cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of force fields for molecular simulation of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) are nanometer-size molecules suitable for the production of organic-inorganic nanocomposite materials. These organic-inorganic nano-building blocks show promise for enabling the production of polymeric materials of exceptional mechanical properties as well as novel composite materials. While the experimental studies of these materials have rapidly evolved in the past decade, their theoretical investigation is still in its infancy. Toward the validation of force fields for the molecular simulation of POSS-containing systems, we present the charge-transfer reactive (CTR) force field for the molecular simulation of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) molecules and compare the ability of this, and several force fields taken from the literature, to predict the thermophysical properties of POSS-containing systems. The literature force fields compared include the universal force field (UFF) and the COMPASS and Hybrid-COMPASS force fields. Predictions from molecular dynamics simulations of the structural parameters (unit cell vectors), melting temperature, and FT-IR spectra of crystals of POSS monomers are presented. The POSS monomers investigated are octahydride, octamethyl, and octapropyl POSS. Predicted quantities are compared to experimental results where available and provide molecular-level physical insight into several aspects of the behavior of POSS molecules. While all the force fields tested perform reasonably well, our results indicate that the Hybrid-COMPASS and CTR force fields predict structural properties that are in good agreement with experimental data.
Effects of Protein Phosphatase and Kinase Inhibitors on Ca2+ and Cl− Currents in Guinea Pig Ventricular Myocytes

SUMMARY It is well-established that in heart, both the L-type Ca 21 channel and the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator Cl 2 channel are regulated by cAMP-dependent phosphorylation. However, it is not clear whether both of these channels are regulated in concert by protein kinase A (PKA) or whether there are mechanisms that independently control the phosphorylation of these two PKA targets. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of various protein phosphatase and protein kinase inhibitors on these two ionic currents (ICa and ICl )i n guinea pig ventricular myocytes to gain insight into these questions. We found that both the stimulation and washout of the effects of isoproterenol on ICl are about twice as fast as the effects on ICa, probably because the dephosphorylation reaction for ICl is faster than that for ICa. In contrast, inhibition of protein phosphatases with 10 mM microcystin stimulated both ICa and ICl, but the stimulation of ICl was much slower and smaller than the stimulation of ICa. The effect of microcystin was inhibited by staurosporine (Ki 5 171.5 and 161 nM for ICa and ICl, respectively), suggesting that the stimulation was due to a kinase. The kinase was not protein kinase C (PKC) because it was not inhibited by the specific pseudosubstrate inhibitor of PKC, PKC(19 ‐31), and it was not PKA because it was not inhibited by adenosine 39,59-cyclic phosphorothioate. These results suggest that although both the Ca 21 and Cl 2 channels are regulated by cAMP-dependent phosphorylation, another protein kinase may also regulate these channels, and the kinetics of the response of the channels to phosphorylation can be modulated independently by protein phosphatases.
Biochar’s role as an alternative N-fertilizer: ammonia capture

Biochar’s role as a carbon sequestration agent, while simultaneously providing soil fertility improvements when used as an amendment, has been receiving significant attention across all sectors of society, ranging from academia, industry, government, as well as the general public. This has lead to some exaggeration and possible confusion regarding biochar’s actual effectiveness as a soil amendment. One sparsely explored area where biochar appears to have real potential for significant impact is the soil nitrogen cycle. Taghizadeh-Toosi et al. (this issue) examined ammonia sorption on biochar as a means of providing a nitrogen-enriched soil amendment. The longevity of the trapped ammonia was particularly remarkable; it was sequestered in a stable form for at least 12 days under laboratory air flow. Furthermore, the authors observed increased 15N uptake by plants grown in soil amended with the 15N-enriched biochar, indicating that the 15N was not irreversibly bound, but, was plant-available. Their observations add credence to utilizing biochar as a carrier for nitrogen fertilization, while potentially reducing the undesired environmental consequences through gas emissions, overland flow, and leaching.
Opening up IP Strategy: Implications for Open Source Software Entry by Start-Up Firms

We examine whether a firm’s IP strategy in support of the open source software (OSS) community stimulates new OSS product entry by start-up software firms. In particular, we analyze the impact of strategic decisions taken by IBM around the mid-2000s, such as its announcement that it will not assert its patents against the OSS community and its creation of a patent commons. These decisions formed a coherent IP strategy in support of OSS. We find that IBM’s actions stimulated new OSS product introductions by entrepreneurial firms, and that their impact is increasing in the cumulativeness of innovation in the market and the extent to which patent ownership in the market is concentrated.
Multistory Prefabricated Columns

Concrete slabs in lift-slab buildings are cast one on top of the other, separated only by bond-breaking agents. After hardening of the top slab taken place, the slabs are lifted to their corresponding levels by means of high-strength steel bars pulled by hydraulic jacks placed on top of the columns. Conventional practice in North America has been to attain the total height of the building with a series of two-or-three-story column tiers. The paper described the advantages of reducing the number of column tiers and erection cycles to a minimum. The design and construction of multistory buildings at the University of Havana are fully described as examples of this technique. Of particular interest is the description of the design analysis and erection of a nine-story prefabricated reinforced concrete column. The necessary bracing to increase the elastic stability of multistory columns, and the negative effect of their own weight on buckling load are analyzed. Attention is given to the connection detailed between floor system and prefabricated columns in the university buildings.
Basque Cultural Landscapes of the Western French Pyrenees

Results are presented on the co-evolution of agropastoralism and soils in the western Pyrenees Mountains (>800 masl) over the course of the Holocene conducted in the ethnically Basque commune of Larrau, France. Larrau presents a unique opportunity to examine the structural legacies and biotic factor in soil evolution across millennia. Multi-proxy evidence from geoarchives, archaeology, history and ethnography is analyzed to evaluate the relation between land management practices, soil characteristics and chronostratigraphy in the study area. Research indicates that the landscape of Larrau has been subject to intense human transformation through agropastoral use since at least the early Bronze age, yet there are no signs of significant degradation of the soil mantle. The place-based approach followed in this research provides the means for evaluating modal human behaviors and decisionmaking within a complex adaptive system. It details how the present is connected to the past and how contemporary land systems can contribute to a sustainable future. Nel corso della ricerca effettuata nel comune etnicamente basco di Larrau (Francia) abbiamo indagato tracce multi-proxy per esaminare le forme di domesticazione dei paesaggi montani (> 800 m slm) dei Pirenei occidentali, nel corso dell’Olocene. I nostri dati suggeriscono che in quest’area le foreste originarie sono state trasformate in pascoli diverse migliaia di anni fa, senza che questo abbia comportato un degrado significativo del paesaggio e dei suoli. Il patrimonio dei paesaggi agropastorali di Larrau offre una rara opportunita per esaminare un doppio sistema in lento cambiamento, nel quale, attraverso millenni, le attivita di gestione umana hanno strutturato un paesaggio scenografico, creando un sistema di produzione agropastorale resiliente e durevole, e hanno reindirizzato i sottostanti percorsi e meccanismi di pedogenesi. Se i sistemi terrestri contemporanei mirano a raggiungere un desiderabile futuro sostenibile, la situazione attuale deve essere continuamente e fortemente collegata al suo passato.
Feeding Behavior of Larval Silkworms ( Bombyx mori ) on Different Shapes of Mulberry Leaves

The feeding behavior of 5th-instar Bombyx mori L. (silkworms) differed on normal vs. experimentally modified rectangular and serrated mulberry leaves. Analysis of a time-lapse photographic film record showed that caterpillars fed about 92% of the time during the observation periods. On experimental leaves, larvae reoriented their bodies more; consumed leaf tissue at a lower rate; and left either more and smaller (serrated leaves) or fewer and larger (rectangular leaves) uneaten portions, compared to the normal leaves. Maps of the caterpillars' feeding routes further document the way this defoliator utilizes leaves.
Raman spectroscopy based study of RBCC ejector mode performance

The rocket based combined cycle (RBCC) approach is a promising concept for advanced space eansportation systems. The RBCC engine concept integrates air-breathing propulsion with rocket propulsion to exploit atmospheric air as the oxidizer during the course of the vehicle trajectory. Although there are numerous design variations, the gamut of concepts includes four flight regimes, viz. rocketejector, ramjet, scramjet and all-rocket. Of these four flight regimes, the rocket-ejector mode, which encompasses the zero to roughly two Mach number range of the flight vehicle, is the least well understood. The goal of the current project is to investigate this mode utilizing a joint experimental/analytical approach. The experimental phase of the program includes studying the mixing and combustion characteristics of the rocket-ejector system utilizing state-of-the-art diagnostic techniques. In this vein, a two-dimensional direct-connect variable geometry rocket-ejector system with enhanced optical access has been designed and fabricated. The system design is based on an earlier study, however, the goal of this program is to systematically increase the range of understanding over a wide range of flow/geometry parameters. In this * Graduate Student, Student Member AIAA ’ Senior Research Associate, Member AK4 * Research Associate, Member AIAA 5 Professor, Member AIAA Copyright
The Gibbs–Helmholtz Equation and the Thermodynamic Consistency of Chemical Absorption Data

The Gibbs–Helmholtz (G-H) equation connects vapor–liquid equilibrium (VLE) and calorimetric data. If experimental measurements for the heat of solution are not available, they may be estimated through the G-H equation. Further, if both VLE and heat-of-solution data are available, their mutual thermodynamic consistency can be evaluated through the G-H equation, to develop the most accurate and reliable model. This kind of analysis is particularly useful for chemical-absorption systems, such as the capture of CO2 using aqueous solutions of amines, where regeneration energies are significant. In this work, the G-H equation is derived to unambiguously relate the commonly used form to the rigorous and general form, including for systems where phase equilibrium is accompanied by chemical reactions in any phase. The effect of approximations and the range of applicability of the common G-H equation are first applied to data generated for a simple VLE system by an equation of state, with different reliability foun...
A mathematical model for the light affected system in the drosophila eclosion rhythm.

This paper describes some analytical models for the system which regulates the daily eclosion rhythm of the drosophila. A general topological model is described which can simulate practically all the known experimental results about the behavior of the system under various light stimuli. From that a more specific model is proposed which can shortly be described as follows: The system contains a basic oscillator whose output is a substances. This is produced in the presence of an enzymer. During part of the cycler is deactivated ands dissipates until it reaches a lower level whenr is reactivated again. Light has the effect of deactivatingr immediately. The substances causes the production of a second substanceq which triggers a series of reactions leading to eclosion when it exceeds a threshold. The main oscillator (s—r) is temperature-compensated, but the production ofq is accelerated in the presence of light or higher temperature.
Genetic abnormalities in CLL: prognostic factors--or their own disease?

To find a new cure for a disease, or at least to significantly prolong patient survival, requires a bit of insight and a lot of luck.
Neonatal Spine Abnormalities

There are different types of spinal dysraphia/malformations that may be skin-covered or non-skin-covered. A precise diagnosis and classification of the form of spinal dysraphia is important for management and prognosis. Neonatal spine ultrasonography is helpful to precisely detect the anatomical abnormalities underlying the different forms of spinal dysraphia.
Transcriptional regulation of chlorogenic acid biosynthesis in carrot root slices exposed to UV-B light

Abstract Orange carrots are well known for their nutritional value as producers of β-carotene, a vitamin A precursor. Lesser known, is their ability to accumulate antioxidants such as chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid is produced through the same biosynthetic pathway that produces lignins, anthocyanins, flavonols and isoflavonoids, the phenylpropanoid pathway. This pathway can be induced by UV-B light and wounding to produce large amounts of chlorogenic acid. We identified a number of the carrot structural genes in this pathway and their proposed regulators in carrot root slices and analyzed their expression in response to UV-B light exposure using real-time PCR. Our results indicate that not only does the expression of the structural genes correlate with their proposed regulators, including DcHY5 and others, but also correlate with chlorogenic acid production. Our results indicate that the HY5 — UVR8 signaling network may exist and function in carrot roots.
New ligands for nickel catalysis from diverse pharmaceutical heterocycle libraries

Ligands are essential for controlling the reactivity and selectivity of reactions catalysed by transition metals. Access to large phosphine ligand libraries has become an essential tool for the application of metal-catalysed reactions industrially, but these existing libraries are not well suited to new catalytic methods based on non-precious metals (for example, Ni, Cu and Fe). The development of the requisite nitrogen- and oxygen-based ligand libraries lags far behind that of the phosphines and the development of new libraries is anticipated to be time consuming. Here we show that this process can be dramatically accelerated by mining for new ligands in a typical pharmaceutical compound library that is rich in heterocycles. Using this approach, we were able to screen a structurally diverse set of compounds with minimal synthetic effort and identify several new ligand classes for nickel-catalysed cross-electrophile coupling. These new ligands gave improved yields for challenging cross-couplings of pharmaceutically relevant substrates compared with those of those of previously published ligands.
A self-aligned inverse-T gate fully overlapped LDD device for sub-half micron CMOS

A novel self-aligned technique for fabricating inverse-T gate fully overlapped LDD (FOLD) MOSFETs is proposed. The technique uses an oxide or TiN buffer layer sandwiched in a polysilicon gate stack to act as an RIE (reactive ion etching) etch stop. Both the oxide and TiN exhibit good etch selectivities with respect to polysilicon. Therefore, a controllable, uniform polysilicon finger can be obtained to form the inverse-T structure. A 0.35- mu m n-channel inverse-T gate MOSFET with fully overlapped LDD (lightly doped drain) design has been fabricated and characterized. It is found that the inverse-T LDD device preserves the performance of a non-LDD device while providing reliability improvement similar to that of a conventional LDD device. The inverse-T LDD device is suitable for high-performance, high-reliability sub-half-micron device applications. >
Onset of many-body chaos in the $O(N)$ model

The growth of commutators of initially commuting local operators diagnoses the onset of chaos in quantum many-body systems. We compute such commutators of local field operators with $N$ components in the ($2+1$)-dimensional $O(N)$ nonlinear sigma model to leading order in $1/N$. The system is taken to be in thermal equilibrium at a temperature $T$ above the zero temperature quantum critical point separating the symmetry broken and unbroken phases. The commutator grows exponentially in time with a rate denoted ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{L}$. At large $N$ the growth of chaos as measured by ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{L}$ is slow because the model is weakly interacting, and we find ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{L}\ensuremath{\approx}3.2T/N$. The scaling with temperature is dictated by conformal invariance of the underlying quantum critical point. We also show that operators grow ballistically in space with a ``butterfly velocity'' given by ${v}_{B}/c\ensuremath{\approx}1$ where $c$ is the Lorentz-invariant speed of particle excitations in the system. We briefly comment on the behavior of ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{L}$ and ${v}_{B}$ in the neighboring symmetry broken and unbroken phases.
Power Quality Improvements for Integration of Hybrid AC/DC Nanogrids to Power Systems

The coexistence of a hybrid ac/dc infrastructure for residential homes (Hybrid Nanogrid) is in the foreseeable future. This paper presents a hybrid ac/dc home infrastructure which involves DC distribution network connected to the current AC infrastructure through an efficient ac/dc controlled converter. DC network in the home allows for efficient integration of renewable sources and electric vehicles supplying all the native DC loads (DC appliances), while the AC loads (AC appliances) will continue to be connected to an existing AC infrastructure. In this paper, a control scheme for the ac/dc converter is proposed based on a modified synchronous reference frame for Active Power Filter control (APF) to mitigate harmonics, providing a power factor correction and compensating for unbalances resulting from nonlinear loads. The objective of the controller is to force the AC grid currents at the point of common coupling (PCC) to be balanced three-phase currents with minor harmonics while maintaining a controllability of power flow regardless of the characteristics of the local AC load. The results show that the developed controller succeeds to maintain bi-directional power flow controllability, while simultaneously acting as an active power filter to assure improved power quality at the PCC under various loading conditions.
Keynote speaker: Changing the world with visual analytics

To solve the world's challenges requires not only advancing computer science and big data analytics but requires new analysis and decision-making environments that effectively couple human decision making with advanced, guided analytics in a human-computer collaborative discourse and decision making (HCCD). While many researchers and companies are focusing solely on Big Data Analytics to harness the potential power in available massive, multisource, multivariate, evolving digital data, many of these big data solutions don't effectively factor the human decision maker into their proposed solution. The HCCD approach builds upon visual analytics and focuses on empowering the decision maker through interactive visual analytic environments where visual cognition, guided discovery, and non-digital human expertise and experience can be combined with state-of-the-art analytical techniques. When we combine this approach with real-world application-driven research, not only does the pace of scientific innovation accelerate, but impactful change occurs. This work and these systems can be applied to social change, advancing engineering, and science and solving some of the world's greatest challenges such as sustainability and security. In this talk, I'll outline this approach and highlight the potential and impact of application driven HCCD research.
Have Phobias, Will Travel: Addressing One Barrier to the Delivery of an Evidence-Based Treatment.

Abstract Although a host of evidence-based treatments exist for youth with anxiety disorders, less than 30% of youth and their families receive these treatments. One of the main barriers to receiving these treatments is the lack of access to care, due largely to the absence of mental health professionals who have expertise in the delivery of these treatments in certain geographic locales. The current study examined whether a brief intensive treatment for specific phobias (SPs), Augmented One-Session Treatment (OST-A), would result in comparable treatment gains for families who traveled a considerable distance to receive this treatment when compared to families who resided in our local community. Participants included 76 youth with a clinically confirmed diagnosis of SP (38 local families and an age- and sex-matched sample of 38 nonlocal families). Although SP severity at pretreatment was significantly greater for the nonlocal youth than the local youth, both nonlocal and local youth showed commensurate improvement and maintenance of treatment gains over a 6-month period across several clinical outcome measures. Findings from this study show that OST-A is effective when families choose to travel for treatment, addressing at least one of the barriers to use of this evidence-based treatment.
Mirna biogenesis pathway is differentially regulated during adipose derived stromal/stem cell differentiation

Stromal/stem cell differentiation is controlled by a vast array of regulatory mechanisms. Included within these are methods of mRNA gene regulation that occur at the level of epigenetic, transcriptional, and/or posttranscriptional modifications. Current studies that evaluate the posttranscriptional regulation of mRNA demonstrate microRNAs (miRNAs) as key mediators of stem cell differentiation through the inhibition of mRNA translation. miRNA expression is enhanced during both adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation; however, the mechanism by which miRNA expression is altered during stem cell differentiation is less understood. Here we demonstrate for the first time that adipose-derived stromal/stem cells (ASCs) induced to an adipogenic or osteogenic lineage have differences in strand preference (-3p and -5p) for miRNAs originating from the same primary transcript. Furthermore, evaluation of miRNA expression in ASCs demonstrates alterations in both miRNA strand preference and 5'seed site heterogeneity. Additionally, we show that during stem cell differentiation there are alterations in expression of genes associated with the miRNA biogenesis pathway. Quantitative RT-PCR demonstrated changes in the Argonautes (AGO1-4), Drosha, and Dicer at intervals of ASC adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation compared to untreated ASCs. Specifically, we demonstrated altered expression of the AGOs occurring during both adipogenesis and osteogenesis, with osteogenesis increasing AGO1-4 expression and adipogenesis decreasing AGO1 gene and protein expression. These data demonstrate changes to components of the miRNA biogenesis pathway during stromal/stem cell differentiation. Identifying regulatory mechanisms for miRNA processing during ASC differentiation may lead to novel mechanisms for the manipulation of lineage differentiation of the ASC through the global regulation of miRNA as opposed to singular regulatory mechanisms.
Effect of Infection on Cardiac and Skeletal Muscle Calcium Content in the Rat Endocarditis Model

There is a 10,000 fold gradient of Ca across the plasma membrane of every cell. The Ca concentration in the extracellular compartment is 10-3M and only 10-7M in the cytosol. Under normal circumstances, this gradient is tightly maintained by the very low permeability of plasma membranes for Ca. In some diseases, however, there is a loosening of this control and Ca intrudes into the cell causing reversible or irreversible cell damage. Elevation of cytosolic calcium, reduces ATP synthesis depriving the cell of the energy needed for maintaining its normal functions (1,2). Thus the efficiency of the Ca pumping mechanisms decreases, resulting in additional cellular Ca accumulation, causing more cell damage. High cytosolic Ca also causes cell injury and eventual cell death by stimulation of Ca-activated neutral proteases (3,4) and phospholipases (5,6).
Porting the Quasi-Nonhydrostatic Meteorological Model to the Kendall Square Research KSR1

The Forecast Systems Laboratory is currently developing and testing weather models on various parallel computers with a view toward ultimate production use. As part of that effort we have ported a “Quasi-Nonhydrostatic” Meteorological Model to the Kendall Square Research KSR1 parallel supercomputer. The porting was done in three stages: first the original sequential code was made efficient on one processor, then the code was parallelized using “tiling” directives, and lastly the parallel code was optimized. We describe this process in some detail and report the resulting performances.
Ingrowing toenails in children and adolescents: is nail avulsion superior to nonoperative treatment?

INTRODUCTION Ingrowing toenail (IGTN) or onychocryptosis is not uncommon in children and adolescents. However, there is a dearth of evidence in the literature on the management of IGTN in this age group. This study aimed to compare the results of nonoperative treatment for IGTN with that of operative treatment among children and adolescents. METHODS All children and adolescents who were treated for IGTN at our institution between 2010 and 2014 were included for this retrospective study. Demographic data, treatment prescribed and outcome at six months after presentation were analysed. RESULTS Overall, 199 patients were recruited. There were 123 (61.8%) boys and 76 (38.2%) girls. Median age was 14 years. Among 199 toes, 162 (81.4%) were treated nonoperatively, with nail care advice, topical antibiotics and daily cleansing. Only 37 (18.6%) toes were treated operatively. In the operative group, 23 (62.2%) patients underwent wedge resections, while the remaining 14 (37.8%) had total nail avulsions; for all patients, germinal matrices were preserved. At the six-month follow-up, there were 5 (3.1%) cases of recurrence in the nonoperative group when compared to 3 (8.1%) recurrences in the operative group. CONCLUSION We recommend that IGTN in children and adolescents be treated in the first instance by nonoperative methods. Operative options can be considered for resistant cases or in case of recurrence of IGTN.
Altered Calcium Homeostasis and Mineral Dust Toxicity

Asbestos fibers are acutely toxic to a variety of cells in vitro including macrophages, tracheal epithelial cells, and lung fibroblasts (Goodglick and Kane, 1986; Shatos et al., 1987) In these model systems, acute asbestos toxicity is mediated by oxidants. Macrophages exposed to asbestos fibers produce O2 · - and H2O2. Asbestos toxicity is decreased under hypoxic conditions or by addition of exogenous superoxide dismutase or catalase. Asbestos fibers have been shown to catalyze the formation of ·OH in a cell-free system. This catalysis is prevented by coating the fibers with the iron chelator, deferoxamine (Weitzman and Graceffa, 1984). In cell cultures, deferoxamine-coated fibers are not toxic and toxicity is decreased by the·OH scavenger, dimethylthiourea (Goodglick and Kane, 1986; Shatos et al., 1987). The subsequent metabolic consequences of oxidant-mediated injury responsible for cell death are unknown. Oxidant-induced injury is associated with depletion of glutathione, oxidation of membrane lipids and proteins, damage to DNA, and altered calcium homeostasis (reviewed by Farber, 1982). In this paper, we test the hypothesis that altered calcium homeostasis is responsible for acute asbestos cytotoxicity in vitro.
Structural insights into E1 recognition and the ubiquitin-conjugating activity of the E2 enzyme Cdc34

Ubiquitin (Ub) signaling requires the sequential interactions and activities of three enzymes, E1, E2, and E3. Cdc34 is an E2 that plays a key role in regulating cell cycle progression and requires unique structural elements to function. The molecular basis by which Cdc34 engages its E1 and the structural mechanisms by which its unique C-terminal extension functions in Cdc34 activity are unknown. Here, we present crystal structures of Cdc34 alone and in complex with E1, and a Cdc34~Ub thioester mimetic that represents the product of Uba1-Cdc34 Ub transthiolation. These structures reveal conformational changes in Uba1 and Cdc34 and a unique binding mode that are required for transthiolation. The Cdc34~Ub structure reveals contacts between the Cdc34 C-terminal extension and Ub that stabilize Cdc34~Ub in a closed conformation and are critical for Ub discharge. Altogether, our structural, biochemical, and cell-based studies provide insights into the molecular mechanisms by which Cdc34 function in cells.
Vertical and Radial Attentional Neglect in Corticobasal Syndrome.

Corticobasal degeneration (CBD), a tau-related neurodegenerative disease, is characterized by limb rigidity, dystonia, myoclonus, apraxia, and cognitive deficits. We report a patient with probable corticobasal syndrome, a major phenotype of CBD, who revealed both lower vertical and proximal radial a
Differentiating post-polio syndrome from myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome

Background: Overlapping and concomitant symptoms among similar chronic illnesses have created difficulties for diagnosis and further treatment. Three such chronically fatiguing illnesses, Post-poli...
S -Matrix Formulation of K L and K S Decays and Unitarity Relations

The unitarity relations for the decay of overlapping resonances as obtained by an $S$-matrix approach and the usual Wigner-Weisskopf approach are compared.
Boundary layer formulations in orthogonal curvilinear coordinates for flow over wind-generated surface waves

The development of the governing equations for fluid flow in a surface-following coordinate system is essential to investigate the fluid flow near an interface deformed by propagating waves. In this paper, the governing equations of fluid flow, including conservation of mass, momentum and energy balance, are derived in an orthogonal curvilinear coordinate system relevant to surface water waves. All equations are further decomposed to extract mean, wave-induced and turbulent components. The complete transformed equations include explicit extra geometric terms. For example, turbulent stress and production terms include the effects of coordinate curvature on the structure of fluid flow. Furthermore, the governing equations of motion were further simplified by considering the flow over periodic quasi-linear surface waves wherein the wavelength of the disturbance is large compared to the wave amplitude. The quasi-linear analysis is employed to express the boundary layer equations in the orthogonal wave-following curvilinear coordinates with the corresponding decomposed equations for the mean, wave and turbulent fields. Finally, the vorticity equations are also derived in the orthogonal curvilinear coordinates in order to express the corresponding velocity–vorticity formulations. The equations developed in this paper proved to be useful in the analysis and interpretation of experimental data of fluid flow over wind-generated surface waves. Experimental results are presented in a companion paper.
The Impact of Tissue Type and Density on Dose Point Kernels for Patient-Specific Voxel-Wise Dosimetry: A Monte Carlo Investigation

We report the generation of dose point kernels for clinically-relevant radionuclide beta decays and monoenergetic electrons in various tissues to understand the impact of tissue type on dose point kernels. Currently available voxel-wise dosimetry approaches using dose point kernels ignore tissue composition and density heterogeneities. Therefore, the study on the impact of tissue type on dose point kernels is warranted. Simulations were performed using the GATE Monte Carlo toolkit, which encapsulates GEANT4 libraries. Dose point kernels were simulated in phantoms of water, compact bone, lung, adipose tissue, blood and red marrow for radionuclides 90Y, 188Re, 32P, 89Sr, 186Re, 153Sm and 177Lu and monoenergetic electrons (0.015–10 MeV). All simulations were performed by assuming an isotropic point source of electrons at the center of a homogeneous spherical phantom. Tissue-specific differences between kernels were investigated by normalizing kernels for effective pathlength. Transport of 20 million particles was found to provide sufficient statistical precision in all simulated kernels. The simulated dose point kernels demonstrate excellent agreement with other Monte Carlo packages. Deviation from kernels reported in the literature did not exceed a 10% global difference, which is consistent with the variability among published results. There are no significant differences between the dose point kernel in water and kernels in other tissues that have been scaled to account for density; however, tissue density predictably demonstrated itself to be a significant variable in dose point kernel distribution.
Chapter 7 – Si Quantum Dots

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses Si Quantum Dots (QD). The non-conducting QD is charged and raises the potential at the conducting QD so that no extra voltage is needed to move the charges into the conducting dot. This type of process is precisely what generates random telegraph-like signals. The reason such processes take place far more often in QD tunneling than quantum well tunneling is that a large number of electrons participate in the latter process from the transverse degree of freedom overwhelming the trapping effects. After discovering the effects of light, it is realized that the process seems to be caused by a variety of trappings, although the data do not rule out trapping from non-conducting dots, instead of some unknown defects.
Noninvasive and Mechanical Ventilation

Respiratory failure is a common presentation to the emergency department (ED). In addition to supplemental oxygen, noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV) and mechanical ventilation (MV) are tools commonly used for the management of acute respiratory failure. It is important to know the principles of oxygenation and ventilation and how NIPPV and MV can improve gas exchange. There are many modes that can be confusing to practitioners who do not use ventilators frequently. Knowledge of the different ventilator parameters helps so that the most appropriate mode may be selected for the specific clinical scenario. Once on positive-pressure ventilation (PPV), the provider must be able to troubleshoot problems that commonly occur.
Endothelin-1 May Be a Potential Biomarker for Monitoring Changes in Nitric Oxide Metabolism in Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is characterized by endothelial cell dysfunction and dysregulation of endogenous nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. NO bioavailability is further decreased due to dysregulation of the oral microbiome and reduction of dietary nitrate (NO3-) to nitrite (NO2-). PH biomarkers such as NT-proBNP have been associated with disease severity, prognosis and response to therapy. Emerging biomarkers like Endothelin-1 (ET-1) reflect NO signaling and cellular dysregulation. We evaluated the effect of a single dose of nitrate on NT-proBNP, ET-1, NO3- and NO2- levels in PH patients versus controls. Patients with prior right heart catheterization were administered 1000mg of sodium nitrate orally. Plasma NT-proBNP, ET-1, NO3- and NO2- were measured at baseline, 2, 6, and 24 hours following nitrate drug administration. Response of patients with PH (mPAP ≥ 25mmHg, TPG ≥ 12mmHg) was compared to controls (mean PAP Nine patients were evaluated (control: n=4, age 53 ± 14 years, 100% female, EF 55 ± 0%, mPAP 19 ± 4 mmHg, PCWP 11 ± 3 mmHg, TPG 9 ± 4 mmHg, PVR 1.5 ± 0.6 WU; PH: n=5, age of 59 ± 9 years, 80% female, EF 58 ± 8%, mPAP 41 ± 8 mmHg, PCWP 26 ± 7 mmHg, TPG 14 ± 3 mmHg, PVR 2.9 ± 0.7 WU). Following oral nitrate dose, mean plasma NO3- and NO2- levels increased in both groups. NO3- levels were significantly greater in the control vs PH group at 2 hrs (803 ± 404 µm vs 571 ± 202 µm) and 6 hrs (634 ± 254 µm vs 482 ± 183 µm) (overall P
187 Comparing lymph node staging modalities in high risk endometrial cancers: perioperative and long-term clinical outcomes in a community-based comprehensive cancer center

Objectives There is limited data on survival outcomes for patients with high risk endometrial cancer (EC) undergoing sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping to evaluate lymph node metastasis. Our study aims to compare operative and survival outcomes in high risk EC patients who underwent SLN mapping or lymphadenectomy (LND). Methods From 2014–2020, we retrospectively compared all patients with pathology confirmed grade 3 or type II EC histology who underwent SLN or LND as part of their staging surgery. Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox regression models were used to analyze and predict recurrence and survival outcomes. Results 258 charts were reviewed. 102 and 103 patients were included in the SLN and LND groups, respectively. Demographics, cancer stage and histology were not statistically different between groups (p>0.05). SLN detection rate was 97.1%. Bilateral mapping was achieved in 87.3% of patients. Nodal metastasis occurred in 22.5% in the SLN group and 24.3% in the LND group (p>0.05). Rates of adjuvant therapy were similar. Median follow up for the SLN group was 13.5 months and 15.5 months in the LND group. PFS rates were 75.7% and 78.0% (p=0.67) and OS rates were 91.3% and 91.7% (p=0.58) for SLN and LND groups, respectively. A multivariate cox proportional hazards regression showed stage I disease was protective against recurrence (HR 0.24, 95% CI 0.08–0.72) and death (HR 0.13, 95% CI 0.02–0.84) Conclusions This preliminary data demonstrates a high SLN detection rate in patients with high risk EC and no significant differences in PFS or OS as compared to LND.
Time-Dependent Behavior of the Tunnels in Squeezing Ground: An Experimental Study

The presence of squeezing ground conditions often poses significant challenges in predicting tunnel response over time and to the design of an adequate support system to stabilize the tunnel. Many analytical, empirical, observational, and numerical models have been proposed over the years for the design of tunnels in squeezing ground conditions, but they all have some limitations. The study presented in this paper focused on improving the understanding of tunnel squeezing via a unique physical model test that simulated tunnel boring machine (TBM) excavation in squeezing clay-rich rocks. The physical model included a large true-triaxial cell, a miniature TBM, a laboratory-prepared synthetic test specimen having properties similar to natural mudstone, and instrumentations to monitor deformations around the tunnel boundary during and after the excavation. Experiments were conducted at realistic in-situ stress levels to study time-dependent tunnel convergence in three-dimensions. A tunnel was excavated using the miniature TBM in a cubical rock specimen loaded in the true-triaxial cell; then the confining stress was increased in stages to values above the rock unconfined compressive strength. Strain gauges embedded in the rock specimen and a digital borehole caliper monitored tunnel wall deformations with time. The degree of tunnel squeezing was characterized using a classification system based on tunnel radial strain. A model for time-dependent tunnel longitudinal displacement profile (LDP) was proposed using measurements of the tunnel convergence at different times and different stress levels.
Recent progress in solution assembly of 2D materials for wearable energy storage applications

Abstract Wearable energy storage devices are desirable to boost the rapid development of flexible and stretchable electronics. Two-dimensional (2D) materials, e.g., graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides and oxides, and MXenes, have attracted intensive attention for flexible energy storage applications because of their ultrathin 2D structures, high surface-to-volume ratio, and unique physical/chemical properties. To achieve commercialization of 2D material-based wearable energy storage devices (2DM-WESDs), scalable and cost-efficient manufacturing is a critical challenge. Among existing manufacturing technologies, solution-based assembly strategies show strong potential to achieve low-cost and scalable production. A timely review of the recent progress in solution-based assembly strategies and the resultant 2DM-WESDs will be meaningful to guide the future development of 2DM-WESDs. In this review, first, a brief introduction of exfoliation and solution preparation of 2D material species from bulk materials is discussed. Then, the solution-based assembly strategies are summarized, and the advantages and disadvantages of each method are compared. After that, two major categories of 2DM-WESDs, supercapacitor and battery, are discussed, emphasizing their state-of-the-art energy storage performances and flexibilities. Finally, insights and perspectives on current challenges and future opportunities regarding the solution assembly of 2DM-WESDs are discussed.
Changes in cardinal ligament length and curvature with parity and prolapse and their relation to level III hiatus measures

Test the hypotheses that (1) cardinal ligament (CL) straightening and lengthening occur with parity and prolapse, (2) CL straightening occurs before lengthening, and (3) CL length is correlated with level III measures. We performed a secondary analysis of MRIs from women in three groups: (1) nulliparous with normal support, (2) parous with normal support, and (3) uterine prolapse (POP-Q point C > − 4 and Ba > 1 cm). The 3D stress MRI images at rest and maximal Valsalva were analyzed. CLs were traced from their origin to cervico-vaginal insertions. Curvature ratio was calculated as curved length/straight length. Level III measures included urogenital hiatus (UGH), levator hiatus (LH), and levator bowl volume (LBV), and their correlations with CL length were calculated. Ten women were included in each group. Compared to the nulliparous group, CL length was 18% longer in parous controls (p = .04) and 59% longer with prolapse (p < .01) at rest, while at Valsalva, CL length was 10% longer in parous controls (p = .21) and 49% longer with prolapse (p < .01). Curvature ratios showed 18% more straightening in women with prolapse compared to parous controls (p < .01). Curved CL length and level III measures were moderately to strongly correlated: UGH (rest: R = 0.68, p < .01; Valsalva: R =0.80, p < .01), LH (rest: R = 0.60, p < .01; Valsalva: R = 0.78, p < .01), and LBV (rest: R = 0.71, p < .01; Valsalva: R =0.89, p < .01). Our findings suggest that the CLs undergo three times as much lengthening with prolapse as with parity; however, straightening only occurs with prolapse. Strong correlations exist between level I and level III support.
Structural basis for glucocorticoid receptor recognition of both unmodified and methylated binding sites, precursors of a modern recognition element.

The most common form of DNA methylation involves the addition of a methyl group to a cytosine base in the context of a cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) dinucleotide. Genomes from more primitive organisms are more abundant in CpG sites that, through the process of methylation, deamination and subsequent mutation to thymine-phosphate-guanine (TpG) sites, can produce new transcription factor binding sites. Here, we examined the evolutionary history of the over 36 000 glucocorticoid receptor (GR) consensus binding motifs in the human genome and identified a subset of them in regulatory regions that arose via a deamination and subsequent mutation event. GR can bind to both unmodified and methylated pre-GR binding sequences (GBSs) that contain a CpG site. Our structural analyses show that CpG methylation in a pre-GBS generates a favorable interaction with Arg447 mimicking that made with a TpG in a GBS. This methyl-specific recognition arose 420 million years ago and was conserved during the evolution of GR and likely helps fix the methylation on the relevant cytosines. Our study provides the first genetic, biochemical and structural evidence of high-affinity binding for the likely evolutionary precursor of extant TpG-containing GBS.
Efficacy and Self-Similarity of SARS-CoV-2 Thermal Decontamination

Abstract Dry heat decontamination has been shown to effectively inactivate viruses without compromising the integrity of delicate personal protective equipment (PPE), allowing safe reuse and helping to alleviate shortages of PPE that have arisen due to COVID-19. Unfortunately, current thermal decontamination guidelines rely on empirical data which are often sparse, limited to a specific virus, and unable to provide fundamental insight into the underlying inactivation reaction. In this work, we experimentally quantified dry heat decontamination of SARS-CoV-2 on disposable masks and validated a model that treats the inactivation reaction as thermal degradation of macromolecules. Furthermore, upon nondimensionalization, all of the experimental data collapse onto a unified curve, revealing that the thermally driven decontamination process exhibits self-similar behavior. Our results show that heating surgical masks to 70 °C for 5 minutes inactivates over 99.9% of SARS-CoV-2. We also characterized the chemical and physical properties of disposable masks after heat treatment and did not observe degradation. The model presented in this work enables extrapolation of results beyond specific temperatures to provide guidelines for safe PPE decontamination. The modeling framework and self-similar behavior are expected to extend to most viruses—including yet-unencountered novel viruses—while accounting for a range of environmental conditions.
A saúde e sua relação com o desenvolvimento: um olhar acerca da contribuição da saúde no desenvolvimento regional

Objetivos: apresentar e refletir acerca das relacoes entre a saude e o desenvolvimento regional; das dimensoes da saude como direito por meio da desmercantilizacao do seu acesso; da saude como um bem economico com a mercantilizacao da oferta de servicos e o assalariamento medico; e da saude como um espaco de acumulacao de capital com a formacao do complexo industrial da saude. Metodo: Estudo teorico-reflexivo fundamentado por autores que abordam a saude e a sua relacao com o desenvolvimento regional. Inicialmente, foi realizada busca de livros, artigos cientificos e documentos em bases de dados da saude, nacionais e internacionais, que abordassem os conceitos, abordagem e perspectivas acerca da tematica. Localizados os textos, seguiu-se com o aprofundamento teorico. Resultados: Apesar da expansao do compromisso com a universalidade da saude em todos os niveis e sua relacao seja, direta ou indireta, com o desenvolvimento, requer um olhar mais apurado sobre a gestao e seus impactos para sociedade. Conclusao: A relacao entre os campos da saude e do desenvolvimento vislumbram as possiblidades potencializadoras que esta area pode proporcionar para o desenvolvimento nas diversas escalas.