cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chronic ANG II infusion and reflex control of norepinephrine and corticosterone in conscious rabbits

The hypothesis that long-term increases in angiotensin II (ANG II) produce pressure-independent resetting of baroreflex control of the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis was tested in rabbits by determining the effect of chronic ANG II infusion on reflex relationships between mean arterial pressure (MAP) and plasma concentrations of norepinephrine (NE) and corticosterone (CS). After 2 wk, ANG II increased MAP from 61 +/- 1 to 99 +/- 2 mmHg (P < 0.05) without altering heart rate or plasma NE concentration, but increased CS from 9.8 +/- 1.3 to 29.5 +/- 13.7 ng/ml (P < 0.05). Heart rate, NE, and CS baroreflex curves were all reset to a higher pressure level (P < 0.05) after 24 h, 1 wk, and 2 wk of ANG II. Forty minutes after stopping ANG II on the same days, MAP decreased, and curves were shifted back toward control (P < 0.05), indicating that ANG II was required for the resetting. Two findings suggest that the resetting action ofANG II is distinct from the pressor effect. First, although stopping ANG II reversed the hypertension as it reversed the resetting, reversal of the hypertension instead by prolonged infusion of nitroprusside along with ANG II did not have the same effect. Second, NE and heart rate baroreflex curves returned toward preinfusion positions after stopping ANG II (P < 0.05), even when the hypertension was nearly maintained by phenylephrine infusion. In conclusion, chronic increases in ANG II may have a global baroreflex resetting effect by a mechanism that is in part independent of the hypertension.
Targeted beta-globin gene conversion in human hematopoietic CD34(+ )and Lin(-)CD38(-)cells.

Targeted beta-globin gene conversion in human hematopoietic CD34 + and Lin − CD38 − cells
Mediated facilitation in a four-stage chaining paradigm

Mediated facilitation was found in the A-B, B-C, C-D, A-D chaining paradigm using methods that closely paralleled those of prior three-stage experiments that reliably produced inferred mediation effects. The A terms were paralogs, the B and C terms were highly associated nouns, and the D terms were CVCs. All four stages were executed in the laboratory. A mediated interference condition did not yield reliable interference effects.
Analytical Quality Control of Determination of Lead in Urine by Microwave Digestion and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

[Objective] To implement analytical quality control and predict analysis error of lead determination in urine by microwave digestion and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS),so as to investigate the laboratory lead testing and quality control capability,and to enhance the accuracy and comparability of laboratory testing results.[Methods] According to the water laboratory analytical quality control(AQC/WATER) procedure for precision and accuracy of trace elements,the analysis was processed.[Results] Total standard deviation of every solution was less than 5%(W) of the concentration,and confidence limit of total average rate of recovery(R/d=1.03) was in allowable range.The testing result of the blind samples was satisfactory.[Conclusion] The laboratory analysis error of lead determination in urine by microwave digestion and ICP-MS can be controlled in the permitted range.
Nonlinear two-dimensional IR spectroscopy of unfolding processes in ,β-peptides

We present simulations of two-dimensional IR Photon Echo spectra for the unfolding process of a helical ,β-peptide following a temperature jump. A detailed microscopic model of the vibrational Hamiltonian is developed that includes disorder effects and allows to perform realistic simulations of a large number of two-and three-dimensional IR experiments. This should allow the development of new pulse sequences for studying fast protein dynamics.
A measurable subjective patient response to the dry eye

Patients with "dry eyes" are often poor prospects for successful contact lens wear. Screening out these patients could improve contact lens practice. Currently used diagnostic tests, such as the Schirmer strip test or the time for tear film breakup, are not very effective in identifying the dry eye patient who may have trouble wearing a contact lens. A new test is described here that asks the patient to report the time to disappearance of the pillar-like flare image seen above a disk light source. A flare image is created by the tear prism in the lower lid margin. This test, when it was applied to a small group composed of young, middle-aged, and elderly adults, was able to correlate rapid disappearance of the flare image with the presence of typical dry eye syndrome complaints in two subjects.
Imaging of Neurochemical Transmission in the Central Nervous System

Abstract Over the past two decades, single photon emission tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging techniques have been used to not only quantify the receptors in the central nervous system (CNS) but also measure neurochemical transmission (for a detailed review, refer to Laruelle, 2000 ). The use of such SPECT and PET imaging techniques to characterize neurochemical transmission has contributed tremendously to our understanding of the neurobiology of several neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and drug addiction ( Laruelle and Abi-Dargham, 1999 ; Volkow et al., 1999 ). In this chapter, we review the SPECT and PET imaging techniques that are being used in clinical and translational research to measure neurotransmitter release in the CNS.
The HIV-1 late domain-2 S40A polymorphism in antiretroviral (or ART)-exposed individuals influences protease inhibitor susceptibility

The p6 region of the HIV-1 structural precursor polyprotein, Gag, contains two motifs, P7TAP11 and L35YPLXSL41, designated as late (L) domain-1 and -2, respectively. These motifs bind the ESCRT-I factor Tsg101 and the ESCRT adaptor Alix, respectively, and are critical for efficient budding of virus particles from the plasma membrane. L domain-2 is thought to be functionally redundant to PTAP. To identify possible other functions of L domain-2, we examined this motif in dominant viruses that emerged in a group of 14 women who had detectable levels of HIV-1 in both plasma and genital tract despite a history of current or previous antiretroviral therapy. Remarkably, variants possessing mutations or rare polymorphisms in the highly conserved L domain-2 were identified in seven of these women. A mutation in a conserved residue (S40A) that does not reduce Gag interaction with Alix and therefore did not reduce budding efficiency was further investigated. This mutation causes a simultaneous change in the Pol reading frame but exhibits little deficiency in Gag processing and virion maturation. Whether introduced into the HIV-1 NL4-3 strain genome or a model protease (PR) precursor, S40A reduced production of mature PR. This same mutation also led to high level detection of two extended forms of PR that were fairly stable compared to the WT in the presence of IDV at various concentrations; one of the extended forms was effective in trans processing even at micromolar IDV. Our results indicate that L domain-2, considered redundant in vitro, can undergo mutations in vivo that significantly alter PR function. These may contribute fitness benefits in both the absence and presence of PR inhibitor.
SYSTEMATIC ASSESSMENT OF ANALYTICAL METHODS FOR DRUG SENSITIVITY PREDICTION FROM CANCER CELL LINE DATA

Large-scale pharmacogenomic screens of cancer cell lines have emerged as an attractive pre-clinical system for identifying tumor genetic subtypes with selective sensitivity to targeted therapeutic strategies. Application of modern machine learning approaches to pharmacogenomic datasets have demonstrated the ability to infer genomic predictors of compound sensitivity. Such modeling approaches entail many analytical design choices; however, a systematic study evaluating the relative performance attributable to each design choice is not yet available. In this work, we evaluated over 110,000 different models, based on a multifactorial experimental design testing systematic combinations of modeling factors within several categories of modeling choices, including: type of algorithm, type of molecular feature data, compound being predicted, method of summarizing compound sensitivity values, and whether predictions are based on discretized or continuous response values. Our results suggest that model input data (type of molecular features and choice of compound) are the primary factors explaining model performance, followed by choice of algorithm. Our results also provide a statistically principled set of recommended modeling guidelines, including: using elastic net or ridge regression with input features from all genomic profiling platforms, most importantly, gene expression features, to predict continuous-valued sensitivity scores summarized using the area under the dose response curve, with pathway targeted compounds most likely to yield the most accurate predictors. In addition, our study provides a publicly available resource of all modeling results, an open source code base, and experimental design for researchers throughout the community to build on our results and assess novel methodologies or applications in related predictive modeling problems.
Very-high-energy astrophysical neutrinos with IceCube

IceCube is a ≳TeV neutrino observatory operating at the South Pole. Ice-Cube has observed a flux of neutrinos of astrophysical origin, with energies beyond 2 PeV. However the sources of these neutrinos have not yet been identified. A summary of various IceCube observations is presented. The results discussed were obtained through several different analysis methods, which have varying sensitivity to the different neutrino flavors. A discussion of the spectral fit obtained for the various event selections is included, as well as the constraints on the astrophysical neutrino flavor flux ratio. Several attempts by IceCube to identify the sources of these neutrinos are described. These include studies correlating neutrino events with catalogs of sources as well as selfcorrelations among IceCube’s neutrinos. The observations of astrophysical neutrinos are limited by statistics. So an upgrade of IceCube, including a larger detector and a surface veto is planned. This upgrade is briefly discussed.
Viral pathogenesis: Dengue virus takes on cGAS.

The sensor cyclic GMP–AMP synthase (cGAS) is well known to recognize viral DNA. In this issue of Nature Microbiology, infection by dengue virus (DENV), which has an RNA genome, is shown to induce mitochondrial DNA release into the cytosol, leading to cGAS activation. In turn, DENV targets cGAS to evade antiviral immunity.
Air Emissions Damages from Municipal Drinking Water Treatment Under Current and Proposed Regulatory Standards.

Water treatment processes present intersectoral and cross-media risk trade-offs that are not presently considered in Safe Drinking Water Act regulatory analyses. This paper develops a method for assessing the air emission implications of common municipal water treatment processes used to comply with recently promulgated and proposed regulatory standards, including concentration limits for, lead and copper, disinfection byproducts, chromium(VI), strontium, and PFOA/PFOS. Life-cycle models of electricity and chemical consumption for individual drinking water unit processes are used to estimate embedded NOx, SO2, PM2.5, and CO2 emissions on a cubic meter basis. We estimate air emission damages from currently installed treatment processes at U.S. drinking water facilities to be on the order of $500 million USD annually. Fully complying with six promulgated and proposed rules would increase baseline air emission damages by approximately 50%, with three-quarters of these damages originating from chemical manufa...
Seismic Resilience of Concrete Bridges with Flared Columns

Abstract Although recent earthquakes have revealed the vulnerability of flared bridge columns, many of the bridges, constructed in high seismic zones like California, are supported by flared columns. This article deals with the seismic vulnerability assessment of box-girder bridges supported by the flared columns. To achieve this goal, analytical fragility analysis is performed by focusing on the seismic evaluation of a bridge system. For this purpose, numerical bridge models are created in OpenSees accounting for geometric and material uncertainties, and dynamic analyses are carried out on the generated models. By conducting nonlinear time history analysis, probabilistic seismic demand models of the bridge components are developed, and the corresponding fragility curves are generated. The findings of the bridge column and system fragility analysis indicate the vulnerability of flared columns compared to those that are straight. It is also noted that neglecting the effect of flares leads to an unreliable estimation of the seismic risk and associated losses.
Homogenized moduli and local stress fields of unidirectional nano-composites

Abstract The recently generalized locally-exact homogenization theory is further extended to enable the determination of homogenized moduli and local stress fields in unidirectional nano-composites with surface effects based on the Gurtin-Murdoch model. The excellent stability and quick convergence of the homogenization theory with the concomitant rapid execution times enables repetitive solutions of the unit cell problem with variable geometric and material parameters, thereby enabling extensive parametric studies to be conducted efficiently. The distinguishing feature of the theory is its ability to provide accurate homogenized moduli as well as accurate local stress fields for square, rectangular and hexagonal arrays of nano-inclusions or nano-porosities. The extended elasticity-based computational capability is validated by published results on homogenized moduli and stress concentrations in nanoporous aluminum obtained using classical micromechanics, elasticity-based, semi-analytical and numerical approaches. New results are generated aimed at demonstrating the effects of nanopore arrays on homogenized moduli and local stress fields in a wide range of porosity volume fractions and nanopore radii. These results highlight the importance of adjacent pore interactions either neglected or not directly taken into account in the classical micromechanics models, nor easily captured by numerical techniques.
Risk Factors for 30-Day Complications After Thumb CMC Joint Arthroplasty: An American College of Surgeons National Surgery Quality Improvement Program Study:

Background: The first carpometacarpal (CMC) joint is a common site of osteoarthritis, with arthroplasty being a common procedure to provide pain relief and improve function with low complications. ...
Investigating Pregnancy Outcomes After Abnormal Cell-Free DNA Test Results.

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing has increased sensitivity and specificity compared to other prenatal screening methods, but invasive diagnostic testing (IDT) is recommended for confirmation. We performed a retrospective chart review of 39 women with abnormal cfDNA results between March 2012 and September 2015 at an urban academic hospital to evaluate patient choice and pregnancy outcomes. We analyzed data using descriptive statistics, Fisher’s exact tests, and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Median maternal age was 36.0 years [interquartile range (IQR) 31, 39]; 64.1% of women (25/39) were advanced maternal age and 69.2% (27/39) had abnormal ultrasounds. Median gestational age at time of cfDNA testing was 18 3/7 weeks [IQR 12 2/7, 20 5/7]. cfDNA results included trisomy 21 (89.7%, 35/39), trisomy 18 (7.7%, 3/39), and both trisomy 21/monosomy X (2.6%, 1/39). Of 39 women, 22 (56.4%) continued and 10 (25.6%) terminated the pregnancy; six (15.4%) had fetal demises, and one was lost to follow-up. Of women continuing their pregnancies, 54.6% (12/22) declined further genetic counseling, and 77.3% (17/22) declined IDT. Only 14 women pursued IDT; not pursuing IDT was associated with continuing the pregnancy (Fisher’s exact test, p = .001). All women terminating their pregnancy (90.0%, 9/10) pursued IDT or had major anomalies on ultrasound, suggesting that women considering termination undergo more confirmatory tests or already have high suspicion for an abnormal pregnancy.
Predicting blood β-hydroxybutyrate using milk Fourier transform infrared spectrum, milk composition, and producer-reported variables with multiple linear regression, partial least squares regression, and artificial neural network

Prediction of postpartum hyperketonemia (HYK) using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry analysis could be a practical diagnostic option for farms because these data are now available from routine milk analysis during Dairy Herd Improvement testing. The objectives of this study were to (1) develop and evaluate blood β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) prediction models using multivariate linear regression (MLR), partial least squares regression (PLS), and artificial neural network (ANN) methods and (2) evaluate whether milk FTIR spectrum (mFTIR)-based models are improved with the inclusion of test-day variables (mTest; milk composition and producer-reported data). Paired blood and milk samples were collected from multiparous cows 5 to 18 d postpartum at 3 Wisconsin farms (3,629 observations from 1,013 cows). Blood BHB concentration was determined by a Precision Xtra meter (Abbot Diabetes Care, Alameda, CA), and milk samples were analyzed by a privately owned laboratory (AgSource, Menomonie, WI) for components and FTIR spectrum absorbance. Producer-recorded variables were extracted from farm management software. A blood BHB ≥1.2 mmol/L was considered HYK. The data set was divided into a training set (n = 3,020) and an external testing set (n = 609). Model fitting was implemented with JMP 12 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC). A 5-fold cross-validation was performed on the training data set for the MLR, PLS, and ANN prediction methods, with square root of blood BHB as the dependent variable. Each method was fitted using 3 combinations of variables: mFTIR, mTest, or mTest + mFTIR variables. Models were evaluated based on coefficient of determination, root mean squared error, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Four models (PLS-mTest + mFTIR, ANN-mFTIR, ANN-mTest, and ANN-mTest + mFTIR) were chosen for further evaluation in the testing set after fitting to the full training set. In the cross-validation analysis, model fit was greatest for ANN, followed by PLS and MLR. Diagnostic strength after cross-validation was poorest for MLR and was similar for ANN and PLS. Models that used mTest + mFTIR variables performed marginally better than models that used only mFTIR or mTest variables. These results suggest that blood BHB prediction models that use mFTIR + mTest variables may be useful additions to existing HYK diagnostic and management programs.
An empirical study on using the national vulnerability database to predict software vulnerabilities

Software vulnerabilities represent a major cause of cybersecurity problems. The National Vulnerability Database (NVD) is a public data source that maintains standardized information about reported software vulnerabilities. Since its inception in 1997, NVD has published information about more than 43,000 software vulnerabilities affecting more than 17,000 software applications. This information is potentially valuable in understanding trends and patterns in software vulnerabilities, so that one can better manage the security of computer systems that are pestered by the ubiquitous software security flaws. In particular, one would like to be able to predict the likelihood that a piece of software contains a yet-to-be-discovered vulnerability, which must be taken into account in security management due to the increasing trend in zero-day attacks. We conducted an empirical study on applying data-mining techniques on NVD data with the objective of predicting the time to next vulnerability for a given software application. We experimented with various features constructed using the information available in NVD, and applied various machine learning algorithms to examine the predictive power of the data. Our results show that the data in NVD generally have poor prediction capability, with the exception of a few vendors and software applications. By doing a large number of experiments and observing the data, we suggest several reasons for why the NVD data have not produced a reasonable prediction model for time to next vulnerability with our current approach.
Cathepsin K inhibitors for in vivo osteoclast imaging by PET

1205 Objectives Cathepsin K (Cat K), a cysteine peptidase located in the osteoclast, is involved in bone resorption and excessive activity of this enzyme has been linked to osteoporosis. Imaging agents for Cat K might serve as indicators of osteoclast upregulation prior to significant detectable bone loss, providing earlier diagnosis of disease and potential feedback on treatment. The purpose of this study was the synthesis of 11C-labeled Cat K inhibitors (J Med Chem 2007:50;591) for in vivo imaging of osteoclast concentrations. Methods Desmethyl precursors, 2-cyano-4-(cyclohexylamino)-N-(4-hydroxy-phenethyl)pyrimidine-5-carboxamide and 2-cyano-N-(4-hydroxyphenethyl)-4-(neopentyl-amino)pyrimidine-5-carboxamide were synthesized following literature procedures. Syntheses of 2-cyano-4-(cyclohexylamino)-N-(4-[11C]methoxyphenethyl)pyrimidine-5-carboxamide ([11C]CCX, IC50 = 0.0222 nM) and 2-cyano-N-(4-[11C]methoxy-phenethyl)-4-(neopentylamino)pyrimidine-5-carboxamide ([11C]CNP, IC50 = 0.003 nM) were done with no-carrier-added [11C]MeI, using an automated radiosynthesis platform. Biodistribution studies were performed in mice. Dynamic microPET imaging was performed in rats. Results Desmethyl precursors were synthesized in moderate yields (10-20%) and high chemical purities (>90%). [11C]CCX and [11C]CNP were synthesized in 10-15% yields (decay corrected), >95% chemical and >99% radiochemical purities, and specific activities >10 Ci/μmol. Biodistribution studies showed low overall uptake of radioactivity in normal tissues, including bone, and rapid clearance. MicroPET imaging indicated high uptake of [11C]CCX in the growth plates located at the shoulder and the distal radius of the forelimb. Conclusions [11C]CCX and [11C]CNP are the first Cat K inhibitors labeled with a PET radionuclide for in vivo imaging use. Increased uptake of [11C]CCX in expected regions of high osteoclastic activity of normal bone, and low uptake in mature bone and soft tissues, supports further study of Cat K radioligands in animal models of osteoclastogenesis. Research Support Financial support by NIAMS (1R21AR061594-01) and NIBIB (T32EB005172-02) are gratefully acknowledged.
Mortgaging the Future for the Present? to Buy or Not to Buy a 2-Family House Parts A, B, C

“Figures don’t lie but liars figure, that is what I always say.” Stephen Hodgetts sat in front of his laptop in August of 2007 and was furiously pounding at his key board. He was entering data in an Excel spreadsheet while Yolanda Joseph, his real estate broker, was standing over his shoulder verifying the figures. When the calculations were done, Hodgetts just kept staring at the numbers. He was waiting perhaps for inspiration to strike, or even for a heavenly voice to tell him what to do. “Calculating the revenues and costs are easy” he thought to himself “but making a decision as to what to do next, well that is another matter entirely.”
Epigenetic markers in basal cell carcinoma: universal themes in oncogenesis and tumor stratification? - a short report.

Background Advanced basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) suffer from a scarcity of effective treatment options. Previously, we found that the targetable histone methyltransferase EZH2 was upregulated in aggressive BCC subtypes, suggesting that epigenetics may play a role in BCC progression. The purpose of this study was to determine whether EZH2-associated proteins and marks may be employed for the stratification of BCC histologic subtypes.
Toward Inclusive Mobility: Ridesharing Mitigates Geographical Disparity in Transportation

Despite the popularity of ridesharing, there is limited empirical evidence on how ridesharing activities differ across regions with different levels of accessibility and the implication for consumers. In this paper, we study the market for rides across New York City neighborhoods. We construct a novel data set that contains massive API queries on route-specific estimates of pricing, wait time, and travel time of Uber, Lyft, and the public transit. After linking this data with actual trip records of taxis, Uber, and Lyft, we document a strong pattern that ridesharing has a larger market share relative to taxis in neighborhoods with lower accessibility, defined either in terms of geographic distance to Midtown Manhattan or "economic distance" to job opportunities. Next, we estimate a discrete-choice model of demand for rides and interpret the geography of ridesharing through the lens of the model. We find that consumer surplus from ridesharing varies drastically across geography: passengers that are 5 to 15 miles (resp. more than 15 miles) from Midtown experience a 60% (resp. 19%) larger consumer surplus relative to passengers that are within 5 miles from Midtown. Additionally, over half of these gains comes from reduced wait time. We discuss the implications of the distributional results for policy makers.
Gender, the workplace and the limits of the law: a reply to Cramer and Cote Hampson

This reply discusses two articles that explore the limits of legal initiatives that attempt to rectify gender imbalances. The two articles tackle different issue areas (birthing and parenta...
Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for Pulmonary Fibrosis

With the combination of ideologic beliefs and the will to survive, fraught patients and determined clinicians seek alternative therapies for treatment of terminal conditions, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Unfortunately, the need for treatment has supported the growth of unapproved stem cell therapy over the years spanning across many countries. The reality, however, is that the science behind this therapy is lagging. While there have been promising results from phase I trials, there remain multiple reasons that "stem cells" are not ready for clinical application, starting from a gap in understanding at the bench research level, all the way to optimal clinical application in order to provide effective therapy.
26 – Electric Power Transmission

Modern electric power system consists of complex interconnected network of components. This chapter covers the components that make up the modern power system. These include generators, transformers, and transmission line. It also focuses on the transmission of electric power, how to optimize its power transfer capability, the phenomena of over-voltages and the insulation requirement of transmission lines.
Abstract P2036: Effects of Angiotensin II Type 1 A Receptor (AT1aR) on Renal and Urinary Biomarkers of Acute Kidney Injury in Two Kidney One Clip (2K1C) Model of Renovascular Hypertension

Renin angiotensin system (RAS) plays a key role in the pathogenesis and progression of hypertension and renal injury. Angiotensin-II (Ang-II) type 1 receptor (AT1R) mediates the actions of Ang II t...
[Genotypic and Phenotypic Analysis of αβ-Thalassemia in Children].

Objective To analyze the genotype and hematological characteristics of children with αβ-thalassemia in Shenzhen area of China. Methods The erythrocyte parameters and hemoglobin components of the children were determined by blood routine examination and capillary electrophoresis (CE). Reverse dot blot (RDB) -polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to determine gene mutations in α- and β-thalassemia children. The Gap-PCR was used to determine the gene deletion of α-thalassemia children，while specimens suspected HKαα were determined with nested PCR. Results Total of 29 complex genotypes were detected from 74 cases of αβ-thalassemia, among which 1 case was determined as β-thalassemia with αααanti4.2/αα and 5 cases were double heterozygous β-thalassemia combining α-thalassemia with intermediate phenotype. 1 case of β-28/βcap+40-43 double heterozygotes combined with --SEA/αα and the other 62 cases were characterized by light β-thalassemia, 2 cases ofβCAP+40-43/βN with --SEA/αα showed light α-thalassemia. Conclusion The genotypes of αβ-thalassemia in Shenzhen area of China are complex and diverse. The common complex genotypes are similar to those of simple β-thalassemia. If the genotype and phenotype are not consistent, the existence of rare genotype should be considered.
'Just Drive': An Employee-Based Intervention to Reduce Distracted Driving.

Distracted driving is a major danger on today’s roadways. Employers play a critical role in developing distracted driving policies and promoting a culture of workplace driving safety. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an in-person work-based class to reduce distracted driving in participating employees. The “Just Drive—Take Action Against Distraction” class was designed by the UC San Diego Training, Research and Education for Driving Safety (TREDS) program to increase awareness of the dangers of distracted driving and to encourage employees to be safe and responsible drivers, both on and off the job. Participants completed pre- and post-anonymous surveys and, in a subset of attendees, volunteers were contacted via email 3 months post-intervention to complete a driving-behavior survey on Surveymonkey.com. 115 classes for 6896 employees were delivered at 54 agencies in Southern California. A total of 4928 participants completed the pre- and post-survey; 2014 n = 2263 and 2015 n = 2665. The course was found useful (85%) and engaging (85.6%). For non-commercial drivers, 55.6% of participants reported an increase of 80–100% in awareness of the dangers of distracted driving, and 67.2% reported an increase of 80–100% in their motivation to change. For commercial drivers, 71.3% reported a motivation increase of 80–100%. There were significant increases in knowledge for both groups. In the three-month follow-up survey, participants identified multiple positive changes in distracted driving behavior. This 1-h employer-supported intervention demonstrated positive changes in short-term intention and medium-term behaviors.
Assessing Law Students

As assessments take a larger role in both live and online courses per ABA regulations and best practices, this article advances the understanding of law students’ perspectives regarding assessment, offering empirical data on their assessment preferences in an online doctrinal course. The data used for this article consists of the mid-semester anonymous course evaluations of approximately 300 total students. The results provide new insight into law students’ assessment preferences and perspectives, which can be used to build assessments maximizing their learning.
Preventing HIV Infection in Adolescents

The chapter provides an overview of risk factors associated with contracting HIV/AIDS and prevalence data. Research-based approaches to assessing risk factors and preventing HIV are discussed, including components of HIV prevention that are supported by extant research. The chapter concludes with a discussion of gaps in the research.
Clinical magnetic resonance imaging of arthroplasty at 1.5 T.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has historically been avoided for the routine clinical evaluation of metal implants at many clinical centers due to the presence of artifact that creates in-plane and through-plane distortions and signal intensity voids in generated images. However, when the image acquisition parameters are appropriately modified and advanced multi-spectral pulse sequences are used, high-quality diagnostic images can be generated and may be used for diagnosing patients with suspected periprosthetic pathology. MRI provides superior soft-tissue contrast and excellent sensitivity for mobile water and is, therefore, a valuable tool in the evaluation of these patients, given the increasing prevalence of arthroplasty within the general population. Knowledge of expected normal postoperative appearance in patients with total hip arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty, and total shoulder arthroplasty facilitates the detection of abnormal findings in this population, as does familiarity with common pathologic conditions encountered in the periprosthetic region. This review article will provide background information regarding the presence of image artifacts, methods to reduce the artifacts, and application of MRI at 1.5 T for evaluating common complications in subjects with total knee arthroplasty, total hip arthroplasty, and total shoulder arthroplasty.
A Pilot Study Examining the Effects of GLP-1 Receptor Blockade Using Exendin-(9,39) on Gastric Emptying and Caloric Intake in Subjects With and Without Bariatric Surgery.

Background: Obesity causes significant morbidity and mortality and continues to be a significant public health concern. Unfortunately, lifestyle modification and pharmacotherapy do not produce dura...
QPOs in compact binaries from small-scale eruptions in an inner magnetized disc

Dwarf novae (DNe) and low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) are compact binaries showing variability on time scales from years to less than seconds. Here, we focus on explaining part of the rapid fluctuations in DNe, following the framework of recent studies on the monthly eruptions of DNe that use a hybrid disk composed of an outer standard disk and an inner magnetized disk. We show that the ionization instability, that is responsible for the monthly eruptions of DNe, is also able to operate in the inner magnetized disk. Given the low density and the fast accretion time scale of the inner magnetized disk, the ionization instability generates small, rapid heating and cooling fronts propagating back and forth in the inner disk. This leads to quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) with a period of the order of $1000$ s. A strong prediction of our model is that these QPOs can only develop in quiescence or at the beginning/end of an outburst. We propose that these rapid fluctuations might explain a subclass of already observed QPOs in DNe as well as a, still to observe, subclass of QPOs in LMXBs. We also extrapolate to the possibility that the radiation pressure instability might be related to Type B QPOs in LMXBs.
Photoelectric Heating and [C II] Cooling of High Galactic Latitude Translucent Clouds*

The (2P3/2 → 2P1/2) transition of singly ionized carbon, [C II], is the primary coolant of diffuse interstellar gas. We describe observations of [C II] emission toward nine high Galactic latitude translucent molecular clouds, made with the long-wavelength spectrometer on board the Infrared Space Observatory. To understand the role of dust grains in processing the interstellar radiation field (ISRF) and heating the gas, we compare the [C II] integrated intensity with the far-infrared (far-IR) integrated surface brightness for the 101 sampled lines of sight. We find that [C II] is linearly correlated with far-IR, and the average ratio is equal to that measured with the COBE satellite for all high-latitude Milky Way gas. There is a significant decrease that was not detected with COBE in [C II] emissivity at high values of far-IR. Our sample splits naturally into two populations depending on the 60 μm/100 μm surface brightness ratio, or color: "warm" positions with 60/100 > 0.16 and "cold" positions with 60/100 < 0.16. A transition from sources with warm to those with cold 60/100 colors coincides approximately with the transition from constant to decreasing [C II] emissivity. We model the [C II] and far-IR emission under conditions of thermal equilibrium, using the simplifying assumptions that, in all regions heated by the ISRF, the most important source of gas heating is the photoelectric effect on grains and the most important source of gas cooling is [C II] emission. The model matches the data well, provided the ISRF incident flux is χ0 ≈ 1.6 (in units of the nominal value near the Sun), and the photoelectric heating efficiency is ≈ 4.3%. There are no statistically significant differences in the derived values of χ0 and for warm and cold sources. The observed variations in the [C II] emissivity and the 60/100 colors can be understood entirely in terms of the attenuation and softening of the ISRF by translucent clouds, not changes in dust properties.
Negative impact of high doses of follicle-stimulating hormone during superovulation on the ovulatory follicle function in small ovarian reserve dairy heifers†.

When women with small ovarian reserves are subjected to assisted reproductive technologies, high doses of gonadotropins are linked to high oocyte and embryo wastage and low live birth rates. We hypothesized that excessive follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) doses during superovulation are detrimental to ovulatory follicle function in individuals with a small ovarian reserve. To test this hypothesis, heifers with small ovarian reserves were injected twice daily for 4 days, beginning on Day 1 of the estrous cycle with 35, 70, 140, or 210 IU doses of Folltropin-V (FSH). Each heifer (n = 8) was superovulated using a Williams Latin Square Design. During each superovulation regimen, three prostaglandin F2α injections were given at 12-h interval, starting at the seventh FSH injection to regress the newly formed corpus luteum (CL). Human chorionic gonadotropin was injected 12 h after the last (8th) FSH injection to induce ovulation. Daily ultrasonography and blood sampling were used to determine the number and size of follicles and corpora lutea, uterine thickness, and circulating concentrations of estradiol, progesterone, and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH). The highest doses of FSH did not increase AMH, progesterone, number of ovulatory-size follicles, uterine thickness, or number of CL. However, estradiol production and ovulation rate were lower for heifers given high FSH doses compared to lower doses, indicating detrimental effects on ovulatory follicle function.Summary sentenceHigh doses of Folltropin-V in cattle with a low antral follicle count and small ovarian reserve are detrimental to ovulatory follicle function.
Urinary Tract Infections after Minimally Invasive Hysterectomy

Study Objective To determine rates and risk factors for urinary tract infection (UTI) following minimally-invasive hysterectomy (MIH). Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Academic health system. Patients or Participants Women undergoing MIH between March 2017 and December 2019. Interventions Vaginal hysterectomy (VH), laparoscopic hysterectomy (LH), robotic hysterectomy (RH) Measurements and Main Results Of 1,526 women included in the study, 13% underwent VH, 30% LH, and 57% RH. Concomitant procedures included gynecologic oncological (20%) and pelvic reconstruction (16%). Post-operative UTI, defined as UTI symptoms treated within 30 days, developed in 9.6% of women. Women with pelvic reconstructive procedures had a UTI rate of 23.3% vs 7.03% without (p Women who developed UTIs were older (56.3±12.9 vs 53.6±12.7, p=0.0153), more likely to have chronic UTI (14% vs 3%, p After logistic regression and excluding pelvic reconstructive cases, variables remaining independently associated with increased post-operative UTI risk included: chronic UTI (aOR 5.18; 95% CI, 2.14-12.57), neurologic disease (aOR 1.75; 95% CI, 1.05-2.92), VH (aOR 2.69; 95% CI, 1.31-5.53), adhesiolysis (aOR 3.18; 95% CI, 1.45-7.01), narcotics within 8-hours of catheter removal (aOR 1.69; 95% CI, 1.00-2.83), and ileus (aOR 15.61; 95% CI, 1.36-179.47). Conclusion Risk factors for UTI after MIH include pelvic reconstructive procedures and VH.
GNSS Patch Antenna Design Parameter Optimization using FEKO, Design of Experiments & P-Transform Technique

The next generation of Automotive Radios, Navigation Systems, Connectivity, Connected Services, Positioning Services, Cloud Services, CV-X cellular network technologies, HD maps in autonomous domain needs and require an optimized and robust future GNSS (GPS and GLONASS) patch antenna solution to operate effectively and deliver services, features, functionality and that allows the V model process (Verification and Validation) of the above outlined items software stack at the engineering development component and vehicle level and as well as in the production intent vehicles out in the field.Conducted literature review and published paper studied however, observed that there is a problem related to the Center Frequency of 1.555 [GHz] GNSS antenna which has not been investigated. The proposed work involved a modeling of New GNSS (GPS and GLONASS) rectangular patch antenna. The design focus will be on the operating frequency range of 1.500 [GHz] to 1.610 [GHz] and FEKO 3D Electromagnetic simulation software package from Altair [4] will be used, Design of Experiments (DoE) [5], and as well as applying an optimization P-Transform algorithm [6] on the presented dual band GNSS (GPS and GLONASS) patch antenna passive gain. To be more direct, the GNSS microstrip patch antenna is designed to resonate and operate at 1.555 [GHz] frequency. The demonstrated GNSS patch antenna was designed to capture both the GPS and GLONASS signals and data targeting automotive and non-automotive industries as its intended application.Furthermore, the ground plane length, ground plane width and the substrate material dielectric constant design parameters were varied at each FEKO simulation run, in order to obtain the simulation of GNSS patch antenna passive gain output results for the purpose of the optimization study using P-Transform technique within the MATLAB environment. The presented GNSS patch antenna 2D far field and/or average passive gain measurement of GPS and GLONASS at carrier frequency of 1.555 [GHz] was plotted and analyzed. The computation and analysis involved taking the delta between elevation angle 30 and 90 degrees from the average passive gain graph and this step was conducted for 120 FEKO simulation iteration runs. In other words, for each FEKO simulation run the Far field (objective function) was computed separately unique for that specific design parameters and recorded in a lookup matrix. This four columns lookup matrix was called out for the purposes of the P-Transform algorithm utilization and execution within the MATLAB environment.To be more precise, the FEKO simulation studies were undertaken to determine the GNSS (GPS and GLONASS) patch antenna average passive gain, in turn we call it the Objection Function in which the P-Transform optimization process will be applied. Moreover, Design of Experiments (DoE) was applied on the presented GNSS patch antenna, in order to reduce the number of required simulation test runs and therefore improve the proposed antenna design cycle.
Torture in the Time of COVID-19

The core question of this paper is “How, to this point, has the pandemic affected torture and ill-treatment?”. By “affected” we mean: modality, victim and perpetrator type, and prevalence. We begin with a brief outline of how and why certain behaviors and practices seen during the pandemic qualify as torture and/or ill-treatment. One can think of the framework of legal norms relating to torture as one type of antecedent to the critical juncture that is the pandemic. We then use an original six-path framework to explore torture-related occurrences around the world during the pandemic and, at the end of each section, derive testable hypotheses. Once enough time has passed for observational data to become available, these hypotheses can help serve as a guide for scholars systematically studying the torture-related dynamics of the pandemic. In our conclusion, we offer some thoughts on the anticipated legacy of the crisis: what pandemic-era dynamics might or might not be expected to persist once COVID-19 is brought under control.
Ewald sum corrections in simulations of ion and dipole solvation and electron transfer.

Periodic boundary conditions and Ewald sums used in standard simulation protocols require finite-size corrections when the total charge of the simulated system is nonzero. Corrections for ion solvation were introduced by Hummer, Pratt, and Garcia, [J. Chem. Phys. 107, 9275 (1997)]. The latter approach is extended here to derive finite-size correction for the Stokes-shift and reorganization energy applied to electron-transfer reactions. The same correction term, scaling inversely with the box size, adds to the reorganization energy from the energy-gap variance but is subtracted from the reorganization energy calculated from the Stokes shift. Finite-size corrections thus widen the gap between these two quantities, which were recently found to diverge for protein electron transfer. Corrections to the free energy of dipole solvation and the variance of the electric field scale as m2/L3 with the solute dipole m and the box size L.
Artificial Intelligence-Enabled De Novo Design of Novel Compounds that Are Synthesizable.

Development of computer-aided de novo design methods to discover novel compounds in a speedy manner to treat human diseases has been of interest to drug discovery scientists for the past three decades. In the beginning, the efforts were mostly concentrated to generate molecules that fit the active site of the target protein by sequential building of a molecule atom-by-atom and/or group-by-group while exploring all possible conformations to optimize binding interactions with the target protein. In recent years, deep learning approaches are applied to generate molecules that are iteratively optimized against a binding hypothesis (to optimize potency) and predictive models of drug-likeness (to optimize properties). Synthesizability of molecules generated by these de novo methods remains a challenge. This review will focus on the recent development of synthetic planning methods that are suitable for enhancing synthesizability of molecules designed by de novo methods.
Reactive Species from Cold Atmospheric Plasma: Implications for Cancer Therapy

Cold atmospheric plasmas (CAP) formed in air generate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). RONS are biologically and therapeutically active agents and experimental evidence suggests that air plasmas shrink tumors by increasing oxidative and nitrosative stress on neoplastic tissue. Most mainline anti-cancer therapies – including ionizing radiation and chemotherapies – also operate primarily via this pro-oxidant, oxidative, and nitrosative stress mechanism. The main disadvantage of these conventional therapies is the development of treatment-resistant cells. A key question for plasma cancer therapies is therefore whether or not cold plasma will lead to similar oxidative stress resistance. However, there are hints that combining nitrosative stress with oxidative stress via air plasma might avoid this problem. Plasma-based cancer treatment may be a powerful and practical anti-cancer agent, acting either alone or in combination with other therapies.
UNILATERAL RENAL AGENESIS IN TWO SIBLINGS Case Report

The occurrence of unilateral renal agenesis in two siblings is reported. This anomaly is often silent, and its clinical recognition most frequently results from an incidental examination during the course of an illness, as in Case 2. The importance of recognizing the presence of one kidney before operating upon it is obvious: there are records of fatalities resulting from operations unwittingly performed on the solitary kidney. There is no proof that patients having a solitary kidney have a shorter life expectancy than average. The etiology of renal agenesis is suggested. In many instances there are anomalies of other parts of the body. In a few cases it is recognized that genetic factors are responsible.