individuals with chronic disorders. Its impact in rare disease populations such as Gaucher disease (GD) is unknown. In GD, decreased acid β-glucosidase activity leads to the accumulation of inflammatory glycosphingolipids and chronic myeloid cell immune activation which a priori could predispose to the most severe effects of SARS-CoV-2. To evaluate the determinants of SARS-CoV-2 infection in GD, we conducted a cross-sectional study in a large cohort. 181 patients were enrolled, including 150 adults and 31 children, with a majority of patients on treatment (78%). Information on COVID-19 exposure, symptoms, and SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid and/or antibody testing was obtained during the peak of the pandemic in the New York City metropolitan area. Forty-five adults reported a primary exposure to someone with COVID-19 and 17 (38%) of these patients reported at least one COVID-19 symptom. A subset of adults was tested (n = 88) and in this group 18% (16/88) were positive. Patients testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 had significantly more symptoms (4.4 vs 0.3, p < 0.001) than patients testing negative. Among patients who were antibody-positive, quantitative titers indicated moderate to high antibody response. In GD adults, male gender, older age, increased BMI, comorbidities, GBA genotype, prior splenectomy and treatment status were not associated with the probability of reporting symptoms or testing positive. No patient required COVID-19-specific treatments and there were no deaths. Our data suggests that GD does not confer a heightened risk for severe effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection feared based on the known chronic inflammatory state in these patients.
Chloride, Carbonation and Corrosion

There are two major forms of environmentally induced concrete deterioration: the first is caused by the ingress of chloride (in marine environments or whenever salt based de-icing is used) and the other by carbonation from the atmosphere. Although per se these ingress will not deteriorate the concrete, they will eventually cause internal rebar corrosion. Given sufficient time, the corrosion will lead to cracking, splitting of the concrete, exposure of the rebars, and formation of what is commonly referred as “pot-holes.”
The Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigation measures on persons with vision and hearing impairment

Purpose : COVID-19 and associated mitigation measures have caused unprecedented global disruption. It is not known whether there are disproportionate challenges for persons with a sensory disability. Our cross-sectional study assesses this impact of the pandemic on persons with and without visual or hearing loss. Methods : Experts from diverse disciplines developed a 34-item survey instrument, the Coronavirus Disability Survey, which includes items on general and psychological health, instrumental activities of daily living, isolation, financial and transportation challenges, and information access. The study population included 112 adults with moderate or worse visual impairment (<20/60 in better-seeing eye), 108 with hearing loss (defined using ICD10 codes), and 155 age/sex-matched controls recruited from the University of Michigan (UM) Health System. Survey administration was via email or telephone. The UM IRB approved this study and all participants provided informed consent. Results : Participants reported similarly high levels of disruption of their daily lives with 80% reporting a fair amount or a lot of disruption. Groups reported similar levels of COVID exposure (21%) and infection (45% of exposed). In the visual loss (VL) group, 18% reported a lot of difficulty or being unable to access routine medical care compared with 12% of hearing loss (HL) and 10% of control (C) groups (p=.02). The reasons for increased difficulty with instrumental activities of daily living varied: among those with VL 62% had difficulty due to fear of exposure (54% HI, 45% C);38% said the person assisting them was worried about exposure (6% HI, 7% C);and 12% cited decreased availability of public transportation (2% HI, 3% C). A greater proportion with VL began relying more on family for assistance (31% VI, 7% HI, 13% C) (p<.001 for all comparisons). Among all participants, 30% reported difficulty accessing trusted information about the pandemic;11% of those with VL found the information difficult to see or hear (1% HL, 2% C;p<.001). Conclusions : Individuals with VL may face increased disruption of their daily activities stemming from the pandemic and related mitigation measures, including in accessing healthcare, transportation, and information. Data-driven public health and policy decisions may benefit from a deeper understanding of the differential impact of the pandemic on these vulnerable groups.
Kohlrausch, Rudolf Hermann Arndt 1884–1969

Arnt Kohlrausch was born on October 30, 1884, in Hannover, Germany, a member of an extended family of scientists from the early nineteenth century to the present. His father was professor of electrical technology at the Technical College of Hannover. Arnt Kohlrausch studied medicine at the universities of Marburg, Munchen, and Rostock, graduating in 1911.
Dissecting the politics of scale in watershed-based planning

This paper explores how spatial judgments impacted planning and policy-making by studying how stakeholders on Cape Cod, Massachusetts considered cross-scale relationships between local, regional, a...
Large-eddy simulation of cavitation inception in a shear flow

Abstract We present a numerical study of inception in the shear layer of a backward-facing step under the same conditions as experiments (Agarwal et al., 2018). The velocity field is shown to be in good agreement with experiments. Since inception is a stochastic process that generates small amounts of vapor for short periods of time, the effects of these small regions of vapor on the liquid density and dynamics can be neglected. Vapor is therefore treated as a passive scalar in an incompressible liquid and modeled using the same vapor transport equation as that in a fully compressible homogeneous mixture model. The model is validated against the compressible homogeneous mixture approach at incipient conditions. Both velocity and scalar fields are advanced using the implicit Crank–Nicolson scheme. However, the scalar field is solved in an inner loop at a smaller time step than the velocity field. Statistics are computed for both pressure and vapor volume fraction, and the likelihood of inception is determined. The locations of the preferred sites for cavitation are compared to experimental results and good agreement is achieved. The effects of finite rate evaporation and condensation are revealed by the probability density functions of pressure and volume fraction. The flow topology is investigated and inception is found to occur in the core of the stretched tubular vortical structures with a rotation rate four times higher than the stretching rate. These cavitating tubular structures are elongated two to three times more in their most extensive principal direction than in their intermediate principal direction, and are most likely aligned with the streamwise direction. Decreasing the cavitation number from 0.55 to 0.45 is found to drop the minimum pressure inside the vortices from − 1500 Pa to − 550 0 Pa and increase the cavitation event rates by around O ( 1 ) .
Abrogation of immune complex glomerulonephritis by native carboxypeptidase and pharmacological antagonism of the C5a receptor

Activation of complement generates C5a which leads to signaling through C5aR1. This is tightly controlled, including by the plasma proteins factor H (FH) and carboxypeptidase N. Here we studied a chronic serum sickness (CSS) model of glomerulonephritis (GN) in which there is an active humoral immune response, formation of glomerular immune complexes (ICs), and resulting glomerular inflammation. The antibody response, glomerular IC deposition, the degree of GN, and consequent renal functional insufficiency in CSS were all worse in FH−/− mice compared to wild-type FH+/+ animals. This was ameliorated in the former by giving a C5aR1 antagonist for the final 3 weeks of the 5-week protocol. In contrast, blocking CP-mediated inactivation of C5a increased these disease measures. Thus, complement regulation by both plasma FH and CP to limit the quantity of active C5a is important in conditions where the humoral immune response is directed to a continuously present foreign antigen. Signaling through C5aR1 enhances the humoral immune response as well as the inflammatory response to ICs that have formed in glomeruli. Both effects are relevant even after disease has begun. Thus, pharmacological targeting of C5a in IC-mediated GN has potential clinical relevance.
Multimodality imaging in cardiac sarcoidosis: predicting treatment response

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disorder of unclear etiology. Infectious, organic, and inorganic agents have been proposed as putative antigens, which in genetically susceptible individuals evoke an inflammatory cascade. Activation of CD4þ T cells leads to the production of various cytokines, which promote macrophage aggregation and the development of noncaseating granulomas. Granulomas are a tightly packed amalgamation of macrophages, epithelioid cells, and multinucleated giant cells surrounded by an assortment of lymphocytes, monocytes, mast cells, and fibroblasts. The histopathology of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) spans 3 successive stages—edema, granulomatous infiltration, and fibrosis with resultant scar formation—and may lead to a spectrum of manifestations with complete heart block (CHB), focal wall motion abnormality, aneurism, ventricular tachyarrhythmia, and heart failure. While the clinical course of sarcoidosis is highly variable, the natural history of the disorder may be affected especially if early immunosuppressive treatment is instituted. The intensity and duration of the regimen in part depend on the clinician’s ability to monitor disease activity. Positron emission tomography (PET) has emerged as a primary method to ascertain the inflammatory activity in CS. Upregulation of glucose metabolism occurs at sites of macrophage-mediated inflammation. After crossing the cell membrane, F-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG), a glucose analogue, gets trapped inside the macrophages, thus allowing for imaging of the hypermetabolic activity. A pattern of focal uptake (patchy with no background activity) and focal on diffuse uptake (intense patchy uptake with less intense diffuse uptake) have been considered indicative of active CS. In a recent study by Blankstein et al, the presence of both perfusion defects and increased F-FDG uptake conferred a hazard ratio of 3.9 for adverse events and remained significant after adjusting for left ventricular function and other clinical variables. F-FDG PET has been used to guide immunosuppressive management.
Liver-Lung Interactions in Critical Illness

Though acknowledged to have a central role in host defense homeostasis as well as immunological, biochemical, and metabolic regulation, the liver has not been recognized as pivotal to outcome in the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) for several reasons. Patients with liver disease have often been excluded from study, and hepatic dysfunction has often been nonspecifically defined by “liver function tests” [1]. The liver is not as accessible for study as the lung and other organs, and acute liver dysfunction is not as immediately evident as is acute lung injury [2, 3]. We have proposed an expanded conception of sepsis- and trauma-related ARDS as the central pulmonary manifestation of a generalized disorder of immunoregulation; the pathogenesis and resolution of lung injury are linked to more fundamental derangements in systemic host defense [2–8]. This reorientation implies that understanding the pathways by which changes in hepatic performance affect pulmonary function in ARDS may have therapeutic utility. Here we examine the thesis that hepatic performance modulated predisposition and resolution of lung injury in ARDS by affecting four interrelated elements of host defense: (a) control of systemic endotoxemia, bacteremia, and vasoactive byproducts of sepsis and trauma, (b) regulation of the production and export of endogenous inflammatory mediators by mononuclear phagocytes (Kupffer cells), (c) metabolic inactivation and detoxification of these mediators, and (d) synthesis of acute-phase proteins essential in intermediary metabolism and control of the inflammatory response. As a corollary, we assess clinical and experimental evidence suggesting that alterations in hepatic performance augment lung inflammation and mortality owing to a cytokine:eicosanoid axis of inflammation within the intravascular compartment and lower respiratory tract.
Foa, Edna B. (b. 1937)

Edna B. Foa (b. 1937) has made seminal contributions to the understanding and treatment of anxiety disorders. Dr. Foa's empirical work and theoretical contributions have advanced the treatment of obsessive–compulsive disorder, postraumatic stress disorder, and, most recently, social phobia. In addition, Dr. Foa has worked tirelessly to disseminate empirically supported treatments to patients throughout the world. Finally, Dr. Foa's efforts have advanced the scientific and clinical work of the many students, interns, and postdoctoral fellows with whom she has worked. Keywords: anxiety disorders; cognitive behavior therapy; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Biomass distributions in dwarf tree, krummholz, and tundra vegetation in the alpine treeline ecotone

Alpine treeline ecotones are expected to respond to climate change with shifts in biomass patterns and carbon dynamics; however, the nature of these shifts and the current structure of carbon storage at treeline remain poorly understood. Biomass at treeline sites in Glacier National Park (GNP), Montana was measured in different aboveground carbon pools. Notably large proportions of biomass were recorded in compartments of dead material (~64% in upright tree cover, ~82% in krummholz). The storage of proportionally so much carbon in dead material complicates predictions of alpine treeline response to climate change, given the expectation of increased respiration losses through decomposition in a warmer climate. Although conventional belief holds that treeline advance will result in sequestration of carbon as tundra is replaced by trees, carbon release by decomposition may deviate from this expectation. This work represents a descriptive study that highlights the importance of conducting similar work at broa...
Pyrolytic elimination of acetates: Isotope effect, relative reactivity and mechanism

Abstract By comparing the exo-endo olefin ratio in the pyrolysis of 1-methylcyclohexyl acetate and of 1-methylcyclohexyl acetate-2,2,6,6-d4, the deuterium isotope effect for the acetate pyrolysis reaction has been determined to be 1·7 at 500° and 1·9 at 400°. These values are to be compared with the theoretical maximum values of 2·1 and 2·3 respectively. By carrying out competitive pyrolyses it has been possible to determine some relative rates of pyrolysis which show that no appreciable positive charge is developed in the transition state of the reaction. It is further shown that the presence of hetero substituents changes the pattern of the pyrolysis in a predictable way, and rules are formulated whereby the products to be expected from a given pyrolysis can be predicted. A convenient synthesis of cyclohexenone is described.
An Introduction to String Theory

In these lectures I shall review the structure of superstring theory, which has attracted so much attention recently as a framework for the final “theory of everything”. String theory is by now an enormous field, involving new concepts and advanced mathematical techniques. In a few lectures I can only skim the surface of this rapidly developing theory, pointing out the main features and explaining, at a pedestrian level, some of the important ideas.
Does Local Government Coproduction Lead to Budget Adjustments? An Investigation of Boston, MA and San Francisco, CA

Coproduction provides a broad range of benefits to governments and citizens. However, we currently lack an understanding of how coproduction influences resource allocations. This article focuses on one application of coproduction, 311 systems, and how citizen requests might influence departmental budget allocations. We track budget allocation in the cities of Boston and San Francisco for 106 departments or sub-units from FY2005-FY2013.The findings indicate that there is no significant resource benefit for departments using 311 versus those that do not. While departments using 311 do have larger budget allocations than those that do not, those departments had larger budget allocations prior to the implementation of 311. It also provides evidence that data generated through the process of coproduction, similar to data generated for the measurement of performance, has little to no effect on the budget allocation process.
Issues in partitioning integrated circuits for MCM-D/flip-chip technology

In order to successfully partition a high performance large monolithic chip onto MCM-D/flip-chip-solder-bump technology, a number of key issues must be addressed. These include the following: (1) Partitioning a single clock-cycle path across the chip boundary within using; (2) Ability to use off-the-shelf memories; (3) Using the MCM for power, ground, and clock distribution; and (4) Managing test costs. This paper presents a discussion on these issues, using a CPU as an example, and speculates on some interesting possibilities arising from partitioning.
From scenarios to code: an air traffic control case study

Two high profile workshops at OOPSLA and ICSE, an IEEE Computer article by David Harel and a growing number of research papers have all suggested algorithms that translate scenarios of a system's behavior into state machines. One of the uses of such algorithms is in the transition from requirements scenarios to component design. To date, however, most efforts have concentrated on the algorithmic details of the proposed translations. Less work has been done on evaluating these algorithms on a realistic case study. In this paper, we do exactly that for the algorithm presented in [10]. Our study is a component of an air traffic advisory system developed at NASA Ames Research Center.
Inhibition of Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro.

It was accidentally discovered thatPseudomonas aeruginosa inhibited the growth ofHistoplasma capsulatum when both of the organisms were isolated from a series of sputum specimens obtained from a single patient. Experiments were performed to determine if there is any inhibitory effect on other systemic fungi.
SEXUAL AND SUBSEXUAL SYSTEMS IN HOMOSPOROUS PTERIDOPHYTES: A NEW HYPOTHESIS

Meiosis in homosporous ferns allows chromosomes to pair within homoeologous sets rather than restricting pairing to homologs; this allows homozygous spore mother cells to give rise to genetically heterogeneous meiospores. It is envisioned that such a meiotic system has evolved in homosporous ferns in response to a life cycle which allows the attainment of total homozygosity in one generation of selfing.
Evaluation of the Acculevel Theophylline Assay

Abstract As a quality assurance study, we evaluated the rapid on-site AccuLevel theophylline assay and compared the results to the reference method of High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The rapid result was needed in order to provide more timely treatment for patients presented to the Emergency Medical Department (EMD) who required a quantitative serum theophylline determination early in the course of treatment. A good correlation between the theophylline concentrations simultaneously determined by AccuLevel and HPLC was observed; r2 =0.916, n=96. A slight positive bias by AccuLevel was noted with the mean of concentrations being 11.7 mg/L and 13.2 mg/L for HPLC and AccuLevel, respectively. Precision of the assay was found to be 4.6%. Because of the delay in transporting specimens from the EMD to the Clinical Laboratories at our Medical Center, the EMD was able to obtain quantitative theophylline serum values from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours sooner by using the AccuLevel, on-site test.