cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coronary collateral recruitment: functional significance and relation to rate of vessel closure.

Abstract Studies in animals and humans have demonstrated the anatomic presence and functional significance of coronary collaterals. The extent of collateralization varies aomng species and among individuals. Collateral vessels are usually adequate for preserving resting regional and global ventricular function in the face of coronary obstruction. During stress, however, collateral supply may be inadequate. Collateral development is a time-dependent process during both the initial occlusion and following transient reflow and reclosure. Therefore when a previously collateralized coronary occlusion is recanalized and then recloses, the extent of the resulting collateral recruitment will depend, at least in part, upon the period of reflow between the two occlusions. The longer the reflow period, the less enhanced will be the collateralization. This is illustrated in the cases presented and has also been demonstrated in animal studies. The exact mechanisms for this recurrent collateral recruitment need further study.
Metabolic control and gene dysregulation in yeast aging.

: Life span in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is usually measured by the number of divisions individual cells complete. Four broad physiologic processes that determine yeast life span have been identified: metabolic control, resistance to stress, chromatin-dependent gene regulation, and genetic stability. A pathway of interorganelle communication involving mitochondria, the nucleus, and peroxisomes has provided a molecular mechanism of aging based on metabolic control. This pathway functions continuously, rather than as an on-off switch, in determining life span. The longevity gene RAS2 modulates this pathway. RAS2 also modulates a variety of other cellular processes, including stress responses and chromatin-dependent gene regulation. An optimal level of Ras2p activity is required for maximum longevity. This may be due to the integration of life maintenance processes by RAS2, which functions as a homeostatic device in yeast longevity. Loss of transcriptional silencing of heterochromatic regions of the genome is a mark of yeast aging. It is now clear that the functional status of chromatin plays an important role in aging. Changes in this functional status result in gene dysregulation, which can be altered by manipulation of the histone deacetylase genes. Silencing of ribosomal DNA appears to be of particular importance. Extrachromosomal ribosomal DNA circles are neither sufficient nor necessary for yeast aging.
Gamma Interferon Primes Productive Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in Astrocytes

Considerable controversy exists over whether astrocytes can support human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We evaluated the impact of three cytokines critical to the development of HIV neuropathogenesis, gamma interferon (IFN-γ), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, on priming astrocytes for HIV infection. We demonstrate that IFN-γ was the most potent in its ability to facilitate substantial productive HIV infection of an astroglioma cell line (U87MG) and human fetal astrocytes (HFA). The mechanism of IFN-γ-mediated priming of HIV in HFA is unlikely to be at the level of up-regulation of receptors and coreceptors relevant to HIV entry. These data demonstrate that cytokine priming can alter HIV replication in astrocytes.
Spectral efficiency in the wideband regime

The tradeoff of spectral efficiency (b/s/Hz) versus energy-per-information bit is the key measure of channel capacity in the wideband power-limited regime. This paper finds the fundamental bandwidth-power tradeoff of a general class of channels in the wideband regime characterized by low, but nonzero, spectral efficiency and energy per bit close to the minimum value required for reliable communication. A new criterion for optimality of signaling in the wideband regime is proposed, which, in contrast to the traditional criterion, is meaningful for finite-bandwidth communication.
Two genes encode factors with NF-kappa B- and H2TF1-like DNA-binding properties.

Abstract NF-kappa B and H2TF1 are transcription factors that bind to related DNA sequence motifs. NF-kappa B is a constitutive factor in mature B lymphocytes and is inducible in immature B cells and nonlymphoid cells. H2TF1 is a constitutive ubiquitous transcription factor that activates expression of major histocompatibility complex class I genes. We report here the isolation of two zinc finger genes. One, named MBP-2 (major histocompatibility complex-binding protein 2), encodes a factor that has DNA-binding properties similar, if not identical, to the H2TF1 transcription factor. The second, named KBP-1 (kappa-enhancer binding protein 1), encodes a factor that is similar to, but distinct from, NF-kappa B in its DNA-binding properties and methylation interference pattern, suggesting that at least two proteins can bind to the immunoglobulin kappa gene enhancer.
Cyclic-di-GMP-binding CRP-like protein: a spectacular new role for a veteran signal transduction actor.

The note by [Leduc and Roberts][1] ([14][2]) in this issue of the Journal of Bacteriology sheds new light (i) on the mechanisms of action of the bacterial second messenger, cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP), and (ii) on the functions of the well-known family of transcription factors. The authors
Preincarceration Patterns of Drug and Alcohol Use by Jail Inmates

Extensive research exists which examines the relationship between the use of alcohol and/or drugs and the commission of crime. However, the debate continues over the causal nature of these linkages. This paper will develop a profile of preincarceration alcohol and drug use from a survey of 5,785 jail inmates. From this profile there will be a discussion concerning the operational and policy implications of having an inmate population with the types of drug and alcohol problems traditionally associated with local jail inmates.
Two new combinations in Erythranthe section Simiolus (Phrymaceae) for the flora of Chile

Two Chilean members of Mimulus , M. minimus and M. depressus var. ciminum , are transfered to Erythranthe as E. minima and E. depressa var. ciminum respectively.
Measuring and Improving Quality of Care in an Academic Medical Center

Leaders of academic medical practices need to balance the perceptions of conflict among the basic, translational, or clinical research mission; the teaching mission; and the patient care mission to deliver quality patient care.
Field Studies with Osmia sanrafaelae Parker, a Pollinator of Alfalfa (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

A native bee, Osmia sanrafaelae Parker, was field tested as a pollinator of alfalfa in southern Nevada. Bees were obtained from traps placed the previous season in southern Utah. Released bees renested, reproduced, and pollinated the target crop. Factors affecting manageability of this bee are discussed. Survival of immature stages averaged 53%. Heat was implicated as the primary cause of immature mortality. Percentage of females in the resulting population averaged 32.9%.
Infrarenal Origin of the Superior Mesenteric Artery: Implications in Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has become the preferred modality for the treatment of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). A variety of anatomic factors must be considered when planning EVAR, including the relationship of the visceral arteries to the aneurysmal segment of the aorta. This report describes 2 patients with infrarenal AAA in whom the superior mesenteric artery was the most caudal visceral vessel, originating inferior to the renal arteries.
Locomotor experience influences the spatial cognitive development of infants with Spina Bifida

Abstract. This study tested the hypothesis, derived from studies of normal infants, that experience with self-produced locomotion facilitates the development of two important spatial cognitive skills: a two-position object permanence manual search task, and a task assessing the infant’s following of the point/gaze gesture of the experimenter. Both of these tasks, as assessed in these studies, show median ages of onset between 7 and 9 months in normal infants, but very recent studies with normals have shown that, within this age group, locomotor experience, rather than age, forecasts the development of these skills. The specific question tested in this study concerned whether infants who were delayed in locomotor development due to meningomyelocele were also delayed in spatial skills until after the age at which locomotion was attained. The hypothesis was confirmed with both tasks.
Electron beam tomography and angiography: sex differences.

Abstract Background We sought to study a large cohort of symptomatic women to determine the clinical use of electron beam tomography (EBT), with evaluation of the sensitivity and specificity of obstructive coronary disease and the differences between premenopausal and postmenopausal cohorts. Methods Patients who underwent angiography for evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD) and EBT within 3 months were enrolled. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to establish relationships between EBT calcium scores and angiographic disease. Results We studied 1120 symptomatic patients, 387 women and 733 men. We found no significant differences with respect to sensitivity for obstructive disease (96% in men and women). However, women had a significantly higher specificity (46% in men versus 57% in women; P =.01). The area under the curves for coronary calcium score predicting angiographic disease was 0.85 for all patients and 0.84 in women. Evaluation of scores on the basis of age revealed a 14.4-year lag between men and women. One hundred thirty-five women had negative EBT study results (score, zero; no calcium present), with 6 with single-vessel disease and 129 with normal coronaries or nonobstructive disease only (negative predictive value, 96%). Conclusion EBT may have a great value in evaluation of women with possible CAD. The high sensitivity and high negative predictive value may serve as the basis for a new diagnostic approach to filter symptomatic women with suspected CAD before coronary angiography. (Am Heart J 2002;143:877-82.)
Invertebrate Macrofauna in Soils Under Old Growth and Minimally Disturbed Second Growth Forests of the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky

Abstract Soil macrofauna (invertebrates >2 mm) were sampled for 3 y in 30 old growth and 13 second growth forest stands in eastern Kentucky. Macrofauna from 27 orders were collected. Mean macrofaunal dry weight was 912 mg/m2 (n = 43, sd = 622) and did not differ significantly among the five landscape positions examined or between old growth and second growth forests. Approximately 95% of the macrofaunal biomass was accounted for by Coleoptera (beetle larvae), Oligochaeta (earthworms), Diplopoda (millipedes), Diptera (fly larvae), Chilopoda (centipedes), Araneae (spiders) and Formicidae (ants). There were no significant differences in the relative biomass of individual taxa between old growth and second growth forests. Earthworms were the only taxonomic group that differed significantly in dry weight per unit area among landscape positions, with greatest abundance on lower and protected slopes (x = 695 mg/m2, n = 10, sd = 744) and lowest abundance on dry south slopes, ridges and ravines (0–75 mg/m2). On a...
Stability of Protein, Enzyme, and Nonprotein Constituents of Stored Frozen Plasma. Use in Standardization and Control of Chemical Procedures.

The present study was undertaken primarily to determine the stability of certain commonly analyzed constituents of frozen plasma over a 6-month period of storage. If stable, such plasma would have a number of practical uses in the clinical laboratory. Among these we include (1) the construction of quality control charts for maintaining precision of routine chemical methods, (2) the standardization of procedures, and (3) the determination of the statistical deviation of each method. The employment of quality control charts in the laboratory has been illustrated by Levey and Jennings, Henry and Segalove, and Benenson and associates. Briefly this method consists of running daily determinations on aliquots of a large pooled source of material (plasma) and of subjecting a series of these daily determinations to statistical analysis. The average value and range of values are calculated. Thenceforth the daily aliquots serve as a sensitive indication of the precision and reliability of routine determinations. When the result on an aliquot falls outside the range, the test may be out of control. The use of quality control makes available a large volume of material (plasma) the chemical composition of which is precisely known, at least for a number of constituents. The use of such material in place of a "pure" standard has received some discussion. • 15 • Stable frozen plasma would also be a convenient substance with which to obtain and compare the standard deviations of chemical methods. Such information is helpful in evaluating a result as it applies to a single determination on an individual patient. The above factors hinge upon the chemical stability of frozen plasma. Information is available regarding the stability of only a limited number of constituents of frozen plasma.' ' "•
A Radiocarbon Sequence from Tell Abu en-Ni‘aj, Jordan and its Implications for Early Bronze IV Chronology in the Southern Levant

Tell Abu en-Ni‘aj, an agrarian Early Bronze IV village in the northern Jordan Valley, Jordan, provides a series of 24 accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) seed dates spanning seven stratified phases of occupation. Bayesian analysis of these ages reveals that habitation at Tell Abu en-Ni‘aj began between 2600 and 2500 cal BC and ended just before 2000 cal BC. This sequence provides the longest radiocarbon record of occupation for an Early Bronze IV settlement in the southern Levant and pushes the beginning of the Levantine Early Bronze IV earlier than proposed previously. When integrated with 14C dates from an array of sites in the southern Levant, Egypt, and Lebanon, this evidence aligns with recent 14C-based chronologies calling for earlier ages for Early Bronze I–III, details Early Bronze IV chronology through the course of this period, and corroborates the date of the Early Bronze IV/Middle Bronze Age transition ~2000 cal BC.
Nano-based phase change materials for building energy efficiency

Abstract Thermal storage using phase change materials (PCMs) is seen as a viable method for improving the energy efficiency of buildings. PCMs have been used in building applications in various forms—PCM slurries in heat exchangers, macro- or microencapsulated PCMs in building envelopes, bulk PCM for modulating photovoltaic temperatures, and so on. In the last decade a new class of PCMs, called nano-enhanced PCM (or nanoPCM), has been extensively investigated with the goal of improving the heat transfer and thermal storage properties of PCMs. NanoPCMs can primarily be categorized as nano-encapsulated PCMs and nanoparticle-PCM composites. The former are nano-sized capsules in which the PCM forms the core and is surrounded by a high-conductivity membrane or shell. The latter consist of PCM supported within nanostructures or nanoparticles dispersed in PCMs. This article reviews the current state of nanoPCM synthesis and characterization of their heat transfer and thermal storage properties. Further, a critical review of nanoPCM applications and their potential energy benefits is performed. NanoPCMs exhibit higher thermal conductivities than regular PCM. However, whether the higher conductivity is desirable in all applications and if the property enhancements are worth the cost and effort needed to create nanoPCMs are questions that still need to be answered.
Effect of Femoral Stem Material and Taper Geometry on Strength of Head-Stem Taper Junctions

Introduction The femoral head/stem taper modular junction has several advantages; it also has the potential to result in fretting [1]. Stability of the taper junction is critical in reducing the risk associated with fretting. The purpose of this test was to measure the strength of various commercially available head-stem taper combinations under torsional loads to determine the effect of taper geometry and material on the strength of this taper junction. Methods and Materials CoCr femoral heads were tested with trunnions that were machined with both a large and small taper geometry, replicating commercially available stem taper designs, V40 (small) and C (large) (Table-1, Stryker Orthopaedics, NJ). The femoral heads were assembled onto the trunnions with a 2 kN axial force. A multi-axis test frame (MTS Corp, MN) was used to test the head-trunnion combination by dynamically loading with a torque of ± 5Nm and a constant axial load of 2450N for 1000 cycles at 1.5 Hz (Figure 1). Samples were submerged in 25% diluted Alpha Calf Fraction Serum (Hyclone, UT). Upon completion of the dynamic test, a static torque to failure test was performed where the axial force of 2450N was maintained and the trunnion was rotated to 40° at a rate of 3°/sec. The torque required to rotate the trunnion by 1° was determined for each specimen. Also, the torsional resistance, defined as change in torque/change in angle in the linear region of the torque-angular displacement data curve, was calculated for all the specimens. A limitation associated with the static test was that at 1° rotation it was difficult to differentiate between rotation of the trunnion inside the femoral head and physical twisting of the trunnion. Specimen groups were compared with a single-factor ANOVA test and a Tukey post hoc test at 95% confidence level. Results The dynamic test did not generate any rotation between the trunnion and the head. The difference in torque at 1° of rotation and torsional resistance was not statistically significant between any two specimen groups (Table 2, p > 0.05). Discussion The results of this study indicate that neither taper surface area nor material have a significant effect on the strength of the taper junctions under torsional loads, within the range of designs and material combinations tested. Alternatively, the results suggest that taper junctions are appropriately designed to eliminate the effects of taper surface area and material on their strength. Previously in a similar test setup, it was determined that the average torque generated with CoCr femoral heads articulating against a press-fit acetabular shell/polyethylene liner assembly is 3.86 Nm [3]. In the present study, the trunnion-head combinations were cyclically loaded with 5 Nm of torque for 1000 cycles and the strength of the taper junction upon completion of the static test was at minimum six-times greater than the torque generated at the articulating surfaces.
Tyrosine Kinase-Directed Ubiquitin Ligases Cbl and Cbl-b Enforce Hematopoietic Stem Cell Quiescence By Negatively Regulating c-Kit and FLT3

Maintenance of quiescent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is essential for life-long hematopoiesis. A prominent category of HSC quiescence regulators that determine HSC fate by directly interacting with niche-derived growth factors are receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Cbl and Cbl-b are E3 ubiquitin ligases that are directed to activated tyrosine kinases and negatively regulate a number of cellular activation pathways. Previously, we established a conditional Cbl and Cbl-b double knockout (DKO) mouse strain using MMTV-Cre to delete floxed Cbl on a Cbl-b-null background, and identified that Cbl and Cbl-b function redundantly in controlling the growth factor-induced proliferation of HSCs. These DKO mice developed a rapidly fatal myeloproliferative disorder (MPD) accompanied by expansion of the HSC compartment. However, how the negative regulatory functions of Cbl-family proteins are integrated into HSC homeostatic program and the mechanistic basis for their role remain unknown. Here, we utilize mouse models to examine the functional role of Cbl and Cbl-b in regulating HSCs and its potential mechanistic basis. Transplant analyses revealed that DKO HSCs are the disease-initiating cells. However, in vitro serial colony-forming assays showed that DKO HSCs possess a reduced colony-forming ability despite their hyper-proliferative status. Cell cycle analyses demonstrated a smaller pool of quiescent long-term HSCs in DKO mice. Non-responder assays in vivo showed a reduced frequency of functional HSCs in the DKO LSK compartment and serial HSC transplantation demonstrated compromised reconstitution ability of DKO HSCs, especially at the 2nd round of transplantation. Mechanistically, DKO HSCs exhibit sustained signaling in response to c-Kit and FLT3 ligands, especially via p-Akt but also p-Erk and p-S6. The ligand-induced cell surface c-Kit and FLT3 receptor downregulation was slower in DKO HSCs. Furthermore, while c-Kit and FLT3 ligands promote higher proliferation of DKO bone marrow cells, this hyper-proliferation leads to loss of colony-forming potential that is significantly reversed by respective kinase inhibitors. Together, our data reveal a novel and physiologically essential role of Cbl and Cbl-b in the enforcement of HSC quiescence and protection against exhaustion by fine-tuning the signaling pathways downstream of tyrosine kinase-coupled receptors such as c-Kit and FLT3. These findings could have significant implications for hematological neoplasms associated with mutations of Cbl. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The Alternatively Spliced Form of Human Mitochondrial Transcription Factor a Displays Altered DNA Binding Properties

Human mitochondrial transcription factor A (h-mtTFA) is the primary activator of transcription in human mitochondria. Recently, an alternatively spliced form of h-mtTFA has been identified in which the fifth exon, comprising a significant portion of the second HMG-box DNA binding domain, is absent. The presence of this protein in vivo is confirmed, although it is not nearly as abundant as its mRNA level suggests. The DNA binding abilities of this alternatively spliced form of h-mtTFA suggest that it interacts only weakly at the major promoter sequences, thereby accounting for the inability of this form of h-mtTFA to activate transcription.
Frontiers in education—have we made a difference? If so, what?

The IEEE Education Society started the Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) in 1971, a time of concern for its survival for financial and membership reasons, a time of unrest in the engineering education community around the world, and as is so common, a time of great challenge and opportunities. FIE began with about 100 attendees in Atlanta, led by Demetrius Paris. It expanded by adding the Educational Research and Methods (ERM) Division of ASEE in 1973, and the IEEE Computer Society (CS) in 1995. FIE ventured outside the USA in 1974, and continued taking on new challenges, and by giving young scholars in engineering education research a venue for interaction and evaluation of their work. These scholars are asking good questions—important questions, questions that challenge us all, and are getting answers that are improving our education. In turn, these answers lead to new and more challenging questions. This is a journey, not a destination. While not the only contributor, this conference has made a difference—it is small enough for much interaction, big enough for bringing together new scholars with “old-timers.” Both authors have complete files of all FIE Proceedings. Some of this history will be traced, but the emphasis will be on results and a look at the future.
Blast Transformation in a Patient with Primary Myelofibrosis Initiated from JAK2 V617F Progenitor.

Myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs) are caused by clonal proliferation arising from a single multi-lineage stem cell. The JAK2 V617F mutation has been reported in greater than 90% of patients with polycythemia vera (PV), and ∼50% of patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET) and primary myelofibrosis (PMF). However, several studies have indicated that the JAK2 V617F mutation is not an MPD initiating mutation but rather represents clonal evolution of these MPDs. Jelinek and colleagues first reported that most PV transformed acute leukemias are JAK2 V617F negative (Jelinek, Blood, 2005 106:3370). More recently, the role of the JAK2 V617F mutation in leukemic transformation in 27 patients with MPDs revealed that most JAK2 V617F -positive MPD patients transformed to a JAK2 V617F -negative AML (Theocharides, Blood, 2007 110:375); however, in the 4 patients with an apparent JAK2 V617F -positive leukemia clonality of leukemic blasts and mature granulocytes was not determined. Two models proposed by Theocharides et al may explain these findings. First, MPD and AML represent 2 independent clones that arose de novo from different progenitors. Second, MPD and AML are 2 subclones derived from a common progenitor. Here, we describe a woman with PMF with transformation to AML. We determined her JAK2 V617F mutation status by sensitive and quantitative real-time PCR (Nussenzveig, Exp Hematol, 2007 3:32). At the time of her transformation to AML, her normal appearing peripheral blood granulocytes were purified and the frequency of mutant JAK2 allele T was 6%. However, all FACS-sorter isolated CD34+ cells (enriched to 95% purity) were heterozygous for the JAK2 V617F mutation. To determine if MPD and AML clones arose de novo or from the same progenitor, we performed clonality studies using a newly developed sensitive and quantitative real-time PCR based on the X-chromosome inactivation principle using transcriptional clonality assays in granulocytes and CD34+ purified cells from peripheral blood at both stages of disease (see Swierczek et al, abstract, this meeting). When this woman’s PMF was first discovered, hematopoiesis was clonal, based on heterozygosity for three X-chromosome genes , FHL1, G6PD and IDS (Liu, Blood, 2003 101:3294) and their single allelic expression in granulocytes and platelets. At the time of leukemic transformation, both her granulocytes and leukemic CD34+ cells expressed all three identical isoforms from the same parental X chromosome. Our findings indicate that leukemic transformation does not invariably arise from a JAK2 V617F negative progenitor. This has important implication for therapy of MPDs with JAK2 V617F inhibitors, as these would not prevent leukemic transformation. It remains to be determined if the JAK2 background of leukemic progenitors is variable, and if there are differences between PV and PMF.
HathiTrust and Local Digital Stewardship: A Case Study in How Massive Digital Libraries Affect Local Digital Resources Decisions

This article reviews the influence that massive digital libraries like the HathiTrust Digital Library can have on local, smaller institutions’ digitization, preservation, and curation programs. The history of HathiTrust’s digital preservation efforts as a Trusted Repository is reviewed. A case study is presented showing how one academic library made difficult digital stewardship decisions in a modern world of globally federated preservation initiatives. The authors introduce the concept of deselection as part of the digital curation process and discuss how digital collection administrators can refine their local digital preservation efforts to better reflect the realities of constrained human and financial resources.
The Design of a Pneumatic Position Encoder

Abstract With the advent of fluid logic and amplification devices capable of performing switching actions in fluid circuits it was felt that there were numerous applications in the field of automatically controlled machine tools in which these devices could replace electrical and electronic equipment. Although slower than their electrical counterparts they promise to be simpler, cheaper and more reliable in suitable applications which include sequential control circuits and tape controlled “point-to-point” systems. This paper discusses the various methods which could be adopted for encoding position signals related to the movement of a machine slide or leadscrew and describes in detail the digital absolute circuit chosen for further research. Results of some experimental work are also given and it is concluded that the system described is likely to be competitive with its electrical counterparts .
Predicting grid-size-dependent fracture strains of DP980 with a microstructure-based post-necking model

Ductile fracture is a local phenomenon, and it is well established that fracture strain levels depend on both stress triaxiality and the resolution (grid size) of strain measurements. Two-dimensional plane strain post-necking models with different model sizes are used to predict the grid-size-dependent fracture strain of a commercial dual-phase steel, DP980. The models are generated from the actual microstructures, and the individual phase flow properties and literature-based individual phase damage parameters for the Johnson–Cook model are used for ferrite and martensite. A monotonic relationship is predicted: the smaller the model size, the higher the fracture strain. Thus, a general framework is developed to quantify the grid-size-dependent fracture strains for multiphase materials. In addition to the grid-size dependency, the influences of intrinsic microstructure features, i.e., the flow curve and fracture strains of the two constituent phases, on the predicted fracture strains also are examined. Application of the derived fracture strain versus model size relationship is demonstrated with large clearance trimming simulations with different element sizes.
Estimated Effects of Future Atmospheric CO2 Concentrations on Protein Intake and the Risk of Protein Deficiency by Country and Region.

Background: Crops grown under elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations (eCO2) contain less protein. Crops particularly affected include rice and wheat, which are primary sources of dietary protein f...
Energetics of pure and doped helium droplets - application to interpreting pick-up experiments

We use helium density functional theory to calculate the energies of spherically symmetric 4He helium droplets both with and without heteroatom dopants. Self-consistent calculations using an imaginary time propagation method are used to compute structural and energetic properties of these droplets ranging in size from 50 to 9500 atoms. Particular attention is given to the solvation energies of the resident dopant atoms, as these values play an important role in experimental superfluid helium calorimetry techniques. We also suggest a method of predicting new droplet size distributions following dopant pickup using the chemical potential values obtained from our calculations.
Autoignition and flame spectroscopy of propane mixture in a rapid compression machine

Abstract The autoignition process of propane has been studied using an optically accessible rapid compression machine (RCM). The ignition delay times of the fuel were measured at two compressed pressures of approximately 21 and 30 bar, equivalence ratios of 0.5, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2, and at various compressed gas temperatures. A detailed kinetic model was also used to simulate the autoignition. A new methodology was also developed and discussed to include the effect of heat transfer in the mechanism model simulation. The combustion process imaging was acquired using high-speed camera and the deflagration like combustion with blue continuum spectrum was observed close to the end of ignition delay at all of the studied conditions, excluding the condition with very long ignition delay (e.g., 90 ms). The deflagration concluded with detonation for most of the studied conditions. The excited radicals’ chemiluminescence emissions were acquired using flame spectrometer and Electron-Multiplying Charge-Coupled Device (EMCCD) with wavelength ranging from 280 nm to 700 nm. Several excited radicals were detected during autoignition process and their time-resolved intensity as a function of mixture conditions (pressure, temperature and equivalence ratio) were studied.
Correlates of immune exacerbations in leprosy

Leprosy is still a considerable health threat in pockets of several low and middle income countries worldwide where intense transmission is witnessed, and often results in irreversible disabilities and deformities due to delayed- or misdiagnosis. Early detection of leprosy represents a substantial hurdle in present-day leprosy health care. The dearth of timely diagnosis has, however, particularly severe consequences in the case of inflammatory episodes, designated leprosy reactions, which represent the major cause of leprosy-associated irreversible neuropathy. There is currently no accurate, routine diagnostic test to reliably detect leprosy reactions, or to predict which patients will develop these immunological exacerbations. Identification of host biomarkers for leprosy reactions, particularly if correlating with early onset prior to development of clinical symptoms, will allow timely interventions that contribute to decreased morbidity. Development of a point-of-care (POC) test based on such correlates would be a definite game changer in leprosy health care. In this review, proteomic-, transcriptomic and metabolomic research strategies aiming at identification of host biomarker-based correlates of leprosy reactions are discussed, next to external factors associated with occurrence of these episodes. The vast diversity in research strategies combined with the variability in patient- and control cohorts argues for harmonisation of biomarker discovery studies with geographically overarching study sites. This will improve identification of specific correlates associated with risk of these damaging inflammatory episodes in leprosy and subsequent application to rapid field tests.
Huckstering in the Classroom: Limits to Corporate Social Responsibility

The familiar issue of corporate social responsibility takes on a new topic. Added to the list of concerns from affirmative action and environmental integrity is their growing contributions to education. At first glance, the efforts may appear to be ordinary gestures of communal good will in terms of providing computers, sponsoring book covers, and interactive materials provided by Scholastic Magazine. A closer view reveals a targeted market of student life who are vulnerable to commercials placed in these formats. Among the most effective corporate intervention is Channel One News. It offers a newsworthy show but with mandatory commercial viewing. This increasing trend of corporations intervening to assist schools that need more money and/or equipment is disingenuous. In this essay, I present the background of this commercialization of education and demonstrate the violations against student autonomy and integrity. Although there may be utilitarian merits to some interventions, I argue that these infringe upon the moral value of personhood. Advertising in schools in its current practice is immoral on deontological grounds. I construct a framework for a resolution between corporations and education through a Covenant. This Covenant will provide the moral duty that corporations have to the autonomy of the student-learner. The agreement will sanction some assistance to schools but not without the consent of local educational constituents and principles of the Covenant.
Is psychotherapy ever medically necessary

The concept of medical necessity has its roots in payers' fear that mental health care will be overused by those with access to it. The author argues that such a fear was reinforced by practice patterns that were dominant before the advent of managed care, when large amounts of treatment were given to few patients, and receipt of such care was poorly correlated with clinical need. He reviews differences between traditional models of care and those that have emerged since the advent of managed care and prospective payment. Care is medically necessary when a diagnosable disorder exists and the patient has impaired function or is clinically unstable as a result and when treatment is demonstrably efficacious in restoring normalcy or reducing disability. The author describes how psychotherapy meets these criteria under three circumstances: when used as an adjunct to treatment strategies with demonstrated efficacy, when its efficacy alone is established for a given disorder, and as a "holding operation" when no effective treatment exists or is agreed to exist. New approaches, including brief or intermittent focused treatment, that reduce reliance on the use of treatment as a holding operation are described.
Reactivities of Aromatic Protons in Crude Oil Fractions toward Br2 Tagging for Structural Characterization by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry

Comprehensive characterization and structural elucidation of specific chemical subclasses within a complex mixture often require analyte separation, a variety of spectroscopic techniques, and inqui...
One-year change in cognitive flexibility and fine motor function in middle-aged male and female marmosets (Callithrix jacchus).

The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is uniquely suited for longitudinal studies of cognitive aging, due to a relatively short lifespan, sophisticated cognitive abilities, and patterns of brain aging that resemble those of humans. We examined cognitive function and fine motor skills in male and female marmosets (mean age ∼5 at study entry) followed longitudinally for 2 years. Each year, monkeys were tested on a reversal learning task with three pairs of stimuli (n = 18, 9 females) and a fine motor task requiring them to grasp small rewards from two staircases (Hill and Valley test, n = 12, 6 females). There was little evidence for a decline in cognitive flexibility between the two time points, in part because of practice effects. However, independent of year of testing, females took longer than males to reach criterion in the reversals, indicating impaired cognitive flexibility. Motivation was unlikely to contribute to this effect, as males refused a greater percentage of trials than females in the reversals. With regards to motor function, females were significantly faster than males in the Hill and Valley task. From Year 1 to Year 2, a slight slowing of motor function was observed in both sexes, but accuracy decreased significantly in males only. This study (1) demonstrates that marmosets exhibit sex differences in cognitive flexibility and fine motor function that resemble those described in humans; (2) that changes in fine motor function can already be detected at middle-age; and (3) that males may experience greater age-related changes in fine motor skills than females. Additional data points will determine whether these sex and age differences persist over time.
Abstract WP369: Knowing the Score: Documentation of Bleeding Scores for Hemorrhagic Stroke Patients

Background: Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) scores and Hunt and Hess/Fisher scores (HHF) are important components in the documentation of hemorrhagic strokes. The accurate and timely documentation of these scores is a mandatory data point measure for Joint Commission (JC) certified Comprehensive Stroke Centers. The purpose of this project is to discuss the measures we implemented to improve documentation of the ICH and HHF scores and to highlight the remarkable improvement of documentation of the scores with our efforts. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to discover if a specific, user-friendly template and targeted education would increase documentation compliance. Methods: We did a retrospective review of percentage of compliance in documentation of ICH and HHF scores before the measure was mandated by the JC. We implemented the ICH and HHF score template into the Neuro ICU template and educated practitioners on the JC measure requirement and awareness of the template. We also educated our Code Bra...
Computational holographic camera with a dielectric metasurface diffuser

We experimentally demonstrate computational complex optical field imaging by a metasurface diffuser and the speckle-correlation scattering matrix method. Thus, we show that the metasurface diffuser can outperform conventional scattering media in context of computational imaging. © 2019 The Author(s)
Modal explicit filtering for large eddy simulation in discontinuous spectral element method

Abstract Developing a turbulence model that is computationally inexpensive and compatible with the nature of the numerical scheme is a crucial step in expanding the application of spectral element methods for large eddy simulation (LES) in complex geometries. In this paper, an element-level modal low-pass explicit filtering procedure, which operates in the spectral space, is implemented in a discontinuous spectral element method (DSEM). The application of the modal filter is studied for LES without a subgrid-scale (SGS) model. The method is tested for a configuration featuring isotropic turbulence, and its performance is compared with a previously used method—a spectral interpolation-based nodal filter. The modal filter shows superior performance over the nodal filter. The filtering procedure is then applied to a turbulent channel flow at a friction Reynolds number of Re τ = 544 , and the results are compared with a previous direct numerical simulation (DNS). It is also shown that the filter strength that provides the best comparison with DNS depends only on the polynomial order and is not a function of the grid resolution. An anisotropic version of the modal filter, which damps high-frequency modes in a specific direction, is also introduced and tested for the channel flow. It is observed that filtering in the spanwise direction is the most effective approach based on the comparison of velocity mean and fluctuations with DNS. In general, the modal filter has shown good performance for both isotropic and wall-bounded flows; the calculated channel friction Reynolds number for the modal filter is within 0.26% error with respect to the DNS data, compared to 5.8% error for a case with no filtering.
LGBT rights and tax law: a comparative perspective

This chapter explores the heterogeneous experience of protecting LGBT rights in and through the tax laws of the United States, Canada, France and Spain. Closely linked with the societies that create them, tax laws express what and whom a country values through a combination of financial rewards and forced exactions that are embodied in political choices regarding whom, what and how to tax. Impacting LGBT rights, taxation is employed to define and influence family and family life and serves as an important avenue for recognizing and regulating relationships. This chapter examines the extent to which the tax laws in these countries have been used as a vehicle for either (1) accentuating sameness over difference by bringing same sex couples into the hetero fold by encouraging homonormativity or (2) accepting the possibility of difference and downplaying the need for conformity to hetero norms by expanding the array of legally recognized relationships.
Outcomes of Partial Meniscectomy in Obese Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures. However, the indications for APM are controversial and obese patients may have worse outcomes. This study's primary purpose was to investigate differences in outcome after APM associated with elevated body mass index (BMI). Secondary objectives included differences in pathophysiology, surgical complications/failures, or osteoarthritis development. Design MEDLINE, EMBASE, and OVID databases were systematically searched for eligible studies reporting on APM outcomes at a minimum of 1 year postoperatively. Studies that did not include BMI categorization were excluded. Meta-analysis was conducted with random-effects modeling where data from at least 2 studies was available. Results A total of 16 articles were included. Overweight/obese BMI was associated with worse preoperative Lysholm (mean difference, -6.06 [95% CI, -11.70 to -0.42]) and visual analogue scale pain scores (0.43 [0.07 to 0.79]). Worse postoperative normalized knee-specific patient-reported outcome scores were also associated with obese BMI (-4.57 [-5.33 to -3.81]). There were no significant differences in clinical improvement or osteoarthritis progression among BMI groups. Two studies found higher complication/failure rates, 3 articles associated medial meniscus posterior root tears, and 1 article found differences in gene transcript expression with increased BMI. Conclusions Obesity is associated with worse knee function after APM, and patients with elevated BMI have worse preoperative knee pain and function. However, there is no difference in amount of improvement between elevated and normal BMI patients. Further prospective research is necessary to determine the comparative effectiveness of APM in patients with elevated BMI.
Early Outpatient Treatment of Symptomatic, High-Risk COVID-19 Patients That Should Be Ramped Up Immediately as Key to the Pandemic Crisis.

More than 1.6 million Americans have been infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and more than 10 times that number carry antibodies to it. High-risk patients with progressing symptomatic disease currently have only hospitalization treatment, with its high mortality, available to them. An outpatient treatment that prevents hospitalization is desperately needed. Two candidate medications have been widely discussed: remdesivir and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) + azithromycin (AZ). Remdesivir has shown mild effectiveness in hospitalized inpatients, but no trials in outpatients have been registered. HCQ + AZ has been widely misrepresented in both clinical reports and public media, and results of outpatient trials are not expected until September. Early outpatient illness is very different from later florid disease requiring hospitalization, and the treatments differ. Evidence about use of HCQ alone, or of HCQ + AZ in inpatients, is irrelevant with regard to the efficacy of HCQ + AZ in early high-risk outpatient disease. Five studies, including 2 controlled clinical trials, have demonstrated significant major outpatient treatment efficacy. HCQ + AZ has been used as the standard of care in more than 300,000 older adults with multiple comorbid conditions; the estimated proportion of such patients diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia attributable to the medications is 47 per 100,000 users, among whom estimated mortality is less than 20% (9/100,000 users), as compared with the 10,000 Americans now dying each week. These medications need to be made widely available and promoted immediately for physicians to prescribe.
Building the Entrepreneurial Mindset Through Experiential Learning

Entrepreneurship is important to any nation’s economy. In the U.S., data suggest that start-up businesses are a primary driver, if not the primary driver, of both job growth and new job creation, according to Decker et al. (J Econ Perspect 28(3):3–24, 2014). Successful entrepreneurs have a unique entrepreneurial mindset that allows them to be successful. This mindset includes both knowledge and skills. Entrepreneurial knowledge includes business acumen like finance, product development, and marketing. Entrepreneurial skills include visioning, problem solving, creativity, risk taking, and communication. To be successful, entrepreneurial knowledge and skills must be honed through experience. Using academic reverse-design methods, higher education can create pathways that not only develop entrepreneurial knowledge and skills but also provide intentional experiential-learning opportunities to refine them into a successful mindset. This paper presents the process for building the entrepreneurial mindset in higher-education students through the application of integrated experiential-learning techniques. A case study is provided to illustrate the process.
Beat-to-Beat Blood Pressure Variability in the First Trimester Is Associated With the Development of Preeclampsia in a Prospective Cohort: Relation With Aortic Stiffness.

Women with preeclampsia, a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, exhibit greater beat-to-beat blood pressure variability (BPV) in the third trimester after clinical onset of the disorder. However, it...