cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GrowClust: A Hierarchical Clustering Algorithm for Relative Earthquake Relocation, with Application to the Spanish Springs and Sheldon, Nevada, Earthquake Sequences

Accurate earthquake locations are essential for providing reliable hazard assessments, understanding the physical mechanisms driving extended earthquake sequences, and interpreting fault structure. Techniques based on waveform cross correlation can significantly improve the precision of the relative locations of event pairs observed at a set of common stations. Here we describe GrowClust, an open‐source, relative relocation algorithm that can provide robust relocation results for earthquake sequences over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. The method uses input differential travel times, cross‐correlation values, and reference starting locations, and applies a hybrid, hierarchical clustering algorithm to simultaneously group and relocate events within similar event clusters. The method is computationally efficient and numerically stable in its capacity to process large data sets and naturally applies greater weight to more similar event pairs. Additionally, it outputs location error estimates that can be used to help interpret the reliability and resolution of relocation results. As an example, we apply the GrowClust method to the recent Spanish Springs and Sheldon, Nevada, earthquake swarms. These sequences highlight the future potential for applying the GrowClust relocation method on a much larger scale within the region, where existing relocation results are sparse but vital for understanding the seismotectonics and seismic hazard of Nevada and eastern California.
From Experts Guiding Data to Data Guiding Solutions

Data is the prime mover of computational analysis and the central actor in Machine Learning by Ethem Alpaydin, a 2016 book in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge Series.
E-cigarettes Associated With Depressed Smoking Cessation: A Cross-sectional Study of 28 European Union Countries

Introduction Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are often promoted to assist with cigarette smoking cessation. In 2016–2017, the relationship between e-cigarette use and having stopped smoking among ever (current and former) smokers was assessed in the European Union and Great Britain by itself. Methods Cross-sectional logistic regression of the association between being a former smoker and e-cigarette use was applied to the 2014 Eurobarometer survey of 28 European Union countries controlling for demographics. Results Among all ever smokers, any regular ever use of nicotine e-cigarettes was associated with lower odds of being a former smoker (unadjusted OR=0.34, 95% CI=0.26, 0.43, AOR=0.43, 95% CI=0.32, 0.58) compared with smokers who had never used e-cigarettes. In unadjusted models, daily use (OR=0.42, 95% CI=0.31, 0.56); occasional use (OR=0.25, 95% CI=0.18, 0.35); and experimentation (OR=0.24, 95% CI=0.19, 0.30) of nicotine e-cigarettes were associated with lower odds of being a former smoker compared with having never used nicotine-containing e-cigarettes. Comparable results were found in adjusted models. Results were similar in Great Britain alone. Among current smokers, daily cigarette consumption was 15.6 cigarettes/day (95% CI=14.5, 16.7) among those who also used e-cigarettes versus 14.4 cigarettes/day (95% CI=13.4, 15.4) for those who did not use them (p Conclusions These results suggest that e-cigarettes are associated with inhibiting rather than assisting in smoking cessation. On the population level, the net effect of the entry of e-cigarettes into the European Union (and Great Britain) is associated with depressed smoking cessation of conventional cigarettes.
Metabolomic Analysis of Glioma Cells Using Nanoflow Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Mass spectrometry (MS)-based techniques have been finding utility as sensitive, high throughput metabolite analysis tools for complex biological samples. We describe here a nanoflow liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (nano-LC-MS/MS) system we developed and applied to metabolic profiling of human cells. Metabolites are extracted from cells using methanol, and filtered through a C18 StageTip to remove large particles. Metabolite samples are separated by HPLC at a flow rate of 400-500 nl/min, then analyzed in both positive and negative ion modes in an LTQ-Orbitrap MS. Metabolite identification and differential analysis are performed using commercial or open source software. Protocols outlined in this chapter describe how nano-LC-MS can be applied to investigate metabolic profiling with limited biomass amount.
The Use of Honey in Cochlear Implant Associated Wounds in Pediatric Patients

Abstract Introduction The use of honey in wound care is becoming more common due to the proven benefit in all three phases of wound healing, as well as the antibacterial and antibiofilm properties. We present our experience using TheraHoney gel, a medical grade honey, for the successful treatment of cochlear implant associated skin breakdown. Objective To describe the role of TheraHoney gel in the management of cutaneous infection and ulceration associated with cochlear implants. Methods Three cases of wounds treated traditionally with antibiotics, plus the addition of TheraHoney, were retrospectively reviewed. The first patient had a superficial 1 × 1 cm ulcer, the second patient had bilateral ulcers: one superficial 1.5 × 1.5 cm ulcer and the other a 1.5 × 2 cm stage III pressure ulcer with an exposed receiver stimulator, and the third patient with a 3 × 3.5 cm stage III ulcer with an exposed receiver stimulator. Results With the addition of TheraHoney gel, complete wound closure was achieved at all three patients without the need for surgical reconstruction. Conclusion Cutaneous infection with or without skin breakdown is a common delayed complication after cochlear implantation. We demonstrate the efficacy of adding medical grade honey in promoting healing in infected scalp pressure ulcers overlying the cochlear implant site.
Invasive Coronary Angiography

For several decades invasive coronary angiography has been the reference standard test for the assessment of coronary artery disease. The proper delineation of coronary artery disease extent and lesion quantification on invasive coronary angiography requires attention on the part of the operator to clearly display the entire coronary arterial tree and coronary artery disease lesions, while avoiding artifact, vessel overlap and/or foreshortening using this 2-dimensional imaging technique. The majority of coronary artery lesions visualized is assessed by visual estimation of lumen diameter stenosis. However, while visual estimation of diameter stenosis is practical and generally accurate, coronary artery disease lesion severity may be improved with use of quantitative coronary angiography (QCA), intravascular ultrasound or with the use of fractional flow reserve to assess hemodynamic effects related to the stenosis in question. Although not a high risk procedure on a per-patient basis with a risk of major complications below 1 %, serious complications from invasive coronary angiography do occur, including arterial injury, arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, stroke and death. More common but less morbid risks include renal dysfunction, allergy to contrast media, bleeding, hematoma, arteriovenous fistula, peripheral nerve injury, or risks of conscious sedation such as aspiration. Because of these risks noninvasive approaches to diagnostic coronary angiography have evolved, but do not allow for additional diagnostic or therapeutic maneuvers such as intravascular ultrasound, fractional flow reserve, or percutaneous coronary intervention (Table 6.1). Angiographic data including lesion location, severity, and anatomy correlate with prognosis for future events both with and without coronary intervention using scales such as the Duke Prognostic Score and Syntax scale. For all these reasons, invasive coronary angiography remains vitally important for visualization of coronary artery disease.
Properties of Individual X-Ray Sources

Observations to determine the spectra and time variations of hard X-rays from cosmic sources have been made from balloons and from the OSO-III satellite. These data have been obtained using actively collimated scintillation counters with apertures between 6 and 24o FWHM, areas between 10 and 50 cm2 and which operate over the 10–300 keV range. The Crab Nebula has been observed on three occasions over a 22-month period between September 1965 and July 1967. The power law spectrum has a number index of 2.0 ± 0.1. No long-term changes were observed over the 30–100keV range with a limit at 3%/yr. A balloon search with a 10 cm2 Ge(Li) detector for X-ray lines at 62.5 keV, 110 keV and 180 keV due to heavy element radioactive decays which would be produced in the initial Crab explosion based on the Cf254 hypothesis has resulted in upper limits at about 10−3 γ-rays cm2-sec. This is about a factor of 20 above the predicted levels. Simultaneous X-ray and optical observations of SCO XR-1 from OSO-III confirm that X-ray and optical flaring are indeed coincident phenomena, and that although the X-ray intensity increases about a factor of two during the flare, the equivalent temperature of the excess radiation is nearly the same as that of the quiescent object. Upper limits, 95% confidence, on the flux of M-87 at 40 keV have been obtained. These are inconsistent with the flux of 1.2 × 10−4 photons/cm2-sec-keV reported in the literature. CYG X-1 has been observed to have a power law of number index 2.0 ± 0.2. The OSO-III has observed a number of sources in the southern skies including NOR XR-2 and the variable source Centaurus XR-2.
Do Patients With Advanced Cancer Have the Ability to Make Informed Decisions for Participation in Phase I Clinical Trials

Purpose Patients with advanced cancer (ACPs) participating in phase I clinical trials inadequately understand many elements of informed consent (IC); however, the prevalence and impact of cognitive impairment has not been described. Patients and Methods ACPs enrolled onto phase I trials underwent neuropsychological assessment to evaluate cognitive functioning (CF) covering the following domains: memory (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test), executive functioning (Trail Making Test B), language (Boston Naming Test-Short Version and Controlled Oral Word Association Test), attention (Trail Making Test A and Wechsler Adult Intelligenence Scale-IV Digit Span), comprehension (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV), and quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function). Structured interviews evaluated IC and decisional capacity. Psychological measures included distress (Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II). Results One hundred eighteen ACPs on phase I trials were evaluated, with CF ranging from mild impairment to superior performance. Only 45% of ACPs recalled physician disclosure of the phase I trial purpose. The 50% of ACPs who correctly identified the phase I research purpose had greater CF compared with ACPs who did not, as revealed by the mean T scores for memory (37.2 ± 5.6 v 32.5 ± 5.1, respectively; P = .001), attention (29 ± 2.7 v 26.9 ± 2.4, respectively; P < .001), visual attention (35.2 ± 6.6 v 31.5 ± 6.2, respectively; P = .001), and executive function (38.9 ± 7.5 v 34 ± 7.1, respectively; P < .001). Older ACPs (≥ 60 years) were less likely to recall physician disclosure of phase I purpose than younger ACPs (30% v 70%, respectively; P = .02) and had measurable deficits in total memory (34.2 ± 5.0 v 37.3 ± 5.6, respectively; P = .002), attention (24.5 ± 2.6 v 28 ± 2.8, respectively; P < .001), and executive function (32.8 ± 7.3 v 36.4 ± 7.6, respectively; P = .01). Older ACPs, compared with younger ACPs, also had greater depression scores (10.6 ± 9.2 v 8.1 ± 5.2, respectively; P = .03) and lower quality-of-life scores (152 ± 29.6 v 167 ± 20, respectively; P = .03). After adjustment by age, no psychological or neuropsychological variable was further significantly associated with likelihood of purpose identification. Conclusion CF seems to play a role in ACP recall and comprehension of IC for early-phase clinical trials, especially among older ACPs.
IL-1β activation in response to Staphylococcus aureus lung infection requires inflammasome-dependent and independent mechanisms.

Maintaining balanced levels of IL-1β is extremely important to avoid host tissue damage during infection. Our goal was to understand the mechanisms behind the reduced pathology and decreased bacterial burdens in Ifnlr1-/- mice during lung infection with Staphylococcus aureus. Intranasal infection of Ifnlr1-/- mice with S. aureus led to significantly improved bacterial clearance, survival and decrease of proinflammatory cytokines in the airway including IL-1β. Ifnlr1-/- mice treated with recombinant IL-1β displayed increased bacterial burdens in the airway and lung. IL-1β levels in neutrophils from Ifnlr1-/- infected mice lungs were decreased when compared to neutrophils from WT mice. Mice lacking NLRP3 and caspase-1 had reduced IL-1β levels 4 h after infection, due to reductions or absence of active caspase-1 respectively, but levels at 24 h were comparable to WT infected mice. Ifnlr1-/- infected mice had decreases in both active caspase-1 and neutrophil elastase indicating an important role for the neutrophil serine protease in IL-1β processing. By inhibiting neutrophil elastase, we were able to decrease IL-1β levels by 39% in Nlrp3-/- infected mice when compared to WT mice. These results highlight the crucial role of both proteases in IL-1β processing, via inflammasome-dependent and -independent mechanisms.
HACER: an atlas of human active enhancers to interpret regulatory variants

Recent studies have shown that disease-susceptibility variants frequently lie in cell-type-specific enhancer elements. To identify, interpret, and prioritize such risk variants, we must identify the enhancers active in disease-relevant cell types, their upstream transcription factor (TF) binding, and their downstream target genes. To address this need, we built HACER (http://bioinfo.vanderbilt.edu/AE/HACER/), an atlas of Human ACtive Enhancers to interpret Regulatory variants. The HACER atlas catalogues and annotates in-vivo transcribed cell-type-specific enhancers, as well as placing enhancers within transcriptional regulatory networks by integrating ENCODE TF ChIP-Seq and predicted/validated chromatin interaction data. We demonstrate the utility of HACER in (i) offering a mechanistic hypothesis to explain the association of SNP rs614367 with ER-positive breast cancer risk, (ii) exploring tumor-specific enhancers in selective MYC dysregulation and (iii) prioritizing/annotating non-coding regulatory regions targeting CCND1. HACER provides a valuable resource for studies of GWAS, non-coding variants, and enhancer-mediated regulation.
Dollar-Off or Percent-Off? Discount Framing, Construal Levels, and Advertising Appeals

In two studies, the authors reveal how consumers react to marketing messages when two commonly used promotional tactics – price discounts and advertising messages – are synergized. Building on cons...
Evolutionary conservation of post-transcriptional 3' end adenylation of small RNAs: S. cerevisiae signal recognition particle RNA and U2 small nuclear RNA are post-transcriptionally adenylated.

The 3′ terminal nucleotide of several human small RNAs, including Signal Recognition Particle (SRP) RNA, 7SK RNA, U2 small nuclear RNA and ribosomal 5S RNA was previously characterized and a fraction of these RNAs was found to contain a single post-transcriptionally added adenylic acid residue on their 3′ ends. Here we report the development of a reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for determining and quantifying the extent of post-transcriptional adenylation of RNAs from different species. Using this assay, we found that a fraction of S. cerevisiae U2 small nuclear RNA and S. cerevisiae SRP RNA contain a post-transcriptionally added adenylic acid residue on their 3′ ends. Sequencing analysis confirmed this adenylation to be post-transcriptional. Corresponding small RNAs in Xenopus oocytes also contained this post-transcriptional adenylation on their 3′ ends. These data show that post-transcriptional adenylation on the 3′ end of several small RNA molecules is conserved through evolution. Xenopus SRP RNA from both cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments contained post-transcriptionally added adenylic acid residue on its 3′ end. In addition, the Alu portion of SRP RNA was adenylated, when injected into the cytoplasm of frog oocytes. These data show that this novel adenylating machinery, capable of specifically adding a single adenylic acid to the 3′ end of some RNA molecules, is present and functional in both nucleus and cytoplasm.
MOTIVATION OF USING FACEBOOK INFLUENCES INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION EFFECTIVENESS

Facebook is one of the social media that has been used by many people, ranging from children to adults. Based on the observation, the housewives tend to use facebook to communicate with various motivations. The messages written in the status of facebook influence the interpersonal communication effectiveness in the real world. This research used quantitative method. The result showed that the interpersonal communication effectiveness among housewives is quite influenced by the motivation of using facebook. This is indicated by the correlation coefficient value of 0,433. The result of determination coefficient 18,7% showed that the motivation of using facebook give the influence of 18,7% toward the interpersonal communication effectiveness among housewives in Cluster Ubud, Puri Gading Housing, Bekasi.
Reshaping the urban hierarchy: patterns of information diffusion on social media

ABSTRACTThe spatial diffusion of information is a process governed by the flow of interpersonal communication. The emergence of the Internet and especially social media platforms has reshaped this ...
Tenure Tracking: John W. Geissman et al. Jennifer J. Halpern and Paul F. Velleman

Constance Holden's News & Comment article “Tenure turmoil sparks reforms” (4 Apr., p. [24][1]) summarizes the precarious nature of the institution of tenure at colleges and universities in the United States and describes some of the approaches taken to provide a greater level of accountability for tenured faculty. In spring 1996, the University of New Mexico Faculty Senate drafted and approved a policy of post-tenure review that was ultimately accepted with modification by the Board of Regents. In response to growing concerns over the status of tenure at colleges and universities in New Mexico, we drafted the following resolution, which was approved by the Faculty Senate this past February. > Whereas, faculty tenure is the foundation of academic freedom and excellence at American institutions of higher education, > > And, whereas, encroachments upon tenure have proven historically to be detrimental both to civil liberties and the search for the truth, > > And, whereas, experiments aimed at undermining tenure, however disguised or well-intentioned, invariably have a negative effect on the reputation of the institution undergoing such experimentation, > > Therefore, be it resolved that the Faculty Senate of the University of New Mexico reaffirm its commitment to the principle of the inviolability of faculty tenure and request that President Richard Peck without reservations reaffirm his commitment to the same. Subsequently, President Peck issued a strong statement of support of the resolution. # {#article-title-2} Universities considering alternatives to traditional tenure frequently ignore a problem that has come to plague traditional tenure. Modern-day (and correct) emphases on diversity and fairness and the consequent proliferation of formal procedures now require faculty to act as human resource directors when evaluating a colleague for tenure. The procedural details and concern for possible litigation have made tenure review a time-consuming task that has little appeal to academics, most of whom have neither the training nor any interest in managing bureaucratic details. What may be needed is a radical re-thinking of tenure in which record-keeping, portfolio maintenance, and attention to procedure are made the responsibility of human resource professionals, and peer reviews deal only with quality and originality—a sufficiently controversial and exhausting function, but one that academics recognize as important. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.276.5309.24
Developing student 21st Century skills in selected exemplary inclusive STEM high schools

There is a need to arm students with noncognitive, or 21st Century, skills to prepare them for a more STEM-based job market. As STEM schools are created in a response to this call to action, research is needed to better understand how exemplary STEM schools successfully accomplish this goal. This conversion mixed method study analyzed student work samples and teacher lesson plans from seven exemplary inclusive STEM high schools to better understand at what level teachers at these schools are engaging and developing student 21st Century skills. We found of the 67 lesson plans collected at the inclusive STEM high schools, 50 included instruction on 21st Century skills. Most of these lesson plans designed instruction for 21st Century skills at an introductory level. Few lesson plans encouraged multiple 21st Century skills and addressed higher levels of those skills. Although there was not a significant difference between levels of 21st Century skills by grade level, there was an overall trend of higher levels of 21st Century skills demonstrated in lesson plans designed for grades 11 and 12. We also found that lesson plans that lasted three or more days had higher levels of 21st Century skills. These findings suggest that inclusive STEM high schools provide environments that support the development of 21st Century skills. Yet, more can be done in the area of teacher professional development to improve instruction of high levels of 21st Century skills.
Integrating infant mental health practice models in nursing.

Problem During the first years of life, the brain is developing rapidly and is especially vulnerable to the effects of trauma and or stress. Early exposure to such early trauma or stress predisposes young children to mental health problems. The practice of infant mental health (IMH) focuses on preventing negative mental health outcomes in infancy and toddlerhood. Currently, IMH is not standard practice in nursing. To enhance IMH in nursing, this manuscript provides an overview of IMH practice models, discusses nursing implications of each model and presents a model for integrating IMH into nursing practice. Methods A scoping review was conducted with a literature search utilizing the keywords "infant mental health" AND "models of care" in the PubMed and CINHAL databases from 2002 to 2018. Findings Twenty of the publications retrieved met search criteria. Among the 20 articles, 10 addressed clinical-based content related to IMH practice and 10 addressed nonclinical-based content associated with IMH educational training, policy development, or system-based models of care. Conclusions Nurses are well positioned to impact IMH. The model presented provides the nursing process as a practical framework for the integration of IMH in nursing practice that can be expanded upon as IMH evolves.
Feasibility of Aerosol Bronchodilators Delivery Through High-Flow Nasal Cannula in Pediatric Subjects With Respiratory Distress.

BACKGROUND: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is commonly used to provide respiratory support to pediatric patients with respiratory failure. Although the use of bronchodilators via HFNC has been described, the feasibility and safety of aerosolized bronchodilator delivery via HFNC are controversial. In this study, we sought to evaluate whether the HFNC system can be used to deliver nebulized bronchodilators at lower gas flow of 2–4 L/min, increase patient comfort, and minimize respiratory therapist (RT) bedside time when compared to traditional interfaces. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of all pediatric subjects who were admitted to the pediatric ICU in a tertiary care children’s hospital and required nebulized bronchodilators between December 2017 and June 2018. RESULTS: A total of 205 nebulizations were administered to 28 children; 31% of nebulized bronchodilators were given using a nebulization system integrated into the HFNC. Nebulized treatments resulted in an average increase in heart rate of 9.98 (95% CI 3.72–16.2) beats/min when HFNC was used and 0.64 (95% CI −1.65 to 2.93) beats/min when traditional interfaces were used, a difference of 9.34 (95% CI 2.30–16.4) beats/min (P CONCLUSIONS: Aerosol bronchodilator delivery using HFNC is feasible at low gas flow (ie, 2–4 L/min). However, the use of HFNC did not improve subjects’ comfort, and it increased RT bedside time. Further prospective randomized studies are needed to determine the efficacy and efficiency of aerosol therapy delivered through HFNC and potential patient-oriented outcomes.
Do Ambient Ozone or Other Pollutants Modify Effects of Controlled Ozone Exposure on Pulmonary Function

Rationale: In a previous trial (MOSES [Multicenter Ozone Study of oldEr Subjects]), 3 hours of controlled ozone (O3) exposure caused concentration-related reductions in lung function with evidence ...
Super-resolution in digital breast tomosynthesis: limitations of the conventional system design and strategies for optimization

Our previous work explored the use of super-resolution as a way to improve the visibility of calcifications in digital breast tomosynthesis. This paper demonstrates that there are anisotropies in super-resolution throughout the reconstruction, and investigates new motion paths for the x-ray tube to suppress these anisotropies. We used a theoretical model of a sinusoidal test object to demonstrate the existence of the anisotropies. In addition, high-frequency test objects were simulated with virtual clinical trial (VCT) software developed for breast imaging. The simulated objects include a lead bar pattern phantom as well as punctate calcifications in a breast-like background. In a conventional acquisition geometry in which the source motion is directed laterally, we found that super-resolution is not achievable if the frequency is oriented in the perpendicular direction (posteroanteriorly). Also, there are positions, corresponding to various slices above the breast support, at which super-resolution is inherently not achievable. The existence of these anisotropies was validated with VCT simulations. At locations predicted by theoretical modeling, the bar pattern phantom showed aliasing, and the spacing between individual calcifications was not properly resolved. To show that super-resolution can be optimized by re-designing the acquisition geometry, we applied our theoretical model to the analysis of new motion paths for the x-ray tube; specifically, motions with more degrees of freedom and with more rapid pulsing (submillimeter spacing) between source positions. These two strategies can be used in combination to suppress the anisotropies in super-resolution.
Units of Organization and Analysis in the Perception of Speech

The message uttered by a talker and the message the perceiver hears possess a common linguistic structure—phones, syllables, words, phrases, and sentences. However, the acoustic connection between the talker and listener is more easily described nonlinguistically, as an assortment of acoustic components. Research on the perceptual links in the speech chain has revealed the listener’s impressive accomplishment in recognizing the linguistic properties of such acoustic patterns, inasmuch as linguistic units are not conveyed by an isomorphic set of acoustic units. The distribution of acoustic ingredients in a speech signal is immediately revealing on this point: The junctures between the syllables, words, and even phrases that the perceiver hears do not correspond to the acoustic junctures, which are more numerous and more varied than their linguistic counterparts (Fant, 1962). In consequence, the paradigm problem for research in speech perception is to explain how the listener accomplishes the reduction of acoustic variation to linguistic significance.
The management of mesially inclined/impacted mandibular permanent second molars

Abstract Mesially impacted mandibular second molars are a common occurrence in orthodontic practices, especially those using the lingual arch or lip bumper for alleviating anterior crowding. Horizontally impacted second molars, on the other hand, occur so infrequently that most practitioners have limited experience in treating such a patient. Because of this there is little consensus on the management of these cases. As opposed to vertically impacted molars that may be associated with ankylosis or other factors preventing eruption, the mesially angulated, horizontally impacted mandibular second molar usually has eruption potential, because its impaction is more commonly due to lack of space and/or abnormal eruption path. Hence, orthodontic uprighting shows the most promise and can commonly be done without extracting the third molar or surgically exposing the impacted second molar. Modern clinicians have at their disposal a myriad of biomechanical choices that can be used to successfully reposition these teeth and enable finishing with an optimal occlusion.
Nitric oxide sensing characteristics of functionalized small length multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Abstract In this work, we present a highly sensitive non-enzymatic NO biosensor fabricated using functionalized small length multiwalled carbon nanotubes (f@sMWCNTs), chemically modified graphene, and platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs). The electrocatalytic activity of the non-enzymatic sensor was examined using cyclic voltammetry and amperometry. The sensor demonstrated good electrocatalytic activity towards the indirect detection of NO under optimal operating condition. An extended linear range from 50 μM to 1.3 mM was achieved with a high sensitivity of 307.72 μA/mM cm2. A limit of detection as low as 0.7 μM NO (S/N = 3) was achieved. A negatively charged semipermeable membrane was employed to selectively permit NO passage and limit the passage of nitrite and nitrate to the surface of the sensor, thereby enabling the sensor to successfully screen against common interference species. The fabricated sensor demonstrated good reproducibility, selectivity, and stability, thereby showing great promise for use in monitoring NO.
Impact of retained austenite on the aging response of additively manufactured 17-4 PH grade stainless steel

Abstract Additively manufactured precipitation hardened (PH) martensitic grade stainless steels display wide variations in their heat treatment response and mechanical properties. Much of this variability can be attributed to the selection of the atomizing gas and the resulting variations in powder composition. Differences in nitrogen compositions present in argon and nitrogen atomized powders led to the formation of a wide range of retained austenite levels between 0 and 81 vol% and significant differences in mechanical properties in as-deposited and aged 17-4 PH grade stainless steels. Material fabricated using argon atomized powder contained little to no retained austenite and displayed mechanical properties in the peak-aged condition similar to those in wrought alloys (1359 ± 59 MPa ultimate tensile strength and 10.1 ± 0.8% elongation to failure). On the other hand, materials fabricated with nitrogen atomized powder displayed between 20% and 81% retained austenite, leading to discontinuous yielding driven by the strain-induced transformation of the retained austenite to martensite. Even with the presence of this discontinuous yielding, the materials fabricated using the nitrogen atomized powders consistently displayed strengths 300 MPa higher in the as-deposited, 200 MPa higher in the peak-aged, and 500 MPa higher in the over-aged conditions than materials fabricated using the argon atomized powders. By directly comparing the local strains and microstructures in nitrogen atomized materials, a [011]γ//[001]α relationship in line with the Bain transformation process was present between the retained austenite and transformed martensite across the as-deposited and aged conditions.
The dual degree orthopedic surgeon: A survey of the trends, motivations, and perceived value of the master of business administration degree.

Orthopedic surgeons are obtaining Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees at an increasing rate. This study aimed to identify the motivations, trends, and perceived value of the MBA degree for these dual degree surgeons. A total of 157 orthopedic surgeons with both MD and MBA degrees were surveyed with a 19-item questionnaire to identify surgeons' motivations for obtaining an MBA degree and the perceived value of the degree. A total of 66 responses (42%) were received. Most respondents (89.4%) viewed the MBA degree as either extremely valuable or valuable. Prior to obtaining an MBA, 71.9% of dual degree surgeons dedicated time to administrative duties outside of the clinic. This number increased to 98.4% after receiving an MBA (p \< 0.001). With the growing number of surgeons pursuing MBA degrees, there is a decrease in the time spent in the clinical role suggesting that either the non-clinical burden is increasing, or surgeons choose to re-allocate their time. Despite the high direct costs of an MBA, a majority of orthopedic surgeons perceived the MBA degree as a valuable investment they would pursue again.
Physical-layer Cyberattack Resilient OFDM Automotive Radars

In this paper, we present a physical-layer cyberattack resilient OFDM radar design for automotive applications. A typical FMCW radar system sends multiple chirp signals in a coherent processing interval, whereas an OFDM radar sends multiple OFDM frames [1]. OFDM radar approach has a potential advantage for automotive applications, which is the use same RF hardware and bandwidth for both AV radar and V2V/V2X communication [2]. Cyberattack resilience of FMCW radars has been studied in [3], [4], [5], [6], in this paper we address the same problem for OFDM radars, propose a new radar algorithm called OFDM-i, and a cyberattack detector D 1 . The proposed idea is based on selecting a fixed percentage of subcarriers as null, and changing these null bands randomly for each frame. To minimize the impact of this on range resolution, we also require no more than two neighboring null bands in each frame. We demonstrate the performance of OFDM-i both by using simulations, and then using real data obtained from a National Instruments 39 GHz mmwave system. We also provide an upper bound for the false cyberattack alarm rate, study the resilience of the proposed system using a combinatorial analysis, and then using simulated attacks. Finally, we summarize possible future research directions.
Identification of Dietary Supplement Use from Electronic Health Records Using Transformer-based Language Models

The roles of dietary supplement (DS) usage on disease progression of patients with cognitive impairments remain unclear. Transformed-based language models were trained to identify DS use status from clinical notes among patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). The best name entity recognition for DS achieved F1-score is 0.964 and the PubMed BERT based use status classifier achieved the weighted F1-score of 0.879. Integrating with DS use from medication table, we identified totally 125 unique DS among patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) only and 108 unique DS among patients who progressed to ADRD.
A Single-Cell Culture System for Dissecting Microenvironmental Signaling in Development and Disease of Cartilage Tissue.

Cartilage tissue is comprised of extracellular matrix and chondrocytes, a cell type with very low cellular turnover in adults, providing limited capacity for regeneration. However, in development a significant number of chondrocytes actively proliferate and remodel the surrounding matrix. Uncoupling the microenvironmental influences that determine the balance between clonogenic potential and terminal differentiation of these cells is essential for the development of novel approaches for cartilage regeneration. Unfortunately, most of the existing methods are not applicable for the analysis of functional properties of chondrocytes at a single cell resolution. Here we demonstrate that a novel 3D culture method provides a long-term and permissive in vitro niche that selects for highly clonogenic, colony-forming chondrocytes which maintain cartilage-specific matrix production, thus recapitulating the in vivo niche. As a proof of concept, clonogenicity of Sox9IRES-EGFP mouse chondrocytes is almost exclusively found in the highest GFP+ fraction known to be enriched for chondrocyte progenitor cells. Although clonogenic chondrocytes are very rare in adult cartilage, we have optimized this system to support large, single cell-derived chondrogenic organoids with complex zonal architecture and robust chondrogenic phenotype from adult pig and human articular chondrocytes. Moreover, we have demonstrated that growth trajectory and matrix biosynthesis in these organoids respond to a pro-inflammatory environment. This culture method offers a robust, defined and controllable system that can be further used to interrogate the effects of various microenvironmental signals on chondrocytes, providing a high throughput platform to assess genetic and environmental factors in development and disease.
Assessing Differences in Mortality Rates and Risk Factors Between Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Patients With Cystic Fibrosis in California

Background Over the past 30 years, therapeutic advances have extended the median lifespan of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Hispanic patients are a vulnerable subpopulation with a high prevalence of risk factors for worse health outcomes. The consequences of these differences on health outcomes have not been well described. The objective of this study was to characterize the difference in health outcomes, including mortality rate, between Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients with CF. Methods This study is a retrospective analysis of CF Foundation Patient Registry data of California residents with CF, diagnosed during or after 1991, from 1991 to 2010. Ethnicity was self-reported. The primary outcome was mortality. Hazard ratios were estimated from a Cox regression model, stratified by sex, and adjusted for socioeconomic status, clinical risk factors, and year of diagnosis. Results Of 1,719 patients, 485 (28.2%) self-identified as Hispanic. Eighty-five deaths occurred, with an overall mortality rate of 4.9%. The unadjusted mortality rate was higher among Hispanic patients than among non-Hispanic patients (9.1% vs 3.3%, P P Conclusions Hispanic patients with CF have a higher mortality rate than do non-Hispanic patients, even after adjusting for socioeconomic status and clinical severity. Further investigation into the mechanism for the measured difference in lung function will help inform interventions and improve the health of all patients with CF.
Comparison of Photoelectron Theory Against Observations

Presented here are comparisons of a superthermal electron interhemispheric transport model with satellite data and previous transport model results. Good agreement is shown with the results of the two-stream superthermal electron transport model, as well as with other ionospheric calculations when the same assumptions have been applied. The concept of plasmaspheric transparency is considered, and a method of applying transparencies calculated by this model to ionospheric transport models is presented. Explicit comparisons are made with energy spectra from the Atmospheric Explorer E satellite and pitch angle distributions from the Dynamic Explorer 2 satellite. Implicit comparisons are made by examining the influence of superthermal electrons in the formation of observed thermal plasma quantities. This type of comparison is performed with Dynamic Explorer 1 and Akebono observations.
Effectiveness of Three Visual Media and Two Study Formats in Teaching Concepts Involving Time, Space, and Motion

New approaches to education are stressing independent study and, concomitantly, flexibility in presenting materials for learning (cf., Bloom, 1968; Postlethwait, Novak, & Murray, 1969; Taber, Glaser, & Schaefer, 1965). In this context, two questions arise with respect to the use of media: 1) Within a flexible system such as an audio-tutorial systems approach in which it is possible to present information via several media, are there general guidelines for selection of specific media to present specific concepts? 2) Are some media more easily adopted and adapted for use in an independent study format? Lumsdaine (1962) contended that research in instructional
Interatrial septal defect and pericardial disease. Coincidence or causal relationship

Abstract Four patients of our own observation and 63 cases from the literature were reviewed, illustrating the association of IASD and pericardial effusion, adhesion, or constriction. In three of our four patients, pericardial disease had assumed dimensions of clinical importance or intensified progressive cardiac decompensation. One patient was of particular interest because of unusual persistence of a pericardial friction rub which has been present for now five years. Pericardial disease appears to be relatively common in IASD, as has occasionally been indicated in the literature, and it is probably more frequent than chance relationship could account for. We have suggested that right atrial enlargement and chronic elevation of intra-atrial pressure may play an important, yet ill-defined role in the genesis of pericardial effusion. Recurrent pulmonary infections, common in conditions with augmented pulmonary blood flow, and rheumatic heart disease provide opportunity for pericarditis to develop. This may be an important factor. Chronic heart disease, especially mitral and tricuspid incompetence or stenosis, was frequently seen in the suses reviewed; this may relate to the supposed mechanisms linking IASD and pericardial disease. The condition may be of considerable clinical importance and its recognition is essential for successful management and well-planned surgical intervention.
Generalized gauge theories and the constituents of massless particles

The gauge concept appears in differential geometry; it also appears in particle physics, but with a very different emphasis. In particle physics, especially in quantum field theory, the essential aspect is the appearance of nondecomposable representations of a Lie group. This viewpoint leads to a definition of gauge theories that is wider than that considered in differential geometry (up to now). we study gauge theories in de Sitter space, including gauge theories of scalar and spinor fields. This latter may be associated with a new type of elementary particles with very interesting and unusual properties. Single particle states are unobservable (kinematical confinement) and two-particle states are massless. Dynamical properties will also be mentioned.
Dams in the Cadillac Desert: downstream effects in a geomorphic context

This paper was motivated by the 25th anniversary of the publication of Marc Reisner's book, Cadillac Desert: The American West and its Disappearing Water. Dams are ubiquitous on rivers in the United States, and large dams and storage reservoirs are the hallmark of western U.S. riverscapes. The effects of dams on downstream river ecosystems have attracted much attention and are encapsulated in the serial discontinuity concept (SDC). In the SDC, dams create abrupt shifts in continua of downstream changes in physical and biotic properties. In this paper, we develop a framework for understanding how channel geometry and network structure influence how the physical components of habitat and the biota rebound from discontinuities set up by large dams. We apply this framework to data describing the flow regime, temperature, sediment flux, and fish community composition below Garrison Dam on the Missouri River, Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River, and Flaming Gorge Dam on the Green River. Sediment flux in dam tailwaters is under strong control by channel geometry. By contrast, dam-related changes in temperature and flow variation are not significantly modulated by channel geometry or tributary inputs if flow volumes are small (Missouri and Colorado River tributaries). Instead, small tributaries provide near-native conditions (flow and temperature variation) and, as such, provide key refuges for biota from novel habitats in mainstem rivers below large dams. Unregulated tributaries that are large relative to their respective mainstem (e.g., Yampa River) provide refuges as well as significant amelioration of flow and temperature effects from upstream dams. Finally, the proportion of native fish increases with distance from dam and exhibits sharp increases near tributary junctions. These results suggest that tributaries-even minor ones in terms of relative discharge-act as key refugia for native species in regulated river networks. Moreover, large, unregulated tributaries are key to restoring continuity in physical habitat and the biota in large regulated rivers.
Chemical and Electrochemical Reactions in Porous Sol-Gel Materials

Abstract : Sol-gel synthesis approaches have enabled researchers to design composite-type materials where dopant molecules which carry out various types of chemical reactions are trapped in the nanopores of the host material. Dopant molecules have been shown to undergo chemical, photochemical and electrochemical reactions in the pores of sol-gel matrices with specific examples including complexation reactions, redox reactions, catalysis, protonation-deprotonation, isomerization and ion/electron transfer. The interconnected pore network of the xerogel or aged gel structure ensures that the molecules are responsive to the outside environment, yet the molecules are also trapped within the inorganic matrix which confines molecular motion and prevents their being leached from the matrix. jg p.1
Elements of Practical Performance Modeling

This book is a guide for readers using or planning to use a general purpose software package to do performance modeling. It presents the tools a systems analyst needs to conduct modeling projects employing a model solution package, rather than stressing the mathematics used in solving models. Some background in basic probability and statistics is desirable but not an absolute prerequisite. The text covers the modeling process and describes what contention systems are and the various components found in these types of systems. The important aspects of formulating a model are introduced and how to represent the flow of tasks through a model is discussed.
OnabotulinumtoxinA Successfully Used as Migraine Prophylaxis During Pregnancy: A Case Report

ABSTRACT Botulinum toxin (btx) received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for migraine treatment in 2010 with a pregnancy category C. There are minimal reports of its usage in pregnancy with no adverse effects; however, there are no reported cases of usage in a known pregnancy for the successful treatment of migraines. We present a patient with a history of 4 to 5 migraines per week refractory to treatment who was subsequently controlled with btx. She initially stopped injections, however, her migraines increased to 5 to 6 per week while using standard medications for migraine treatment in pregnancy. She requested btx while 18 weeks pregnant after which she had full resolution of her migraines. She gave birth to a healthy full-term girl with no neuromuscular or developmental concerns spanning the first 6.5 years of her life, the longest reported follow-up of an infant whose mother received btx while pregnant. This is the first reported case in the literature of a patient requesting btx injections...