cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estrogen Effects on Cognitive and Synaptic Health Over the Lifecourse

Estrogen facilitates higher cognitive functions by exerting effects on brain regions such as the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Estrogen induces spinogenesis and synaptogenesis in these two brain regions and also initiates a complex set of signal transduction pathways via estrogen receptors (ERs). Along with the classical genomic effects mediated by activation of ER α and ER β, there are membrane-bound ER α, ER β, and G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1) that can mediate rapid nongenomic effects. All key ERs present throughout the body are also present in synapses of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. This review summarizes estrogen actions in the brain from the standpoint of their effects on synapse structure and function, noting also the synergistic role of progesterone. We first begin with a review of ER subtypes in the brain and how their abundance and distributions are altered with aging and estrogen loss (e.g., ovariectomy or menopause) in the rodent, monkey, and human brain. As there is much evidence that estrogen loss induced by menopause can exacerbate the effects of aging on cognitive functions, we then review the clinical trials of hormone replacement therapies and their effectiveness on cognitive symptoms experienced by women. Finally, we summarize studies carried out in nonhuman primate models of age- and menopause-related cognitive decline that are highly relevant for developing effective interventions for menopausal women. Together, we highlight a new understanding of how estrogen affects higher cognitive functions and synaptic health that go well beyond its effects on reproduction.
Data Release and Access

This chapter describes the history of public data release in the genome sciences, beginning with the Bermuda Principles and the Human Genome Project through current "big data" genomics research projects.
Electroporation as an Alternative to Microinjection of Plasmid Dna into Bollworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Embryos

Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) is an economically important pest of tomato, cotton, and corn crops. We describe the successful electroporation of 2 β-glucuronidase reporter gene constructs (pKrG and pBacPAK8-GUS) into H. zea embryos. Fifty percent of the electroporated embryos hatched and of these 75% survived to adulthood. More importantly, we showed that plasmid DNA was delivered to the nucleus of transfected cells. The development of a gene delivery mechanism for H. zea will allow the powerful techniques of molecular genetics to be used in the study of this organism. Hopefully, this will result in the development of novel molecular biology based control regimens for this agriculturally important pest.
Energetics and nucleation of point defects in aluminum under extreme tensile hydrostatic stresses

Density functional theory calculations are employed to investigate the energetics of point defects---monovacancy, self-interstitials (tetrahedral, octahedral, and dumbbell), and Frenkel pairs---in aluminum under tensile hydrostatic stresses. Our study suggests that the defect core energy of a vacancy, which is governed solely by the electronic structure at the core, significantly depends on the macroscopic hydrostatic stress, and that this constitutes an important contribution to the formation enthalpy, especially in the regime of extreme tensile hydrostatic stresses. This finding is in contrast to widely used elastic formulations of point defects based on formation volume that ignore the defect core-energy contribution. The formation enthalpies of all point defects considered in the present study monotonically decrease with increasing tensile hydrostatic stress. Furthermore, we find that the formation enthalpies of vacancies and Frenkel pairs are negative beyond critical tensile hydrostatic stresses (9 GPa for vacancies and 12 GPa for Frenkel pairs), which suggests a spontaneous nucleation of these point defects and this has important implications to nucleation mechanisms leading to spall failure. In particular, the present findings suggest two possible defect nucleation mechanisms leading to spall failure: (i) a heterogeneous nucleation of vacancies from defect sources and (ii) a homogeneous nucleation of Frenkel pairs at higher hydrostatic stresses.
Long-term residual behavior of FRP retrofitted RC columns after damaged by simulated earthquake loading

This paper addressed residual seismic behavior of reinforced concrete(RC) columns retrofitted with fiber-reinforced plastic(FRP).Eight model columns were tested under cyclic lateral force with a constant load equal to 20% of the column gross axial load capacity.Five of them were continued to be tested under long-term axial loading.The deformation of retrofitted columns under long-term axial loading depended on the previous damage intensity and the modulus of FRP.Under the testing condition of this study,the long-term axial deformation of retrofitted column tends to be stable.Analytical studies were carried out by using the age-adjusted effective modulus method for creep of concrete,combined with the Findley′s power law function for creep of FRP jacket.The model took the following factors into consideration,namely the effects of damaged degree of earthquake,sealed concrete,multi-axial state of stresses and stress re-distribution.The model was verified against the long-term test in this paper.The analytical results show that degree of damage has important effect on creep and creep rupture life expectancy.
Treatment of Subacute and Chronic Thrombotic Occlusions of the Lower Extremity Peripheral Arteries: The Role of Excimer Laser

Subacute and chronic thrombi are frequently present in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease and their presence is quite often underestimated with angiography. These thrombotic lesions are likely to increase the rate of intraprocedural complications including distal embolization, reocclusion after revascularization, and higher contrast use and radiation exposure. Treatment of these lesions is challenging and quite often requires the use of pharmaco-mechanical methods. Laser atherectomy with adjunctive balloon angioplasty is an effective technique in treating organized thrombotic lesions with high procedural success as a stand-alone therapy, or to facilitate wire crossing or as an adjunct to catheter directed lysis. Excimer laser leads to non-thermal ablation of the plaque and thrombus, suppresses platelet aggregation and enhances chemical lysis. Distal embolization remains a challenge in treating these thrombotic lesions but can be effectively prevented with the use of distal embolic filter protection in conjunction with laser therapy. It is speculated that thrombus ablation prior to a more definitive treatment of these subacute and thrombotic lesions will lead to a higher acute procedural success and improved long-term outcome, a hypothesis that needs to be tested in the future.
Mechanisms of Progesterone Receptor Inhibition of Inflammatory Responses in Cellular Models of Breast Cancer

Both pro- and antimitogenic activities have been ascribed to progesterone receptor (PR) agonists and antagonists in breast cancer cells; however, the transcriptional responses that underlie these paradoxical functions are not apparent. Using nontransformed, normal human mammary epithelial cells engineered to express PR and standard microarray technology, we defined 2370 genes that were significantly regulated by the PR agonist R5020. Gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed that GO terms involved in inflammation and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling were among the most significantly regulated. Interestingly, on those NF-κB responsive genes that were inhibited by agonist-activated PR, antagonists either 1) mimicked the actions of agonists or 2) reversed the inhibitory actions of agonists. This difference in pharmacological response could be attributed to the fact that although agonist- and antagonist-activated PR is recruited to NF-κB-responsive promoters, the physical presence of PR tethered to the promoter of some genes is sufficient for transcriptional inhibition, whereas on others, an agonist-activated PR conformation is required for inhibition of NF-κB signaling. Importantly, the actions of PR on the latter class of genes were reversed by an activation function-2-inhibiting, LXXLL-containing peptide. Consideration of the relative activities of these distinct antiinflammatory pathways in breast cancer may be instructive with respect to the likely therapeutic activity of PR agonists or antagonists in the treatment of breast cancer.
A review of recent developments in graphene-enabled membranes for water treatment

Graphene based materials, including graphene and derivatives such as graphene oxide, have considerable potential as key components in next-generation membrane technologies. Their tunable size, surface chemistry, and structure can be engineered for a spectrum of aqueous filtration purposes ranging from ultrafiltration to reverse osmosis. Among a number of recently developed advanced graphene-enabled membranes, monolayer nanoporous graphene membranes, graphene oxide membranes, and polymeric membranes incorporated with graphene oxide (graphene oxide as nanoscale, material fillers), are currently considered to be the most promising. In this review, the most recent advancements in the development of these three types of membranes are described and discussed, followed by opportunities and challenges presented for graphene-enabled separation technologies. Finally, we conclude the article by providing our perspectives on commercialization potentials based on current technological readiness and cost levels for these graphene-based membranes.
Differential vascular reactivity responses acutely following ingestion of a nitrate rich red spinach extract

Inorganic nitrate ingestion has been posited to affect arterial blood pressure and vascular function. We sought to determine the acute effect of a red spinach extract (RSE) high in inorganic nitrate on vascular reactivity 1-h after ingestion in peripheral conduit and resistance arteries. Fifteen (n = 15; males 8, females 7) apparently healthy subjects (aged 23.1 ± 3.3 years; BMI 27.2 ± 3.7 kg/m2) participated in this crossover design, double-blinded study. Subjects reported to the lab ≥2-h post-prandial and consumed RSE (1000 mg dose; ~90 mg nitrate) or placebo (PBO). Venipuncture was performed on three occasions: baseline, 30-min post-ingestion and between 65 to 75-min post-ingestion. Baseline vascular measurements [i.e., calf venous occlusion plethysmography, brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD)], 30-min of continuous blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) analysis, and follow-up vascular measurements beginning at 40-min post-ingestion were also performed. Humoral nitrate following RSE ingestion was significantly higher at 30- (+54 %; P = 0.039) and 65 to 75-min post-ingestion compared to baseline (+255 %, P 0.05), though RH was decreased following the baseline measure in both conditions. RSE significantly increased plasma nitrate 30-min post-ingestion, but acute microvascular (i.e., resistance vasculature) reactivity increases were isolated to the lower limb and no appreciable change in brachial artery FMD was observed.
Stochastic simulation methods for biochemical models with multi-state species

Gillespie's stochastic simulation algorithm (SSA) has been a conventional method for stochastic modeling and simulation of biochemical systems. However, as a population-based algorithm it faces the challenge of combinatorial complexity in many biochemical models where species may present with multiple states. To solve this problem, the rules-based modeling was proposed by Hlavacek's group and the particle-based Network-Free Algorithm (NFA) was used for its simulation. In this paper, we first improve the NFA to efficiently integrate the population-based and particle-based features. Then we propose a population-based SSA scheme for the stochastic simulation of rule-based models. Complexity analysis is presented for the proposed methods. Numerical experiments on two rule-based models demonstrate the power of the proposed methods.
On the decomposition of global conformal invariants, I

This is the first of two papers where we address and partially confirm a conjecture of Deser and Schwimmer, originally postulated in high energy physics. The objects of study are scalar Riemannian quantities constructed out of the curvature and its covariant derivatives, whose integrals over compact manifolds are invariant under conformal changes of the underlying metric. Our main conclusion is that each such quantity that locally depends only on the curvature tensor (without covariant derivatives) can be written as a linear combination of the Chern-Gauss-Bonnet integrand and a scalar conformal invariant.
Single-Cell Mechanical Characteristics Analyzed by Multiconstriction Microfluidic Channels

A microfluidic device composed of variable numbers of multiconstriction channels is reported in this paper to differentiate a human breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, and a nontumorigenic human breast cell line, MCF-10A. Differences between their mechanical properties were assessed by comparing the effect of single or multiple relaxations on their velocity profiles which is a novel measure of their deformation ability. Videos of the cells were recorded via a microscope using a smartphone, and imported to a tracking software to gain the position information on the cells. Our results indicated that a multiconstriction channel design with five deformation (50 μm in length, 10 μm in width, and 8 μm in height) separated by four relaxation (50 μm in length, 40 μm in width, and 30 μm in height) regions was superior to a single deformation design in differentiating MDA-MB-231 and MCF-10A cells. Velocity profile criteria can achieve a differentiation accuracy around 95% for both MDA-MB-231 and MCF-10A cells.
Lutein Protects the Retinal Pigment Epithelium Against Hypoxic and Oxidative Stress: In Vitro Studies

BackgroundOxidative stress-induced damage to the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) occurs as part of the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and neovascular retinopathies (e.g., r...
Social Equity in the Smart Grid

Power grids are under pressure to meet the growing demand for electricity within a stable and sustainable distribution system. These challenges drive the evolution of smart grids. The smart grid involves various forms of technology, specifically advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). Deployment of AMI technologies, by utility companies, is rolling out all over the United States of America (U.S.). However customers have not been using the technologies to its full potential. Engaging communities, particularly lower income communities, to take full advantage of AMI technologies is an important first step in building social equity through the smart grid. Increasing resiliency of the grid infrastructure in these communities provides opportunities for strategic rebuilding, eective carbon drawdown, and opportunities for jobs creation.
A Socialist Theory of Privacy in the Internet Age: An Interdisciplinary Analysis

In this essay, I examine the philosophical, political, and economic aspects of privacy in the Internet Age and argue that a socialist theory of privacy is the most suited for the contemporary privacy issues of the Internet. In section 2, I examine classic theories of privacy and argue that a Restricted Access/Limited Control theory offers the best framework and should be refined as a socialist theory of privacy. In section 3, I assess this theory in the context of the Internet Age, using Internet cookies and data mining as primary examples. In section 4, I describe the economic goals of a socialist theory of privacy and contrast them to liberal privacy notions. In Section 5, I review current and proposed privacy policies in the United States and give recommendations on revising them to support a socialist theory of privacy. In Section 6, I conclude that a socialist theory of privacy defines moral and economic goals that align with what is best for society as a whole and that, although our current policies are not working towards these goals, there is a glimmer of hope with the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights.
Direct transatrial implantation of balloon-expandable valve for mitral stenosis with severe annular calcifications: Early experience and lessons learned

Objectives Patients with symptomatic severe mitral annular calcification present a therapeutic challenge. Direct transatrial implantation of SAPIEN valve has emerged as an alternative to surgical mitral valve (MV) replacement for high-risk surgical candidates. Methods This series includes 6 consecutive patients with symptomatic severe mitral annular calcification deemed to be at high risk for standard surgery. All patients underwent direct transatrial implantation of balloon-expandable SAPIEN valve in the mitral position. Results Mean age was 81 years [3 (50%) female], with an average Society of Thoracic Surgeons score of 10.3%. All patients had at least New York Heart Association Class III symptoms. Procedure was performed using normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. The MV was approached through a standard left atriotomy in 4 patients and via a vertical trans-septal approach in the remaining 2 patients. Resection of the anterior leaflet of the MV was performed in 4 patients. The valve was successfully deployed in all patients. The diastolic mean gradient across the MV decreased from an average of 14 ± 3 to 5 ± 1 mmHg post deployment. There was no left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. MV periprosthetic regurgitation was severe in 3 patients and moderate to severe in 1 patient. In-hospital mortality occurred in 3 (50%) patients due to a non-cardiac cause in 1 patient and cardiogenic shock in the other 2 patients. Conclusions Early experience with direct transatrial balloon-expandable implantation for severe mitral annular calcification revealed feasibility of this approach but significant morbidity and mortality primarily related to periprosthetic regurgitation that requires further refinement of the technique.
Abstract 19178: Temporal Trends in Age at First-Ever Ischemic Stroke

Introduction: While stroke incidence has declined overall, increases in incidence in those <55 years have been observed. This trend may translate into a lower average age at stroke onset and more y...
Lessons learned in induced fit docking and metadynamics in the Drug Design Data Resource Grand Challenge 2.

Two of the major ongoing challenges in computational drug discovery are predicting the binding pose and affinity of a compound to a protein. The Drug Design Data Resource Grand Challenge 2 was developed to address these problems and to drive development of new methods. The challenge provided the 2D structures of compounds for which the organizers help blinded data in the form of 35 X-ray crystal structures and 102 binding affinity measurements and challenged participants to predict the binding pose and affinity of the compounds. We tested a number of pose prediction methods as part of the challenge; we found that docking methods that incorporate protein flexibility (Induced Fit Docking) outperformed methods that treated the protein as rigid. We also found that using binding pose metadynamics, a molecular dynamics based method, to score docked poses provided the best predictions of our methods with an average RMSD of 2.01 A. We tested both structure-based (e.g. docking) and ligand-based methods (e.g. QSAR) in the affinity prediction portion of the competition. We found that our structure-based methods based on docking with Smina (Spearman ρ = 0.614), performed slightly better than our ligand-based methods (ρ = 0.543), and had equivalent performance with the other top methods in the competition. Despite the overall good performance of our methods in comparison to other participants in the challenge, there exists significant room for improvement especially in cases such as these where protein flexibility plays such a large role.
Estimating Intermittent Individual Spawning Behavior via Disaggregating Group Data

In order to understand fish biology and reproduction, it is important to know the fecundity patterns of individual fish, as frequently established by recording the output of mixed-sex groups of fish in a laboratory setting. However, for understanding individual reproductive health and modeling purposes it is important to estimate individual fecundity from group fecundity. We created a multistage method that disaggregates group-level data into estimates for individual-level clutch size and spawning interval distributions. The first stage of the method develops estimates of the daily spawning probability of fish. Daily spawning probabilities are then used to calculate the log likelihood of candidate distributions of clutch size. Selecting the best candidate distribution for clutch size allows for a Monte Carlo resampling of annotations of the original data which state how many fish spawned on which day. We verify this disaggregation technique by combining data from fathead minnow pairs, and checking that the disaggregation method reproduced the original clutch sizes and spawning intervals. This method will allow scientists to estimate individual clutch size and spawning interval distributions from group spawning data without specialized or elaborate experimental designs.
Breaking the Logjam: Proposals for Moving Beyond the Equals Approach

Over the last decade, the structure and performance of Canadian financial institutions has undergone a profound transformation. Propelled by both regulatory changes and market innovations, Canadian financial institutions have found their historically protected markets opened to intense competition from a variety of different sources. The most significant regulatory change has been the piecemeal dismantling of the pillars that have traditionally separated the core activities of banks, insurance companies, loan and trust companies, and securities dealers from encroachment by one another. With lower entry barriers, institutions have scrambled to penetrate each other's markets. This entry has spurred a narrowing of differences in the structure and conduct of Canadian financial institutions. Another regulatory change that has spurred increased competition is the reduction, (or, in the case of American owned Schedule II banks, outright elimination) of the constraints that have traditionally limited the operations of foreign financial institutions in Canada. Not surprisingly, the reduction of these restrictions has spawned the growth of a highly dynamic foreign financial industry in Canada.
Models for predicting the evolution of influenza to inform vaccine strain selection

Influenza vaccine composition is reviewed before every flu season because influenza viruses constantly evolve through antigenic changes. To inform vaccine updates, laboratories that contribute to the World Health Organization Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System monitor the antigenic phenotypes of circulating viruses all year round. Vaccine strains are selected in anticipation of the upcoming influenza season to allow adequate time for production. A mismatch between vaccine strains and predominant strains in the flu season can significantly reduce vaccine effectiveness. Models for predicting the evolution of influenza based on the relationship of genetic mutations and antigenic characteristics of circulating viruses may inform vaccine strain selection decisions. We review the literature on state-of-the-art tools and prediction methodologies utilized in modeling the evolution of influenza to inform vaccine strain selection. We then discuss areas that are open for improvement and need further research.
On the Mysterious 1831 Cherokee Manuscript or Jisdu Fixes John Locke’s Two Treatises of Civil Government

This article imagines that the Cherokee Rabbit Trickster, Jisdu, got his hands on the orginal manuscript of John Locke's Two Treatises on Civil Government. What is presented here is Jisdu's rewritting and reimaging from with a Cherokee context the ideas of Locke's foundational work on popular sovereignty and private property.
Statistical Mechanics of Safety Factors and Size Effect in Quasibrittle Fracture

Throughout most of the 20th century, it was widely believed that the size effect on structural strength has a purely statistical origin, explained by extreme value statistics based on the weakest link model, and described by Weibull statistical theory of random strength. However, beginning with the first suggestions made already in the early 1970s, it gradually transpired that, in quasibrittle materials (i.e. heterogeneous brittle materials with a non-negligible fracture process zone), the mean size effect is essentially deterministic, stemming from energy release caused by stress redistribution in a structure prior to maximum load. The quasibrittle energetic scaling bridges three simple asymptotic power-law scalingsthose of linear elastic fracture mechanics, plasticity, and Weibull theory. Renormalization group transformation does not suffice to handle the transitional nature of this quasibrittle size effect, often spanning several orders of magnitude of size. As is now widely accepted, quasibrittle materials including concrete, rock, tough ceramics, sea ice, snow slabs and composites exhibit major size effects on the mean structural strength that are largely or totally deterministic in nature, being caused by stress redistribution and energy release associated with stable propagation of large fractures or with formation of large zones of distributed cracking.
Siebentes Kapitel. Maxima und Minima

Eine Strecke ist die kurzeste Verbindung zwischen ihren Endpunkten. Ein Bogen eines Groskreises ist die kurzeste Kurve zwischen zwei Punkten auf einer Kugel. Unter allen geschlossenen ebenen Kurven von gleicher Lange umschliest der Kreis die groste Flache, und unter allen geschlossenen Flachen vom gleichen Flacheninhalt umschliest die Kugel das groste Volumen.
Fourier Analysis in Hilbert Space

In the last section of Chapter 3 we introduced the Lebesgue L p -spaces for general measures and discussed their most basic properties. The most important L p -space, by far, is L 2. Its importance is its role in applications, especially in Fourier analysis. The material of this chapter lies at the foundation of the branch of mathematics called harmonic analysis.
When Politics, the Environment, and Advocacy Compete–Environmental Security in the South China Sea

Island building in the South China Sea by China and other neighbors continues at a destructive and unprecedented rate. China now occupies more than 3000 acres of artificially constructed island space and has built land at a pace that is 17 times greater in recent years than all other claimants have built in combined efforts over the past 40 years. While calls for accountability by some national actors have been insistent, voices from non–governmental actors are largely absent. As the entire region is very complex, a holistic understanding of the operational setting demands: a full appreciation of the ability for stakeholders to hold regional actors accountable; an examination of key major environmental issues; and an analysis of regional security risks through a modified approach for assessing non-land based environmental security. This chapter examines these issues, models outcomes if no intervention is offered, and recommends contexts where China can be influenced and may be more willing to amend their activities in the region.
Development and implementation of advanced control strategies for power plant cycling with carbon capture

Abstract In this paper, three model predictive control (MPC) strategies are developed and implemented for coal-fired power plant cycling applications. These strategies correspond to a dynamic matrix control (DMC)-based linear MPC, the proposed nonlinear MPC (NLMPC) and a nonlinear MPC from the literature (L-NMPC) as benchmark. For application purposes, dynamic models of two different coal-fired power plants with carbon capture are addressed: an integrated gasification combined cycle power plant with a water-gas shift membrane reactor (IGCC-MR) and a supercritical pulverized coal-fired power plant with monoethanolamine-based post-combustion carbon capture (SCPC-MEA). Successful MPC implementations on IGCC-MR system and SCPC-MEA carbon capture subsystem are addressed, including cycling trajectory tracking and disturbance rejection scenarios. The closed-loop results show that the proposed nonlinear MPC (NLMPC) improves the control performance by up to 96% when compared to the DMC controller in terms of the integral squared error (ISE) results.
High-Resolution Dems of Active Volcanoes from Tandem-X Data: Implications for Flow Modeling and Hazard Assessment

The bistatic acquisition mode of the TanDEM-X radar satellite mission provides a new reliable source for generating high-resolution (~10m) digital elevation models (DEMs) of active volcanoes. For high relief-mountainous areas with steep slopes - like stratovolcanoes - geometric distortions considerably affect the accuracy of the DEMs. The TanDEM-X system allow for the first time access to high-resolution DEMs for both orbits (ascending and descending) which, by using an adaptive approach to combine multiple acquisitions from different viewing angles, considerably increase the accuracy of the DEM over difficult terrain like active volcanoes. By integrating these DEMs into standard numerical flow modeling, we are able to enhance the performance of standard terrain-dependent volcanic flow models and reduce the uncertainty that inevitably arises in application of topographic models of varying resolutions. Our study pushes the limits on where and how SAR data can be used to derive accurate DEMs under extreme conditions.
Poetry, print, and the making of postcolonial literature

Christopher Okigbo is at the center of this book that binds, with more than the bare fact of English as the writers’ common literary language, J.P. Clark Bekederemo, Tony Harrison, Seamus Heaney, D...
Dietary influence on molecular distribution of serum lipoproteins in subjects with proven coronary artery disease.

Levels of some lipoprotein classes are well known to be responsive to dietary alterations. Nevertheless, there is a need for the further explanation of mechanisms resulting in these changes in patients with proven coronary artery disease (CAD). In particular, the question of whether qualitative changes in serum lipoproteins can occur secondary to dietary intervention has not been examined. One of us developed a new technique of molecular distribution of serum lipoproteins1, a method which separates lipoproteins on the basis of their particle size. It provides an important new approach to the study of lipoprotein metabolism during dietary interventions.
Empathy, teaching dispositions, social justice and teacher education

ABSTRACTConsiderable attention over the past several years has been given to empathy as a desirable teacher disposition. Situating empathy in a slice of the research on dispositions, the author ide...
Development of Postoperative Pneumonia After Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair is Associated with an Increased Length of Intensive Care Unit Stay.

Objective Endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) has increasingly replaced open aortic surgery for treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). One of the key advantages of EVAR is the reduced length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay and hospital stay. This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with increased ICU length of stay (LOS) after EVAR. Methods The American College of Surgeons (ACS-NSQIP) database for the year 2013 was used. All patients who underwent EVAR were divided into two groups: ICU LOS <1 day vs. ≥1 day. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors were compared between these two groups utilizing bivariate logistic regression analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was then used to identify factors that were independently associated with ICU LOS ≥1 day after EVAR. Results A total of 2,468 patients (18.7% females, 81.3% males) were identified. Group 1 (ICU LOS <1 day) = 1,535 patients and Group 2 (ICU LOS ≥1 day) = 933 patients. Multivariable analysis identified the following factors to be associated with ICU LOS ≥1 day: ruptured AAA (OR 3.88, CI 1.97-7.65), the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) score of 4-5 (OR 2.82, CI 1.50-5.31), operative time ≥180 minutes (OR 2.10, CI 1.51-2.93), bilateral groin cut down (OR 1.37, CI 1.10-1.71), juxta-renal AAA (OR 1.65, CI 1.16-2.35), renal artery stent (OR 2.13, CI 1.42-3.21), aortic stent (OR 2.39, CI 1.60-3.55), emergency surgery (OR 2.56, CI 1.94-3.38), need for blood transfusion (OR 3.11, CI 2.08-4.65) and postoperative pneumonia (OR 7.04, CI 1.95-25.45). Conclusion Variables identified above can be used to predict the cohort of EVAR patients which will likely require ICU for ≥1 day. Development of postoperative pneumonia is associated with a 7.04 times increase in ICU LOS ≥1 day.
Gastric Adenocarcinoma at the Sites of Gastric Sarcoidosis: A Case Report

Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease characterized by the formation of non-caseating granulomas in multiple organs with lungs being the most commonly involved. Gastrointestinal sarcoidosis is a rare entity. The relationship between sarcoidosis and malignancy was addressed in the past with no conclusive results. Herein, we present a case of a 48-year-old African American man with a history of gastric sarcoidosis, who was found to have a poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma at the same site of the sarcoidosis. J Med Cases. 2019;10(5):135-137 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc3302
A Professional Formation/Professionalism Challenge: Many Students Need Help with Self-Directed Learning Concerning Their Professional Development Toward Excellence

Self-directed learning is a critical competency for each law student and new lawyer. The data presented in this article indicate that about a third to more than half of the first year students are at an earlier stage of self-directed learning regarding their professional development toward the competencies needed to serve clients well than where they need to be, and where their law school and the profession need them to be. Malcolm Knowles defined self-directed learning as "a process by which individuals take the initiative, with or without the assistance of others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating their learning goals, identifying the human and material resources for learning, choosing and implementing appropriate learning strategies, and evaluating learning outcomes." This article presents both a clear learning outcome for students to address this challenge regarding self-directed learning and a curriculum called ROADMAP: THE LAW STUDENT'S GUIDE TO PREPARING AND IMPLEMENTING A SUCCESSFUL PLAN FOR MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT (forthcoming ABA Books 2015) designed to help each student grow toward the learning outcome. The article provides an evaluation of the effectiveness of the ROADMAP curriculum at helping students achieve the learning outcome.
Comparing daily temperature averaging methods: the role of synoptic climatology in determining spatial and seasonal variability

The two primary methods for averaging daily near-surface air temperature are twice-daily averaging (i.e., the sum of the maximum and minimum divided by two) and hourly averaging (i.e., using the 24...
Home Range and Habitat Use of West Virginia Canis latrans (Coyote)

Canis latrans (Coyote) has undergone a range expansion in the United States over the last century. As a highly opportunistic species, its home range and habitat use changes with ecological context. Coyotes were first reported in West Virginia in 1950 but were not commonly observed until the 1990s, and there is scant information on Coyotes in the region. We used telemetry data from 8 radiocollared Coyotes in West Virginia to estimate home-range size and third-order habitat selection. Home-range areas (95% utilization distributions; UDs) varied from 5.22 to 27.79 km2 (mean = 12.48 ± 2.61 km2), with highly concentrated use of smaller core areas (mean 50% UD = 1.85 ± 0.34 km2), indicated by low flatness ratios (50% isopleths/95% isopleths varied from 0.11 to 0.20). Third-order habitat selection revealed most use was proportional to availability, although there was evidence of avoidance of disturbed /developed and riparian land cover at the 95% UD scale, and selection for softwood stands at both spatial scales when available. Our results provide preliminary space-use information for West Virginia Coyotes and suggest that although Coyotes are habitat generalists, space use in the region is not uniform, but instead concentrated in disjointed areas that are used intensively.
Coexistence of Charge-Density-Wave and Pair-Density-Wave Orders in Underdoped Cuprates

We analyze incommensurate charge-density-wave (CDW) and pair-density-wave (PDW) orders with transferred momenta $(\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}Q,0)/(0,\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}Q)$ in underdoped cuprates within the spin-fermion model. Both orders appear due to an exchange of spin fluctuations before magnetic order develops. We argue that the ordered state with the lowest energy has nonzero CDW and PDW components with the same momentum. Such a state breaks ${C}_{4}$ lattice rotational symmetry, time-reversal symmetry, and mirror symmetries. We argue that the feedback from CDW/PDW order on fermionic dispersion is consistent with ARPES data. We discuss the interplay between the CDW/PDW order and ${d}_{{x}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{y}^{2}}$ superconductivity and make specific predictions for experiments.
Transport of the Failing Fontan: A Long Distance Trip from down Under

Introduction Transport of patients with failing Fontan physiology represent physiological, psychological, logistical, and medical management challenges. We present the case of a 4 year old in Sydney, Australia who required transport to Philadelphia, PA for treatment of his failing Fontan. Case Report 4 year old male with an unbalanced AV Canal to the right with D-TGA, PA, TAPVC and Heterotaxy syndrome who had previously undergone Fontan completion in New York in July of 2015. The family had traveled to Australia on vacation in November of 2015 and the patient developed …
Improved Functional Outcomes Following Operative Treatment of Midshaft Clavicle Fractures in an Active Duty Population.

Clavicle fractures are common orthopedic injuries that occur in a young active population and are even more common in the military. Military fitness test data presents the unique opportunity to analyze functional ability with regard to military-specific activities. The primary goal of this study was to compare functional outcomes using military fitness test data between operative and non-operative treatment of midshaft clavicle fractures. We performed a retrospective review of active-duty U.S. Navy and Marine patients with midshaft clavicle fractures treated at our institution over a seven-year period. There were 94 and 153 patients in our operative and non-operative cohorts, respectively. Average follow-up time from the date of injury or surgery was 28 months. The rate of infection in the operative group (4%) was significantly greater than in the non-operative group (0%, p = 0.023). The rate of non-union in the operative group (3%) was significantly lower than in the non-operative group (14.5%, p = 0.004). The rate of symptomatic malunion in the operative group (0%) was significantly different from that in the non-operative group (4.6%, p = 0.036). There was no significant difference in the rate of revision surgery between the operative (9.2%) and non-operative (13.2%) groups (p = 0.105). A total of 51 marines met inclusion criteria for our functional outcome analysis using Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test (PFT) data. Of those who underwent operative fixation, 68% were able to meet or surpass their pre-injury average amount of pull-ups in their first PFT after surgery and 88% by the next PFT at least one year after surgery. While 69% of non-operative patients met their pre-injury average in their first PFT, only 57% maintained this level at least one year after surgery. This difference was statistically significant. In our functional outcome subgroup analysis, we found improved outcomes for pull-ups at least one year out when midshaft clavicle fractures are treated operatively compared to non-operatively. While similar findings in the literature are based on functional outcome questionnaires, physical fitness performance data has not been reported on to our knowledge.
Compact diaphragm-based optical accelerometers with µg/√Hz resolution

A compact fiber accelerometer that meets the resolution requirement for aircraft navigation is reported. It detects extremely weak acceleration-induced vibrations of a spring-loaded diaphragm using a two-wave interferometer with a π/2 biasing step micro-fabricated on the diaphragm. A single-mode fiber provides a laser beam that interrogates the interferometer. This sensor has a measured flat-band sensitivity with a bandwidth of 10.7 kHz, and a resolution limited by thermo-mechanical noise of 13µg/√Hz at 100 Torr, and 712ng/√Hz at 20 mTorr.
General Elementary Direct Proof of Fermat's Last Theorem

This paper presents a novel direct elementary proof for Fermat's Last Theorem. We use algebra, modular math, and binomial series to develop inherent mathematical relationships hidden within Fermat's Last Theorem. With these derived relationships, we are able to develop general pattern applicable for all positive integers of n. Finally, we are able to confirm and complete the direct proof for Fermat's Diophantine equation for all n.
RNA sequence and structure determinants of Pol III transcriptional termination in human cells

Abstract The precise mechanism of transcription termination of the eukaryotic RNA polymerase III (Pol III) has been a subject of considerable debate. Although previous studies have clearly shown that at the end of RNA transcripts, tracts comprised of multiple uracils are required for Pol III termination, whether upstream RNA secondary structure in the nascent transcript is necessary for robust transcriptional termination is still subject to debate. We sought to address this directly through the development of an in cellulo Pol III transcription termination assay using a synthetic biology approach. Specifically, we utilized the recently developed Tornado expression system and a stabilized Corn RNA aptamer to create a Pol III-transcribed RNA that produces a detectable fluorescent signal when transcribed in human cells. To study the effects of RNA sequence and structure on Pol III termination, we systematically varied the sequence context upstream of the aptamer and identified sequence characteristics that enhance or diminish termination. We found that in the absence of predicted secondary structure, only poly-U tracts longer than then the average length found in the human genome (4–5 nucleotides), efficiently terminate Pol III transcription. We found that shorter poly-U tracts could induce termination when placed in proximity to secondary structural elements, while secondary structure by itself was not sufficient to induce termination. These findings demonstrate a key role for sequence and structural elements within Pol III-transcribed nascent RNA for efficient transcription termination, and demonstrate a generalizable assay for characterizing Pol III transcription in human cells.
Lung Transplant Survival Regarding Past and Concomitant Cardiac Revascularization

Purpose Coronary artery disease (CAD) is not uncommon among lung transplant (LTx) and has been often carefully evaluated before LTx. Those who undergo these pre- and or post-lung transplantation percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) procedures may be at risk to LTx short-term mortality. The survival outcome of prior or perioperative revascularization has not been adequately established. Methods A single-center retrospective analysis of all single and double LTx patients from Feb-2012 to Mar-2020 (n=748) was performed. Patients were split into 4 groups: (1) patients who received a preoperative PCI (Pre-PCI) (n=55), (2) those who received preoperative CABG (Pre-CABG) (n=38), (3) those who received concomitant CABG during LTx (Con-CABG) (n=47), (4) those who had LTx with no need for revascularization (n=607). Groups were compared for demographics, surgical procedure, and survival outcomes using STATA Inc. P-value Results The no revascularization group was statistically younger than the rest (P Conclusion Our results suggest that preoperative or intraoperative revascularization did not affect survival outcomes in lung transplant patients. Selected patients with coronary artery disease may benefit when intervened during lung transplant procedure.
Hypertension and Hypercholesterolemia Modify Dementia Risk in Relation to APOEɛ4 Status.

Background There is significant interest in understanding the role of modifiable vascular risk factors contributing to dementia risk across age groups. Objective Risk of dementia onset was assessed in relation to vascular risk factors of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia among cognitively normal APOEɛ4 carriers and non-carriers. Methods In a sample of prospectively characterized longitudinal cohort from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center database, 9,349 participants met criteria for normal cognition at baseline, had a CDR-Global (CDR-G) score of zero, and had concomitant data on APOEɛ4 status and medical co-morbidities including histories of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for well-known potential confounders were used to compare dementia onset among APOEɛ4 carriers and non-carriers by young (≤65 years) and old (> 65 year) age groups. Results 519 participants converted to dementia within an average follow up of 5.97 years. Among older APOEɛ4 carriers, hypercholesterolemia was related to lower risk of dementia (HR (95% CI), 0.68 (0.49-0.94), p = 0.02). Among older APOEɛ4 non-carriers, hypertension was related to higher risk of dementia (HR (95% CI), 1.44 (1.13-1.82), p = 0.003). These results were corroborated among a subset with autopsy data characterizing underlying neuropathology. Among younger participants, vascular risk factors did not impact dementia risk, likely from a lower frequency of vascular and Alzheimer's as etiologies of dementia among this cohort. Conclusion A history of hypercholesterolemia related to a lower risk of dementia among older APOEɛ4 carriers, while hypertension related to a higher risk of dementia among older APOEɛ4 non-carriers.
[Contamination status and the evaluation of dietary exposure of marine biotoxins in seafood in Ningbo City in 2017-2019].

OBJECTIVE Ultra-fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the analysis of contamination degree of biotoxins in seafood in Ningbo City from 2017 to 2019 and the assessment of dietary exposure was conducted. METHODS Samples were extracted and purified with optimized pretreatment process and then injected for analysis. According to the result of the measurements, an international point estimate model was used to evaluate the dietary exposure of the population. RESULTS For tetrodotoxin and 16 shellfish toxins monitored routinely, gonyautoxin5(GTX5), tetrodotoxin and homo-yessotoxin(hYTX) had higher detection rate, other toxins including okadaic acid(OA), dinophysistoxin1(DTX1), decarbamoyl gonyautoxin2(dcGTX2) and decarbamoyl gonyautoxin3(dcGTX3) were detected sporadically. The detection rates of TTX、GTX and hYTX were 27%, 52% and 12%, respectively. The concentration ranges of TTX, GTX and hYTX in polluted samples were 0. 003-0. 535, 0. 008-0. 189 and 0. 032-0. 110 mg/kg. The exposure risk indices(ERI) of TTX, GTX5, hYTX, dcGTX2 and dcGTX3 were 2. 5, 0. 026, 0. 0080, 0. 79 and 0. 32, respectively. CONCLUSION Marine biotoxins have a lower dietary health risk to the population. It is must be given great attention that in the season of toxic red tide, the detection rates of higher toxic toxins, dcGTX2 and dcGTX3 increased significantly with high risks to human. Moreover, the dietary health risk of tetrodotoxin in routine surveillance in 2019 was higher.