cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of 2 Ultrasound-Guided Approaches to the Saphenous Nerve Block: Adductor Canal Versus Distal Transsartorial: A Prospective, Randomized, Blinded, Noninferiority Trial

Background and Objectives Saphenous nerve blocks can be technically challenging. Recently described ultrasound techniques have improved the success rate of saphenous nerve blocks, but randomized controlled trials comparing these ultrasound-guided techniques are lacking. We compared 2 common ultrasound-guided approaches for saphenous nerve block: saphenous nerve block at the adductor canal (ACSNB) versus block by the distal transsartorial (DTSNB) approach. Methods Patients received either ACSNB or DTSNB in this prospective, randomized, blinded, noninferiority clinical trial. The primary objective was to show the noninferiority of ACSNB to DTSNB in terms of block success. Secondary outcome measures were time required to perform the block, time to onset of successful block, and the visibility of the nerve using ultrasound. Results One hundred twenty patients were randomized to receive DTSNB (n = 62) or ACSNB (n = 58). There were 9 failures in the DTSNB group (85% success) and no failures in the ACSNB group (100% success), 90% confidence interval of difference in success rates (DTSNB - ACSNB) was −0.195 to −0.031. Given that the upper confidence bound (−3.1%) was less than 10%, the success rate of ACSNB was noninferior to DTSNB. After satisfying noninferiority and observing a greater success rate of ACSNB compared with DTSNB, we also determined that ACSNB was superior to DTSNB (P = 0.003). The median time to success was significantly less for the ACSNB group: 9 minutes versus 3 minutes (P Conclusions Ultrasound-guided block of the saphenous nerve at the adductor canal is not only noninferior but also superior to block at the distal transsartorial level in terms of success rate, with additional advantages of faster block onset time and better nerve visibility under ultrasound.
Dorsal Column But Not Lateral Column Transection Prevents Down-Conditioning of H Reflex in Rats

Chen, Xiang Yang and Jonathan R. Wolpaw. Dorsal column but not lateral column transection prevents down-conditioning of H reflex in rats. J. Neurophysiol. 78: 1730–1734, 1997. Operant conditioning ...
Hamilton–Jacobi Theory

We consider in this appendix certain aspects of the Hamilton-Jacobi theory which play a very important role in the Schrodinger and de Broglie wave theories as well as in the Bohmian mechanics.
Trade Models and the Multinational Corporation: A Comparison of Asian and Latin American Experience

This paper examines the economic models of ISI (import substitution industrialization) versus EXPRO (export promotion model) in light of the post-WWII experience of two substantial areas of the developing world: Latin America and Asia.
Local optionality with partial orders

In local optionality, an optional process may apply at some loci in a form but not at others. Some theories of optionality, such as Partial Orders Theory, produce optionality by making multiple strict constraint rankings available, and have been claimed to be incompatible with local optionality: if the process-triggering constraint outranks faithfulness, the process applies exhaustively; under the opposite ranking, it applies nowhere. On this view, candidates in which the process applies at some loci but not others are harmonically bounded. This paper argues against that position by showing that for a variety of locally optional processes each locus can be independently manipulated if the theory makes use of constraints that target particular prosodic or morphosyntactic units – constraints that are motivated independently of their utility in local optionality. The result is that, contrary to the harmonic-bounding argument, Partial Orders Theory can provide plausible accounts of local optionality.
A Least-Squares Commutator in the Iterative Subspace Method for Accelerating Self-Consistent Field Convergence

A least-squares commutator in the iterative subspace (LCIIS) approach is explored for accelerating self-consistent field (SCF) calculations. LCIIS is similar to direct inversion of the iterative subspace (DIIS) methods in that the next iterate of the density matrix is obtained as a linear combination of past iterates. However, whereas DIIS methods find the linear combination by minimizing a sum of error vectors, LCIIS minimizes the Frobenius norm of the commutator between the density matrix and the Fock matrix. This minimization leads to a quartic problem that can be solved iteratively through a constrained Newton’s method. The relationship between LCIIS and DIIS is discussed. Numerical experiments suggest that LCIIS leads to faster convergence than other SCF convergence accelerating methods in a statistically significant sense, and in a number of cases LCIIS leads to stable SCF solutions that are not found by other methods. The computational cost involved in solving the quartic minimization problem is sm...
Return-oriented vulnerabilities in ARM executables

Return-oriented programming is a method of computer exploit technique which is growing in popularity among attackers because it enables the remote execution of arbitrary code without the need for code injection. Return-to-LibC (Ret2LibC) is the most common return-oriented attack in use today, allowing an attacker to leverage control of the stack to execute common library functions which are already present on the target system, such as LibC. ARM-based processors, commonly used in embedded systems, are not directly vulnerable to Ret2LibC attacks because function arguments in the ARM are passed through registers rather than the stack. In 2011 Itzhak Avraham presented a new Return-to-Zero-Protection (Ret2ZP) attack against ARM processors which enables the same control as a Ret2LibC attack. Our research contribution is to provide a formal definition of the Ret2ZP attack and to define an algorithm to detect vulnerabilities to Ret2ZP in ARM executables. Our algorithm for detecting vulnerabilities can be used to screen executables for vulnerabilities before they are deployed.
Suppression of LPS-induced NF-κB activity in macrophages by the synthetic aurone, (Z)-2-((5-(hydroxymethyl) furan-2-yl) methylene) benzofuran-3(2H)-one

Suppressing cytokine responses has frequently been shown to have promising therapeutic effects for many chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. However, the severe side effects associated with the long-term use of current treatments, such as allergic reactions and increased risk of stroke, have focused attention towards the targeting of intracellular signaling mechanisms, such as NF-κB, that regulate inflammation. We synthesized a series of non-natural aurone derivatives and investigated their ability to suppress pro-inflammatory signaling in human monocyte (THP-1) and murine macrophage-like (RAW 267.4) cell lines. One of these derivatives, (Z)-2-((5-(hydroxymethyl) furan-2-yl) methylene) benzofuran-3(2H)-one (aurone 1), was found to inhibit LPS-induced secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumor-necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and IL-8 by THP-1 cells. To investigate the mechanism, we probed the effect of aurone 1 on LPS-induced MAPK and NF-κB signaling in both THP-1 and RAW264.7. While aurone 1 pre-treatment had no effect on the phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, or p38 MAPK, it strongly suppressed activation of IKK-β, as indicated by attenuation of Ser176/180 phosphorylation, resulting in decreased phosphorylation of p65 (ser536) as well as phosphorylation (ser32) and degradation of IκBα. Consistent with this, aurone 1 significantly reduced LPS-stimulated nuclear translocation of p65-containing NF-κB transcription factors and expression of an mCherry reporter of TNFα gene transactivation in RAW264.7 cells. Inhibition of TNFα expression at the transcription level was also demonstrated in THP-1 by qRT-PCR. In addition to its effects on cytokine expression, aurone 1 pre-treatment decreased expression of iNOS, a bona fide NF-κB target gene and marker of macrophage M1 polarization, resulting in decreased NO production in RAW264.7 cells. Together, these data indicate that aurone 1 may have the potential to function as a pharmacological agent for the treatment of chronic inflammation disorders.
On the Assignment of the Vibrational Spectrum of the Water Bend at the Air/Water Interface.

We previously reported the spectrum of the water bend vibrational mode (ν2) at the air/water interface measured using sum-frequency generation (SFG). Here, we present experimental evidence to aid the assignment of the ν2 spectral features to H-bonded classes of interfacial water, which is in general agreement with two recent independently published theoretical studies. The dispersive line shape shows an apparent frequency shift between SSP and PPP polarization combinations (SFG–visible–infrared). This is naturally explained as an interference effect between the negative (1630 cm–1) and positive (1662 cm–1) peaks corresponding to “free–OH” and “H-bonded” species, respectively, which have different orientations and thus different amplitudes in SSP and PPP spectra. A surfactant monolayer of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was used to suppress the free OH species at the surface, and the corresponding SFG spectral changes indicate that these water molecules with one of the hydrogens pointing up into the air phase...
Final Conversations: Overview and Practical Implications for Patients, Families, and Healthcare Workers.

The current paper presents a summary of a 12-year body of research on final conversations, which will be useful for healthcare providers who work with patients and family nearing the end-of-life, as well as for patients and their family members. Final conversations encompass any and all conversations that occur between individuals with a terminal diagnosis and their family members (all participants are aware that their loved one is in the midst of the death journey). Final conversations take the family member’s perspective and highlights what are their memorable messages with the terminally ill loved one. In this paper the authors highlight the message themes present at the end-of-life for both adults and children, the functions each message theme serves for family members, and lastly, the communicative challenges of final conversations. Additionally, the authors discuss the current nature and future of final conversations research, with special attention paid to practical implications for healthcare providers, patients, and family members; also, scholarly challenges and future research endeavors are explored.
Chronic Sleep Restriction Increases Negative Implicit Attitudes Toward Arab Muslims.

Chronic sleep restriction is a common experience; and while it has negative physiological effects, little is known about how it affects human behavior. To date, no study has investigated whether chronic sleep restriction can influence implicit attitudes (e.g., towards a race). Here, in a randomized, counterbalanced crossover design, we subjected participants to 3 weeks of chronic sleep restriction in the lab (i.e., 3 weekly cycles of 5 nights of 4 hours of sleep per night followed by 2 nights of 8 hours of sleep) and found evidence for an increased negative implicit bias towards Arab Muslims. No indicators of an implicit bias were found in these same individuals when they were rested (during a counterbalanced 3-week period of 8 hours time in bed per night). These findings suggest that chronic sleep restriction may “unmask” implicit racial or ethnic biases that are otherwise inhibited when in a rested state. Because chronic sleep restriction is prevalent among many occupations that routinely interact with ethnic minorities in potentially high-conflict situations (e.g., police officers), it is critical to consider the role that restricted sleep may play in exacerbating negative implicit attitudes and their potential for provoking unintentional and potentially harmful behavioral consequences.
Achievements in cholinergic research, 1969-1989: drug development.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the achievements of drug development in cholinergic research, 1969–1989. The past two decades have seen a flood of new information on the components of cholinergic systems and the functional relationships among them. The techniques of molecular biology, ultrastructural morphology, radioligand binding, and analytical chemistry have played major roles in these advances and in turn have depended on the availability of specific high-affinity or irreversible ligands, such as drugs. The emphasis on enhancement of cholinergic function that has characterized the past decade will at best yield drugs, which are of temporary and symptomatic benefit. It seems likely that the years to come will provide a better understanding of the processes controlling development, differentiation, maintenance, and repair of cholinergic neurons. This will lead to a new generation of drugs, which modulate these processes. The next 20 years may well see advances in neurochemistry and pharmacology, which will allow presymptomatic diagnosis and even prophylaxis of the progressive degenerative diseases that threaten the present generation.
IRSp53 accumulates at the postsynaptic density under excitatory conditions

IRSp53 (BAIAP2) is an abundant protein at the postsynaptic density (PSD) that binds to major PSD scaffolds, PSD-95 and Shanks, as well as to F-actin. The distribution of IRSp53 at the PSD in cultured hippocampal neurons was examined under basal and excitatory conditions by immuno-electron microscopy. Under basal conditions, label for IRSp53 is concentrated at the PSD. Upon depolarization by application of a medium containing 90 mM K+, the intensity of IRSp53 label at the PSD increased by 36±7%. Application of NMDA (50 μM) yielded 53±1% increase in the intensity of IRSp53 label at the PSD compared to controls treated with APV, an NMDA antagonist. The accumulation of IRSp53 label upon application of high K+ or NMDA was prominent at the deeper region of the PSD (the PSD pallium, lying 40-120 nm from the postsynaptic plasma membrane). IRSp53 molecules that accumulate at the distal region of the PSD pallium under excitatory conditions are too far from the plasma membrane to fulfill the generally recognized role of the protein as an effector of membrane-bound small GTPases. Instead, these IRSp53 molecules may have a structural role organizing the Shank scaffold and/or linking the PSD to the actin cytoskeleton.
Landscape and House Appearance Impacts on the Price of Single-Family Houses

This research examined the impacts of improvement in landscape quality and exterior house features on residential property values. These two combined factors are referred to as ‘curb appeal’ — i.e....
Comparing Meta-analysis and Individual Person Data Analysis Using Raw Data on Children's Understanding of Equivalence.

A prevailing theory of mathematical problem solving predicts that children will be less accurate solving a + b = c + __ problems versus a + b = __ + c. However, this has never been tested directly. Because of low base rates, information combined from multiple studies can help improve estimation accuracy and precision. This study compared meta-analysis and individual person data (IPD) analysis using raw data from 14 studies (N = 1,414; ns = 30-232; Mage reported = 8;7). Substantive results challenge the prevailing theory. Methodological results demonstrate the advantages of using meta-analysis and IPD over single-study analysis. Moreover, IPD can be more powerful than meta-regression for detecting between-study moderation effects.
INTRAMYOCARDIAL CORONARY ARTERIES IN CHILDREN: NOT ALL ARE BENIGN BUT MOST ALLOW RETURN TO EXERCISE

Intramyocardial (IM) coronary arteries are characterized by a segment of a coronary artery (CA) that travels into the myocardium instead of the normal epicardial course. It may occur in isolation or in association with anomalous aortic origin of a CA (AAOCA). They are uncommon lesions in children
Kant on Apriority, Syntheticity, and Judgments

Of the various passages revised or completely rewritten for the Critique of Pure Reason’s second (1787) edition, scholars have focused primarily on the Deduction, the Refutation of Idealism, the Paralogisms, the Preface, and to a lesser extent on the Aesthetic. The Introduction too underwent a revision — it nearly doubled in length — but relatively little attention has been paid to the question of why Kant thought this revision advisable. This is perhaps understandable: the alteration consists almost entirely of an expansion of the treatment of synthetic a priori knowledge, for the most part simply taken over (frequently word-for-word) from the 1783 Prolegomena. And although a great deal of the Prolegomena is devoted to Kant’s indignant rejection of the Garve-Feder review of the 1781 Critique, the passages adopted for the B-Introduction seem independent of this reaction.1
Transport of L-isoleucine by cultured human fibroblasts. Uptake by normal cell lines and isolation of a cell line lacking sodium-dependent uptake.

Abstract Isoleucine uptake by normal human diploid fibroblasts and by fibroblasts grown from a patient with a defect in isoleucine metabolism was studied over a wide concentration range, 0.05 to 150 mm. Uptake by the normal cell lines was mediated by both sodium-dependent and sodium-independent mechanisms. This uptake remained constant as the cells were passed in culture. Uptake by the patient's cells was found to decrease with passage in culture until a stable culture was obtained. The stable culture was found to lack sodiumdependent uptake of isoleucine and to be ouabain-insensitive. Studies in this cell line represent the first report of altered amino acid uptake in a fibroblast culture associated with altered amino acid metabolism.
The Power Set and the Cartesian Product

Now that we know about sets, we can construct some new ones from old ones in even more ways than we did before. In this section we look closely at two special sets: the first is called the power set, and the second is called the Cartesian product of two sets.
Disparities in accessing infertility care in the United States: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2013-16

Objective To investigate infertility rates and access to infertility care among women in the United States. Design Retrospective cross-sectional. Setting Not applicable. Patient(s) Women between 20 and 44 years-old who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2013 and 2016 and answered questions RHQ074 (“have you ever attempted to become pregnant over a period of at least a year without becoming pregnant?”) and RHQ076 (“have you ever been to a doctor or other medical provider because you were unable to become pregnant?”). Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Rates of infertility and accessing infertility care. Result(s) Women reported infertility at a rate of 12.5% (95% confidence interval, 10.8–14.4). Higher infertility rates were noted with increasing age and body mass index. There were no differences in infertility rates by race/ethnicity, education, income, U.S. citizenship, insurance, or primary location of health care. However, women with less than a high school diploma accessed infertility care less than women with a college degree (5.0% vs. 11.6%). Women with incomes less than $25,000 sought infertility care less than those with incomes above $100,000 (5.4% vs. 11.6%). Non-U.S. citizens accessed infertility care less than U.S. citizens (6.9% vs. 9.4%), and uninsured women reported fewer visits for infertility than insured women (5.9% vs. 9.9%). Women who used the emergency department as their primary medical location reported accessing infertility care less than those who relied on a hospital outpatient unit (1.4% vs. 14.9%). Conclusion(s) These nationally representative findings highlight the need to address disparities in access to infertility care.
Protein Separation and Hemocompatibility of Nitride Membranes in Microfluidic Filtration Systems

Improving the health outcomes for end-stage renal Disease (ESRD) patients on hemodialysis (HD) requires new technologies for wearable HD such as a highly efficient membrane that can achieve standard toxic clearance rates in small device footprints. Our group has developed nanoporous silicon nitride (NPN) membranes which are 100 to 1000 times thinner than conventional membranes and are orders-ofmagnitude more efficient for dialysis. Counter flow dialysis separation experiments were performed to measure urea clearance while microdialysis experiments were performed in a stirred beaker to measure the separation of cytochrome-c and albumin. Hemodialysis experiments testing for platelet activation as well as protein adhesion were performed. Devices for the counter flow experiments were constructed with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and a NPN membrane chip. The counter flow devices reduced the urea by as much as 20%. The microdialysis experiments showed a diffusion of ~ 60% for the cytochrome-c while clearing ~ 20% of the Albumin. Initial hemocompatibility studies show that the NPN membrane surface is less prone to both protein adhesion and platelet activation when compared to positive control (glass).
Measurement validity of the Patient-Health Questionnaire-9 in US nursing home residents.

Objectives The objective of this study was to assess the measurement properties of the self-reported Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and its 10-item observer version (PHQ-10OV) among nursing home residents. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of Minimum Data Set 3.0 assessments for national cohorts of Medicare Fee-for-Service beneficiaries who were newly admitted or incident long-stay residents in 2014-2015 at US nursing homes (NHs) certified by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Statistical analyses included examining internal reliability with McDonald's omega, structural validity with confirmatory factor analysis, and hypothesis testing for expected gender differences and criterion validity with descriptive statistics. The Chronic Condition Warehouse depression diagnoses were used as an administrative reference standard. Results Both the PHQ-9 and PHQ-10OV had good internal reliability with omega values above 0.85. The self-reported scale yielded good model fit for a one-factor solution, while the PHQ-10OV had slightly poorer fit and a lower standardized factor loading on the additional irritability item. Both scales appear sufficiently one-dimensional given that somatic items had higher factor loading on a general depression factor than on a somatic subfactor. We were unable to obtain expected gender differences on the PHQ-10OV scale. The PHQ-9 and PHQ-10OV were both highly specific but had poor sensitivity compared with an administrative reference standard. Conclusions The PHQ-9 appears to be a valid and promising measurement instrument for research about depression among NH residents, while the validity of the PHQ-10OV should be examined further with a structured psychiatric interview as a stronger criterion standard.
Neighborhood parks, evidence of guardianship, and crime in two diverse US cities

Research addressing the link between crime and parks has primarily focused on fear of crime with limited empirical research verifying or denying a crime-park relationship. This article examines the results of two nearly identical studies examining the relationship between neighborhood parks and crime, in two very dissimilar cities, Philadelphia, PA and Louisville, KY. These cities vary greatly in size, population density, median income, per cent minorities and per cent living in poverty, among other factors. Findings of the studies, which are grounded in theories of environmental criminology, show that neighborhood parks are associated with increased crime levels in their immediate surroundings. In addition, although characteristics of parks significantly related to crime levels in each city vary somewhat, findings clearly demonstrate the underlying importance guardianship plays is explaining the criminogenic nature of neighborhood parks.
Tolerance of transplanted guayule seedlings to post-emergence herbicides

Abstract Guayule (Parthenium argentatum Gray) is gaining a wide attention as natural rubber crop that is successfully grow in the arid and semi-arid regions. Genetically improving of guayule germplasm for higher rubber production and maximizing agronomic practices are the prioritized research areas. Among agronomic practices is weed control, where weeds compete with guayule plants and thus could reduce its productivity. To study the effect of herbicides on transplanted guayule seedlings and weeds survival rates, four post-emergence herbicides were tested. Three guayule genotypes were planted in a repeated split plot arrangement and sprayed with the post-emergence herbicides at different concentrations and time intervals. Results showed that after second spray, herbicide type and concentration had significant effect on guayule seedlings survival rate. Paraquat rates were effectively able to control weed growth and viability but affected survival of guayule seedlings. Paraquat at 840 g a.i. ha−1 resulted in 96% of guayule seedlings survived, and 97.8% of weed populations were inhibited. More studies with different concentrations for other herbicides are required. The optimal concentration of paraquat herbicide has non-significant effect on guayule plant height compare with control treatment, suggests herbicide effects on guayule plant are most effective during seedling establishment stage. When use new herbicide application caution should be paid to control weed growth in the same time reduce the damage on guayule plants.
Reliability and Validity of an Innovative Device for ACL Testing: The Mobil-Aider™.

BACKGROUND Knee disorders prevalence is estimated at more than 50% in a lifetime. There are over 250,000 anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries per year in the United States. There are over 175,000 ACL reconstructions annually. This study was a double-blinded design to establish the reliability and validity of a new orthopedic device to measure linear translation of the tibia on the femur (ACL testing). METHODS A Zeiss Smartzoom microscope was used as the gold standard to assess the ability of the Mobil-Aider™ to measure linear translation. Sixty blinded measures were taken with each of 6 different devices. RESULTS Both the intraclass correlation and the Pearson correlation were .986. The Cronbach alpha reliability analysis was 0.992. Independent 1-sample t tests were performed on the differences between the Mobil-Aider™ and Zeiss values, and were not found to be significant (P = .42); that is, they were the same. Bland-Altman plot and a linear regression revealed no propositional bias. Finally, with 360 measures over 6 devices, the power of this study was calculated to be 100%. DISCUSSION This data are the first step in establishing reliability and concurrent validity of a new device. As a result of the current data, the Mobil-Aider™ device is deemed a promising orthopedic tool for use in assessing the laxity of the ACL. Additional testing needs to be performed on both healthy and injured knees. CONCLUSIONS There is potential for the Mobil-Aider™ to contribute to the assessment of ACL injuries, but additional human testing is needed.
C/EBPβ regulates the M2 transcriptome in β-adrenergic-stimulated macrophages

Abstract At the M2 terminal of the macrophage activation spectrum, expression of genes is regulated by transcription factors that include STAT6, CREB, and C/EBPβ. Signaling through β-adrenergic receptors drives M2 activation of macrophages, but little is known about the transcription factors involved. In the present study, we found that C/EBPβ regulates the signaling pathway between β-adrenergic stimulation and expression of Arg1 and several other specific genes in the greater M2 transcriptome. β-adrenergic signaling induced Cebpb gene expression relatively early with a peak at 1 h post-stimulation, followed by peak Arg1 gene expression at 8 h. C/EBPβ transcription factor activity was elevated at the enhancer region for Arg 1 at both 4 and 8 h after stimulation but not near the more proximal promoter region. Knockdown of Cebpb suppressed the β-adrenergic-induced peak in Cebpb gene expression as well as subsequent accumulation of C/EBPβ protein in the nucleus, which resulted in suppression of β-adrenergic-induced Arg1 gene expression. Analysis of genome-wide transcriptional profiles identified 20 additional M2 genes that followed the same pattern of regulation by β-adrenergic- and C/EBPβ-signaling. Promoter-based bioinformatic analysis confirmed enrichment of binding motifs for C/EBPβ transcription factor across these M2 genes. These findings pinpoint a mechanism that may be targeted to redirect the deleterious influence of β-adrenergic signaling on macrophage involvement in M2-related diseases such as cancer.
Computing Radial Basis Function Support Vector Machine using DNA via Fractional Coding

This paper describes a novel approach to synthesize molecular reactions to compute a radial basis function (RBF) support vector machine (SVM) kernel. The approach is based on fractional coding where a variable is represented by two molecules. The synergy between fractional coding in molecular computing and stochastic logic implementations in electronic computing is key to translating known stochastic logic circuits to molecular computing. Although inspired by prior stochastic logic implementation of the RBF-SVM kernel, the proposed molecular reactions require non-obvious modifications. This paper introduces a new explicit bipolar-to-unipolar molecular converter for intermediate format conversion. Two designs are presented; one is based on the explicit and the other is based on implicit conversion from prior stochastic logic. When 5 support vectors are used, it is shown that the DNA RBF-SVM realized using the explicit format conversion has orders of magnitude less regression error than that based on implicit conversion. CCS CONCEPTS • Applied computing → Molecular structural biology; •Hardware → Biology-related information processing;
Validating Simulations of Oceanic Flights Using Data Link Communication Messages

The Global Oceanic (GO) model is a fast time computer simulation tool developed jointly by Virginia Tech Air Transportation Systems Laboratory and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to evaluate new policies and procedures proposed to improve flight operations over global oceanic airspace. A critical phase in developing computer simulation models is validation. In this study, we use communication messages between pilots and air traffic controllers to validate the results of traffic simulations in the Pacific Ocean airspace. The messages dataset is derived from the Advanced Technology Oceanic Procedure (ATOP) system containing Controller-Pilot Data Link Communication (CPDLC) and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Addressable (ADS-A) messages in the Oakland Oceanic Center. The goal of this study is to validate three aspects of flight simulations including aircraft climb frequency, In-Trail Procedure (ITP) operations and deviations due to weather. Our study shows results comparing the simulation statistics and ATOP messages.
Identification of frailty-associated genes by coordination analysis of gene expression

Differential expression analyses provide powerful tools for the identification of genes playing a role in disease pathogenesis. Yet, such approaches are usually restricted by the high variation in expression profiles when primary specimens are analyzed. It is conceivable that with the assessment of the degree of coordination in gene expression as opposed to the magnitude of differential expression, we may obtain hints underscoring different biological and pathological states. Here we have analyzed a publicly available dataset related to frailty, a syndrome characterized by reduced responsiveness to stressors and exhibiting increased prevalence in the elderly. We evaluated the transcriptome that loses its coordination between the frailty and control groups and assessed the biological functions that are acquired in the former group. Among the top genes exhibiting the lowest correlation, at the whole transcriptome level, between the control and frailty groups were TSIX, BEST1 and ADAMTSL4. Processes related to immune response and regulation of cellular metabolism and the metabolism of macromolecules emerged in the frailty group. The proposed strategy confirms and extends earlier findings regarding the pathogenesis of frailty and provides a paradigm on how the diversity in expression profiles of primary specimens could be leveraged for target discovery.
Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Metabolomics Corroborates Serine Hydroxymethyltransferase as the Primary Target of 2-Aminoacrylate in a ridA Mutant of Salmonella enterica.

ABSTRACT The reactive intermediate deaminase RidA (EC 3.5.99.10) is conserved across all domains of life and deaminates reactive enamine species. When Salmonella entericaridA mutants are grown in minimal medium, 2-aminoacrylate (2AA) accumulates, damages several pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzymes, and elicits an observable growth defect. Genetic studies suggested that damage to serine hydroxymethyltransferase (GlyA), and the resultant depletion of 5,10-methelenetetrahydrofolate (5,10-mTHF), was responsible for the observed growth defect. However, the downstream metabolic consequence from GlyA damage by 2AA remains relatively unexplored. This study sought to use untargeted proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) metabolomics to determine whether the metabolic state of an S. entericaridA mutant was accurately reflected by characterizing growth phenotypes. The data supported the conclusion that metabolic changes in a ridA mutant were due to the IlvA-dependent generation of 2AA, and that the majority of these changes were a consequence of damage to GlyA. While many of the metabolic differences for a ridA mutant could be explained, changes in some metabolites were not easily modeled, suggesting that additional levels of metabolic complexity remain to be unraveled. IMPORTANCE The accumulation of the reactive enamine intermediate 2-aminoacrylate (2AA) elicits global metabolic stress in many prokaryotes and eukaryotes by simultaneously damaging multiple pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzymes. This work employed 1H NMR to expand our understanding of the consequence(s) of 2AA stress on metabolite pools and effectively identify the metabolic changes stemming from one damaged target: GlyA. This study shows that nutrient supplementation during 1H NMR metabolomics experiments can disentangle complex metabolic outcomes stemming from a general metabolic stress. Metabolomics shows great potential to complement classical reductionist approaches to cost-effectively accelerate the rate of progress in expanding our global understanding of metabolic network structure and physiology. To that end, this work demonstrates the utility in implementing nutrient supplementation and genetic perturbation into metabolomics workflows as a means to connect metabolic outputs to physiological phenomena and establish causal relationships.
Pressure-induced constriction of the middle cerebral artery is abolished in TrpC6 knockout mice

Pressure-induced constriction (PIC) is an inherent response of small arteries and arterioles in which increases in intraluminal pressure evoke vasoconstriction. It is a critical mechanism of blood flow autoregulation in the kidney and brain. Degenerin (Deg) and transient receptor potential (Trp) protein families have been implicated in transduction of PIC because of evolutionary links to mechanosensing in the nematode and fly. While TrpC6 has been suggested to contribute to PIC signaling, direct supporting evidence is contradictory. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the importance of TrpC6 in PIC signaling using a mouse model lacking TrpC6. To address this aim, we evaluated graded pressure (20–90 mmHg), depolarization (4–80 mM KCl)-, and adrenergic receptor (phenylephrine; PE 10−7–10−4 M)-mediated constriction of isolated middle cerebral artery (MCA) segments from 9-wk-old male wild-type (TrpC6+/+, n = 7) and homozygous null (TrpC6−/−, n = 9) TrpC6 mice (Jackson Laboratories). Isolated MCA segments were cannulated and pressurized with physiological salt solution using pressure myography (Living Systems). Vasoconstrictor responses to KCl and PE were identical in TrpC6−/− and TrpC6+/+ mice. In contrast, PIC responses were totally abolished in TrpC6−/− mice. At 90 mmHg, the calculated myogenic tone was −0.8 ± 0.5 vs. 10.7 ± 1.7%, P = 0.0002 in TrpC6−/− and TrpC6+/+ mice, respectively. Additionally, there were no changes in mechanical properties of circumferential wall strain and stress or morphological properties of wall thickness and wall-to-lumen ratio at 50 mmHg between TrpPC6−/− and TrpC6+/+ mice. Although these results demonstrate that TrpC6 is critical for the integrated PIC response, they do not identify whether TrpC6 acts as a mechanosensor or a downstream signaling component. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Pressure-induced, but not agonist-induced, vasoconstriction is abolished in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) of TrpC6 null mice. TrpC6 localization in dissociated cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells is primarily cytoplasmic and not associated with the surface membrane where a mechanoelectrical coupler might be expected. These findings suggest that TrpC6 is required for transduction of pressure-induced constriction in the MCA; however, its role as a mechanoelectrical coupler or downstream signal amplifier remains unresolved.
The global energy footprint of information and communication technology electronics in connected Internet-of-Things devices

Abstract Information and communication technology (ICT) has been critical to the emergence of a new Internet-of-Things (IoT) era, as a rapidly increasing number and variety of IoT electronic devices in a wide range of end-use sectors require massive data communication in terms of volume, velocity/speed, and variety. Semiconductor technology advancements have played a key role in ICT and unlike the past ICT energy footprint analysis, which focused on the final electronic product, an attempt has been made to examine the global energy impacts for the period 2016–2025 based on the market forecasts of three major IoT IC types, i.e., sensors and actuators, connectivity, and processor ICs distributed among four major IoT device components. Total global IoT semiconductor primary energy demand is projected to increase from 2 EJ in 2016 to 35 EJ by 2025, resulting mainly from a substantial projected increase energy needed in the manufacturing of ICs, with growth in the use of sensors and energy-intensive next fab generation manufacturing. Unlike the trend in manufacturing energy, total global operational energy use is projected to decrease significantly with the development of smaller transistor size, low-power devices, and faster wireless data communication technology. Total operational energy is projected to significantly decrease from 118 TWh/year (1,2 EJ/year) to less than 1 TWh/year (0.003 EJ/year) in spite of a significantly higher anticipated growth in its market size during the 2016–2025 forecast period. Its annual share of total primary energy use is projected to reach an insignificant level of 0.01% by the end of 2025, consistent with the past limited electronic product life cycle analyses besides the analysis focus here limited to ICs in IoT devices.
Firearm Suicide among Veterans of the U.S. Military: A Systematic Review

Introduction In the United States, firearm suicide represents a major cause of preventable, premature death among veterans. The purpose of this systematic review was to characterize the body of literature on veteran firearm suicide and identify areas for future research, which may facilitate the development of firearm suicide interventions in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and non-Veterans Health Administration clinical settings. Materials and methods All randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental, naturalistic, observational, and case study designs published between January 1, 1990 and February 21, 2019 were included in our review. Following title and abstract review, 65 papers were included in our full-text review and 37 studies were included in our analysis. We based our approach on a modification of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Studies were grouped into broad, nonmutually exclusive categories: (1) heterogeneity of datasets and veteran status determination for inclusion, (2) service histories, (3) firearm ownership, storage, behaviors, and risk perceptions, (4) patient and clinician attitudes toward firearm restriction interventions, (5) firearm suicide risk factors by study population, and (6) assessments of clinical firearm interventions. Results This body of literature consists predominately of cross-sectional studies with mixed definitions and validation of veteran status, which revealed high concordance of increased risk of firearm suicide compared with nonveterans. Veterans have higher rates of firearm ownership than the general population, primarily citing personal protection as the reason for gun ownership. Veterans often exhibit risky firearm usage and storage behaviors but tend to favor measures that limit access to firearms by at-risk individuals. Despite this, there remains persistent hesitation among clinicians to screen and counsel veterans on firearm safety. Conclusions This systematic review highlights an urgent need to produce higher quality evidence and new data with standard definitions that are critical to inform clinical practice and enhance public health measures to reduce firearm suicide among veterans.
The Longest Blizzard: Pressure Cookers and Gifts from the Pandemic

Personal thoughts and reflections on navigating my own mental health, trying to do research and teaching pandemic ethics during a pandemic.
Identity, consciousness, and agency: Critically reflexive social studies praxis and the social relations of teaching

Abstract In this piece, the author examines the reflexive praxis of self-identifying critical Social Studies teachers. Findings suggest, first, that an intimate relationship exists between a critical Social Studies teacher's identity and their reflexive praxis. Second, that internalized and externalized power relations nuance teacher reflexivity. Third, identity, consciousness, and reflexivity become foundational elements to perceptions of agency and engagements in transformational praxis. The author recommends teacher educators support self-identifying critical Social Studies teachers by jointly navigating the dialectical tensions they face as they enter the profession, engaging with them in critical experiences that expand their perceptions of educational possibility, and considering the possibilities of working within and beyond the social relations of teaching.
Energetics and fear of humans constrain the spatial ecology of pumas.

Energetic demands and fear of predators are considered primary factors shaping animal behavior, and both are likely drivers of movement decisions that ultimately determine the spatial ecology of wildlife. Yet energetic constraints on movement imposed by the physical landscape have only been considered separately from those imposed by risk avoidance, limiting our understanding of how short-term movement decisions scale up to affect long-term space use. Here, we integrate the costs of both physical terrain and predation risk into a common currency, energy, and then quantify their effects on the short-term movement and long-term spatial ecology of a large carnivore living in a human-dominated landscape. Using high-resolution GPS and accelerometer data from collared pumas (Puma concolor), we calculated the short-term (i.e., 5-min) energetic costs of navigating both rugged physical terrain and a landscape of risk from humans (major sources of both mortality and fear for our study population). Both the physical and risk landscapes affected puma short-term movement costs, with risk having a relatively greater impact by inducing high-energy but low-efficiency movement behavior. The cumulative effects of short-term movement costs led to reductions of 29% to 68% in daily travel distances and total home range area. For male pumas, long-term patterns of space use were predominantly driven by the energetic costs of human-induced risk. This work demonstrates that, along with physical terrain, predation risk plays a primary role in shaping an animal’s “energy landscape” and suggests that fear of humans may be a major factor affecting wildlife movements worldwide.
Proton Therapy of Prostate and Pelvic Lymph Nodes for High Risk Prostate Cancer: Acute Toxicity.

Purpose To assess acute gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) toxicities of intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) targeting the prostate/seminal vesicles and pelvic lymph nodes for prostate cancer. Materials and Methods A prospective study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02874014), evaluating moderately hypofractionated IMPT for high-risk or unfavorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer, accrued a target sample size of 56 patients. The prostate/seminal vesicles and pelvic lymph nodes were treated simultaneously with 6750 and 4500 centigray radiobiologic equivalent (cGyRBE), respectively, in 25 daily fractions. All received androgen-deprivation therapy. Acute GI and GU toxicities were prospectively assessed from 7 GI and 9 GU categories of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4), at baseline, weekly during radiotherapy, and 3-month after radiotherapy. Fisher exact tests were used for comparisons of categorical data. Results Median age was 75 years. Median follow-up was 25 months. Fifty-five patients were available for acute toxicity assessment. Sixty-two percent and 2%, respectively, experienced acute grade 1 and 2 GI toxicity. Grade 2 GI toxicity was proctitis. Sixty-five percent and 35%, respectively, had acute grade 1 and 2 GU toxicity. The 3 most frequent grade 2 GU toxicities were urinary frequency, urgency, and obstructive symptoms. None had acute grade ≥ 3 GI or GU toxicity. The presence of baseline GI and GU symptoms was associated with a greater likelihood of experiencing acute GI and GU toxicity, respectively. Of 45 patients with baseline GU symptoms, 44% experienced acute grade 2 GU toxicity, compared with only 10% among 10 with no baseline GU symptoms (P = 0.07). Although acute grade 1 and 2 GI and GU toxicities were common during radiotherapy, most resolved at 3 months after radiotherapy. Conclusion A moderately hypofractionated IMPT targeting the prostate/seminal vesicles and regional pelvic lymph nodes was well tolerated with no acute grade ≥ 3 GI or GU toxicity. Patients with baseline GU symptoms had a higher rate of acute grade 2 GU toxicity.
Outcomes after extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients.

Background Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) support is increasingly used in the management of COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, the clinical decision-making to initiate V-V ECMO for severe COVID-19 still remains unclear. In order to determine the optimal timing and patient selection, we investigated the outcomes of both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients undergoing V-V ECMO support. Methods Overall, 138 patients were included in this study. Patients were stratified into two cohorts: those with COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 ARDS. Results The survival in patients with COVID-19 was statistically similar to non-COVID-19 patients (p=0.16). However, the COVID-19 group demonstrated higher rates of bleeding complications (p=0.03) and thrombotic complications (p Conclusions These findings suggest that COVID-19-associated ARDS was not associated with a higher post-ECMO mortality than non-COVID-19-associated ARDS patients, despite longer duration of extracorporeal support. Early initiation of V-V ECMO is important for improved ECMO outcomes in COVID-19 ARDS patients. Since late initiation of ECMO was associated with extremely high mortality related to lack of pulmonary recovery, it should be used judiciously or as a bridge to lung transplantation.