cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Clinic and Gene Mutation on A Infant with Mitochondrial Cytopathy

Objective To analyze the clinic and genetical characteristics of infant with mitochondrial cytopathy caused by mtDNA cytochrome B mutation,and to provide a practical method for gene diagnosis and genetic counseling of the disease.Methods Clinical manifestations and laboratory test results of the patient were summarized.Genomic DNA from peripheral blood was collected for genetic analysis in this patient and 55 normal controls.All fragments of 3243,8344,8993 and 62 reported common mutations in mtDNA of the patient were amplified by polymerase chain reaction(PCR)method.Forward and reverse sequencing were performed for mutation analysis.Fifty-five normal controls were used for detection of polymorphisms.Results The patient was a boy,presented as hyperlactacidemia,severe metabolic acidosis,jaundice,hepatic malfunction and convulsion when 2 days after birth.Brain CT scan showed symmetric diffuse low-density lesions at both cerebrums.The patient was died of 2 months old.No mtDNA 3243,8344,8993 mutation were found,mtDNA 15765 G→A mutation in cytochrome B gene was detected in the patient,which lead to substitute glycine to glutamic acid at amino acid position 340.His mother had the same mutation in her peripheral blood but no any clinical symptoms.No such mutation was identified in father and 55 normal controls.Conclusions Mitochondrial cytopathy may present as hyperlactacidemia,metabolic acidosis,hepatic malfunction and neurological disorders,should be alerted.mtDNA 15765 G→A mutation in cytochrome B gene may cause mitochondrial cytopathy which has never been reported before in our country or abroad.
Analysis of Field Testing Technology Based on the Measurement of Self-Excited Capacitance CVT

This paper introduces a new method of CVT(Capacitor Voltage Transformer)field testing,and discusses its working principle and field application in detail.It laid a long-term trial running with new devices built in this technology summarized some problems during the trial in the field,and brought up some solutions for them.In the future development of this technique a theoretical basis and practical data are provided.
Renal Calculi Associated with Incomplete Distal Renal Tubular Acidosis

AbstractWe report 5 cases of renal calculi associated with incomplete type I renal tubular acidosis. The patients presented with a history of recurrent calculi and demonstrated bilateral calculi with corticomedullary junction calcification on x-ray. Stone analysis revealed primarily calcium phosphate stones and metabolic studies demonstrated hypercalciuria, mild depression of serum bicarbonate and inability to lower the pH of a fasting morning urine to less than 5.8. The 24-hour urinary citrate excretion was depressed markedly. The diagnosis was confirmed by an ammonium chloride loading test. Treatment consisted of alkalization of the patients, which corrects the hypercalciuria and increases the urinary citrate level and should decrease the tendency to form stones. The diagnosis of incomplete type I renal tubular acidosis should be considered in patients with recurrent renal calculi.
Primary Inadequate Weight Loss After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Is not Associated with Poor Cardiovascular or Metabolic Outcomes: Experience from a Single Institution

It is well accepted that bariatric surgery has cardiovascular and metabolic effects independent of weight loss. Weight loss outcomes of patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) at a high volume referral center were collected at 1 year postoperatively. Patients with failed primary weight loss were identified. Primary inadequate weight loss was defined as total body weight loss less than 15 %. Changes in hypertension (HTN), dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and metabolic syndrome profiles were investigated using Student’s t test. A total of 2500 patients underwent RYGB from the years 2001–2013 at our institution. One hundred five (4.2 %) patients had primary inadequate weight loss. Within this cohort, 81 (77.1 %) patients had hypertension, 67 (63.8 %) had dyslipidemia, 53 (50.5 %) had type 2 diabetes mellitus, and 66 (62.9 %) patients had metabolic syndrome. At 1 year postoperatively, all metabolic parameters were significantly improved. Measures of metabolic disease included high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (46.3 ± 11.6 versus 54.1 ± 12.7 mg/dL, p < 0.01), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (103.6 ± 35.8 versus 89.2 ± 30.0 mg/dL, p < 0.01), triglycerides (177.3 ± 139.1 versus 117.6 ± 59.3 mg/dL, p < 0.01), mean plasma glucose (128.9 ± 55.3 versus 102.7 ± 27.3 mg/dL, p < 0.01), and hemoglobin A1C (7.3 ± 1.9 versus 6.1 ± 1.0 %, p < 0.01). HTN was noted to improve in 27 (33.3 %) patients based on a decrease in the number of anti-hypertensives used (1.7 ± 1.0 versus 1.3 ± 1.3, p < 0.01), and 21 (31.8 %) patients had resolution of their metabolic syndrome. Improvement in cardiometabolic comorbidities still occurs despite suboptimal weight loss following RYGB.
Sub-millisecond (125)Te NMR spin-lattice relaxation times and large Knight shifts in complex tellurides: Validation of a quadratic relation across the spectrum.

Abstract 125Te NMR spectra and spin-lattice relaxation times, T1, have been measured for several GeTe-based materials with Te excess. The spectra show inhomogeneous broadening by several thousand ppm and a systematic variation in T1 relaxation time with resonance frequency. The quadratic dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation rate, 1/T1, on the Knight shift in the Korringa relation is found to be valid over a wide range of Knight shifts. This result confirms that T1 relaxation in GeTe-based materials is mostly dominated by hyperfine interaction between nuclei and free charge carriers. In GeTe with 2.5% excess of Te, about 15% of the material exhibits a Knight shift of ≥4500 ppm and a T1 of only 0.3 ms, indicating a high hole concentration that could correspond to close to 50% vacancies on the Ge sublattice in this component. Our findings provide a basis for determining the charge carrier concentration and its distribution in complex thermoelectric and phase-change tellurides, which should lead to a better understanding of electronic and thermal transport properties as well as chemical bonding in these materials.
A novel method for predicting activity of cis-regulatory modules, based on a diverse training set.

Motivation With the rapid emergence of technologies for locating cis-regulatory modules (CRMs) genome-wide, the next pressing challenge is to assign precise functions to each CRM, i.e. to determine the spatiotemporal domains or cell-types where it drives expression. A popular approach to this task is to model the typical k-mer composition of a set of CRMs known to drive a common expression pattern, and assign that pattern to other CRMs exhibiting a similar k-mer composition. This approach does not rely on prior knowledge of transcription factors relevant to the CRM or their binding motifs, and is thus more widely applicable than motif-based methods for predicting CRM activity, but is also prone to false positive predictions. Results We present a novel strategy to improve the above-mentioned approach: to predict if a CRM drives a specific gene expression pattern, assess not only how similar the CRM is to other CRMs with similar activity but also to CRMs with distinct activities. We use a state-of-the-art statistical method to quantify a CRM's sequence similarity to many different training sets of CRMs, and employ a classification algorithm to integrate these similarity scores into a single prediction of the CRM's activity. This strategy is shown to significantly improve CRM activity prediction over current approaches. Availability and implementation Our implementation of the new method, called IMMBoost, is freely available as source code, at https://github.com/weiyangedward/IMMBoost CONTACT: sinhas@illinois.eduSupplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Ion transfer stripping voltammetry to detect nanomolar concentrations of Cr (VI) in drinking water

Abstract A double polymer membrane modified glass carbon electrode with poly (3-octylthiophene) (POT) was developed for trace analysis of Cr (VI) in the form of hydrogen chromate ions (HCrO4−) in an acidic solution (pH 2.0). POT was electrochemically polymerized on glassy carbon (GC) electrode surfaces by cyclic voltammetry (− 0.1–2.5 V, 100 mV s− 1, four cycles). Subsequently, a 5 μL plasticized poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) was drop cast onto the POT as a second polymer, forming a double-polymer membrane. This modified electrode's stripping voltammetric current demonstrated an enhanced response to the hydrogen chromate ion, achieving a lower limit of detection of 12 nM (nanomolar). Operated in the stripping voltammetric mode, this GC - POT/PVC - modified electrode had a linear current response between 30 nM and 1300 nM in drinking water. The electrode demonstrates good selectivity relative to ClO4− and NO3− ions; the lower limit of detection of hydrogen chromate was 20 and 16 nM for ClO4− and NO3− ions, respectively. All solutions were prepared in tap water, which contains Cl−, F−, and CO32– ions at mg levels. These measurements could provide information on the lipophilicity of different toxins, leading to a better understanding of their environmental toxicity and the risks they pose to humans.
Constraints on rapidity-dependent initial conditions from charged particle pseudorapidity densities and two-particle correlations

We study the initial three-dimensional spatial configuration of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) produced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions using centrality and pseudorapidity-dependent measurements of the medium's charged particle density and two-particle correlations. A cumulant-generating function is first used to parametrize the rapidity dependence of local entropy deposition and extend arbitrary boost-invariant initial conditions to nonzero beam rapidities. The model is then compared to $p+\text{Pb}$ and Pb + Pb charged-particle pseudorapidity densities and two-particle pseudorapidity correlations and systematically optimized using Bayesian parameter estimation to extract high-probability initial condition parameters. The optimized initial conditions are then compared to a number of experimental observables including the pseudorapidity-dependent anisotropic flows, event-plane decorrelations, and flow correlations. We find that the form of the initial local longitudinal entropy profile is well constrained by these experimental measurements.
Designing a safety checklist for dental implant placement: A Delphi study

ABSTRACT Background Complications during and after dental implant placement can be a hindrance to successful treatment. Checklists are emerging as useful tools in error reduction in various fields. The authors selected a Delphi panel to explore the appropriate clinical practices involved in implant placement, with the objective of formulating a safety checklist that would aid in reducing errors. Methods The authors administered a Delphi method survey to an expert panel of 24 board-certified periodontists to determine if consensus existed regarding the critical steps involved in implant placement. They defined consensus as 90 percent agreement among participants. Using the Delphi data, the authors designed a safety checklist for implant placement. Results The panelists generated 20 consensus statements regarding essential steps in implant placement. The authors divided the statements into preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative phases. To determine the rationale for consensus decisions, the authors conducted a thematic qualitative analysis of responses to all open-ended questionnaire items, asking panel members how or why a particular procedure was performed. Conclusion The panelists reached a consensus regarding the steps they considered critical in implant placement. Further research is needed to assess the acceptance and effectiveness of this type of checklist in a clinical setting. Practical Implications The authors developed a checklist that may be useful in reducing errors in placement of dental implants. If effective, this checklist ultimately will aid in minimizing risk and increasing implant success rates, especially for inexperienced practitioners, dental students, surgical residents and dental implant trainees (that is, dentists undergoing training to place implants through continuing education courses).
A Christian Consideration of Human Vulnerability in Healthcare and Research

The International Bioethics Committee (IBC) called for continuing recognition of human vulnerability in healthcare and bioethics sciences in the recent report of June 2011. The report yielded special attention to factors that determine special vulnerability, access to healthcare, the provision of appropriate healthcare, inequalities of power, and vulnerabilities in human research. All of which are true in the use of technologies used to treat illness. Although the IBC is not a religious organization following a specific set of moral teachings or tradition, the following will consider IBC principles through Christian perspective and its scripture as illustrative.
Exclusive Enteral Nutrition versus Infliximab in Inducing Therapy of Pediatric Crohn's Disease.

Aim. To compare the effectiveness of exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) and infliximab (IFX) therapy in pediatric Crohn’s disease (CD). Methods. In a prospective study of children initiating EEN or infliximab therapy for CD, we compared clinical outcomes using the pediatric Crohn’s disease activity index (PCDAI), growth improvement, endoscopic mucosal healing, and adverse effects. Data were measured at baseline and after 8 weeks of therapy. Results. We enrolled 26 children with CD; of whom, 13 were treated with infliximab, 13 with EEN. Clinical response (PCDAI) reduction ≥ 15 or final PCDAI ≤ 10 was achieved by 83.3% in the EEN group and 90.9% in the IFX group. Body mass index for age (BMIFA) z-scores were significantly increased in both groups ( ). No significant differences were observed in PCDAI, height for age (HFA), or BMI recovery between two groups. Adverse effects were detected in 30.7% on infliximab and 0% on EEN. Mucosal healing was achieved in 71.4% cases in the EEN group versus 85.7% in the IFX group. Conclusion. EEN provided similar improvements as IFX in clinical symptoms, mucosal healing, and BMI. EEN therapy has less adverse effects when compared with IFX. This trial is registered with the Clinical Registration Number: ChiCTR-OON-17010834 .
A new preclinical ultrasound imaging platform for whole-body multiplexed imaging

Rodents are used extensively in research to study disease and evaluate drugs. Preclinical imaging systems allow for non-invasive assessments of animals. High frequency ultrasound systems have emerged over the last 15 years as valuable tools for evaluating numerous diseases and organs. When compared against other anatomical imaging systems, such as MRI and CT, ultrasound is the most cost effective, but is often criticized for a limited field of view and large operator dependence. We have built a novel system which addresses these two weaknesses. The robotic system allows the entire body of a rodent to be scanned in <2 min in multiple imaging modes (tissue, vasculature, elastography, etc.), and up to 5 animals at once.
Primary Gastric EBV-positive Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) of the Elderly with Plasmablastic Differentiation

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) of the elderly is a rare subtype of B-cell neoplasms. Primary gastric EBV-positive DLBCL of the elderly with partial plasmablastic phenotype is extremely rare. Differentiation of EBV-positive DLBCL of the elderly with partial plasmablastic phenotype from true plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is difficult and very important from the therapeutic and prognostic point of view. Here we report a case of a 59-year-old man with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a 2-cm malignant-appearing non-bleeding gastric ulcer in the gastric cardia. Biopsy showed ulcerated tissue with atypical lymphoid cell infiltrate, morphologically consistent with immunoblasts. The atypical large cells were positive for CD20, PAX5, MUM-1, and a subset of large cells was positive for CD30, BCL6 and CD138. Ki-67 proliferation index exceeded 90% of the tumor cells. In situ hybridization (ISH) for EBV-encoded RNAs (EBERs) was extensively positive. Kappa/Lambda ISH showed lambda restriction. The final diagnosis was primary gastric EBV-positive DLBCL of the elderly with plasmablastic phenotype. The patient finished 5 cycles of R-DA-EPOCH with significant clinical improvement. To the best of our knowledge, this is an extremely rare case of primary gastric EBV-positive DLBCL of the elderly with plasmablastic phenotype.
“As faucon comen out of muwe”: Female Agency and the Language of Falconry

Petrosillo traces the literary history of a metaphor comparing a molting falcon to a changeable woman. The chapter focuses on both the familiarity of falconry training among medieval readers and the metaphor’s movement among different genres. Attending to the language of plumage in falconry manuals, Petrosillo traces the metaphor from Chretien de Troyes’s twelfth-century romance Cliges, to the thirteenth-century fabliau Guillaume au faucon, to Guillaume de Machaut’s fourteenth-century allegory Le dit de l’alerion, and finally to Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde. Petrosillo argues that the literary history of the mewed falcon trope troubles essentializing claims about women’s “nature” by using the nonhuman communication of birds’ plumage to figure a feminist resistance.
Heterogeneous Flare in Prostate-specific Membrane Antigen Positron Emission Tomography Tracer Uptake with Initiation of Androgen Pathway Blockade in Metastatic Prostate Cancer.

Abstract Background Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-based positron emission tomography (PET) imaging is a highly sensitive tool for the detection of prostate cancer metastases. However, the effect of primary and secondary androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) on PSMA PET uptake has not been described. Objective To prospectively evaluate changes in 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET uptake on initiation of androgen receptor (AR)-targeted therapy. Design, setting, and participants Prospective single-institution study of patients with metastatic castration-sensitive (n = 4) and castration-resistant prostate cancer (n = 4) starting treatment with ADT and enzalutamide, respectively, who underwent serial 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET imaging before and after treatment initiation. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis The percentage change in 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET uptake from baseline was descriptively reported and graphically represented. Results and limitations Early increases in PSMA PET tracer uptake in at least one metastatic lesion were observed in six out of seven patients who achieved subsequent prostate-specific antigen declines of >50% from baseline. Overall, 22 of 45 metastatic lesions (49%) exhibited early increases in PSMA uptake that were indicative of a flare effect rather than disease progression. Considerable intra- and interpatient heterogeneity was observed in the temporal pattern of PSMA uptake on treatment initiation. Study limitations include the sample size, the variable timing for scan acquisition, and limited long-term follow up. Conclusions Tumor flare in PSMA PET tracer uptake in the absence of disease progression is variably observed on initiation of AR-targeted treatment. Further studies are needed to delineate the factors controlling PSMA expression to optimize the diagnostic yield. Patient summary Flares of increased prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) tracer uptake on positron emission tomography scans are variably observed following initiation of hormone therapy for prostate cancer and do not necessarily represent disease progression. There was considerable variability in PSMA expression between patients, and further studies are needed to understand the factors controlling PSMA expression.
Rapid Measurements of Orientation and Rotation in Ex Vivo Muscle Made Possible by Studying Small Number of Cross-Bridges

Abstract Muscle contracts by cyclic, adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-driven interactions of myosin cross-bridges with actin-containing thin filaments. It is widely recognized that the force-generating step of these interactions, the so-called power stroke, involves a firm attachment to actin of the catalytic domain of the cross-bridge, with the torque being provided by the rotation of a neck of a cross-bridge. An important goal of muscle research is to measure the rate of rotation of the neck in vivo and the distribution of its orientations. The conventional measurements report average data from billions of myosins, which cannot provide such information. To avoid problems associated with averaging it is necessary to decrease the number of observed cross-bridges. In vitro, the number of observed cross-bridges can be reduced to one, but a cross-bridge in a dense muscle environment may behave differently than an isolated cross-bridge in vitro. The number of observed molecules in vivo has been dramatically decreased by super-resolution microscopy, but it provides only static information. Here we describe a technique where we sacrifice the ability to image single molecule and instead image a few molecules. By doing so, we gain the ability to measure the rate of change of orientation and distribution of orientations of cross-bridges on a millisecond time scale. Using this technique, we have shown that the state of phosphorylation of the regulatory light chain (RLC) of myosin has a profound effect on kinetics and the probability distribution of orientations of rabbit psoas cross-bridges during contraction. Phosphorylation of RLC increases the rate of hydrolysis and the rate of execution of the power stroke and broadens the distribution of orientations of contracting cross-bridges.
Modeling Time-Triggered Ethernet in SystemC/TLM for Virtual Prototyping of Cyber-Physical Systems

When designing cyber-physical systems (CPS), virtual prototyping can discover potential design flaws at early design stages to reduce the difficulties at the integration stage. CPS are typically complex real-time distributed systems which require networks with deterministic end-to-end latency and bounded jitter. Time-triggered Ethernet (TTEthernet) integrates time-triggered and event-triggered traffic, and has been used in many CPS domains, such as automotive, aerospace, and industrial process control. In this paper, a TTEthernet model in SystemC/TLM is developed to facilitate the design and integration of CPS. The model realizes all the necessary features of TTEthernet, and can be integrated with the hardware platform model for design space exploration. We validate the model by comparing latency and jitter with those obtained using a commercial software-based implementation. We also compare our model with the TTEthernet modeled in OMNeT++ INET framework. Our model provides startup and restart services that are necessary for maintaining synchronized operations in TTEthernet. We evaluate these services and also the efficiency of the simulation.
Inverted repeat structures are associated with essential and highly expressed genes on C. Elegans autosome distal arms

Complementary sequences in cellular transcripts base-pair to form double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) structures. Because transposon-derived repeats often give rise to self-complementary sequences, dsRNA structures are prevalent in eukaryotic genomes, typically occurring in gene introns and untranslated regions (UTRs). However, the regulatory impact of double-stranded structures within genes is not fully understood. We used three independent methods to define loci in Caenorhabditis elegans predicted to form dsRNA and correlated these structures with patterns of gene expression, gene essentiality, and genome organization. As previously observed, dsRNA loci are enriched on distal arms of C. elegans autosomes, where genes typically show less conservation and lower overall expression. In contrast, we find that dsRNAs are associated with essential genes on autosome arms, and dsRNA-associated genes exhibit higher-than-expected expression and histone modification patterns associated with transcriptional elongation. Genes with significant repetitive sequence content are also highly expressed, and, thus, observed gene expression trends may relate either to dsRNA structures or to repeat content. Our results raise the possibility that as-yet-undescribed mechanisms promote expression of loci that produce dsRNAs, despite their well-characterized roles in gene silencing.
Enhanced IC Modeling Methodology for System-level ESD Simulation

To enable accurate system-level ESD simulation, the quasi-static I-V model of an IC is enhanced through kernel regression to reflect its circuit board dependency; alternatively, a recurrent neural network may be used to generate a non-quasi-static transient model. Hybrid electromagnetic and circuit simulation is demonstrated for ESD-induced noise coupling analysis.
Variation in the biological half-life of methylmercury in humans: Methods, measurements and meaning

Abstract Background Understanding methylmercury (MeHg) toxicity requires a complete understanding of its fundamental toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic characteristics in the human body. The biological half-life (t1/2) of MeHg is a kinetic property that directly influences the body burden of Hg that results from repeated exposures such as can occur with fish and seafood consumption. The t1/2 of MeHg in humans is approximately 50 days, equivalent to an elimination rate (kel) of 0.014 day−1. However, numerous studies report a wide range of half-life values (t1/2 120 days), demonstrating that significant variation in the biological process of MeHg elimination exists. This variation is a source of considerable uncertainty in deriving a meaningful reference dose for MeHg applicable to all individuals in a population. Scope of review First, we summarize fundamentals of MeHg toxicokinetics, emphasizing the central role that biological half-life plays in MeHg dosimetry. We next present important considerations for how kinetic analyses are performed. We provide an example of how MeHg half-life variation directly influences the body burden and, in certain contexts, can result in MeHg levels exceeding the US EPA Reference Dose. We then survey existing studies that report MeHg half-life determinations in people. Major conclusions Recent advances in methods of determining MeHg kinetics in people have made individualized assessment of MeHg elimination rates more accurate and readily obtainable. General significance Characterization of MeHg half-life, particularly in vulnerable individuals, such as pregnant women and children, will diminish the remaining toxicokinetic uncertainty surrounding MeHg exposures and will better inform the risk assessment process.
Caregiver Experiences With an Innovative Farmers' Market Incentive Program for Children in Flint, Michigan.

An innovative farmers’ market incentive program designed specifically for children was implemented to address persistent challenges with accessing fresh, nutrient-rich foods in a food desert commun...
Therapeutic Ultrasound Improves Myocardial Blood Flow and Reduces Infarct Size in a Canine Model of Coronary Microthromboembolism.

Background Therapeutic ultrasound (TUS) has been used to lyse infarct-related coronary artery thrombus. There has been no study examining the effect of TUS specifically on myocardial microthromboemboli seen in acute myocardial infarction and acute coronary syndromes. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that TUS improves myocardial blood flow (MBF) and reduces infarct size (IS) in this situation by dissolving myocardial microthrombi. Methods An open-chest canine model of myocardial microthromboembolism was created by disrupting a thrombus in the left anterior descending coronary artery, and 1.05- and 0.25-MHz TUS (n = 7 each) delivered epicardially for 30 min was compared with control (n = 6). MBF and IS (as a percentage of left anterior descending coronary artery perfusion bed size) were measured 60 min after treatment. In addition, immunohistochemistry was performed to assess microthrombi, and histopathology was performed to define inflammation. Results Transmural, epicardial, and endocardial myocardial blood volume and MBF (measured using myocardial contrast echocardiography) and percentage wall thickening were significantly higher 60 min after receiving TUS compared with control. The ratio of IS to left anterior descending coronary artery perfusion bed size was significantly smaller (P = .03) in the 1.05-MHz TUS group (0.14 ± 0.04) compared with the control (0.31 ± 0.06, P = .04) and 0.25-MHz (0.36 ± 0.08) groups. MBF versus percentage wall thickening exhibited a linear relation (r = 0.65) in the control and 1.05-MHz TUS groups but not in the 0.25-MHz TUS group (r = 0.29). The presence of myocardial microemboli in vessels >10 μm in diameter was significantly reduced in the 1.05-MHz TUS group compared with the other two groups. The distribution and intensity of inflammation was higher in the 0.25-MHz TUS group compared with the other groups. Conclusions TUS at 1.05 MHz is effective in restoring myocardial blood volume and MBF, thus reducing IS by clearing the microcirculation of microthrombi. IS reduction is not seen at 0.25 MHz, despite improvement in MBF, which may be related to the increased inflammation noted at this frequency. Because both acute myocardial infarction and acute coronary syndromes are associated with microthromboembolism, these results suggest that TUS could have a potential adjunctive role in the treatment of both conditions.
Early precursors and molecular determinants of tissue-resident memory CD8+ T lymphocytes revealed by single-cell RNA sequencing

During an immune response to microbial infection, CD8+ T cells give rise to distinct classes of cellular progeny that coordinately mediate clearance of the pathogen and provide long-lasting protection against reinfection, including a subset of noncirculating tissue-resident memory (TRM) cells that mediate potent protection within nonlymphoid tissues. Here, we used single-cell RNA sequencing to examine the gene expression patterns of individual CD8+ T cells in the spleen and small intestine intraepithelial lymphocyte (siIEL) compartment throughout the course of their differentiation in response to viral infection. These analyses revealed previously unknown transcriptional heterogeneity within the siIEL CD8+ T cell population at several stages of differentiation, representing functionally distinct TRM cell subsets and a subset of TRM cell precursors within the tissue early in infection. Together, these findings may inform strategies to optimize CD8+ T cell responses to protect against microbial infection and cancer.
Billion degree of freedom granular dynamics simulation on commodity hardware via heterogeneous data-type representation

We discuss modeling, algorithmic, and software aspects that allow a simulation tool called Chrono::Granular to run billion-degree-of-freedom dynamics problems on commodity hardware, i.e., a workstation with one GPU. The ability to scale the solution to large problem sizes is traced back to an adimensionalization process combined with the use of mixed-precision data types that reduce memory pressure and improve arithmetic intensity, judicious use of the memory ecosystem on GPU cards as exposed by CUDA on Nvidia architectures, and a software implementation that prioritizes execution speed over modeling generality. The simulation approach is demonstrated for 3D scenarios with up to 710 million bodies for the frictionless case (of relevance in emulsions), and up to 210 million bodies for scenarios with friction (of relevance in terradynamics, additive manufacturing, soft-matter physics). The frictional contact model used draws on the Discrete Element Method (DEM). A performance benchmark shows linear scaling with problem size up to GPU memory capacity. The implementation has an application programming interface that enables it to interact in a cosimulation framework with third-party dynamics engines. This interaction is anchored by a force–displacement data exchange protocol that brings in external bodies as geometries defined by triangle meshes. We demonstrate the cosimulation mechanism by interfacing to an open source, multiphysics simulation engine called Chrono. Therein, triangular meshes define moving boundary conditions for Chrono::Granular, which in turn provides forces and torques acting on the triangular meshes. Several tests are considered for validation and scaling analysis purposes. The limiting aspects of the current implementation are its exclusive support of monodisperse granular systems, and its lack of handling geometries beyond spheres. These limitations are addressed by ongoing work.
An International Agreement against Plastic Pollution Is Needed

The world is in danger of drowning in plastic waste unless we finally take global countermeasures. Even in the remotest corners of the world, traces of plastic waste are found, including at the bottom of the Mariana Trench or in the Arctic sea ice. The countries of the global south are bearing the burden of the ever-increasing flood of plastics in particular. The supposedly recyclable plastic waste all too often ends up in illegal landfills. From there, it gradually pollutes the environment and eventually ends up in the oceans - or it is openly incinerated. However, the solution is not only to better recycle. A radical discontinuance of the ever-growing plastic production is needed as well as the establishment of a sustainable recycling economy by means of globally binding rules.
An Imputation of First-Floor Elevation Data for the Avoided Loss Analysis of Flood-Mitigated Single-Family Homes in Louisiana, United States

Purpose: Statistical data imputation methods are important in a wide range of scientific research; however, in construction management research they are not used widely. Specifically, in research for building loss studies due to extreme hazard events, data are frequently missing, inaccessible, spurious, or expensive to collect. First-floor elevation (FFE) data are vital in building flood loss analysis, so the lack of high-quality FFE data before and/or after elevating structures represents a major barrier to understanding avoided loss in flood mitigation projects. While a few guidelines exist to estimate FFE, the guidelines lack information on estimation of FFE for mitigated and non-mitigated buildings. Existing techniques tend to rely on recommendations by professional engineers which have not been evaluated for statistical fit in elevated homes in Louisiana, U.S.A. Methods: This Louisiana-based case study evaluates statistically the effectiveness of existing guidelines on building elevation data. Furthermore, it provides a state-of-art methodology to impute missing FFE data statistically for buildings in mitigated and unmitigated conditions without relying on building foundation type data, which itself is commonly needed but often missing in previous building mitigation avoided loss studies. Findings: Results here suggest that existing guidelines for FFE estimation match reported FFE only moderately well in flood-mitigated residences in Louisiana. Moreover, an update and inclusion of foundation type data in the guidelines would improve FFE estimates for Louisiana homes. Among the imputation methods by multiple linear regression, random forest, and generalized additive models (GAM) overlay, the GAM model performs most effectively based on the accuracy in data imputation for missing FFE data. These results will assist builders, developers, and communities in their quest to enhance resilience to the ever-increasing flood hazard.
Cleft Lip and Palate in Ectodermal Dysplasia.

Objective:Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) comprises multiple syndromes that affect skin, hair, nails, and teeth, and sometimes are associated with orofacial clefting. The purpose of this study is to (1) ...
Penile Sparing Techniques For Penile Cancer.

Penile cancers are rare malignancies. Traditional surgical options, including partial and total penectomy, can dramatically affect a patient’s quality of life and mental health. In select patients,...
Improving High School Girls’ 21st Century Skills: Design, Implementation, Assessment on megaGEMS Research Camp

This work-in process paper presents a six-week high school level summer Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics (STEAM) research camp, called megaGEMS Research Camp which is modeled after the National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). We are presenting the curriculum, students’ research projects, teaching methodology, assessment framework, and interview findings in this paper. In the summer of 2019, nine high school girls participated in the six-week summer research camp and worked on five Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) related projects. The camp aims to provide high school girls with a better understanding of what research is and how research is carried out, which in turn may aims to improve their research skills, STEM interests, and 21st century skills. Based on the interview data, we found (1) students had a better understanding of the term research, (2) the camp created a valuable and supportive learning community, and (3) the camp learning experiences can be applied in their future advanced learning in high school and college.
In patients with early AF and CV conditions, early rhythm-control therapy vs. usual care reduced CV events at 5 years.

SOURCE CITATION Kirchhof P, Camm AJ, Goette A, et al. Early rhythm-control therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2020;383:1305-16. 32865375.
Reappraisal of Pediatric Normal-Pressure Hydrocephalus.

While normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is most commonly diagnosed in older adulthood, a significant body of literature has accumulated over half a century documenting the clinical phenomenon of an NPH-like syndrome in pediatric patients. As in adult NPH, it is likely that pediatric NPH occurs due to a heterogeneous array of developmental, structural, and neurodegenerative pathologies, ultimately resulting in aberrant cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow and distribution within and around the brain. In this review, we aimed to systematically survey the existing clinical evidence supporting the existence of a pediatric form of NPH, dating back to the original recognition of NPH as a clinically significant subtype of communicating hydrocephalus. Leveraging emergent trends from the old and more recent published literature, we then present a modern characterization of pediatric NPH as a disorder firmly within the same disease spectrum as adult NPH, likely with overlapping etiology and pathophysiological mechanisms. Exemplary cases consistent with the diagnosis of pediatric NPH selected from the senior author’s neurosurgical practice are then presented alongside the systematic review to aid in discussion of the typical clinical and radiographic manifestations of pediatric NPH. Common co-morbidities and modern surgical treatment options are also described.
Symptom experience during the late reproductive stage and the menopausal transition: observations from the Women Living Better survey.

Objective The aim of this study was to examine the occurrence of a variety of symptoms, their frequency, bother, burden, and interference in the lives of women in the late reproductive stage (LRS) and compare their experiences to that of women in the menopausal transition (MT) stage. Methods Women ages 35 to 55 years responded to an 82-question online survey offered by Women Living Better. Participants reported current menstrual patterns, recent changes and symptom frequency, bother, and interference. Women's cycles were classified as LRS or MT using Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop +10 criteria. Results Of 2,406 respondents, 946 met criteria for LRS and 583 for MT. Participants included 30% from outside the United States, 31% from diverse racial/ethnic groups, and 18% reported having difficulty paying for basics. A similar proportion of women in the LRS and MT+ groups reported each of the symptoms: there was a less than 10% difference for 54 of the 61 symptoms. Of mean bother ratings for all symptoms, only hot flashes differed significantly between the LRS and MT groups. LRS women experienced similar levels of symptom-related interference with personal relationships and daily living to those in the MT stage but did not anticipate these symptoms occurring until they were 50 years old. Conclusions Women in the LRS experience symptoms strikingly similar to those often associated with the MT. Women do not expect these changes until the age of 50 years or later and are surprised by such symptoms before cycle irregularity. Research about the epidemiology and management of LRS symptoms, anticipatory guidance for women, and education for clinicians who care for them warrant increased attention.
Effects of Coaching and Data-based Feedback on Teacher Implementation of Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT)

Supporting language skills for children who evidence delays in preschool is an important area of focus for school-age reading outcomes. Two preschool teachers were trained to implement a play-based...
Identification of Lactobacillus Strains Capable of Fermenting Fructo-Oligosaccharides and Inulin.

Novel probiotic strains that can ferment prebiotics are important for functional foods. The utilization of prebiotics is strain specific, so we screened 86 Lactobacillus strains and compared them to Bifidobacterium breve 2141 for the ability to grow and produce SCFA when 1% inulin or fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) were provided as the carbon source in batch fermentations. When grown anaerobically at 32 °C, ten Lactobacillus strains grew on both prebiotic substrates (OD600 ≥ 1.2); while Lactobacillus coryniformis subsp. torquens B4390 grew only in the presence of inulin. When the growth temperature was increased to 37 °C to simulate the human body temperature, four of these strains were no longer able to grow on either prebiotic. Additionally, L. casei strains 4646 and B441, and L. helveticus strains B1842 and B1929 did not require anaerobic conditions for growth on both prebiotics. Short-chain fatty acid analysis was performed on cell-free supernatants. The concentration of lactic acid produced by the ten Lactobacillus strains in the presence of prebiotics ranged from 73–205 mM. L. helveticus B1929 produced the highest concentration of acetic acid ~19 mM, while L. paraplantarum B23115 and L. paracasei ssp. paracasei B4564 produced the highest concentrations of propionic (1.8–4.0 mM) and butyric (0.9 and 1.1 mM) acids from prebiotic fermentation. L. mali B4563, L. paraplantarum B23115 and L. paracasei ssp. paracasei B4564 were identified as butyrate producers for the first time. These strains hold potential as synbiotics with FOS or inulin in the development of functional foods, including infant formula.
No More Shortcuts: Protect Cell Site Location Data with a Warrant Requirement

In modern society, the cell phone has become a virtual extension of most Americans, managing all kinds of personal and business matters. Modern cell tower technology allows cell service providers to accumulate a wealth of individuals’ location information while they use their cell phones, and such data is available for law enforcement to obtain without a warrant. This is problematic under the Fourth Amendment, which protects reasonable expectations of privacy. Under the Katz twoprong test, (1) individuals have an actual, subjective expectation of privacy in their cell site location data, and (2) society is prepared to acknowledge that expectation as reasonable. In addtion, I propose that the second prong of the Katz test should be approached as a normative inquiry. Courts should ask whether society should expect privacy in this type of information. Currently, courts analyzing this issue have followed Supreme Court precedent from the 1970s and 80s, using shortcuts such as the third-party doctrine to decide the issue. This precedent is from an era that predates modern cell phone technology, and it fails to properly address the true privacy concerns implicated by cell site location data. A few courts have adopted the mosaic theory approach to the question of cell site location data. However this theory also fails to effectively guard against unconstitutional government intrusion in all instances. I propose that the best solution is to always require a warrant before allowing law enforcement to access cell site location data. This solution will provide a clear standard for courts, individuals, law enforcement agents, and cell service providers; also, it will ensure * J.D., University of Michigan, 2016 (expected); B.A., English and Political Science, University of Michigan, 2012. Special thank you to Professor Susan Freiwald for her expert insight and guidance and to Micah Siegel Wallace for his valuable contributions and editorial assistance. I also thank Parker Lee for his thought-provoking arguments, and my friends and family for their support.
Romania and Bulgaria Between the EU and the United States

When Romania and Bulgaria were caught between the European Union and the United States, their reactions were influenced by the allies' own level of unity, the nature of visible costs, and domestic politics.
A Compact Virtual-Source Model for Carbon Nanotube FETs in the Sub-10-nm Regime—Part I: Intrinsic Elements

We present a data-calibrated compact model of carbon nanotube (CNT) FETs (CNTFETs) based on the virtual-source (VS) approach, describing the intrinsic current–voltage and charge–voltage characteristics. The features of the model include: 1) carrier VS velocity extracted from experimental devices with gate lengths down to 15 nm; 2) carrier effective mobility and velocity depending on the CNT diameter; 3) short channel effect such as inverse subthreshold slope degradation and drain-induced barrier lowering depending on the device dimensions; and 4) small-signal capacitances including the CNT quantum capacitance effect to account for the decreasing gate capacitance at high gate bias. The CNTFET model captures the dimensional scaling effects and is suitable for technology benchmarking and performance projection at the sub-10-nm technology nodes.
Antigen-specific immunity in recipients of leukocyte transfusions from immune donors.

Adoptive immunity in man has been studied with the primary antigens of keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and the amino acid copolymer of the l-isomers of glutamic acid, lysine, alanine, and tyrosine (GLAT). Thirteen volunteer donors with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and other malignant diseases were immunized with KLH or GLAT or both. Immune peripheral blood leukocytes were collected with an IBM-NCI blood cell separator. Between 1.1 and 15.6 × 1010 lymphocytes were collected from the chronic lymphocytic leukemia leukocyte donors; from 0.16 to 1.1 × 1010 lymphocytes were collected from the other donors. The leukocyte recipients were all patients with advanced malignant disease. Thirty-one of the 55 recipients evaluated for KLH sensitivity after the transfusion had evidence of immunity as measured by delayed hypersensitivity, antibody formation, or in vitro lymphocyte blastogenesis. Eleven of 13 studied for transfer of GLAT immunity were positive by at least one of the above parameters of immunity. Ten of 46 recipients skin tested were KLH skin test positive, as was 1 of 7 skin tested for GLAT. Ten of 47 and 5 of 13 recipients whose lymphocytes were evaluated for in vitro lymphocyte blastogenesis stimulated by KLH and GLAT, respectively, were positive. Fifty-eight % of 36 recipients evaluated developed KLH antibody, compared with 11 of 13 leukocyte recipients producing GLAT antibody. Leukocytes from both types of donors were equally successful at transferring immunity. Adoptive immunity occurred more frequently in recipients with granulocytic leukemia than in recipients with solid tumors of lymphoma.