cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vena contracta analysis by color Doppler three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography shows geometrical differences between prolapse and pseudoprolapse in eccentric mitral regurgitation

Aims Evaluation of eccentric mitral regurgitation (MR) remains extremely difficult and the role played by its etiology, functional or degenerative, is not well understood. This study aimed to demonstrate the value of three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3DTEE) in the evaluation of eccentric MR identifying geometric differences in the vena contracta area between functional and degenerative etiologies. Methods and Results We studied 61 patients with eccentric MR (30 functional and 31 degenerative). Regurgitant orifice area was determined by the two-dimensional proximal isovelocity surface area (2DPISA) and the 3DTEE methods. The ratio between maximum and minimum lengths of the vena contracta was calculated in each patient. Effective regurgitant orifice area by the 2DPISA method was smaller than that estimated by 3DTEE (0.56±0.21 vs 0.72±0.25 cm2). A better correlation between both methods was seen in degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR; r=.83), with a mean underestimation of 8.2% by the 2DPISA method. A much worse correlation was found in functional mitral regurgitation (FMR; r=.39), where a mean underestimation by the 2DPISA method of 29.1% was observed. There was a more elongated and curved vena contracta in FMR compared to that in DMR (length ratio: 3.4±1.0 vs 2.2±0.7, P<.0001). Conclusion Three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography identifies a more elongated regurgitant orifice in eccentric FMR compared to that in eccentric DMR. This difference may explain the greater underestimation of effective regurgitant orifice area by the 2DPISA method in FMR. High-quality 3DTEE analysis of vena contracta area would be a highly recommended alternative.
A deep learning-based approach to material removal rate prediction in polishing

Abstract Prediction of material removal rate (MRR) during chemical mechanical polishing is critical for product quality control. Complexity involved in polishing makes it challenging to accurately predict MRR based on physical models. A data-driven technique based on Deep Belief Network (DBN) is investigated to reveal the relationship between MRR and polishing operation parameters such as pressure and rotational speeds of the wafer and pad. The effect of network structure and learning rate on the accuracy of predicted MRR is studied using particle swarm optimization algorithm. With an optimized network structure, the performance of DBN is experimentally verified, under varying operation conditions.
Thirty-day readmissions following parathyroidectomy: Evidence from the National Readmissions Database, 2013–2014

Abstract Purpose Parathyroidectomy is one of the most common procedures performed in the United States, and are increasingly being performed safely in the outpatient setting. However, complications from surgery can be life-threatening, and thus an understanding of who may be at risk is essential. We analyzed and compared the risk factors for patients readmitted within 30 days following inpatient parathyroidectomy for primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism. Materials and methods We reviewed the National Readmissions Database from 2013 to 2014 for patients who received inpatient parathyroidectomy for primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism. The primary outcome was non-elective readmission within 30 days. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze risk factor odds ratios for readmission. Results 7171 patients underwent inpatient parathyroidectomies in 2013 and 2014. 59.89% of parathyroidectomies were performed for primary hyperparathyroidism, with a 5.6% readmission rate. Most common causes of readmission were septicemia (13.69%), hypocalcemia (12.86%), heart failure (10.79%) and renal failure (9.54%). Having Medicare (OR: 1.71, CI:1.14–2.59, p = .01), Medicaid (OR: 3.24, CI: 2.03–5.17, p Conclusion Patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism are older, poorer and have more comorbidities than patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, and are more likely to be readmitted within 30 days of parathyroidectomy.
‘Rigid demand’: Economic imagination and practice in China’s urban housing market:

China’s socialist market economy is predominated by strong state-owned sectors. In the real estate market, the government further controls land and regulates social services based on property owner...
Organisational coaching: integrating motivational interviewing and mindfulness with cognitive behavioural coaching

Organisational coaching has significantly grown in popularity, but in spite of this growth, the use of an evidence-based approach in the practice is limited. To address this limitation, this paper ...
Prominence mass ejections and their effects on the corona. I - The eruptive prominence of 21 August 1973 and the surge of 4 December 1973

Skylab soft X-ray observations of two lower coronal limb events and corresponding Hα observations (Skylab and ground-based) are analyzed. We discuss the morphology and evolution of an eruptive prominence occurring on 21 August 1973, beginning (in Hα) at about 1300 UT and of a surge on 4 December 1973, beginning at about 1758 UT. For the eruptive prominence, measured X-ray flux is used in the determination of line-of-sight temperatures, emission measures, and electron densities. A peak temperature of 8.5 × l06 K and densities to 3.5 × l09 cm-3 are derived. A time-dependent, two-dimensional, single-fluid magnetohydrodynamic computer code has been used to simulate the coronal response to these prominences. We find that the coronal response to the observed eruptive prominence may be simulated with a density-dominated pressure pulse at the base of the corona (∼ 30000 km above photosphere), while a temperature pulse of short duration will simulate the coronal response to the surge. Approximately 1031 ergs and 1040 particles (or 1016 g) were deposited into the corona during the eruptive prominence event, while about 1029 ergs and 1038 particles (or 1014 g) were injected during the surge event. A shock wave formed ahead of the ejected material at about 70000 km above the photosphere in the eruptive prominence event and had a velocity of 275 km s-1 at 1.5 r⊙ above the limb.
Convergence properties of Fock's expansion for S-state eigenfunctions of the helium atom

It is proved by functional analytic methods that for S-state solutions of Schrodinger's equation for the helium atom, Fock's expansion in powers of R 1/2 and R ln R, where R is the hyperspherical radius r 1 2 +r 2 2 , converges pointwise for all R, thereby generalising a result of Macek that the expansion converges in the mean for all R<1/2. It is shown that for any value (even complex) of the energy E, Schrodinger's equation, considered as a partial differential equation with no boundary condition at R=∞, has infinitely many solutions representable by an expansion of the type proposed by Fock. Some of the open problems are discussed in determining whether for E in the point spectrum of the atomic Hamiltonian the physical eigenfunction ΨE, which has exponential decay as R →∞, is representable by Fock's expansion.
Theodicy or Not? Spiritual Struggles of Evangelical Cancer Survivors:

Using Park’s meaning-making model to inform our understanding of distress in suffering, we conducted a qualitative investigation of the discrepancies experienced by evangelical Christian cancer pat...
Toward Self-Tunable Approximate Computing

Many applications show tolerance to inaccuracies. These can be exploited to build faster circuits with smaller area and lower power. This is particularly true for the hardware accelerators in heterogeneous computing systems. A major problem with approximate computing is that the resulting approximated circuit is highly dependent on the training data. Previous works often rely on static training results. If the workload is dynamic in nature or changes over time, output errors may reach unacceptable levels. Therefore, dynamic control methods are needed to solve this problem. To address this issue, in this paper, we propose an approximate self-adaptive architecture that autotunes itself at runtime based on the workload. Two different control mechanisms are proposed, one based on a regular heartbeat (HB), which resets the approximate circuits at regular intervals and the other based on internal lightweight checkers (LWCs). These checkers detect a change in the workload and reset the approximations. Experimental results show that our proposed methods work well leading to very good results compared to other approximation methods while keeping the output error within the given maximum error threshold at relatively low-area overheads, on average 8% and 8.5% for HB and LWC method, respectively, and delay overheads 5.9% and 8.1%.
Applying Machine Learning to Service Assurance in Network Function Virtualization Environment

With the complexity, heterogeneity, and scale of today's networks, service assurance is becoming increasingly complicated. Meanwhile, significant amounts of telemetry data are collected on virtual network functions; it has been proposed that machine learning can be used to predict/forecast key performance indicators by analyzing this data and then taking actions to prevent severe service degradation. In this paper, we demonstrate the process of telemetry data collecting and filtering, feature dimension reduction, and machine learning algorithm selection for detecting packet loss in a NFV based vEPC test system.
Identification of Characterizing Aroma Components of Roasted Chicory “Coffee” Brews

The roasted and ground root of the chicory plant (Cichorium intybus), often referred to as chicory coffee, has served as a coffee surrogate for well over 2 centuries and is still in common use today. Volatile components of roasted chicory brews were identified by direct solvent extraction and solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) combined with gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O), aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 46 compounds were quantitated by stable isotope dilution analysis (SIDA) and internal standard methods, and odor-activity values (OAVs) were calculated. On the basis of the combined results of AEDA and OAVs, rotundone was considered to be the most potent odorant in roasted chicory. On the basis of their high OAVs, additional predominant odorants included 3-hydroxy-4,5-dimethyl-2(5H)-furanone (sotolon), 2-methylpropanal, 3-methylbutanal, 2,3-dihydro-5-hydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one (dihydromaltol), 1-octen-3-one, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone (HDMF), and 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone (maltol). Rotundone, with its distinctive aromatic woody, peppery, and "chicory-like" note was also detected in five different commercial ground roasted chicory products. The compound is believed to an important, distinguishing, and characterizing odorant in roasted chicory aroma. Collectively, a group of caramel- and sweet-smelling odorants, including dihydromaltol, cyclotene, maltol, HDMF, and sotolon, are also thought to be important aroma contributors to roasted chicory aroma.
Divergences among Three Higher-Order Self-Report Psychopathology Factors in Normal-Range Personality and Emotional Late Positive Potential Reactivity.

Abstract Personality is related to psychopathology and its higher-order structures, but there is little research regarding neurobiological associations of higher-order psychopathology factors. This study examined the factor structure of a wide range of psychopathology and its associations with both personality and emotional reactivity revealed through the late positive potential (LPP) in a sample of 275 undergraduates. A three-factor structure of psychopathology emerged comprising Internalizing (INT), Externalizing (EXT), and Aberrant Experiences (ABX). EXT predicted aggressive disconstraint, whereas both INT and ABX predicted Alienation and Stress Reaction. INT uniquely predicted low Well-Being, and ABX predicted a rigid absorption combined with interpersonal detachment. ABX correlated with reduced parietal emotional LPP reactivity, whereas INT correlated with stronger frontal LPP reactivity to emotional versus neutral pictures.
Alien meets 2001

Space stations make ideal settings for games: they are self-contained worlds where you can explore every nook and cranny without running into artificial barriers. They can also be completely terrifying, finds Jacob Aron
Study of Residual Stress in Nickel Micro Parts Made by Electrochemical Additive Manufacturing

Electrochemical additive manufacturing (ECAM) is a novel process which uses localized electrochemical deposition as the material addition mechanism for additive manufacturing (AM) of metal parts at room temperature. While ECAM possesses highly controllable process parameters, complex electrochemical phenomena, such as nucleation patterns and hydrogen codeposition, may cause residual stresses in the output parts. To better predict this behavior for increased reliability and future commercial adoption of ECAM, localized deposits were studied under several controlled combinations of electrochemical process parameters under both constant-time and constant-height termination criteria. The residual stress was then measured using an atomic force microscopy (AFM) indentation procedure. Significant trends that were found include increased stress magnitude with increasing applied voltage, and the higher influence of voltage and then pulse period on the resulting stress, compared to the duty cycle. It was also seen that shorter deposition times led to compressive stresses and longer times led to tensile stresses.
The Psychology of Working: Framework and Theory

The Psychology of Working is a framework and theory developed to capture work experiences of diverse individuals. Specifically, it aims to predict one’s access to decent work based on experiences of marginalisation and discrimination. In turn, it theorises decent work as a central variable in one’s general well-being and well-being in the work place. Practice and policy implications are discussed.
Non-Home Discharge is Not Associated with Mortality Following Bilateral Lung Transplant

Purpose Non-home discharge (NHD) has been associated with adverse outcomes and mortality in other surgical disease processes. The aim of this study is to assess the association of NHD and mortality after bilateral lung transplant. We hypothesized NHD was associated with increased mortality after bilateral lung transplantation. Methods Our institutional Society of Thoracic Surgeons Database was queried for bilateral lung transplants performed between 2012-2018. The primary endpoint was mortality. Secondary endpoints included a composite of stroke/TIA, prolonged ventilation, pneumonia and renal failure. The chi square and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare the distributions of variables by discharge location. Kaplan-Meier plot and log rank test were used to compare survival between groups. A multivariable Cox model assessed the effect of NHD and covariates on survival. Results A total of 376 patients were included in the analysis; of which 125 (34%) required NHD. On bivariate analysis, the following were associated with NHD: age (median 56 vs 61 years, p=.001), cardiopulmonary bypass use (39% vs 57%, p=.001), operative time (median 5.8 hours vs 6 hours, p=0.049), time in initial intensive care unit stay (117 hours vs 235 hours, p Conclusion NHD occurred in 34% of bilateral lung transplants. There was no association between NHD and mortality.
Molecular epidemiological analysis of KPC-2 and IMP-4 carbapenemase possessing Klebsiella pneumonia isolated from children

Objective To investigate the distribution of acquired carbapenemases in carbapenemresistant strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, and explore its role in epidemiology of nosocomial infection. Methods From November 2008 to March 2009, twenty clinical isolates of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae were collected from children hospitalized in Wuhan children's hospital. MICs of antibiotics were tested by DNA of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Modified Hodge test was used to screen strains producing carbapenemases,combined imipenem(IPM)-EDTA , meropenem(MEM)- EDTA and ceftazidime(CAZ) - EDTA double-disk synergy test (DDST) were used to detect metallo-β-lactamase-producing. PCR amplification of the carbapenemase and integrase genes, and sequencing were performed. Plasmid conjugation transfer experiments and Southern hybridization were applied to study the mode of drug resistance transmission. Results Four types of Klebsiella pneumoniae were detected by PFGE, type A consisted of 5 strains, including 3 strains of type Al and 2 strains of type A2), type B (2 strains), type C (12strains) and type D (1 strain). Type A and C were the main drug resistant clones. Eight strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae carried both KPC-2 and IMP-4 genes, 10 strains carried IMP-4 gene, 2 strains carried KPC-2 gene. None of NDM-1 ,GIM, SPM, SIM, OXA-23, and VIM carbapenemase genes was detected in 20 isolates. All of 20 isolates carried lntl which were found to be located on bacterial chromosome by Southern blot. Conclusions KPC-2and IMP-4 genes are the major carbapenemase genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated in Wuhan.Transmission of drug resistance is mainly through vertical transmission of type C resistant clone and horizontal transmission of Intl on bacteria chromosome. Key words: Klebsiella pneumoniae; Carbapenems; Beta-Lactamases; Integrons
Is Managed Care Better Care? The Effects of Medicaid Managed Care on Children With Medical Complexity.

Children with disabilities in Texas began to receive services through managed care Medicaid on November 1, 2016.1 Managed care organizations (MCOs) are often charged with the aim to reduce costs, particularly for the small but high health care–using population of children with medical complexity (CMC). We describe a child whose loss of services through managed care Medicaid resulted, ironically, in unnecessary use of health care resources. “John” was a 15-month-old male infant with a constellation of congenital anomalies, global developmental delay, insufficient oral intake with dysphagia necessitating gastrostomy tube (GT) placement, facial dysmorphisms, a bicuspid aortic valve, bilateral hearing loss, visual impairment, seizures, and a pineal gland cyst. Because of his complex medical needs, John’s primary care physician documented a medical necessity for skilled nursing and ordered 56 hours/week of private duty nursing (PDN) services through a home health nursing agency. The Medicaid MCO involved in John’s case initially approved only 45 hours/week. This decision led to multiple appeals, peer-to-peer discussions, and a fair hearing. Ultimately, the MCO upheld the 45 hours/week ruling. Despite a decrease of only 11 hours/week in nursing hours, the mother relied on John’s family members, who were not as familiar with the necessity and administration of GT feeds, to care for him while she continued to attend school. Subsequently, John presented to the emergency department in September with a reported 2-month history of weight loss and developmental regression. His mother and home health habilitative therapists noted regression in gross motor milestones. Three days before admission, he experienced 6 episodes of emesis, fussiness, irritability, and weakness, and his mother noted a weight loss of 3 pounds. During this time, his mother reported several episodes of …
Utilizing Python for Agent-Based Modeling: The Mesa Framework

Mesa is an agent-based modeling framework written in Python. Originally started in 2013, it was created to be the go-to tool in for researchers wishing to build agent-based models with Python. Within this paper we present Mesa’s design goals, along with its underlying architecture. This includes its core components: 1) the model (Model, Agent, Schedule, and Space), 2) analysis (Data Collector and Batch Runner) and the visualization (Visualization Server and Visualization Browser Page). We then discuss how agent-based models can be created in Mesa. This is followed by a discussion of applications and extensions by other researchers to demonstrate how Mesa design is decoupled and extensible and thus creating the opportunity for a larger decentralized ecosystem of packages that people can share and reuse for their own needs. Finally, the paper concludes with a summary and discussion of future development areas for Mesa.
Cleft Care Readability: Can Patients Access Helpful Online Resources?

Objective:The present study identifies and analyzes online patient resources for cleft lip with or without cleft palate to survey the online educational landscape relative to the recommended diffic...
Analytical seismic performance and sensitivity evaluation of bridges based on random decision forest framework

Abstract Various bridge portfolios and modeling parameters will influence the seismic response of bridges differently. These features are typically fixed prior to modeling bridges, while there is inherent uncertainty associated with choosing them. Sensitivity analysis of analytical seismic demands with respect to the changing bridge attributes helps to improve estimated seismic demand models which are eventually used in the reliability assessment of bridges. To this end, the current study implements statistical approaches such as analysis of covariance to evaluate the impact of common bridge portfolios such as abutment types on the primary engineering demand parameters such as deck displacement. Moreover, this paper proposes a machine learning algorithm, Random Forest ensemble learning method, to assess the level of importance of modeling parameters on estimating seismic demands. The framework is presented for analyzing concrete box-girder bridges with tall piers that are typically constructed in response to the complex topography of the construction site such as mountain or valley regions. However, the proposed framework is applicable to other types of bridges. Furthermore, although previous research revealed distinctive seismic performance for bridges with tall piers compared to the bridges with ordinary configurations, there is still a lack of understanding of the variability of their seismic demands. Thereby, the findings of this study provide a better understanding of the seismic performance of this class of bridge.
Neural network-based single-shot autofocusing of microscopy images

Using fluorescence and brightfield microscopy modalities, we demonstrate a deep learning-based offline autofocusing method to blindly autofocus an image that is captured at an unknown out-of-focus distance or on a tilted sample plane.
Cocaine-induced locomotor activation differs across six sets of inbred mouse substrains

Cocaine use disorders (CUD) are devastating for affected individuals and impose a significant burden on society, but there are currently no FDA-approved therapies. The development of novel and effective treatments has been hindered by substantial gaps in our knowledge about the etiology of these disorders. The risk for developing a CUD is influenced by genetics, the environment and complex interactions between the two. Identifying specific genes and environmental risk factors that increase CUD risk would provide an avenue for the development of novel treatments. Rodent models of addiction-relevant behaviors have been a valuable tool for studying the genetics of response to drugs of abuse. Traditional genetic mapping using genetically and phenotypically divergent inbred mice has been successful in identifying numerous chromosomal regions that influence addiction-relevant behaviors, but these strategies rarely result in identification of the causal gene or genetic variant. To overcome this challenge, reduced complexity crosses (RCC) between closely related inbred mouse substrains have been proposed as a method for rapidly identifying and validating functional variants. The RCC approach is dependent on identifying phenotypic differences between substrains. To date, however, the study of addiction-relevant behaviors has been limited to very few sets of substrains, mostly comprising the C57BL/6 lineage. The present study expands upon the current literature to assess cocaine-induced locomotor activation in 20 inbred mouse substrains representing six inbred strain lineages (A/J, BALB/c, FVB/N, C3H/He, DBA/2 and NOD) that were either bred in-house or supplied directly by a commercial vendor. To our knowledge, we are the first to identify significant differences in cocaine-induced locomotor response in several of these inbred substrains. The identification of substrain differences allows for the initiation of RCC populations to more rapidly identify specific genetic variants associated with acute cocaine response. The observation of behavioral profiles that differ between mice generated in-house and those that are vendor-supplied also presents an opportunity to investigate the influence of environmental factors on cocaine-induced locomotor activity.
Global analysis of gene expression in unseparated and CD8+ cells from bronchoalveolar lavage of patients with scleroderma lung disease

The molecular mechanisms that lead to lung fibrosis following lung inflammation in patients with scleroderma are unknown. The objective of this study was to identify patterns of abnormal gene expression in unfractionated bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells from scleroderma patients. DNA microarrays were used to assess expression of over 4000 genes in BAL cells from 17 scleroderma patients and 7 controls. Hierarchical matrices were constructed and showed that BAL cell samples from patients with lung inflammation segregated into one cluster, whereas BAL cell samples from patients without lung inflammation and controls clustered in another. Next, 372 genes were identified that were expressed at least two- fold higher or lower in BAL samples from patients without lung inflammation, compared to controls. These genes, which may represent a scleroderma phenotype independent of tissue inflammation, clustered into eight groups. One cluster of note included receptors for several chemokines,IL-1, IL-13, IL-18,and IFN-gamma receptors, as well as IL-10, IL-12, macrophage stimulating factor, VEGF, IGF binding protein and TXK tyrosine kinase. Fibroblast growth factors, other cytokines, and intracellular signaling molecules were among the genes in other clusters. Finally, 238 genes were identified that were over- or under- expressed in BAL cells from patients with greater risk of lung fibrosis, that is, patients with lung inflammation, compared to both patients without lung inflammation and controls. These genes clustered into 3 groups which included genes induced by stress (such herne oxygenase, complement components, and heat shock proteins), multiple chemokines (such as MCP-1, MIP-1, and PARC), and genes associated with several intracellular signaling pathways (such as JNK2 kinase, diacylglycerol kinase, and phosphatidylinositol 4,5 bisphosphate 5-phosphatase). Similar studies of global gene expression have begun with CD8+ T cells isolated from BAL samples. Preliminary data suggest abnormal expression of lymphotoxin beta, endothelin-2, fibroblast growth factors, and TGF-beta RII. In summary, scleroderma patients with lung inflammation have distinct patterns of gene expression in BAL cells, compared to patients without lung inflammation and healthy controls. Cluster analyses of genes that are abnormally expressed in different patient groups may shed light on new mechanisms that contribute to the development of the scleroderma phenotype, including genes likely to be involved in the inflammatory process and subsequent development of fibrosis in this autoimmune illness.
Why We Should Care About Health Care Fragmentation and How to Fix it

This chapter summarizes all the other chapters and links them to a general theory of team production in health care. The chapter defines what fragmentation means, the four levels at which it operates, and shows that it worsens health outcomes and costs. The chapter explains why economic theories of firms and team production confirm the conclusion that there is excessive fragmentation in U.S. health care. The chapter explores various causes of fragmentation, concluding that the underlying causes are legal. Finally, the chapter recommends certain reforms that grow directly out of the analysis, including lifting manifold legal obstacles to integrated care, subsidizing preventive care and the creation of a common system of medical records, and paying health care organizations either by amount of medical benefit they produce or by the number of enrollees they attract, with adjustments for the relevant health risks.
Observations of the Martian 1.2 μ CO2 Bands

A method to determine independently the Martian surface pressure from measurements of individual lines in the 1.2030 and 1.2177 μ CO2 bands is presented. Observations obtained during the 1967 apparition and some preliminary results of the 1969 apparition observations yield CO2 abundances near 100 m-atm and surface pressures of 4–8 mb.
Theodore Roosevelt: Preacher of Righteousness – By Joshua David Hawley

Alexis de Tocqueville observed that historians in democracies tend to look to large forces and movements to explain the course of events, yet Americans have retained a fascination for individuals. ...
Potassium-dependent stimulation of respiration in brown fat cells by fatty acids and lipolytic agents.

Abstract The omission of K+ from the buffer used for isolation and incubation of rat brown fat cells blocked the large increases in respiration seen after the addition of lipolytic agents. The effect of K+ was on the activation of respiration by free fatty acids rather than upon the lipolytic action of agents such as theophylline. Rb+ and Cs+, but not NH4+, could partially substitute for K+ in the activation of respiration by theophylline. Valinomycin, an antibiotic which activates the uptake of K+ by isolated mitochondria, markedly stimulated respiration in brown fat cells in the presence but not in the absence of K+. Nigericin, another antibiotic which blocks K+ uptake by mitochondria, also blocked the increase in respiration due to valinomycin and theophylline. The effects of lipolytic agents on respiration could be mimicked by addition of albumin-bound free fatty acids to brown fat cells, an effect which was also K+-dependent. The omission of Ca++ and Mg++ reduced the activation of respiration by fatty acids or lipolytic agents. These findings indicate that the activation of energy metabolism by fatty acids involves a K+-dependent process which is influenced by divalent cations. The increased oxygen consumption may be secondary to utilization of high energy intermediates of oxidative phosphorylation for increased K+ flux across membranes.
Occultations, Past and Future

The techniques, advantages and limitations of photoelectric observations of occultations of stars by the Moon are reviewed. The results for timings, lunar limb slopes, double and multiple stars, and the determination of angular diameters of stars are considered. Possible effects of lunar limb irregularities are discussed. Observers are strongly recommended to pursue the upcoming series of occultations of Antares and other important stars.
ESR and X-ray Structure Investigations on the Binding and Mechanism of Inhibition of the Native State of Myeloperoxidase with Low Molecular Weight Fragments

As an early visitor to the injured loci, neutrophil-derived human Myeloperoxidase (hMPO) offers an attractive protein target to modulate the inflammation of the host tissue through suitable inhibitors. We describe a novel methodology of using low temperature ESR spectroscopy (6 K) and FAST™ technology to screen a diverse series of small molecules that inhibit the peroxidase function through reversible binding to the native state of MPO. Our initial efforts to profile molecules on the inhibition of MPO-initiated nitration of the Apo-A1 peptide (AEYHAKATEHL) assay showed several potent (with sub-micro molar IC50s) but spurious inhibitors that either do not bind to the heme pocket in the enzyme or retain high (>50 %) anti oxidant potential. Such molecules when taken forward for X-ray did not yield inhibitor-bound co-crystals. We then used ESR to confirm direct binding to the native state enzyme, by measuring the binding-induced shift in the electronic parameter g to rank order the molecules. Molecules with a higher rank order—those with g-shift R relative ≥15—yielded well-formed protein-bound crystals (n = 33 structures). The co-crystal structure with the LSN217331 inhibitor reveals that the chlorophenyl group projects away from the heme along the edges of the Phe366 and Phe407 side chain phenyl rings thereby sterically restricting the access to the heme by the substrates like H2O2. Both ESR and antioxidant screens were used to derive the mechanism of action (reversibility, competitive substrate inhibition, and percent antioxidant potential). In conclusion, our results point to a viable path forward to target the native state of MPO to tame local inflammation.
Lymphomatous involvement of the trigeminal nerve and Meckel cave: CT and MR appearance.

The evaluation of the anatomy and disease processes involving the trigeminal nerve and Meckel cave by CT and MR have been described [1-4]. This case report details the CT and MR appearance of isolated macroscopic lymphoma metastasis involving the cisternal segment of the trigeminal nerve root and gasserian ganglion via CSF seeding. To our knowledge, this has not been previously reported
Challenges in Measuring Energy Expenditure in Companion Animals: A Clinician's Perspective

Standard recommendations as to how much to feed dogs and cats are based on the average requirements of unstressed healthy laboratory dogs and cats of normal body condition undertaking modest amounts of exercise in a thermoneutral environment, but most clinical patients do not conform to these norms. Most clinicians estimate the energy expenditure of patients using a factorial calculation that adjusts for any differences from the norm, but little information exists upon which to base these adjustments. Furthermore, individual variation in energy expenditure is substantial even in dogs and cats under closely defined physiological conditions, and the estimate of energy expenditure obtained by using a factorial calculation can differ by a substantial margin from the energy expenditure of an individual. Detailed dietary histories provide an estimate of individual energy requirements but are time consuming to perform and rely on several assumptions. There are also no readily available point-of-care methods for measuring the energy expenditure of dogs and cats. There is a need, therefore, for further research concerning factors that affect energy expenditure of dogs and cats and methods of measuring energy expenditure in individual patients.
Radiative Forcing Due to Major Aerosol Emitting Sectors in China and India

Understanding the radiative forcing caused by anthropogenic aerosol sources is essential for making effective emission control decisions to mitigate climate change. We examined the net direct plus indirect radiative forcing caused by carbonaceous aerosol and sulfur emissions in key sectors of China and India using the GISS-E2 chemistry-climate model. Diesel trucks and buses (67 mW/ sq. m) and residential biofuel combustion (52 mW/ sq. m) in India have the largest global mean, annual average forcings due mainly to the direct and indirect effects of BC. Emissions from these two sectors in China have near-zero net global forcings. Coal-fired power plants in both countries exert a negative forcing of about -30 mW/ sq. m from production of sulfate. Aerosol forcings are largest locally, with direct forcings due to residential biofuel combustion of 580 mW/ sq. m over India and 416 mW/ sq. m over China, but they extend as far as North America, Europe, and the Arctic
Integrating GWAS and expression data for functional characterization of disease-associated SNPs: an application to follicular lymphoma.

Development of post-GWAS (genome-wide association study) methods are greatly needed for characterizing the function of trait-associated SNPs. Strategies integrating various biological data sets with GWAS results will provide insights into the mechanistic role of associated SNPs. Here, we present a method that integrates RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and allele-specific expression data with GWAS data to further characterize SNPs associated with follicular lymphoma (FL). We investigated the influence on gene expression of three established FL-associated loci—rs10484561, rs2647012, and rs6457327—by measuring their correlation with human-leukocyte-antigen (HLA) expression levels obtained from publicly available RNA-seq expression data sets from lymphoblastoid cell lines. Our results suggest that SNPs linked to the protective variant rs2647012 exert their effect by a cis-regulatory mechanism involving modulation of HLA-DQB1 expression. In contrast, no effect on HLA expression was observed for the colocalized risk variant rs10484561. The application of integrative methods, such as those presented here, to other post-GWAS investigations will help identify causal disease variants and enhance our understanding of biological disease mechanisms.
Significant characteristics of the urban rail renaissance in the United States: A discriminant analysis

In the rebirth of light-rail in the US, there has been little quantitative work detailing the differences between cities that have built rail transit and those that have not. In this study, 18 independent variables measuring a variety of characteristics that might promote or hinder rail transit construction are examined for 13 cities that built rail and 22 that did not, but considered it. After isolating the most significant variables, a two-group discriminant analysis generates a function from a randomly chosen set of 25 cities, and then cross-validates it on a separate set of 10. That model attempts to classify the cities into their respective groups. A model with three significant independent variables is generated that correctly classifies 33 of the 35 cities. The results indicate that cities which chose to build rail already had relatively well-used bus systems. There also appears to be an image and economic development aspect associated with rail construction.
Clinical integration of billing for a pediatric nephrology and transplant program.

Purpose—To develop and implement a billing process that fully integrates all activities of a pediatric nephrology and transplant program, by facilitating and coordinating data from patients, physicians, hospitals, and third-party billing services to maximize revenues.Methods—Financial operations were analyzed via a randomized audit of patient charts that focused on office procedures and revenue collection. Results based on monthly reports documenting revenue received and outstanding, procedures billed, and patient registration accuracy.Results—The combination of improvements in patient registration, chart documentation, new billing sheets with procedure and diagnosis codes, physician in-service education, upgraded charges, and the recredentialing of all practice physicians realized an increase in revenue collections from 18% in 2000 to 89% in 2001.Conclusion—The need to integrate and coordinate information is vital for both billing accuracy and revenue collections. Integration of clinical services and bil...
Child maltreatment and executive functioning in middle adulthood: a prospective examination.

OBJECTIVE: There is extensive evidence of negative consequences of childhood maltreatment for IQ, academic achievement, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and increased attention to neurobiological consequences. However, few prospective studies have assessed the long-term effects of abuse and neglect on executive functioning. This study examined whether childhood abuse and neglect predicts components of executive functioning and nonverbal reasoning ability in middle adulthood and whether PTSD moderates this relationship. METHOD: Using a prospective cohort design, a large sample (N = 792) of court-substantiated cases of childhood physical and sexual abuse and neglect (ages 0-11 years) and matched controls were followed into adulthood (mean age = 41 years). Executive functioning was assessed with the Trail Making Test-Part B and nonverbal reasoning was assessed with the Matrix Reasoning test. PTSD (DSM-III-R lifetime diagnosis) was assessed at age 29 years. Data were analyzed using ordinary least squares regressions, controlling for age, sex, and race, and possible confounds of IQ, depression, and excessive alcohol use. RESULTS: In multivariate analyses, childhood maltreatment overall and childhood neglect predicted poorer executive functioning and nonverbal reasoning at age 41 years, whereas physical and sexual abuse did not. A past history of PTSD did not mediate or moderate these relations. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood maltreatment and neglect specifically have a significant long-term impact on important aspects of adult neuropsychological functioning. These findings suggest the need for targeted efforts dedicated to interventions for neglected children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Finding Transition Pathways Using the String Method with Swarms of Trajectories

An approach to find transition pathways in complex systems is presented. The method, which is related to the string method in collective variables of Maragliano et al. (J. Chem. Phys. 2006, 125, 024106), is conceptually simple and straightforward to implement. It consists of refining a putative transition path in the multidimensional space supported by a set of collective variables using the average dynamic drift of those variables. This drift is estimated on-the-fly via swarms of short unbiased trajectories started at different points along the path. Successive iterations of this algorithm, which can be naturally distributed over many computer nodes with negligible interprocessor communication, refine an initial trial path toward the most probable transition path (MPTP) between two stable basins. The method is first tested by determining the pathway for the C7eq to C7ax transition in an all-atom model of the alanine dipeptide in vacuum, which has been studied previously with the string method in collecti...
Cloud Software Service: Concepts, Technology, Economics

Cloud software service is a modality for providing computer facilities and deploying software via the Internet. The concept combines Cloud Computing and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). Cloud computing represents a contextual shift in how computers are provisioned and accessed. Software-as-a-service is an architectural continuum that represents a democratization of access to software, computing platforms, and data through network effects, and the monetization of its value to customers and end users. One of the defining characteristics of cloud software service is the transfer of control from the client domain to the service provider. Another is that the client benefits from economy of scale on the part of the provider. There are many different examples of cloud software service, and this paper seeks to combine the salient elements into a composite picture of the subject matter. [Service Science, ISSN 2164-3962 (print), ISSN 2164-3970 (online), was published by Services Science Global (SSG) from 2009 to 2011 ...
Perceived stress among graduate students: Development and validation of the Graduate Stress Inventory.

This article presents evidence from three samples, one of graduate students at both doctoral and master's level, another entirely of first-year doctoral students, and the other solely of master's students, to assess the psychometric characteristics of a theory-driven measure of perceived stress for graduate students, the Graduate Stress Inventory-Revised (GSI-R). Results of the first study allowed for the evaluation of the original scale, the Graduate Stress Inventory (GSI), and led to a few deletions and improvements in the wording of a significant number of items. It also indicated that the GSI-R possessed moderate to high internal-consistency reliability. Three-factor structures were identified. Results of the second study determined the concurrent validity of the GSI-R using Spielberger's Trait Anxiety scale. The third study showed adequate retest reliability of the GSI-R. The GSI-R is suggested for examining the role of appraised stress in the lives of graduate students.
Chlorination at Power Plants: Impact on Phytoplankton Productivity

Studies of the eflects of passage through a power plant on river phytoplankton have shown that chlorination depresses rates of photosynthesis and respiration to a much greater extent than does heating.
Intensional equality ;=) for continuations

I propose a novel language feature, intensional continuation equality, useful in languages with or without first-class continuations, and show how it enables truly remarkable gains in efficiency of ordinary user programs.Continuations, expressing "what the program will do from now on," are a much-used tool of semantics, and sometimes show up as a user-accessible programming feature. But most use of continuations is parametric, in the sense that functions behave the same way independent of their continuation. I will show that nonparametric use of continuations allows very substantial, almost incredible gains in program speed. Furthermore, this technique is compatible with almost any style of programming language; imperative, functional, even object-oriented.
Crystal structure of potato tuber ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase.

ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase catalyzes the first committed and rate-limiting step in starch biosynthesis in plants and glycogen biosynthesis in bacteria. It is the enzymatic site for regulation of storage polysaccharide accumulation in plants and bacteria, being allosterically activated or inhibited by metabolites of energy flux. We report the first atomic resolution structure of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. Crystals of potato tuber ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase α subunit were grown in high concentrations of sulfate, resulting in the sulfate-bound, allosterically inhibited form of the enzyme. The N-terminal catalytic domain resembles a dinucleotide-binding Rossmann fold and the C-terminal domain adopts a left-handed parallel β helix that is involved in cooperative allosteric regulation and a unique oligomerization. We also report structures of the enzyme in complex with ATP and ADP-glucose. Communication between the regulator-binding sites and the active site is both subtle and complex and involves several distinct regions of the enzyme including the N-terminus, the glucose-1-phosphate-binding site, and the ATP-binding site. These structures provide insights into the mechanism for catalysis and allosteric regulation of the enzyme.
The bonding geometry of alkylsilanes on gold: Relation to surface pattern development and STM image contrast

Abstract The adsorption of methylsilane (MeSiH 3 ) on Au(1 1 1) was investigated using density functional theory (DFT) within a generalized gradient approximation (GGA). Two preferred chemisorption sites are identified: the hollow site and an atop site with an ejected gold substrate atom. Both of these configurations result in a tetracoordinate Si with a distorted tetrahedral geometry. The energy of adsorption is calculated allowing an analysis of the preferred binding geometry as a function of coverage. The relation of the supermolecular length scale pattern that emerges from a spinodal decomposition of the two phases arising from the two binding geometries is discussed. The pattern observed in the STM images is shown to be consistent with the local density of states calculated for the two different binding geometries.