cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anabolic androgen use in the management of hereditary angioedema: Not so cheap after all

Abstract Background Hereditary angioedema due to C1 inhibitor deficiency (HAE) is a rare, life-threatening disease that imposes a significant burden on affected patients. 17α-alkylated androgens (anabolic androgens) decrease attack frequency and severity but carry the risk of potentially serious dose-related adverse effects. Despite the emergence of targeted therapies for HAE, continued anabolic androgen use has been driven in part by their low cost. Objective To examine the hidden cost of anabolic androgen use related to the risk of developing non-HAE comorbidities. Methods Patients with HAE were identified in the Southern California Kaiser Permanente database using clinical and laboratory findings compatible with HAE. These patients were stratified into anabolic androgen exposed and nonexposed groups. Matched controls were selected from the Kaiser database who did not have HAE or anabolic androgen exposure. Using multivariate analysis, we determined the number of non-HAE comorbidities linked to anabolic androgen use. We next determined the association between dosing and increasing exposure to anabolic androgens and the likelihood of having various comorbidities. Results Patients with HAE exposed to anabolic androgens had a 28% increase ( P = .04) in non-HAE comorbidities when compared with their matched (nonexposed) controls. With each gram per month increase in exposure, a 12% increase in non-HAE comorbidities is observed ( P Conclusion Our data suggest that long-term anabolic androgen use enhances the risk of developing comorbid health conditions, thus amplifying the cost of care. Our report provides additional support for the preferred use of newer, targeted therapies for the management of HAE.
Angioleiomyoma of the Lower Leg

Angioleiomyomas are benign tumefactions that originate from smooth muscle in vascular structures and are difficult to definitively diagnose preoperatively. Although these lesions are rarely encountered in the foot, the lower extremity is the most common site of occurrence. An angioleiomyoma typically manifests as a small, painful, solitary, mobile lesion. This case report describes a lateral retromalleolar para-Achilles tendon insertional location for a moderately sized immobile solid tumefaction in the subcutaneous tissues. The lesion was nonpainful and progressively enlarged over 5 years. An excisional biopsy was performed, and the nodular lesion was subsequently diagnosed histopathologically as an angioleiomyoma. Owing to the ambiguous nature of the clinical findings, angioleiomyoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of lower-extremity soft-tissue manifestations.
Catalytic N−H Bond Activation and Breaking by a Well-Defined CoII1O4 Site of a Heterogeneous Catalyst

Catalytic N-H bond activation and breaking by well-defined molecular complexes is a challenge in chemical science. Metal nanoparticles catalytically decompose NH3; they are, however, ill-defined and contain a range of sites with varying coordination numbers and catalytic properties. So far, no well-defined molecular complexes have been demonstrated to catalytically break strong N-H bonds in NH3. Recently, non-catalytic activation of NH3 with liberation of molecular H2 on the organometallic molybdenum complex was demonstrated. Herein, we show catalytic activation and breaking of N-H bonds on a well-defined, highly thermally-resistant (even under reducing environments) Co(II)1O4 site of a heterogeneous catalyst for organic (ethylamine) and inorganic (NH3, with the formation of N2 and H2) molecules. We directly compare the activity of isolated cationic cobalt sites with ultra small (2.7 nm and less) silica-supported cobalt nanoparticles. DFT calculations suggest a mechanism that involves breaking of N-H bond in NH3 and N-N coupling steps taking place on a Co1O4 site. In contrast, Co1N4 sites are not catalytically active, implying that the ligand environment around a single atom of a heterogeneous catalyst largely controls reactivity in NH3 activation. This may open a new chapter for the design of well-defined heterogeneous materials for N-H bond activation reactions.
Divergence-Conforming Constrained Basis Functions for Hexahedral Volume Elements

This communication presents an algebraic method for constructing arbitrary-order, divergence-conforming basis functions on hexahedral volume elements. The appropriate constraints within and on the boundaries of elements are provided. In particular, the handling of faces where quantities are discontinuous is discussed. The resulting bases are numerically characterized in terms of error convergence and system conditioning for a moment method discretization of the electric field volume integral equation for dielectric scatterers. Results show the accuracy of the proposed method as well as the low system matrix condition number that can be maintained as the basis order and mesh discretization are increased.
The Productivity Impact of New Technology: Evidence from the US Retailers Industry

This study determines how information technology impacts selected retailers’ overall financial productivity. To measure the impact of information technology on productivity in the retail industry, a purposive sample of five retailers’ technological innovation and financial performance was collected and analyzed. Five retailers were selected from a list of the most prevalent retailers in the U.S.: Starbucks, Target, Verizon Wireless, Ulta Beauty, and Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. The linear regression with analysis of variance performed revealed a weak or insignificant relationship between information technology usage and productivity as measured by retailer revenue.
Biology of premature ageing in survivors of cancer

Over 30 million cancer survivors exist worldwide. Survivors have an earlier onset and higher incidence of chronic comorbidities, including endocrinopathies, cardiac dysfunction, osteoporosis, pulmonary fibrosis, secondary cancers and frailty than the general population; however, the fundamental basis of these changes at the cellular level is unknown. An electronic search was performed on Embase, Medline In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Original articles addressing the cellular biology of ageing and/or the mechanisms of cancer therapies similar to ageing mechanisms were included, and references of these articles were reviewed for further search. We found multiple biological process of ageing at the cellular level and their association with cancer therapies, as well as with clinical effects. The direct effects of various chemotherapies and radiation on telomere length, senescent cells, epigenetic modifications and microRNA were found. We review the effects of cancer therapies on recognised hallmarks of ageing. Long-term comorbidities seen in cancer survivors mimic the phenotypes of ageing and likely result from the interaction between therapeutic exposures and the underlying biology of ageing. Long-term follow-up of cancer survivors and research on prevention strategies should be pursued to increase the length and quality of life among the growing population of cancer survivors.
Potentially Functional Variants of ATG16L2 Predict Radiation Pneumonitis and Outcomes in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer after Definitive Radiotherapy.

Abstract Introduction Autophagy not only plays an important role in the progression of cancer but is also involved in tissue inflammatory response. However, few published studies have investigated associations between functional genetic variants of autophagy-related genes and radiation pneumonitis (RP) as well as clinical outcomes in patients with NSCLC after definitive radiotherapy. Methods We genotyped nine potentially functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in four autophagy-related genes (autophagy related 2B gene [ATG2B], autophagy related 10 gene [ATG10], autophagy related 12 gene [ATG12], and autophagy related 16 like 2 gene [ATG16L2]) in 393 North American patients with NSCLC treated by definitive radiotherapy and assessed their associations with RP, local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) in multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analyses. Results We found that patients with the ATG16L2 rs10898880 CC variant genotype had a better LRFS, PFS, and OS (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.59, 0.64, and 0.64; 95% confidence interval: 0.45–0.79, 0.48–0.84, and 0.48–0.86; p = 0.0004, 0.002, and 0.003, respectively), but a greater risk for development of severe RP (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.80, 95% confidence interval: 1.04–3.12, p = 0.037) than did patients with AA/AC genotypes. Further functional analyses suggested that the ATG16L2 rs10898880 C variant allele modulated expression of the ATG16L2 gene. Conclusion This is the first report that one potentially functional SNP rs10898880 in ATG16L2 may be a predictor of RP, LRFS, PFS, and OS in patients with NSCLC after definitive radiotherapy. Additional larger, prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Approximate semi-analytical solution for a penny-shaped rough-walled hydraulic fracture driven by turbulent fluid in an impermeable rock

Abstract The popularity of high injection rate hydraulic fracturing treatments using low viscosity fluids is driving a need to consider the turbulent and laminar-turbulent transition regimes of fluid flow in hydraulic fracture simulators. The radial model is one of the most important geometries both for benchmarking and as a starter solution for 3D and Planar 3D models. Here we provide a semi-analytical, orthogonal polynomial series solution for a rough-walled radial (penny-shaped) hydraulic fracture driven by a fully turbulent fluid. Embedding the appropriate pressure singularities in a family of orthogonal polynomials used for derivation of the solution leads to very rapid convergence of the series, requiring just two terms for an accurate result. We conclude with an investigation of the occurrence of this limiting regime by comparison with numerical simulations, illustrating that the fully turbulent regime is typically not encountered for the radial geometry, although the present solution remains necessary as a starter solution and benchmark for the numerical simulators that are required to capture the laminar-turbulent transition. By comparison with numerical simulations that consider the laminar-turbulent transition, we find that such an estimate is expected to be sufficient for practical purposes when the inlet opening predicted by the turbulent solution exceeds the inlet opening predicted by the laminar solution.
Pediatric palliative care nursing

Palliative care is patient- and family-centered care that enhances quality of life throughout the illness trajectory and can ease the symptoms, discomfort, and stress for children living with life-threatening conditions and their families. This paper aims to increase nurses' and other healthcare providers' awareness of selected recent research initiatives aimed at enhancing life and decreasing suffering for these children and their families. Topics were selected based on identified gaps in the pediatric palliative care literature. Published articles and authors' ongoing research were used to describe selected components of pediatric palliative nursing care including (I) examples of interventions (legacy and animal-assisted interventions); (II) international studies (parent-sibling bereavement, continuing bonds in Ecuador, and circumstances surrounding deaths in Honduras); (III) recruitment methods; (IV) communication among pediatric patients, their parents, and the healthcare team; (V) training in pediatric palliative care; (VI) nursing education; and (VII) nurses' role in supporting the community. Nurses are in ideal roles to provide pediatric palliative care at the bedside, serve as leaders to advance the science of pediatric palliative care, and support the community.
Integrating Leadership Skills into Anger Management Groups to Reduce Aggressive Behaviors: The LIT Model

Mental health counselors encounter numerous complex situations when working with children and adolescents in anger management groups. This study promotes the use of Social Cognitive Theory to reduce cognitive distortions and aggressive behavior in youth. Specifically, it highlights Leadership Implementation Training (LIT), a youth-oriented model that integrates leadership skills into school-based anger management groups with the intent of reducing agression in angry youth, initial data suggest that doing so is an effective tool for mental health counselors who facilitate groups in schools.
Pedagogical Practices and Student Heterogeneity

Publisher Summary This chapter describes pedagogical practices and student heterogeneity. A continuing interest of classroom research has been with the ways in which teachers organize their instruction. Instructional organization encompasses both the distribution of students' time spent across different kinds of instructional settings, and the degree to which teachers vary the content, or pacing of instruction across the students within their classes. This area of teacher practices provides perhaps the greatest degree of teacher discretion across all systems, and thus represents a potential source of substantial within- and between-system variation in practices. It is found that if such variation is observed, it is of interest to determine whether between-teacher variation in setting preferences, and use of differentiated instruction is affected by the entering composition of classes, and whether it, in turn, is associated with measures of performance once composition, and opportunity-to-learn have been taken into consideration.
Differential Impacts of Four Types of EHR Implementation on Small, Medium, and Large Hospitals

Hospitals invest in information technology to lower costs and to improve quality of care. However, it is unclear whether these expectations are being met. This study explores EHRs in a hospital environment and investigates their relationship to quality of care and patient safety based on the hospital size. In order to advance research and assimilate knowledge in this area, EHRs are categorized into four functional groups: patient information data, results management, order entry and decision support. This new knowledge will provide a better understanding of the relationship between EHRs and operational outcomes by showing the impact of various EHR functions on patient safety and quality of care. The analyses show that large and medium hospitals implement more EHRs than small hospitals. EHR component analyses show more effects on small and large hospitals while medium hospitals analysis revealed no evidence of change.
Understanding the relationship between carcinogen-induced DNA adduct levels in distal and proximal regions of the colon.

A number of studies document strong epidemiological and clinical links between diet and colon cancer incidence. In particular, a corn oil-supplemented diet (rich in n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids) has been shown to be less protective against colon tumorigenesis (Haenszel and Kurihara, 1968; Blot et al., 1975; Bang et al, 1976; Boyle et al. 1985; Chang et al, 1997; Hong et al. 2000) than a fish oil-supplemented diet (rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids). The mechanisms contributing to this apparent diet effect are still largely unknown, however, and they are currently being investigated (see, for example, Hong et al., 2000).
Does Rhizobium avoid the host response

Nodule development begins when the first cell division of a mitotically quiescent cortical cell is induced by Rhizobium (sensu lato) in the root of its host plant. This cell division brings about a change in cortical cell fate; the derivatives of these cell divisions form a new organ, the nodule. Prior to the initial anticlinal cell division in the root cortex, numerous interactions between the host and symbiont have already taken place, including the chemotaxis of rhizobia to the legume root, the induction of rhizobial nod genes by plant-derived flavonoids, the production of Nod factor—a substituted lipo-oligosaccharide—root hair deformation, and shepherd’s crook formation (the formation of a 360° curl). The latter two responses are the first visible signs of the interaction. The bacteria enter the curled root hair, presumably by degrading the plant cell wall (CALLAHAM and TORREY 1981; see also DART 1977), and evoke the formation of an infection thread, in which the bacteria are contained. The infection thread, formed from an invagination of the plant membrane and the deposition of cell wall material, extends into the root cells toward the nodule primordium. The nodule primordium originates from cortical cell divisions that take place in advance of the extending infection thread (NEWCOMB et al. 1979). Eventually, bacteria, which have multiplied within the matrix of the infection thread, are released from its end, and become enclosed within a host-derived membrane, designated the peribacteroid membrane. The bacteria, enclosed within this membrane, differentiate into novel forms, bacteroids capable of nitrogen fixation. They remain surrounded by host cell membrane until either the plant or bacteroid cells senesce. In response to the interaction with rhizobia, the plant expresses nodule-specific proteins (nodulins; LEGOCKI and VERMA 1980), which have been classed as early (those involved in nodule morphogenesis) and late (those involved in nodule maintenance and function) (GOVERS et al. 1987). Rhizobium infection and nodule development (Fig. 1) have been recently reviewed by BREWIN (1991), KIJNE (1992), and HIRSCH (1992).
Interaction between p53 N terminus and core domain regulates specific and nonspecific DNA binding

The p53 tumor suppressor is a sequence-specific DNA binding protein that activates gene transcription to regulate cell survival and proliferation. Dynamic control of p53 degradation and DNA binding in response to stress signals are critical for tumor suppression. The p53 N terminus (NT) contains two transactivation domains (TAD1 and TAD2), a proline-rich region (PRR), and multiple phosphorylation sites. Previous work revealed the p53 NT reduced DNA binding in vitro. Here, we show that TAD2 and the PRR inhibit DNA binding by directly interacting with the sequence-specific DNA binding domain (DBD). NMR spectroscopy revealed that TAD2 and the PRR interact with the DBD at or near the DNA binding surface, possibly acting as a nucleic acid mimetic to competitively block DNA binding. In vitro and in vivo DNA binding analyses showed that the NT reduced p53 DNA binding affinity but improved the ability of p53 to distinguish between specific and nonspecific sequences. MDMX inhibits p53 binding to specific target promoters but stimulates binding to nonspecific chromatin sites. The results suggest that the p53 NT regulates the affinity and specificity of DNA binding by the DBD. The p53 NT-interacting proteins and posttranslational modifications may regulate DNA binding, partly by modulating the NT–DBD interaction.
Dimethyl Sulfoxide Decreases Levels of Oxylipin Diols in Mouse Liver

Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) is widely used as a solvent and cryopreservative in laboratories and considered to have many beneficial health effects in humans. Oxylipins are a class of biologically active metabolites of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that have been linked to a number of diseases. In this study, we investigated the effect of DMSO on oxylipin levels in mouse liver. Liver tissue from male mice (C57Bl6/N) that were either untreated or injected with 1% DMSO at 18 weeks of age was analyzed for oxylipin levels using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). A decrease in oxylipin diols from linoleic acid (LA, C18:2n6), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3n3) and docosahexeanoic acid (DHA, C22:6n3) was observed two hours after injection with DMSO. In contrast, DMSO had no effect on the epoxide precursors or other oxylipins including those derived from arachidonic acid (C20:4n6) or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n3). It also did not significantly affect the diol:epoxide ratio, suggesting a pathway distinct from, and potentially complementary to, soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitors (sEHI). Since oxylipins have been associated with a wide array of pathological conditions, from arthritis pain to obesity, our results suggest one potential mechanism underlying the apparent beneficial health effects of DMSO. They also indicate that caution should be used in the interpretation of results using DMSO as a vehicle in animal experiments.
Pedal-Assist Mountain Bikes: A Pilot Study Comparison of the Exercise Response, Perceptions, and Beliefs of Experienced Mountain Bikers.

Background: Mountain biking is an aerobic physical activity that has experienced rapid growth. The emergence of the electric pedal-assist mountain bike (eMTB), while not without its critics, presents the potential for an even larger segment of the population to enjoy the health benefits of mountain biking. Although the research focused on the use of e-bikes generally is growing, there is limited research specifically targeting eMTB use. Research is needed exploring the potential exercise response of riding an eMTB, together with the beliefs and perceptions of mountain bikers who have and have not experienced eMTB riding. Objective: This study aimed to compare conventional mountain bike and eMTB use. This was done by investigating 2 questions: (1) What proportion of exercise response is retained for an experienced mountain biker while using an eMTB when compared with a conventional mountain bike? and (2) What are the perceptions and beliefs of experienced mountain bikers toward eMTBs both before and after riding an eMTB? Methods: A convergent mixed methods data collection approach was used in the study. Participants completed both a pre- and postride questionnaire, and data regarding heart rate were collected. Heart rates from each ride were compared against each other. Results: The average heart rate during eMTB use was 94% (31/33) of the average heart rate during conventional mountain bike use. Therefore, eMTB use in this study achieved a majority of the exercise response and exceeded established biometric thresholds for cardiovascular fitness. Paired t test statistics were calculated to compare beliefs of conventional mountain bikes and eMTBs and to compare mean heart rate and speed between conventional mountain bike and eMTB use on the study loop. Participants overwhelmingly perceived the potential impact of eMTB use to be positive on both pre- and post-eMTB ride questionnaires. Conclusions: Despite the measured benefit, participants’ perceived exertion while riding the eMTB was low.
ERAP1 enzyme-mediated trimming and structural analyses of MHC I–bound precursor peptides yield novel insights into antigen processing and presentation

Endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 1 (ERAP1) and ERAP2 critically shape the major histocompatibility complex I (MHC I) immunopeptidome. The ERAPs remove N-terminal residues from antigenic precursor peptides and generate optimal-length peptides (i.e. 8–10-mers) to fit into the MHC class I groove. It is therefore intriguing that MHC class I molecules can present N-terminally extended peptides on the cell surface that can elicit CD8+ T-cell responses. This observation likely reflects gaps in our understanding of how antigens are processed by the ERAP enzymes. To better understand ERAPs' function in antigen processing, here we generated a nested set of N-terminally extended 10–20-mer peptides (RA)nAAKKKYCL covalently bound to the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B*0801. We used X-ray crystallography, thermostability assessments, and an ERAP1-trimming assay to characterize these complexes. The X-ray structures determined at 1.40–1.65 Å resolutions revealed that the residue extensions (RA)n unexpectedly protrude out of the A pocket of HLA-B*0801, whereas the AAKKKYCL core of all peptides adopts similar, bound conformations. HLA-B*0801 residue 62 was critical to open the A pocket. We also show that HLA-B*0801 and antigenic precursor peptides form stable complexes. Finally, ERAP1-mediated trimming of the MHC I–bound peptides required a minimal length of 14 amino acids. We propose a mechanistic model explaining how ERAP1-mediated trimming of MHC I–bound peptides in cells can generate peptides of canonical as well as noncanonical lengths that still serve as stable MHC I ligands. Our results provide a framework to better understand how the ERAP enzymes influence the MHC I immunopeptidome.
Improved Outcomes of Transplant Associated Thrombotic Microangiopathy with Early Initiation of Eculizumab

Background Transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA) is a rare, potentially lethal complication of allogeneic stem cell transplant. It is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and renal dysfunction. Endothelial injury and terminal complement activation contribute to the pathogenesis of TA-TMA. Several risk factors have been identified including certain conditioning regimens, acute graft versus host disease (GvHD) and/or calcineurin inhibitors (CNI), and viral infections. Eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody directed against C5 which prevents the formation of the C5b-9 membrane attack complex, is effective in treatment of TA-TMA, but with significant infection risk. Here, we review our institution's experience with TA-TMA treated with eculizumab. Methods A retrospective review was performed on all adult and pediatric patients with TA-TMA treated at our institution with eculizumab since 2015. Results Five patients with TA-TMA ages 4.5, 8.5, 11.4, 33, and 37 years (2 female) were treated with eculizumab. All patients received myeloablative conditioning, three TBI-based. Donor source was haploidentical (n=2), matched-unrelated (n=2), and cord (n=1). All patients were on a CNI at diagnosis. TA-TMA therapy required cessation of CNI in 3 of 5 patients. Median day of diagnosis from transplant was 73 days (range 17-251). All patients had renal impairment, three requiring dialysis. Median days from TMA diagnosis to treatment with eculizumab was 3 (range 1-5). Median doses received was 6 (range 4 - >25). Resolution of hemolysis with eculizumab was brisk, ranging from 25-59 days. Figure 1 illustrates a representative trend with regards to LDH, Haptoglobin, CH50, and eculizumab dosing. Four of five patients were alive with a median follow-up of 10.3 months (range 1 - 45 months). The one death was due to Stage IV GvHD and candidemia, present before diagnosis of TMA. Infections were common, including viral and fungal. There were no deaths due to TMA. Two patients continue on dialysis 2.5 and 34.5 months after diagnosis. Discussion Our experience confirms variable clinical presentations, as our patients differed in presence and severity of acute GvHD, confounding role of CNI or triggering of TA-TMA by viral infections. All patients were started on eculizumab promptly following diagnosis, with a high awareness for and prophylaxis of potential infectious complications, which has mitigated the reported high mortality risk of TA-TMA.
Rhode Island Branding Program for Local Seafood: Consumer Perceptions, Awareness, and Willingness-to-Pay

A state brand was created for Rhode Island (RI) seafood in an effort to encourage the development of the fishing and aquaculture industries. Little was done to assess RI consumers, however, regarding their perceptions and understanding of local sea­food. Therefore, a survey (N=968) of RI consum­ers at least 18 years old was implemented to assess consumer perceptions, purchasing choices, and understanding of local seafood. The majority of RI consumers, regardless of income, education, and locality, would prefer local seafood if they could easily find it in the market and if they could trust the brand to identify product choices. The top three places to purchase seafood were supermar­kets, seafood specialty stores, and restaurants. Sea­food quality, taste preference, safety at pur­chase, and absence of contaminants were con­sidered important or very important factors influ­encing purchasing decisions; however, respondents felt only somewhat knowledgeable about key sea­food attributes. More than half of survey consum­ers (66%) felt that the branding logo, created by the RI Department of Environmental Manage­ment, would encourage them to select a local sea­food product, and 53% indicated they would be more willing to try a seafood product if it were labeled local. However, only 12% of respond­ents recog­nized the brand for local RI seafood. This informa­tion will be used by state partners to help develop an outreach strategy to promote the RI seafood brand and local seafood and will be used to inform current policy regarding branding. See the press release for this article.
Acute after-school screen time in children decreases impulse control and activation toward high-calorie food stimuli in brain regions related to reward and attention

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of after-school sedentary screen time on children’s brain activation in reward and cognitive control regions in response to pictures of high- and low-calorie foods. Thirty-two children participated in a randomized crossover study with counterbalanced treatment conditions. Conditions took place on separate days after school and included three hours of active or sedentary play. After each condition, neural activation was assessed using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while participants completed a go/no-go task involving pictures of high- and low-calorie foods. General response inhibition was also measured using the Stroop task. Hunger was measured upon arrival to the testing facility and just prior to fMRI scans. Mixed effects models were used to evaluate main effects and interactions. Significant stimulus by condition interactions were found in the right superior parietal cortex, and left anterior cingulate cortex (Ps ≤ 0.05). High-calorie pictures elicited significantly more activation bilaterally in the orbitofrontal cortex compared to low-calorie pictures (Ps ≤ 0.05). Stroop task performance diminished significantly following the sedentary condition compared to the active (P ≤ 0.05). Subjective feelings of hunger were not different between conditions at any point. Sedentary screen time was associated with significantly decreased response inhibition and a reversed brain activation pattern to pictures of high- and low-calorie foods compared to active play, in areas of the brain important to the modulation of food intake. Decreased attention, and impulse control following sedentary screen time may contribute to disinhibited eating that can lead to overweight and obesity.
Engineering studies of the Penn State artificial heart

Development of the Penn State cardiac assist devices and total artificial heart has included intensive engineering studies of fluid flow, control, volume compensation, and transcutaneous transmission of energy and data. Current emphasis is on a brushless dc motor driven device, although many basic techniques were developed previously for our pneumatic devices. An overview of the current status of these several studies is presented.
A Novel Grape Downy Mildew Resistance Locus from Vitis rupestris

The viticulture industry needs advanced grape cultivars with genes that enhance disease resistance and environmental stress tolerance to meet the challenges of a changing climate. To discover beneficial allelic variants of grape genes, we established an F1 mapping population from a cross between two North American grapevines, Vitis rupestris Scheele and Vitis riparia Michx. We generated genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) markers and constructed parental linkage maps consisting of 1177 and 1115 GBS markers, respectively (LOD threshold ≥ 14), which were validated by mapping the sex-determining locus to chromosome 2. Taking advantage of loci heterozygous in both parents, we also constructed an integrated map containing 2583 markers. We mapped a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) for downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) resistance to chromosome 10 of V. rupestris using both greenhouse- and in vitro-generated leaf resistance data. This QTL explains 66.5% of the phenotypic variance under greenhouse conditions, and its 2-LOD confidence interval corresponds to region 2,470,297 to 3,024,940 bp on chromosome 10 in the Vitis vinifera L. PN40024 reference genome sequence (assembly 12X.v2). We provide PN40024-projected positions of the GBS markers, which can be used as anchors to develop additional markers for the introgression of this V. rupestris haplotype into cultivated grape varieties.
Expanded scaling relations for locomotion in sloped or cohesive granular beds

Dynamic similarity, while commonly applied in fluid systems, has recently been extended to locomotion problems in flat beds of cohesionless grains by assuming a frictional continuum model. Here, expanded scaling relations are derived for beds that are sloped or composed of cohesive grains. The proposed scalings are validated by discrete element method simulations using rotating ``wheels'' of various shape families, which suggests the usage of these scalings as potential design tools for off-road vehicles and extraplanetary rovers, and as an analysis tool for biolocomotion in sands and soils.
Analysis of the retinal capillary plexus layers in a murine model with diabetic retinopathy: effect of intravitreal injection of human CD34+ bone marrow stem cells

Background Diabetic retinopathy is a retinal vasculopathy involving all three retinal capillary plexus layers. Since human CD34+ bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) have the potential to promote revascularization of ischemic tissue, this study tests the hypothesis that intravitreal injection of human CD34+ BMSCs can have protective effects on all layers of the retinal vasculature in eyes with diabetic retinopathy. Methods Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice were injected intravitreally with 50,000 human CD34+ BMSCs or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) into the right eye. Systemic immunosuppression with rapamycin and tacrolimus was started 5 days before the injection and maintained for study duration to prevent rejection of human cells. All mice were euthanized 4 weeks after intravitreal injection; both eyes were enucleated for retinal flat mount immunohistochemistry. The retinal vasculature was stained with Isolectin-GS-IB4. Confocal microscopy was used to image four circular areas of interest of retina, 1-mm diameter around the optic disc. Images of superficial, intermediate, and deep retinal capillary plexus layers within the areas of interest were obtained and analyzed using ImageJ software with the Vessel Analysis plugin to quantitate the retinal vascular density and vascular length density in the three plexus layers. Results Three distinct retinal capillary plexus layers were visualized and imaged using confocal microscopy. Eyes that received intravitreal injection of CD34+ BMSCs (N=9) had significantly higher vascular density and vascular length density in the superficial retinal capillary plexus when compared to the untreated contralateral eyes (N=9) or PBS treated control eyes (N=12; P values <0.05 using ANOVA followed by post-hoc tests). For the intermediate and deep plexus layers, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions The protective effect of intravitreal injection of the human CD34+ BMSCs on the superficial retinal capillary plexus layers is demonstrated using confocal microscopy in this murine model of diabetic retinopathy.
Patchy particle model of hydrated amorphous silica

Abstract Glasses corroded in static aqueous conditions typically reach a slow, residual rate of dissolution as a result of the complex interplay between multiple processes. While intrinsically suited to address this problem, Monte Carlo (MC) models developed to date have relied on lattices to describe the amorphous structure of glass and are thus unable to reproduce the residual rate of glass corrosion. A recently developed MC approach based on amorphous structures derived from molecular dynamics simulations offers a solution [Kerisit and Du J. Non-Cryst. Solids 522 (2019) 119601], but it requires a simple model that can rapidly relax the glass-water interface upon each dissolution/condensation event to retain the ability of MC simulations to reach large spatial and temporal scales. To this end, a patchy particle model of hydrated amorphous silica was developed and evaluated against atomistic simulations in this work. Models of water and amorphous silica were first developed separately, and cross terms were then defined to enable simulations of hydrated amorphous silica structures with varying water content. While the nature of its interaction potential prevents the patchy particle model from reproducing simultaneously the structure and dynamics of the systems of interest with a single set of parameters, it described well the connectivity of hydrated amorphous silica structures and the local coordination geometry of individual species. Therefore, this model opens the door to MC simulations of the residual rate of glass corrosion and offers an alternative to atomistic models to investigate the evolution of silica gels over large spatial and temporal scales.
The impact of ventilation patterns on calcite dissolution rates within karst conduits

Abstract Erosion rates in streams vary dramatically over time, as differences in streamflow and sediment load enhance or inhibit erosion processes. Within cave streams, and other bedrock channels incising soluble rocks, changes in water chemistry are an important factor in determining how erosion rates will vary in both time and space. Prior studies in surface streams, springs, and caves suggest that variation in dissolved CO 2 is the strongest control on variation in calcite dissolution rates. However, the controls on CO 2 variation remain poorly quantified. Limited data suggest that ventilation of karst systems can substantially influence dissolved CO 2 within karst conduits. However, the interactions among cave ventilation, air–water CO 2 exchange, and dissolution dynamics have not been studied in detail. In this study, three years of time series measurements of dissolved and gaseous CO 2 , cave airflow velocity, and specific conductance from Blowing Springs Cave, Arkansas, were analyzed and used to estimate continuous calcite dissolution rates and quantify the correlations between those rates and potential physical and chemical drivers. We find that chimney effect airflow creates temperature-driven switches in airflow direction, and that the resulting seasonal changes in airflow regulate both gaseous and dissolved CO 2 within the cave. As in previous studies, partial pressure of CO 2 ( pCO 2 ) is the strongest chemical control of dissolution rate variability. However, we also show that cave airflow direction, rather than streamflow, is the strongest physical driver of changes in dissolution rate, contrary to the typical situation in surface channel erosion where floods largely determine the timing and extent of geomorphic work. At the study site, chemical erosion is typically active in the summer, during periods of cave downdraft (airflow from upper to lower entrances), and inactive in the winter, during updraft (airflow from lower to upper entrances). Storms provide only minor perturbations to this overall pattern. We also find that airflow direction modulates dissolution rate variation during storms, with higher storm variability during updraft than during downdraft. Finally, we compare our results with the limited set of other studies that have examined dissolution rate variation within cave streams and draw an initial hypothesis that evolution of cave ventilation patterns strongly impacts how dissolution rate dynamics evolve over the lifetime of karst conduits.
Innovations in Addressing Mental Health Needs in Humanitarian Settings: A Complexity Informed Action Research Case Study

Addressing mental health challenges in humanitarian settings, where needs are many and resources are scarce, requires innovative solutions. In this manuscript, we describe a quantum complexity informed intervention, Communication for Whole Health (CWH), created for a large Jordanian healthcare NGO to address mental health needs of patients and staff. In the humanitarian aid context, this health domain is referred to by the acronym MHPSS (mental health and psychosocial support). The focus of this participatory action research case study is the collaborative elaboration of an MHPSS intervention in one of the NGO’s urban primary healthcare clinics, serving mostly Syrian refugees. The intervention capitalizes on the synergistic effects generated from the systemic nature of communication where every interaction is an intervention, and the health implications of research demonstrating communication is bioactive. Rather than treating mental health as an add-on medical specialty targeting patients with “psychiatric disorders,” systemic MHPSS starts from the premise that everyone has mental health, which is inextricably linked to physical and social health. Emphasis is on integrating awareness of mental health as part of whole health and taking advantage of every interaction to facilitate well-being for patients and staff. The intervention facilitated the transformation of the communication ecology of the clinic from a culture of reactivity to a culture of receptivity by strengthening communication resources and practices. Staff reported feeling more empowered to help patients and displayed increased motivation to find innovative ways to use available resources. They felt better equipped to manage their own stress response and support coworkers. Patients learned basic stress management skills to better control chronic health conditions and reported sharing this information with family members. Staff reported many examples of patients responding positively to interventions to reduce patient reactivity, leading to beneficial behavior change and improved health outcomes. Results suggest a systemic MHPSS approach can contribute to ameliorating health inequities by expanding resources for patients and staff, thus empowering them to act into their current circumstances to support whole health. The CWH approach has potential in similar contexts to address mental health needs in a cost-effective and impactful way.
Variability in fluorescent dissolved organic matter concentrations across diel to seasonal time scales is driven by water temperature and meteorology in a eutrophic reservoir

Freshwater reservoirs play a significant role in the global carbon cycle by processing and storing large quantities of dissolved organic matter (DOM). Quantifying the magnitude of DOM fluctuations across multiple temporal scales can advance our understanding of how the controls on reservoir carbon cycling may vary. We monitored fluorescent DOM (fDOM) using an in situ epilimnetic sensor at a ten-minute resolution over one year in a eutrophic reservoir in southwestern Virginia, USA with low dissolved organic carbon concentrations (2–6 mg L−1). We determined the dominant time scales of variability and key environmental predictors of fDOM concentrations using continuous wavelet transforms and autoregressive time series modeling. Throughout the year, fDOM concentrations varied considerably, with maximum concentrations in the autumn (30.0 quinine sulfate units) and minimum concentrations in the spring (4.7 quinine sulfate units). The monthly time scale was the dominant time scale of variability, but the daily time scale was significant during the summer. Based on the autoregressive time series analysis, precipitation, water temperature, and shortwave radiation were important environmental predictors of fDOM on daily time scales, while water temperature alone best predicted monthly variability. Our study is one of the first to reveal substantial variability in fDOM concentrations during a full year, emphasizing the need for long-term, high-frequency in situ DOM monitoring to capture changes occurring on multiple time scales. By quantifying the variability and environmental predictors of fDOM on different time scales, we are able to better understand how and why DOM concentrations change throughout the year.
Exponential Tail Bounds for Chisquared Random Variables

The paper derives some exponential tail bounds for central and non-central chisquared random variables. The bounds are simple and can easily be applied in statistical analysis. Especially relevant are the tail bounds for non-central chisquares, which are different from some of the other exponential bounds available in the literature, for example the one given in [1].
Enabling Flexible Administration in ABAC Through Policy Review: A Policy Machine Case Study

The Next Generation Access Control (NGAC), founded on the Policy Machine (PM), is a robust Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) framework that enables a structured and flexible approach for the establishment of the conventional access control models. The authorization state of the policy machine is represented as an annotated Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG). Structurally, relations among attributes of the same type are hierarchical, and creating new relation(s) to specify an authorization may be achieved through different approaches. However, one or more limitations can make most of the obvious approaches to grant new access inconsistent with existing rules. We proposed an algorithm that provides the PM administrator a comprehensive list of all possible approaches to authorize access. The approaches generated by our algorithm can help the PM administrator makes an informed decision before authorizing access.
Application of a pulsed OPO seeded by a CW OPO to investigation of linewidth effects on TALIF excitation efficiency

Abstract In this article we present a widely tunable laser architecture for high-resolution nonlinear spectroscopy which incorporates a continuous wave optical parametric oscillator (OPO) for injection-seeding of a singly resonant actively-locked β - Ba ( BO 2 ) 2 nanosecond OPO. Such an instrumental configuration is designed to provide near-transform-limited pulses over 450–650 nm signal, and 225–325 nm after signal doubling. Novel features that enable frequency agility and ramp-lock injection-seeding over a wide frequency range are described. System performance was demonstrated through investigations of two-photon laser induced fluorescence (TALIF) and the influence of excitation linewidth on the signal strength of the 5 p 6 S 0 - 6 p [ 3 / 2 ] 2 transition of atomic xenon at 252.49 nm. Measurements conducted at xenon partial pressures of 1 × 10 - 1 - 4 × 10 - 4 Torr, with and without active cavity locking and injection seeding, resulted in a 17 × increased TALIF fluorescence yield during injection-seeded operation. The results are found to be consistent with modeling, taking into account the effects of lineshape, energy, and beam spatial cross-section. Modeling was informed by direct single-shot measurements of the signal beam lineshape in seeded and free-running operation using a virtually imaged phased array (VIPA) spectrometer.
Senior leadership succession and market share: An econometric case study on Native American casinos:

Little is known on how turnover and senior leadership attributes affect the long-term performance of a casino resort. The ability to longitudinally measure the turnover effect on market share has b...