cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
FREEZING STRESS AND OSMOTIC DEHYDRATION IN FUCUS DISTICHUS (PHAEOPHYTA): EVIDENCE FOR PHYSIOLOGICAL SIMILARITY1

The effects of osmotic dehydration and freezing on photosynthesis were studied in the brown alga Fucus distichus L. The data indicated that F. distichus exhibits similar physiological responses to both osmotic dehydration and freezing stress and that these responses resemble those in the literature for the effect of desiccation in air. Both stresses inhibited light-limited (Psubsat) and light-saturated (Pmax) photosynthesis measured immediately after plants were reimmersed in seawater. The degree of initial inhibition and subsequent recovery of photosynthesis were proportional to the severity of the dehydration or freezing treatment. Psubsat and Pmax recovered completely from osmotic dehydration for 3 h in 200% and 3 hr at – 10°C, but recovery was only partial following 3 h in 300%o or 3 h at – 15°C. In most cases, recovery was complete within 2 h following dehydration, with little further recovery occurring between 2 and 24 h posttreatment. No time-dependent recovery occurred following severe freezing. Observations using the vital stain fluorescein diacetate suggested that the lack of complete recovery might be due to severe damage or death of a proportion of cells in the thallus. There were no clear effects of either osmotic dehydration or freezing on dark respiration (Rd), although Rd was stimulated in all emersed treatments (frozen plants and 5° C controls) immediately following reimmersion. Measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence induction kinetics indicated that both osmotic dehydration and freezing reduced the ratio of variable to maximum florescence (Fv/Fm), indicating a decrease in the quantum efficiency of photosystem I. Based on these data, we suggest that there are common cellular and physiological components involved in the response of fucoid algae to a range of water stresses. This hypothesis was supported by experiments that showed that osmoacclimation in hyperosmotic seawater (51%o)for 2 weeks increased the ability of F. distichus to recover from freezing at – 15° C. During acclimation, mannitol content increased under hyperosmotic conditions and decreased under hypoosmotic conditions. Changes in plasma membrane integrity, determined by fresh weight: dry weight ratio, and amino acid release following freezing indicated an increasing gradient of freezing tolerance from low to high salinity. However, none of these physiological changes fully explained the marked increase in the freezing tolerance of photosynthesis observed in plants acclimated under hyperosmotic conditions.
CROSS‐SECTIONAL VARIATION IN INDIVIDUALS' EARNINGS INSTABILITY

There has been considerable recent interest in earnings instability—the variability of workers' earnings around their expected earnings paths. While previous work has measured trends in instability, often to illuminate trends in inequality, this paper investigates the variation across workers. Data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics reveal considerable differences in earnings instability across demographic and occupational characteristics, generally in accordance with prior expectations. These results can also be used to develop a person-specific measure of instability for use in behavioral studies, and it is shown that the resulting metric correlates strongly with several decisions that are plausibly influenced by earnings risk.
A 16b 125MS/s 385mW 78.7dB SNR CMOS pipeline ADC

Today's communication systems require high-performance low-cost ADCs with emphasis on low power, and the ability to IF-sample to reduce receiver complexity. Further, the often-overlooked metric of small-signal linearity, quantified by SFDR for less-than-full-scale inputs is important, especially in the presence of large interferers. This 16b pipeline ADC achieves 78.7dB SNR, 78.6dB SNDR and 96dB SFDR at 125MS/s with a 30MHz input, while dissipating 385mW from a 1.8V supply. The ADC quantizes inputs up to 150MHz with an SNR ≫76dB and an SFDR ≫85dB, has a jitter of 65fs and accepts 2V pp-diff inputs. Further, with dithering enabled the worst spur is ≪−98dB for inputs below −4dBFS at 100MHz IF. The ADC is fabricated in a 1P5M 0.18µm CMOS process.
A time-lapse photographic study of chick embryos exposed to teratogenic doses of hypoxia

Continuous, long-term observations of amniote embryos have always been difficult. Special culture techniques for young avian and mammalian embryos have been developed (New, 1967) and these have helped to visualize the early stages of development. But studies of normal and abnormal development during the major period of organogenesis have been made largely by tedious indirect methods, such as the examination of a series of embryos preserved at different time intervals. Transitory responses to toxic stimuli have been particularly difficult to detect in this manner. To observe the visible initial effects of teratogenic agents, a photographic time-lapse study of chick embryos in their natural, in ovo , state was initiated. This report compares the changes in normal and hypoxia-treated embryos during the third day of development. Of the many agents which produce abnormal development, oxygen deficiency is one of the better known, since (1) it is readily induced in the laboratory by a variety of means, and (2) it is generally considered to be a significantcause of spontaneously occurring anomalies (Rubsaamen, 1952; Ingalls, 1952).
One Hundred Years of Wartime Nursing Practices, 1854–1953, Jane Brooks & Christine Hallett

This edited volume traces the history of wartime nursing practices from 1854 to 1953, with the aim of critically analyzing the ‘hidden nature of nursing work’ (p. 82). International in scope, it ex...
E-032 angiographically curative treatment of a giant mid-basilar aneurysm in a pediatric patient using flow diversion

Background Flow diversion has been established as an effective treatment in proximal anterior circulation aneurysms. The efficacy in posterior circulation aneurysms remains unclear and may be related to different characteristics of these aneurysms or the presence of perforator rich zones in the basilar artery. We present a case of a pediatric patient with a relatively focal giant mid-basilar aneurysm treated with flow diversion and coils. Patient This 15 year old male presented with unilateral left sided hearing loss and increasing unsteadiness when trying to play sports at school. He was found to have a giant (40mm) partially thrombosed basilar aneurysm at the level of AICA with significant brainstem mass effect but no sign of hydrocephalus. Multiple treatment options were considered including flow reversal with bilateral vertebral occlusion and bypass, stent-coiling, and flow diversion with or without coils. Consideration was given to pre-procedure ventriculoperitoneal shunting as well. The decision was made to use flow diversion with no shunting. Bilateral vertebral access was obtained and a coiling catheter was placed into the aneurysm from the right vertebral artery and a single 4.25 mm × 25 mm Pipeline embolization device (Covidien Neurovascular: Dublin, Ireland) was placed across the aneurysmal segment from the left, ensuring apposition to the AICA origins. Angioplasty was performed to further ensure complete basilar and AICA apposition distal and proximal to the aneurysm. Target XL coils (Stryker Neurovascular: Fremont, CA) were then deployed through the previously positioned catheter until there was no further filling of the aneurysm. The patient was placed on a course of dexamethasone, which was tapered after 6 weeks, and there was no sign of hydrocephalus. A 6-month angiogram showed some coil compaction and a tiny amount of residual filling at the base. A 9-month angiogram showed complete angiographic exclusion of the aneurysm and continued filling of both AICA vessels, at which point the clopidogrel was discontinued. A one-year follow-up MRI showed decreased size and mass effect on the brainstem and no sign of filling of the aneurysm. The patient remains without hearing on the left, but other symptoms have completely resolved and the patient has returned to normal activity at school. Conclusion In carefully selected cases, flow diversion offers potential curative reconstruction for otherwise incurable aneurysms, even in pediatric and posterior circulation cases. We hypothesize that the success of this case is related to the relatively focal rather than fusiform location of the aneurysm. Disclosures A. Carlson: None. C. Taylor: None. A. Coon: 2; C; Covidien, Microvention, Stryker Neurovascular.
The Political Staleness of China–Ethiopia Relations

Since the mid-1990s, China’s role as an economic and political partner of Ethiopia has steadily increased. Meles Zenawi, leader of the country’s long ruling Ethiopian Popular Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) has sought to embrace China as an alternative source of trade, investment and technical assistance, balancing against Western donors and leveraging Ethiopia’s ruling regime against international criticisms of its dubious human rights practices and extensive degree of official corruption. Unique among China’s leading partners in sub-Saharan Africa, Ethiopia has not attracted Chinese investment through much-needed energy resources. Instead, it has emerged as an attractive consumer market for Chinese manufactured goods, a stable environment for Chinese investment and a launching pad for Chinese firms seeking to expand their reach out of China and into foreign markets. Additionally, in Meles Zenawi, Beijing found a talented political ally who, prior to his death in 2012, acted as an enthusiastic spokesperson for the benefits of Chinese engagement in Africa as well as the virtues of the “China model” for promoting rapid development on the continent. However, China’s growing role in Ethiopia has not been without its critics and challenges. Separatist rebels have attacked Chinese nationals and firms as proxy targets for the EPRDF, opposition activists have criticized the corrupt deals between Chinese firms and government officials, and local workers, manufacturers and entrepreneurs have struggled with the rapid emergence of imported labor and products from China. However, in the heavily closed political structure imposed by the increasingly repressive EPRDF (since 2005 elections), such criticisms have effectively been silenced in public discourse, leaving the ruling regime’s framing of Sino-Ethiopian relations as universally beneficial for the country largely unopposed.
A Novel Methodology for Bioenergetic Analysis of Plasmodium falciparum Reveals a Glucose-Regulated Metabolic Shift and Enables Mode of Action Analyses of Mitochondrial Inhibitors

Given that resistance to all drugs in clinical use has arisen, discovery of new antimalarial drug targets is eagerly anticipated. The Plasmodium mitochondrion has been considered a promising drug target largely based on its significant divergence from the host organelle as well as its involvement in ATP production and pyrimidine biosynthesis. However, the functions of Plasmodium mitochondrial protein complexes and associated metabolic pathways are not fully characterized. Here, we report the development of novel and robust bioenergetic assay protocols for Plasmodium falciparum asexual parasites utilizing a Seahorse Bioscience XFe24 Extracellular Flux Analyzer. These protocols allowed us to simultaneously assess the direct effects of metabolites and inhibitors on mitochondrial respiration and glycolytic activity in real-time with the readout of oxygen consumption rate and extracellular acidification rate. Using saponin-freed parasites at the schizont stage, we found that succinate, malate, glycerol-3-phosp...
Measurement of prebreakdown electric fields in liquid insulants

In recent years, optical techniques have been used to identify and classify prebreakdown phenomena in liquid insulating materials.1–8 This report describes an attempt to duplicate selected previous results and to extent them by combining time-resolved shadowgraphs with time-resolved electric field measurements using the electro-optic Kerr effect. The addition of electric field measurement permits a determination of the effect of space charge on breakdown and provides information as to whether or not prebreakdown trees are electrical conductors.
Progressive Massive Choroidal Neovascularization: A Severe Phenotype of Refractory Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Purpose:A small subset of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can have relentless progression of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and subsequent disciform scarring (D...
DNA methylation and DNA methyltransferases

The prevailing views as to the form, function, and regulation of genomic methylation patterns have their origin many years in the past, at a time when the structure of the mammalian genome was only dimly perceived, when the number of protein-encoding mammalian genes was believed to be at least five times greater than the actual number, and when it was not understood that only ~10% of the genome is under selective pressure and likely to have biological function. We use more recent findings from genome biology and whole-genome methylation profiling to provide a reappraisal of the shape of genomic methylation patterns and the nature of the changes that they undergo during gametogenesis and early development. We observe that the sequences that undergo deep changes in methylation status during early development are largely sequences without regulatory function. We also discuss recent findings that begin to explain the remarkable fidelity of maintenance methylation. Rather than a general overview of DNA methylation in mammals (which has been the subject of many reviews), we present a new analysis of the distribution of methylated CpG dinucleotides across the multiple sequence compartments that make up the mammalian genome, and we offer an updated interpretation of the nature of the changes in methylation patterns that occur in germ cells and early embryos. We discuss the cues that might designate specific sequences for demethylation or de novo methylation during development, and we summarize recent findings on mechanisms that maintain methylation patterns in mammalian genomes. We also describe the several human disorders, each very different from the other, that are caused by mutations in DNA methyltransferase genes.
Prediction of plastic anisotropy of textured polycrystalline sheets using a new single-crystal model

Abstract In this paper, we predict the effect of texture on the plastic anisotropy and consequently the drawing performance of polycrystalline metallic sheets. The constituent grain behavior is modeled using the new single-crystal yield criterion developed by [1] . For ideal texture components, the yield stress and plastic strain ratios can be obtained analytically. For the case of strongly textured sheets containing a spread about the ideal texture components, the polycrystalline response is obtained numerically on the basis of the same single-crystal criterion. It is shown that for textures obtained with rotationally symmetric misorientations of scatter width of up to 35° from the ideal orientation, the numerical predictions have the same trend as those obtained analytically for an ideal texture, but the anisotropy is less pronounced. Furthermore, irrespective of the number of grains in the sample, Lankford coefficients have finite values for all loading orientations. Illustrative examples for sheets with textures containing a combination of few ideal texture components are also presented. The simulations of the predicted polycrystalline behavior based on the new description of the plastic behavior of the constituent grains capture the influence of individual texture components on the overall degree of anisotropy. The polycrystalline simulation results are also compared to analytical estimates obtained using the closed-form formulas for the ideal components present in the texture in conjunction with a simple law of mixtures. The analytical estimates show the same trends as the simulation results. Therefore, the trends in plastic anisotropy of the macroscopic properties can be adequately estimated analytically.
Stance Classification of Twitter Debates: The Encryption Debate as A Use Case

Social media have enabled a revolution in user-generated content. They allow users to connect, build community, produce and share content, and publish opinions. To better understand online users' attitudes and opinions, we use stance classification. Stance classification is a relatively new and challenging approach to deepen opinion mining by classifying a user's stance in a debate. Our stance classification use case is tweets that were related to the spring 2016 debate over the FBI's request that Apple decrypt a user's iPhone. In this "encryption debate," public opinion was polarized between advocates for individual privacy and advocates for national security. We propose a machine learning approach to classify stance in the debate, and a topic classification that uses lexical, syntactic, Twitter-specific, and argumentative features as a predictor for classifications. Models trained on these feature sets showed significant increases in accuracy relative to the unigram baseline.
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Hispanic Youth With Dysglycemia: Risk for Subclinical Atherosclerosis?

Context Obese Hispanic adolescents (OHAs) with dysglycemia have increased cardiovascular disease risk burden. Objective To investigate if nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) confers added risk for endothelial dysfunction in these youth. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Academic institution. Participants Thirty-six OHAs (15.3 ± 0.4 years), 20 with prediabetes and 16 with type 2 diabetes, with and without NAFLD. Intervention Evaluation of reactive hyperemia index (RHI) and augmentation index (AIx) by peripheral arterial tonometry; muscle, hepatic, and adipose tissue insulin sensitivity (IS; hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp 80 mu/m2/min, with [6,6 2H2]glucose and [2H5] glycerol); body composition; and abdominal and hepatic fat by magnetic resonance imaging/spectroscopy. Outcome Measures RHI and AIx. Hypothesis OHAs with dysglycemia and NAFLD have worse RHI and AIx vs those without NAFLD. Results The NAFLD (n = 23) and non-NAFLD (n = 13) groups were of similar age, sex, glycemic status, body mass index, % body fat and abdominal fat. The NAFLD group had higher hepatic fat (P < 0.001) lower skeletal muscle IS (P = 0.01), hepatic IS (P = 0.01), and adipose tissue IS (P = 0.04). The NAFLD vs non-NAFLD group had lower RHI (1.4 ± 0.05 vs 1.7 ± 0.09, P = 0.002), greater AIx (-6.0 ± 1.6 vs -12.0 ± 2.1, P = 0.03). Hepatic fat was inversely related to RHI (r = -0.49, P = 0.002) and positively related to AIx (r = 0.45, P = 0.006). Hepatic IS (r = -0.42, P = 0.01) and adipose IS (r = -.54, P = 0.001) correlated with arterial stiffness (AIx). Conclusion In OHAs with dysglycemia, NAFLD is associated with worse endothelial function. RHI and AIx were related to hepatic fat content. Vascular stiffness was related to hepatic and adipose tissue insulin resistance.
Overview: A Hierarchical Framework for Plan Generation and Execution in Multirobot Systems

The authors present an overview of a hierarchical framework for coordinating task- and motion-level operations in multirobot systems. Their framework is based on the idea of using simple temporal networks to simultaneously reason about precedence/causal constraints required for task-level coordination and simple temporal constraints required to take some kinematic constraints of robots into account. In the plan-generation phase, the framework provides a computationally scalable method for generating plans that achieve high-level tasks for groups of robots and take some of their kinematic constraints into account. In the plan-execution phase, the framework provides a method for absorbing an imperfect plan execution to avoid time-consuming re-planning in many cases. The authors use the multirobot path-planning problem as a case study to present the key ideas behind their framework for the long-term autonomy of multirobot systems.
Importance of Synchrophasor Technology in Managing the Grid

Synchrophasor measurements have been widely regarded as providing benefit to managing the electric power system. Various applications have been deployed, ranging from improved situational awareness to enhanced accuracy of dynamic models, enabled by improved measurements. This chapter will provide a brief introduction of the technology, how it evolved, and a summary of ongoing efforts by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to promote this technology for enhancing the reliability of the power system. It will serve as an introduction to other chapters of this book, which will delve into greater details about synchrophasor applications that are improving power system planning and operations.
Diabetes/Syndrome X

Obesity, diabetes mellitus, and the metabolic syndrome are increasing concurrently in epidemic proportions in the USA and worldwide. Diabetes affects 20.8 million people or 9.6% of the US adult population, and the recent rise in the incidence of diabetes correlates with the increasing obesity trend. The metabolic syndrome, defined by the co-occurrence of abdominal obesity, impaired glucose metabolism, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular mortality and the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Glucose homeostasis is maintained as a closed feedback loop involving the pancreatic islet cells, liver, and peripheral tissues, including the brain, muscle, and adipose. Insulin sensitivity, insulin action, and beta cell function have profound effects on carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism, and significant influences on mineral metabolism that lead to diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. This chapter summarizes current understanding of the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of impaired glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes, their impact and associated conditions (cardiovascular disease), and the complications of diabetes. Animal models of diabetes are at the core of diabetes advancements throughout the twentieth century, from the discovery of insulin to the use of therapeutic insulin suspensions, and, more recently, a pathophysiological understanding of insulin resistance and its associated diseases. In addition, large-scale clinical trials have been instrumental in the major advances in diabetes treatment and outcomes that have been achieved in the last 15–20 years. The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial and the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study have proven that glycemic control is critical to the prevention of diabetic complications. The duration and severity of hyperglycemia correlates with both the development and rate of progression of diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, and neuropathy. This chapter includes a comprehensive review of diabetes therapies, including the four classes of oral hypoglycemic agents (insulin secretagogues, biguanides, α-glucosidase, and thiazolinediones), insulin, and newer non-insulin hormone therapies (incretins and amylin). Sustained lifestyle modification remains the essential element of all successful treatment regimens. The lack of cost-effective, long-term means of achieving this goal is at the root of the current epidemics of these diseases. New areas of research, including incretins, alternate methods of insulin delivery, and emerging β-cell replacement therapy, hold promise for development of new approaches to the treatment and prevention of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and the metabolic syndrome.
Drifters and Floats

Starting in the 1970s, surface drifters and subsurface neutrally buoyant floats have been developed, improved, and tracked in large numbers in the ocean. For the first time we have now obtained worldwide maps of the surface and subsurface velocity at a few depths. New profiling floats are measuring and reporting in real time the evolving temperature and salinity structure of the upper 2 km of the ocean in ways that were impossible just a few years ago. These measurements are documenting variations of the world ocean’s temperature and salinity structure. The new data are revealing insights about ocean circulation and its time variability. Surface drifters and subsurface floats measure ocean trajectories that show where water parcels go, how fast they go there, and how vigorously they are mixed by eddies. Ocean trajectories are useful both for visualizing ocean motion and for determining its velocity characteristics. The superposition of numerous trajectories reveals that very different kinds of circulation patterns occur in different regions. Maps of velocity fields can be combined with other measurements such as those of hydrography to give the three-dimensional velocity field of the ocean. Oceanographers are also incorporating the newly acquired data into models of ocean circulation.
Determination of Particle Size Distribution of Titanium Dioxide

Uniformly charged polyelectrolytes migrate with size-independent velocities in free solutions and when only electric forces are present. This is due to a symmetry between the charge of the solutes and friction. To size-separate such polyelectrolytes by means of electrophoresis, this symmetry must be "broken".
New approaches for Linux-based Undergraduate Operating System Concepts Laboratories

It is widely accepted that hands-on experience is key to helping students get a better grasp of the concepts, techniques and technologies introduced in lectures. The following quote, attributed to Confucius, embodies the underlying philosophy quite well; “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand”. This paper discusses the design and implementation of a set of laboratories for an introductory undergraduate lecture in Operating Systems Concepts (OSC). More specifically, we focus on exploring how the Linux kernel can be made even more suitable as a vector from which to learn operating systems’ internals. To this end, we present a new pedagogical approach to Linux-based OSC laboratories which addresses issues stemming from Linux‘s monolithic kernel architecture and its “real world” complexity. We also apply the lessons learned form educational operating systems (OS) and show how some of the assignments which are typically unsuitable for production-level OSes can be adapted to offer students the best of both world. This paper then describes how these ideas can be translated into a laboratory structure, which favors learning by scaffolding, and further develops this structure into a set of laboratories covering both “classical” and new topics in operating systems. The analysis of the technical and pedagogical features of these laboratories concludes this paper.
A Novel Paradigm for Sacubitril/Valsartan: Beta-Endorphin Elevation as a Contributor to Exercise Tolerance Improvement in Rats With Preexisting Heart Failure Induced by Pressure Overload

Abstract Background Simultaneous angiotensin receptor (AT1) blockade and neprilysin inhibition with the use of sacubitril/valsartan has been recently approved to treat patients with heart failure (HF). Therapeutic benefits of this therapy have been attributed to natriuretic peptide elevation and AT1 receptor blockade. However, that pharmacologic picture may not be complete. The aims of this study were to investigate the pharmacology of sacubitril/valsartan compared with sacubitril and valsartan alone and to examine their impact on peptides up-regulated by neprilysin inhibition, such as beta-endorphin. Methods and Results An HF model was induced by pressure overload via constriction of the suprarenal abdominal aorta in rats. Sacubitril/valsartan (68 mg/kg), valsartan (31 mg/kg), sacubitril (31 mg/kg), or placebo was administered by daily oral gavage (starting 4 weeks after pressure overload onset and continued for 4 additional weeks; n = 8 in each group). Exercise tolerance testing was conducted using a rodent treadmill and hemodynamic assessments were conducted under anesthesia with the use of Millar left ventricular (LV) conductance technology. Pressure overload led to exercise intolerance by 4 weeks and to hypertension and LV dysfunction and remodeling by 8 weeks. Both sacubitril/valsartan and sacubitril elevated beta-endorphin levels, by 40% and 54%, respectively, and improved exercise tolerance, by 93% and 112%, whereas valsartan did not. Indices of LV dysfunction persisted with the use of sacubitril/valsartan and valsartan therapies and even deteriorated in sacubitril group. Conclusions When added to valsartan, sacubitril increases beta-endorphin concentrations and improves exercise tolerance. These data suggest beta-endorphin elevation as a potential mechanism of action leading to improvement in exercise tolerance that is seen with sacubitril/valsartan. This therapeutic benefit is potentially independent from LV function.
Lon protease inactivation in Drosophila causes unfolded protein stress and inhibition of mitochondrial translation.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a frequent participant in common diseases and a principal suspect in aging. To combat mitochondrial dysfunction, eukaryotes have evolved a large repertoire of quality control mechanisms. One such mechanism involves the selective degradation of damaged or misfolded mitochondrial proteins by mitochondrial resident proteases, including proteases of the ATPase Associated with diverse cellular Activities (AAA+) family. The importance of the AAA+ family of mitochondrial proteases is exemplified by the fact that mutations that impair their functions cause a variety of human diseases, yet our knowledge of the cellular responses to their inactivation is limited. To address this matter, we created and characterized flies with complete or partial inactivation of the Drosophila matrix-localized AAA+ protease Lon. We found that a Lon null allele confers early larval lethality and that severely reducing Lon expression using RNAi results in shortened lifespan, locomotor impairment, and respiratory defects specific to respiratory chain complexes that contain mitochondrially encoded subunits. The respiratory chain defects of Lon knockdown (LonKD) flies appeared to result from severely reduced translation of mitochondrially encoded genes. This translational defect was not a consequence of reduced mitochondrial transcription, as evidenced by the fact that mitochondrial transcripts were elevated in abundance in LonKD flies. Rather, the translational defect of LonKD flies appeared to be derived from sequestration of mitochondrially encoded transcripts in highly dense ribonucleoparticles. The translational defect of LonKD flies was also accompanied by a substantial increase in unfolded mitochondrial proteins. Together, our findings suggest that the accumulation of unfolded mitochondrial proteins triggers a stress response that culminates in the inhibition of mitochondrial translation. Our work provides a foundation to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms.
Working (with) History: Marlene Kadar and Louise DeSalvo

Marlene Kadar and Louise DeSalvo ventured into their life-writing projects on World War II from starkly different perspectives. What connects them is their willingness to ask difficult questions ab...
A Real-Time High-Resolution Ultrasonic Arterial Imaging System

Atherosclerosis is one of the major diseases affecting the health of people throughout the world. Detection of atherosclerotic lesions by invasive techniques presents serious hazards to patients, while current noninvasive techniques often do not yield accurate diagnosis. There is an urgent need for instrumentation that will provide safe, noninvasive, and accurate diagnosis of this disease. Since July 1973, the Mayo Foundation and Stanford Research Institute have been involved in a joint effort to develop high-resolution ultrasonic imaging techniques for clinical application to the diagnosis of human cardiovascular diseases. A first generation, real-time ultrasonic arterial imaging system for the simultaneous visualization of vessel anatomy and blood flow in the carotid and femoral arteries has been developed at SRI for clinical evaluation at the Mayo Foundation. This instrument incorporates both B-scan and Doppler measurement modalities.
Interrater Reliability of Clinical Grading Measures for Cutaneous Chronic Graft-vs-Host Disease.

Importance Cutaneous chronic graft-vs-host disease (cGVHD) is common after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant and is often associated with poor patient outcomes. A reliable and practical method for assessing disease severity and response to therapy among these patients is urgently needed. Objective To evaluate the interrater agreement and reliability of skin-specific and range of motion (ROM) variables of the 2014 National Institutes of Health (NIH) response criteria for cGVHD and a skin sclerosis grading scale (SSG). Design, Setting, and Participants In this observational study performed at a single tertiary academic center, 6 academic blood and marrow transplant specialists and 4 medical dermatologists examined 8 patients with diagnosed cutaneous cGVHD on July 10, 2015. The patient cohort was enriched for patients with sclerotic features. Each patient was evaluated by using the skin-specific and ROM criteria of the 2014 NIH response criteria for cGVHD and an SSG ranging from 0 to 3. Each patient was also asked to complete quality-of-life scoring instruments. Interrater agreement and reliability were estimated by calculating the Krippendorff α and Cohen κ statistics. Data were analyzed from September 29, 2015, through November 22, 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures Estimation of interrater agreement by interclass coefficient (Krippendorff α and Cohen κ statistics) for the skin-specific and ROM components of the 2014 NIH Response Criteria for Chronic GVHD and for the SSG. Results The median age of the patients evaluated was 54 years (range, 46-58 years). Patients were predominantly male (6 [75%]). Six of the 8 patients had a predominantly sclerotic cutaneous phenotype. Interrater agreement among our experts was acceptable for NIH skin feature score (0.68; 95% CI, 0.30-0.86) and good for NIH ROM scoring (0.80; 95% CI, 0.68-0.86). Dermatologists had acceptable agreement for NIH skin GVHD score (0.69; 95% CI, 0.25-0.82) and skin feature score (0.78; 95% CI, 0.17-0.98), good agreement in ROM grading (0.85; 95% CI, 0.69-0.90), and near perfect agreement in identifying sclerosis (0.82; 95% CI, 0.27-0.97). Conclusions and Relevance Although dermatologists had acceptable agreement in NIH skin GVHD score and skin features score, near perfect agreement in identifying cutaneous sclerosis, better agreement in grading severity of cutaneous cGVHD, especially in the intermediate grades, appears to be needed.
On \(\star \)-Semi-homogeneous Integral Domains

Let \(\star \) be a finite character star-operation defined on an integral domain D. A nonzero finitely generated ideal of D is \(\star \)-homogeneous if it is contained in a unique maximal \(\star \)-ideal. And D is called a \(\star \)-semi-homogeneous (\(\star \)-SH) domain if every proper nonzero principal ideal of D is a \(\star \)-product of \(\star \)-homogeneous ideals. Then D is a \(\star \)-semi-homogeneous domain if and only if the intersection D \(=\) \(\underset{P\in \star \text {-}{\text {Max}}(D)}{\bigcap D_{P}}\) is independent and locally finite where \(\star \)-\({\text {Max}}(D)\) is the set of maximal \(\star \)-ideals of D. The \(\star \)-SH domains include h-local domains, weakly Krull domains, Krull domains, generalized Krull domains, and independent rings of Krull type. We show that by modifying the definition of a \(\star \)-homogeneous ideal we get a theory of each of these special cases of \(\star \)-SH domains.
Clinical and diagnostic evaluation of intraocular expulsion of a corneal epithelial inclusion cyst in a dog.

CASE DESCRIPTION An 8-year-old spayed female mixed-breed dog was presented for evaluation of an axial, raised, vascularized, lightly pigmented 3 mm diameter corneal lesion affecting the left eye (OS) that was present since adoption three years prior to presentation. The presumed cyst ruptured into the anterior chamber 5 months following initial presentation with progressive extrusion of intralesional contents into the anterior chamber. High-frequency ultrasound and in vivo confocal microscopy revealed minimal normal stroma posterior to the corneal lesion. Due to the lack of stroma, a deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) was attempted using the viscodissection technique. While separating the stroma from Descemet's membrane, a tear in the membrane was observed, and the procedure was converted to a penetrating keratoplasty (PK). The mass was excised en bloc, and a frozen corneal allograft and conjunctival pedicle graft were utilized to restore corneal thickness. The extruded material was irrigated out of the anterior chamber and submitted for culture and cytology. There was no growth on aerobic, anaerobic, or fungal cultures, and cytology revealed mixed neutrophilic and macrophagic inflammation with keratinizing squamous epithelium. Histopathology identified the mass to be a corneal epithelial inclusion cyst lined with well-differentiated stratified squamous epithelium. The dog is doing well 10 months post-operatively with no signs of recurrence along with good comfort and vision.
Alkylation of toluene with methanol over AlPO4, AlPO4Al2O3, AlPO4TiO2, and AlPO4ZrO2 catalysts

Abstract The catalytic activity and selectivity of a series of AlPO4 and AlPO4-metal oxide systems (Al2O3, TiO2, and ZrO2 with an AlPO4/metal oxide weight ratio of 3) were investigated at temperatures ranging from 673 to 873 K for the gas-phase microcatalytic alkylation of toluene with methanol. The results show that AlPO4's catalyst exhibits surface acid sites accessible to toluene molecules that are strong enough to alkylate in the presence of methanol. The methylation of toluene produces a mixture of xylenes (XY) as principal products, although 1,2,4-and 1,2,3-trimethylbenzenes (TMB) were also found to be dialkylation products for AlPO4-Al2O3 catalysts. The formation of TMB is associated with a parallel decline in o-XY and p-XY selectivity. Furthermore, in all cases, scarcely any side-chain-methylation of toluene to ethylbenzene (ETB) is found. The alkylation reaction follows the Bassett-Habgood kinetic equation for first-order reaction processes in which the surface reaction is the controlling step. The influence of the reaction temperature, pulse number, and toluene/methanol molarity upon the conversion of toluene and the selectivities of the products were investigated. The activity of AlPO4 and AlPO4-metal oxide catalysts in the ring-methylation of toluene decreases in the order AlPO4Al2O3 > AlPO4 > AlPO4TiO2 > AlPO4ZrO2. This order is relatively well interpreted in basis to the surface acid properties studied gas-chromatographically through the irreversible adsorption of pyridine at temperatures in the range 473 to 673 K. This indicates that Bronsted acidity decreases when Al2O3 is substituted by TiO2 or ZrO2 in the AlPO4-metal oxide system. OPE (Optimum Performance Envelope) curves on product selectivity plots show that ETB and XY are competitive primary reaction products, while TMB are stable secondary reaction products. In all cases, the selectivity decreases in the order SXY > STMB > SETB.
Impact of stent diameter on outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention with second-generation drug-eluting stents: Results from a large single-center registry.

BACKGROUND In patients treated with bare metal stents and first-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) smaller stent diameter (SD) has been associated with worse long term outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Data on the impact of small SD on outcomes after PCI with second-generation DES is scarce. METHODS Consecutive patients treated with second-generation DES between 2010 and 2016 were included in a single tertiary center. Patients were grouped according to SD: ≤2.50 mm, 2.75 ≤ 3.00 mm, 3.25 ≤ 3.50 mm, and >3.50 mm. One-year event rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and adjusted hazard ratios were generated using Cox regression analysis. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE; death, myocardial infarction [MI], or target vessel revascularization [TVR]). RESULTS Of the 17,607 patients who underwent PCI with second-generation DES, 32.6% (n = 5,741) had SD ≤2.5 mm, 39.1% (n = 6,890) had SD 2.75 ≤ 3.0 mm, 22.2% (n = 3,910) had SD 3.25 ≤ 3.5 mm, and 6.1% (n = 1,066) had SD >3.5 mm. At 1 year, MACE rates were 10.5%, 9.5%, 8.0%, and 8.0%, respectively, with increasing SD (p = .006). TVR rates decreased with increasing SD (7.2%, 5.8%, 4.7%, and 3.3%, respectively [p < .0001]) whereas rates of MI across SD groups were comparable (1.7%, 1.9%, 2.0%, and 1.5%, respectively [p = .60]). After multivariable adjustment, smaller SD remained associated with higher rates of MACE, TVR, and target lesion revascularization. CONCLUSION In a large cohort of patients undergoing PCI with second-generation DES, smaller SD was associated with increased MACE, driven by higher rates of repeat revascularization. Further research into the optimal treatment of small coronary arteries is warranted.
17 – Laser consolidation: a rapid manufacturing process for making net-shape functional components

: Laser consolidation is a novel computer-aided manufacturing process being developed by the Industrial Materials Institute of National Research Council of Canada (NRC-IMI). As an alternative to the conventional machining process, this novel manufacturing process builds net-shape functional parts or features on an existing part by adding instead of removing material. In this chapter, NRC-IMI’s progress on laser consolidation research has been reviewed. The functional properties of laser consolidated materials are reported, while the observation of unique microstructure of the laser consolidated materials is discussed. examples of laser consolidation process for making net-shape functional components for various industrial applications have been presented.
Multi-Echo Recovery with Field Inhomogeneity Compensation Using Structured Low-Rank Matrix Completion

Echo-planar imaging (EPI), which is the main workhorse of functional MRI, suffers from field inhomogeneity-induced geometric distortions. The amount of distortion is proportional to the readout duration, which restricts the maximum achievable spatial resolution. The spatially varying nature of the $T_{2}^{\ast}$ decay makes it challenging for EPI schemes with a single echo time to obtain good sensitivity to functional activations in different brain regions. Despite the use of parallel MRI and multislice acceleration, the number of different echo times that can be acquired in a reasonable TR is limited. The main focus of this work is to introduce a rosette-based acquisition scheme and a structured low-rank reconstruction algorithm to overcome the above challenges. The proposed scheme exploits the exponential structure of the time series to recover distortion-free images from several echoes simultaneously.
The synergistic effect of transcription factor ETS1, LEF1 in bronchopulmonary dysplasia development

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the function of angiogenesis related transcriptional factors ETS1, LEF1 in development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Methods A gene expression dataset of preterm infant published in Gene Expression Omnibus database.The expression values of ETS1, LEF1 and matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) in BPD and no BPD samples were compared and the correlation analysis of these genes was performed.The possible mechanism of ETS1 and LEF1 to participate in the development of BPD via the regulation of MMPs was discussed. Results Expression levels of ETS1 and LEF1 were significantly downregulated in BPD samples and related with the severity of BPD and its complication retinopathy of prematurity.The expression of ETS1 and LEF1 had a good fitting rate (r=0.921, P<0.001). Conclusions The down regulation of ETS1 and LEF1 at least in part related with BPD development.The potential mechanism would be synergism downregulation of ETS1 and LEF1 attenuated the expression and function of MMPs, which may affect the migration and proliferation of vascular endothelial cell.It also leads to the lesion basis of BPD, the dysplasia of alveoli and pulmonary vessels. Key words: Infant, premature; Bronchopulmonary dysplasia; ETS1; LEF1
Digoxin concentrations in postmortem specimens after overdose and therapeutic use.

The detection and evaluation of digitalis glycosides in autopsy specimens has been a serious problem for both medical examiners and toxicologists alike. Methods utilizing thin-layer chromatography or colorimetric techniques depended on a significant quantity of this drug remaining unabsorbed in the stomach or excreted into the urine. Digoxin, the most potent drug of this group and the form prescribed most frequently, is effective therapeutically in a dose range from 0.25 to 0.50 milligrams per day. This dose gives rise to therapeutic blood concentrations of 1.0 to 1.4 nanograms per millilitre [1]. Toxic effects of digoxin often begin to appear at 2.0 ng/ml. In view of these extremely low concentrations, even after an overdose with digitalis, detection of this drug in blood by conventional techniques could not be accomplished. The introduction of radioimmunoassay tests for these substances has provided an answer to this problem. Blood values of digoxin as low as 0.2 ng/ml can now be detected and measured reliably.
Early detection and tracking of bulbar changes in ALS via frequent and remote speech analysis.

Bulbar deterioration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating characteristic that impairs patients’ ability to communicate, and is linked to shorter survival. The existing clinical instruments for assessing bulbar function lack sensitivity to early changes. In this paper, using a cohort of N = 65 ALS patients who provided regular speech samples for 3–9 months, we demonstrated that it is possible to remotely detect early speech changes and track speech progression in ALS via automated algorithmic assessment of speech collected digitally.
The Cost-Effectiveness of Silver-Impregnated Occlusive Dressings for Infection Prevention After Total Joint Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a catastrophic complication after total joint arthroplasty that exacts a substantial economic burden on the health-care system. This study used break-even analysis to investigate whether the use of silver-impregnated occlusive dressings is a cost-effective measure for preventing PJI after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods Baseline infection rates after TKA and THA, the cost of revision arthroplasty for PJI, and the cost of a silver-impregnated occlusive dressing were determined based on institutional data and the existing literature. A break-even analysis was then conducted to calculate the minimal absolute risk reduction needed for cost-effectiveness. Results The use of silver-impregnated occlusive dressings would be economically viable at an infection rate of 1.10%, treatment costs of $25,692 for TKA PJI, and $31,753 for THA PJI and our institutional dressing price of $38.05 if it reduces infection rates after TKA by 0.15% (the number needed to treat [NNT] = 676) and THA by 0.12% (NNT = 835). The absolute risk reduction needed to maintain cost-effectiveness did not change with varying initial infection rates and remained less than 0.40% (NNT = 263) for infection treatment costs as low as $10,000 and less than 0.80% (NNT = 129) for dressing prices as high as $200. Conclusion The use of silver-impregnated occlusive dressings is a cost-effective measure for infection prophylaxis after TKA and THA.