cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Formation and characterization of calcium silicate hydrate–hexadecyltrimethylammonium nanostructure

Results of an investigation of the interaction potential of synthetic and pre-treated calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) [with hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA)] are reported. The effective and strong interaction of these molecules with the C-S-H surface was shown using 13C and 29Si cross polarization magic angle spinning (CP MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance, x-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. The HDTMA–C-S-H interaction is influenced by the poorly crystallized layered structure of C-S-H. An indefinite number of layers and an irregular arrangement are confirmed by the SEM images. The position and shape of the 002 reflection of C-S-H are affected by drying procedures, chemical pre-treatment, and reaction temperature. Recovery of the initial 002 peak position after severe drying and rewetting with distilled water or interaction with HDTMA is incomplete but accompanied by an increase in intensity. It is inferred that the stability of C-S-H binders in concrete can be affected by a variation in nanostructure resulting from engineering variables such as curing temperature and use of chemical admixtures.
Stages in the nuclear association of the herpes simplex virus transcriptional activator protein ICP4.

The nuclear localization of the herpes simplex virus transcriptional activator protein ICP4 was studied by indirect immunofluorescence. At early times after viral infection, ICP4 quickly localized to a diffuse intranuclear distribution. ICP4 later concentrated in globular compartments within the nucleus. The redistribution to the compartments was dependent on viral DNA replication. Double staining for ICP4 and ICP8, the early major DNA-binding protein, revealed that both were found in the same intranuclear globular compartments at late times. These were previously named "replication compartments" (M. P. Quinlan, L. B. Chen, and D. M. Knipe, Cell 36:857-868, 1984). Because ICP4 and ICP8 are known to function in transcriptional activation and DNA replication, respectively, both DNA replication and late transcription may occur in these compartments. The association of ICP4 and ICP8 with the replication compartments appeared to be independent in that the retention of ICP8 in the compartments required ongoing viral DNA synthesis, while the association of ICP4 was independent of viral DNA synthesis once the compartments were formed. Because ICP4 shows a different distribution at early and late times, stimulation of transcription by ICP4 may involve different molecular events or contacts during these two periods of the replicative cycle. Images
The Fragility of Intergroup Relations Divergent Effects of Delayed Audiovisual Feedback in Intergroup and Intragroup Interaction

Intergroup interactions between racial or ethnic majority and minority groups are often stressful for members of both groups; however, the dynamic processes that promote or alleviate tension in intergroup interaction remain poorly understood. Here we identify a behavioral mechanism—response delay—that can uniquely contribute to anxiety and promote disengagement from intergroup contact. Minimally acquainted White, Black, and Latino participants engaged in intergroup or intragroup dyadic conversation either in real time or with a subtle temporal disruption (1-s delay) in audiovisual feedback. Whereas intergroup dyads reported greater anxiety and less interest in contact after engaging in delayed conversation than after engaging in real-time conversation, intragroup dyads reported less anxiety in the delay condition than they did after interacting in real time. These findings have theoretical and practical implications for understanding intergroup communication and social dynamics and for promoting positive ...
Modeling Shear Behavior in the Annulus Fibrosus

An accurate constitutive law for the annulus fibrosus (AF) is critical to modeling the complex loads and deformations of the intervertebral disc. In the healthy disc, the loads applied to the AF are primarily a combination of tension and torsion. Several researchers [1–5] have developed nonlinear strain energy functions to model the AF using the fiber-reinforced composite theory of Spencer [6]. However, a limitation to these previous studies is that they did not include shear data in calculating the model coefficients. Although many of these models have non-physical representations of the stress contribution of the collagen fibers [1, 2, 4], (i.e. collagen fibers only support tensile loads, but in the models they also support compressive axial loads), others have implemented a tension-only restriction for collagen fibers [3, 5]. The objective of this study was to model shear behavior of the AF in addition to previously modeled loading conditions [2]. The currently proposed model includes shear data in determining model coefficients. Additionally, we examined the effect of a tension-only representation of collagen fibers on the model’s fit to the experimental data.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
The Power of Approximating: a Comparison of Activation Functions

We compare activation functions in terms of the approximation power of their feedforward nets. We consider the case of analog as well as boolean input.
Capillary nano-immunoassay for Akt 1/2/3 and 4EBP1 phosphorylation in acute myeloid leukemia

Overall cure rates in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) continue to range between 60-65% with disease relapse being a major cause of mortality. The PI3K-Akt-mTOR kinase pathway plays a vital role in pro-survival signals within leukemic cells and inhibition of this pathway is being investigated to improve patient outcomes. Tracking activation of multiple signaling proteins simultaneously in patient samples can be challenging especially with limiting cell numbers within rare sub-populations. The NanoPro 1000 system (ProteinSimple) is built on an automated, capillary-based immunoassay platform and enables a rapid and quantitative analysis of specific proteins and their phosphorylation states. We have utilized this nano-immunoassay to examine activation of Akt 1/2/3 and downstream mTOR target - eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-Binding Protein 1 (4EBP1). Assays for Akt 1/2/3 and 4EBP1 were standardized using AML cell lines (MV4-11, MOLM-14, OCI-AML3 and HL-60) prior to testing in patient samples. Target inhibition was studied using mTOR 1/2 inhibitor AZD-8055 and results were corroborated by Western blotting. The assay was able to quantify nanogram amounts of 4EBP1 and Akt 1/2/3 in AML cell lines and primary pediatric AML samples and results were quantifiable, consistent and reproducible. Our data provides a strong basis for testing this platform on a larger scale and our long term aim is to utilize this nano-immunoassay prospectively in de-novo AML to be able to identify poor responders who might benefit from early introduction of targeted therapy.
Approximately optimal assignment for unequal loss protection

This paper describes an algorithm that achieves an approximately optimal assignment of forward error correction to progressive data within the unequal loss protection framework. It first finds the optimal assignment under convex hull and fractional bit allocation assumptions. It then relaxes those constraints to find an assignment that approximates the global optimum. The algorithm has a running time of O(hNlogN) where h is the number of points on the convex hull of the source's utility-cost curve and N is the number of packets transmitted.
Effect of biliary obstruction on 26-hydroxylation of C27-steroids in bile acid synthesis

The effect of biliary obstruction on side chain hydroxylations in the biosynthesis and metabolism of bile acids was studied in the rat. For comparison, several other hydroxylation reactions in bile acid biosynthesis and metabolism were assayed. Biliary obstruction inhibited microsomal 26-hydroxylation of 5beta-cholestane-3alpha,7alpha-diol and microsomal 25- and 26-hydroxylation of 5beta-cholestane-3alpha,7alpha-12alpha-triol. Microsomal 7alpha-hydroxylation of cholesterol and 6beta-hydroxylation of lithocholic acid acid increased significantly, whereas the increase in microsomal 12alpha-hydroxylation of 5beta-cholestane-3alpha,7alpha-diol was less. Mitochondrial 26-hydroxylation of cholesterol, 5-cholestene-3beta,7alpha-diol, and 7alpha-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one was stimulated, whereas 26-hydroxylation of 5beta-cholestane-3alpha,7alpha-diol was not affected and that of 5beta-cholestane-3alpha,7alpha,12alpha-triol was markedly inhibited. The results indicate that mitochondrial 26-hydroxylation, particularly of substrates that primarily are precursors of chenodeoxycholic acid, plays a more important role in bile acid biosynthesis under conditions of biliary obstruction than under normal conditions.
Acute negative coupling of endothelial nitric oxide to endothelin-1 release: Support from nitric oxide synthase inhibitors?

a Research Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 3200 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45220, United States b Department of Pharmacology and Cell Biophysics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, PO Box 670575, Cincinnati, H 45267-0575, United States c Surgical Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 3200 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45220, United States d The Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, PO Box 670515, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0515, United States
Sid Wainer & Son: A Growing Realization

This teaching case challenges the reader to contemplate what they would do in the absence of a clear crisis or controversy. Good managers proactively solve problems before they become crises. Great leaders engage stakeholders to develop a vision and a plan to realize it. In this case, enough facts are presented to either engage in a discussion of principles and law-related research into creative courses of action. The teaching note explains what really happened: how a food supply company realized the "win-win-wins" of adopting sustainable business practices, and how third party standards and laws support the success of these initiatives.
Biosyntheses of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and its Influence on Triglyceride structures in Plants

Phosphatidylcholine has been identified as the substrate of the dehydrogenase of polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis in plants. This article has briefly summarized the recent development and discussed the relationships between polyunsaturated fatty acid syntheses and triacylglycerol structures.
Putting Meaning into Meaningful Use: A Roadmap to Successful Integration of Evidence at the Point of Care

Pressures to contain health care costs, personalize patient care, use big data, and to enhance health care quality have highlighted the need for integration of evidence at the point of care. The application of evidence-based medicine (EBM) has great promise in the era of electronic health records (EHRs) and health technology. The most successful integration of evidence into EHRs has been complex decision tools that trigger at a critical point of the clinical visit and include patient specific recommendations. The objective of this viewpoint paper is to investigate why the incorporation of complex CDS tools into the EMR is equally complex and continues to challenge health service researchers and implementation scientists. Poor adoption and sustainability of EBM guidelines and CDS tools at the point of care have persisted and continue to document low rates of usage. The barriers cited by physicians include efficiency, perception of usefulness, information content, user interface, and over-triggering. Building on the traditional EHR implementation frameworks, we review keys strategies for successful CDSs: (1) the quality of the evidence, (2) the potential to reduce unnecessary care, (3) ease of integrating evidence at the point of care, (4) the evidence's consistency with clinician perceptions and preferences, (5) incorporating bundled sets or automated documentation, and (6) shared decision making tools. As EHRs become commonplace and insurers demand higher quality and evidence-based care, better methods for integrating evidence into everyday care are warranted. We have outlined basic criteria that should be considered before attempting to integrate evidenced-based decision support tools into the EHR.
Serologic evidence of prior chlamydial infection in patients with tubal ectopic pregnancy and contralateral tubal disease.

Oviductal damage from infectious salpingitis is a principle cause of ectopic pregnancy. To examine the role of Chlamydia trachomatis in patients with ectopic pregnancy, 24 patients undergoing laparotomy for ectopic pregnancy were evaluated by assessment of chlamydial serology and chlamydial cultures of tubal biopsy specimens. The patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of gross abnormalities in the fallopian tube contralateral to the ectopic gestation. Ten patients in group I showed gross evidence of chronic salpingitis in the contralateral tube; 14 patients in group II had normal-appearing contralateral tubes. Chlamydial cultures were negative in both groups. Chlamydial immunoglobulin M antibodies assayed by indirect microimmunofluorescence were negative in both groups (≤1:32). Mean geometric immunoglobulin G titers for C. trachomatis were significantly higher in the patients with evidence of contralateral chronic salpingitis (78.9 versus 13.1). These findings suggest that C. trachomatis may be a major cause of oviductal damage, which predisposes to ectopic pregnancy.
Gastrointestinal polyposis syndromes

Well recognized cutaneointestinal syndromes in which colonic polyps are a constant and defining feature include Gardner's syndrome (familial adenomatous polyposis), Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, and Cronkhite-Canada syndrome. Colonic polyps are also found with increased frequency in Cowden's disease, the Muir-Torre syndrome, and neurofibromatosis. The Ruvalcaba-Myhre-Smith syndrome is a newly defined entity in this category. The relationship between acrochordons and colonic polyps remains a controversial issue, awaiting additional studies.
Human-In-The-Loop Investigation of Interoperability Between Terminal Sequencing and Spacing, Automated Terminal Proximity Alert, and Wake-Separation Recategorization

A human-in-the-loop simulation study addressed terminal-area controller-workstation interface variations for interoperability between three new capabilities being introduced by the FAA. The capabilities are Terminal Sequencing and Spacing (TSAS), Automated Terminal Proximity Alert (ATPA), and wake-separation recategorization, or 'RECAT.' TSAS provides controllers with Controller-Managed Spacing (CMS) tools, including slot markers, speed advisories, and early/late indications, together with runway assignments and sequence numbers. ATPA provides automatic monitor, warning, and alert cones to inform controllers about spacing between aircraft on approach. ATPA cones are sized according to RECAT, an improved method of specifying wake-separation standards. The objective of the study was to identify potential issues and provide recommendations for integrating TSAS with ATPA and RECAT. Participants controlled arrival traffic under seven different display configurations, then tested an 'exploratory' configuration developed with participant input. All the display conditions were workable and acceptable, but controllers strongly preferred having the CMS tools available on Feeder positions, and both CMS tools and ATPA available on Final positions. Controllers found the integrated systems favorable and liked being able to tailor configurations to individual preferences.
Regulation of Striatal D1 Dopamine Receptor Density by D1 and D2 Antagonists

Elucidation of the respective functional roles of the D1 and D2 subtypes of dopamine receptors in the basal ganglia has been the subject of intense study in recent years. According to the definitions proposed by Kebabian and Calne (1979), D1 receptors stimulate adenylate cyclase, and D2 receptors either inhibit or have no effect on this enzyme. Until the last few years, no function was ascribed to the D1 receptor. Neuroleptics, drugs used to treat psychosis, are all antagonists at D2 receptors, although some are also antagonists at D1 receptors. Supersensitivity of D2 receptors has been proposed as the basis for tardive dyskinesia, a hyperkinetic involuntary movement disorder that may develop after long-term administration of neuroleptics. Dopamine agonists exacerbate tardive dyskinesia (Tarsy & Baldessarini, 1977) and administration of neuroleptics to rats results in an increase in the density of striatal D2 receptors (e.g., Burt et al., 1977).
Technical Section: Volumetric parameterization of complex objects by respecting multiple materials

In this paper we present a methodology to create higher order parametric trivariate representations such as B-splines or T-splines, from closed triangle meshes with higher genus or bifurcations. The input can consist of multiple interior boundaries which represent inner object material attributes. Fundamental to our approach is the use of a midsurface in combination with harmonic functions to decompose the object into a small number of trivariate tensor-product patches that respect material attributes. The methodology is applicable to thin solid models which we extend using the flexibility of harmonic functions and demonstrate our technique, among other objects, on a genus-1 pelvis data set containing an interior triangle mesh separating the cortical part of the bone from the trabecular part. Finally, a B-spline representation is generated from the parameterization.
Pheochromocytoma: The First Metabolic Endocrine Cancer

Dysregulated metabolism is one of the key characteristics of cancer cells. The most prominent alterations are present during regulation of cell respiration, which leads to a switch from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis. This metabolic shift results in activation of numerous signaling and metabolic pathways supporting cell proliferation and survival. Recent progress in genetics and metabolomics has allowed us to take a closer look at the metabolic changes present in pheochromocytomas (PHEO) and paragangliomas (PGL). These neuroendocrine tumors often exhibit dysregulation of mitochondrial metabolism, which is driven by mutations in genes encoding Krebs cycle enzymes or by activation of hypoxia signaling. Present metabolic changes are involved in processes associated with tumorigenesis, invasiveness, metastasis, and resistance to various cancer therapies. In this review, we discuss the metabolic nature of PHEOs/PGLs and how unveiling the metabolic disturbances present in tumors could lead to identification of new biomarkers and personalized cancer therapies. Clin Cancer Res; 22(20); 5001-11. ©2016 AACR SEE ALL ARTICLES IN THIS CCR FOCUS SECTION, "ENDOCRINE CANCERS REVISING PARADIGMS".
Intertemporal speculation, shortages and the political economy of price reform

Price controls often focus on commodities that are storable and can thus be used in intertemporal speculation. Second, opposition to dismantling of controls is often based on claims of low supply response, and greatly bolstered if a strong supply response fails to materialise. This is especially relevant in Eastern Europe, where experience with markets is limited. We show the difficulties that these two factors create for gradual decontrol of prices. We endogenise the probability of a collapse of the reform programme and show that such endogeneity in the presence of intertemporal speculation leads to a strong case against gradualism. The smaller the initial price increase, the lower the observed supply elasticity and the greater the probability that the programme of reform will be abandoned. This implies that the policy that makes most sense from a microeconomic point of view (decontrol immediately) is also advisable from a macroeconomic point of view. Credibility problems, which are at the core of the transitional output losses that characterise most stabilisation programmes, will be much less under a cold turkey approach and so will therefore transitional unemployment.
Setting up a pediatric robotic urology program: A USA institution experience.

Implementing a robotic urological surgery program requires institutional support, and necessitates a comprehensive, detail-oriented plan that accounts for training, oversight, cost and case volume. Given the prevalence of robotic surgery in adult urology, in many instances it might be feasible to implement a pediatric robotic urology program within the greater context of adult urology. This involves, from an institutional standpoint, proportional distribution of equipment cost and operating room time. However, the pediatric urology team primarily determines goals for volume expansion, operative case selection, resident training and surgical innovation within the specialty. In addition to the clinical model, a robust economic model that includes marketing must be present. This review specifically highlights these factors in relationship to establishing and maintaining a pediatric robotic urology program. In addition, we share our data involving robot use over the program's first nine years (December 2007–December 2016).
Theories of Person Perception Predict Patterns of Neural Activity During Mentalizing

Social life requires making inferences about other people. What information do perceivers spontaneously draw upon to make such inferences? Here, we test 4 major theories of person perception, and 1 synthetic theory that combines their features, to determine whether the dimensions of such theories can serve as bases for describing patterns of neural activity during mentalizing. While undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging, participants made social judgments about well-known public figures. Patterns of brain activity were then predicted using feature encoding models that represented target people's positions on theoretical dimensions such as warmth and competence. All 5 theories of person perception proved highly accurate at reconstructing activity patterns, indicating that each could describe the informational basis of mentalizing. Cross-validation indicated that the theories robustly generalized across both targets and participants. The synthetic theory consistently attained the best performance-approximately two-thirds of noise ceiling accuracy--indicating that, in combination, the theories considered here can account for much of the neural representation of other people. Moreover, encoding models trained on the present data could reconstruct patterns of activity associated with mental state representations in independent data, suggesting the use of a common neural code to represent others' traits and states.
A 6-way ring combiner/divider

A 6-way planar ring for combining/dividing signals is presented in this paper. Conventional planar power combining/dividing structures use derivatives of the Wilkinson combiner in a ladder like structure, or radial combiners. The ring combiner can be made smaller, provide higher port isolation, improved harmonic suppression and a single isolation port (e.g., delta output port), allowing energy harvesting in outphasing applications. The presented ring combiner achieves a measured insertion loss of 25 dB isolation. The isolation notch is tunable by adjusting a static phase offset between the inputs. When linearly combining six, 26 dBm amplifiers, measurement results show 31dBm output. A 5-MHz, 64QAM LTE up-link signal is amplified without DPD and achieves an average out-put power of 24.1 dBm with an ACLR of >35 dBc. The power handling capability of the ring is only limited by the trace width and dielectric material, hence higher powers are achieveable.
Development and Psychometrics of Instruments to Assess School Personnel's Bystander Action in Situations of Teen Relationship Abuse and Sexual Assault.

This article describes recently developed instruments that assess school personnel’s bystander barriers and intentions in situations of teen relationship abuse, sexual assault, and sexual harassmen...
Frailty measurement and its contribution to clinical care and health services: a commentary

Frailty is associated with poorer quality of life and higher healthcare utilization and spending. Despite its importance, no clear consensus exists on the definition of frailty. The recent IJHPR article by Buch et al. significantly contributes to the advancement of Israel’s understanding of frailty by estimating for the first time the prevalence of frailty in the country. This commentary discusses the context of past and current advancements in measuring frailty and discusses how frailty measurement can contribute to both clinical care and the organization of health services to care for frail older adults in Israel and other developed countries.
Hyperthyroidism in Moyamoya Disease

Hyperthyroidism is a clinical condition caused by the effects of excessive circulating thyroid hormones on various tissues of the body [1]. The various actions of thyroid hormone on many organ systems produce a broad spectrum of clinical signs and symptoms in patients with hyperthyroidism. An increased body's metabolism is characteristic in hyperthyroidism [2]. For this reason, patients often feel hotter than those around them and can slowly lose body weight even though they may be eating more food. When hyperthyroidism is severe, patients can suffer shortness of breath, chest pain, and muscle weakness [2]. Although there are several different causes of hyperthyroidism, most of the symptoms that patients experience are the same regardless of the cause [3]. Hyperthyroidism, thyroid storm, and Graves disease are conditions of excess thyroid hormone. Thyroid storm is a rare and potentially fatal complication of hyperthyroidism [4]. It typically occurs in patients with untreated or partially treated thyrotoxicosis who experience a precipitating event such as surgery, infection, or trauma [2]. Patients typically appear markedly hypermetabolic with high fevers, tachycardia, nausea and vomiting, tremulousness, agitation, and psychosis [5]. Graves disease (diffuse toxic goiter), the most common underlying cause of hyperthyroidism, is an autoimmune disease in which autoantibodies against the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptors inappropriately stimulate thyroid gland with ensuing excessive production and release of thyroid hormones [6]. The resultant hyperthyroid state produces multiorgan physiological derangements. Graves disease is associated with various autoimmune diseases such as pernicious anemia, vitiligo, type 1 diabetes mellitus, autoimmune adrenal insufficiency, systemic sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, Sjogren syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus [7]. Utku et al. described reversible angiographical findings mimicking moyamoya disease at magnetic resonance (MR) angiography in a woman with a stroke-like episode and encephalopathy diagnosed as Graves disease [8]. In this case, her neurological status improved dramatically after methylprednisolone treatment and plasmapheresis, and the MR angiography abnormalities resolved after 3 months
Applications to Continued Fractions and Orthogonal Polynomials

Continued fractions are intimately connected with second-order difference equations. Every continued fraction may be associated with a second-order difference equation; and conversely, every second-order difference equation may be derived from some continued fraction. The first point of view is useful for computing continued fractions, the second for computing the minimal solutions.
Fluid Narrative, Contested Memory - Remembering Conflict and Re-Membering Societies in Post-Conflict Situations (The Case of Kenya, Constitutions, Land Reform and Electoral Violence)

The narratives that invigorate post-conflict societies affect prospects for effective peace-building and democratic growth. How members of a society remember their personal and shared experiences in conflict shape how post-conflict efforts at reconciliation unfold. How victims and perpetrators of violence tell the narratives of the conflict episodes influences the contour of societal re-membering or rebuilding efforts. How experiences are remembered, memorialized, portrayed lays the foundation for how societies will overcome, transform or repeat violence and instability overtime. Drawing from theoretical literature and specific data on episodes of violence surrounding elections in Kenya  from 1992 through 2013  this paper explores how the contested and changing memories of and narratives about violence have formed the contours of and prospects for long-term reconciliation in post-conflict societies. How do contested memories and related fluid narratives shape possibilities for reconciliation, enduring peace and justice in post-conflict settings? Data on Kenya serves as a case study to inform dialogue and research on more general understandings of prospects for peace in post-conflict societies based on the presence of varied memories and fluid narratives about situations of conflict.
The adoption of women’s legislative caucuses worldwide

Recent decades have witnessed the rise, across a wide range of countries, of political institutions designed to promote gender equality and women’s political representation. Existing studies have s...
Development and Preliminary Evaluation of IRD-1-2-3: An Animated Video to Inform Transplant Candidates About Increased Risk Donor Kidneys.

BACKGROUND Current educational interventions about increased risk donors (IRDs) are less effective in improving knowledge among African American (AA) kidney transplant candidates compared to other races. We aimed to develop an IRD educational animated video culturally responsive to AAs and conduct feasibility testing. METHODS Between May 1, 2018, and June 25, 2018, we iteratively refined a culturally targeted video for AAs with input from multiple stakeholders. We then conducted a one group pre-post study between June 28, 2018, and October 29, 2018, with 40 kidney transplant candidates to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the video to improve participant knowledge and obtain feedback about IRD understanding, self-efficacy, and willingness. A mixed population was chosen to obtain race-specific acceptability data and efficacy estimates to inform a larger study. RESULTS Three themes emerged and informed video development; misattribution of IRD to kidney quality, IRD terminology as a barrier to meaningful understanding, and variable reactions to a 1:1000 risk estimate. The study cohort was 50% AA. Median IRD knowledge increased from 5 to 7.5 (P = 0.001) overall and from 5 to 7 (P < 0.001) among AAs. The frequency of positive responses increased pre-post video for understanding of (23% vs 83%, P < 0.001), self-efficacy to decide about (38% vs 70%, P < 0.001), and willingness to accept IRD kidneys (25% vs 72%, P < 0.001). Over 90% of participants provided positive ratings on each of the 6 acceptability items. CONCLUSIONS A culturally responsive IRD educational video was developed in collaboration with key stakeholders. Quantitative results indicate the video was acceptable and promising to impact IRD knowledge among AA and non-AA kidney transplant candidates.
Synthesis and Structural Characterization of (n-Bu(4)N)(3)AuSn(2)Te(6).

By employing the ethylenediamine extraction reaction of a pentanary alloy with the nominal composition of K4AuSn2Sb2Te11, the discrete ternary Zintl anion [AuSn2Te6]3- was isolated. The structure of the [AuSn2Te6]3- anion is composed of a dimeric [Sn2Te6]4- anion and a [AuTe2] unit. A highly strained [AuSn2Te6]3- anion results from the bending of both the dimeric [Sn2Te6]4- anion and the [AuTe2] unit. The title compound represents the first example that uses a [Sn2Te6] dimer as a ligand to construct a ternary Zintl telluride compound.
New Circuit Topology for System-Level Reliability of GaN

To accelerate GaN adoption, beyond-JEDEC system-level reliability should be done to prove the robustness of GaN in applications. In this paper, a new hard switching test vehicle (half-bridge RC load) was proposed & demonstrated to achieve system-like stress, flexibility of acceleration test, low system power consumption with large sample size, easy setup & control which can meet system-level reliability requirement.
Ultimate shear strength of steel-plate composite (SC) walls with boundary elements

Abstract This paper presents the results from a comprehensive study of the in-plane shear behavior and ultimate shear strength of steel-plate composite (SC) shear walls with flanges or boundary elements. Prior experimental results have demonstrated that as the applied in-plane shear load is increased, the response of the SC wall follows a progression of limit states beginning with elastic behavior, diagonal concrete cracking, yielding of the steel faceplates, and finally compression failure of the concrete infill at ultimate strength. As load levels increase beyond the faceplate yielding limit state, the diagonal compression in the cracked concrete infill is anchored and resisted by the boundary elements. The ultimate strength of the wall system then depends on the yield strength of the steel faceplates and the diagonal compression capacity of the cracked concrete infill. An analytical approach using composite shell theory is developed for calculating the entire in-plane shear force-shear strain response, including the ultimate shear strength and corresponding shear strain, of SC walls with flanges or boundary elements. A series of SC shear panel tests in the literature are modeled and analyzed using nonlinear inelastic finite element models. The analysis results including the detailed responses of the composite section, steel faceplates, and concrete infill are compared with experimental results, and used to calibrate the composite shell theory approach. The proposed, calibrated analytical approach is further verified using the existing database of tests conducted on SC shear walls with flanges or boundary elements. Both the finite element model and the proposed analytical approach can be used to calculate the entire in-plane shear force-shear strain response of SC shear walls with reasonable accuracy.
Engaging Women in Coding: An Interdisciplinary Approach

The focus of this effort is to provide teaching practices to engage women college students in learning Python computer programming by solving interdisciplinary problems. Interactive and collaborative tools are adapted and presented such as pair programming, think/pair/share, code tracing, debugging faulty code, and pedagogical code reviews. The goal is to offer a classroom experience that combines several methods to provide an engaging, fun and inclusive environment to women. The results show students' success in learning fundamentals of computer programming in Python, but more importantly, these classroom practices proved to be inspiring and motivating. Women participants gained confidence and a sense of belonging in a CS classroom.
Subtherapeutic Acetazolamide Doses as a Noninvasive Method for Assessing Medication Adherence.

Adherence monitoring is a vital component of clinical efficacy trials, as the regularity of medication consumption affects both efficacy and adverse effect profiles. Pill-counts do not confirm consumption, and invasive plasma assessments can only assist post hoc assessments. We previously reported on the pharmacokinetics of a potential adherence marker to noninvasively monitor dosage consumption during a trial without breaking a blind. We reported that consumption cessation of subtherapeutic 15 mg acetazolamide (ACZ) doses showed a predictable urinary excretion decay that was quantifiable for an extended period. The current study describes the clinical implementation of 15 mg ACZ doses as an adherence marker excipient in distinct cohorts taking ACZ for different "adherence" durations. We confirm that ACZ output did not change (accumulate) during 18-20 days of adherence, and developed and assessed urinary cutoffs as nonadherence indicators. We demonstrate that whereas an absolute concentration cutoff (989 ng/mL) lacked sensitivity, a creatinine normalized equivalent (1,376 ng/mg ACZ) was highly accurate at detecting nonadherence. We also demonstrate that during nonadherent phases of three trials, creatinine-normalized urinary ACZ elimination was reproducible within and across trials with low variability. Excretion was first order, with a decay half-life averaging ~ 2.0 days. Further, excretion remained quantifiable for 14 days, providing a long period during which the date of last consumption might be determined. We conclude that inclusion of 15 mg ACZ as a dosage form adherence marker excipient, provides a reliable and sensitive mechanism to confirm medication consumption and detect nonadherence during clinical efficacy trials.
High confidence spatial long-term memories produce greater cortical activity in males than females

Many functional resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have reported sex differences during long-term memory. The present fMRI investigation aimed to identify whether sex differences exist during high- versus low-confidence accurate spatial memories. During the study phase, abstract shapes were presented to the left or right of fixation. During the test phase, each shape was presented at fixation and participants made an old-"left" or old-"right" judgment followed by an "unsure" or "sure" response. The conjunction of female high- versus low-confidence spatial memory and male high- versus low-confidence spatial memory identified common activity in visual processing regions and parietal cortex, which suggests amplification of activity in some of the regions commonly associated with long-term memory yields high confidence. The contrast of female high- versus low-confidence spatial memory and male high- versus low-confidence spatial memory did not produce any significant activity. However, the reverse contrast produced greater male than female activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex, parietal cortex, sensorimotor cortex, and visual processing regions. An independent region-of-interest (ROI) analysis (ROIs were identified by contrasting hits versus misses) produced complementary results in the lateral prefrontal cortex. Greater lateral prefrontal cortex activity suggests a higher degree of subjective confidence in males than females, greater parietal cortex and visual processing activity suggests more vivid visualization in males than females, and greater activity in sensorimotor cortex indicates that males have a more reactive processing style than females. More broadly, the present and previous functional sex differences argue against the practice of collapsing across sex in cognitive neuroscience studies.
Impact of rs174537 on Critically Ill Patients with Acute Lung Injury: A Secondary Analysis of the OMEGA Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background Nutrition in the intensive care unit is vital for patient care; however, immunomodulatory diets rich in PUFAs like γ-linolenic acid (GLA), EPA, and DHA remain controversial for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. We postulate that genetic variants impacting PUFA metabolism contribute to mixed responses to PUFA-rich diets. Objectives In this study, we aimed to test the effects of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs174537 on differential responses to PUFA-rich diets. Methods We performed a secondary analysis of the OMEGA trial (NCT00609180) where 129 subjects received placebo control diets and 143 received omega-oil. DNA was extracted from buffy coats and used to genotype rs174537; plasma was used to quantitate PUFAs. We tested for SNP-diet interactions on PUFA concentrations, inflammatory biomarkers, and patient outcomes. Results We observed that all individuals receiving omega-oil displayed significantly higher concentrations of GLA, EPA, and DHA (all P < 0.0001), but they did not vary by genotype at rs174537. Statistically significant SNP-diet interactions were observed on circulating DHA concentrations in African Americans. Specifically, African American T-allele carriers on placebo illustrated elevated DHA concentrations. Additionally, all individuals receiving omega-oil had higher concentrations of EPA-derived urinary F3-isoprostane (Caucasians: P = 0.0011; African Americans: P = 0.0002). Despite these findings, we did not detect any significant SNP-diet interactions on pulmonary functional metrics, clinical outcomes, and mortality. Conclusions This study highlights the importance of genetic and racial contributions to PUFA metabolism and inflammation. In particular, rs174537 had a significant impact on circulating DHA and urinary isoprostane concentrations. Given our relatively small sample size, further investigations in larger multiethnic cohorts are needed to evaluate the impact of rs174537 on fatty acid metabolism and downstream inflammation.
X-Ray Microtomography Analysis of Li-Sulfur Batteries with a Block Copolymer Electrolyte

Li-ion batteries are the dominant solution for many applications, from small electronic devices up to hybrid and fully electric vehicles.[1] However, this technology is now mature and new chemistries are needed to reach high specific energy while ensuring safety. Despite a relatively low operating voltage, sulfur (S8) is an attractive cathode active material due to its high theoretical specific capacity; a factor of six higher than traditional LiCoO2 cathodes.[2] To realize high energy density systems, the S8 cathode must be paired with a Li metal anode. Many challenges remain to be addressed to effectively couple a Li metal with a S8 cathode such as the low S8 utilization, the strong volume change of active material upon cycling, the insulating nature of S8 and of the final product Li2S, the solubility of polysulfides in the electrolyte.[3] This issues lead to poor capacity retention, limited cycle life, and low Coulombic efficiency. To address the polysulfide dissolution problem one approach consists in confining S8 within mesoporous and nanoporous carbon.[4] However, conventional liquid electrolytes are not stable against Li metal. A solution is then to use a solid polymer electrolytes, such as polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (SEO) block copolymer doped with LiTFSI salt, known to stabilize Li metal.[5] The goal of this study is to understand the behavior of Li-S8 batteries comprising a SEO electrolyte. The cathode is a composite made of carbon, SEO electrolyte and sulfur-impregnated carbon nanospheres.[6] The cells were cycled and exhibited significant capacity fade. We thus used hard X-ray microtomography to determine the reason for this capacity fade. Figure 1 represents tomography images prior and after cycling. In addition to polysulfide dissolution, our observations indicate that the battery failure in our system is also due to strong changes at the Li/SEO interface. References [1] J. B. Goodenough, K.-S. Park, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 135 (2013) 1167 (2013). [2] P. G. Bruce, S. A. Freunberger, L. J. Hardwick, J.-M. Tarascon, Nat. Mater., 11 (2012) 19. [3] S. S. Zhang, J. Power Sources, 231, 153 (2013). [4] X. Fan, W. Sun, F. Meng, A. Xing, J. Liu, Green Energy Environ., 3 (2018) 2. [5] D. T. Hallinan, S. A. Mullin, G. M. Stone, and N. P. Balsara, J. Electrochem. Soc., 160, (2013) A464. [6] D. Devaux, I. Villaluenga, X. Jiang, Y. H. Chang, D. Y. Parkinson, N. P. Balsara, J. Electrochem. Soc., 167 (2020) 060506
Differential compartmentalization of BMP4/NOGGIN requires NOGGIN trans-epithelial transport

Using self-organizing human models of gastrulation, we previously showed that (1) BMP4 initiates the cascade of events leading to gastrulation, (2) BMP4 signal reception is restricted to the basolateral domain, and (3) in a human-specific manner, BMP4 directly induces the expression of NOGGIN. Here, we report the surprising discovery that in human epiblasts, NOGGIN and BMP4 were secreted into opposite extracellular spaces. Interestingly, apically presented NOGGIN could inhibit basally delivered BMP4. Apically imposed microfluidic flow demonstrated that NOGGIN traveled in the apical extracellular space. Our co-localization analysis detailed the endocytotic route that trafficked NOGGIN from the apical space to the basolateral intercellular space where BMP4 receptors were located. This apical-basal transcytosis was indispensable for NOGGIN inhibition. Taken together, the segregation of activator/inhibitor into distinct extracellular spaces challenges classical views of morphogen movement. We propose that the transport of morphogen inhibitors regulates the spatial availability of morphogens during embryogenesis.
Fairness in Apportionment

We show that under suitable assumption on the number of states and the distribution of the population numbers of the states, bias of various methods of apportionment can be quantified. We also discuss the frequency of quota violations and occurrences of the Alabama Paradox. The results provide support for a proposal for apportioning the U.S. House of Representatives.
Storage characteristics of baled alfalfa-grass forages treated with a propionic-acid-based preservative or wrapped in stretch plastic film

ABSTRACT Objective The objectives for this study were to assess the storage characteristics of relatively dry, mixed-species forage preserved with a propionic-acid-based preservative, or by wrapping with 7 layers of plastic film as baled silage. Materials and Methods The experimental design was a randomized complete block with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments, which included application of a propionic-acid-based preservative at 0.27 ± 0.025% of wet bale weight (yes or no), and wrapping in 7 layers of stretch film (yes or no). A total of 33 round bales (1.2 × 1.5 m) containing 66% legumes (alfalfa; Medicago sativa L.) and 31% grasses (orchardgrass; Dactylis glomerata L.) were produced at 25.8 ± 2.20% moisture. This number of bales were sufficient for 8 complete field blocks (replications), plus one additional bale assigned to receive preservative, but no plastic wrap. Bales were positioned on wooden pallets for 84 d before final sampling. Internal bale temperatures were monitored daily during the 84-d storage period. Results and Discussion The preservative had no clear statistical effect on any measure of spontaneous heating (P ≥ 0.086). In contrast, application of plastic film yielded reduced maximum internal bale temperatures (41.5 vs. 61.6°C; P 30°C (111 vs. 732; P 0.05) in wrapped bales compared with pre-storage values. Implications and Applications The application of plastic film onto relatively dry mixed-species forages proved extremely effective in reducing spontaneous heating during storage, as well as minimizing nutrient losses.
An Athymic Rat Model for Mandibular Osteoradionecrosis Allowing for Direct Translation of Regenerative Treatments.

ObjectiveWe aim to create a model of mandibular osteoradionecrosis in athymic rats. Athymic rats provide an immunosuppressed environment whereby human stem cells and biomaterials can be used to inv...
Temporal and spatial trends in sediment contaminants associated with toxicity in California watersheds.

California's Stream Pollution Trends program (SPoT) assesses long-term water quality trends, using 100 base-of-the-watershed sampling sites. Annual statewide sediment surveys from 2008 to 2012 identified consistent levels of statewide toxicity (19%), using the freshwater amphipod Hyalella azteca. Significant contaminant trends included a decrease in PCBs, stable concentrations of metals and PAHs, and a statewide increase in detections and concentrations of pyrethroid pesticides. The pyrethroid pesticide bifenthrin was detected in 69% of samples (n = 410). Detection of toxicity increased in a subset of samples tested at a more environmentally relevant test temperature (15 °C), and the magnitude of toxicity was much greater, indicating pyrethroid pesticides as a probable cause. Pyrethroid toxicity thresholds (LC50) were exceeded in 83% of samples with high toxicity. Principal components analysis related pyrethroids, metals and total organic carbon to urban land use.