cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Schottky field emission across narrow gaps and through thin films

The Schottky field enhanced emission equation appears to be applicable to a wide variety of structures. It has the following form, equation where A is Richardson's constant, S the area, φ the work function, d is the separation distance, k is Boltzmann's constant, T is in degrees Kelvin, ϵ 0 the permittivity constant, V the applied voltage, e the electronic charge and ϵ r is the relative dielectric constant.
Effects of Sidestep Cutting and Stop-Jump Tasks on Basketball Player's Anterior Cruciate Ligment Biomechanics

Purpose: One of the most common,serious and costly injuries in the knee during sports is anterior cruciate ligament( ACL) injury. Our purpose was to explore the effects of sidestep cutting and stop-jump tasks on basketball players' ACL biomechanics. Methods: Three-dimensional kinematics,kinetics and electromyography( EMG) data of 25 male and 25 female college basketball players( 18 ~ 22 yrs) performing sidestep cutting and stop-jump tasks were collected. The lower extremity biomechanics characteristics were analyzed by using mixed design 2 × 2 factorial analysis of variance( ANOVA). Results: Task and gender have significant interaction effects on posterior ground reaction force( GRF),knee external valgus moment,knee internal external rotation moment,hamstring EMG and distance from center of pressure to ankle. Conclusions and Suggestions: Basketball players' knee extension torque increased more in sidestep cutting than in stop-jump task,which suggested that sidestep is more likely to reduce ACL injury. Male basketball players tented to have heel contact way with high knee external valgus moment and EMG during sidestep cutting. Compared with male players,female ones could be more likely to have high load on ACL. During stop-jump,male players tended to have toe contact way with small GRF. Results suggest that task and gender should be considered when formulating training program.
Application of intranasal dexmedetomidine hydrochloride combined sevoflurane inhalation anesthesia in pediatric lingual frenoplasty

Objective To investigate the safety and effectiveness of intranasal dexmedetomidine hydrochloride combined sevoflurane inhalation anesthesia in pediatric lingual frenoplasty. Methods Forty children who underwent lingual frenoplasty were randomly divided into observation group( intranasal dexmedetomidine hydrochloride combined sevoflurane inhalation anesthesia) and control group( intranasal normal saline combined sevoflurane),with 20 children in each group. Children were got into operation room at 30 min after intranasal dexmedetomidine administration. The heart rate( HR),respiration rate( RR),mean arterial pressure( MAP) and pulse oxygen saturation( Sp O2) were recorded at the following time points: before intranasal dexmedetomidine hydrochloride administration( T0),children getting into the operation room( T1),the moment of putting in mouth gag( T2),the moment when straight clamp clamped the tongue ties up to the ventral tongue close to the tip of the tongue( T3). The time of operation,the time of laryngeal mask extraction,the recovery consciousness time,the time in recovery room were recorded. Results There was no statistic difference of HR,BP,Sp O2 between the two groups at T0( P 0. 05). In control group,the HR and MAP at T1 were significantly higher than those at T0( P 0. 05); the HR and MAP at T2,T3 were significantly lower than those at T0,T1( P 0. 05); there was no statistic difference of HR and MAP between T2 and T3( P 0. 05); there was no statistic difference of Sp O2 among these time point( P 0. 05). In observation group,the HR and MAP at T1,T2,T3 were significantly lower than those at T0( P 0. 05); there was no statistic difference of HR and MAP among T1,T2,T3( P 0. 05); there was no statistic difference of Sp O2 among these time point( P 0. 05). There was no statistic difference of operation time between the two groups( P 0. 05). The time of laryngeal mask extraction,the recovery consciousness time,the time in recovery room in observation group were significantly shorter than those in control group( P 0. 05). The number of restlessness at recovery stage in observation group was significantly lower than that in control group( P 0. 01). Conclusion Using the intranasal dexmedetomidine hydrochloride combined sevoflurane inhalation anesthesia in pediatric lingual frenoplasty can shorten the time of laryngeal mask extraction,recovery more quickly,it is a safe and effective anesthesia method.
Bilateral Solid Renal Masses in a Young Man

Bilateral solid renal masses presenting in a young patient in the absence of systemic manifestations or genetic abnormalities, such as Von Hippel-Lindau's disease, are difficult diagnostic challenges. Primary renal lymphomas are exceedingly rare. More commonly, renal involvements are caused by lymphoma in the retroperitoneal area. It is important for a urologist to be aware of this diagnostic possibility, since unnecessary removal of a kidney and extensive surgery may be avoided, and because appropriate staging can be performed at exploration.
Legal and Political Developments in the Gorbachev and Yeltsin Administrations and After

Political use of FSU psychiatric hospitals in the mid-nineties has virtually dropped off the horizon of reported post-Soviet affairs, displaced by more proximal, typically and traumatically Third World public concerns about the exploding inflation rate, bondage to international lending agencies, the growth of the second economy, the resurgent power of organized crime, public safety, disparate risks of outside encroachment, internal war and conflict in the near abroad. These emergency circumstances, with potentially global repercussions in world markets and on immigration, may eclipse the human rights concerns of the calmer seventies and eighties and overshadow the psychiatric reform efforts of the late eighties and nineties. Precisely because the reforms largely failed to redesign the underlying structures which made psychiatric abuse possible, this phenomenon could recur, should it serve the purposes of executive or other governmental agencies. A review of relevant Soviet and Russian law can illustrate why this potential still exists, even after the splintering of the Communist Party and the collapse of the Union.
Effects of Housing Investment on the National Economy

The analysis to this point has focused on housing as a microcosm. Broader implications of residential investment for the national economies of countries in different stages of development were touched on in various contexts, notably the measurement of housing benefits. It remains now to examine these implications in depth. The present chapter deals with the effects of dwelling construction on labor absorption, income and savings, prices and the balance of payments. There are widely held beliefs on the consequences of housing investments for each of these economic aggregates. Here, as in the previous micro-analysis, the test of empirical evidence will be used to validate, disqualify or modify assertions and hypotheses about macro effects of housing and housing policies. The chapter includes a discussion of residential building as an instrument to guide the spatial distribution of the population and a note on political aspects of housing. The last subject may not be exactly within the province of economic analysis but it can be ignored only at the risk of retreat from reality.
Detecting transformer winding deformation fault types based on continuous wavelet transform

When online detecting transformer winding deformation with impulse frequency response analysis, the time domain characteristics of transient signal could not be depicted by conventional frequency response curves, and the limitations of Fast Fourier Transform could result in deletion of available information. In this paper, continuous wavelet transform is used to process transient signal, which is obtained by online impulse signal injection method, time-frequency spectrum of wavelet transform is studied to detect transformer winding deformation fault types. A single winding simulation model is constructed after theoretical deduction, the simulation analysis of different fault types is performed, the typical winding fault test is conducted, the time-frequency characteristic of detection signal is analyzed, the matrix similarity is used to quantize the diversity of the detection signal. Both the simulation analysis and experimental studies show the feasibility of the proposed method.
Chapter 4 - Development of a Multiscale Strategy and Application to Chemical Vapor Deposition

Abstract This chapter presents some multiscale approaches for process design. To illustrate the methodology, the authors employ zinc sulfide (ZnS) deposition in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor from two points of view. The first point of view employs a deterministic and multiphysics modeling approach that uses detailed physics and the associated modeling equations. This approach allows for mechanistic understanding of the process. The second point of view uses agent-based simulation in which the physics is inherently captured through pseudo evolutionary random events involving molecules or particles. Here, the traditional mechanistic understanding is sacrificed. However, a different kind of mechanistic understanding is introduced in which one observes the emergence of patterns of behavior that are consistent with an expectation of what happens in a CVD reactor. The challenge is to consider the synergistic effects of marrying both types of modeling when studying systems of this nature. The approach is also a jump-off point for studying the bridging of the scales, namely length and time.
Osmoregulatory alterations in myo-inositol uptake by bovine lens epithelial cells. Part 1: A hypertonicity-induced protein enhances myo-inositol transport.

PURPOSE The nature of the association between attenuated myo-inositol-concentrating capability, intracellular polyol accumulation, and hypertonicity-enhanced myo-inositol uptake was investigated in cultured bovine lens epithelial cells (BLECs) exposed to high ambient galactose. METHODS The kinetic characteristics of myo-inositol accumulation based on the measurement of in vitro myo-[3H]inositol (3H-MI) uptake was determined with cultured BLECs incubated in either high ambient galactose or galactose-free, physiological medium under experimental conditions that included both aldose reductase inhibition and elevation of extracellular osmotonicity. RESULTS The uptake of 3H-MI was lowered after chronic (20 hour) preincubation of cultured BLECs in 40 mmol/l galactose (i.e., conditions that would favor galactitol synthesis) compared with control cells in galactose-free, physiological medium. Acute exposure (3 hours) of cultured BLECs to a range of 10 to 40 mmol/l galactitol or 5.5 to 44 mmol/l galactose plus the aldose reductase inhibitor (ARI), sorbinil, established by Dixon plot that galactitol, but not galactose, inhibited both the high- and the low-affinity MI transport sites. MI uptake was markedly stimulated in cultured BLECs exposed to galactose-free, hyperosmotic medium by the addition of extracellular raffinose, mannitol, or sorbitol for 20 hours. The enhanced uptake involved increase in the maximal velocity without significant change in Km of both the high- and low-affinity MI transport sites, as indicated by Lineweaver-Burk analysis. However, a similar coadministration of 150 mmol/l sorbitol to the 40 mmol/l galactose (Gal) medium significantly increased, but failed to normalize, the MI uptake relative to that observed with galactose-free, physiological medium. The combined administration of 150 mmol/l sorbitol and the ARI, zopolrestat, to Gal significantly exceeded the MI uptake observed with physiological medium. Exposure of BLECs to cycloheximide for 20 hours did not affect MI uptake in cells maintained in 40 mmol/l galactose but inhibited the otherwise enhanced MI uptake in cells maintained in Gal plus 150 mmol/l sorbitol and zopolrestat in the omission versus the inclusion of cycloheximide. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that bovine lens epithelial cells respond to hypertonic stress by elevating myo-inositol transport activity. The increase in MI uptake is due to an increase in the number (or, possibly, a change in the transporter turnover rate) of high- and low-affinity, sodium-dependent MI transporters expressed as a result of the osmotic shock stemming from exposure to hypertonic medium.
Predictors of Religiosity in a Cohort of African Americans

Few studies have considered life course predictors of religiosity. We use the Woodlawn Study of a cohort of 1242 first-grade African American children followed over four time periods to age 42 to observe how early school behaviors, family characteristics and neighborhood and social resources relate to later religiosity. Past literature suggested several domains of religiosity and exploratory factor analyses supported four measures of religiosity: religiosity as a resource, youth religiosity, divine struggle, and young adult religiosity. In multivariate analyses, males rated by teachers as shy in first grade, those with more than a high school education, and females who reported higher social ties in young adulthood were more likely to report religiosity as a resource at age 42. Males with both shy and aggressive behavior in first grade and females with lower math grades in first grade reported more youth religiosity. Those who obtained more education were less likely to report divine struggle. In terms of religiosity as a young adult, females who had been rated as both shy and aggressive in first grade, those living in neighborhoods with a higher proportion of African Americans, those with higher social ties in young adulthood and those living in neighborhoods with a higher proportion of African Americans reported higher adult religiosity. Longitudinal studies offer an opportunity to examine how patterns of religiosity vary over the life course and how early family, school, and social adaptation influence later religiosity in adulthood.
Guideline-concordant Care Improves Overall Survival for Locally Advanced Non-Small-cell Lung Carcinoma Patients: A National Cancer Database Analysis.

Abstract Background Current evidence-based guideline-concordant care (GCC) for locally advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with good performance status is concurrent chemoradiation. In this study we evaluated factors associated with lack of GCC and its effects on overall survival (OS). Patients and Methods Unresectable stage III NSCLC patients, diagnosed from 2005 to 2013 with a Charlson–Deyo score of 0, were identified from the National Cancer Database. Primary outcomes were receipt of GCC, defined as concurrent chemoradiation (thoracic radiotherapy, starting within 2 weeks of chemotherapy, to at least 60 Gy), and OS. Multivariable logistic regression modeling identified variables associated with non-GCC. Cox proportional hazard modeling was used to examine OS. Results Twenty-three percent of patients (n = 10,476) received GCC. Uninsured patients were more likely to receive non-GCC (odds ratio [OR], 1.54; P P s P P = .002). Those who received non-GCC had higher death rates compared with those who received GCC (hazard ratio [HR], 1.42; P P P P P Conclusion Socioeconomic factors, including lack of insurance and geography, are associated with non-GCC. Patient- and disease-specific factors, including increasing adenocarcinoma histology and sex, are also associated with non-GCC. Non-GCC diminishes OS.
GOstruct 2.0: Automated Protein Function Prediction for Annotated Proteins

Automated Protein Function Prediction is the task of automatically predicting functional annotations for a protein based on gold-standard annotations derived from experimental assays. These experiment-based annotations accumulate over time: proteins without annotations get annotated, and new functions of already annotated proteins are discovered. Therefore, function prediction can be considered a combination of two sub-tasks: making predictions on annotated proteins and making predictions on previously unannotated proteins. In previous work, we analyzed the performance of several protein function prediction methods in these two scenarios. Our results showed that GOstruct, which is based on the structured output framework, had lower accuracy in the task of predicting annotations for proteins with existing annotations, while its performance on un-annotated proteins was similar to the performance in cross-validation. In this work, we present GOstruct 2.0 which includes improvements that allow the model to make use of information of a protein's current annotations to better handle the task of predicting novel annotations for previously annotated proteins. This is highly important for model organisms where most proteins have some level of annotations. Experimental results on human data show that GOstruct 2.0 outperforms the original GOstruct in this task, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed improvements. This is the first study that focuses on adapting the structured output framework for applications in which labels are incomplete by nature.
Hypothesizing Molecular Genetics of the Holocaust: Were Dopaminergic Genes Involved or Brain Wash?

Numerous studies indicated that the prevalence of certain alleles of the dopamine D2 receptor gene (DRD2) vary across different ethnic groups. Under adverse environmental conditions, these alleles can increase the risk of developing psychiatric symptoms. Thus, we hypothesized that the prevalence of the DRD2 gene Taq IA allele may serve to explain the horrific behaviours practiced by the Nazi regime. Hitler's 'Brain Washing' methods goaded his followers to carry out genocide at a time when carriers of the DRD2TaqIA allele (the so called 'aggressive--genotype') were significantly higher among the Aryan Germans compared to resident German Jews. It would be of interest, to genotype the Jewish Holocaust survivors, to determine whether those with the Taq AI allele survived in greater numbers. The hypothesis being that, greater survival may result in enhanced frequency of not only the DRD2AI allele but other reward gene polymorphisms among survivors. Understanding the molecular genetics of any population in terms of reward dependence and subsequent behaviours will be most beneficial in future human interaction whether negative (war) or positive (peace) in nature.
Vertical-axis wind turbine experiments at full dynamic similarity

Laboratory experiments were performed on a geometrically scaled vertical-axis wind turbine model over an unprecedented range of Reynolds numbers, including and exceeding those of the full-scale turbine. The study was performed in the high-pressure environment of the Princeton High Reynolds number Test Facility (HRTF). Utilizing highly compressed air as the working fluid enabled extremely high Reynolds numbers while still maintaining dynamic similarity by matching the tip speed ratio (defined as the ratio of tip velocity to free stream, λ = ωR/U) and Mach number (defined at the turbine tip, Ma = ωR/a). Preliminary comparisons are made with measurements from the full-scale field turbine. Peak power for both the field data and experiments resides around λ = 1. In addition, a systematic investigation of trends with Reynolds number was performed in the laboratory, which revealed details about the asymptotic behaviour. It was shown that the parameter that characterizes invariance in the power coefficient was the Reynolds number based on blade chord conditions (Re_c). The power coefficient reaches its asymptotic value when Re_c > 1.5 x 10^6, which is higher than what the field turbine experiences. The asymptotic power curve is found, which is invariant to further increases in Reynolds number.
Sparsity-based approaches for damage detection in plates

Abstract The data deluge in Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) and the need for automated online damage detection systems necessitates a move away from traditional model-based approaches. To that end, we propose sparsity-based algorithms for damage detection in plates. Instead of high-fidelity models, our proposed algorithms use dictionaries, consisting of response signals acquired directly from the system of interest, as the key feature to both detect and localize damages. We address the damage detection problem both when the damage is located on or off a grid of possible damage coordinates defined by the dictionary. This gives rise to two classes of problems, namely, on the grid and off the grid problems. In our sparsity-based on the grid damage detection (SDD-ON) platform, we solve a LASSO regression problem, where, the unknown vector is a pointer for existence of damage at the various locations defined on the grid used for dictionary construction. In our proposed off the grid damage detection (SDD-OFF) platform, we use a penalized regression algorithm to extend the dictionary of measured damage signals to points off-the-grid by linear interpolation. We evaluate the performance of both SDD frameworks, in detecting damages on plates, using finite element simulations as well as laboratory experiments involving a pitch-catch setup using a single actuator-sensor pair. Our results suggest that the proposed algorithms perform damage detection in plates efficiently. We obtain area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of 0.997 and 0.8314 for SDD-ON and SDD-OFF, respectively.
The development of the error-related negativity in large sample of adolescent females: Associations with anxiety symptoms

Anxiety is the most common form of psychopathology and tends to begin early in the course of development. Given this, there is great interest in identifying developmental changes in neural systems that may delineate healthy versus anxious trajectories. A substantial amount of work has focused on the error-related negativity as a neural marker of anxiety. The ERN is a negative deflection in the event-related potential that occurs when individuals make mistakes and is increased in anxious individuals. A separate body of work has focused on normative developmental changes in the ERN - demonstrating an age-related increase in the ERN that occurs across childhood and adolescence. In the current study, we examine the ERN in relation to specific phenotypic expressions of anxiety during a core risk period in a sample of females (N = 220) ranging from 8 to 14 years old. Results from the current study suggest that error-related brain activity is related to both parent and child report of social anxiety symptoms, even when controlling for all other symptom scales. Additionally, mediation models suggest that the normative developmental increase observed in the ERN is partially mediated by increases in social anxiety symptoms. The current results are novel insofar as they identify a specific phenotypic expression of anxiety that underlies developmental increases in this neural biomarker.
Technical Note: Model-based magnification/minification correction of patient size surrogates extracted from CT localizers.

PURPOSE Patient size-specific dose estimate (SSDE) calculations require knowledge of a patient's size. Errors in patient size propagate through SSDE calculations. AAPM Reports 204 and 220 recommend that a magnification correction be applied to patient size surrogates extracted from CT localizer radiographs. This technical note presents a novel approach for such a magnification correction. METHODS In our model-based magnification correction, we assume that the patient's cross sections are elliptical with minor and major axes defined using the anterior-posterior (AP) and lateral (LAT) patient dimensions. We parameterize the problem by modeling a line emanating from the source, grazing the patient (i.e., the ellipse), and then terminating onto the detector plane. We model tangent lines on each side of the ellipse on both the LAT and AP CT localizer radiographs. We also account for vertical mispositioning with table offset. We compared our correction model to the actual AP and LAT dimensions to the vendor-supplied CT localizer images that only received a geometric magnification correction, and to other methods described in the literature. We compare our model to the others using direct size to size comparisons as well as SSDE conversion factor. RESULTS Our model-based method provides consistent accurate results (less than 1.8% error for absolute size and 1.2% error for SSDE for all measurement conditions) for all positions and patient sizes. Existing literature-based methods had maximum errors for absolute size and SSDE of 7.5% and 5.2%, and for the vendor, they were 30.9% and 17.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION We presented a new model-based geometric size correction method that outperforms a simple geometric correction as well as other methods presented in the literature. By modeling the patient cross section and beam geometry using information all derived from the DICOM header and CT localizer views, we demonstrated SSDE correction factor improvements from 17.0% (vendor correction) to 1.2% (model base). These changes correspond directly into changes in SSDE itself and also represent clinically realistic patient sizes and mispositioning amounts.
MRI evaluation of the effects of whole brain radiotherapy on breast cancer brain metastasis.

Purpose: To assess early changes in brain metastasis in response to whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) by longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).Materials and methods: Using a 7T system, MRI ex...
Mario Molina. El héroe de las ciencias ambientales y el estado actual del agujero de la capa de ozono

El presente articulo narra sobre la vida y obra de uno de los primeros latinoamericanos en ganar el premio Nobel de Quimica, especificamente por abordar el problema del agujero en la capa de ozono.
Instructional Practices in Developmental Mathematics: A Multilevel Analysis of Community College Student Perceptions

In the current study, we explored the relationship between community college students’ assessments of their developmental mathematics instructors’ practices and mathematics course grades. Using a s...
Ensemble Model Predictive Control Strategies Can Reduce Exercise Hypoglycemia in Type 1 Diabetes: In Silico Studies

This contribution presents an individualized Ensemble Model Predictive Control (EnMPC) algorithm for blood glucose (BG) stabilization and hypoglycemia prevention in people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) with detectable patterns of exercise. The EnMPC formulation can be regarded as a simplified multi-stage MPC that considers $N_{en}$ future exercise patterns identified from the patient's recent behavior. The control action is determined from a consensus across the ensemble, where each scenario is treated by a specific MPC algorithm, accounting for the underlying disturbance likelihood. The patient's physical activity behavior is characterized by an exercise-specific input signal derived from the convolution of patients exercise records, e.g., obtained from activity monitors, and physiological impact curves from the literature. The proposed EnMPC strategy was tested on the complete in silico adult cohort of the FDA-accepted UVA/Padova metabolic simulator. Results confirm a tangible improvement in time spent below $\mathbf{p} ) without increasing hyperglycemia after 30 min of moderate exercise in comparison to a similarly tuned MPC baseline controller (rMPC). Additionally, there was a significant reduction in the number of hypotreatments ( $\mathbf{p} ) that the patients received during and after exercise between the two controllers.
How do social norms affect customers’ food selections at restaurants? Investigating social norms misalignment using polynomial regression with response surface analysis

This study investigated the effects of perceived social norms on customers’ intentions to choose healthy menu items at restaurants. Specifically, injunctive norms and descriptive norms were examine...
Foundation identification using dynamic strain and acceleration measurements

Abstract This paper proposes a method to characterize bridge foundations using live load dynamic strain and acceleration measurements taken from substructure elements during operational loading. These measurements are used to assemble frequency response functions (FRFs) that describe the load-response behavior of the tested foundation element as a function of frequency. This method only requires that a limited number of measurements be performed on the exposed portion of the bridge substructure (piers, columns piles, etc.), and can be performed during daily operational bridge traffic. The direct result of this analysis is an updated boundary condition that be used for modeling of the superstructure in place of the fixed conditions typically used. Furthermore, this method can be used to identify foundation depth and type, verify design parameters, and update finite models of pile and drilled shaft behavior. A case study is presented where dynamic measurements were taken from an in-service drilled shaft.
Clinical Management of Respiratory Adverse Events Associated With Amikacin Liposome Inhalation Suspension: Results From a Patient Survey

Patients with Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease treated with amikacin liposome inhalation suspension (ALIS) at 2 clinics in the United States were surveyed to assess the frequency and management of ALIS-associated respiratory adverse events. Most respondents experienced these events, but management through physician-guided measures (eg, bronchodilator use, oral rinses, and/or temporary dosing adjustments) resulted in symptomatic improvement.
Extended filtering high‐gain output feedback controller for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems subject to external disturbances

In this paper, an extended filtered high-gain output feedback controller is developed for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems subject to external disturbances. The design philosophy of the exten...
Video vs. in-person genetic counseling for men considering germline prostate cancer testing: A patient-choice study.

1577Background: Germline testing (GT) for prostate cancer (PCA) is rapidly increasing with higher demand for genetic counseling (GC). Alternate GC strategies need to be studied to address pretest i...
Oral Midodrine Administration During the First 24 Hours of Sepsis to Reduce the Need of Vasoactive Agents: Placebo-Controlled Feasibility Clinical Trial.

Our preliminary data and observational studies suggested an increasing "off label" use of oral midodrine as a vasopressor sparing agent in various groups of critically ill patients, including those with sepsis. We designed this clinical trial to evaluate the feasibility of use of midodrine hydrochloride in early sepsis to reduce the duration for IV vasopressors and decrease ICU and hospital length of stay. Design Pilot, two-center, placebo-controlled, double blinded randomized clinical trial. Setting Medical ICUs at Mayo Clinic Rochester and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi were the study sites. Patients and methods Adult patients (≥ 18 yr old) were included within 24 hours of meeting the Sepsis-3 definition if the mean arterial pressure remained less than 70 mm Hg despite receiving timely antibiotics and initial IV fluid bolus of 30 cc/kg. Intervention Three doses of 10 mg midodrine versus placebo were administered. Measurements and main results Total 32 patients were randomized into midodrine (n = 17) and placebo groups (n = 15). There were no major differences in baseline variables between the groups except for higher baseline creatinine in the midodrine group (2.0 ± 0.9 mg/dL) versus placebo group (1.4 ± 0.6 mg /dL), p = 0.03. The median duration of IV vasopressor requirement was 14.5 ± 8.1 hours in midodrine group versus 18.8 ± 7.1 hours in the placebo group, p value equals to 0.19. Patients in the midodrine group needed 729 ± 963 norepinephrine equivalent compared with 983 ± 1,569 norepinephrine equivalent in the placebo group, p value equals to 0.59. ICU length of stay was 2.29 days (interquartile range, 1.65-3.9 d) in the midodrine group, compared with 2.45 days (interquartile range, 1.6-3.2 d) in the placebo group, p value equals to 0.36. No serious adverse events were observed in either group. Conclusions Phase II clinical trial powered for clinical outcomes (duration of vasopressor use, need for central venous catheter, and ICU and hospital length of stay) is justified.
Microglia as therapeutic targets after neurological injury: strategy for cell therapy.

Microglia is the resident tissue macrophages of the central nervous system. Prolonged microglial activation often occurs after traumatic brain injury and is associated with deteriorating neurocogni...
Communication Lower-Bounds for Distributed-Memory Computations for Mass Spectrometry based Omics Data

Abstract Mass spectrometry (MS) based omics data analysis require significant time and resources. To date, few parallel algorithms have been proposed for deducing peptides from mass spectrometry-based data. However, these parallel algorithms were designed, and developed when the amount of data that needed to be processed was smaller in scale. In this paper, we prove that the communication bound that is reached by the existing parallel algorithms is Ω ( m n + 2 r q p ) , where m and n are the dimensions of the theoretical database matrix, q and r are dimensions of spectra, and p is the number of processors. We further prove that communication-optimal strategy with fast-memory M = m n + 2 q r p can achieve Ω ( 2 m n q p ) but is not achieved by any existing parallel proteomics algorithms till date. To validate our claim, we performed a meta-analysis of published parallel algorithms, and their performance results. We show that sub-optimal speedups with increasing number of processors is a direct consequence of not achieving the communication lower-bounds. We further validate our claim by performing experiments which demonstrate the communication bounds that are proved in this paper. Consequently, we assert that next-generation of provable, and demonstrated superior parallel algorithms are urgently needed for MS based large systems-biology studies especially for meta-proteomics, proteogenomic, microbiome, and proteomics for non-model organisms. Our hope is that this paper will excite the parallel computing community to further investigate parallel algorithms for highly influential MS based omics problems.
Patterns of change in cardiovascular risk assessments and ankle brachial index among Puerto Rican adults.

Background Puerto Rican adults have higher odds of peripheral artery disease (PAD) compared with Mexican Americans. Limited studies have examined relationships between clinical risk assessment scores and ABI measures in this population. Methods Using 2004-2015 data from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study (BPRHS) (n = 370-583), cross-sectional, 5-y change, and patterns of change in Framingham Risk Score (FRS) and allostatic load (AL) with ankle brachial index (ABI) at 5-y follow-up were assessed among Puerto Rican adults (45-75 y). FRS and AL were calculated at baseline, 2-y and 5-y follow-up. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine cross-sectional and 5-y changes in FRS and AL with ABI at 5-y. Latent growth mixture modeling identified trajectories of FRS and AL over 5-y, and multivariable linear regression models were used to test associations between trajectory groups at 5-y. Results Greater FRS at 5-y and increases in FRS from baseline were associated with lower ABI at 5-y (β = -0.149, P = 0.010; β = -0.171, P = 0.038, respectively). AL was not associated with ABI in cross-sectional or change analyses. Participants in low-ascending (vs. no change) FRS trajectory, and participants in moderate-ascending (vs. low-ascending) AL trajectory, had lower 5-y ABI (β = -0.025, P = 0.044; β = -0.016, P = 0.023, respectively). Conclusions FRS was a better overall predictor of ABI, compared with AL. Puerto Rican adults, an understudied population with higher FRS over 5 years, may benefit from intensive risk factor modification to reduce risk of PAD. Additional research examining relationships between FRS and AL and development of PAD is warranted.
Protective Function of Endothelial Glycocalyx (EG) during Hemorrhagic Shock (HS) in Skeletal Muscle: Integration of Systemic and Local Parameters In Vivo

Successful resuscitation after HS requires tissue stabilization and restoration of microcirculatory function. EG shedding may be associated with endothelial and secondary injury, such as edema, inﬂ...
Transient expression of neurofilament protein without filament formation in purkinje cell development Immunohistological and electron microscopic study of chicken cerebellum.

Purkinje cell bodies and dendrites in the chick embryo stained intensely by immunofluorescence and by the Avidin-Biotin Complex (ABC) method using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to the neurofilament (NF) proteins. On day 20 (the day before hatching) NF immunoreactivity markedly decreased concomitant with the first appearance of NF-positive basket axons in the molecular and Purkinje cell layers. On postnatal day 3, as in mature avian cerebellum, NF-negative Purkinje cells were surrounded by NF-positive baskets. Cytoplasmic 10 nm filaments were not observed in immature and mature Purkinje cells by electron microscopy. Basket axons in the hen were packed with 10 nm filaments.
The photo-initiated substitution reactions of 4-chloropyridine and the related 1-(4′-pyridyl)-4-pyridone with benzophenone in aqueous 2-propanol

4-Chloropyridine (1) converts to 1-(4′-pyridyl)-4-pyridone (4) in aqueous 2-propanol. The photo-initiated reaction of both of these compounds in acidic and non-acidic 4:1 2-propanol/water with and without benzophenone is reported.
Optimal Design of Large-Scale Supply Chain with Multi-Echelon Inventory and Risk Pooling under Demand Uncertainty

Abstract We address the optimal design of a multi-echelon supply chain and the associated inventory systems in the presence of uncertain customer demands. By using the guaranteed service approach to model the multi-echelon stochastic inventory system, we develop an optimization model for simultaneously optimizing the transportation, inventory and network structure of a multi-echelon supply chain. We formulate this problem as an MINLP with a nonconvex objective function including bilinear, trilinear and square root terms. By exploiting the properties of the basic model, we reformulate the problem as a separable concave minimization program. A spatial decomposition algorithm based on Lagrangean relaxation and piecewise linear approximation is proposed to obtain near global optimal solutions with reasonable computational expense. Examples for industrial gas supply chains with up to 5 plants, 50 potential distribution centers and 100 markets are presented.
Approach to develop ship design evaluation rule-base

The Smart Ship Systems Design (S3D) prototype is a comprehensive engineering and design environment capable of performing concept development and comparison (weights, power demand, speed, range, hull-form etc.), and high level ship system tradeoff studies. This online collaborative design environment is expected to be applied at the early stages of a ship design problem. Currently, the S3D environment contains tools for the development and simulation of the electrical, piping, and mechanical ship systems and the arrangement of the system and is capable of static power flow simulation for all major disciplines. However, the tool does not have a robust capability to evaluate designs using well established engineering guidelines. The research described herein aims to address this gap and this paper presents proposed approaches and outcomes of preliminary studies.
Multi-dimensional transfer functions for interactive 3D flow visualization

Transfer functions are a standard technique used in volume rendering to assign color and opacity to a volume of a scalar field. Multidimensional transfer functions (MDTFs) have proven to be an effective way to extract specific features with subtle properties. As 3D texture-based methods gain widespread popularity for the visualization of steady and unsteady flow field data, there is a need to define and apply similar MDTFs to interactive 3D flow visualization. We exploit flow field properties such as velocity, gradient, curl, helicity, and divergence using vector calculus methods to define an MDTF that can be used to extract and track features in a flow field. We show how the defined MDTF can be applied to interactive 3D flow visualization by combining them with state-of-the-art texture-based flow visualization of steady and unsteady fields. We demonstrate that MDTFs can be used to help alleviate the problem of occlusion, which is one of the main inherent drawbacks of 3D texture-based flow visualization techniques. In our implementation, we make use of current graphics hardware to obtain interactive frame rates.
3D processing technology and its impact on iA32 microprocessors

This short paper explores an implementation of a new technology called 3D die stacking and describes research activity at Intel. 3D die stacking is the bonding of two die either face-to-face or face-to-back in order to construct the 3D structure. In this work, a face-to-face bonding is utilized because it yields a higher density die-to-die inter-connect than is possible with face-to-back. With sufficiently dense die-to-die interconnect devices as complex as an iA32 microprocessor can be repartitioned or split between two die in order to simultaneously improve performance and power. The 3D structure of this emerging technology is examined and applied in this paper to a real x86 deeply pipelined high performance microprocessor. In this initial study, it is shown that a 3D implementation can potentially improve the performance by 15% while improving power by 15%.
Prophage-Mediated Interference Affecting the Development of Bacillus subtilis Bacteriophage φe

Bacteriophage phie shows a reduced efficiency of plating on strains of Bacillus subtilis which are lysogenic for the temperate bacteriophage SP02. Although this phenomenon resembles prophage-mediated restriction observed in other bacteria, host-controlled modification of phie was not observed. Mutants of phie which plated with high efficiency on the lysogenic host were isolated.
Properties of Soil Fumigants and Their Fate in the Environment

Publisher Summary This chapter provides basic and updated information on the chemical properties and environmental fate of currently used soil fumigants, environmental issues surrounding these fumigants, and strategies to minimize any negative impacts from soil fumigation. Soil fumigants are pesticides that are used to control a wide array of soil-borne pests including nematodes, pathogens, and weeds. Soil fumigants, after application to soil, rapidly form gas via either volatilization or chemical transformation. They are used intensively for pre-plant pest control in many annual crops (e.g., potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, and carrots), nurseries (e.g., fruit trees, nut trees, and grapevines), and floriculture. Most are halogenated compounds. Methyl bromide (MeBr) has been used as an effective broad-spectrum soil fumigant for several decades. The phase-out of MeBr has resulted in increased use of alternative fumigants. Some of these fumigants were used long before or jointly with MeBr, such as 1,3-dichloropropene and chloropicrin. Fumigant availability is dependent on registration status. Soil fumigation will continue to be critical to sustain agricultural production as the world's population grows. Increased public awareness of environmental issues surrounding fumigants is leading to more stringent regulations toward the safe use of these volatile compounds and minimal release into the environment. Management strategies must be developed for various agronomic systems to maximize fumigation effects on soil-borne pest control with minimal input and to minimize any negative environmental impact.
Retinal Pathology detected by optical coherence tomography in an animal model of Parkinson's disease

Background Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive procedure for analysis of retinal morphology. Significant changes in the thickness of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in Parkinson's disease (PD) have been reported, and the current study was performed to examine whether such changes can also be detected in an animal model of PD. Methods Optical coherence tomography measurements of peripapillary RNFL thickness, macula volume, and foveal thickness were obtained from 10 normal and five 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated cynomolgus monkeys with stable Parkinsonian signs. Results Average RNFL thickness was significantly decreased in Parkinsonian monkeys compared with controls, with statistically significant RNFL thinning found in nasal and inferior quadrants. Macula volume and foveal thickness were also significantly reduced in Parkinsonian animals compared with controls. Conclusions As described in PD, RNFL thinning, reduced macula volume, and reduced foveal thickness also occurs in monkeys with MPTP-induced Parkinsonism. These findings pave the way for additional studies in which OCT may be used to track changes in the retina that might be present very early in the PD pathological process, perhaps preceding the onset of motor signs. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Sex, wage-earner status, occupational level, and job satisfaction

Abstract This study attempted to investigate the relationship between wage-earner status, occupational level, and job satisfaction. It was proposed that wage-earner status was a more important determinant of job satisfaction than sex. However, the findings of this study suggested that sex was a more important determinant of job satisfaction than wage-earner status, and occupational level was a better predictor of job satisfaction than either sex or wage-earner status.
Carnitine biosynthesis via protein methylation

Abstract Carnitine, which is an acyl carrier within the mitochondrial membrane, is synthesized from e- N -trimethyllysine in rat liver. The formation of e- N -trimethyllysine results from enzymatic methylation of protein-lysine residues using S -adenosyl-l-methionine and subsequent degradation by hepatocyte lysosomes.
Interspecies Differences in the Removal of DNA Adducts

Numerous physical and chemical agents damage cellular DNA in vivo. Such damage has been associated with various biochemical, physiological, and pathological dysfunctions including: alterations in gene expression, cell death, mutation, birth defects, cancer, and aging. Cells and organisms unable to prevent the induction of DNA damage or to repair such damage once it is induced, are predisposed to one or more of these pathologies. Over the course of evolution, living systems have developed various mechanisms to cope with such damage including enzymatic repair, information redundancy and, in extreme situations, cellular replacement. Enzymatic repair can be divided into two general categories: prereplication and post-replication repair. Each of these categories includes many “repair” systems which differ with the size of the repaired region, the nature of the enzymes involved in the repair process, the type of agent inducing the repair process or form of lesion removed. Over the last decade, numerous methods ...
Studies on aflatoxin B1 toxicity in female rats pretreated with an oral contraceptive agent.

The effect of oral administration of the contraceptive agent Ovral-28 (100 mcg/day) on the hepatotoxic effects of aflatoxin B1 was studied in female rats. The animals received Ovral-28 for 16 days prior to the ip administration of a single dose of aflatoxin B1. Pretreatment with the contraceptive agent diminished the hepatic necrosis observed in animals receiving aflatoxin B1 only. Pretreatment also completely arrested the decrease in the level of hepatic reduced glutathione and partially reversed the decreased activity of the hepatic drug-metabolizing enzyme system induced by aflatoxin B1.