cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Salinity and the Hydraulic Conductance of Roots

The effect of salinity on hydraulic conductance of intact roots of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) was determined in split-root experiments using salinized nutrient solutions. Experiments were conducted in controlled climate chambers under two or three relative humidity levels and four solution osmotic potential levels. The relationship between water flux through roots (Jv) and total water potential difference between the leaves and the root medium (Δψ) was linear, usually with a small intercept. Thus, the root hydraulic conductance (L) was not affected by salinity within the range of fluxes obtained in these experiments, with L= 0.036 mm h−1 bar−1 for tomato and L= 0.0167 mm h−1 bar−1 for sunflower. Our results agreed with theoretical analysis of coupled water and ion uptake. From Cl− and Na+ uptake data, the reflection coefficient (o) for tomato roots was calculated as 0.956, which was compatible with the near-zero intercept. A large intercept for sunflower could not be readily explained. Relative humidity strongly affected root growth, with more rapid growth under low humidity conditions. Transpiration of sunflower plants was reduced by 20% when the relative humidity was increased from 34% to 84%, whereas transpiration in tomato was reduced 50%.
From Factor Endowments to Class Struggle: Pre-World War I Germany and Rogowski's Theory of Trade and Political Cleavages

Ronald Rogowski's recent and important work, Commerce and Coalitions, sets forth a farranging and parsimonious theory of trade and political cleavages. This article closely investigates its validity in the case of pre-World War I Germany, where trade has long been seen as a critical factor determining coalition formation and Rogowski's argument appears at first glance to be especially compelling. Close investigation, however, reveals that the key variable in Rogowski's theory, relative factor endowments, fails to account for the political alignment of capital and labor in Germany following 1890. This article puts forward an alternative theory in which business-labor coalition formation is determined not only by the alliance possibilities associated with trade but also by their intersection with the strength of worker organization and capital-labor mobility. This argument both addresses the anomalies that prewar Germany poses for Rogowski's account of trade and cleavages and provides a potential explanatio...
Prospective analysis of two modes of unaided smoking cessation

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Research Showcase @ CMU. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in Department of Psychology by an authorized administrator of Research Showcase @ CMU. For more information, pleasecontactresearch-showcase@andrew.cmu.edu.
Clinical Predictors of Successful Cephalic Vein Access for Implantation of Endocardial Leads

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are any patient characteristics that predict successful use of the cephalic vein for endocardial lead implantation.
A Caution in the Use of Tritiated Substrates for Monoamine Oxidase Assays

A monoamine oxidase assay utilizing generally labeled [3H]serotonin as substrate became nonlinear after only approximately 5% conversion of initial c.p.m. to product. Subsequent analysis showed that a significant proportion of the tritium label was readily exchangeable into water and that monoamine oxidase activity increased release of label as water. The use of generally labeled substrates for oxidase activities is not recommended.
The oculomotor control system: A review

This paper reviews the literature on eye movements from the standpoint of automatic control systems. Some general reference to the neurophysiology and neuroanatomy of the oculomotor system is made, but the emphasis is upon those interdisciplinary studies which, either qualitatively or quantitatively, describe eye movements within the framework of control systems theory. Reviewed are the four major subdivisions of eye movement control: the saccadic, the smooth pursuit, the vergence, and the vestibular systems. Analytical descriptions of the mechanics of the eyeball, orbit, and extraocular muscles, which are common to all these systems, are also reviewed.
Metabolic consequences of the occlusion of the main pancreatic duct with acrylic glue after pancreaticoduodenectomy

Abstract Background Pancreaticoduodenectomy represents the major treatment for pancreatic and periampullary neoplasms. Complications related to pancreaticojejunostomy are still the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. A solution proposed by some surgeons is the occlusion of main pancreatic duct by acrylic glue, avoiding pancreaticojejunostomy. Nevertheless, the consequences of this procedure on glucose metabolism are not well-defined. Methods We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 50 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy and had metabolic assessments available. The metabolic evaluation included the following: body composition and clinical evaluation, an oral glucose tolerance test, and an hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp procedure. Results Twenty-three patients underwent pancreatic duct occlusion and were compared with 27 patients, well-matched controls, who underwent pancreaticojejunostomy. Pancreatic duct occlusion leads to a greater impairment in insulin secretion compared with classic pancreaticojeunostomy. Conclusion Pancreatic duct occlusion is associated with a greater reduction in insulin secretion but does not lead to meaningful differences in the management of patients with diabetes.
Respiratory Effects of Kerosene Space Heater Emissions

Kerosene space heaters are widely used as a major source of home heat in the United States and in countries such as Japan and Korea. Based on a report that evaluated particle emissions from unvente...
The evaluation of pneumomediastinum in blunt trauma patients.

Background: Pneumomediastinum occurs in up to 10% of patients with blunt thoracic and cervical trauma. Mandatory evaluation of all patients with bronchoscopy and esophageal imaging to exclude a major injury has been recommended. There is little data on the safety or efficacy of this approach. We evaluated the incidence of major injuries associated with pneumomediastinum, the accuracy of diagnostic modalities, and the results of observation versus aggressive evaluation. Methods: Medical records of all blunt trauma patients diagnosed with pneumomediastinum and/or aerodigestive tract injury between 1998 and 2005 were reviewed. The patient's hospital course was reviewed for demographic data, admission diagnoses, diagnostic imaging and procedures, operations, missed injuries, length of stay, and mortality. Results: The review identified a total of 136 patients with pneumomediastinum, and an additional 22 patients with thoracic aerodigestive tract injuries but without pneumomediastinum. Only patients with pneumomediastinum were considered in subsequent analysis. Pneumomediastinum was detected by CT scan in all 136 (100%) patients, although identified on plain radiograph in only 20 (15%) patients. Computed tomography findings were suspicious for a major aerodigestive tract injury in 27 (20%) patients. Ten (37%) of these 27 patients had an injury requiring operative intervention: five (4%) laryngeal injuries, three (2%) tracheal disruptions, and two (1%) esophageal perforations. Eighty-one patients (60%) never had endoscopic evaluation. There were no delayed diagnoses, missed injuries, or complications in the observation-only cohort. The overall sensitivity and specificity of CT scan for major aerodigestive tract injury was 100% and 85%, respectively. Conclusion: Major airway or esophageal injury is an uncommon cause of pneumomediastinum. CT scan was able to identify patients at high risk for aerodigestive injury in all cases, and should be the preferred screening tool for airway injury in patients with pneumomediastinum.
Undergraduate Education: The Implications of Cross-Functional, Relationships in Business Marketing–The Skills of High-Performing Managers

ABSTRACT Like other specialty areas in the business school curriculum, marketing management classes emphasize an analytical perspective and provide students with a valuable set of strategy tools, but fail to come to grips with other facets of the managerial work of marketing-namely, the relational skills that are required for managing across functions, reconciling diverse interests, and creating integrated strategies and customer solutions. By serving as an advocate for the customer at various levels of the organizational hierarchy and across functions, the business marketer must initiate, develop, nurture, and sustain a rich network of relationships with multiple constituencies within the firm and within customer organizations. To effectively perform this challenging interdisciplinary role, a unique set of relationship management skills are required. This article explores the collaborative skills that high-performing managers have mastered and examines the resulting implications for the business marketin...
Psychological report standards in neuropsychology

Abstract This writer is responding to the invitation of Naugle and McSweeney (1995) to enter the debate initiated in TCN last year by David Freides (1993). For the reasons stated below, the writer is strongly in favor of the practice of appending neuropsychological test scores to neuropsychological assessment reports, and does not perceive ethical violations in so doing.
Adolescents in Clinical Trials

Drug development is a lengthy, costly, and complex process, with clinical trials essential for characterizing dosing, safety, and efficacy in treated populations. After regulatory approval, aggressive marketing ensures that most drugs are used by a broad spectrum of ages, genders, races, and ethnic groups. Unfortunately, not all groups are adequately represented in clinical trials; adolescents are commonly overlooked. This commentary explores how adolescents are considered during drug development, with a special focus on the influence of inherent psychosocial, biological, ethical, and regulatory issues in their recruitment and participation in clinical studies leading to drug licensing.
Laboratory Study of Lean NOx Trap Desulfation Strategies

Desulfation characteristics of several model and fully-formulated monolithic lean NO x trap materials were studied in a laboratory flow reactor employing a chemical ionization mass spectrometer. For all samples, desulfation at elevated temperatures under reducing conditions resulted in appearance of sulfur dioxide (SO2) followed by carbonyl sulfide (COS) and hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S). The data appear consistent with a desulfation mechanism involving elimination of SO 2 from stored sulfates under reducing conditions, followed by reaction of the SO 2 with CO and H 2 to produce COS and H 2 S, respectively. Based on these observations, several cyclic and multistage desulfation strategies were devised which greatly decreased H 2 S emissions while achieving relatively rapid and complete sulfur removal.
Surprisal as a Predictor of Essay Quality

Modern automated essay scoring systems rely on identifying linguistically-relevant features to estimate essay quality. This paper attempts to bridge work in psycholinguistics and natural language processing by proposing sentence processing complexity as a feature for automated essay scoring, in the context of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). To quantify processing complexity we used a psycholinguistic model called surprisal theory. First, we investigated whether essays’ average surprisal values decrease with EFL training. Preliminary results seem to support this idea. Second, we investigated whether surprisal can be effective as a predictor of essay quality. The results indicate an inverse correlation between surprisal and essay scores. Overall, the results are promising and warrant further investigation on the usability of surprisal for essay scoring.
Underreporting and Premature Sign-Off in Western Europe

This research extends the examination of underreporting of audit time and premature sign-off of audit tests to Western Europe using an experimental case approach. The sample includes 200 auditors (30 partners and 170 managers) from four Big-Six1 firms located in: Denmark, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The analysis indicates that the probability of underreporting and/or premature sign-off exists in Western Europe in that the probability is higher when the auditor has problems meeting time budgets. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the propensity to underreport and prematurely sign-off varies by country and relates to the cultural constructs of Individualism and Uncertainty Avoidance. This creates difficulties for international auditing firms' presumption of worldwide standardization and quality. The findings concerning underreporting and premature sign-off also provide additional considerations for proponents of international standards in accounting and auditing.
The Gravity of ICC Investigations Carried Out Between 2002 and 2015

This paper explores the extent and gravity of the criminal investigations carried out by the International Criminal Court (ICC) from its creation in 2002 until mid-2015. During that time period, the ICC began investigations in nine situations: the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Darfur, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Mali, Libya, Central African Republic (CAR) I, CAR II, and Uganda. It summarizes each investigation, particularly focusing on seven factors that were chosen to represent the gravity of the crimes and the resulting investigations. Those factors are: 1) the geographic scope of the crimes investigated, particularly the number of crime sites involved; 2) the amount of time over which the crimes occurred; 3) the structure and organization of the alleged perpetrators; 4) the identity of the victims, particularly whether the victims were civilians and whether women or children were targeted; 5) the number of the victims, including the number killed, raped, and wounded, etc.; 6) the manner in which the alleged crimes were carried out, particularly the use of cruel or brutal means of conducting the crimes; and 7) the legal qualification of the alleged crimes.
Deep Levels in Superlattices

The physics of deep levels in semiconductors is reviewed, with emphasis on the fact that all substitutional impurities produce deep levels - some of which may not lie within the fundamental band gap. The character of a dopant changes when one of the deep levels moves into or out of the fundamental gap in response to a perturbation such as pressure or change of host composition. For example, Si on a Ga site in GaAs is a shallow donor, but becomes a deep trap for x>0.3 in AlxGa1-xAs. Such shallow-deep transitions can be induced in superlattices by changing the period-widths and quantum confinement. A good rule of thumb for deep levels in superlattices is that the energy levels with respect to vacuum are relatively insensitive (on a >0.1 eV scale) to superlattice period-widths, but that the band edges of the superlattices are sensitive to changes of period. Hence the deep level positions relative to the band edges are sensitive to the period-widths, and shallow-deep transitions can be induced by band-gap engineering the superlattice periods.
Some Remarks on Applying Homogenization Theory to Modeling the Constitutive Response of Carbon Nanotubes

An approach is described for constructing (using molecular dynamics simulations at the atomic scale) a mathematical model for the constitutive behavior of a carbon nanotube. The method is based on applying homogenization theory to a hexagonal array of carbon atoms with a specific chirality vector. The molecular dynamics simulations generate a set of periodic, rapidly varying, elastic constants for the nanotube. An example is presented to illustrate the technique for a specific array on a nanotube surface.
Aquatic fungi of Scandinavia : species of Brevilegnia

Brevilegnia diclina, B. longicaulis, B. megasperma var. megasperma, B. parvispora, and B. unisperma var. unisperma are reported for the first time from the Scandinavian peninsula. Brevilegnia unisp...
Treatment of Small Businesses in Public Procurement in Brazil

In Brazil, small businesses represent more than 90 per cent of the total number of enterprises in the country and around 25 per cent of the gross domestic product. The Brazilian government has established a series of incentives to increase its participation in the national economy, as a matter of public policy. The measures are a result of a new paradigm adopted by the government, namely, the use of the state buying power to promote strategic sectors of the economy. In December 14, 2006, a new Statute of the Micro- and Small-Sized Enterprise was enacted in Brazil (Supplementary Law n.123/2006). This Statute establishes several rules on special and differential treatment for small businesses in public procurement, for the purpose of achieving social and economic sustainable development.This paper analyses the legal provisions on special and differential treatment for small businesses in public procurement, and evaluates the practical results of the legal incentives provided so far, the challenges faced by the Brazilian government and alternatives for overcoming the obstacles identified.
The Outcome of Conservative Treatment of Carcinoma in Situ of the Bladder

AbstractWe treated 52 patients with carcinoma in situ by transurethral resection, thiotepa and other intravesical chemotherapeutic agents. All patients underwent standard initial and subsequent evaluative procedures and the average followup was 62 months. Half of the patients had a history of stage Ta and/or T1 transitional cell carcinoma. The remainder had carcinoma in situ when first diagnosed (10 had carcinoma in situ only). Of 12 patients treated by transurethral resection alone 1 reached 60 months without radical cystectomy or disease progression. There were 18 patients who had a complete response following chemotherapy, 11 had a partial response (positive cytology) and 11 failed (persistent carcinoma in situ). Patients with a history of transitional cell carcinoma had a statistically significantly greater probability of achieving a complete response. Despite other types of treatments only 2 of 22 patients (partial response and failure) achieved a lasting complete response. Persistent partial respons...
Geometric phase effects in ultracold hydrogen exchange reaction

The role of the geometric phase effect on chemical reaction dynamics is explored by examining the hydrogen exchange process in the fundamental H+HD reaction. Results are presented for vibrationally excited HD molecules in the v = 4 vibrational level and for collision energies ranging from 1 μK to 100 K. It is found that, for collision energies below 3 K, inclusion of the geometric phase leads to dramatic enhancement or suppression of the reaction rates depending on the final quantum state of the HD molecule. The effect was found to be the most prominent for rotationally resolved integral and differential cross sections but it persists to a lesser extent in the vibrationally resolved and total reaction rate coefficients. However, no significant GP effect is present in the reactive channel leading to the D+H2 product or in the D+H2 HD+H reaction. A simple interference mechanism involving inelastic (nonreactive) and exchange scattering amplitudes is invoked to account for the observed GP effects. The computed results also reveal a shape resonance in the H+HD reaction near 1 K and the GP effect is found to influence the magnitude of the resonant part of the cross section. Experimental detection of the resonance may allow a sensitive probe of the GP effect in the H+HD reaction.
Vaccinium Species (Small-Fruited Berries): In Vitro Culture and the Production of Food Colorants and Phytochemicals

The genus Vaccinium, from the heath family (Ericaceae), includes a wide range of popular berry species of economic importance, including the American cranberry (V macrocarpon Ait.), the wild lowbush blueberry (V angustifolium Ait.), cultivated highbush and rabbiteye blueberries (V corymbosum L. and V. ashei Reade), bilberry (V myrtillus L.) and lingonberry (V vitis-idaea L.). While these crops are well known throughout the world, in many cases, their individual distributions are quite narrow (Lyrene and Perry 1988; Scorza and Welker 1988; Kalt and Dufour 1997). Wild lowbush blueberry, for example, is localized in the extreme northeastern United States and maritime provinces of Canada (Fig. 1A,B); bilberry is grown only in a few European countries with an isolated pocket of distribution in the Rocky Mountain region of the USA, and cranberry production, which until recently was confined to the eastern and western coasts of the USA, has recently expanded into higher elevations in South America. The harvested berries are marketed fresh, frozen, and in some cases, sweetened and dried (personal communication, D. Nolte, Decas Cranberry Co.). They are also popular components in bakery items, dried cereals, jams, juices, and numerous related edible products.
The Spaces Between: Using Play to Situate the Social and the Technical in a Single Space

My work situates play as a space where social and technical spaces collide. By engaging play as a space of convergence, it is possible to observe social and technical objects concurrently without aggregation, reduction, or supposition. I am a 4th year PhD Candidate in the midst of data-gathering. The driving force for my research begins with the imbalance of inquiry afforded to social and technical spaces as they relate to the design of socio-technical systems. My research will provide designers and researchers a means through which to dispense with forcefully separated social and technical spaces; thus allowing more complexity and simplicity in design.
On the queueing delay of a multicast erasure channel

In this work we address the stability and delay performance of a multicast erasure channel with random arrivals at the source node. We consider both a standard retransmission (ARQ) scheme as well as random linear coding. Our results show that while random linear coding may outperform re-transmissions for heavy traffic, the delay incurred by the use of random linear codes is significantly higher when the source is lightly loaded
The end of astronomy's golden age?

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) – the planned successor to the Hubble Space Telescope – is in serious trouble.
Exploring Self-Efficacy among Entry-Level and Advanced BSW Students.

ABSTRACTThis study compared a sample of entry-level and advanced BSW students, who completed pretest and posttest self-efficacy measures, to assess their level of confidence in performing social work tasks after 15 weeks of instruction. By the end of the semester, only advanced students made significant gains in self-efficacy beliefs, and they showed a significantly higher self-efficacy belief than entry-level students. Results suggest that increased mastery experiences, as found in the advanced social work curriculum, may help students develop confidence in their ability to practice as professional social workers.
Rationally Designed Polycationic Carriers for Potent Polymeric siRNA-Mediated Gene Silencing.

The delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) remains a major hurdle for the clinical translation of RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics. Because of its low valency and rigid nature, siRNA typically requires high excesses of cationic delivery materials to package it stably and deliver it to the cytoplasm of target cells, resulting in high toxicities and inefficient gene silencing in vivo. To address these challenges, we pair a polymeric form of siRNA, p-shRNA, with optimized biodegradable polycations to form stable complexes that induce far more potent gene silencing than with siRNA complexes. Furthermore, we unveil a set of design rules governing p-shRNA delivery, using degradable polycations containing hydrophobic and stabilizing polyethylene glycol domains that enable both stable condensation and efficient release inside cells. We demonstrate the therapeutic potential of this approach by silencing the oncogene STAT3 in a well-established B16F10 mouse melanoma model to significantly prolong survival. B...
Phenomenological Onsagerism in Practice

To cite all examples of the practice of choosing “fluxes” arbitrarily from the bilinear form giving the entropy production, would require several pages. I content myself with seven key examples.
A 58 m 2 Passive Resonant Ring Laser Gyroscope

A description of the elements of a 7.62 m x 7.62 m Passive Ring Resonator Laser Gyro (PRRLG) is given. Predicted performance of the device is shown to be in the 3 x 10 -8 to 4 x 10 -10 earth rate unit (ERU) range.
The Amiable Science and Sensibility

The reader will recall that research undertaken after the turn of this century revealed a change in opinion or fashion in the last half of the 18th century that emphasized the natural, the sentimental, and the rustic. Called the cult of sensibility, and often studied as a literary phenomenon, the inquiry into sensibility confirmed that the literary works enjoying the greatest readership had been natural histories. The contemporary rage for maintaining personal natural history cabinets has also been well documented, contributing to our insight into the spirit of that age.
Damned If You Don't . . . Damned If You Do? Creating Effective, Constitutionally-Permissible University Sexual Harassment Policies

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals recently issued its opinion in the case of DeJohn v. Temple University, 537 F.3d 301 (3d Cir. 2008). The Court held that Temple University's Student Code of Conduct and Policy on Sexual Harassment were facially unconstitutional because they were overly broad and prohibited speech which is protected by the First Amendment. In response to the DeJohn decision, colleges and universities within the Third Circuit will be required to modify, and perhaps severely limit, their own student harassment policies. This comment will attempt to determine, based on the language in the DeJohn opinion and in several other applicable opinions, how narrow those policies must be to withstand Constitutional scrutiny. This Comment will begin by summarizing the important case law regarding limitations on student speech in educational settings. The Comment will next analyze the language of the DeJohn opinion with the goal of understanding what proscriptions are now permissible and impermissible in campus harassment policies. The Comment will then note several questions which the DeJohn court did not resolve. Finally, the Comment will propose a sample Sexual Harassment Policy which is likely, based on the DeJohn opinion, to withstand First Amendment scrutiny. The Comment will predict that although many university harassment policies will have to be more narrowly tailored than they were before DeJohn, they will still be able to meet the institutions' need to maintain non-hostile learning environments.
Mitigation of cross-beam energy transfer in ignition-scale polar-direct-drive target designs for the National Ignition Facility

Two novel target designs are presented for using direct laser ablation (direct drive) at the National Ignition Facility to assemble and ignite cryogenic fuel using the existing indirect-drive beam configuration. These are the first ignition-relevant “polar” direct-drive target designs to include the physical effects of cross-beam energy transfer (CBET) between laser beams and nonlocal electron heat transport. A wavelength-detuning strategy is used to increase absorption and reduce scattered-light losses caused by CBET, allowing for ignition-relevant implosion velocities. Two designs are described: a moderate-adiabat sub-ignition alpha-burning design with a D–T neutron fusion yield of 1.2 × 1017 and a lower-adiabat ignition design with a gain of 27. Both designs have moderate in-flight aspect ratios, indicating acceptable levels of hydrodynamic instability during the implosion.Two novel target designs are presented for using direct laser ablation (direct drive) at the National Ignition Facility to assemble and ignite cryogenic fuel using the existing indirect-drive beam configuration. These are the first ignition-relevant “polar” direct-drive target designs to include the physical effects of cross-beam energy transfer (CBET) between laser beams and nonlocal electron heat transport. A wavelength-detuning strategy is used to increase absorption and reduce scattered-light losses caused by CBET, allowing for ignition-relevant implosion velocities. Two designs are described: a moderate-adiabat sub-ignition alpha-burning design with a D–T neutron fusion yield of 1.2 × 1017 and a lower-adiabat ignition design with a gain of 27. Both designs have moderate in-flight aspect ratios, indicating acceptable levels of hydrodynamic instability during the implosion.
Is Lactate Dehydrogenase level a Biomarker of Ischemic Stroke in Ventricular Assist Device? (P6.241)

Objective: We aimed to explore the relationship of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) as a marker for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) associated ischemic stroke. Background: Lactate dehydrogenase is used as a biomarker of pump thrombosis in patients with left ventricular assist device. The relationship of LDH level to ischemic stroke remains unclear. Design/Methods: We reviewed consecutive patients with ischemic stroke in a prospectively collected data of LVAD patients in a single, tertiary center from October 2004 to December 2016. LDH values from various time points were collected: at the time of stroke, and 1, 3, and 6-month (± 2 weeks) prior as controls. The clinical reference used for LDH’s normal range was 110 – 200 U/L. Pump thrombosis was diagnosed by isolated power elevations, LDH rise, evidence of hemolysis, and new heart failure symptoms as defined by the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. The LDH levels were compared using Rank Sum Test Results: Of 477 persons with LVAD, 61 (12.7%) developed ischemic stroke within a median of 143.5 days (Interquartile range [IQR] 10.5 – 410.2) from implantation to stroke event. Eighteen of 61 patients were diagnosed with pump thrombosis at the time of ischemic stroke. LDH was significantly higher at the time of ischemic stroke with a median level of 500 [IQR 279 – 958] than at six months prior to stroke (median 294 [IQR 247 – 380], p=0.001) or at three months prior to stroke (median 316 [IQR 270 – 420], p=0.01), but not compared to those at one month prior to stroke (median 406 [IQR 228 – 749], p=0.28). Conclusions: Elevated LDH may not only be indicative of pump thrombosis but may start to rise before stroke occurrence and might serve as a risk marker for ischemic stroke. Disclosure: Dr. Hassett has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cho has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rice has nothing to disclose. Dr. Uchino has nothing to disclose.
Adaptive Partitioning QM/MM for Molecular Dynamics Simulations: 6. Proton Transport through a Biological Channel

Adaptive quantum-mechanics/molecular-mechanics (QM/MM) dynamics simulations feature on-the-fly reclassification of atoms as QM or MM continuously and smoothly as trajectories are propagated. This allows one to use small, mobile QM subsystems, the contents of which are dynamically updated as needed. In this work, we report the first adaptive QM/MM simulations of H+ transfer through a biological channel, in particular, the protein EcCLC, a chloride channel (CLC) Cl-/H+ antiporter derived from E. coli. To this end, the H+ indicator previously formulated for approximating the location of an excess H+ in bulk water was extended to include Cl- ions and carboxyl groups as H+ donors/acceptors. Furthermore, when setting up buffer groups, a new "sushi-roll" scheme was employed to group multiple water molecules, ions, and titratable residues along the one-dimensional channel for adaptive partitions. Our simulations reveal that the H+ relay path, which consists of water molecules in the pore, a bound Cl- ion at the central binding site (Cl-cen) of the protein, and the external gating residue E148, exhibits certain mobility within the channel. A two-stage journey of H+ migration was observed: the H+ moves toward Cl-cen and is then shared between Cl-cen and nearby water molecules in the first stage and departs from Cl-cen via nearly concerted transfer to protonate E148 in the second stage. Most of the simulated trajectories show the bound Cl- ion in the channel to be transiently protonated, a possibility that was previously suggested by experiments and computations. Comparisons with conventional QM/MM simulations revealed that both adaptive and conventional treatments yield similar qualitative pictures. This work demonstrates the feasibility of adaptive QM/MM in the simulations of H+ migration through biological channels.
Probing new physics effects in the precision measurement of the di-boson at the LHC

We have summarized the results about the precision measurements with the di-boson processes WV, Wh, Zh at the HL-LHC by using the effective field theory approach. We have focused on the semi-lepton...
Long-Term Patency and Clinical Outcomes of Nitinol Stenting for Femoropopliteal Atherosclerotic Disease.

Abstract Background Treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) has become increasingly dominated by endovascular interventions. The short-term outcomes of endovascular therapy have been well-studied but late outcomes remain largely unpublished; in this series we report the late outcomes of primary nitinol stenting. Methods All patients undergoing primary nitinol stenting of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) and/or popliteal artery (PA) during a 10-year period by a single surgeon (S.K.) were reviewed. No attempts were made on patients with orificial or total occlusion of the SFA, PA, and proximal tibial arteries. Differences in primary patency, primary-assisted patency, secondary patency, and freedom from bypass were evaluated at one, five, and nine years. Results A total of 294 limbs in 240 patients were treated. 130 additional endovascular procedures were observed during the study period averaging to 0.16 endovascular interventions per limb per year. Primary patency in TASC A/B limbs at one, five, and nine years was 79%, 35%, and 19% respectively and in TASC C/D limbs was 62%, 11%, and 3% respectively. Secondary patency in TASC A/B limbs at one, five, and nine years was 96%, 81%, and 65% respectively and in TASC C/D limbs was 92%, 64%, and 41% respectively. Freedom from bypass in TASC A/B limbs at one, five, and nine years was 98%, 89%, and 85% respectively and in TASC C/D limbs was 95%, 78%, and 69% respectively. Five below the knee amputations were observed during the study period. Conclusions An endovascular first approach can be applied to the vast majority of femoropopliteal lesions. While the late outcomes of TASC C/D lesions are inferior to those of TASC A/B lesions, an endovascular first approach still provides durable outcomes.
Power Density and Reliability Metric Assessment of Thyristor Controlled Rectifiers for AES

This paper presents a robust design strategy followed by pertinent metrics production for a twelve pulse thyristor controlled rectifier (TCR) specifically for medium voltage DC systems (MVDC) in all electric ships (AES). System level design exercises through a full factorial design method have been used to identify the most suitable parameters for a power dense and reliable converter. An approach to deriving scaling relations for converter parameters with associated output metrics are presented in this paper. Outcomes are expected to enhance early stage ship design studies through the development of the Smart Ship Systems Design (S3D) environment.
Association Between Hormone-Modulating Breast Cancer Therapies and Incidence of Neurodegenerative Outcomes for Women With Breast Cancer

Importance The association between exposure to hormone-modulating therapy (HMT) as breast cancer treatment and neurodegenerative disease (NDD) is unclear. Objective To determine whether HMT exposure is associated with the risk of NDD in women with breast cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study used the Humana claims data set from January 1, 2007, to March 31, 2017. The Humana data set contains claims from private-payer and Medicare insurance data sets from across the United States with a population primarily residing in the Southeast. Patient claims records were surveyed for a diagnosis of NDD starting 1 year after breast cancer diagnosis for the duration of enrollment in the claims database. Participants were 57 843 women aged 45 years or older with a diagnosis of breast cancer. Patients were required to be actively enrolled in Humana claims records for 6 months prior to and at least 3 years after the diagnosis of breast cancer. The analyses were conducted between January 1 and 15, 2020. Exposure Hormone-modulating therapy (selective estrogen receptor modulators, estrogen receptor antagonists, and aromatase inhibitors). Main Outcomes and Measures Patients receiving HMT for breast cancer treatment were identified. Survival analysis was used to determine the association between HMT exposure and diagnosis of NDD. A propensity score approach was used to minimize measured and unmeasured selection bias. Results Of the 326 485 women with breast cancer in the Humana data set between 2007 and 2017, 57 843 met the study criteria. Of these, 18 126 (31.3%; mean [SD] age, 76.2 [7.0] years) received HMT, whereas 39 717 (68.7%; mean [SD] age, 76.8 [7.0] years) did not receive HMT. Mean (SD) follow-up was 5.5 (1.8) years. In the propensity score–matched population, exposure to HMT was associated with a decrease in the number of women who received a diagnosis of NDD (2229 of 17 878 [12.5%] vs 2559 of 17 878 [14.3%]; relative risk, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.84-0.93;P Conclusions and Relevance Among patients with breast cancer, tamoxifen and steroidal aromatase inhibitors were associated with a decrease in the number who received a diagnosis of NDD, specifically Alzheimer disease and dementia.
Human iPSC-derived alveolar and airway epithelial cells can be cultured at air-liquid interface and express SARS-CoV-2 host factors

Development of an anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic is hindered by the lack of physiologically relevant model systems that can recapitulate host-viral interactions in human cell types, specifically the epithelium of the lung. Here, we compare induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived alveolar and airway epithelial cells to primary lung epithelial cell controls, focusing on expression levels of genes relevant for COVID-19 disease modeling. iPSC-derived alveolar epithelial type II-like cells (iAT2s) and iPSC-derived airway epithelial lineages express key transcripts associated with lung identity in the majority of cells produced in culture. They express ACE2 and TMPRSS2, transcripts encoding essential host factors required for SARS-CoV-2 infection, in a minor subset of each cell sub-lineage, similar to frequencies observed in primary cells. In order to prepare human culture systems that are amenable to modeling viral infection of both the proximal and distal lung epithelium, we adapt iPSC-derived alveolar and airway epithelial cells to two-dimensional air-liquid interface cultures. These engineered human lung cell systems represent sharable, physiologically relevant platforms for SARS-CoV-2 infection modeling and may therefore expedite the development of an effective pharmacologic intervention for COVID-19.
Calcite twinning fabrics along the Middle America trench, Costa Rica and the Motagua sinistral fault, Honduras and Jamaica: Tectonic implications for the Caribbean plate

Abstract The Cretaceous oceanic crust of the Caribbean plate has a long and complex tectonic history as an indentor plate bounded by transcurrent faults (N and S) and subduction margins (W [east slab dip] and E [west slab dip]) with no strain data. Miocene forearc sediments and accreted ophiolites are exposed along the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica and preserve a variety of folding and faulting styles. These clastic sediments, deposited in the forearc as the Middle America trench evolved, contain calcite cements and are cross cut by calcite veins. Analysis of the mechanical twins in these two calcite groups (8 samples, n = 267 twins) at Punta Dominical and the Nicoya Peninsula ophiolite preserve a consistent sub-horizontal shortening strain that is oriented parallel to the current trench axis, as are most of the accretion-related fold axes. Differential stress magnitudes for the calcite twinning strain average −450 bars, and there is little evidence of a twinning strain overprint (low NEVs). Obduction along the Middle America trench involves, in part, a component of trench-parallel horizontal shortening. The Motagua fault originates in the Middle America trench and strikes east as the northern boundary of the Caribbean plate as a sinistral margin. The Roatan Islands are a series of islands composed of south-dipping rocks along the southern side of the Motagua fault. Recent, deformed clastic sediments are drapped over gneisses, schists (40Ar-39Ar biotite age of 14 Ma), conodont-free marbles and ophiolitic fragments of presumed Cretaceous age. Twinning studies (n = 6 samples, n = 425 twins) of these marbles preserve a N–S, horizontal shortening strain, normal to the sinistral plate boundary. Differential stress magnitudes for the calcite twinning strain average −36 MPa. Only in a combined sample (n = 189 grains) is a strain overprint (high NEVs; n = 47) present, which records horizontal shortening strain at 132°, 5°. Jamaica is also along the eastern Motagua fault (Cayman trough) and twinning strain studies in Eocene limestones and younger calcite veins (n = 4 samples; n = 136 twins) preserve a horizontal shortening strain normal to the sinistral plate boundary. Twinning strain results are compared to regional GPS, focal mechanism and SKS anisotropy results around the Caribbean plate, especially along the Middle America trench on the western margin of Costa Rica with some new insights into subduction dynamics.
The Utility of Genetic Risk Score to Improve Performance of FRAX for Fracture Prediction in US Postmenopausal Women.

The ability of the fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX) in discriminating fracture and non-fracture in postmenopausal women remains suboptimal. Adding a genetic profile may improve the performance of FRAX. Three genetic risk scores (GRSs) (GRS_fracture, GRS_BMD, GRS_eBMD) were calculated for each participant in the Women’s Health Initiative Study (n = 23,981), based on the summary statistics of three comprehensive osteoporosis-related genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The primary outcomes were incident major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) and hip fracture (HF). The association between each GRS and fracture risk were evaluated in separate Cox Proportional Hazard models, with FRAX clinical risk factors adjusted for. The discrimination ability of each model was assessed using Area Under the Curve (AUC). The predictive improvement attributable to each GRSs was assessed using the net reclassification improvement (NRI) and the integrated discrimination improvement (IDI). GRS_BMD and GRS_eBMD were significantly associated with MOF and HF risk, independent of the base FRAX risk factors. Compare to the base FRAX model, the models with GRS_fracture, GRS_BMD, and GRS_eBMD improved the reclassification of MOF by 0.5% (95% CI, 0.2% to 0.9%, p = p < .01), 0.3% (95% CI, 0.1% to 0.6%, p = 0.01), and 2.1% (95% CI, 0.3% to 2.8%, p < .01), respectively. Similar results were also observed when using HF as an outcome. Our study suggested that the addition of genetic profiles provide limited improvements in the reclassification of FRAX for MOF and HF.
Molecular dynamics simulations of zfP2X4 receptors

The ATP activated P2X4 receptor plays a prominent role in pain perception and modulation and thus may constitute an alternative therapeutic target for controlling pain. Given the biomedical relevance of P2X4 receptors, and poor understanding of molecular mechanisms that describe its gating by ATP, a fundamental understanding of the functional mechanism of these channels is warranted. Through classical all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations we investigated the number of ATP molecules required to open (activate) the receptor for it to conduct ions. Since crystal structures of human P2X4 are not yet available, the crystal structures of highly-homologous zebrafish P2X4 (zfP2X4) structures were utilized for this study. It has been identified that at least two ATP molecules are required to prevent the open state receptor from collapsing back to a closed state. Additionally, we have discovered two metal binding sites, one at the intersection of the three monomers in the ectodomain (MBS1) and the second one near the ATP binding site (MBS2), both of which are occupied by the potassium ions. This observation draws its comparison to the gulf coast P2X receptor that it possesses the same two metal binding sites, however, MBS1 and MBS2 in this receptor are occupied by zinc and magnesium, respectively.
The Translatability of Revolution: Guo Moruo and Twentieth-Century Chinese Culture

As a controversial and versatile cultural figure in modern China, Guo Moruo can certainly be viewed, evaluated, and presented in many different ways. Over the past decades, there indeed have appear...
Performance Analysis as a Fundamental Objective in Software Engineering Education

The production of a major piece of software is very expensive and extends over a long period of time. An acceptable product must satisfy a given set of objectives, both functional and performance. Failure to meet these objectives within a reasonable amount of time causes significant financial and other setbacks, or even total disaster. During the past few years much effort has been directed toward the development of methodologies that will substantially increase the likelihood of meeting the functional objectives and producing the software within the scheduled time period. Significant progress has been made in this area and terms such as structured programming, chief programmer team, HIPO, and top-down development are “household words”. Training in the use of these techniques is now part of many computer science curricula, and some industrial software projects are actually using them to achieve impressive improvements in software production.
Waterfront Renewal in Metropolitan Areas

Cities in the United States frequently turn their backs to the water. Many of our urban waterfronts are blighted because of age and conditions unique to their location, such as vulnerability to flooding or surface water pollution. A range of actions, from simple clean-up to full scale clearance and relocation, can be used to fight waterfront deterioration. Metropolitan and basin-wide approaches are needed because frequently an individual city cannot control what happens upstream or on the other side of a river. Federal urban renewal programs help to reduce the local cost. In a metropolitan waterfront renewal program the engineer must determine the condition of all shore line and the costs of repairing or replacing it. New uses can be found for old waterfront structures. Altering the amount of shore line; providing open space and access; reducing flood and storm damage; and renewing for navigational, waterfront industrial and recreational uses are also discussed.