cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Franck-Condon theory of reactive scattering

Abstract A Franck-Condon theory of reactive scattering is introduced which generalizes previous works in a number of respects. We consider the collinear AB + C → A + BC reaction where A, B, and C may be polyatomic species and show how the multi-dimensional continuum-continuum Franck-Condon integral can exactly be reduced to a two-dimensional one involving the nonorthogonal reaction coordinates on the reactant and product diabatic surfaces. These integrals are then written in a rapidly convergent series of products of one-dimensional bound-continuum integrals of a form closely related to those studied in recent theories of photodissociation where accurate analytical and numerical methods are available for treating them. The theory is applied to the case of the D + Hl isotope exchange for a model surface to enable a comparison of exact quantum calculations with those of the Franck-Condon theory for the identical surface in both cases. The calculations are all performed at energies where the reaction is classically forbidden. The relative Dl vibrational distributions (as a function of initial Hl state) are accurately reproduced in a fashion that is fairly insensitive to the choice of the reactant and product diabatic surfaces, but the absolute probabilities are shown to be sensitively dependent on this choice.
Topography, Power and Current Source Density of Theta Oscillations during Reward Processing as Markers for Alcohol Dependence

Recent studies have linked alcoholism with a dysfunctional neural reward system. Although several electrophysiological studies have explored reward processing in healthy individuals, such studies in alcohol dependent individuals are quite rare. The present study examines theta oscillations during reward processing in abstinent alcoholics. The electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded in 38 abstinent alcoholics and 38 healthy controls as they performed a single outcome gambling task which involved outcomes of either loss or gain of an amount (10¢ or 50¢) that was bet. Event-related theta band (3.0–7.0 Hz) power following each outcome stimulus was computed using the S-transform method. Theta power at the time window of the outcome-related negativity (ORN) and positivity (ORP) (200–500 ms) was compared across groups and outcome conditions. Additionally, behavioral data of impulsivity and task performance were analyzed. The alcoholic group showed significantly decreased theta power during reward processing compared to controls. Current Source Density (CSD) maps of alcoholics revealed weaker and diffuse source activity for all conditions and weaker bilateral prefrontal sources during the Loss 50 condition as compared to controls who manifested stronger and focused midline sources. Further, alcoholics exhibited increased impulsivity and risk-taking on the behavioral measures. A strong association between reduced anterior theta power and impulsive task-performance was observed. It is suggested that decreased power and weaker and diffuse CSD in alcoholics may be due to dysfunctional neural reward circuitry. The relationship among alcoholism, theta oscillations, reward processing and impulsivity could offer clues to understand brain circuitries that mediate reward processing and inhibitory control.
Aminopyridine inhibition and voltage dependence of K+ currents in smooth muscle cells from cerebral arteries

Voltage-dependent K+ currents were characterized using the patch-clamp technique in smooth muscle cells isolated from rabbit cerebral (basilar) arteries. This study focused on the voltage dependence and the pharmacology of these K+ currents, since this information will be useful for the investigation of the role of the voltage-dependent K+ channels in arterial function. Currents through Ca(2+)-activated K+ (KCa) channels were minimized by buffering intracellular Ca2+ to low levels and by blockers (tetraethylammonium and iberiotoxin) of these channels. Membrane depolarization increased K+ currents, independent of changes in the driving force for K+ movement. With 140 mM internal and external K+, activation of K+ currents by membrane depolarization was half maximal at about -10 mV and increased as much as e-fold per 11 mV. Inactivation also depended on voltage, with a midpoint at -44 mV. 3,4-Diaminopyridine (3,4-DAP),4-aminopyridine(4-AP),3-amino-pyridine(3-AP), and 2-aminopyridine (2-AP) inhibited voltage-dependent K+ currents. At 0 mV, 3,4-DAP, 4-AP, 3-AP, and 2-AP (5 mM) inhibited the K+ currents by 84, 66, 36, and 8%, respectively. Phencyclidine (100 microM) inhibited the current by 53% at 0 mV. Steady-state whole cell currents through these channels were measured at physiological membrane potentials. At -40 mV, 4-AP (5 mM) reduced the steady-state outward current by 2.5 pA. These results are consistent with the idea that voltage-dependent K+ channels are involved in the regulation of the membrane potential of arterial smooth muscle.
The Description and Laboratory Cultivation of Arcyria Elaterensis, A New Species of Myxomycetes

Arcyria elaterensis was obtained from horse dung in a moist chamber culture and is described as a new species. It is characterized by the presence of both elaters and netted capillitium with faint ...
Figure Metrology for X-Ray Focusing Mirrors with Fresnel Holograms and Photon Sieves

We report on interferometric measurements of the figure error of an ultra-precise mirror with the shape of an elliptical toroid for the diffraction limited focusing of hard x-rays from an undulator x-ray source.
A Review of “Practicing Geography: Careers for Enhancing Society and the Environment”

Life comes with no map. We must way-find and trailblaze. Ambitions are our compass. Fortunately, Practicing Geography: Careers for Enhancing Society and the Environment combines survival tips, orie...
216 CYCLIC LOADING AND ULTIMATE STRENGTH OF ROTATOR CUFF REPAIRS: A COMPARISON OF AN ARTHROSCOPIC SUTURE ANCHOR TECHNIQUE AND A NOVEL ARTHROSCOPIC TRANSOSSEOUS TUNNEL TECHNIQUE IN A CADAVERIC MODEL.

Background Advances in arthroscopic surgical techniques have led to continued efforts to replace many traditional “open-repair” techniques with less invasive methods utilizing arthroscopic instrumentation. Here we hope to validate, in vitro, a novel arthroscopic repair technique for rotator cuff tears of the shoulder using a method of fixation traditionally done via a large open incision of the shoulder. Study Design andMethods This project involved two portions. The first was to repair the shoulders using each of the two methods of repair and examine the neurovasculature at risk during the transosseous tunnel procedure. The second was to utilize a materials test system (MTS) to load in a cyclic fashion each repair construct and record (a) displacement at the repair site, (b) number of cycles to failure, (c) load at ultimate failure, and (d) mode of failure. Results Preliminary data suggest that at similar loads, there is increased displacement at the repair site in the shoulders repaired with suture anchors than those repaired using transosseous tunnels. Repair done with transosseous tunnels showed 3 mm of displacement at ≈200 N whereas repair with suture anchors showed 3 mm of displacement at ≈150 N. Data collection is ongoing currently. Conclusions Our preliminary data suggest that the transosseous technique may provide greater holding strength compared to repairs done using suture anchors. Hopefully, we will be able to show that this novel repair technique can be performed arthroscopically in a safe and efficacious manner.
Ozone Flux Profiles in the Boundary Layer Observed with an Ozone DIAL/Doppler Lidar Combination

First measurements of ozone vertical fluxes with a ground-based ozone DIAL/Doppler lidar combination are presented. The vertically pointing ozone DIAL and Doppler lidar yield highly resolved measurements of ozone density and vertical wind speed from which ozone fluxes are retrieved directly using the eddy correlation technique. The time resolution of the ozone density and vertical wind speed measurements is 30 s and the vertical resolution is 120 m. With the current setup ozone flux profiles can be retrieved between 800 and 1500 m above ground level.
Barriers to Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing of HIV-Infected Men Who Have Sex With Men Engaged in HIV Primary Care.

BackgroundApproximately 15% of HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) engaged in HIV primary care have been diagnosed as having a sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the past year, yet STI testing frequency remains low.MethodsWe sought to quantify STI testing frequencies at a large, urban
Understanding How Neural Tube Defects Occur--And Can Be Prevented

Neural tube defects occur in 1.3 to 2.0 fetuses per 1000 live births, and are second only to cardiac malformations as the most frequent congenital anomaly in the US. The genetic and environmental influences on neural tube defect formation are currently being investigated. It is now thought that neural tube closure occurs in 5 separate sites, with each site possibly controlled by separate genes and subject to different external influences. Evidence suggests that one basic genetic defect involves homocysteine metabolism. Folic acid supplements before conception reduce both occurrence and recurrence risks. Prenatal screening and diagnosis are available, although management options after diagnosis are limited. Dietary alterations and adjustment of medical therapy prior to conception will reduce neural tube defect occurrence.
Open Flank Hernia Repair

Flank hernias represent an interesting challenge to the general surgeon. These are rare in number but rising in frequency as traumatic avulsions and post-surgical flank complications become more common. The location of the costal margin and pelvic brim limits the fixation options available in the repair of flank hernias and, thus, surgeons have been forced to evaluate other techniques of mesh overlap in the treatment of these difficult hernias. Understanding of the basic anatomy and tenants of operative repair of these hernias however is important for the general surgeon in today’s practice. Smaller defects can be addressed laparoscopically but for the larger flank defects or those associated with denervation injuries, the open approach to flank hernia repair offers the surgeon the ability to obtain a mesh fixation with the appropriate overlap to confidently repair these unique hernia defects.
Investigation and measurement of a sea water antenna array

This work examines the behavior of a two- element sea water antenna array. A basic transmission formulation is introduced first to understand the mechanisms of the sea water phased array antenna. We then present a brief overview of phased array theory, followed by a discussion of the design and resulting measurements. Numerical simulations are compared to measured data to show the generation of sum beam radiation patterns.
White-matter integrity on DTI and the pathologic staging of Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Pattern of diffusion tensor MRI (DTI) alterations were investigated in pathologically-staged Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients (n = 46). Patients with antemortem DTI studies and a range of AD pathology at autopsy were included. Patients with a high neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) stage (Braak IV–VI) had significantly elevated mean diffusivity (MD) in the crus of fornix and ventral cingulum tracts, precuneus, and entorhinal white matter on voxel-based analysis after adjusting for age and time from MRI to death (p
Abstract P152: Cardiac mTOR Preserves Cardiac Function and Inhibits the Inflammatory Response After Transient Ischemia

Recent reports strongly suggested that the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is necessary for cardiomyocyte survival in pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Using cardiac-specific transgenic mice overexpressing mTOR (mTOR-Tg), we reported that cardiac mTOR is sufficient to protect the heart against heart failure in pathological hypertrophy, accompanied by a decrease in production of proinflammatory cytokines. However, the role of cardiac mTOR in ischemic cardiac injury remains undefined. To assess the effects of cardiac mTOR in cardiac ischemia, we studied the response of hearts from mTOR-Tg mice to global ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) (20 min ischemia, 40 min reperfusion) in the ex vivo Langendorff perfusion model. mTOR-Tg mice demonstrated improved functional recovery compared with littermate control (WT) mice [percent recovery of LV developed pressure (LVDP); 44.6±7.3 vs. 24.7±5.3 %, mTOR-Tg vs. WT, n=9 each, p
‘Like’ if you support refugees: preservice teachers’ sensemaking of contested issues in a digitally-mediated multicultural education course

AbstractThe advent of Web 2.0 and social media have changed how individuals act and react in mediated spaces. Pre-service teachers, familiar with navigating online spaces, enter their courses with a wealth of digital experiences, understandings and ways of making meaning. This study examines how pre-service teachers in a multicultural education course communicate across digitally mediated spaces. Using discourse analysis and sensemaking theory to analyse their Facebook posts, we asked: How do White pre-service teachers discuss and make sense of issues related to immigration in a multicultural education course? Our findings revealed that participants attempted to make sense of immigrant language and culture while building new knowledge and identities as future educators at a time when public narratives about immigrants were disparaging. Further, blended learning provided a beneficial digital space for pre-service teachers’ sensemaking processes. Implications are offered for research and practice.
Compact Spintronic Muller C-Element with Near-Zero Standby Energy

The complementary roles of asynchronous architecture with nonvolatile spintronic devices are explored herein to realize a novel asynchronous logic element. By redesigning the Muller C-element to take advantage of spintronic device non-volatility and area efficiency, benefits such as reduced asynchronous handshaking area overhead, are achieved in addition to instant on/off capabilities for reduced static-power dissipation through power gating. We propose a novel eight transistor and one spintronic device Muller C-element design which is 20% faster and uses 68% of the power of previous non-volatile Muller C-element designs. This spintronic Muller C-element is demonstrated within a four-phase dual-rail asynchronous pipeline resulting in 48% fewer transistors in comparison with the previous designs. Additionally, bundled-data protocol overhead is shown to be reduced by using the spintronic Muller C-element proposed herein. Detailed analysis of the effects of driving transistor width and the tunneling magnetoresistance ratio on device performance characteristics is included.
Institutional Accessibility Awareness

This paper will provide a case study of Temple University’s collaborative efforts to develop and implement a comprehensive accessible technology project and the framework of the university Accessible Technology Initiative, which facilitated the essential collaborations. The university’s Accessible Technology Compliance Committee created a disability inclusion and accessibility awareness training to ensure that the university community understands its responsibilities and is aware of available support resources. The success of this project was the result of strategies and collaborations among participants in the broader initiative.
Preventing Sexual Violence among Adolescents and Young Adults

Abstract Sexual violence is a pervasive public health issue in the United States, and globally that impacts adolescents and emerging adults more than any other age demographic. The aims of this chapter are to (1) define and document the scope of sexual violence, (2) summarize literature on the etiology of sexual violence as a context for a critical, (3) review of the research on sexual violence prevention initiatives that will be used to (4) delineate implications for research, practice, and policy. We assert that a more comprehensive and synthesized set of strategies that target all key audiences for prevention work—potential victims, potential perpetrators, and potential bystanders (who we call actionists) are needed that weave together efforts across pieces of the social-ecological model.
Absolute rates of globin chain synthesis in thalassemia.

The absolute rate of α chain synthesis per erythroid cell in the peripheral blood of patients with β thalassemia has been shown to be normal while that of β chains is markedly decreased or absent. The results indicate that α chains do not require the presence of β chains for their normal synthesis and release. In addition, γ chain synthesis does not compensate for the decreased β chain synthesis. A marked heterogeneity in the amount of β globin chains produced by different patients with β thalassemia is also prominent.
Microelectrodes in Biological Systems

The small size of microelectrodes enables their use as sensors in biological systems of easily oxidized chemical substances. Carbon-fiber electrodes implanted in the brain can be used to examine the dynamic concentration changes of the neurotransmitter dopamine. In thin slices of brain tissue, the electrodes can be used to simultaneously detect neurotransmitter secretion and oxygen use. At single cells secretion processes can be resolve in real time.
FORCE ANALYSIS OF ELBOW FLEXORS

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a study on force analysis of elbow flexors. In anatomical mechanics, the forearm and elbow joint are often considered as a lever system whose fulcrum is located at the elbow joint. In contrast with mechanical leverage, the anatomical lever system usually has more than one unknown input force for the desired output performance. These forces are internal or muscle forces. There are three elbow flexors, involved in elbow flexion motion: (1) the brachioradialis, (2) the brachialis, and (3) the biceps. A number of elbow total replacements are available at present; however, the literature on biomechanical analysis of elbow motion, particularly the kinetic study, is scant. To predict muscle force distribution in a quantitative manner, an optimization technique is often used. Assuming elbow motion is two-dimensional and knowing that the elbow joint is a hinged joint, a maximum of three equations of motion can be obtained for a segment. However, there are five scalar unknowns in the system: three flexor forces and two elbow reaction forces. As the number of unknowns is greater than the number of equations available, this problem can be approached theoretically by the linear programming method. However, interpretation of the results of this technique is not an easy task.
Anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation ablation: what is the optimal strategy?

Regardless of the approach to perioperative anticoagulation used, patients need to have a normal or nearly normal state of coagulation during surgery, so some increase in the risk of thromboembolism is unavoidable. —Kearon and Hirsh, 1997 ([1][1]) Catheter ablation procedures are increasingly
ASIC Design Methodology

As deep sub-micron semiconductor geometries shrink, traditional methods of chip design have become increasingly difficult. In addition, increasing numbers of transistors are being packed into the same die-size that makes it extremely hard, if not impossible to validate the design. Furthermore, the ever critical “time-to-market” the chip has remained the same, or is under constant pressure to be reduced. To counteract these problems, new methods and tools have evolved to facilitate the ASIC design methodology.
Multi-objective Optimization to Improve Robustness in Networks

Robustness is one of the most important properties to consider when designing networked infrastructure systems such as the road network, airline network, and the electric power grid. A critical concern with such systems is that functionality must be maintained during the occurrence of natural disasters or deliberate attacks on their components. Multiple network robustness measures, each capturing different features of interest, have been formulated to evaluate the capability of a system to withstand such failures or attacks. These previously proposed robustness measures are sometimes uncorrelated or negatively correlated; hence, optimizing a single measure may not improve the overall robustness of the network. In this chapter, we propose a new approach addressing the budget-constrained multi-objective optimization problem of determining the set of new edges (of given size) that maximally improve multiple robustness measures. Experimental results show that adding the edges suggested by our approach significantly improves the network robustness, compared to previously proposed algorithms. The networks improved by our approach also maintain high robustness during random or targeted node attacks.
Effects of repeated treatment with methcathinone, mephedrone, and fenfluramine on intracranial self-stimulation in rats

Synthetic cathinones constitute a class of abused drugs that can act at dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin transporters (DAT, NET, and SERT, respectively). Intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) is a preclinical procedure that can be used to evaluate abuse potential of drugs, and prior studies have indicated that abuse-related ICSS effects of monoamine-transporter substrates, including some synthetic cathinones, are positively correlated with drug selectivity for DAT vs. SERT. Abuse potential of drugs can also be influenced by regimens of repeated drug exposure, but the role of repeated exposure on abuse-related ICSS effects of synthetic cathinones has not been examined. This study used ICSS to evaluate effects of repeated treatment with the DAT>SERT substrate methcathinone, the DAT<SERT substrate fenfluramine, and the DAT≈SERT substrate mephedrone. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained in a frequency-rate ICSS procedure, and different groups were used to evaluate effects of methcathinone, mephedrone, and fenfluramine before, during, and after regimens of repeated treatment with the designated drug. Before repeated treatment, methcathinone produced dose-dependent and abuse-related ICSS facilitation, fenfluramine produced dose-dependent ICSS depression, and mephedrone produced mixed effects that included both facilitation and depression. Chronic treatment produced no change in effects of methcathinone, but complete tolerance to effects of fenfluramine. For mephedrone, chronic treatment produced partial tolerance to ICSS depression and enhanced expression of ICSS facilitation. Repeated exposure to mixed-action DAT≈SERT substrates such as mephedrone can result in increased abuse potential due to sustained expression of DAT-mediated abuse-related effects and tolerance to SERT-mediated abuse-limiting effects.
A Logic Programming Language for Computational Nucleic Acid Devices.

Computational nucleic acid devices show great potential for enabling a broad range of biotechnology applications, including smart probes for molecular biology research, in vitro assembly of complex compounds, high-precision in vitro disease diagnosis and, ultimately, computational theranostics inside living cells. This diversity of applications is supported by a range of implementation strategies, including nucleic acid strand displacement, localization to substrates, and the use of enzymes with polymerase, nickase, and exonuclease functionality. However, existing computational design tools are unable to account for these strategies in a unified manner. This paper presents a logic programming language that allows a broad range of computational nucleic acid systems to be designed and analyzed. The language extends standard logic programming with a novel equational theory to express nucleic acid molecular motifs. It automatically identifies matching motifs present in the full system, in order to apply a spe...
An examination of the nature of localized molecular orbitals and their value in understanding various phenomena that occur in organic chemistry

While canonical molecular orbitals have been used in computational chemistry for almost a century, the use of localized molecular orbitals is relatively new, and generating them has been difficult until recently. This has impeded their routine use in modeling chemical systems and reactions so that, even though localized molecular orbitals can now be generated easily, their usefulness in interpreting chemical phenomena has not been properly appreciated. Localized molecular orbitals can provide useful insights into chemical phenomena such as two-electron bonds, π delocalization, and lone pairs. A potentially important application would be interpreting the phenomena that occur in chemical reactions, in particular those reactions which can be described using the Lewis curly-arrow electron pushing convention. This paper considers how canonical and localized molecular orbitals are generated, their usefulness and limitations, and some issues that could be considered controversial regarding their nature, and it presents examples of the usefulness of LMOs in describing six chemical systems and one reaction.
Uncertainty quantification and reduction in the characterization of subsurface stratigraphy using limited geotechnical investigation data

Abstract Subsurface stratigraphy is critical to the design, construction, and subsequent performance of geotechnical structures. However, in practice it is impossible to identify the stratigraphy of a subsurface geological domain with absolute certainty, due to the limitations imposed by geotechnical investigation techniques and project budgets. This paper presents a subsurface stratigraphic modeling and uncertainty quantification approach, which is established based on an improved and extended geological modeling technique previously established by the author and others, for simulating the stratigraphy of both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cases with more complex geological features. Furthermore, this approach provides quantitative evaluation of the amount of stratigraphic uncertainty in the current interpretation and enables the systematic reduction of stratigraphic uncertainty through the investigation of additional targeted borehole drilling locations. Illustrative examples, including artificial cases as well as two real cases from existing geotechnical projects, are presented in this study to demonstrate the use of the proposed analysis approach.
The Potential Impact of "Take the Volume Pledge" on Outcomes After Carotid Artery Stenting.

BACKGROUND The "Volume Pledge" aims to centralize carotid artery stenting (CAS) to hospitals and surgeons performing ≥10 and ≥5 procedures annually, respectively. OBJECTIVE To compare outcomes after CAS between hospitals and surgeons meeting or not meeting the Volume Pledge thresholds. METHODS We queried the Nationwide Inpatient Sample for CAS admissions. Hospitals and surgeons were categorized as low volume and high volume (HV) based on the Volume Pledge. Multivariable hierarchical regression models were used to examine the impact of hospital volume (2005-2011) and surgeon volume (2005-2009) on perioperative outcomes. RESULTS Between 2005 and 2011, 22 215 patients were identified. Most patients underwent CAS by HV hospitals (86.4%). No differences in poor outcome (composite endpoint of in-hospital mortality, postoperative neurological or cardiac complications) were observed by hospital volume but HV hospitals did decrease the likelihood of other complications, nonroutine discharge, and prolonged hospitalization. From 2005 to 2009, 9454 CAS admissions were associated with physician identifiers. Most patients received CAS by HV surgeons (79.2%). On multivariable analysis, hospital volume was not associated with improved outcomes but HV surgeons decreased odds of poor outcome (odds ratio [OR] 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59-0.97; P = .028), complications (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.46-0.71, P < .001), nonroutine discharge (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.57-0.87; P = .001), and prolonged hospitalization (OR 0.52, 95% 0.44-0.61, P < .001). CONCLUSION Most patients receive CAS by hospitals and providers meeting the Volume Pledge threshold for CAS. Surgeons but not hospitals who met the policy's volume standards were associated with superior outcomes across all measured outcomes.
Fused s-triazino heterocycles. XVIII. 1,3,4,7,11c-Pentaazabenz[de]anthracene and 1,3,4,6,7,11c-hexaazabenz[de]anthracene. Two new ring systems

The reaction of 2-amino-4-chloro-6-methylpyrimidine (3a) with trimethylacetyl chloride gave 4-chloro-6-methyl-2-trimethylacetamidopyrimidine (5). This latter compound with excess anthranilonitrile gave in one step 2-t-butyl-5-methyl-1,3,4,7,11c-pentaazabenz[de]anthracene (6a). To prepare 2-t-butyl-5-dimethylamino-1,3,4,6,7,11c-hexaazabenz[de]anthracene (6b) it was found necessary to first react 2-amino-4-chloro-6-dimethylamino-5-triazine (3b) with anthranilonitrile to yield the intermediate product 2-amino-4(2-cyanoanilino)-6-dimethylamino-s-triazine (4). Reaction of the latter with trimethylacetyl chloride gave 6b.
Post-Project Reviews: An Examination of Determinants

Post-project reviews constitute a valuable learning device for IT organizations to help later project teams avoid making the same mistakes and improve systems development practices. Despite its importance, empirical research on post-project review practices is sparse. Based on a nationwide questionnaire survey of lessons learned from Y2K projects, this study investigates the prevalence of post-project reviews and compares two models that explain their use. Findings from this study suggest that organizational culture, particularly an organization’s learning orientation, represents a significant predictor of the use of post-project reviews. The size of the IT organization in terms of IT personnel represents another significant predictor.
Risk assessment of recordable occupational hearing loss in the mining industry

Objective: To evaluate the hearing loss risk in different sectors and subunits in the mining industry and to identify associated occupations, in an attempt to locate gaps between hearing conservation efforts and hearing loss risks.Design: Descriptive statistics and frequency tables were generated by commodity types, subunit operations, and/or occupations. Temporal trends of the incidences of hearing loss were reported by commodity types.Study Sample: The MSHA Accident/Injury/Illness and MSHA Address/Employment databases from 2000 to 2014 were used.Results: Incidence rate of OHL was reported highest in the coal sector compared to other commodity types. Those members of the workforce that entered the mining industry after the year 2000 accounted for 6.5% and 19.0% of the total hearing loss records for coal and non-coal, respectively. High-risk occupations found in all three commodity sectors (coal; stone, sand, and gravel; and metal/non-metal) were electrician/helper/wireman, mechanic/repairman/helper, bulldozer/tractor operator, and truck driver.Conclusion: Hearing loss risks were not uniform across mining sectors, subunit operations, and occupations. In addition to the continuous efforts of implementing engineering controls to reduce machinery sound level exposure for operators, a multi-level approach may benefit those occupations with a more dynamic exposure profile - e.g., labour/utilityman/bullgang, electrician/helper/wireman, and mechanic/repairman/helper.
Protein Structure Modeling with Rosetta: Case Studies in Structure Prediction and Enzyme Repurposing

The Rosetta protein structure methodology has evolved as a comprehensive tool for protein structure prediction and protein design. The software suite includes modules for protein structure prediction, protein-protein and protein-small molecule docking, as well as protein interface, enzyme, and symmetric protein design. This paper describes two recent Rosetta successes. We describe how Rosetta’s structure prediction – when augmented with experimental data – was used to solve difficult molecular replacement problems, yielding high-resolution models for 8 of 13 structures unsolvable by alternate approaches. We also show how Rosetta may be used to redesign metalloenzyme active sites, repurposing a metal binding site to provide new catalytic activity.
Brief Report: Urine Emtricitabine and Tenofovir Concentrations Provide Markers of Recent Antiretroviral Drug Exposure Among HIV-Negative Men Who Have Sex With Men.

BACKGROUND Urine provides a minimally invasive specimen that may allow for development of rapid tests to detect antiretroviral drugs and provide opportunities to improve individual adherence. This study sought to determine whether urine could provide a biomarker of adherence for currently approved pre-exposure prophylaxis and HIV treatment regimens. METHODS Urine and blood were collected from 34 HIV-negative men who have sex with men aged 18-49 years, enrolled in a clinical trial comparing 2 antiretroviral regimens. Specimens were collected 4 and 24 hours after a single oral dose of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)/emtricitabine (FTC) (n = 10) or tenofovir alafenamide (TAF)/FTC/cobicistat (COBI)/elvitegravir (EVG) (n = 8), or after 4 and 10 days of daily oral TDF/FTC (n = 9) or TAF/FTC/COBI/EVG (n = 7). Tenofovir (TFV), FTC, and EVG were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS Median urine FTC concentrations at 4 and 24 hours were similar between men receiving TDF/FTC (4 hours 147 µg/mL; 24 hours 10 µg/mL) and men receiving TAF/FTC/COBI/EVG (4 hours 333 µg/mL, P = 0.173; 24 hours 13 µg/mL, P = 0.681). Median urine TFV concentrations were lower among men receiving TAF/FTC/COBI/EVG (4 hours 1.2 µg/mL; 24 hours 0.8 µg/mL) compared with men receiving TDF/FTC (4 hours 17 µg/mL, P < 0.001; 24 hours 7 µg/mL, P = 0.001). Urine TFV concentrations remained reduced among men receiving TAF/FTC/COBI/EVG compared with men receiving TDF/FTC after daily dosing. EVG was not consistently measurable in urine. CONCLUSIONS High urine FTC and TFV concentrations could provide an indication of adherence to daily oral dosing with TDF or TAF-based regimens used for treatment and prevention.
Bibliometric mapping for current and potential collaboration detection

This project characterized current research and collaboration patterns in pain research at one institution after researchers working on a grant application approached the library to better understand current institutional research and publishing about that topic. To address this question, library staff developed a collaborative, multi-tool process for bibliometric analysis and network visualization. The primary data source used was a preexisting, curated EndNote library of institutional publications. This EndNote library was searched using keywords relevant to the topic in order to create two sublibraries: one on pain and one specifically on musculoskeletal pain. Article data from each library were exported into InCites to create a benchmarking analysis. In addition, article data were imported into VOSviewer to visualize collaboration networks by author and create concept maps. Researchers were consulted to identify and label resulting clusters in the VOSviewer visualizations. This project successfully generated useful visualizations via bibliometric mapping that characterized current and potential pain research at the institution. The analysis was included in a grant proposal for funding a center for pain research and for catalyzing further collaborative research. Virtual Projects are published on an annual basis in the Journal of the Medical Library Association (JMLA) following an annual call for virtual projects in MLAConnect and announcements to encourage submissions from all types of libraries. An advisory committee of recognized technology experts selects project entries based on their currency, innovation, and contribution to health sciences librarianship.
Compositional Evolution of Secondary Organic Aerosol as Temperature and Relative Humidity Cycle in Atmospherically Relevant Ranges

Atmospheric secondary organic aerosols (SOA) play an important role in the global particulate matter budget, and their chemical compositions determine critical properties that impact radiative forcing and human health. During temporal and spatial transport, atmospheric particles undergo ambient temperature and relative humidity (RH) changes or cycles that may transform their chemical compositions. Here, we report compositional evolution of SOA from α-pinene ozonolysis in a smog chamber as the temperature and RH cycle within atmospherically relevant ranges (5–35 °C; 10–80% RH). The results suggest that the organic vapor condensation is limited during cooling, in contrast to volatility-based predictions, likely due to high viscosity of the α-pinene SOA particles and the potential enrichment of semivolatile products in the particle surface region. Combining a number of online and offline aerosol bulk and molecular-level measurements, we determine that particle-phase reactions occur reversibly and irreversibl...
Feasibility and limitations of damage identification in composite materials using acoustic emission

One of the current challenges in health monitoring of composite materials is the use of acoustic emission to identify damage modes. Many classification procedures have been reported in the literature but none of them clearly state limitations to their applicability, making it difficult to quantify them in different testing conditions. In the present paper, a method is described to characterize energy attenuation and how it affects AE signals features based solely on AE signals recorded during mechanical tests. Limitations to damage identification based on AE signals features can therefore be defined. The method is demonstrated on AE signals recorded during tensile tests on four different layups of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites using signals frequency centroids to describe AE sources.
Patterning the Nervous System

I. INTRODUCTION The Caenorhabditis elegans nervous system consists of 302 neurons of 118 types that interconnect in a reproducible manner to form a variety of neural circuits and pathways (White et al. 1986). This complex array of neurons is generated by invariant patterns of cell division and migration (Sulston et al. 1983). Many of the neural types are generated in groups by neuroblast sublineages that are reiterated along the symmetry axes of the animal. Some of these iterated cell lineages are modified to generate sets of neural descendants that are variations on a theme. The correlation of neural type with pattern of cell lineage suggests that there are genetic pathways which couple neural specification to lineage. The variations on the canonical cell lineages suggest that there are also pathways that modify the activity of such modular cell-lineage-generating mechanisms. Genes that act to couple cell lineage to neural identity as well as genes that mediate the variations in these cell lineages have been detected in genetic screens for mutants with defects in neural development or function (Finney and Ruvkun 1990; Miller et al. 1993; Wang et al. 1993; Jin et al. 1994). Many of these genes encode transcription factors that regulate the patterned generation of neurons in stereotyped cell lineages (Way and Chalfie 1988; Finney and Ruvkun 1990; Miller et al. 1992; Jin et al. 1994) or in spatial domains (Salser et al. 1993). Some of these genes also control the detailed features of neural type, such as their migration paths...
Erbb4 null mice display altered mesocorticolimbic and nigrostriatal dopamine levels as well as deficits in cognitive and motivational behaviors

Natural genetic variants of Neuregulin1 (NRG1) and its cognate receptor ErbB4 are associated with a risk for schizophrenia. Whereas most studies on NRG1-ErbB4 signaling have focused on GABAergic interneurons, ErbB4 is also expressed by midbrain dopaminergic neurons where it modulates extracellular dopamine (DA) levels. Here, we report that extracellular steady-state levels of DA are reduced in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC; -65%), hippocampus (-53%) and nucleus accumbens (NAc; -35%), but are elevated in the dorsal striatum (+25%) of ErbB4 knock-out mice (ErbB4 KOs) relative to wild-type controls. This pattern of DA imbalance recapitulates the reported prefrontal cortical reduction and striatal increase of DA levels in schizophrenia patients. Next, we report on a battery of behavioral tasks used to evaluate locomotor, cognitive and motivational behaviors in ErbB4 KOs relative to controls. We found that ErbB4 KOs are hyperactive in a novel open field but not in their familiar home cage, are more sensitive to amphetamine, perform poorly in the T-maze and novel object recognition (NOR) tasks, exhibit reduced spatial learning and memory on the Barnes maze, and perform markedly worse in conditioned place preference (CPP) tasks when associating cued-reward palatable food with location. However, we found that the poor performance of ErbB4 KOs in CPP are likely due to deficits in spatial memory, instead of reward seeking, as ErbB4 KOs are more motivated to work for palatable food rewards. Our findings indicate that ErbB4 signaling affects tonic DA levels and modulates a wide array of behavioral deficits relevant to psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia.
Story of human connection.

My patient was old and tired. And he was beginning to struggle to breathe. “Sir,” I said, “I’d like to record a message of you on my phone. I want to send it to your children.” I spoke gently, aiming for grace and patience as I stood at the foot of his bed. Had circumstances been normal, I would not have made this request. I would not have needed to. This man would have had his family gathered around his bedside to comfort him. But my patient had arrived as coronavirus was sweeping across the country, an illness which, in addition to causing rapid deterioration of many, manages to rob us of the most basic forms of human connection we rely so heavily on in moments of upheaval. I did not relish asking a sick patient to let me film him, but this was my best chance at connecting my patient, in these critical moments, to his loved ones. He was still coherent and able to consent, though that would not remain the case for much longer. The end of this man’s life was approaching. The weight of this personal moment was apparent and shared only between us, a doctor and a patient. I thought his family should be involved, too. He breathed out the word, ‘Okay’, barely audible over the oxygen filling his mask. There …
Revealing historical fire regimes of the Cumberland Plateau, USA, through remnant fire-scarred shortleaf pines (Pinus echinata Mill.)

Vegetation of the Cumberland Plateau (USA) has undergone dramatic transitions since the last glaciation and particularly since the onset of widespread logging and twentieth century fire exclusion. Shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.), one of the most fire-dependent conifers in the US, occurs throughout the Cumberland Plateau, but its abundance has declined dramatically since Euro-American settlement and continues to decline. To better understand the historical ecology of fire within the natural range of shortleaf pine, we reconstructed fire regimes at three new sites throughout the central and southern Cumberland Plateau region based on fire scars on shortleaf pine trees. Fire event chronologies extended back to the seventeenth century and revealed historical fire regimes that were frequent and dominated by dormant-season and low-severity events. Fires occurred on average every 4.4 to 5.3 years at the study sites before widespread Euro-American settlement, and were more frequent (2.3 to 3.8 years) following settlement. Cumberland Plateau fires may be linked to adjacent ecoregions such as the Eastern Highland Rim to the west. Among all sites, we found that long-term trends in fire activity were similar and fit into a regional waveform pattern of fire activity likely driven by humans (i.e., Native American depopulation, European settlement, and twentieth century fire exclusion). The decline in shortleaf pine and other fire-dependent ecosystems across the Cumberland Plateau is due to multiple interacting factors and, based on these data, frequent fire should be considered a historically important ecological driver of these systems.
Race and Insurance Status are Associated With Different Management Strategies After Thoracic Trauma.

Abstract Introduction Health-care disparities based on race and socioeconomic status among trauma patients are well-documented. However, the influence of these factors on the management of rib fractures following thoracic trauma is unknown. The aim of this study is to describe the association of race and insurance status on management and outcomes in patients who sustain rib fractures. Methods The Trauma Quality Improvement Program database was used to identify adult patients who presented with rib fractures between 2015 and 2016. Patient demographics, injury severity, procedures performed, and outcomes were evaluated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the effect of race and insurance status on mortality and the likelihood of rib fixation surgery and epidural analgesia for pain management. Results A total of 95,227 patients were identified. Of these, 2923 (3.1%) underwent rib fixation. Compared to White patients, Asians (AOR: 0.57, P = 0.001), Blacks or African-Americans (AA) (AOR: 0.70, P Conclusions Non-White race is associated with a decreased likelihood of rib fixation and/or epidural placement, while underinsurance is associated with higher mortality in patients with thoracic trauma. Prospective efforts to examine the socioeconomic disparities within this population are warranted.
Association of cardiovascular health and epigenetic age acceleration.

Cardiovascular health (CVH) has been defined by the American Heart Association (AHA) as the presence of the “Life’s Simple 7” ideal lifestyle and clinical factors. CVH is known to predict longevity and freedom from cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death for women in the United States. DNA methylation markers of aging have been aggregated into a composite epigenetic age score, which is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, it is unknown whether poor CVH is associated with acceleration of aging as measured by DNA methylation markers in epigenetic age. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of racially/ethnically diverse post-menopausal women enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative cohort recruited between 1993 and 1998. Epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) was calculated using DNA methylation data on a subset of participants and the published Horvath and Hannum methods for intrinsic and extrinsic EAA. CVH was calculated using the AHA measures of CVH contributing to a 7-point score. We examined the association between CVH score and EAA using linear regression modeling adjusting for self-reported race/ethnicity and education. Among the 2,170 participants analyzed, 50% were white and mean age was 64 (7 SD) years. Higher or more favorable CVH scores were associated with lower extrinsic EAA (~ 6 months younger age per 1 point higher CVH score, p < 0.0001), and lower intrinsic EAA (3 months younger age per 1 point higher CVH score, p < 0.028). These cross-sectional observations suggest a possible mechanism by which ideal CVH is associated with greater longevity.