cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Introduction to the revised American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases Practice Guideline management of adult patients with ascites due to cirrhosis 2012

Ascites is the most common of the three major complications of cirrhosis, the other complications being hepatic encephalopathy and variceal hemorrhage. Cirrhosis is the most common cause of ascites in the United States. Development of ascites may be the first evidence of the presence of cirrhosis. Obesity makes the physical examination less helpful in detecting ascites. Imaging may provide the first evidence of the presence of ascites. Patients with ascites are frequently admitted to hospitals. Effective care of these patients can reduce the frequency of these readmissions. This version of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases Practice Guideline is the fourth iteration of this guideline and represents a thorough update of the 2009 version. Introduction
A Deep Chandra X-Ray Observation of NGC 1637

We present a deep (168 ks) Chandra observation of the nearby face-on spiral galaxy NGC 1637 and study the X-ray source population. A total of 32 X-ray sources are detected within the D25 ellipse of NGC 1637, each of which is found to be variable during the 629 day period covered by the observations. Deep Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 observations of NGC 1637, nearly simultaneous with the Chandra data, were used to search for optical counterparts to the X-ray sources. An ultraluminous (LX = 2.2 × 1039 ergs s-1; 0.3-7 keV) and variable (factor of 1.4) X-ray source is found to positionally coincide with an optical faint and extended (~25 pc FWHM) counterpart in the HST images (mV ~ 22.8 mag, mI ~ 21.1 mag). Given the multiband properties of this source, it likely represents a stellar-mass (~8 M☉) black hole candidate located in an OB association in an outer spiral arm of NGC 1637. Our analysis further reveals large amounts of diffuse emission filling the entire extent of the galaxy. The spectrum of the inner 300 pc region is best described by a two-temperature thermal plasma emission, with a low-temperature/low-absorption component (kTlow ~ 0.3 keV) and a high-temperature/high-absorption component (kThigh ~ 0.7-0.8 keV), likely associated with an outflow of hot gas into the halo of NGC 1637. Comparison of the multiwavelength properties of a number of nearby galaxies shows that NGC 1637 has remarkably high LX/LFIR and LX/LB ratios, suggesting a recent epoch with an enhanced star formation rate.
Kinetic Mechanism and Regulation of Myosin VI

Myosin VI is the only pointed end-directed myosin identified and is likely regulated by heavy chain phosphorylation (HCP) at the actin-binding site in vivo. We undertook a detailed kinetic analysis of the actomyosin VI ATPase cycle to determine whether there are unique adaptations to support reverse directionality and to determine the molecular basis of regulation by HCP. ADP release is the rate-limiting step in the cycle. ATP binds slowly and with low affinity. At physiological nucleotide concentrations, myosin VI is strongly bound to actin and populates the nucleotide-free (rigor) and ADP-bound states. Therefore, myosin VI is a high duty ratio motor adapted for maintaining tension and has potential to be processive. A mutant mimicking HCP increases the rate of Pi release, which lowers theK ATPase but does not affect ADP release. These measurements are the first to directly measure the steps regulated by HCP for any myosin. Measurements with double-headed myosin VI demonstrate that the heads are not independent, and the native dimer hydrolyzes multiple ATPs per diffusional encounter with an actin filament. We propose an alternating site model for the stepping and processivity of two-headed high duty ratio myosins.
Biochemical and folk assessment of variability of Andean cultivated potatoes

Isozyme markers were used to survey the genetic variability of non-bitter potatoes in 10 subsistence fields of Andean farmers at 3600-3850 m above sea level. Sixty-seven percent of the varieties were tetraploids corresponding to the speciesSolanum tuberosum ssp.andigena, 14% were triploids, probably corresponding to the speciesS. x chaucha, and 13% were diploids corresponding to the speciesS. stenotomum, S. phureja, andS. goniocalyx. The isozyme information served to determine the consistency of the folk naming system. We found a high degree of correspondence between farmer identification and electrophoretic phenotypes. The consistency of the folk system in electrophoretic terms depended on the farmer who was interviewed. The most common incongruity consisted of calling different electrophoretic phenotypes by the same variety name, leading to a slight underestimation of genetic variability present in the fields. The amount of variability observed in the sample of the Andean potato population was superior to that present in North American and European varieties. This was measured in terms of number ofalleles, number of electrophoretic phenotypes and percent of heterozygosity. This finding supports the impression that a substantial amount of yet unexploited variability remains in Andean potato populations.
Effect of Various Gas Atmospheres on Destruction of Microorganisms in Dry Heat

The heat resistance of dry bacterial spores was tested in various gases at temperatures ranging from 121.1 to 160 C (250 to 320 F). Spores of Clostridium sporogenes (PA 3679) were heated in air, carbon dioxide, and helium; spores of Bacillus subtilis 5230 were heated in these gases and also in oxygen and in nitrogen. The surrounding gas influenced the heat resistance, but the differences among gases were small. D values were about 7 min at 148.9 C (300 F); z values were about 18.3 C (33 F) for B. subtilis, and about 21.7 C (39 F) for C. sporogenes. The resistance of B. subtilis in carbon dioxide was about the same as in air, but lower than in all other gases; resistance in helium and nitrogen was about the same, and was higher than in all other gases. C. sporogenes had the least resistance in air; the resistance was about the same in carbon dioxide and helium. For B. subtilis, the gases in order of increasing heat resistance were carbon dioxide, air, oxygen, helium, and nitrogen, and for C. sporogenes, air, carbon dioxide, and helium. Neither oxygen content nor molecular weight of the gas appeared to have a marked influence on dry-heat resistance of the spores, whereas the more inert gases seemed to yield larger D values.
New method of WLCSP for process optimization and reliability prediction

A new and fast WLCSP (Wafer Level Chip Scale Package) evaluation method has been provided to cover different kinds of factors, such as die size, solder ball pitch, PCB (Printed Circuit Board) designs, etc. In this work, 2 TVs (Test Vehicles) with larger die size are designed to reveal the behaviors of various factors, and 1 TV with finer ball pitch is used to both confirm the behaviors of the 2 large TVs and assess the feasibility of employing this design in the production line. The designs of PCB cover different schemes, such as SMD/NSMD (Non-Solder Mask Define) and VIP/NVIP (Non-Via In Pad). The BLR (Board Level Reliability) includes Drop and TC (Temperature Cycling). Besides, the results of 2 different temperature profiles for TC test are also discussed in the study. Based on this design, the evaluation time and effort can be largely reduced before implementing new or revised conditions in the production line.
Less interest, less treatment: Mexican-American youth and the Los Angeles Juvenile Court in the Great Depression era

This study uses case records from the Los Angeles Juvenile Court to examine how racial discrimination played out in juvenile justice before the decline of public confidence in rehabilitation in the 1960s and 1970s. Using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, I compare how Mexicana-American and white boys (ages 10-17) were treated by the juvenile court during the Great Depression era. I find that although Mexicana-American boys were more likely to be arrested and petitioned to court, they were less likely to receive out-of-family placements because court officials viewed these placements as beneficial and were less interested in rehabilitating minority than white youth. I compare these results with the current overrepresentation of minorities in institutional confinement and with contemporary studies that find that black youth are punished more severely than comparable whites. My research suggests that there have been major philosophical changes in how officials in the juvenile justice system view out-of-family placements, and that patterns of discrimination in juvenile justice depend upon how officials in courts and correctional institutions view the rehabilitative potential of their interventions. Language: en
RUNX/CBF Transcription Factors

The runt-related transcription factors (RUNX)/core binding factor (CBF) family of transcriptional regulators have been a highly studied topic ever since its members were first described decades ago. In mammals, RUNX1, RUNX, and RUNX3 each contain a runt homology domain, and can serve as the CBF alpha subunit to interact with CBFβ to form the CBF complex. As transcription factors, RUNX family members bind to DNA and regulate numerous critical cellular mechanisms. The importance of this family has been illustrated by the use of animal models, which exhibit abnormal growth and development in a wide range of tissues. Furthermore, mutations in any of these genes have been connected with a variety of human diseases and malignancies. In this reference module, we highlight the three mammalian forms of the RUNX family, CBFβ, and their commonly associated human disorders. In addition, we focus on their roles in blood and hematopoiesis.
Chapter 14 Actin Filaments and Secretion: The Macrophage Model

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses actin filaments and secretion and the macrophage model. Thin-section electron micrographs of many cells that secrete products by exocytosis reveal a cortical layer of actin microfilaments that lies between secretory granules and the plasma membrane when the cells are in a nonsecretory or resting state. As deduced by various microscopic techniques, the arrangement of these filaments is a three-dimensional meshwork or lattice. The macrophage engages in exocytosis with features similar to those of exocrine and endocrine cells. If the cortical actin microfilament lattice of macrophages is to have some active or passive function in secretion, it must be capable of directional movement. The elements of directional movement are a force-generating mechanism, an orienting influence on the force to provide directionality, and a control mechanism exerted on the force-generating system, on directionality, or on both. The force-generating mechanism is a superprecipitation of actin and myosin filaments, a process requiring hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and presumably based on the sliding-filament interaction characterized in striated muscle. This energy-dependent mechanism may be a major consumer of the macrophage's metabolic activity and can account for the susceptibility of secretion to inhibition by metabolic poisons. Directionality and amplification of the force generated arise from controlled focal changes in the crosslinking of actin filaments.
First Digit Law and Its Application to Digital Forensics

Digital data forensics, which gathers evidence of data composition, origin, and history, is crucial in our digital world. Although this new research field is still in its infancy stage, it has started to attract increasing attention from the multimedia-security research community. This lecture addresses the first digit law and its applications to digital forensics. First, the Benford and generalized Benford laws, referred to as first digit law, are introduced. Then, the application of first digit law to detection of JPEG compression history for a given BMP image and detection of double JPEG compressions are presented. Finally, applying first digit law to detection of double MPEG video compressions is discussed. It is expected that the first digit law may play an active role in other task of digital forensics. The lesson learned is that statistical models play an important role in digital forensics and for a specific forensic task different models may provide different performance.
Qualitative Evaluation of an Intervention Program for Sustained Internet Use Among Low-Income Older Adults

The purpose of this study was to: explore low-income older adults’ perceptions of participating in an intervention program for sustained Internet use, identify factors affecting their Internet use, and provide recommendations for program improvement. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews of 11 public housing building residents who participated in a program that provided a computer/Internet skills training, public computer stations, free personal computers and broadband Internet services, and post-training assistance. Three major themes emerged through thematic analysis: impacts, barriers, and user needs and wants. The theme impacts indicated the positive changes that respondents experienced, including enhanced social connections, development of life skills, and monetary benefits from using the Internet (e.g., saving long distance call costs). The theme barriers included barriers to program participation and barriers to full, sustained Internet use. Distrust of governmental or social programs and fears of technology appeared to hinder program participation. Despite the comprehensiveness of the program, program participants still faced barriers at different phases. Limited proficiency, fears about cyber security, and broadband-related issues (e.g., technical and cost-related issues) may prevent full, sustained Internet use. The theme user needs and wants included individual device and technical support needs and preference for Wi-Fi for Internet access. Provision of individual devices (e.g., laptop computers) and ongoing technical support appeared to be crucial for sustained Internet use among low-income older adults. Providing a building-wide Wi-Fi system rather than individual modems in each residential unit might better meet user preferences and maintenance needs in multi-unit housing buildings.
On the design of architecture-aware algorithms for emerging applications

This dissertation maps various kernels and applications to a spectrum of programming models and architectures and also presents architecture-aware algorithms for different systems. Built on top of our experiences, we aim to provide feedback to system software researchers and computer architects. The kernels and applications discussed in this dissertation have widely varying computational characteristics. For example, we consider both dense numerical computations—which are floating point intensive and have predictable data access patterns—and sparse graph algorithms—which are highly irregular and require intensive data synchronization. This dissertation also covers emerging applications from image processing, complex network analysis, and computational biology. JPEG2000 is the successor of JPEG and uses a mix of kernels with different computational requirements. To analyze large scale complex networks, we often need to process very large data to extract a network of interest. The structure of the extracted network often challenges modern hierarchical memory subsystems as well. We parallelize the COGNAC software package which reconstructs a phylogenetic tree using gene order data. The application has parallelism in multiple levels, and the degree of parallelism in each level varies widely. We map these problems to diverse multicore processors (the Intel Harpertown and Nehalem architectures, the AMD Barcelona architecture, and the Sun UltraSparc architecture) and manycore accelerators (such as the IBM Cell Broadband Engine and NVIDIA GPUs). We also use new programming models—such as Transactional Memory, MapReduce, and Intel TBB—to address the performance and productivity challenges in the problems. Our experiences highlight the importance of mapping applications to appropriate programming models and architectures. We also find several limitations of current system software and architectures and directions to improve those. The discussion focuses on system software and architectural support for nested irregular parallelism, Transactional Memory, and hybrid data transfer mechanisms. We believe that the complexity of parallel programming can be significantly reduced via collaborative efforts among researchers and practitioners from different domains. This dissertation participates in the efforts by providing benchmarks and suggestions to improve system software and architectures.
Oxidation Pathways of Purine Drugs: Electrochemical, Liquid Chromatographic and Mass Spectrometric Insights

Purine drugs, especially thiopurines, are potent antineoplastic agents1. 6-Thiopurine is also an effective immunosuppressant2. Purine drugs are used extensively in treatment of various leukemias. Their activity and toxicity are affected by metabolic redox processes which, despite extensive biochemical studies, are still only partially understood.
Pediatric Disposition Classification (Reverse Triage) System to Create Surge Capacity.

Background Critically insufficient pediatric hospital capacity may develop during a disaster or surge event. Research is lacking on the creation of pediatric surge capacity. A system of “reverse triage,” with early discharge of hospitalized patients, has been developed for adults and shows great potential but is unexplored in pediatrics. Methods We conducted an evidence-based modified-Delphi consensus process with 25 expert panelists to derive a disposition classification system for pediatric inpatients on the basis of risk tolerance for a consequential medical event (CME). For potential validation, critical interventions (CIs) were derived and ranked by using a Likert scale to indicate CME risk should the CI be withdrawn or withheld for early disposition. Results Panelists unanimously agreed on a 5-category risk-based disposition classification system. The panelists established upper limit (mean) CME risk for each category as <2% (interquartile range [IQR]: 1–2%); 7% (5–10%), 18% (10–20%), 46% (20–65%), and 72% (50–90%), respectively. Panelists identified 25 CIs with varying degrees of CME likelihood if withdrawn or withheld. Of these, 40% were ranked high risk (Likert scale mean ≥7) and 32% were ranked modest risk (≤3). Conclusions The classification system has potential for an ethically acceptable risk-based taxonomy for pediatric inpatient reverse triage, including identification of those deemed safe for early discharge during surge events. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:283-290)
Design Considerations of a Compounded Sterile Preparations Course.

Objective. To design a comprehensive learning and assessment environment for the practical application of compounded sterile preparations using a constructivist approach.Design. Compounded Sterile Preparations Laboratory is a required 1-credit course that builds upon the themes of training aseptic technique typically used in health system settings and threads application of concepts from other courses in the curriculum. Students used critical-thinking skills to devise appropriate strategies to compound sterile preparations.Assessment. Aseptic technique skills were assessed with objective, structured, checklist-based rubrics. Most students successfully completed practical assessments using appropriate technique (mean assessment grade=83.2%). Almost all students passed the practical media fill (98%) and gloved fingertip sampling (86%) tests on the first attempt; all passed on the second attempt.Conclusion. Employing a constructivist scaffold approach to teaching proper hygiene and aseptic technique prepared...
Novel Analogues of (R)-5-(Methylamino)-5,6-dihydro-4H-imidazo[4,5,1-ij]quinolin-2(1H)-one (Sumanirole) Provide Clues to Dopamine D2/D3 Receptor Agonist Selectivity

Novel 1-, 5-, and 8-substituted analogues of sumanirole (1), a dopamine D2/D3 receptor (D2R/D3R) agonist, were synthesized. Binding affinities at both D2R and D3R were higher when determined in competition with the agonist radioligand [(3)H]7-hydroxy-N,N-dipropyl-2-aminotetralin (7-OH-DPAT) than with the antagonist radioligand [(3)H]N-methylspiperone. Although 1 was confirmed as a D2R-preferential agonist, its selectivity in binding and functional studies was lower than previously reported. All analogues were determined to be D2R/D3R agonists in both GoBRET and mitogenesis functional assays. Loss of efficacy was detected for the N-1-substituted analogues at D3R. In contrast, the N-5-alkyl-substituted analogues, and notably the n-butyl-arylamides (22b and 22c), all showed improved affinity at D2R over 1 with neither a loss of efficacy nor an increase in selectivity. Computational modeling provided a structural basis for the D2R selectivity of 1, illustrating how subtle differences in the highly homologous orthosteric binding site (OBS) differentially affect D2R/D3R affinity and functional efficacy.
An hp-Adaptive Discontinuous Galerkin Solver for Aerodynamic flows on Mixed-Element Meshes

In this work we develop an hp-adaptive discontinuous Galerkin (DG) solver for aerodynamic flows. Previous work has focused on efficient solution techniques for discontinuous Galerkin discretizations. Recent work has focused on improving the robustness and efficiency of our discontinuous Galerkin solver for aerodynamic flows. Herein we propose an hp-adaptive approach which seeks to place degrees of freedom within the domain in the manner most appropriate for the nature of the solution. Near discontinuities the algorithm will refine the mesh while in regions where the solution is smooth it will enrich the discretization order. This has two effects, first of all degrees of freedom are placed where they are needed thus addressing the efficiency of the method and second we avoid attempting to use high-order polynomials to capture solutions which are discontinuous, addressing the robustness of the method. The adaptation procedure is driven via a discrete adjoint-based goaloriented error estimation technique. The method is evaluated using three test cases all of which are steady state flows. Two of these are laminar viscous flows and one is an inviscid transonic flow. In addition the transonic flow has been computed using an artificial diffusion method and the hp-adaptive approach is compared to the artificial diffusion shock capturing method.
Psychometric assessment of human life history predicts health related behaviors

Life History Theory is a powerful framework that can help promote understanding of variation in health-related behavioral patterns and why they vary consistent with environmental conditions. An organism's life history reflects tradeoffs made in the allocation of effort towards specific aspects of survival and reproduction across the lifespan. This study examines the relationship between psychological indicators of life history strategy and health related behaviors in a demographically representative sample in the Midwestern USA. Slower life histories predicted higher levels of health promoting behaviors and lower levels of health adverse behaviors, even when controlling for relevant socio-demographic factors. The analyses provide a strong test of the hypothesized relationship between life history and health behavior indicators, as life history variation co-varies with these socio-demographic factors. Traditional public health efforts may be reaching their limits of effectiveness in encouraging health-promoting behaviors. Integrating an evolutionary framework may revitalize behavioral health promotion efforts.
Worsening of Neurologic Symptoms After Spinal Anesthesia in Two Patients With Spinal Stenosis.

Objective Spinal stenosis has been proposed as a previously unrecognized risk factor for neurologic complications after neuraxial techniques. Case Report We report progression of neurologic symptoms after spinal anesthesia in 2 patients with preexisting spinal stenosis, characterized preoperatively solely by nonradicular back pain. One patient had complete resolution of his proximal lower-extremity weakness/numbness within 48 hours. In the second patient, the pain became severe and disabling, requiring surgical decompression. Conclusions We conclude that, until the relative contribution of patient and surgical (eg, positioning, retractors, hypotension) factors is known, the decision to perform neuraxial blockade in patients with severe symptoms of neuroclaudication or recently progressive symptomatic spinal stenosis should be made cautiously. Avoidance of spinal anesthesia is suggested for any procedure with prolonged lordotic positioning or any position that might cause a compromise of the spinal canal because subarachnoid block may contribute to any deterioration suffered by the patient.
Ovarian Disorders of Pregnancy

Hormonal ovarian disorders are uncommon during pregnancy and present primarily as ovarian masses. The two most common conditions are luteomas and hyperreactio luteinalis. The most common clinical manifestation is maternal virilization, which occasionally affects the fetus also. Rarely, an acute abdomen can result from hemorrhage or torsion of the mass. Because most of the entities regress spontaneously following delivery, a conservative management approach that includes preserving the ovaries is warranted.
Pancreatography and the surgical management of pseudocysts.

Endoscopic pancreatography has played a dominant role in the evolution of surgical treatment of pancreatic pseudocysts. This article presents an algorithm for the management of pseudocyst disease, focusing on pancreatography and elective treatment. Pancreatography’s roles in refining operative strategies, identifying associated pancreatic and biliary disease, and predicting outcome of nonoperative treatment are reviewed.
The treatment that will not die : electroconvulsive therapy

This review traces the history of the development of electroconvulsive therapy from its origins in Meduna’s camphor-induced therapeutic convulsions of the 1930s and subsequent transformation into an electrical treatment by Cerletti and Bini to its present refinement as a highly sophisticated, computer-automated therapy that partakes of the latest technological advances.
Does Voting Have Upstream and Downstream Consequences? Evidence from Compulsory Voting in Brazil

Economists, political scientists, policy-makers, and practitioners have long examined voting: paying a great deal of attention to questions like, “who votes?”, “why do people vote?”, and “how can we get more people to vote?” However, few have considered whether getting people to vote changes their broader attitudes and non-voting behaviors. In this paper, we use Brazil’s compulsory voting system to consider the effect of a large exogenous increase in voting on young citizens’ political interest, associational memberships, social awareness, and political knowledge in the lead up to the first compulsory voting experience (“upstream”) and in the months after (“downstream”). Using a unique, large dataset and a quasi-experimental strategy based on an exact-date-of-birth discontinuity design, we show that voting has little to no upstream or downstream effects on measurable attitudes, values and non-voting behaviors. These results suggest that while voting may be an important behavior in its own right, it may have much smaller transformative effects over the average individual than previously thought.
Specialty/GM vegetable oils: Properties and applications in food (rapeseed, sunflower, soybean)

Abstract Oils and fats are a key component of our daily diet. As consumers’ understanding of the impact of fats on health and wellness increases, the focus is shifting from how much fat is consumed to what kinds of fats are consumed. The food industry around the world is catching up to this new market dynamics. Industry is switching from fats high in trans and saturated fats and moving toward a new generation of specialty oils that are functional, healthier, more economical, and are becoming more and more available. The high oleic varieties of rapeseed, sunflower, and soybean oils provide the needed oxidative stability and functionality without the need for hydrogenation.
Intermediate Electron Transfer Reactions of the Antarctic Psychrotrophic Green Alga, Chlorella Antarctica Strain 3

Many species of psychrotrophic and psychrotrophic plants are found in Antarctica, where they experience low temperature, limited water and nutrients, repetitive freeze and thaw cycle, and harsh UV radiation. They not only survive but also photosynthesize under these stressful conditions, while temperate plants will exhibit stresses and decreased photosynthetic activities under much milder conditions. Although past studies have demonstrated their fitness to their environment [e.g. 1–3], it is not yet clear what allows psychrotrophes to photosynthesize so efficiently at low temperatures. In this paper, we address the question: Which step in linear electron transfer is rate-limiting at low temperatures in mesophilic (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and spinach) and psychrotrophic (Chlorella antarctica strain 3) species?
HABIT, a Randomized Feasibility Trial to Increase Hydroxyurea Adherence, Suggests Improved Health-Related Quality of Life in Youths with Sickle Cell Disease.

Objectives To examine the effect of a community health worker (CHW) intervention, augmented by tailored text messages, on adherence to hydroxyurea therapy in youths with sickle cell disease, as well as on generic and disease-specific health-related quality of life (HrQL) and youth-parent self-management responsibility concordance. Study design We conducted a 2-site randomized controlled feasibility study (Hydroxyurea Adherence for Personal Best in Sickle Cell Treatment [HABIT]) with 2:1 intervention allocation. Youths and parents participated as dyads. Intervention dyads received CHW visits and text message reminders. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and growth models adjusting for group assignment, time, and multiple comparisons. Changes in outcomes from 0 to 6 months were compared with their respective minimal clinically important differences. Results A total of 28 dyads (mean age of youths, 14.3 ± 2.6 years; 50% Hispanic) participated (18 in the intervention group, 10 in the control group), with 10.7% attrition. Accounting for group assignment, time, and multiple comparisons, at 6 months intervention youths reported improved generic HrQL total score (9.8 points; 95% CI, 0.4-19.2) and Emotions subscale score (15.0 points; 95% CI, 1.6-28.4); improved disease-specific subscale scores for Worry I (30.0 points; 95% CI, 8.5-51.5), Emotions (37.0 points, 95% CI, 9.4-64.5), and Communication I (17.8 points; 95% CI, 0.5-35.1); and 3-month dyad self-management responsibility concordance (3.5 points; 95% CI, −0.2 to 7.1). There were no differences in parent proxy-reported HrQL measures at 6 months. Conclusions These findings add to research examining effects of behavioral interventions on HrQL outcomes in youths with sickle cell disease. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT02029742 .
Pulmonary Hypertension in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Community-Based Study

Objectives This study sought to define the prevalence, severity, and significance of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in the general community. Background Although HFpEF is known to cause PH, its development is highly variable. Community-based data are lacking, and the relative contribution of pulmonary venous versus pulmonary arterial hypertension (HTN) to PH in HFpEF is unknown. We hypothesized that PH would be a marker of symptomatic pulmonary congestion, distinguishing HFpEF from pre-clinical hypertensive heart disease. Methods This community-based study of 244 HFpEF patients (age 76 ± 13 years; 45% male) was followed up using Doppler echocardiography over 3 years. Control subjects were 719 adults with HTN without HF (age 66 ± 10 years; 44% male). Pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) was derived from the tricuspid regurgitation velocity and PH defined as PASP >35 mm Hg. Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) was estimated from the ratio of early transmitral flow velocity to early mitral annular diastolic velocity. Results In HFpEF, PH was present in 83% and the median (25th, 75th percentile) PASP was 48 (37, 56) mm Hg. PASP increased with PCWP (r = 0.21; p Conclusions PH is highly prevalent and often severe in HFpEF. Although pulmonary venous HTN contributes to PH, it does not fully account for the severity of PH in HFpEF, suggesting that a component of pulmonary arterial HTN also contributes. The potent effect of PASP on mortality lends support for therapies aimed at pulmonary arterial HTN in HFpEF.
Collaborative Social Impact Design Course

A new course, Social Impact Design, was developed at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) to engage students and women leaders from SEE Famn in Borgne, Haiti in addressing real world challenges through Human Centered Design (HCD). The 13 students and 19 women worked collaboratively on teams to identify four projects intended to “create sustainable wealth generating activities.” Each team followed the HCD process and concluded with plans to move their project forward. Though communication, team size and time to learn the material and gather research were challenges the teams all completed the process.
Immediate Release of Gastrin-Releasing Peptide Mediates Delayed Radiation-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Radiation–induced pulmonary fibrosis (RTPF) is a progressive, serious condition in many subjects treated for thoracic malignancies or after accidental nuclear exposure. No biomarker exists for identifying the irradiated subjects most susceptible to pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Previously, we determined that gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) was elevated within days after birth in newborns exposed to hyperoxia who later developed chronic lung disease. The goal of the current study was to test whether radiation (RT) exposure triggers GRP release in mice and whether this contributes to RTPF in vivo. We determined urine GRP levels and lung GRP immunostaining in mice 0 to 24 after post-thoracic RT (15 Gy). Urine GRP levels were significantly elevated between 24 hours post-RT; GRP-blocking monoclonal antibody 2A11, given minutes post-RT, abrogated urine GRP levels by 6 to 12 hours and also altered phosphoprotein signaling pathways at 24 hours post-RT. Strong extracellular GRP immunostaining was observed in lung at 6 hours post-RT. Mice given one dose of GRP monoclonal antibody 2A11 24 hours post-RT had significantly reduced myofibroblast accumulation and collagen deposition 15 weeks later, indicating protection against lung fibrosis. Therefore, elevation of urine GRP could be predictive of RTPF development. In addition, transient GRP blockade could mitigate PF in normal lung after therapeutic or accidental RT exposure.
Towards UN Liberal Democratic Peacebuilding(s)

This chapter argues that the concept of UN peacebuilding, informed by a simplified and politicised version of theories about the liberal democratic peace, gradually informed how individuals in the UN milieu understood peacebuilding and offered a rationale for the promotion of liberal democracies in post-armed conflict situations, enacting a range of specific policies and initiatives to that end. It further argues that, under the tenure of Kofi Annan, the specific meaning of peacebuilding changed as the notion of liberal democracy that informed UN peacebuilding gradually shifted away from the one prevailing under Boutros-Ghali. Despite such changes, the chapter demonstrates that the liberal democratic peace framework remained the main referential underpinning how peacebuilding was understood in and around the UN. While analysing the different meanings of peacebuilding under Boutros-Ghali and Annan at the headquarters level, the chapter reviews concrete peacebuilding initiatives carried out by UN peace operations from the early 1990s to the mid-2000s, seeking to establish connections between policy making developments in New York and their manifestation in the field.
The lived experience of being a homeless college student: a qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis (QIMS)

ABSTRACTHeightened awareness that college students are facing homelessness points to the need for more research on this vulnerable subpopulation of emerging adults. The study, which draws on the so...
A Challenge within Macromarketing: Global Disasters:

This essay reflects on the burgeoning literature by marketing scholars in addressing various aspects of global disasters, from both natural and man-made causes. Marketing scholarship into elements ...
CD4-Pseudomonas Exotoxin: A Strategy for AIDS Therapy Based on Selective Killing of HIV-Infected Cells

The receptor for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is CD4, a 55 kD glycoprotein expressed on the surface of certain human lymphoid and monocytic cell types1. The finding2–7 that recombinant soluble forms of CD4 retain the capacity for high affinity binding to gp120 (the external subunit of the HIV envelope glycoprotein) has suggested potential therapeutic uses of CD4 derivatives. For example, soluble truncated forms of CD4 (sCD4) are able to neutralize HIV infectivity in vitro 2–6,suggesting they may have specific anti-viral activity in HIV-infected individuals. Several “second-generation” applications of this neutralizing concept are under development, including attachment of the CD4 to immunoglobulin constant region sequences8–12, or presentation of the CD4 in association with erythrocytes13. These modifications provide the advantages of increased plasma half-life compared to sCD4, and possibly enhanced efficiency of neutralization due to multivalency.
Refining SMAP Soil Roughness Parameterization in the U. S. Corn Belt

SMAP soil moisture retrieval currently relies on a relatively smooth parameterization of soil surface roughness in croplands. However, in agricultural regions like the U. S. Corn Belt where tillage is common, roughness varies according to farm management practices, increasing due to harvest and tillage and decreasing from field cultivation and rainfall. We approximate roughness at the South Fork core validation site during 2016 by re–arranging the SMAP Single Channel Algorithm to retrieve HR from observed brightness temperature when in situ observations of soil moisture and ancillary data are provided. The result is a temporally dynamic HR, rougher than the SMAP default parameterization, with a slight sensitivity to soil moisture. This analysis is believed to be the first to measure a temporally dynamic HR for croplands at the satellite–scale. We hypothesize that SMAP performance will improve in the U. S. Corn Belt when the refined HR is utilized during soil moisture retrieval.
High versus low body condition in mares: Interactions with responses to somatotropin, GnRH analog, and dexamethasone

Mares that had previously been fed to attain body condition scores (BCS) of 7.5 to 8.5 (high) or 3.0 to 3.5 (low) were used to determine the interaction of BCS with the responses to 1) administration of equine somatotropin (eST) daily for 14 d beginning January 20 followed by administration of GnRH analog (GnRHa) daily for 21 d and 2) 4-d treatment with dexamethasone later in the spring when mares in low BCS had begun to ovulate. The majority of mares with high BCS continued to cycle throughout the winter, as evidenced by larger ovaries (P 0.05) on ovarian activity or ovulation. Plasma leptin concentrations were greater (P 0.10) of eST treatment. Plasma IGF-I concentrations were greater (P < 0.0001) in mares treated with eST compared with mares given vehicle, and mares with high BCS had greater IGF-I (P < 0.02) and LH concentrations (P < 0.02) than mares with low BCS. Plasma leptin concentrations in mares with high BCS were increased (P < 0.001) within 12 h of dexamethasone treatment; the leptin response (P < 0.001) in mares with low BCS was greatly reduced (P < 0.001) and transient. Glucose and insulin concentrations also increased (P < 0.0001) after dexamethasone treatment in both groups, and the magnitude of the response was greater (P < 0.0001) in mares with high BCS than in mares with low BCS. In summary, low BCS in mares was associated with a consistent seasonal anovulatory state that was affected little by eST and GnRHa administration. In contrast, all but one mare with high BCS continued to experience estrous cycles and(or) have abundant follicular activity on their ovaries. The IGF-I response to eST treatment was also reduced in mares with low BCS, as was the basal leptin concentration and leptin response to dexamethasone. Although low BCS and leptin concentrations were associated with inactive ovaries during winter and early spring, mares with low BCS eventually ovulated in April and May while leptin concentrations remained low.
Optogenetic Rac1 engineered from membrane lipid-binding RGS-LOV for inducible lamellipodia formation

We report the construction of a single-component optogenetic Rac1 (opto-Rac1) to control actin polymerization by dynamic membrane recruitment. Opto-Rac1 is a fusion of wildtype human Rac1 small GTPase to the C-terminal region of BcLOV4, a LOV (light-oxygen-voltage) photoreceptor that rapidly binds the plasma membrane upon blue-light activation via a direct electrostatic interaction with anionic membrane phospholipids. Translocation of the fused wildtype Rac1 effector permits its activation by GEFs (guanine nucleotide exchange factors) and consequent actin polymerization and lamellipodia formation, unlike in existing single-chain systems that operate by allosteric photo-switching of constitutively active Rac1 or the heterodimerization-based (i.e. two-component) membrane recruitment of a Rac1-activating GEF. Opto-Rac1 induction of lamellipodia formation was spatially restricted to the patterned illumination field and was efficient, requiring sparse stimulation duty ratios of ~1–2% (at the sensitivity threshold for flavin photocycling) to cause significant changes in cell morphology. This work exemplifies how the discovery of LOV proteins of distinct signal transmission modes can beget new classes of optogenetic tools for controlling cellular function.
DETERRENT: Knowledge Guided Graph Attention Network for Detecting Healthcare Misinformation

To provide accurate and explainable misinformation detection, it is often useful to take an auxiliary source (e.g., social context and knowledge base) into consideration. Existing methods use social contexts such as users' engagements as complementary information to improve detection performance and derive explanations. However, due to the lack of sufficient professional knowledge, users seldom respond to healthcare information, which makes these methods less applicable. In this work, to address these shortcomings, we propose a novel knowledge guided graph attention network for detecting health misinformation better. Our proposal, named as DETERRENT, leverages on the additional information from medical knowledge graph by propagating information along with the network, incorporates a Medical Knowledge Graph and an Article-Entity Bipartite Graph, and propagates the node embeddings through Knowledge Paths. In addition, an attention mechanism is applied to calculate the importance of entities to each article, and the knowledge guided article embeddings are used for misinformation detection. DETERRENT addresses the limitation on social contexts in the healthcare domain and is capable of providing useful explanations for the results of detection. Empirical validation using two real-world datasets demonstrated the effectiveness of DETERRENT. Comparing with the best results of eight competing methods, in terms of F1 Score, DETERRENT outperforms all methods by at least 4.78% on the diabetes dataset and 12.79% on cancer dataset. We release the source code of DETERRENT at: https://github.com/cuilimeng/DETERRENT.
Comparison of First-Pass Efficacy Among Four Mechanical Thrombectomy Techniques: A Single-Center Experience.

Background First-pass efficacy (FPE) is an established marker of technical and clinical efficacy among mechanical thrombectomy (MT) techniques. It is unclear what the optimal approach is in achieving FPE. We present a single-center experience comparing rates of FPE among 2 MT techniques and evaluate the potential predictors of FPE among other outcomes. Methods A single-center retrospective analysis was carried out of patients with consecutive large-vessel occlusion strokes (LVOS) of anterior circulation from September 2015 to April 2019 who underwent MT and for whom data were available on the status of FPE. Four MT techniques were identified: ADAPT (a direct first-pass aspiration), SrADAPT (stent retriever with aspiration), SRBG (stent retriever with balloon guide catheter), and STRAP (stent retriever-aspiration and proximal flow arrest). The primary outcome was FPE and secondary outcomes included the rate of successful reperfusion. Results Among 226 patients with LVOS of the anterior circulation who underwent MT, data were available for 164 on FPE for the 4 MT techniques. SRBG was the most prevalent technique. No significant difference was found in rates of FPE among the 4 MT techniques (P = 0.332). No independent predictors of FPE were identified on multivariable analysis. STRAP had the highest rate of successful reperfusion compared with the other techniques (P = 0.049) and was the only independent predictor of that outcome (P = 0.027). Conclusions Among patients with LVOS of the anterior circulation, the rate of FPE did not differ among the 4 MT techniques. There were no predictors of FPE among the studied variables. STRAP was the only predictor of successful reperfusion.
In-situ Preclean Run Path Impact on Selective Cobalt Cap Deposition and Electromigration

This paper will provide an in-depth study of the run path impact an in-situ thermal Hydrogen preclean performed on a Copper interconnect has on the selective Cobalt cap deposition process. A loss in selective Cobalt cap thickness was observed with a wafer order dependence which resulted in a degradation in Electromigration performance. With Electromigration lifetimes dropping due to interconnect scaling, it is important to maintain and improve the Electromigration reliability of devices as we move to smaller nodes. By altering the wafer run path through a multi-chamber process tool, we were able to recover the loss of Cobalt selective deposition and thickness.
A clinical and echocardiographic case report of carcinoid-related valvular heart disease.

Background Carcinoid syndrome is a rare disease caused by malignant neuroendocrine neoplasms. When vasoactive substances enter the systemic circulation, the triad of cutaneous flushing, bronchospasm, and diarrhoea often characterize carcinoid syndrome. Rarely, carcinoid syndrome can progress to involve the cardiac system, a condition known as carcinoid heart disease, often affecting right-sided valvular structures. Case summary Here, we present a case of malignant carcinoid syndrome with associated carcinoid heart disease in a 63-year-old female. The diagnosis of her dual regurgitant and stenotic valvular disease is detailed, with accompanying two- and three-dimensional echocardiographic images demonstrating the patient's complex tricuspid dysfunction. Discussion Carcinoid heart disease encompasses a rare but important subset of valvular dysfunction caused by circulating vasoactive substances. Diagnosis utilizing serum studies, computed tomography scans, and echocardiography can help expedite the diagnosis and treatment of such rare conditions, and assist in the avoidance of complications. Despite its relatively well-recognized clinical presentation, carcinoid syndrome and its associated heart disease still remains a challenging condition to manage and treat, often requiring the input of several subspecialties to treat the condition appropriately.