cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neurohormonal Activation and the Management of Heart Failure

Heart failure is a complex and usually progressive disease process in which structural and functional disturbances in the left ventricle are accompanied by activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) (Thomas and Marks, Am J Cardiol, 41:233–43, 1978; Levine et al., Am J Cardiol, 49:1659–66, 1982; Cohn et al., N Engl J Med, 311:819–23, 1984). Before the 1970s, managing heart failure aimed at improving the functional deficit of the left ventricular pump and relieving the resultant fluid accumulation with diuretic therapy (Weber, J Am Coll Cardiol, 44(6):1308–10, 2004). Although diuretic therapy has remained a mainstay of treatment, inotropic drug therapy was associated with adverse effects and no improvement in survival (Lee et al., N Engl J Med, 306(12):699–705, 1982; Guyatt et al., Am J Cardiol, 61(4):371–5, 1988). Consequently, since the 1970s, pharmacologic management has shifted more toward reducing the vascular bed’s opposition to left ventricular emptying and inhibiting the vasoconstrictor and growth-promoting influences of neurohormonal stimulation that leads to left ventricular structural changes or remodeling (Cohn, Circulation, 48(1):5–8, 1973; Guiha et al., N Engl J Med, 291(12):587–92, 1974; Mikulic et al., Circulation, 56(4 Pt 1):528–33, 1977; Cohn and Franciosa, Am J Med, 65(1):181–8, 1978). This shift in emphasis has resulted in reduced dependence on digitalis and other positive inotropic interventions and greater reliance on angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), beta-adrenergic receptor blockers, aldosterone inhibitors, and newer agents that appear to inhibit vasoconstrictor and growth-promoting forces that contribute to the progression of the disorder (CONSENSUS Trial Study Group, N Engl J Med, 316(23):1429–35, 1987; The SOLVD Investigators, N Engl J Med, 325(5):293–302, 1991; Cohn et al., N Engl J Med, 345(23):1667–75, 2001; Packer et al., N Engl J Med, 334(21):1349–55, 1996; McMurray et al., N Engl J Med, 371(11):993–1004, 2014).
The Architecture of Supercomputers: Titan, a Case Study

Titan architecture overview architectural evolution - issues and solutions in high performance design performance and balance hierarchical model of computation Titan architecture and its implementation architectural analysis of Titan benchmarks and performance measurement. Appendices: the Titan bus Titan P2 specification.
Effect of Low-Dose Alcohol Consumption on Inflammation Following Transient Focal Cerebral Ischemia in Rats

Increasing evidence suggest that low-dose alcohol consumption (LAC) reduces the incidence and improves the functional outcome of ischemic stroke. We determined the influence of LAC on post-ischemic inflammation. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups, an ethanol (13.5% alcohol) group, a red wine (Castle Rock Pinot Noir, 13.5% alcohol) group, and a control group. The amount of alcohol given to red wine and ethanol groups was 1.4 g/kg/day. After 8 weeks, the animals were subjected to a 2-hour middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and sacrificed at 24 hours of reperfusion. Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, expression of adhesion molecules and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines, microglial activation and neutrophil infiltration were evaluated. The total infarct volume and neurological deficits were significantly reduced in red wine- and ethanol-fed rats compared to control rats. Both red wine and ethanol suppressed post-ischemic expression of adhesion molecules and microglial activation. In addition, both red wine and ethanol upregulated expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1), downregulated expression of proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines, and significantly alleviated post-ischemic expression of inflammatory mediators. Furthermore, red wine significantly reduced post-ischemic neutrophil infiltration. Our findings suggest that LAC may protect the brain against its I/R injury by suppressing post-ischemic inflammation.
Oral Antibiotics in Dermatology: A Practical Overview with Clinically Relevant Correlations and Management Suggestions

Oral antibiotics are frequently prescribed in dermatology practice, representing approximately 20% of all prescriptions written within the specialty. They are used to treat both cutaneous infections and noninfectious inflammatory dermatologic disorders, the latter being the more common disease states treated by dermatologists in ambulatory practice. Tetracyclines are the most common antibiotics prescribed by dermatologists, often for prolonged durations to treat acne vulgaris and rosacea. Penicillin derivatives, cephalosporins, tetracyclines, macrolides derivatives (including azithromycin, an azalide), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole are used to treat most superficial cutaneous infections, the majority of which are caused by staphylococci and streptococci. Uncomplicated cutaneous infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are usually responsive to doxycycline, minocycline, or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Oral quinolones are sometimes needed to treat skin infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria. Each specific type of antibiotic has its own adverse reaction profile which is an important consideration in treatment selection and monitoring of outcomes.
Effect of Radiation Treatment Volume Reduction on Lymphopenia in Patients Receiving Chemoradiotherapy for Glioblastoma

PURPOSE To evaluate whether reduction in glioblastoma radiation treatment volume can reduce risk of acute severe lymphopenia (ASL). METHODS AND MATERIALS A total of 210 patients with supratentorial/nonmetastatic glioblastoma were treated with radiation therapy (RT) plus temozolomide from 2007 to 2016 and had laboratory data on total lymphocyte counts. Before 2015, 164 patients were treated with standard-field RT (SFRT), and limited-field RT (LFRT) was implemented thereafter for 46 patients to reduce treatment volume. Total lymphocyte counts were evaluated at baseline, during RT, and at approximately week 12 from initiating RT. Acute severe lymphopenia was defined as any total lymphocyte count < 500 cells/μL within 3 months (by week 12) of initiating RT. Multivariate analysis for overall survival (OS) was performed with Cox regression and with logistic regression for ASL. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for variability between cohorts. Acute severe lymphopenia, progression-free survival (PFS), and OS were compared using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS Limited-field RT patients had higher gross tumor volume than SFRT patients yet lower brain dose-volume parameters, including volume receiving 25 Gy (V25 Gy: 41% vs 53%, respectively, P < .01). Total lymphocyte count at week 12 was significantly higher for LFRT than for SFRT (median: 1100 cells/μL vs 900 cells/μL, respectively, P = .02). On multivariate analysis, ASL was an independent predictor of OS, and brain V25 Gy was an independent predictor of ASL. The ASL rate at 3 months was 15.5% for LFRT and 33.8% for SFRT (P = .12). In a propensity-matched comparison of 45 pairs of LFRT and SFRT patients, PFS (median: 5.9 vs 6.2 months, respectively, P = .58) and OS (median: 16.2 vs 13.9 months, respectively, P = .69) were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS Limited-field RT is associated with less lymphopenia after RT plus temozolomide and does not adversely affect PFS or OS. Brain V25 Gy is confirmed as an important dosimetric predictor for ASL.
Consequences Of Environmental Factors In Plasma Treatment Of Liquids, Tissues And Materials

The approved use of atmospheric pressure plasma sources in treatment of biological materials has as one consideration the ability to reproduce the procedure. In this context, the environment in which the plasma source is operated is a factor. Environment is used here in the most general way to refer to all components surrounding or interacting with the plasma source that may affect the dose delivered to the biological material. These components may include the physical electrical layout of the procedure (e.g., location of electrical ground planes, permittivity of the material being treated), pulse-power protocol, humidity or aerosol content of the surrounding air, alignment of the plasma source, porosity of the material being treated, or depth of the well-plate for in-vitro studies. In this paper, results from computational investigations will be discussed that address the consequences of environmental factors in consistency of treatment of biological materials by plasma jets and dielectric barrier discharges. The computational platforms used in this investigation are nonPDPSIM, a 2-dimensional plasma hydrodynamics model and Global_Kin, a 0-dimensional plasma kinetics model. Emphasis will be on plasma activation of liquids, aerosols or liquid covered materials, and treatment of non-planar or porous materials, including the physical layout of in-vitro studies.
Plant identity, but not diversity, and agroecosystem characteristics affect the occurrence of M. robertsii in an organic cropping system

Abstract Organic farmers rely largely on cultural practices, such as crop rotation and cover cropping, and on biological control to manage pests. Winter cover crops add diversity to agroecosystems and can benefit soil conservation and health, retention and supply of soil nutrients, regulation of arthropods, and crop yields. Within the framework of a three-year experiment to investigate ecosystem services and disservices associated with 12 winter cover crop treatments during the transition of a small grain – corn – soybean production system to organic management, we examined the effects of cash crop and crop management, cover crop species and diversity, arthropods, and soil properties on Metarhizium spp. in a single field site in central Pennsylvania, USA. We used sentinel insect assays with Galleria mellonella L. to determine the relative occurrence of Metarhizium spp. in soil samples from treatment plots. M. robertsii was the only species detected, and therefore Metarhizium species diversity was not related to cover crop diversity. Detection of M. robertsii was lower in cover crop monocultures and mixtures containing brassicas compared to those with legumes. M. robertsii was detected more frequently in the standing cover crops in the corn phase of the rotation than in the soybean phase, but there was no difference in soil samples in the corn and soybeans after cover crop termination. In samples from cover crops, 33% of the variation of percentage mortality of sentinel G. mellonella by M. robertsii was explained by positive correlations with cover crop biomass in the previous fall, the biomass of weeds in the current season (spring), soil moisture, Ca, and timing of sampling in days after planting, and by negative correlations with number of days since disturbance prior to soil sampling and percent sand. In samples from corn and soybeans, 23% of the variation of percentage mortality of sentinel G. mellonella by M. robertsii was explained by positive correlations with soil labile C, electrical conductivity, and activity-density of ground beetles (Carabidae), and by negative correlations with increasing number of days after planting relative to time of sampling, percent sand, and activity-density of mites. The complex interactions of multiple biotic and abiotic factors that shape the soil community requires further research to develop an understanding of how to manage production systems and practices to promote and conserve biological control in the soil.
Patents and Growth: Empirical Evidence from the States

In the Uruguay Round, negotiators for the United States persuaded its trading partners to incorporate uniform minimum standards for the protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) directly into the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. This paper addresses the question whether the agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property is a free trade initiative, defined as an agreement that is mutually beneficial to both net IPR exporters and net IPR importers, or mere rent-seeking by net IPR exporters. Using data from the forty-eight continental states and an augmented macroeconomic growth model, the paper demonstrates that within the uniformly high IPR regime present historically in the United States, patenting by a state's own residents (or internal patenting) was positively correlated with the state's per capita income, output, and growth rate. For initially wealthy states, active internal patenting tended to counter the slower growth that convergence would otherwise dictate. In contrast, patenting by the residents of other states (or external patenting) tended to reduce a state's per capita income, output, and growth rate.
Resources that may matter: the impact of local health department expenditures on health status.

OBJECTIVES This study examines the association between changes in local health department (LHD) expenditures, aggregated to the state level, and changes in state-level measures of health, from 1993 to 2005. The literature on the impact of LHD resources on health status has been limited by cross-sectional designs. With repeated surveys of LHDs, it is now possible to use longitudinal designs to explore the association between LHD inputs and outcomes. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study. We used a fixed-effects regression model to assess the association between LHD expenditures, aggregated to the state level, and seven separate health measures. We derived LHD expenditure data from the National Association of County and City Health Officials' surveys of LHDs in 1993, 1997, and 2005. We obtained secondary data on seven health measures--smoking and obesity prevalence, infectious disease morbidity, infant mortality, deaths due to cardiovascular disease and cancer, and overall premature death--through the America's Health Rankings® reports, 1990-2008. Usable data were available for 1,470 LHDs, representing 37 states. RESULTS An increase in LHD expenditures, aggregated to the state level, was associated with a statistically significant decline in state-level infectious disease morbidity (t= -3.28, p=0.002) and in years of potential life lost (YPLL) (t= -2.73, p=0.008). For every $10 increase in aggregated LHD expenditures per capita, infectious disease morbidity decreased by 7.4%, and YPLL decreased by 1.5%. CONCLUSION LHD resources are associated with improvements in preventable causes of morbidity and mortality.
Effects of cocaine-positive urine screens on serum thyrotropin levels in patients admitted to an inpatient mental health unit.

OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of a positive urine screen for cocaine on thyrotropin (TSH, also thyroid-stimulating hormone) concentrations. METHODS In this retrospective cohort study, patients admitted to the mental health unit at an academic inpatient setting with a diagnosis of cocaine dependence or cocaine intoxication were routinely screened with urine drug toxicology tests and TSH concentrations. TSH concentrations from patients who tested positive for cocaine on urine toxicology were compared with patients having negative cocaine screenings. RESULTS A total of 192 patients were included: 122 with a positive cocaine screen and 70 with a negative cocaine screen. All patients were screened using a highly sensitive TSH assay. A positive cocaine screen was not associated with a statistically significant difference in TSH concentrations compared with a negative cocaine screen. The percentage of patients with hypothyroidism (TSH >4.50 μIU/mL) or hyperthyroidism (TSH <0.40 μIU/mL) were similar in both study groups. CONCLUSIONS The study failed to show that a positive urine screen for cocaine was associated with a significant effect on serum TSH levels in patients admitted to a mental health unit with a diagnosis of cocaine dependence or cocaine intoxication. Our findings support those of a prior study that cocaine use does not affect routine thyroid function tests. The present study does not support the clinical practice of ordering a serum TSH screening test on patients admitted to inpatient psychiatry units soley because the urine screen is positive for cocaine.
Increased Urine Histamine and Methylhistamine in Interstitial Cystitis

AbstractInterstitial cystitis is a painful bladder disorder occurring mostly in women, and is presently diagnosed by clinical presentation, as well as the presence of mucosal glomerulations and inflammation on bladder distention. An increased number of bladder mast cells have been implicated in the pathophysiology of interstitial cystitis but previous reports of spot urine histamine have not confirmed bladder mast cell activation. The availability of easily measurable objective criteria could make the diagnosis easier. Histamine and its major metabolite, methylhistamine, were measured in spot and 24-hour urine specimens from a number of normal female volunteers, control patients and interstitial cystitis patients. In interstitial cystitis patients the histamine levels were only slightly increased in the spot (p <0.01) and 24-hour urine (p <0.03) collections. Methylhistamine, on the other hand, was greatly elevated in spot (p <10−10) and 24-hour (p <0.0008) urine samples. These results indicate that methyl...
N-iodoacetyltyramine: preparation and use in 125I labeling by alkylation of sulfhydryl groups

Preparation and use of N-iodoacetyltyramine in generation of 125I-labeled compounds is described. The kinetics of alkylation of N-acetylcysteine by N-iodoacetyltyramine (k2 = 3.0 M-1 s-1) and N-chloroacetyltyramine (k2 = 0.12 M-1 s-1) indicate that N-iodoacetyltyramine is more useful for labeling sulfhydryl-containing compounds to high specific activity with 125I. Conditions for preparation of carrier-free 125I-labeled N-iodoacetyl-3-monoiodotyramine in 50% yield based on starting iodide are described. The high degree of group specificity of N-iodoacetyl-3-monoiodotyramine reaction with sulfhydryl groups is demonstrated by the high reactivity toward sulfhydryl-containing bovine serum albumin and low reactivity toward N-ethylmaleimide-blocked bovine serum albumin and IgG. 125I-labeled N-iodoacetyl-3-monoiodotyramine was also used to prepare an 125I-labeled ACTH derivative that retains full biological activity, further demonstrating the selectivity toward reactions with sulfhydryl groups.
Recent Advances in Behavioral (Epi)Genetics in Eusocial Insects

Eusocial insects live in societies in which distinct family members serve specific roles in maintaining the colony and advancing the reproductive ability of a few select individuals. Given the genetic similarity of all colony members, the diversity of morphologies and behaviors is surprising. Social communication relies on pheromones and olfaction, as shown by mutants of orco, the universal odorant receptor coreceptor, and through electrophysiological analysis of neuronal responses to pheromones. Additionally, neurohormonal factors and epigenetic regulators play a key role in caste-specific behavior, such as foraging and caste switching. These studies start to allow an understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying social behavior and provide a technological foundation for future studies of eusocial insects. In this review, we highlight recent findings in eusocial insects that advance our understanding of genetic and epigenetic regulations of social behavior and provide perspectives on future studies using cutting-edge technologies.
Urban community as resource: Evaluation of the mentors in Toledo schools program.

Abstract We report findings from an evaluation of the Mentors in Toledo Schools program (MITS), which pairs adult community volunteers with elementary school students in need of reading support. Begun in 2012, MITS now operates in five elementary schools in Toledo Public Schools. A quasi-experimental study of 379 students (n = 128 mentored, n = 251 comparison) tested the effectiveness of MITS, using changes (fall to spring) in students’ scores on STAR Reading. Multilevel models demonstrate students who participated in MITS made statistically significant, and educationally meaningful, reading gains compared to students who did not participate. Further, an investigation of the importance of dosage revealed that number of mentoring sessions is related to students’ outcomes; students who participated in reading mentoring at least once per week showed the most educationally meaningful improvements. We also report qualitative feedback from adult program participants, including teachers, mentors, and site coordinators, to help contextualize the STAR Reading results. These findings speak to the opportunity for community volunteers to act as low-cost and effective supports for urban elementary school students who are at-risk for reading failure.
Raman Spectroscopy and Microscopy Applications in Cardiovascular Diseases: From Molecules to Organs

Noninvasive and label-free vibrational spectroscopy and microscopy methods have shown great potential for clinical diagnosis applications. Raman spectroscopy is based on inelastic light scattering due to rotational and vibrational modes of molecular bonds. It has been shown that Raman spectra provide chemical signatures of changes in biological tissues in different diseases, and this technique can be employed in label-free monitoring and clinical diagnosis of several diseases, including cardiovascular studies. However, there are very few literature reviews available to summarize the state of art and future applications of Raman spectroscopy in cardiovascular diseases, particularly cardiac hypertrophy. In addition to conventional clinical approaches such as electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiogram (cardiac ultrasound), positron emission tomography (PET), cardiac computed tomography (CT), and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), applications of vibrational spectroscopy and microscopy will provide invaluable information useful for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Various in vivo and ex vivo investigations can potentially be performed using Raman imaging to study and distinguish pathological and physiological cardiac hypertrophies and understand the mechanisms of other cardiac diseases. Here, we have reviewed the recent literature on Raman spectroscopy to study cardiovascular diseases covering investigations on the molecular, cellular, tissue, and organ level.
Evaluation of screening and risk-reducing surgery for women followed in a high-risk breast/ovarian cancer clinic: it is all about the tubes in BRCA mutation carriers.

Abstract The objectives of this study were to determine both surgical and subsequent cancer outcomes for high-risk women from the University of Virginia's High-Risk Breast/Ovarian Cancer clinic undergoing ovarian cancer risk-reducing surgery. Retrospective review identified high risk women who had ovarian risk reducing surgery over the past decade and surgical outcomes, pathology, pre-operative screening results, and pre-/post-operative cancer diagnoses were evaluated. One hundred and eighty-three high-risk women had risk reducing surgery at a mean age of 50.1 years and with a mean BMI of 28.9 kg/m2 at the time of surgery. Most women (103; 56.3%) had a strong family history of cancer concerning for a hereditary syndrome without an identified mutation, 35.5% of women carried a known deleterious mutation and 7.7% of women had a personal history of breast or ovarian cancer. The most common procedure was a risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with or without hysterectomy (RRBSO, 89.1%). All women underwent the Sectioning and Extensively Examining the Fimbriated End (SEE-FIM) pathology protocol which found two (1.1%) invasive ovarian cancers (one ovarian/tubal carcinosarcoma, one granulosa cell ovarian cancer), three (1.6%) serous tubal intraepithelial carcinomas (STIC), and one (1.1%) invasive fallopian tube cancer. Subsequent cancer diagnoses included one (0.5%) primary peritoneal cancer, four (2.2%) DCIS, and seven (3.8%) invasive breast cancers. Ultimately, among all high-risk women undergoing RR surgery, about 3.3% were diagnosed with a STIC or an ovarian cancer none of which were identified on screening. All STIC and tubal cancers were diagnosed in women with BRCA mutations (6.6% rate for this group).
Counterbalancing the disadvantages of the “Have Nots”: an examination of the impact of amicus participation in state supreme court cases

Party capability theory posits that litigation success is predicated on litigants’ experience as parties to lawsuits as well as their access to resources. The stakes are particularly high for disadvantaged litigants in asymmetric power relationships, such as those between government (“The Haves”) and criminal defendants (“The Have Nots”). Scholars have found that interest group participation via amicus curiae—or “friend of the court”—briefs can reduce litigant power disparities in federal appellate cases, but it remains unclear whether the same holds in criminal matters before courts of last resort. As a starting point to understanding interest group behavior in state supreme court criminal cases, this study examines party capability theory and the extent to which, if any, amicus participation affects decision making that favors the government. Findings underscore the importance of interest group participation that supports disadvantaged litigants and the impact crime severity has on outcomes in criminal state supreme court cases.
Acute Reaction After Drinking Formula Milk

Cow’s milk and egg allergy are the most common causes of food allergy in children Most patients develop natural tolerance by first year of age Acute onset of symptoms such as urticaria, angioedema, nausea, vomiting, wheezing following food ingestion, should prompt a diagnosis of food allergy Allergy to galacto-oligosaccharides, a prebiotic carbohydrate, has been recently described in atopic patients in South-East Asia Galacto-oligosaccharides allergy is contrary to conventional understanding that allergens are proteins or glycoproteins
Oxalate Content of Enteral Nutrition Formulas.

ABSTRACTObjectives:Patients requiring oral and/or enteral nutrition support, delivered via nasogastric, gastric, or intestinal routes, have a relatively high incidence of calcium oxalate (CaOx) kidney stones. Nutrition formulas are frequently made from corn and/or or soy, both of which contain ample
The Public Policy Exception: Has § 1506 Been a Significant Obstacle in Aiding Foreign Bankruptcy Proceedings?

As the economy has become more globalized, there has been an apparent need to address instances of cross-border insolvency. Recognizing the problems associated with such a rapid globalization in the areas of international trade and investment, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (“UNCITRAL”) adopted the Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency (“Model Law”) on May 30, 1997 in order to provide a guideline for national insolvency laws that may be incapable of dealing effectively with financially distressed businesses operating on the international level. Among the issues the Model Law is aimed at addressing are “cases where the insolvent debtor has assets in more than one State or where some of the creditors of the debtor are not from the State where the insolvency proceeding is taking place.”
Energetics of Formation and Disordering in Rare Earth Weberite RE3TaO7 Materials

The recent finding of local weberite-like ordered domains in disordered and radiation damaged pyrochlore oxides has sparked interest in studying the structure, stability, and order–disorder in comp...
Sleep and pain in humans with fibromyalgia and comorbid insomnia: double-blind, crossover study of suvorexant 20 mg versus placebo.

Study Objectives:The chronic pain disorder, fibromyalgia, is associated with sleep disturbance, typically sleep maintenance. No studies have evaluated the effect of sleep medication on pain sensiti...
Kinetics of cooperative CO2 adsorption in diamine-appended variants of the metal–organic framework Mg2(dobpdc)

Carbon capture and sequestration is a key element of global initiatives to minimize anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Although many investigations of new candidate CO2 capture materials focus on equilibrium adsorption properties, it is also critical to consider adsorption/desorption kinetics when evaluating adsorbent performance. Diamine-appended variants of the metal-organic framework Mg2(dobpdc) (dobpdc4- = 4,4'-dioxidobiphenyl-3,3'-dicarboxylate) are promising materials for CO2 capture because of their cooperative chemisorption mechanism and associated step-shaped equilibrium isotherms, which enable large working capacities to be accessed with small temperature swings. However, the adsorption/desorption kinetics of these unique materials remain understudied. More generally, despite the necessity of kinetics characterization to advance adsorbents toward commercial separations, detailed kinetic studies of metal-organic framework-based gas separations remain rare. Here, we systematically investigate the CO2 adsorption kinetics of diamine-appended Mg2(dobpdc) variants using a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) assay. In particular, we examine the effects of diamine structure, temperature, and partial pressure on CO2 adsorption and desorption kinetics. Importantly, most diamine-appended Mg2(dobpdc) variants exhibit an induction period prior to reaching the maximum rate of CO2 adsorption, which we attribute to their unique cooperative chemisorption mechanism. In addition, these materials exhibit inverse Arrhenius behavior, displaying faster adsorption kinetics and shorter induction periods at lower temperatures. Using the Avrami model for nucleation and growth kinetics, we determine rate constants for CO2 adsorption and quantitatively compare rate constants among different diamine-appended variants. Overall, these results provide guidelines for optimizing adsorbent design to facilitate CO2 capture from diverse target streams and highlight kinetic phenomena relevant for other materials in which cooperative chemisorption mechanisms are operative.
DSM Revisions and the “Western Conundrum”

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is the most widely used classification system of mental health disorders in the world. Currently in its fifth edition (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th edn. American Psychiatric Publishing, Arlington, 2013), the DSM has been continually revised over the past 60 years as new research is made available to users. There is a robust movement among psychiatric and psychological scholars to upgrade the DSM with each of its revisions to incorporate and modify, when appropriate, findings that enable DSM users to better understand how to accurately serve individuals from diverse countries and diverse cultural, racial, ethnic, language, and immigrant backgrounds. A common template used by many in this movement is to characterize mental health services and nosology as being influenced by “Western” vs. “Non-Western” influences. This chapter argues that the terms “Western” and “Non-Western” do not enjoy a universal consensus in how they are defined. The boundaries between these two terms are fuzzy and permeable, and many groups worldwide share similar and dissimilar Western and Non-Western characteristics simultaneously. The difficult issues inherent in these observations and problems are elucidated, and suggestions are advanced for ways in which cultural supplements to the DSM can appropriately address these issues.
Dentition in the estimation of sex

Abstract Sexual dimorphism has been documented in the dentition in several ways (e.g., root length, tissue ratios, size ratios, cusp angles). This discussion focuses on sexual dimorphism of dental morphology and crown metrics as being the most readily relevant to the field of forensic anthropology. Low levels of dimorphism are reported in crown morphology, with only one trait (canine distal accessory ridge) showing differences between males and females. Dental metrics show higher levels of dimorphism. The canine is the most dimorphic tooth, although differences exist between populations. In creating methods of sex estimation based on crown size, it is important to incorporate the canine using multivariate methods, and to consider population variation. This chapter also discusses dental development and evolution as relevant to dental sexual dimorphism.
A Conceptual Review of Demerit Points as Punishment and Social Necessity

Research suggests that students are aware of how much time they spend using electronics for non-academic activities during class. Many students believe they are multitasking when they engage in distracted behavior in the classroom. To make matters worse, many educators have become complacent and ignore or tolerate the use of electronics because they have no way to effectively solve the problem. Studies show that the use of electronics, such as a laptop computer or a smartphone, can distract as many as six other people seated near that student. Students engaged in distracting behavior negatively impact the learning and teaching of course content for themselves and others around them. The problem has impacted all levels of education from grade school to college. Studies of motivation theory have provided significant evidence that students are motivated by educators who exercise strong classroom-management skills. A demerit system in which points are lost will significantly reduce unwanted student behavior in the classroom, specifically the use of electronic devices for non-academic activities, resulting in increased achievement as measured by the final exam. This solution can also be generalized to any classroom setting where students earn points.
Lack of Association Between Barometric Pressure and Incidence of Colic in Equine Academic Ambulatory Practice.

Abstract Anecdotal accounts correlate equine colic onset to changing weather conditions; however, atmospheric effects on colic have not been studied extensively. We hypothesized that changes in barometric pressure would increase the likelihood of a colic diagnosis compared with other noncolic sick events. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to look for associations between colic diagnosis and barometric pressure. The University of Pennsylvania Field Service electronic medical records were searched by identifiable examination type via billing procedure codes collecting 3,108 emergent and nonemergent medical events along with corresponding weather data from the National Weather Service from January 1, 2005, through January 1, 2017. Barometric pressure values and changes were not found to be statistically associated with a diagnosis of colic (P = .1). Horses that did not survive were almost 12 times more likely to have a diagnosis of colic (odds ratio [OR]: 11.97; P
Rapid Detection of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) by Reverse Transcription-Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification

Abstract Novel Corona virus (COVID-19 or 2019-nCoV) is an emerging global health concern that requires a rapid diagnostic test. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) is currently the standard for COVID-19 detection; however, Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) may allow for faster and cheaper field based testing at point-of-risk. The objective of this study was to develop a rapid screening diagnostic test that could be completed in under 30 minutes. Simulated patient samples were generated by spiking serum, urine, saliva, oropharyngeal swabs, and nasopharyngeal swabs with a portion of the COVID-19 nucleic sequence. The samples were tested using RT-LAMP as well as by conventional qRT-PCR. Specificity of the RT-LAMP was evaluated by also testing against other related coronaviruses. RT-LAMP specifically detected COVID-19 in simulated patient samples. This test was performed in under 30 minutes. This approach could be used for monitoring of exposed individuals or potentially aid with screening efforts in the field and potential ports of entry.
Quantitation of Total Vanadium in Rodent Plasma and Urine by Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)

Human exposure to vanadium (V) is anticipated because it is a drinking water contaminant. Due to limited data on soluble V salts, the National Toxicology Program is investigating the toxicity in ro...
Effect of dynamic loads and vibrations on lithium-ion batteries:

Lithium-ion batteries are being increasingly used as the main energy storage devices in modern mobile applications, including modern spacecrafts, satellites, and electric vehicles, in which consist...
FPGA Acceleration of Protein Back-Translation and Alignment

Identifying genome functionality changes our understanding of humans and helps us in disease diagnosis; as well as drug, bio-material, and genetic engineering of plants and animals. Comparing the structure of the protein sequences, when only sequence information is available, against a database with known functionality helps us to identify and recognize the functionality of the unknown sequence. The process of predicting the possible RNA sequence that a specific protein has originated from is called back-translation. Aligning the back-translated RNA sequence against the database locates the most similar sequences, which is used to predict the functionality of the unknown protein sequence. Providing massive parallelism, FPGAs can accelerate bioinformatics applications substantially. In this paper, we propose, FabP11FabP is also the name of a family of proteins, “Fatty-Acid-Binding Proteins”., an optimized FPGA-based accelerator for aligning a back-translated protein sequence against a database of DNA/RNA sequences. FabP is deeply optimized to fully utilize the FPGA resources and the DRAM memory bandwidth to maximize the performance. FabP on a mid-range FPGA provides 8.1 % and 23.3× (24.8× and 266.8 ×) speedup and higher energy efficiency as compared to the GPU-based implementation on a high-end NVIDIA GPU (state-of-the-art CPU implementation), respectively.
Design principles of tandem cascade photoelectrochemical devices

Cascade photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) is a possible method to improve the selectivity of solar-driven CO2 reduction (CO2R). This concept can be realized by coupling different CO2R catalysts to different subcells in a multijunction photovoltaic (PV) stack. Efficient implementation will require careful tuning of the photocurrents and design of the photovoltages provided by the subcells to the CO2R catalysts in such a way as to facilitate the target reaction. Here, we outline the design principles of the tandem PEC approach using two-step conversion of CO2 to ethylene in aqueous electrolyte, via a CO intermediate, as a model system. To perform this reaction, the first coupled PV-catalyst component should provide 4 electrons to reduce 2 molecules of CO2 to CO; the second component should provide 8 electrons to reduce 2 CO molecules to C2H4. Based on known CO2R catalysts, the overpotential required to produce CO can be less than that required to reduce it to ethylene, creating the opportunity for improved efficiency. Cascade PEC can be realized in a three-terminal tandem (3TT) configuration using III-V-semiconductor based subcells coupled to Au (produces CO intermediate) and Cu (converts CO to ethylene). The current to each catalyst can be controlled by the area of the subcell exposed to the electrolyte, and the photovoltage is determined by the materials selected and device configuration. Operating conditions are found by simulating the coupled system using the open-source circuit simulator SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuits Emphasis). We identify conditions under which a 3TT configuration can have a higher solar to chemical conversion efficiency compared to a two-terminal two-junction tandem (2T 2J) with the same absorbers and a Cu catalyst only. We also show that 3TT PEC devices can be less sensitive to variations in catalyst activity compared to 2T devices. Finally, we discuss the applications of cascade PEC to CO2 reduction, using different intermediates, and to other chemical networks.
Multi-scale high-speed network traffic prediction using combination of neural networks

High-speed network traffic prediction is considered as the core of the preventive congestion control. In this paper, we apply two different artificial neural network (ANN) architectures, multilayer perceptron (MLP) and fuzzy neural network (FNN), to predict one-step ahead the value of the MPEG and JPEG video, Ethernet and Internet traffic data. To enhance prediction accuracy, the output of the individual ANN predictors are combined using different combination schemes. An adaptive updating scheme is used in both of the ANNs and combination schemes. This adaptation makes the predictors dynamic and allows them to capture the non-stationary traffic characteristics. Prediction at different time scales is considered in order to apply the predicted values to the congestion control schemes. The results show that the ANN predictors outperform the autoregressive (AR) model, and the combination approach enhances the prediction accuracy.
Strongly coupled quark-gluon plasma in heavy ion collisions

A decade ago brief summary of the field could be formulated as a discovery of strongly-coupled Quark-Gluon-Plasma, sQGP, making a very good liquid with surprisingly small viscosity. Since 2010 we have LHC program, which added a lot to our understanding, and now there seems to be a need to consolidate what we learned and formulate a list of issues to be studied next. Hydrodynamical perturbations, leading to higher harmonics of angular correlations, are identified as long-lived sound waves. Recently studied reactions involving sounds include phonon decays into two ("loop viscosity"), phonon+magnetic field into photons/dileptons (sono-magneto-luminescence), and two phonons into a gravity wave, a penetrating probe of the Big Bang. The mainstream issues in the field now include a quest to study transition between $pp,pA$ and heavy ion $AA$ collisions, with an aim to locate "the smallest drops" of the sQGP displaying collective/hydrodynamics behavior. The issues related to out-of-equilibrium stage of the collisions, and mechanisms of the equilibration, in weak and strong coupling, are also hotly debated.
A uniqueness result for harmonic functions

Let d > 2, D = R d × (0,∞), and suppose u is harmonic in D and C 2 on the closure of D. If the gradient of u vanishes continuously on a subset of ∂D of positive d-dimensional Lebesgue measure and u satisfies certain regularity conditions, then u must be identically constant.
Synthesis and Selected Reactivity Studies of a Dissymmetric (Phosphinoylmethylpyridine N-Oxide) Methylamine Platform

Efficient syntheses for the precursor molecules, 2-{6-[((diphenylphosphoryl)methyl)pyridin-2-yl]methyl}isoindoline-1,3-dione (2), 2-[(1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)methyl]-6-[(diphenylphosphoryl)methyl]pyridine 1-oxide (3), and their 6-[bis(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)phosphoryl]methyl analogues are reported along with their transformations into the dissymmetric ligands, [(6-(aminomethyl)pyridin-2-yl)methyl]diphenylphosphine oxide (4), 2-(aminomethyl)-6-[(diphenylphosphoryl)methyl]pyridine 1-oxide (5) and 2-(aminomethyl)-6-{[bis(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)phosphoryl]methyl}pyridine 1-oxide (5-F). Selected reactivity of the aminomethyl substituent of 4 and 5, as well as complexation reactions of several of the compounds with lanthanide(III) ions are described. Molecular structures of three uniquely different complexes, {Pr{2-[HC(O)N(H)CH2]-6-[Ph2P(O)CH2]C5H3NO}(NO3)3(MeOH)}2, {Eu{2-[(Me2N)2CN(H+)CH2]-6-[Ph2P(O)CH2]C5H3N(H)+}(NO3)4(OMe)} and {Er{2-[(C8H4O2)NCH2]-6-[Ph2P(O)CH2]C5H3N(O)}(NO3)3(MeOH)}·(CH3)2CO, have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The observed and computationally modeled structures that employ bidentate and tridentate ligand/metal interactions are compared. These results suggest further ligand modifications that should provide improved solvent extraction reagents.
Traditional, Modern, Accountable?: The Politics of Representation in Rural South Africa

Seventeen years after South Africa’s democratization, questions of representation continue to trouble rural localities. Although the franchise has been extended to all adult citizens, many black rural people remain dually subject to so-called traditional leaders — kings, chiefs, and headmen — and to modern government officials such as municipal councilors, provincial premiers, and Members of Parliament. While both “traditional” and “modern” officials claim to represent their subjects-constituents, the extent to which either provides for the effective representation of specific rural localities is questionable. Local people have little power to remove traditional leaders whom they regard as illegitimate or who fail to promote the community’s well-being. And local and district municipalities, which are the most accessible modern institutions, not only operate at the supra-locality level and have limited authority but also employ electoral rules that create stronger ties between potential councilors and political parties than to local voters. So how are we to think about representation in this context? How are rural polities configured, through what local institutions are rural people represented, and who possesses the authority to make locality-wide decisions? In this paper, I examine these questions through a close examination of the politics of representation in four rural, impoverished, and politically marginal localities in South Africa’s North West province. Drawing from my research in Lekgophung, Molatedi, Pitsedisulejang, and Supingstad between 2005 and 2011, I analyze how black rural South Africans have sought effective and accountable representation from traditional, modern, and new institutions. Each of these created new locality-specific, locality-wide institutions to speak and act on behalf of the collective and also employed other strategies. Pitsedisulejang residents continue to contest the definition of their “traditional” community, Supingstad residents have used a range of tactics to challenge their chief’s authority and legitimacy, and Lekgophung and Molatedi residents have empowered local trustees to exert authority over the communities’ tourism concessions. In so doing, these localities illustrate the diverse ways through which rural people have conceptualized, pursued, and struggled over representation in post-apartheid South Africa. These cases underscore the need to look beyond formal political institutions and to think carefully about micro-scale representation as well as mass representation.
Tests of the critical assumptions of the dilution method for estimating bacterivory by microeucaryotes.

The critical assumptions of the dilution method for estimating grazing rates of microzooplankton were tested by using a community from the sediment-water interface of Lake Anna, Va. Determination of the appropriate computational model was achieved by regression analysis; the exponential model was appropriate for bacterial growth at Lake Anna. The assumption that the change in grazing pressure is linearly proportional to the dilution factor was tested by analysis of variance with a lack-of-fit test. There was a significant (P 0.05) relationship between the dilution factor and time-dependent change in ln bacterial abundance. The assumption that bacterial growth is not altered by possible substrate enrichment in the dilution treatment was tested by amending diluted water with various amounts of dissolved organic carbon (either yeast extract or extracted carbon from lake sediments). Additions of carbon did not significantly alter bacterial growth rates during the incubation period (24 h). On the basis of these results, the assumptions of the dilution method proved to be valid for the system examined.